Coaching Writing in the Science Classroom

Paideia ConferenceCharlotte, NCOctober 3, 2014

Kristin Knight BurrusChattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences7th Grade Science teacher, NBCTcsasburrus@gmail.com

What kind of writing do you ask your students to do in science?What helps them be successful?

Socrative Poll

Goals for today

• Scaffolding student writing with graphic organizers.

• Matching writing tasks with texts. – Informational– Narrative– Argumentative

• Creating prompts for writing assignments.

• Assessment strategies

• Reading Symbols and Highlighting - Always give students

a reason for highlighting. (agree/disagree, POV,

claim/counterclaim, imagery, ideas, etc.)

• Summarizing -MVP 5-3-1 / Bulls Eye

• Visualizing & Connecting – Two Column Notes

• FQR (Three columns – Facts – Questions – Response)

• Anticipation Guides

• Cause/Effect (fishbone)

• Compare/Contrast (Venn)

Pre-Seminar Writing Graphic Organizers

Graphic Organizers to get students ready to read science texts.

Reading SymbolsP - PredictionT-S – text to self connectionT-T – text to text connectionT-W – text to world connection? – a question I have about the textQA – question answered* - important detailV – visual image hereI – inferenceS – synthesizing/generalizing statement or theme

 Use these symbols when highlighting text.

Say Something Teacher breaks a piece of text into four sections. At the end of each section, the students complete one of the following:• Make a prediction.• Ask a question.• Make a comment.• Make a connection. This can be done with partners and shared/discussed with group.

Paideia Seminars – the fun part!

Step 1• Brainstor

ming• Structuri

ng the composition (graphic organizers)

Step 2• Writing the

1st Draft

Step 3• Revising• Peer Review• Editing

Step 4• Publishing

the final copy

Planning Steps to Post-Seminar Writing

Common Core State Standards

Science and Technical Writing Standards

• Argumentative

o Write arguments focused on discipline-specific

content.

• Informational/Expository

o Write informative/explanatory texts, including

the narration of historical events, scientific

procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

Claim proposes an answer

to the question

Reasoning connects evidence to the claim

Evidence Evidence

Credible Sources provide

Evidence

Argumentative Essay

Argumentation Graphic

Organizers

Brainstorming for Arguments

Argument Organizers

Informational / Expository Graphic Organizers

Read, Write, Think Essay

Map

Innovation Seminar

Innovation Post-Seminar Writing Student Work

Small Group Planning

• Read the text and plan (if available).

• What kind of writing supports this text? o Narrative, Informational, or

Argumentative

• Create a prompt that fits the type of

writing you want students to do.o Use the “LDC Template Task Collection” to

create prompts.

• What type of graphic organizers

support this prompt?

Break into 5 Groups:1. Death of a Pine2. Human Skeleton3. Newton’s Laws of

Motion4. Sex, Drugs,

Disasters, and the Extinction of the Dinosaurs

5. The Wonderful Mistake

Share Group Ideas

Prompts for Science Texts

HS Biology: “Trash” Seminar

After observing maps, pictures and objects from the TN River , write a report that examines the cause(s) of pollution and its effect on riparian ecosystems. Support your discussion with evidence from the seminar and additional classroom resources.

Prompts for Science Texts

Middle / High School Science:“Experiments and Observations on Air” by Joseph Priestley

After reading and discussing “Experiments and Observations on Air,” write an entry in Priestley's Journal as if he is in 2014 that describes the relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Support your discussion with at least two quotes from the text.

Prompts for Science Texts

Middle / High School: Bicycle Seminar

After observing the bicycle and reading the text, Pedaling Through the Parts, write an Edmodo blog for our science class, in which you compare the systems of the bicycle with analogous systems of the body in both form and function. Include three systems of the body and support your ideas with evidence from the text and your science book.

(We really will post these for your science class to see!)

Assessing Writing

Category 

Criteria A: Exemplar

y5

B:Solid4.5

C: Competent

4

D / F: Insufficient

≤ 3.5

Claim or Thesis 

Claim is clearly worded and well defined. Acknowledge and distinguish the claim from alternate or opposing claims 

       

Argument Support and Evidence

 Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using at least three credible sources. Use quotes from the text as evidence. 

       

Content 

Sentences and paragraphs contain original and interesting ideas with appropriate support  Works are cited correctly. 

       

Organization 

The introduction, body, and conclusion are organized and presented in such a clear and creative way that the reader moves easily through the text. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.  

       

Mechanics andConventions 

Very few errors exist in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage.        

Word Choice andSentence Fluency 

Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claims, counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. 

       

Voice andPresentation 

Establish and maintain a formal style/voice Easy to read handwriting OR Double spaced typing with well-defined margins.Use 12 pt. Times New Roman font and double space.

       

Total Score   A = 20 B = 18 C = 16 D = 14 F ≤ 13

Writing checklist - argumentative essay

On-line, Interactive, Argumentative Essay Rubric

Rcampus.com

Post Content 40 % Writings, artwork, and presentations

Mechanics and Conventions 3 pts

Excellent

Post-Writing assignment is complete and effectively demonstrates the student’s growth and thorough understanding of language conventions and mechanics 

Good

Post-Writing assignment is complete and effectively demonstrates a proficient level of understanding of language conventions and mechanics 

Developing

Post-Writing assignment is complete and demonstrates an average level of understanding of language conventions and mechanics 

Needs Improvement

Post-Writing assignment is incomplete 

Poor

missing 

Ideas 3 pts

Excellent

Post-Writing assignment is complete and effectively demonstrates the student’s growth and thorough understanding of the big ideas—making connections to the seminar and real-life applications. Student followed guidelines for post. 

Good

Post-Writing assignment is complete and effectively demonstrates a proficient level of understanding of the big ideas—making connections to the seminar. Student followed guidelines for post. 

Developing

Post-Writing assignment is complete and demonstrates an average level of understanding of the big ideas. Student did not follow all guidelines for writing post. 

Needs Improvement

Post-Writing assignment is incomplete 

Poor

missing 

General Writing Rubric

Sources

"English Language Arts Standards » Writing.” Science and

Technical Subjects. Common Core State Standards

Initiative, 2014. Web. 27 Sept. 2014.

<http://www.corestandards.org>.

"Project Write MSU." Graphic Organizers. Wikispaces, 15 June

2009. Web. 28 Sept. 2014.

<https://projectwritemsu.wikispaces.com/file/detail/graphic+

organizers.pdf>.

"Essay Map." Essay Map. ReadWriteThink.org, 2014. Web. 28

Sept. 2014.

Appendix C: LDC Template Task Collection. Paideia Course

Manual. National Paideia Center, 2013. 91-95. Print.