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Our goal in our district is to increase literacy. As I have conducted tons of common core sessions this year, I still see a struggle in science. I would love to hear of how other districts are assisting in getting science teachers, especially in K-5, to dive more into best literacy strategies to use in science. It comes so natural in ELA but for some reason there is a disconnect in science. All thoughts, strategies, lesson ideas, and more are welcomed.

LaToya, check out the NGSS 4th grade energy topic under the Elementary Group. in my day job, i provide professional learning . I do it in collaboration with other colleagues. I have a science professional learning team that is made up of teacher leaders, informal educators, college professors and engineers. This group f people works with me and plans the professional learning in a regional setting. I don't present alone. In fact, most of the presentation is done by the team. Our team is beginning to develop instructional sequences that uses the template that a colleague and I created. We are hoping that in the fall have some student work to see what it can tell us. The energy instructional sequence was piloted with two four grade classes. i would love to see student work from elsewhere if someone tried it. Kathy

Hi, LaToya,

You might want to look at the free e-book 'Why Read Picture Books in Science Class?,' an excerpt from Picture-Perfect Science Lessons, Expanded 2nd Edition: Using Children's Books to Guide Inquiry, Grades 3-6, from NSTA Press. The authors, Karen Ansberry and Emily Morgan, provide a very nice overview of read-alouds and comprehension strategies in the context of science lessons(beginning on page 9 of the e-book). Another NSTA Press book that might be helpful is Inquiring Scientists, Inquiring Readers by Jessica Fries-Gaither and Terry Shiverdecker---this link takes you to a page where you can download a free chapter and the table of contents/introduction.

Best wishes,
Claire

This is a very good topic, as I am a future middle school science teacher and have been concerned with literacy in science. Because I also tutor ACT prep, one thing I notice is that many students struggle to understand what they are reading because of way in which passages are written. I'd love to see more people follow up on improving literacy in science so that students can express themselves scientifically in their writing and understand what's being said when someone else does so.

Continued and real use of science notebooks are a great way to start. Writing in Science by Betsy Rupp Fulwiler is a favorite as well - informative and practical.

I have been using StemScopes, they have wonderful passages that are interesting and engaging.