Expository Writing in Science

Adrienne SomeraAugust 11, 2011

Frayer Chart

Expository Writing

Why do we have our students write in science?

Writing, by its nature, forces students to articulate ideas and reasoning, it can help them deepen, develop, and revise their thinking about the subject material.

Students who write about ideas, problems, evidence, and questions gain a sense of ownership over the material that they do not develop from merely reading or listening to lectures

When institutions provided students with extensive, intellectually challenging writing activities, the students engaged in more deep learning activities such as analysis, synthesis, integration of ideas from various sources, and grappled more with course ideas both in and out of the classroom

Writing to demonstrate learning

Writing to learn

What kind of writing is expected of our students?

Reflection

Intentionality

Inquiry Cycle

Explore, notice, wonder, speculate, activate prior knowledge, share ideas Engage

What kinds of student writing could be present at this stage?

Observations Organizer

Engage OBSERVATIONS ORGANIZER Writing Frame

Think of properties you can see such as size, shape, color, lines, texture, pattern, behavior…

I observed

Think of the other senses of smell, sound, touch, and perhaps taste!

I noticed

Connect it with something that you already know.

It reminds me of

Add more detail as needed.

This is so because

Be curious and ask questions you could investigate.

I am curious about It surprised me that I wonder what would happen if

Circle Map

Engage

Plan for opportunities to do this kind of writing

Brainstorm * quick write * observations organizer * circle map * Frayer chart

• Break

Vocabulary Supports

Glossary

Cognitive Content Dictionary

Add a cognitive content dictionary to your notebook

Word Prediction Meaning Sketch

Word Walls

GeneDominant

Cross

Well,” said Owl, “the customary procedure in such cases is as follows...”“What does Crustimony Proseedcake mean?” said Pooh. “For I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words bother me.“It means The Thing To Do.”“As long as it means that, I don’t mind,” said Pooh humbly.

Discuss investigations implement investigations record data

Plan and design Investigations

What kinds of student writing could be

present at this stage?

Flow map

Plan and design Investigations

Plan and design

Investigations

Planning Template

Plan and design Investigations

Planning Step General Plan Operational Steps

What should be changed?

What should be kept the same?

How will differences be observed or measured?

Adapted from Michael Klentschy “Using Science Notebooks in Elementary Classrooms”

Planning Step General Plan Operational Steps

What should be changed?

What should be kept the same?

How will differences be observed or measured?

Adapted from Michael Klentschy “Using Science Notebooks in Elementary Classrooms”

Question…

Plan for opportunities to do this kind of writing

Flow map * Design template*Planning template

Diagrams

How can visuals help with writing?

Sketch your leaf

Sense Making Drawing Conclusions

What kinds of student writing could be

present at this stage?

Draw Conclusions

Claims Evidence

Draw Conclusions

Claims and evidence organizer

• Using your claims and evidence chart, write a paragraph making a claim about the rock formation.

Draw Conclusions

Reflection

What does a productive question look like?

• Make goals of the experience clear to students• Guide student work• Provide a focus for student actions• Provide a focus for reasoning, talking and

writing

Not productiveProductive

reflection

Present * Write to a broader audienceCommunicate

What kinds of student writing could be

present at this stage?

The role of good questions in writing…

• Box and T

Communicate

Compare and contrast

COMPARE AND CONTRAST Writing Frame

Start with how things are the same or similar.

The __________________ and the ____________ are the same because they both:

Add more details as needed.

In addition, they both:

Explain how they are different. You can compare the same property or characteristic in the same sentence. Use “and”, “but”, or “whereas” to set up the contrast.

They are different because the _____________: but the ____________________:

Add more detail as needed.

Also, the _______________: whereas the ________________:

Transitions

Communicate

Transitions game

• Read through your section of the trade books on astronomy

• Write down facts or ideas about stars and galaxies on sticky notes- 1 fact per sticky

• Put all stickles from the group onto the table- using the transition cards see if you can build sentences that connect your facts and ideas.

Plan for opportunities to do this kind of writing

Box and T* Compare and Contrast* Venn Diagram*Claims and Evidence*

DiscourseThink about the kinds of talking I had you

engage in today.

How did the act of talking impact your writing?

Don’t underestimate the power of TALK…

• Talk serves as rehearsal for writing• Talk and writing help students clarify

and deepen their understanding of content

• Talk provides students with opportunities to share models and strategies for making writing clear

Reflect

Assessment

Scoring vs assessing

Making expectations clear to students

Strong and weak examples

Frayer Chart

Next Steps

http://sausdsciencewriting.wikispaces.com

asomera@nwesd.org

Thanks!