The What Works Clearinghouse recommends students spend about 30 minutes writing each day. While this number of minutes may seem unrealistic, it is possible. Writing can be strategically embedded throughout the day in different disciplines, like math, science, and social studies. When students write in science, they are writing like scientists. Shifting writing analysis, instruction, and application to a disciplinary-specific lens allows students to engage in the act of writing the way experts in the field do.
What is disciplinary literacy?
Author ReLeah C. Lent of This is Disciplinary Literacy states, "Disciplinary literacy recognizes that reading, writing, thinking, reasoning, and doing within each discipline is unique - and leads to the understanding that every field of study creates, communicates, and evaluates knowledge differently." Students benefit from a disciplinary literacy approach as they gain practice reading, analyzing, and understanding discipline-specific texts like experts. This approach provides students the knowledge needed to read and discuss exemplar texts within the field before composing their own texts within the genre. Students learn to evaluate and revise their writing using criteria aligned to the discipline. This discipline-specific approach to reading and writing prepares students for advanced participation opportunities.
Scientific Text Characteristics
Like any style of writing, students must be taught how to understand the characteristics and quality within the genre. This instruction happens through explicit instruction. Students need to be taught first how to read and understand scientific texts by identifying key characteristics of the text. Next, students should be taught specific strategies to integrate necessary characteristics into their own scientific texts.
Scientific Text Characteristics:
specific, technical vocabulary
information is accurate and exact
observations are included
ideas are communicated clearly
verbs are specific and related
includes text and text features such as - illustrations, charts, drawings, data, graphs
When students are taught how to identify characteristics of scientific texts, they are better able to comprehend the text. This provides future opportunities for students to generate independent ideas, connect and reflect on learning, and engage in writing to communicate their thinking and understanding.
Types of Writing in Science
Writing in science does not look, feel, or sound exactly the same way writing looks in ELA. Implementation may look and feel a little different in science, as the process will mimic scientific texts.
Types of writing in science might include:
Science Reflection Journals: Science reflection journals can be used to capture students' ideas, thoughts, and reactions to instruction and inquiry. Students might include their own drawings, charts, stories, questions, and connections. Science journals can be used as a formative assessment, as you understand student thinking.
Blogging: Blogging can be used like science journals, as a reflection tool with experiences, thoughts, and questions. Blogging can also be used by students to share their research and learning with others. Blogs can be created and kept private between the teacher and student, or shared publicly as a means for collaboration.
Entrance or Exit Slip: Entrance slips can capture students' thinking and connections at the start of class by reflecting on prior learning. Prompts for entrance slips may also be the same as the day's exit slip prompt. This prompt may include an essential question or the learning target/success criteria. Using the same the prompt both at the start of class prior to instruction and engagement and again at the end of class after instruction and engagement, allows students to reflect on their learning. Student responses to the prompt also provides you with formative assessment data to guide future instruction and feedback.
Content Story-Telling with Narratives: This strategy integrates scientific concepts with narrative writing. After students learn a scientific concept, such as the carbon-dioxide-oxygen cycle, they write a narrative that tells the story of the cycle. These types of creative writing opportunities engage students in thinking about science, while also considering perspective and process. Integrating narrative technique provides a creative element that may motivate some students to write.
Assessing Scientific Writing
A common concern surrounding writing in science, is how to assess this style of writing. Rubrics and checklists will support students in including essential characteristics and content in their writing. These rubrics and checklists should align with specific characteristics of scientific texts that are explicitly taught. Additionally, feedback for students will support their application of writing processes in scientific texts. The emphasis on scientific writing should be content, vocabulary, and text features to support the reader. You do not need to grade every piece of writing students do in science. In fact, you shouldn't grade all writing. Providing students with feedback on their understanding of scientific concepts will support their agency as both a scientist and a writer.
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