Writing in Science: How to Scaffold Instruction to Support Learning

by Betsy Rupp Fulwiler

The author and the Seattle Science Notebook Program have outlined the strategies of using science notebooks with a diverse population of students and documented their effectiveness. The thoughtful approach, well explained in the book, keeps the goals of inquiry-based science and writing clearly focused and mutually supportive. Harold Pratt Former President, National Science Teachers Association Thisbook does more than make a case for science notebooks. Itprovides specific teaching guidelines, strategies, activities, and rich examples of student work that teachers can use to craft their own notebook program. Karen Worth Author of Worms , Shadows, and Whirlpools In the science classroom writing is much more than an exercise for students to document their steps during an investigation. Its an important vehicle for describing their thought processes and the evidence that supports their reasoning. Writing in Science shows you how to encourage students to grow as scientists and writers by moving beyond recounting how they completed their work and toward explaining what they learned. Writing in Science shares proven methods for supporting improvement in how students write and think about science. It provides practical guidelines for using science notebooks in grades K5 to teach and assess science writing in a way that develops students conceptual knowledge and expository writing abilities as well as their thinking and scientific skills. Betsy Rupp Fulwiler shares strategies for scaffolding and modeling higher-level forms of scientific writing such as: Fulwiler packs Writing in Science with numerous illustrations and tools to get you started, including: Best of all, Fulwilers methods are not only backed by research but have also been successfully implemented in the Seattle Public Schools. Help students develop their scientific thinking in an incredibly effective way: by writing. Push them away from detailing procedures and into writing that helps them grow as writers, scientific thinkers, and learners. And do it all while meeting inquiry-based science goals and supporting writing instruction across the content areas. Read Writing in Science youll discover that pencil and paper are among the most important materials in any scientific experiment.

Genres: Professional Development, Science, Education

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 21, 2007

Reviews

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far this is one of the best books I've read about how to teach writing to a bunch of kids when you're the science teacher.

The more I read the more I love this book. It has tons of ideas that I can incorporate immediately in my classroom and that will help me be a much better teacher. it unravels the mystery of how to connect my science constructs with the writing standards.