Science Writing Using Firsthand Data Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Jeff Winokur Education Development Center, Inc. Martha Heller-Winokur Tufts University

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc.  to make explicit a model of science inquiry and the role of literacy within it  to identify purposes for writing in science  to explore ways writing in science can improve children’s scientific reasoning  to explore ways to improve science writing by moving from exclusive use of second hand data toward incorporating more evidence gathered first hand Goals for this session

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. wonder/speculate question/predict collect data/evidence analyze/interpret data explain/theorize/conclude communicate Language and Reasoning in Inquiry

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Writing and Science  Where does writing occur?  What is the nature of the writing?  How does the writing support students’ developing reasoning skills and their conceptual understanding?

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. THE ROLE OF TALK AND WRITING IN SUPPORTING SCIENTIFIC REASONING BASED IN FIRST HAND EXPLORATION AND INQUIRY INTO TEXT LANGUAGE AND REASONING IN INQUIRY TALK THAT SUPPORTS SCIENTIFIC REASONING WRITING THAT SUPPORTS SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY Engage: wonder, speculate, question, Discussion to gather ideas and motivate Notebooks: jottings InvestigateDiscussion for planningNotebooks: regular entries Analyze and interpret data Discussion to make senseNotebooks: periodic entries Reach conclusions and communicate Discussion to develop ideas and conclusions; to debate; to present ideas -INSTRUCTIONAL WRITING -DESCRIPTIVE AND INFORMATIONAL WRITING -SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION -PERSUASIVE WRITING

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Non-Fiction Writing Descriptive and informational writing (non-chronological reports) Descriptive reports classify and describe the way things are in our world. Their purpose is to describe a thing rather than retell a series of events. They give details, often physical, about such things as plants, animals, weather, medicine, and machines.  General descriptions—for example, reports on animals, plants, housing, machines, space, geographical features such as mountains, and so on  Specific descriptions—for example, reports on a specific animal, plant, planet, mountain range, and so on

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Non-Fiction Writing Instructional writing (instructions) The goal of instructional texts is to tell the reader how to achieve a particular goal or how to follow a set of procedures.  How-to texts  Instructions on how to operate something  Instructions on a scientific procedure  Signs  Maps

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Non-Fiction Writing  Scientific explanation (explanation) Explanations tell how and why things are the way they are and, in particular, deal with a specific scientific phenomenon.  Explanations that describe why something happens or is as it is  Explanations that describe why something works or was formed

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Non-Fiction Writing Discussion and persuasive writing Persuasive texts are written for many purposes. Some put forward a point of view or justify a position. Persuasive texts can also be written to encourage people to purchase something, partake in a specific type of activity, or think in a certain kind of way.  Feature articles  Book reviews  Editorials  Advertisements  Debates  Arguments  Essays giving historical perspective on past events or happenings

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Non-Fiction Writing Nonfiction narrative Nonfiction narratives retell or recount specific events and the lives of specific people for the purposes of informing and entertaining.  News reports about current happenings  Biographies  Retellings of famous past events, such as natural disasters

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Purposes for Science Writing Writing Based on Secondary Data Sources  Develops student skills such as summarizing information from multiple sources, relating new information to prior knowledge, and organizing to communicate to a specific audience  Enriches and/or extends science study

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Purposes for Science Writing Writing Based on Primary Data Sources  Provides opportunities for students to write about a phenomenon with which they have had some experience  Makes use of data gathered and recorded in notebooks  Develops student skills such as synthesizing ideas, drawing conclusions, and theorizing  Deepens student understanding of scientific concepts and ideas  Develops student skills in writing based in evidence  Develops student skills in presenting and defending conclusions, ideas, and theories

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Responsibility for Science Writing teacher ownership student ownership HIGH LOW

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. What Students Say About Writing from Primary Sources Sean : Books give information that may or may not help you really understand. For example, I might have read that a chick’s eyelids close from the bottom up and just read past that. When I actually observed the chick I saw that their eyelids really do close from the bottom up!

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Shannon: You’re doing the research and setting a purpose. When I did the Endangered Species report I read about a whole group of Bengal Tigers. When I was looking at the chicks I got to know each one. They all have their own personalities and each one is different. When you read you are learning about what one person saw and it is really not that real. What Students Say About Writing from Primary Sources

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Mandy: When you are doing the research yourself you are using your own words to describe what you see and it’s easier to understand. You don’t have to worry about making someone else’s words your own. I feel like I really learned something about chicks from watching them every day. What Students Say About Writing from Primary Sources

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Jesse: When you are doing research just for a topic you can go wrong with the information. When you are doing the research every observation you make is your own even if it’s wrong. What Students Say About Writing from Primary Sources

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Kristen : Sometimes when you are researching, the books have different information and you have to decide which to believe. When I am doing the research I get to choose what I am looking at and what I want to tell. What Students Say About Writing from Primary Sources

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Shifting the emphasis in elementary students’ science writing Less emphasis on (DRAFT)More emphasis on Using text (e.g., books, the web) as the only source of information for students’ writing Using students’ own data, gathered first hand, as an important source of information for their writing Using the thinking of other people such as scientists and writers as the only source of ideas and thinking Using students’ own data as the basis for their own ideas Reporting on the science that others have done Reporting on the science that students have done Repeating or rephrasing the thinking of others Honoring and developing students own thinking Using writing solely to transmit scientific information Using writing to develop scientific reasoning

Copyright © 2005 Education Development Center, Inc. Take-home messages  Writing as a part of science inquiry is an important tool for helping students to reason scientifically.  Looking at student writing can reveal scientific reasoning.  Incorporating first hand evidence into their writing can improve the quality both of students’ science thinking and of their writing.