Lesson Plan on Descriptive Writing- From Observation to Description
Esther Muehlbauer, Queens College Department of Biology
CW2: Writing in the Sciences – Evolutionary Themes
Lesson Objective: To develop writing techniques that bridge first hand observations with written
descriptions.
Total Estimated Time: 75 minutes
Additional Outcomes: Applying descriptive writing to other genres of (scientific) literature.
Assignment Sequence Underway: Writing Assignment #1: Scientists Writing for Themselves - A
Field Journal. Modeled after Charles Darwin’s Journal of Researches, from his legendary journey on
the H.M.S. Beagle, students are writing several entries for a journal log, based on their own
hypothetical “visit” to the Galapagos Archipelago.
Work completed before class: Students will have previously “visited” the Galapagos by researching
information about a specific bird, reptile or mammal, indigenous to the islands, and will have taken
online “virtual tours” of the Archipelago. Students will also have read a few of Darwin’s original
journal entries.
In class:
1. The instructor reads a brief passage from Darwin’s Journal of Researches, to further acquaint
students with the style of writing in a scientist’s recorded observations, and to set a tone for the
student writing to follow. (5 minutes)
2. Discussion revolving around Darwin’s style of recording information. (10 minutes)
3. Visualizing. Students are asked to take a few moments to close their eyes and imagine a
particular habitat on the Galapagos, focusing on the feeling of place – sounds, smells, visual
landscape, season, time of day, light, and temperature. (3 minutes)
4. Writing. Students are instructed to write a one page description of the habitat they visualized,
utilizing sensory information from their “experience”. (20 minutes)
5. Several student volunteers are asked to read passages from their descriptions of habitat to the
class, with intermittent class discussion evaluating the writing. Some discussion of the
challenges of transcribing observations will be incorporated. (15 minutes)
6. At the end of class, students are instructed to use this preliminary writing as a segue for their
journal log entries for Assignment #1.
Lesson Plan on Sequencing Ideas from Observations
Esther Muehlbauer, Queens College Department of Biology
CW2: Writing in the Sciences – Evolutionary Themes
Lesson Objective: To logically sequence information in a written research log from observations of
organisms in the field/ laboratory.
Total Estimated Time: 75 minutes
Additional Outcomes: Applying methods of logical sequencing of ideas to other genres of writing.
Assignment Underway: Writing Assignment #1: Scientists Writing for Themselves - A Field Journal.
Modeled after Charles Darwin’s Journal of Researches, from his legendary journey on the H.M.S.
Beagle, students are writing several entries for a journal log, based on their own hypothetical “visit” to
the Galapagos Archipelago.
Work completed before class: Students will have previously “visited” the Galapagos by researching
information about a specific bird, reptile or mammal, indigenous to the islands, and will have taken
online “virtual tours” of the Archipelago. Students will also have read a few of Darwin’s original
journal entries, and passages on animal behavior.
Sequence of classroom activities:
1. Observing and recording. Students are shown a Youtube film: Galapagos –Researching the
Animals, where several species of indigenous birds, marine iguanas and Galapagos tortoises
are filmed in their island habitat, and as researchers take measurements, blood samples, etc.
from a few captive specimens. Students are instructed to record ten observations from the film,
listed as a series of bullets. (15 minutes)
2. Discussion. Several student volunteers are asked to read their lists to the class, spurring
discussion on the logical development of ideas. Do these lists accurately describe the action on
the film? Are the ideas listed in a progressive sequence that allows the reader/listener to
visualize the action? (10 minutes)
3. Writing in paragraph form. Students are asked to reformat their lists into paragraph form,
paying particular attention to logical sequencing of ideas and making transitions from one idea
to the next. (15 minutes)
4. Peer review. Students are instructed to trade paragraphs with another student in the class, and to
evaluate two aspects of the writing: Is the sequence of events logically formatted? How are
transitions accomplished? With regard to transitions, students may be asked to underline
successful transitional phrasing in the writing. (10 minutes)
5. Several student volunteers are asked to read their paragraphs to the class, with intermittent class
discussion evaluating the sequencing and transitioning of ideas. Alternately, an overhead
projector can be used to project the student writing on a screen.
