Looking for Science Literacy –
Within Current WA Science
Standards and the Common Core
for English Language Arts
A presentation from OSPI Teaching and Learning
March 19, 2012
Jessica Vavrus, Assistant Superintendent
Ellen Ebert, Director Science
Liisa Moilanen Potts, Director English Language Art
Webinar Goals
• Our focus today – why is science literacy important?
• Review current science literacy standards
 Examine student assessment expectations
 Consider strategies in science to support science
literacy
• Understand state transition plan for Common Core
English Language Arts and next steps for literacy in
science
 Overview of the ELA Common Core State
Standards
Darwin’s Notebook
Implementing our current state Science
Standards… Finding connections to NGSS and
CCSS…
2011-12
2012-13
2014-15
2015-16 2016-17
Current Work:
Strong Implementation of State
Science Standards
- Continue implementation of
current WA Science Standards in
context of NGSS Framework and
CCSS connections
- Review Next Generation Science
Standards;
- Consider Adoption of NGSS (when
final)
Ongoing: Statewide Coordination
and Collaboration to Support
Implementation (Build/Maintain
Partnerships)
March 14,
2012
OSPI Presentation to
SBE: Next Gen.
3
A Bit of Background Before We Start…
Washington’s Common Core Standards (ELA and Math)
Implementation Timeline….Focusing on the foundation…
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14 2014-15
Phase 1: CCSS Exploration/
Adoption (2009 – July 2011)
Phase 2: Build Awareness & Begin
Building Statewide Capacity
Phase 3: Build Statewide Capacity
and Classroom Transitions
Phase 4: Statewide Application
and Assessment
Ongoing: Statewide Coordination
and Collaboration to Support
Implementation
4
Some more context…
Implementing the Common Core State Standards in
Washington State
Our Vision: Every student will have access to the CCSS standards
through high quality instruction aligned with the standards every
day; and that all teachers are prepared and receive the support they
need to implement the standards in their classrooms every day.
Our Purpose:
To develop a statewide system with
aligned resources that supports all
school districts in their preparation of
educators and students to implement
the CCSS.
Our Core Values:
This vision can only occur through
core values of clarity, consistency,
collaboration, coordination, and
commitment from classrooms,
schools, and communities to the state
level.
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Science has a tradition of literacy
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Science Inquiry Standards Literacy
Grades 4-5 Inquiry Standard
•
•
Related Performance Expectations
Scientific explanations
•
emphasize evidence, have
logically consistent arguments,
and use known scientific
principles, models, and
•
theories.
Scientists communicate the
results of their investigations
verbally and in writing. They
review and ask questions about•
the results of other scientists’
work.
•
•
Generate a conclusion from a scientific
investigation and show how the
conclusion is supported by evidence and
other scientific principles.
Display the findings of an investigation
using tables, graphs, or other visual
means to represent the data accurately
and meaningfully.
Communicate to peers the purpose,
procedure, results, and conclusions of
an investigation.
Respond non-defensively to comments
and questions about their investigation.
Discuss differences in findings and
conclusions reported by other students.
Systems Standard Literacy
Grades 6-8 Systems Standard Related Performance Expectation
• Given a complex societal
• The natural and designed
issue with strong science and
world is complex; it is too
technology components (e.g.,
large and complicated to
overfishing, global warming),
investigate and comprehend
describe the issue from a
all at once. Scientists and
systems point of view,
students learn to define
highlighting how changes in
small portions for the
one part of the system are
convenience of
likely to influence other parts
investigation. The units of
of the system.
investigation can be referred
to as “systems.”
Application Standards Literacy
Grades 9-12 Application
Standards
• Perfect solutions do not
exist. All technological
solutions involve trade-offs
in which decisions to
include more of one quality
means less of another. All
solutions involve
consequences, some
intended, others not.
Related Performance Expectations
• Analyze a societal issue that may
be addressed through science
and/or technology. Compare
alternative solutions by
considering trade-offs and
unintended consequences (e.g.,
removing dams to increase
salmon spawning).
