Reading, Writing, and Inquiry in the Science Classroom, Grades 6-12: Strategies to Improve Content Learning
About this ebook
—Amy M. Rogers, Instructor of Education
Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA
Combine literacy and inquiry-based instruction to advance student achievement in science!
Integrating reading and writing with inquiry in the science classroom can present a challenge for teachers who may not have a background in reading instruction and who may be concerned about how to strengthen students′ literacy skills while effectively teaching science content.
In this timely resource, Kathleen Chamberlain and Christine Corby Crane demonstrate how nurturing strong communication skills can have a significant impact on student performance, and provide research-based strategies for successfully integrating literacy skills with science instruction. Packed with information about reading and writing pedagogy, science standards, adolescent and young adult literature, and lesson design, this book:
- Addresses the relationship between reading and science education, including the use of textbooks and other materials
- Offers methods for teaching writing in the science classroom
- Highlights the role of technology in enhancing students′ science knowledge
- Includes sample lesson plans, graphic organizers, and templates suitable for any secondary science classroom, with modifications for students with special needs
The ultimate blend of theory and practice, Reading, Writing, and Inquiry in the Science Classroom, Grades 6–12 helps educators foster the skills to communicate science ideas and experiences and give students an academic advantage.
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About the author
Kathleen Chamberlain recently retired from Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where she was an assistant professor of education and taught courses in curriculum and instruction, educational foundations, and literacy for secondary certification. While at Lycoming College, she also served as assistant dean for teaching effectiveness. She is a former teacher and administrator in K-12 schools. Chamberlain is the author of Middle Schools for a Diverse Society and journal articles about middle schools and science education and has conducted numerous workshops about teaching strategies, literacy, and student assessment. Currently, she is conducting research in a consortium of school districts that deals with addiction prevention programs for adolescents. A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, she earned her master’s of science in education degree from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. She has Pennsylvania administrative certifications from Bucknell University and she received her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Pennsylvania State University, where she focused on middle-level education and school communities.
Christine Corby Crane recently retired after a 26-year teaching career from the Athens Area School District in Athens, Pennsylvania, where she was the K-12 Science Department chair for nine years. She was instrumental in the district obtaining PA Environment and Ecology Exemplary Status for the 2007 school year after obtaining three grants to develop and implement a curriculum involving the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. In addition to teaching in Athens, she was an associate professor for Mansfield University, teaching science and technology methods courses. She has also taught K-12 science education courses for Penn State University. Crane has been a consultant for several federal, state, and community science education programs. She contributed to the Pennsylvania Department of Energy Elementary Energy and Environment Science Activities, Volume VI, and she is also the coauthor of a journal article, “Middle School Students Perceptions on How They Learn Science: Support for Inquiry-Based Classrooms.” She conducts workshops and presentations on teaching science and teaches undergraduate courses and graduate science education courses as an adjunct professor at local colleges. She received her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Pennsylvania State University, where she focused on science education and language and literacy. A graduate of Elmira College, she earned her master’s of science degree from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania.