Successful transition words/phrases can be listed on the board by the instructor. (15 minutes)
6. Students are encouraged to utilize these sequencing and transitional phrasing techniques in the
journal entries they are writing for Assignment #1.
Lesson Plan on Using Multiple Sources for a Perspectives Journal Article
Esther Muehlbauer, Queens College Department of Biology
CW2: Writing in the Sciences – Evolutionary Themes
Lesson Objective: To gracefully present diverse “perspectives” on an evolutionary topic for a
scientific journal article.
Total Estimated Time: 75 minutes
Additional Outcomes: Applying methods of using multiple sources/perspectives to other fields of
academic writing.
Assignment Underway: Writing Assignment #2: Scientists Writing for Scientists - A “Perspectives”
Article for the Journal Science. Students are writing a “Perspectives” article from the vantage point of
a paleoanthropologist evaluating the recent scientific literature on a fossil human ancestor.
Work completed before class: Students have previously selected and read two scientific journal
articles written about the evolutionary placement of a particular fossil ancestor (e.g. Neanderthals), and
have written a brief synopsis of each article which they bring to class.
Sequence of classroom activities:
1. Sharing of topics. Student volunteers are asked to describe briefly their research topic and the
perspectives presented in their sources. (15 minutes)
2. Writing. Students are asked to write a one paragraph discussion comparing/contrasting the two
perspectives provided in their sources. (15 minutes)
3. Analyzing perspectives. Several student volunteers are asked to read their paragraphs to the
class, with intermittent class discussion evaluating the writing in terms of clarity of expression
in describing distinct perspectives on the same topic. Alternately, an overhead projector can be
used to project the student writing on a screen. (15 minutes)
4. Inserting opinion. Students are instructed to now write a second paragraph that immediately
follows the first, stating their opinion, as author, on the previously described research. (15
minutes)
5. Analyzing author’s viewpoint. A few student volunteers are asked to read their “opinion
paragraphs” to the class. Discussion follows each reading as the instructor asks the class to
comment on the strengths/weaknesses of the writing.
Lesson Plan on Introducing Scientific Terminology in a Journal Article
Esther Muehlbauer, Queens College Department of Biology
CW2: Writing in the Sciences – Evolutionary Themes
Lesson Objective: To gracefully introduce scientific terminology pertaining to evolution in a
professional journal article.
Total Estimated Time: 75 minutes
Additional Outcomes: Applying methods of introducing technical/trade terminology to writing in
other academic fields.
Assignment Underway: Writing Assignment #2: Scientists Writing for Scientists - A “Perspectives”
Article for the Journal Science. Students are writing a “Perspectives” article from the vantage point of
a paleoanthropologist evaluating the recent scientific literature on a fossil human ancestor.
Work completed before class: Students have read two scientific journal articles written about the
evolutionary placement of a particular fossil ancestor (e.g. Neanderthals), and have compiled a list of 5
scientific terms taken from the article, which they bring to class.
Sequence of classroom activities:
1. Listing terms. The instructor asks students to select one term from their list, and then, one
student at a time, to write the selected terms on the board at the front of the classroom. A list of
20 -25 terms will be generated. (A good way to build scientific vocabulary.)
(10 minutes)
2. Discerning readable writing. The instructor reads two selected paragraphs on human origins,
taken verbatim from scientific journal articles. One article has been selected for its clear
presentation of specialized terminology, and the other for its more cryptic use of terms. (The
paragraphs can also be exhibited on a smartboard or overhead projector.) (5 minutes)
3. Discussion. The instructor asks students to comment on the presentation of the two paragraphs,
articulating the comprehensibility of each. After students have clearly identified which
paragraph is more readable, the instructor asks students to evaluate the techniques that the
author employed in the more comprehensible passage. (15 minutes)
4. Writing. Students are instructed to select at least three terms from the list on the board and
draft a paragraph on evolution that introduces these terms “gracefully” into their writing. (20
minutes)
5. Students are then instructed to swap their paragraphs with another student, and to underline
sentences in the given passage that uses terminology in a way that is clear and “comfortable”.
