LITERACY-BASED DISTRICT-WIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Aiken County Public School District January 15, 2016 LEADERS IN LITERACY CONFERENCE

Integrating Literacy Strategies in a Science Classroom LEADERS IN LITERACY CONFERENCE

Today’s Agenda Welcome and Introduction of Presenters Activator Share and discuss reading strategies used in our Science classrooms Closing

Presenters Theresa Spieker– 4 th /5 th Grade Math & Science Teacher, Mossy Creek Elementary Charlene Aycox– 4 th /5 th Grade Math & Science Teacher, Aiken Elementary

Learning Outcomes Participants will: Use current research and best practices in achieving literacy through science instruction. Use strategies that demonstrate how reading, writing, and discussion promote science instruction. Reflect on and discuss how to incorporate literacy into your strategic plan

Essential Questions Why is pairing science and literacy instruction important? How do I intentionally integrate literacy and science instruction, maximizing student learning in both areas, making efficient use of class time, and enhancing my own teaching skills?

Courtesies Be professional in your use of technology. Be polite when defending your positions. Be present in reflections and discussions. Please limit side bar conversations to turn and talks.

Parking Lot During our presentation, if you have any questions for the Good of the Group. Please write these down on a sticky note and place them on the Parking Lots posted on each side of the room. If you have questions that you would prefer to ask in private please one of the presenters or after the presentation.

Activator Literacy strategies are…. On Chart paper with your group, please include your knowledge of what literacy strategies you use in a science classroom.

What is Science Literacy? Scientific literacy means that a person can ask, find, or determine answers to questions derived from curiosity about everyday experiences. It means that a person has the ability to describe, explain, and predict natural phenomena.

Science Literacy is.. being able to read with understanding articles about science in the popular press and to engage in social conversation about the validity of the conclusions plays a critical role in literacy (writing, reading, speaking, viewing listening and media literacy) when integrated across content areas, especially in the area of science.

Why pair science and literacy? Adults in the twenty-first century...will need to be scientifically literate-to possess a set of skills that marries knowledge of science concepts, facts, and processes with the ability to use language to articulate and communicate about ideas" (Thier & Daviss, 2002).

Turn and Talk Turn and talk with your table groups about Why pair science and literacy instruction?

Research says…. Science texts offer numerous opportunities to expand student vocabularies, an important benefit given the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading achievement. Content-oriented instruction and writing yield higher gains in reading comprehension than does most strategy-oriented instruction.

Strategies Read Alouds K-W-L Charts Graphic Organizers Vocabulary Instruction Writing to Learn Interactive Notebooks Reciprocal Teaching Guided Reading Groups

Read Alouds Most effective way for students to hear fluent reading Read aloud to students for at least 5 minutes during each science class Select material that builds background knowledge, provide interesting vocabulary and ensure students are hearing fluent reading Examples: Picture books, newspaper articles

K-W-L Charts Grab a sticky note. Answer the question: What is a constellation? Write your answer on a sticky note. Place in the KWL chart in the K column.

Graphic Organizers Visual information that complements the class. Not necessarily a chart or table the student copies into a notebook. A graphic organizer can be sentence strips put on the board with magnets and grouped together by the students. Can be used to informally assess student understanding. For example, for studying the Solar System in 4 th grade, the teacher could have models of the planets and ask students to put them in order from the Sun.

Vocabulary Instruction The data for our district shows students’ vocabulary scores on standardized tests are low. Teachers use different words and different approaches to teaching vocabulary. Transportable vocabulary skills (skills students can use across content areas)—word families, prefixes, suffixes, word roots, vocabulary journals, word walls (portable and class) and word sorts For example, the prefix “sol” means sun. Our solar system was named because of our sun.

Writing to Learn Strategies used at the beginning, middle, or end of class to help students inquire, clarify, or reflect on the content. Examples Summary of what students learned that day (exit ticket) Predict for the next day’s learning (exit ticket) Ask students to predict or write about a topic at the beginning of class to focus their learning (activator) This writing helps students think about the content, reflect on their knowledge of the content, and share their thoughts.

Interactive Notebooks Students do not have a repertoire of study habits or note taking skills. Class notes are on one side of the notebook and the student’s thinking is on the other side. (depends on which hand the student writes with). Sometimes this is teacher assigned activities and sometimes they are personal reflections, graphs, responses to the notes. Note taking has to be explicitly taught when beginning to use these notebooks. Note taking is not simply recording facts, it leads to deeper student engagement and reflection.

Reciprocal Teaching One of the most effective ways to engage readers with texts. Students report that they read and understand more when they use this strategy. Students become the instructors of the content they are studying. How students use reciprocal teaching: Students work in groups They read a text together. Students in the group predict, question, clarify, and summarize according to their assigned job. These are explicitly taught and modeled strategies through lessons before students can use this strategy independently. Students monitor their own comprehension and reinforce their learning. Leveled articles both foster literacy skills and increase student understanding of content area material.

Guided Reading Group-Teacher led Use during small group Science stations Students are in the same groups as they are in ELA class (communicate with Reading teacher and use SRI results) Teachers use reading strategies to teach the content during this time. Leveled articles are labeled for different levels. (shapes, dots, etc.)

Teaching Points: Strategies Non-fiction text features Author purpose Vocabulary instruction Non-fiction reading skills Analyze text Summarize text Making connections Responding to non-fiction texts Leveled texts-TpT, NEWSELA, Readworks Guiding text (notes)-Teacher written based on standards

What are the other students doing? Leveled articles Hands-on activities (Exploring group) Technology activities (Research skills) Similar to the Literacy Model groups.

Turn and Talk Turn and Talk with your table group about integrating literacy as part of our science curriculum. I wonder... I am thinking about.... An aha moment.....

What are the other students doing? In order for guided reading to be effective, the teacher must work without interruptions. Students must be independently engaged in literacy activities (Richardson, 2009, pg. 19) Students should be engaged in authentic reading, writing and research activities.

What data can I use to drive my instruction? Formal Data: SRI Formal assessments Informal Data: Science interactive notebooks Writing Exit slips Notebook responses Research projects Anecdotal Records (informal) Teacher observation

Essential Questions Why is pairing science and literacy instruction important? How do I intentionally integrate literacy and science instruction, maximizing student learning in both areas, making efficient use of class time, and enhancing my own teaching skills?

Closing Science Literacy is.... Review your current Science Literacy Strategies Anchor Chart; what do you need to add, tweak or delete. Share Questions and Concerns