• Critically analyze scientific
information in current events to
• It is important for all
make personal choices or to
citizens to apply science and
understand public-policy
technology to critical issues
decisions.
that influence society.
Student performance data 2011
High School Science Assessment
Student scores drop significantly on short answer questions.
Science assessments require literacy skills
Another example…
Depth of
Knowledge
Levels for
Science used
in student
assessment
design
Why discuss literacy?
Researchers have found that
students learn science better
when they write about their
thinking and that the act of
writing may force integration
of new ideas and relationships
with prior knowledge. (Thier
and Daviss, 2002)
Mark Watrin emphasized
this idea with us during our
February webinar:
Elements of Effective
Science Instruction. This
process of writing and
reflectively thinking is key
to sense-making.
Science and language are interdependent.
Their processes are mirrored in each other.
• Students at all levels should be able to:
 Note details
 Compare and contrast
 Predict
 Sequence events
 Link cause and effect
 Distinguish fact from opinion
 Link words with precise meanings
 Make inferences
 Draw conclusions
From Thier and Daviss, 2002
Strategies to improve literacy in science.
Use prompts to uncover ideas.
 Predicting: What does the topic title reveal?
 Reflective questioning before reading: What does this topic
mean to me?
 Reflective questioning after reading: What questions do I
still have about this topic?
 Evaluating: What it is the main idea of this reading?
 Paraphrasing: Turn and talk with a classmate about the
reading.
 Summarizing: How many key ideas can I identify?
 Identifying words and meanings: Do I understand the
meaning of the reading?
 Reflecting on the overall reading: If I reread this topic,
what areas would I focus on?
Use graphic organizers.
• Students can organize their thinking.
http://www.sciencenotebooks.org/
What other graphic organizers do you use that are effective with students?
Observation Organizer
Think of properties you can
see such as size, shape,
color, lines, texture, pattern,
behavior…
I observed…
Think of the other senses of
smell, sound, touch, and
perhaps taste!
I noticed…
Connect it with something
that you already know.
It reminds me of…
Add more detail as
needed.
This is so because…
Be curious and ask
questions you could
investigate.
I am curious about…
It surprised me that…
OR
I wonder what would happen if…
http://www.sciencenotebooks.org/classroomTools/templates.php
The Art of Argumentation
Ross, Fisher and Frey
Science and Children, 2009, p.29
Interactive Notebooks
http://www.sciencenotebooks.org/
Simple Interactive Notebook
• Student Page
• Teacher Page
What can go on the left side of an
interactive notebook?
Brainstorming
Discovery headlines
Biography posters
Concept maps
Riddles
Your questions
Pictographs
Cartoons
Poetry and songs
Significant statements
Flowcharts
Graphic organizers
Drawings
Metaphors and analogies
Venn diagrams
Bulls-Eye diagrams
Data and graphs you generate
Analysis writing
Reflection writing
Quick-writes
Four square analogies
Mnemonics
Writing prompts
Scientific conclusions
Other creative avenues for
processing information
All sorts of student work!!!
What goes on the right side of an
interactive notebook?
Student generated
question
Factual Information
Why are plants green
instead of blue or red?
Scientists note that plants are
green. Many hypotheses have
been proposed to understand
plant color. …..
How does photosynthesis Plants…..
work to make food?
Summary
Photosynthesis is a process…..
The Cornell note style helps students think reflectively about
a topic, generate questions, which the teacher can facilitate
during instruction.
http://teacher.ocps.net/susan.colwell/media/inbinsertsv3.pdf
Science Writing Heuristic
• The Science Writing Heuristic was developed by Brian Hand
• The basic format includes…






What questions do I have?
Tests…..What did I do?
Observations: What did I find?
My Claim is:
My Evidence is:
What do others say:
• Internal sources
• External sources
 Reflection: How have my ideas changed?
http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/science/Heuristic.html
Tools for ambitious science teaching
http://tools4teachingscience.org/
How do these strategies support student
achievement ? Let’s work on an example.
• Plan a field study to answer the question in the box. In your
procedure, be sure to include:





logical steps to do the field study
method for collecting data
conditions to be compared
data to be collected
how often data should be collected and recorded
Field Study Question: Write the study question here….