Papers are returned to their “authors”. (5 minutes)
6. Discussion. A few student volunteers are asked to read their paragraphs to the class. Following
each reading, the class is encouraged to critique the writing sample, particularly in terms of
terminology use. (15 minutes)
Lesson Plan on the Element of “Evidence” in Scientific Journal Writing (“Evidence”
as defined in Gordon Harvey’s “Elements of the Academic Essay”)
Esther Muehlbauer, Queens College Department of Biology
CW2: Writing in the Sciences – Evolutionary Themes
Lesson Objective: To efficiently support a thesis using “evidence” (e.g. facts, examples, or details) in
writing for a scientific journal
Total Estimated Time: 75 minutes
Additional Outcomes: Applying methods of using evidence to support a thesis, to writing in other
academic fields.
Assignment Underway: Writing Assignment #2: Scientists Writing for Scientists - A “Perspectives”
Article for the Journal Science. Students are writing a “Perspectives” article from the vantage point of
a paleoanthropologist evaluating the recent scientific literature on a fossil human ancestor.
Work completed before class: Students have read two scientific journal articles written about the
evolutionary placement of a particular fossil ancestor (e.g. Neanderthals), and have brought copies of
these articles to class.
Sequence of classroom activities:
1. The instructor passes out copies of Gordon Harvey’s “Elements of the Academic Essay”, and
students are asked to focus on the third “element” – Evidence. The passage on evidence is read
out loud either by the instructor, or a student volunteer. (5 minutes)
2. Discussion. The instructor leads a brief discussion, about the role of evidence in the scientific
literature. (A good time to stress the importance of evidence in the scientific method.) (10
minutes)
3. Students are asked to take out one of their journal articles, and underline the sections that
provide “evidence” for the thesis of the article. On a separate sheet of paper students should
catalog the different types of evidence provided (e.g. graphs, quotations, photographs etc.) with
a total number for each type of evidence. (15 minutes)
4. Sharing information. A few student volunteers are asked to enumerate the different types of
evidence they found in their articles. These categories can be written on the board at the front
of the room. When all the basic categories of evidence have been identified, the students may
be asked, by a show of hands, which type of evidence was used the most, second most, third
most, etc. (15 minutes)
5. Writing. Students are asked to take out both of the evolution articles they brought to class and
to draft an opening paragraph for a “Perspectives” article that utilizes both articles as sources,
and incorporates at least two pieces of “evidence”. (15 minutes)
6. A few student volunteers are called upon to read their paragraphs to the class.
Following each reading, the class is encouraged to critique the writing sample, in terms of how
effectively evidence was incorporated. (15 minutes)
Lesson Plan on the Element of “Structure” in Writing for a Science Text
(“Structure” as defined in Gordon Harvey’s “Elements of the Academic Essay”)
Esther Muehlbauer, Queens College Department of Biology
CW2: Writing in the Sciences – Evolutionary Themes
Lesson Objective: To effectively structure a section of a science textbook as a logical and progressive
order of topics.
Total Estimated Time: 75 minutes
Additional Outcomes: Applying “structuring techniques” to writing in other academic fields.
Assignment Underway: Writing Assignment #3: Scientists Writing for Students – A Textbook
Passage on Cultural Evolution. Students are writing a chapter section for a college evolution
textbook, on the advent of cultural evolution.
Work completed before class: Students have read the chapter on “Cultural Evolution” in the
textbook, Biology, Evolution and Human Nature (Wiley, 2001), and have brought reprints of the
chapter to class.
Sequence of classroom activities:
1. The instructor hands out copies of Gordon Harvey’s “Elements of the Academic Essay”, and
students are asked to focus on the sixth “element” – Structure. The passage on structure is read
out loud either by the instructor, or a student volunteer. (5 minutes)
2. Discussion. The instructor leads a brief discussion, about the role of structure in the scientific
literature, particularly as it may apply to writing for a textbook. (10 minutes)
3. Students are asked to take out their chapter reprints, and on a separate sheet of paper, list the
order of the chapter headings. A student volunteer may be asked to write his/her list on the
front board. (10 minutes)
4. Discussion. Students are asked to consider the sequence of chapter headings. Is it logical? Is
there a better way to sequence these same headings? (15 minutes)
5. Students are asked to “go back to the drawing board” and reformat the chapter headings in an
alternate sequence that is logical. (10 minutes)
6. Discussion. A few student volunteers are asked to write their reformatted sequences on the
front board. This is followed by a class discussion of the merits/weaknesses of these new
formats. The overriding question to be addressed is whether the sequence of ideas affects the
reader’s overall comprehension of the material?
