Reading and Writing for Science Content Literacy

Melissa Mehre

We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.
-Anas Nin

There are many reasons to read and write within the content area classroom. Content learning
depends on students ability to read and comprehend grade level text materials. By teaching students
how to read and write within science, I can help them be more successful scientists but also more
successful learners. In the following pages I will talk about writing to learn, writing to demonstrate
knowledge and learning, and working with and helping struggling learners within the science classroom.
I will also acknowledge assessment and continue explaining how writing supports science curriculum.
The first reason to write within the science classroom is to learn. Writing to learn is a process
oriented form of writing. As a teacher, I am more focused on the students effort and progress when
looking at pieces of writing that are intended for writing to learn. These pieces of work may have
mistakes, but that is perfectly acceptable because that means my students are working in their Zone of
Proximal Development (ZPD). Writing to learn is an ongoing process where students struggle either with
the concepts or the form of writing initially, but eventually become comfortable with the concept and
strategy. In addition, writing to learn may include grading or it may just be looked at for completion.
Often times writing to learn activities are initially done in groups or partners, working down to
individually completing writing to learn activities. This scaffolding approach allows for students to utilize
each other as resources when they are struggling with the strategy or concepts but eventually requires
students to work individually.
The second reason to write within the science classroom is to demonstrate knowledge or
learning. Writing to demonstrate learning is a more end or product driven form of writing. This form of
writing is used only after students are comfortable with the content and the form of writing and have
shown successful completion throughout the gradual release of responsibility model. Students will have
shown success in teacher-led instruction of the strategy and collaborative group work before they are
expected to demonstrate learning through writing strategies. Often times writing to demonstrate
learning activities are graded because students should have been given enough time beforehand to
become comfortable with the writing strategies and concepts. Writing to demonstrate learning is an
important way to assess student progress and should be done on a regular basis.
Finally, writing strategies can be used when helping struggling learners within the science
classroom. I believe that all of the strategies I have learned about so far can be adapted to work with
struggling learners. There are easy accommodations that can be made for students with visual and
hearing impairments. For example, individual copies of all images and worksheets that are
demonstrated on in a whole group setting can be handed out. In addition, all of these reading and
writing strategies can be adapted for students with learning disabilities. For example, all of these
strategies begin teacher-led modeling of the strategy, followed by collaborative group work. This group
work can include taking turns reading the text material out loud so students who struggle with reading
do not have to attempt to read the passage silently and independently. There are many adaptations
that can be made to each of these strategies in order to accommodate the needs of any content area
classroom.
A common question in regards to reading and writing in the content classroom is about
assessment. Formative assessment is a necessary tool when considering content literacy strategies. As
a teacher, I need to know where my students are in terms of feeling comfortable using literacy
strategies. As for summative assessment, I feel that students should feel comfortable with the content
and the literacy strategy before I even think about any summative forms of assessment. When I see that
most students are proficient with a given strategy, I would use that strategy and the same framework in
order to assess my students on the content of those text materials. I do not believe that there should be
any big surprises when a student looks at an exam, they should feel that classroom time and activities
have helped them be prepared to take the exam.
Content literacy strategies are often looked at by content area teachers as just another thing
they need to teach their students. Instead, I see literacy strategies as a way to make learning and
conveying knowledge easier for teachers. In science particularly, I expect students to be able to read
the textbook in order to learn information about science. If I do not teach my students how to read the
textbook and extract meaningful information from it, how can I expect them to learn the information I
want them to learn? Sometimes it might feel like it takes a long time for students to feel comfortable
with a given literacy strategy, however, I see it as a way to prepare them to be better scientists and
better learners in the future.
Writing to Learn
1. Know-Want to Know-Learned (KWL) Chart-The KWL Chart is a strategy that prompts students to
recall background information, formulate questions based on that previous knowledge and the
topic at hand, read a text to find the answers to these lingering questions, and finally organize
all information into a graphic organizer. This strategy is particularly useful in writing to learn,
because it helps students make connections, generate questions, make inferences, determine
importance, and finally synthesize all new and old information. This strategy is particularly
useful in the science classroom because in addition to helping students dissect the text, it also
helps the teacher gauge what prior knowledge students have about a topic and where content
area instructions needs to start.
