SLIDE 1
Increasing Students’ Reading and Reasons for Reading Science Text
Gina Cervetti Lawrence Hall of Science University of California, Berkeley
SLIDE 2 Why Read in Inquiry Science?
Linking activities and content in ways that enable students to make connections between experience and text:
- Motivates engaged reading (Guthrie et al., 2006)
- Helps students develop deep understanding of science
concepts (Palincsar & Magnusson, 2001)
- Helps students use the discouse of science (Pappas et
al., 2004)
- Improves reading comprehension (Guthrie et al., 2006;
Romand & Vitale, 2001)
- Provides authentic opportunities for experience with
nonfiction and informational text
SLIDE 3 Connecting Text and Experience (Redux)
Employ multiple modalities (Do-Read-
Write-Talk in any order)
Position science understanding as the
goal and reading as one means
Create mutually reinforcing (even
synergistic) experiences with text and hands-on activities
Use text in a variety of roles in the
inquiry process
SLIDE 4 An Example
A design challenge to develop strong glue. Conceptual goals:
Properties of
substances
Mixtures Dissolving
SLIDE 5
Read
Read to Set Context Students read a book about the relationship between objects/mixtures, materials, and properties
SLIDE 6
Do
Investigate to Test Ingredients Students test ingredients and mixtures to collect firsthand evidence about which ingredients are stickiest.
SLIDE 7
Talk
Reflect on Results Students evaluate the test results and decide which ingredients to use to make their first glue mixture.
SLIDE 8
Read for Modeling Students read a book that models the design process and reflect on how they can use a similar property-driven design process to refine their glue mixtures.
Read
SLIDE 9 Investigate Additional Ingredients Students conduct more ingredient tests, this time focusing on the property
collect firsthand evidence about which ingredients are strongest.
Do & Write
SLIDE 10
Read
Read for Additional Evidence Students search in a handbook for evidence about ingredients that might have the properties need to make good glue.
SLIDE 11
Talk & Write
Evaluate Evidence and Make Decisions Students evaluate their evidence about glue ingredients from both first and secondhand sources and make decisions about what combination of ingredients will best meet their design goals. They write recipes for glue.
SLIDE 12
Read to Connect Students read about a food scientist who designs and tests new jelly beans. Students reflect on how their design process is like that used by the jelly bean scientist.
Read
SLIDE 13 Connecting Text and Experience (Redux)
Employ multiple modalities (Do-Read-
Write-Talk in any order)
Position science understanding as the
goal and reading as one means
Create mutually reinforcing (even
synergistic) experiences with text and hands-on activities
Use text in a variety of roles in the
inquiry process
SLIDE 14 What functions did text serve in the design process?
Provide information for investigations Support firsthand investigations Provide data for students to interpret Support secondhand investigations Demonstrate a process or disposition Model Read to learn about science Deliver content Connect to the world
Provide context
Roles for Text in Inquiry Science
SLIDE 15 Provide Context
Introduce domain
and/or context
Invite students to
engage with the context
Connect to the
world outside the classroom
SLIDE 16 Model
Model nature of
science
Model inquiry
processes
Model literacy
processes
SLIDE 17 Support secondhand investigations
Provide data for
students to interpret
SLIDE 18 Role: Support firsthand investigations
Provide information
that facilitates firsthand investigations
Support students in
making sense of firsthand investigations
Inspire firsthand
investigations
SLIDE 19 Deliver Content
Deliver science
information
Provide information
and explanation about unobservable phenomena
SLIDE 20 Trade Books
- Context
- Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder
- Content
- Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats by Anne Earle
- Camouflage by Carolyn Otto
- Modeling
- Wild Mouse by Irene Brady
- Protecting Primates by Kate Boehm Nyquist
- Secondhand
- What Do You Do With A Tail Like? This by Steve Jenkins and Robin
Page
- Introducing Frogs and Toads by Graham Meadows and Claire Vial
- Firsthand
- Tracks, Scats, & Signs by Leslie Dendy
- Snails and Slugs from the Keeping Minibeasts series
SLIDE 21 Authenticity in Science
Deliver Content Provide Context Modeling Supporting Second- hand Investigations Supporting Firsthand Investigations Scientists read to learn findings Scientists read to situate research Scientists replicate others’ procedures and experiments Scientists read and interpret
Scientists use reference books
SLIDE 22 Text and Inquiry
X Communicate results 9 X X Ask a new question 8 X X X X Make an explanation based on evidence 7 X X Analyze results 6 X X Record and organize data 5 X X Plan and conduct an investigation 4 X X Make a hypothesis 3 X X Ask a question 2 X X X X Explore the topic 1 Support firsthand inquiry
Support secondhand inquiry
Model Deliver content Provide context