Lesson Plan on Developing a Chapter Summary for a Science Text
Esther Muehlbauer, Queens College Department of Biology
CW2: Writing in the Sciences – Evolutionary Themes
Lesson Objective: To effectively outline and summarize ideas for a chapter summary in an evolution
textbook
Total Estimated Time: 75 minutes
Additional Outcomes: To apply outlining and summarizing techniques to writing in other academic
fields.
Assignment Underway: Writing Assignment #3: Scientists Writing for Students – A Textbook
Passage on Cultural Evolution. Students are writing a chapter section for a college evolution
textbook, on the advent of cultural evolution.
Work completed before class: Students have read the chapter on “Cultural Evolution” in the
textbook, Biology, Evolution and Human Nature (Wiley, 2001), and have brought reprints of the
chapter to class. In a previous class students have worked on sequencing topics in this chapter, and
have brought these topic lists to class.
Sequence of classroom activities:
1. Making a list. The instructor distributes reprints of chapter summaries (written in paragraph
form) from an evolution text that students are unfamiliar. Starting from the summary, students
are instructed to work backwards, and develop a list of chapter topics that would be logically
included in the actual text. (15 minutes)
2. Sharing work. One or two student volunteers read their chapter topics to the class, pausing after
each topic to see how many other students had included that topic on their list. (10 minutes)
3. The instructor then reads the actual list of chapter topics from the textbook that the summary
was based. (5 minutes)
4. Writing. Students are then asked to use their own chapter topics lists, formulated during the
previous class, to draft a paragraph for a textbook chapter summary on “Cultural Evolution”.
(They may refer to the chapter reprint as well.) (20 minutes)
5. Reading and discussion. Several student volunteers read their paragraphs to the class and offer
insights about their writing. The class is invited to comment on the writing and its effectiveness
in summarizing ideas. (20 minutes)
Lesson Plan on the Element of “Motive” in Science Essay Writing
(“Motive” as defined in Gordon Harvey’s “Elements of the Academic Essay”)
Esther Muehlbauer, Queens College Department of Biology
CW2: Writing in the Sciences – Evolutionary Themes
Lesson Objective: To understand the role of “motive” in structuring a scientific essay.
Total Estimated Time: 75 minutes
Additional Outcomes: Applying motive and thesis-development techniques to writing in other
academic disciplines.
Assignment Underway: Writing Assignment #4: Scientists Writing for Society – Essay for a
Periodical. Students have been “commissioned” to write an essay for the periodical of the American
Museum of Natural History, in the tradition of Stephan Jay Gould’s column, “This View of Life” –
essays that explore relationships between biology and art, music, history, philosophy or literature.
Work completed before class: Students have read several of Stephan Jay Gould’s essays, and have
brought to class, “A Biological Homage to Mickey Mouse”, an essay from Gould’s book, The Panda’s
Thumb. Students have also compiled lists of analogies between biology and other disciplines as a predraft writing exercise for Essay 4.
Sequence of classroom activities:
1. The instructor distributes copies of Gordon Harvey’s “Elements of the Academic Essay”, and
students are asked to focus on the second “element” – Motive. The passage on motive is read
aloud, either by the instructor or a student volunteer. (5 minutes)
2. Discussion. The instructor leads a brief discussion about the importance of a thesis and
“motive” in the development of a scientific essay. (10 minutes)
3. Students are asked to take out their copies of Gould’s essay, “A Biological Homage to Mickey
Mouse” and spend a few minutes skimming it over, identifying the passages that denote the
thesis and “motive” of the essay. (10 minutes)
4. Sharing information. Student volunteers are asked to read the passages from the essay that they
think initially state the “motive” of the essay. (5 minutes)
5. Once there is a class consensus on this initial passage, students should then return to skimming
the essay, highlighting any later passages that support the essay’s motive. (10 minutes)
6. Sharing information and discussion. Student volunteers are asked to read and comment on their
selected passages that support the motive. The class as a whole is encouraged to comment on
the writing technique, and its effectiveness in developing the motive and thesis of the essay. (15
minutes)
7. Drafting a thesis statement. Students are instructed to refer to their “analogy lists”, select one
analogy, and write a thesis statement for an essay based on that analogy. (Students can then
use this thesis statement as a starting point for their formal essay for Assignment 4.) (10
minutes)
Lesson Plan on the Use of Analogy in Science Essay Writing
Esther Muehlbauer, Queens College Department of Biology
CW2: Writing in the Sciences – Evolutionary Themes
Lesson Objective: To use analogy between biological phenomena and processes in other academic
fields in writing a scientific essay.
