1. Cheryl Urbanczyk Learn Literacy
Writing in the Science Classroom – It’s NOT Oil and Water!
Cheryl Urbanczyk Learn Literacy

2. About… Middle – High School Science Teacher Language Arts Teacher

3. Why Writing?
We live in an information age- students must be comfortable writing with information.
Scientists use writing to convey their findings and understanding of the world around them. By writing about Science, students are doing what real scientists do!

4. Why Writing? Ministry documents support writing in the content areas.
It allows students to think about, express, and deepen their understanding of content learning.
Check understanding
Consolidation
Expression

5. Why Writing? Integrate Teaching Use content to teach writing
Use writing to teach content
Integrated learning- less fragmented
Do more with the time you have

6. Forms of Writing
1. Genre of Science Writing 2. Writing for Understanding 3. Creative Expression

7. Genre of Science Writing
-traditional forms of writing used by scientists
-it can be its own genre- unique format and style
Science Lab Report
Science – Naturalist Journal

8. Science Lab Report A formal write-up of an experiment
The way real scientists report their findings
Way to:
teach logical step-wise thinking
Making and testing a hypothesis
Age Appropriate reports
Modify expectations to meet student age and needs

9. Primary Report Teacher made graphic organizer
students write in required info
Important to teach logical scientific thinking.

10. Primary Report

11. Junior Report Simplified lab report Teach format- I do, we do, you do.
Introduction – why doing the experiment
Hypothesis
Materials – list
Methods – several sentences on what you did
Results – what happened
Conclusion – why it happened
Teach format- I do, we do, you do.

12. Advanced Report Formal report with labeled sections:
Abstract, Introduction, Background Information, Hypothesis, Materials, Procedure, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, References
Once per year – Science Fair

13. Scientist – Naturalist Journal
Many famous scientists/ naturalists kept journals to record their insights, thoughts, findings.
These are like a writer’s notebook for the scientist.
Show students journal pages from famous scientists: Da Vinci, Audubon, Darwin, etc.
Pick a science topic in the Life Science strand and start a nature journal with students.
Observations can start with weather, a walk around the school yard, trip to a park, etc- record changes through the seasons.
Sketch/ draw experiment- record thoughts.

14. Writing for Understanding
-use as an assessment tool- formative, summative
-time for student to think about topic and express their understanding
Quick Write
Summarizing
Report

15. Quick Write
Use to check understanding from previous day’s lesson, at end of lesson, or to brainstorm background knowledge.
Ex: 1) What did you learn from yesterday’s activity on electrical circuits? 2) How are pulleys and gears different from each other? 3) Write what you know about…
Have a sharing session- partner share, whole class share, etc.
Serves as a formative assessment for teachers.
Short writing time – 5 min.

16. Summarize
To write a summary, student must analyze info to find important key points.
One of the proven classroom instructional strategies (Marzano).
Ex: Summarize…1) how a pulley works. 2) how an airplane flies. 3) what is in our solar system.
How use: Quick Write, homework, summative assessment
May need explicit teaching.

17. Report Write a report on…?.
Teaching opportunity for research skills, writing non-fiction exposition.
Writing traits- idea, organization, sentence fluency
Successful only if take time to teach this type of writing.

18. Creative Writing
-use imagination and creativity to express science content and learning
-have fun with both words, pictures, and science concepts
Poetry
Comic
Graphic Novel
Magazine
Journal- creative response
Reading-Writing Connection

19. Creative Writing Why creative writing in Science class?
Format is a vehicle for the content.
New way to think about learning.
Multiple intelligences
Watch this and think….

21. Poetry Choose any type of poetry:
acrostic, list, found, diamante, cinquain, free verse, concrete, etc
How use:
Review activity
Part of LA unit (poetry, creative writing, etc)
Concrete, list/ found, acrostic, free verse,???

22. Poetry – Diamante Grade 7

23. Poetry – Diamante Grade 7

24. Poetry – Cinquain Grade 3

25. Poetry – Cinquain Grade 3

26. Poetry – Acrostic Grade 3

27. Poetry – Concrete

28. Poetry - Concrete
Concrete, list/ found, acrostic, free verse,???

29. Comic Presents a Science concept in a funny way.
Show many models to give ideas and discuss the science concepts in the comic.
Gary Larson – The Far Side (copyright?)

30. Comic – Grade 7

31. Comic Book - Graphic Novel
Examples-
Write about a travel through the solar system
Disaster- bridge collapse, global warming
Gem or valuable mineral adventure
Environment: habitat loss, loss of diversity, interactions, etc
Templates available on-line
Trait of “Word Choice” is critical
Format is a vehicle for the content.

32. Magazine Great end-of-unit project Ex: Life & Times of Simple Machines
Cover, Table of Contents, Articles, Ads, etc
Ex: Life & Times of Simple Machines
Article on a simple machine “saving the day”
History
Advertisements
Survey on most useful, favorite, etc
Creative writing- a city without ?
Group project- each person has a contribution

33. Journal – Creative Response
Students write to a creative journal prompt…
Grade 1 – Energy in our Lives
1.2 describe how the everyday lives of different people and other living things would be affected if electrical energy were no longer available
Prompt: What would happen if there was no electricity?
Grade 2 – Growth & Change in Animals
2.4- observe and compare changes in the appearance and activity of animals as they go through a complete life cycle
Prompt: My life as a butterfly…

34. Journal – Creative Response

36. Reading-Writing Connection
Read a book, watch a movie, ?
Fact or Fiction Booklet – Identify 5 science-tech elements in the book/ movie and write, with explanation, if they are “fact or fiction”.
Find and define 5 science words/ terms.
Find 5 science concepts, people, etc- explain WHY they are important to the book.

37. Science Fiction Novel Study
Read a Science Fiction novel.
On a Bristol Board…
Make a collage of no less than 7 elements that represents the science elements of the novel
List and define 5 science words/ terms.
Find 5 science-tech objects/ ideas and explain their importance to the novel.
Make a “Fact or Fiction?” booklet that explains whether the science-tech objects/ ideas are real or not (or some of both).

38. Reading-Writing Primary

41. How to… Pick the form of writing you like to use.
Decide how the writing will be used- link to a Ministry standard, Trait of Writing.
Decide on what science content you want expressed through the written format.
Explicit modeling with success criteria/ rubrics.
Share!

42. Assessment
Science- develop a rubric based on the Ministry achievement chart for Science: knowledge & understanding, thinking & investigation, communication and application
Writing- 1) use a rubric following the Ministry achievement chart, 2) use Traits of Writing model and assess for certain traits- idea, organization, word choice, sentence fluency, voice
One task = Assessed 2 different ways.

43. Genre of Science Writing Writing for Understanding
Now it’s your turn!
Talk to your group…
Discuss 2 ways you can use writing in your Science classroom RIGHT AWAY- NEXT WEEK!
Be ready to share!
Overview of Types of Writing
Genre of Science Writing
Writing for Understanding
Creative Expression
Lab report
Journal
Quick Write
Summarizing
Report
Poetry
Comic or Comic Book
Graphic Novel
Magazine
Creative response
Reading connection

44. Resources
Print:
Marzano, Robert et.al Classroom Instruction that Works: Research Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. ASCD,
Web:
Writing Like a Scientist – Launching a Science Notebook
Brain based benefits of writing science/ math
Templates for Comics/ Graphic Organizer

45. Try something new! You can do it!