Procedure:
• What are the teaching and learning that we would need to do
with our students for them to answer this question successfully?
Let’s see if we can offer some ideas in the chat box.
How does this connect to the Common Core State
Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy
in Social Studies/History, Science, and Technical
Subjects??
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CCSS Webinar Series Part 2: Systems
Update
January 2012
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9-10
11-12
Foundational Skills (e.g. phonics, word recognition, fluency)





Print concepts
Phonological awareness
Alphabetic principal
Phonics and word recognition
fluency
Although foundational skills are addressed prior to grade 6, students who struggle in these areas will need
further support.
Reading Literature and Informational Texts
Students are reading rigorous texts across a broad spectrum of content; balance the types of texts students read.
*Percentages represent comprehensive use (teaching, learning, and student production) across a school year.
Balance grades K-5 = 50%* literature ; 50%* informational text
Balance grade 6-8 = 45%* literature; 55%* informational text
Balance grades 9-12 = 30%* literature; 70%* informational text
Literacy (Reading) in History/Social Studies, Science, and Other Technical Subjects
Focus on key ideas, details, using evidence from text to support conclusions; contextual vocabulary acquisition; point of view
Writing Standards
Focus on teaching the processes of writing, including a balance of text types and literacy in History/ socials tudies, and science
*Percentages represent comprehensive use (teaching, learning, and student production) across a school year.
Balance of writing types, including writing in the content areas
By grade 4—opinion =30%; information = 35%; narrative =35%
Balance of writing types, including writing in the content areas
Grade 8 – argument = 35%; information = 35%; narrative = 30%
Grade 12 – argument = 40%; information = 40%; narrative = 20%
Speaking & Listening Standards
Comprehension and collaboration
Presentation of knowledge and ideas
Evaluate speaker’s point of view
Use of rhetoric
Critical thinking
Language Standards
Conventions of standard English, knowledge of language, vocabulary acquisition
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Six Major Shifts in Focus
Priorities
Priorities in Support of Rich Instruction and Expectations of
Fluency and Conceptual Understanding
Literary/
Informational
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make
logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing
or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
Word Meaning
Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and
analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
Text Structure
Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences,
paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g.,
a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
Text Complexity
Thinking
Read texts of increasingly complexity with accuracy, fluency, and
comprehension
Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a
text, when writing or speaking or listening for a purpose
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The Five Claims – Students can
 read closely and critically to comprehend a range of
increasingly complex literacy and informational
texts.
 produce effective writing for a range of purposes
and audiences
 employ effective speaking and listening sills for a
range of purposes and audiences
 engage appropriately in collaborative and
independent inquiry to investigate/research topics,
pose questions, and gather and present information.
 skillfully use and interpret written language across
a range of literacy tasks.
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WA Three Year Transition Plan
for English Language Arts
Learning More…
Statewide Transition & Implementation
Supports
•
OSPI CCSS Website
 http://k12.wa.us/CoreStandards/default.aspx
 http://www.k12.wa.us/CoreStandards/UpdatesEvents.aspx#Webinar
Includes…
 Communication support materials
 3-year transition plans for ELA and Math
 Grade-level transition documents
• Aligned with current test maps
 Other national / state resources
• Hunt Institute Video Series (www.youtube.com/user/TheHuntInstitute)
• Math and ELA-specific
• National PTA – Parent Resource Guides
CCSS Webinar Series Part 2: Systems
Update
January 2012
33
Bringing the conversation back to
literacy…
Thank you!
• Resources
 Washington Science Content Standards
• http://www.k12.wa.us/Science/pubdocs/WAScienc
eStandards.pdf
 Supporting Moodle and online assistance
• http://moodle.ospi.k12.wa.us/login/index.php
• http://www.k12.wa.us/ScienceEducatorResources.
aspx
• http://www.k12.wa.us/Science/ItemTemplates.aspx
 Biology EOC PLD Training
• http://moodle.ospi.k12.wa.us/course/category.php?
id=10