2. Sticky Notes-Sticky notes are very useful for a number of reasons: they can help students find a
section easily, mark a confusing part for clarification later, and also to hold their thinking so they
can share it later. I would like my students to use sticky notes for all of these reasons. As a
teacher, I use sticky notes in lieu of an assignment worksheet when students are assigned a text
section to read for homework. I do not believe that worksheets help my students learn
instead frustrated students will simply try to find the answers without gaining the knowledge in
between the questions on the worksheet. Instead, when my students read, I ask that they use a
given number of sticky notes (say 5 for a single section of text) and they must do at least one of
each of the following: ask a question for clarification later, make a connection to their lives, and
answer the so what? question about why we are choosing to read this text. By doing these
things, students are required to authentically read the text and learn the information within it.
The next day students will get into small groups and discuss common questions, then we will
come back to the whole class where common questions are answered.
3. Double-Entry Journal-Double-Entry Journals are another way for students to hold their thinking
while reading a text in the content area classroom. This strategy requires students to draw
quotes from the text and then make a connection to it. Again, this connection can be a question
that they need clarification on, a connection to their own lives, or a so what? question about
the quote. The double-entry journal can be used in any content area, but I really like it for the
science classroom because many times students ask why they need to read a text. This strategy
allows students to make connections to the text so they can see for themselves why it is
important that they read it. In addition, it is a way for me to see their learning and the types of
questions they are asking so in the future I can plan instruction to target these questions and
the type of thinking they are engaging in.
4. Vocabulary Overview Guide (VOG)-The VOG is a graphic organizer that is used with text readings
in order to gain a better understanding of the vocabulary within the text. VOGs help readers
work with contextual information provided within the text as well as their own personal
experiences in order to come up with a definition of vocabulary words. This is a great writing to
learn strategy because students are asked to read a text and extract useful information from it
in order to come up with their own definitions of content vocabulary. After students have their
own versions of the definitions of words, they are provided with the correct definitions and
then asked to modify their own to include or exclude information to make their version
correct as well. As a teacher, I look for student revisions when considering how much
knowledge the student has learned. This is a great strategy because through writing students
are able to realize where their ideas were correct and where they needed to modify to make
their ideas correct. This metacognitive thinking is crucial in the content area classroom.
5. Entry/Exit Slips-Entry and Exit Slips are a subcategory of the Quick Write strategy. Admit and
exit slips encourage students to summarize and reflect on their learning. Students are asked to
jot down their thoughts, questions, concerns, or key ideas on index cards or small slips of paper
which are collected by the teacher either as they enter the room or as they are leaving at the
end of a class period. This strategy can be used in many different ways depending on the
teachers intentions. This is a writing to learn strategy because when entry and exit slips are
used to summarize their thoughts, write questions, concerns, or key ideas students are actively
reflecting on their thoughts in order to engage in metacognition. This helps students, as well as
the teacher, gauge where they are in their learning.
6. Guided Imagery-Guided Imagery is a strategy that triggers visualization for students as they read
and learn. This strategy can be used to help students as a pre-reading activity to prepare
students for a reading assignment and it can also be used to deepen understanding after having
read a passage. In science this strategy can sometimes require prior knowledge and therefore
lends itself useful as a tool to deepen learning. For example, some topics such as
photosynthesis and the cell cycle are complex processes that students might not have
background knowledge about. These topics require students to read a passage or learn some
information about the process before they can fully visualize the process through the guided
imagery strategy. This is a writing to learn strategy because students are often asked to write
their own guided imagery after they are experts with a process. By writing a guided imagery
as well as listening to one, students are able to fully understand a complex process.
