Coaching Writing in the Science Classroom Paideia Paideia Conference Charlotte, NC October 3, 2014 Kristin Knight Burrus Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences 7th Grade Science teacher, NBCT csasburrus@gmail.com

What kind of writing do you ask your students to do in science What kind of writing do you ask your students to do in science? What helps them be successful? Socrative Poll

Goals for today Scaffolding student writing with graphic organizers. Matching writing tasks with texts. Informational Narrative Argumentative Creating prompts for writing assignments. Assessment strategies

Pre-Seminar Writing Graphic Organizers Reading Symbols and Highlighting - Always give students a reason for highlighting. (agree/disagree, POV, claim/counterclaim, imagery, ideas, etc.) Summarizing -MVP 5-3-1 / Bulls Eye Visualizing & Connecting – Two Column Notes FQR (Three columns – Facts – Questions – Response) Anticipation Guides Cause/Effect (fishbone) Compare/Contrast (Venn)

Graphic Organizers to get students ready to read science texts. Reading Symbols P - Prediction T-S – text to self connection T-T – text to text connection T-W – text to world connection ? – a question I have about the text QA – question answered * - important detail V – visual image here I – inference S – synthesizing/generalizing statement or theme  Use these symbols when highlighting text. Say Something  Teacher breaks a piece of text into four sections. At the end of each section, the students complete one of the following: Make a prediction. Ask a question. Make a comment. Make a connection. This can be done with partners and shared/discussed with group.

Paideia Seminars – the fun part!

Planning Steps to Post-Seminar Writing Brainstorming Structuring the composition (graphic organizers) Step 2 Writing the 1st Draft Step 3 Revising Peer Review Editing Step 4 Publishing the final copy Planning Steps to Post-Seminar Writing

Common Core State Standards Science and Technical Writing Standards Argumentative Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. Informational/Expository Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

Argumentative Essay proposes an answer to the question Claim Reasoning connects evidence to the claim Evidence Credible Sources provide Argumentative Essay

Argumentation Graphic Organizers

Brainstorming for Arguments

Argument Organizers

Informational / Expository Graphic Organizers Read, Write, Think Essay Map Informational / Expository Graphic Organizers

Innovation Seminar

Innovation Post-Seminar Writing Student Work

Small Group Planning Read the text and plan (if available). What kind of writing supports this text? Narrative, Informational, or Argumentative Create a prompt that fits the type of writing you want students to do. Use the “LDC Template Task Collection” to create prompts. What type of graphic organizers support this prompt? Break into 5 Groups: Death of a Pine Human Skeleton Newton’s Laws of Motion Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of the Dinosaurs The Wonderful Mistake

Share Group Ideas

Prompts for Science Texts HS Biology: “Trash” Seminar After observing maps, pictures and objects from the TN River , write a report that examines the cause(s) of pollution and its effect on riparian ecosystems. Support your discussion with evidence from the seminar and additional classroom resources.

Prompts for Science Texts Middle / High School Science: “Experiments and Observations on Air” by Joseph Priestley After reading and discussing “Experiments and Observations on Air,” write an entry in Priestley's Journal as if he is in 2014 that describes the relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Support your discussion with at least two quotes from the text.

Prompts for Science Texts Middle / High School: Bicycle Seminar After observing the bicycle and reading the text, Pedaling Through the Parts, write an Edmodo blog for our science class, in which you compare the systems of the bicycle with analogous systems of the body in both form and function. Include three systems of the body and support your ideas with evidence from the text and your science book. (We really will post these for your science class to see!)

Assessing Writing Writing checklist - argumentative essay Category   Criteria A: Exemplary 5 B: Solid 4.5 C: Competent 4 D / F: Insufficient ≤ 3.5 Claim or Thesis Claim is clearly worded and well defined. Acknowledge and distinguish the claim from alternate or opposing claims Argument Support and Evidence Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using at least three credible sources. Use quotes from the text as evidence. Content Sentences and paragraphs contain original and interesting ideas with appropriate support Works are cited correctly. Organization The introduction, body, and conclusion are organized and presented in such a clear and creative way that the reader moves easily through the text. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. Mechanics and Conventions Very few errors exist in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage. Word Choice and Sentence Fluency Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claims, counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. Voice and Presentation Establish and maintain a formal style/voice Easy to read handwriting OR Double spaced typing with well-defined margins. Use 12 pt. Times New Roman font and double space. Total Score A = 20 B = 18 C = 16 D = 14 F ≤ 13

On-line, Interactive, Argumentative Essay Rubric Rcampus.com

General Writing Rubric Post Content  40 % Writings, artwork, and presentations Mechanics and Conventions  3 pts Excellent Post-Writing assignment is complete and effectively demonstrates the student’s growth and thorough understanding of language conventions and mechanics  Good Post-Writing assignment is complete and effectively demonstrates a proficient level of understanding of language conventions and mechanics  Developing Post-Writing assignment is complete and demonstrates an average level of understanding of language conventions and mechanics  Needs Improvement Post-Writing assignment is incomplete  Poor missing  Ideas  3 pts Post-Writing assignment is complete and effectively demonstrates the student’s growth and thorough understanding of the big ideas—making connections to the seminar and real-life applications. Student followed guidelines for post.  Post-Writing assignment is complete and effectively demonstrates a proficient level of understanding of the big ideas—making connections to the seminar. Student followed guidelines for post.  Post-Writing assignment is complete and demonstrates an average level of understanding of the big ideas. Student did not follow all guidelines for writing post. 

Sources "English Language Arts Standards » Writing.” Science and Technical Subjects. Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2014. Web. 27 Sept. 2014. <http://www.corestandards.org>. "Project Write MSU." Graphic Organizers. Wikispaces, 15 June 2009. Web. 28 Sept. 2014. <https://projectwritemsu.wikispaces.com/file/detail/graphic+ organizers.pdf>. "Essay Map." Essay Map. ReadWriteThink.org, 2014. Web. 28 Sept. 2014. Appendix C: LDC Template Task Collection. Paideia Course Manual. National Paideia Center, 2013. 91-95. Print.