Total Estimated Time: 75 minutes
Additional Outcomes: Applying the use of analogy to writing in other disciplines.
Assignment Underway: Writing Assignment #4: Scientists Writing for Society – Essay for a
Periodical. Students have been “commissioned” to write an essay for the periodical of the American
Museum of Natural History, in the tradition of Stephan Jay Gould’s column, “This View of Life” –
essays that explore relationships between biology and art, music, history, philosophy or literature.
Work completed before class: Students have read several of Stephan Jay Gould’s essays, and have
brought to class, “A Biological Homage to Mickey Mouse”, an essay from Gould’s book, The Panda’s
Thumb.
Sequence of classroom activities:
1. Reading and Discussion. The instructor, or a student volunteer, reads the opening few
paragraphs of “A Biological Homage to Mickey Mouse”, to segue a discussion of “analogy” in
science writing – “What does the science writer accomplish through the use of analogy? What
types of analogies make for interesting writing? (15 minutes)
2. Brain-storming. Students are instructed to work with a partner to brain-storm analogies
between biology and other disciplines. One student in the pair can name a biological process,
while the other student responds with an analogous idea from another field. (10 minutes)
3. Lists. Students are then asked to write down a few of the most interesting relationships that
they brain-stormed, to begin forming a list of analogies. (10 minutes)
4. Discussion. A few student volunteers are asked to share sample analogies, while the class is
encouraged to discuss the strengths/weaknesses of these concepts and their potential for essay
development. (15 minutes)
5. Writing. Students are asked to pick one analogy, and to begin to draft an introductory
paragraph for an essay based on that relationship. Students may think of this as a possible
starting point for their forth essay assignment. (10 minutes)
Lesson Plan on How to “Open” and “Close” an Essay
Esther Muehlbauer, Queens College Department of Biology
CW2: Writing in the Sciences – Evolutionary Themes
Lesson Objective: To develop skill in writing strong opening and closing paragraphs for a scientific
essay.
Total Estimated Time: 75 minutes
Additional Outcomes: Applying the skills of opening/closing essays, to writing in other disciplines.
Assignment Underway: Writing Assignment #4: Scientists Writing for Society – Essay for a
Periodical. Students have been “commissioned” to write an essay for the periodical of the American
Museum of Natural History, in the tradition of Stephan Jay Gould’s column, “This View of Life” –
essays that explore relationships between biology and art, music, history, philosophy or literature.
Work completed before class: Students have read several of Stephan Jay Gould’s essays, and have
brought copies of these essays to class. As a pre-draft writing assignment for essay #4, students have
drafted opening paragraphs based on an analogy they developed between biology and another
discipline.
Sequence of classroom activities:
1. Reading and Discussion. The instructor, or a student volunteer, reads the opening and closing
paragraphs for two of Gould’s essays, and students are asked to analyze/comment on the
structuring of the paragraphs. (15 minutes)
2. Listing characteristics. Students are asked to jot down, as two lists, characteristics that they feel
are important for an opening paragraph for their “analogy essay”, and for a concluding
paragraph. (10 minutes)
3. Sharing ideas. Student volunteers are asked to read their lists to the class, first for opening
paragraphs and then for closings. The instructor writes some of the important characteristics
from the students’ lists on the front board, and imparts additional ideas that may not have been
addressed. By the end of the discussion, students should have a basic outline of what
constitutes good opening/closing paragraphs. (15 minutes)
4. Evaluating previous writing. Using these criteria, students review the opening paragraphs they
had previously written, and revise them. (15 minutes)
5. Reading. A few student volunteers are asked to read their revised paragraphs, and other
students are encouraged to critique them. (10 minutes)
6. Time permitting, students are asked to draft a closing paragraph for their “analogy essay”.
Reading and class discussion may follow.
7. Students may use these opening/closing paragraphs as starting points for Writing Assignment
#4.