7. Discussion Web-The Discussion Web is a strategy that is designed to include all students in
classroom discussion by incorporating all four facets of communication: reading, writing,
speaking, and listening. This strategy takes advantage of cooperative learning in order to give
students multiple opportunities to interact. Students are asked to read a text and analyze a yes
or no question about the reading, listing reasons for each of the answers. Students create their
own ideas and share with others to come up with multiple reasons for each answer to a given
question. As well as having to write the reasons for yes and no, students collaborate and choose
either yes or no and then write a personal response to the focusing question. This strategy
requires students to write their thoughts throughout the process of formulating their own
opinions, as well as a reflection at the end.

Writing to Demonstrate Learning
1. Story Impressions-Story Impressions is a strategy that requires students to use content
knowledge to create a story about a string of vocabulary words and concepts. This strategy
requires students to use their prior knowledge about a process as well as learned content
knowledge from lectures and reading activities to create a coherent and correct story about the
given vocabulary words and concepts. This strategy is a great way for students to demonstrate
learning because it is much like explaining a process to a friend, however it utilizes writing skills.
Teaching another person is a strategy that has been shown to increase retention of new
information the most. By writing a story about a process, students are in essence teaching
someone who would read their story about a new concept or process.
2. Portfolio of Work-In my classroom, students will have various assignments, projects, and
presentations throughout the course of a semester or a year. Throughout this time, students
will take their best work, work they are proud of, and add it to their course portfolio of work.
This strategy is utilized to highlight students work as well as encourage students to self-reflect
on their accomplishments. An integral part of this writing to demonstrate learning strategy is
that students must also write a one page reflective paper on why they chose each item for their
portfolio. This strategy is great because it encourages students to look over their work
periodically and also reflect on not only their final work but also the units and concepts that
have been covered throughout the course. This portfolio would include work that has already
been graded, so students are graded on their thoughtfulness in their reflection as well as correct
use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Students are required to include ten pieces of work
per semester in their portfolio.
3. Class Encyclopedia-Throughout the course of a semester or year, each student will be required
to write an article for our class encyclopedia on a topic of study that we have covered. Students
will be given the assignment in the beginning of the year and have a chance to claim a topic
throughout the semester as we cover new material. During the semester I will expose students
to what an encyclopedia entry looks like, what the components are, and finally how to form
their own. Students will have ample class time to work on this project towards the end of the
semester. A rough draft will be due and students will complete self-editing as well as peer-
editing. Then I will take a look at each draft and give my feedback before a final copy is due.
This writing to demonstrate learning activity involves both reflection on course concepts as well
as additional group work and feedback and also demonstrating writing skills.
4. Letter to...-After a somewhat controversial topic (i.e.: stem cell research, environmental ethics,
recycling, etc.) students will be asked to demonstrate their learning on the topic by writing a
letter to someone to lobby for action. For example, students may write to a politician to change
some of our environmental laws. Students may choose to write to a local business that does not
recycle to try and sway them into changing their business practices to help the environment.
This letter, like the class encyclopedia, will undergo self-, peer-, and teacher-editing before a
final copy is due. Students will then send out their final letter and see what feedback they
receive. This is a great way for students to demonstrate the learning on a particular topic, as
well as a great way to get involved in the community, state, or country.
5. Create-Your-Own Experimental Design-About half way through the semester, after students
have completed multiple experiments in my classroom, they will be asked to design their own
experiment. There will obviously be limits. For example, I may tell the class we want to test
differences in plant growth. Students will need to use previous knowledge on control and
experimental grouping, independent and dependent variables, as well as basic lab safety in
order to design their own experiment. Students will undergo self- and peer-editing before a
final copy is due. To add to the experience, students will actually get to complete their own labs
in order to see where they were lacking in experimental design and where they were successful
as well as what the actual results of their lab are. After the process of actually completing the
lab, students will have an opportunity to revise their experimental design a final time before the
final draft is due.
