Finding Ways to Write in Science Class

Need to find ways to add science into your day? Why not find ways to write in science! Not only does science writing help children synthesize and process, but it allows them to communicate their learning with others. Don't just limit writing to your language arts lessons...Here are some ideas as to how to find ways to add writing during your science lessons.

                                          

Why we should look at writing in science...

1. Let's build content area

2. Let's model our writing after scientists

3.  Let them practice thinking and absorbing specific concepts and content

4. By writing their observations, we can allow them to write without the anxiety

5. It allows teachers to help students use prompts to start their thoughts

6. Students learning to reflect is important to be able to allow them to empower them as thinkers

Top 10 Kindergarten through fifth grade ideas on how to do this...

1. Anchor chart creation and then send them back to draw and write a connection
                                              



2. Ticket out the door ideas

3. Constructed response tests

4. science notebooks

5. Have them write beyond summarizing...use DOK or Bloom's higher level questions using sentence starters. Grab your free sentence starters here!

6. Make thinking visible (put it up around the room, add it to the anchor chart, put it on a bulletin board...)

7. Use the CORE model...connect, organize, reflect, extend

8. Utilize graphic organizers

9. Let them share what they wrote

10. Use sites such as Flipgrid to have students share what they learned, video their responses, and/or share their work with you and with their classmates

Knowing that science has always been a bit harder to find time for in busy days of school...using your writing block might be another great strategy for finding time to not only write, but add science to your day! 

 

Simple Idea Alert!

Grab a book you are going to read to them, create a fun STEM project, and tie in a science concept and you have another great way to tie writing into your day as well. For example, in the picture below, we read Humpty Dumpty, we create a stable wall for Humpty to balance on, made walls out of tape and paper and then wrote about what we learned. Three subjects, one simple activity!

Whether it is a small station, an experiment or demonstration, students can utilize their writing skills in so many ways that apply to your science lessons! Pick one idea from this post and give it a try. 

Need more ideas? Join me at Whole Teacher EclecticCon 2020 where over 50+ presenters will help you get ready for next year whether we are in school or distance learning. Classes for mental health, core curriculum, technology connections, social justice and more! Find out more about it here!