Connecting Science
Mrs. Suzanne Mecouch
Dr. Josephine Johnston
Over the course of a year, a professional learning community (PLC) of teachers, representing grades 6 –
12, worked together to figure out what connected science to all the other disciplines. It was easy to
decide reading, writing, speaking and listening was the common thread. The next question the group
asked themselves was how should a student’s level of proficiency using reading, writing, speaking and
listening skills in science be measured. To help answer the question we asked a reading specialist to
show us how ELA teachers assess students’ proficiency in these areas and by the end of the day our
cross over lab report rubric was born! To explain a little more clearly, think about how scientists do
their work. A scientist’s work begins with a question and a notebook. They read to find out what is
already known that may help them answer their question. They hypothesize, experiment, and analyze
all the while writing in their notebook so they have a record of their findings. They discuss their work
with others. They summarize and present their work in oral presentations and written journal articles.
To communicate clearly they must use ELA skills proficiently! Marple Newtown SD students learn
science in very much the same way scientists do their work. They engage in inquiry on a regular basis
which means they are reading, writing, speaking and listening. Their written lab report is evidence of
their learning. And what is true for scientists is true for students, in order to communicate clearly they
must use ELA skills proficiently! The cross over lab report rubric is the standard all teachers use to
assess a student’s level of proficiency in applying process skills from both science and language arts.