CISIP Writing Framework

Approaches to Teaching and Learning Science and Writing

This Is Science . . . Why Write?

What does it mean to “write to learn science”?

Why should we use writing as a vehicle for science learning when other alternatives exist?

Scientific Writing

• Writing in science has a specific form.

• Scientific writing has all of the characteristics of scientific discourse in written form.

• It is augmented by visual/graphical representations to support conclusions.

Writing to Learn Strategies

associate concepts with language

access prior knowledge through pre-writing activities

use writing as a means for students to discover and explore what they know and to learn more through writing

provide opportunities for writing to generate and negotiate meaning

provide opportunities for writing to reflect, analyze, and communicate ideas

Writing to Learn

Writing to learn is both formal and informal writing.

Types of writing to learn activities include

Note taking

Journal writing

Free writes

How can teachers help students succeed in writing to learn activities?

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

The writing must be embedded into the science inquiry activity and emphasize the nature of science.

It must be seen by both teachers and students as an integral part of the science, not an additional task.

FIRST KEY

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Writing a letter to a lay-person in response to a question posed at the beginning of the inquiry lesson

Recording results of an experiment in a science notebook or journal

FIRST KEY Activities

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Students need explicit teaching in science writing content, forms, and processes that illustrates the relationship between science writing and the nature of science.

SECOND KEY

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Provide specific prompts (How did you use the feedback you received from peer review to revise your results section?)

Discuss model texts, genre templates

Create scaffolding exercises and activities (for thinking and writing processes like planning, reviewing, and translating)

Clarify vocabulary and language patterns used

SECOND KEY Activities

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Students need multiple opportunities to write in the same genre or application.

THIRD KEY

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Reflective journal entries and short essays at several stages of the inquiry lesson process

Lab reports for several different inquiry lessons over the course of a semester or school year

THIRD KEY activities

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Students should engage in science writing that encourages metacognition.

FOURTH KEY

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Journaling about learning

Analytical reflective essays

E-mail and/or discussion board conversations about processes used

FOURTH KEY activities

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Students should engage in science writing that provides opportunity for the transformation of knowledge through a negotiation of meaning

FIFTH KEY

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Writing should be analytical (both expressive and expository) when possible.

Writing should access prior knowledge and link that prior knowledge to material students are learning in class (pre-writing and post writing).

Writing activities should foster a sharing of ideas among peers and professionals.

FIFTH KEY activities

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Students should receive regular, meaningful feedback from the instructor in addition to feed back from peers, along with opportunities to revise their work based on feedback received.

SIXTH KEY

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Peer response sessions

Written feedback from the instructor

Individual face-to-face conferences

Requiring multiple drafts

Large group, instructor-facilitated discussion of sample student papers

Allowing the revision of “final” drafts

SIXTH KEY activities

Science Inquiry Process

Engagement

Exploration

Explanation

Expansion

E-Assessment

Engagement

Journaling

One minute “essay”

Concept mapping

Drawing with explanation

Poetry

Teacher Designed

Writing Activities Student Thinking

What do I already know?

How could or does this apply to my life?

Exploration

Taking notes

Recording data and processes

Journaling

Writing analyses of articles

Interview notes

Storytelling

Teacher Designed

Writing Activities Student Thinking

What did I do?

What did I observe?

How do my ideas compare with other ideas?

Explanation

Lab report

Letter explaining a concept

Graph or diagram explained in writing

Teacher Designed

Writing Activities Student Thinking

What can I claim?

How do I know?

What does it mean?

Expansion

Create an experiment exploring a related, real word problem using material just learned and record results

Journal article

Brochure

Book jacket

Teacher Designed

Writing Activities Student Thinking

How does this apply to other things in my life?

E-Assessment

Science notebook journaling

Concept mapping

Rubric exercises

Analytical reflective essay

Teacher Designed

Writing Activities Student Thinking

How have my ideas changed?

How did I do?

How did I learn best?

What do I still want to know?

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities

Six Keys to Successful Writing to Learn Science Activities