6. Chapter or Unit Summaries-Chapter or Unit summaries require students to synthesize their
thoughts about each chapter or unit into a coherent one to two page paper. This strategy is
useful because it allows students to reflect on what they have learned, where they are lacking
information, where they have forgotten information in order to prepare for an exam, and finally
work on their writing skills. This is a great writing to demonstrate learning activity because
students must use metacognitive skills in order to gauge their learning over the past few weeks.

Working with Struggling Learner
1. Graphic Organizers-Graphic organizers are a great tool for struggling learners because they
separate knowledge into meaningful categories. This helps students think about new
information in significant groups that aid in comprehension. Students who struggle with
auditory information often times have great success with graphic organizers because they tap
into the visual aspect of learning. Finally, graphic organizers are easy to do with small groups.
This will help because students who struggle with reading or writing can be aided by other group
members.
2. Structured Note-Taking-Structured note-taking is another great strategy for struggling learners
because it helps them deem what is important and what is not in their learning. Often times
teachers will give real world examples to help keep students engaged, however, students will
not necessarily need to know that information for a test. By being explicit during instruction
times, teachers can help their students greatly in comprehension. Many times struggling
learners are easily frustrated with the wealth of knowledge that is delivered to them in a
lecture. Instead of letting these students become frustrated, teachers can be explicit about
what is need to know information and what is extra information.
3. Text Sets-Text sets are a wide variety of written texts that contain materials that are relevant,
interesting, and accessible to most students. Within a classroom, a teacher can have a wide
range of reading abilities: from above grade level, at grade level, to below grade level. In a given
classroom, the teacher aims to include at grade level reading material in regular classroom
instruction. In order to challenge above grade level readers and accommodate below grade
level readers, a teacher has text sets about different topics throughout the course where
students can go to find reading materials that best meet their reading abilities. This gives
students several options for obtaining information so that above grade level readers dont
become bored and so that below grade level readers dont become frustrated.
4. Authentic Text-In order to engage students, a teacher must select authentic texts. Authentic
texts include published works that a student would encounter on a daily basis. For example,
magazines, journals, or newspapers would qualify as authentic texts. These authentic texts are
not from the course textbook but instead relate more closely to real life. Students will often
times be more engaged when reading authentic text. This is another opportunity to have
different levels of reading material as well, so students who are above grade level do not
become bored and students below grade level do not become frustrated.
5. Acknowledge and Adapt using Multiple Intelligences-Howard Gardners Theory of Multiple
Intelligences has taught educators that there are many ways in which students learn: logical-
mathematical, spatial, linguistic, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal,
naturalistic, and existential. By considering these differences in our students and offering
accommodations in the classroom for these differences in learning, we can have more
productive classrooms and happier students. For example, some activities in the classroom can
involve moving around the room to appeal to the bodily-kinesthetic students and some
activities can include self-reflection for the interpersonal students. It is this change in appealing
to different learners that allows all students to be successful.
6. Flexible Grouping-Flexible grouping means considering group placements before the day of an
activity. Teachers should plan ahead and try to imagine how each group will work together
before the activity begins. This is a helpful strategy because a teacher can then make the
conscious effort to put a struggling reader with a student that is particularly vocal and likes to
read. By thinking about grouping beforehand, teachers can plan for group success. Another
part of flexible grouping is allowing for change once an activity has already started. The teacher
can make changes throughout the class period in order to accommodate and make sure each
student is comfortable in their group.
7. Mnemonics and Memory Aids-Mnemonics and memory aids are helpful ways to remember
concepts, definitions, or course material. Mnemonics and memory aids are helpful for all
students, not just struggling learners. I, personally, remember the most when a mnemonic is
involved, so I can see myself using this strategy a lot in the future in order to help my students
remember course concepts.
8. Rubrics-Rubrics lay out the specific requirements of an assignment, paper, or project for
students. Like mnemonics and memory aids, rubrics are helpful for all students. By laying out
the guidelines for students ahead of time, they can prepare to meet those standards. It is very
helpful for struggling learners to have a visual representation of what is required of them as
well. Finally, struggling students can also use the rubric to physically check off each requirement
as they meet them.