1. Making “hands-on” science “minds-on” science: creating connections
Arthur Beauchamp
The California Science Project
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

2. Teachers who make use of well crafted writing prompts get students to reveal their thinking about science.
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

3. GOALS
Increase our understanding about the construction of writing prompts that more effectively reveal student thinking
Think about the role of student writing in teaching and assessment
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

4. Product Goal
Produce writing prompts connecting field experiences with science content
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

5. A SURVEY
Consider your student’s ability to express their understanding of science concepts in writing
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

6. Sacramento Area Science Project http://sasp.ucdavis.edu
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

7. Information from the Classroom
A survey of 57 secondary science classrooms revealed that fewer than 4% provided opportunities for students to engage in meaningful writing*.
*Meaningful Writing was defined as writing that reveals student thinking.
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

8. What Meaningful Writing ISN’T
• Most secondary science writing can be
described as “novice to expert” in form.
• The “novice to expert” response is
typically a depressed response.
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

9. Writing Tasks
Describe the relationship between scientific research and the use of environmental resources.
Summarize how energy is made available by chemical reactions and describe what happens to usable energy.
Explain how a plant cell’s central vacuole and cell wall make the cell rigid.
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

10. Writing Tasks part deux
When salt is added to water, the freezing point of the water decreases. Explain why this occurs.
Is the green-gases model adequate to explain all warming of Earth over its existence? Why or why not?
Critical Thinking - Inferring Relationships
Critical Thinking - Evaluating Models
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

11. So… what can we do? Enhance Content Knowledge
Content learning is enhanced when engagement is increased.
Content learning is enhanced when students must apply knowledge to real world problems and situations.
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

12. What Meaningful Writing IS
• Applying the “Communication Triangle”
can help us break the pattern of novice
to expert writing and make writing more
meaningful and more likely to reveal
student thinking.
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

13. The Communication Triangle
Form
Writer
Reader
(audience)
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

14. Applying the Fitness Concept Review the original data on the lions, consider what you learned from your reading, and think about the ideas of your group members.
Writing Prompt:
You are a wildlife biologist working in Africa. Another biologist makes the statement that George is the largest lion, so he has the best chance of fighting off enemies. George must have the most evolutionary fitness. Write a letter to your colleague either agreeing or disagreeing with him. In your letter make sure you support your position with evidence from the data, from text sources, and from your own thinking.
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

15. Categories of Writing Prompts
Argumentative/Persuasive
Explanatory/Descriptive
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

16. Sacramento Area Science Project http://sasp.ucdavis.edu
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

17. Sacramento Area Science Project http://sasp.ucdavis.edu
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

18. Sacramento Area Science Project http://sasp.ucdavis.edu
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

19. Sacramento Area Science Project http://sasp.ucdavis.edu
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

20. 20,000 Leagues under the Sea
You are a marine scientist testing a special prototype deep-sea single-seat submarine. For its first major test you are taking it on a dive along the ocean floor from San Francisco, California to Hawaii.
Use your knowledge of earth science to predict and describe what you would encounter as you travel along the ocean bottom. Write your report as if you are recording messages for "HQ" as you travel. Include all the major ocean features (continental slope, trenches, etc.) along your route and a description of the water conditions you encounter.
You may use your notes, your book, and any information you have from other sources to help you. Use the organizer below to help you include all of the features and water conditions you would encounter.
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

21. Consider the following
• Where is the provocative question, argument, or
position to be used?
• How does the prompt tie to content?
• What might be the range of responses from your
students?
• What scaffolds might you provide?
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

22. Prompt Generating Process
Brainstorm concepts that might yield writing prompts
Examine curriculum/consider learning goals
Generate prompts
Refine select writing prompts
Dialogue - share ideas,
move to consensus
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

23. Rubric places on the Web •
Sacramento Area Science Project
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

24. Sacramento Area Science Project http://sasp.ucdavis.edu
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State

25. The Donut Test Sacramento Area Science Project http://sasp.ucdavis.edu
An Education Partnership • UC Davis & Sacramento State