Writing in Science Made Simple: Engaging Strategies for Student

Success, Part IVocabulary & Building Background

Knowledge

Florida Association of Science Teachers Conference

Kathleen Kopp

Teacher on Special Assignment, Citrus County Schools

Author and Presenter: Maupin House Publishing

koppk@citrus.k12.fl.us

http://www.citrus.k12.fl.us/fre/kopp/ContentAreaWriting.htm

Today’s ObjectivesReview of CCSS ELA writing standards as they

apply to science

Phenomenal, easy-to-implement writing activities to help students learn essential vocabulary

Fun, creative, and motivating writing strategies to start students thinking about what they already know.Engage thinkingBuild background knowledge

Resources for Science TeachersAll these strategies and more in Everyday

Content-Area Writing and Strategies for Writing in the Science Classroom (Maupin House Publishing, Inc.)

ComparisonsComplete this thought:

Writing in Science is like _____________________

because_________________________________________

.

Word Bank:

storming a castle jet skiing munching an apple

shopping NASCAR a day at the beach

AnalogiesWRITING is to LEARNING IN SCIENCE as _____________________ is to __________________.

Writing Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects, gr. 6-8

http://www.corestandards.org/

Writing Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects, gr. 6-8

http://www.corestandards.org/

Writing Strategies to Develop Science Vocabulary

Mine, Ours, TheirsFrayer modelGraphic organizers from http://freeology.com/graphicorgs/ Student-generated cloze (story, paragraph, or sentence)

Before Reading: Mine, Ours, Theirs

PLATE TECTONICSThe multi-million dollar seismic equipment was helpful. But, the geologist relied more on her understanding of plate tectonics to

help predict the next major earthquake.

My DefinitionMy Neighbor’s

DefinitionGlossary Definition

How these definitions compare______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Before Reading: Mine, Ours, Theirs

OBFUSCATIONThe senator’s continuous, disorganized, and irrelevant

prattle left his fellow elected leaders in a state of obfuscation.

My DefinitionMy Neighbor’s

DefinitionGlossary Definition

How these definitions compare______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Total confusion or opaqueness so as to be difficult to perceive or understand

Before Reading: Frayer Model

Total confusion or opaqueness so as to be difficult to perceive or understand

ConfusionLostIn a fogIgnorant

TESOL Conference

?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Wise old owl

My dad

Vocabulary Development

Using Graphic Organizershttp://freeology.com/graphicorgs/

Vocabulary Cards Graphic Organizer

Vocabulary Word Cluster Graphic Organizer

Vocabulary Sketch Graphic Organizer

“Cognitive Dictionary Graphic Organizer

Check for Understanding of Essential Terms: ClozeHave students write sentences, paragraphs, or

stories using all their vocabulary words before or during learning.

Collect the students’ work.Select the best sentences, paragraph, or story.Type them using a word processing program.Insert blank lines (_____________) for each

vocabulary term.Provide copies of the cloze student activity sheet

and terms.Have students complete this activity to assess

their understanding of the vocabulary presented in the reading selection.

Choose one word. Write a sentence.Insert a blank line for your word.

bacteriacarbon dioxide

decomposefixation

energynitrogenobfuscation process

Sample ClozeDirk studied the alien life form on the autopsy table. Then, he turned his attention to the cells in the microscope. He was looking for the _____________ markers that made the beast look as it did. The unfortunate part was, he only had the one body to study. How was he going to determine the _____________ and _____________ traits of this species using only one sample? He had to identify the right _____________ sequences! He made notes about the pairs of genes, or _____________, he had identified so far. He set out to find victims related to his specimen to fall prey to his alien death hose. He would not stop until he discovered all there was to know about alien _____________.

gene DNA alleledominant recessive heredity

Writing Strategies to Engage Students and Build Background Knowledge

PMI (Plusses, Minuses, and Interesting)Engage thinking with activities or investigations, articles, facts, short videos, pictures, guest speakers, or objects. Be sure students follow up by writing using “I” stems:

What I didHow I feltWhere I wasWhat happened to meHow I felt

Conversations (and written follow-up)

PMIYES _____ “Pluto should be readmitted as a planet.”

NO _____

PLUSSES MINUSES INTERESTING

Engage Thinking with Pictures: “What happened here?”

Observations

Inferences

Engage Thinking:Activity Hands-on investigation:

“How strong is your chocolate?” Mechanical properties of

matter Write procedures, data, and

outcomes. Online interactive activity:

“Shape It Up” Challenge students to identify

the forces that shape the earth’s surface and the relative speed with which they act

Write personal reflections comparisons, or summarize learning.

Physical Activity: Go Bowling Write a story, “A Day in the

Life of a Bowling Ball.” Brainstorming: Animals

List animals, then compare their traits or characteristics.

http://www.kineticcity.com/mindgames/warper/

“Open Mind” Making Connections

Thinking Stems:•I wonder…•This makes me think about…•This reminds me of…•This relates to…•I imagine•I predict… •I remember when…

Conversations (and written follow-up)

Write Now!Writing engages students’ thinking.Writing allows students to make

predictions.Writing documents initial thoughts and

ideas.Writing helps students acquire (internalize)

essential vocabulary.

Thank you for spending time with me!

Be sure to stay for Part II of “Writing in Science Made Simple”•Use writing to bring meaning to learning•Use writing to formally and informally assess students

koppk@citrus.k12.fl.us

http://www.citrus.k12.fl.us/fre/kopp/ContentAreaWriting.htm