Connecting Science to Everyday Words Science Voices

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Connecting Science to Everyday WordsScience
Voices

• Vocabulary Instruction to Increase Literacy
  Learning
• Cornerstone Winter Conference, 2007
• Thursday, February 1, 100-230 245-415
• Johnnie Tankersley and Nereida Morales

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From Crossing the Borders in Literacy and
Science Instruction, E. Wendy Saul Parallels
between processes integral to -learning from
text and -learning from scientific inquiry
(Chapter 17, Learning from Text Designed to
Model Scientific Thinking in Inquiry-Based
Instruction, Shirley J. Magnusson and Annemarie
Sullivan Palincsar, p. 317-319)
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Vocabulary knowledge advances comprehension.

• The research suggests that the context in which
  words are learned is critical to determine the
  success of vocabulary instruction. Instruction
  should occur as students learn from subject
  matter materials. A hallmark of engaging in
  science learning is the opportunity to acquire
  the discourse of science. Trying on the discourse
  of science, students are exposed to richly
  nuanced vocabulary for communicating ideas.
  Guided inquiry science instruction in which the
  teacher draws the attention to ways in which
  language in general, and words in particular, are
  being used to communicate ideas clearly offers a
  prime context for this type of experience.

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Vocabulary in Two Voices WILF

• Receive a Spanish word card as you enter this
  session.
• Find your seat for this session by matching your
  Spanish word to a corresponding English word on
  the tables. There are multiple matching words.
• There are clues for some of the words looping on
  the screen.

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agua
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espacio
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bombia
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positivo
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electricidad
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magnetizer
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soplar
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string
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balon
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sumidero
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flotante
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cohete
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Where in the World?

• The Root of Words

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penguin

• Welsh
• White head

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hurricane

• Spanish
• Twirling sugarcane

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astronaut

• Greek
• Star sailor

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WILF Vocabulary Venues

• Using the Graphic Organizer provided, write the
  science word that fits the description. There are
  four riddles.
• When you finish writing the word, put your pen
  down. Dance until the music stops.
• When the leader asks, You set?, you reply, You
  bet! Then shout out the word.

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Riddle 1

• Some people say that I am one thing. Others say
  that I am many. Ever since the world began I have
  been moving in an endless circle. Sometimes I
  fall from the sky. Sometimes I cascade I fill
  and overflow.

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Riddle 2

• You have more of me in the morning than you do
  in the evening. Children have more of me than
  adults have. There are those who say you can get
  me from eating a bar. Others say you can get me
  from exercising.

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Riddle 3

• I am circular. I spin around and beneath a rope
  or cord. I can help you pick up heavy things so
  the work is easier for you. The rope goes up and
  down when you work me.

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Riddle 4

• Sometimes I am filled with water sometimes I am
  filled with air sometimes I am void. I can be
  inside or outside any vessel. You can fill me.
  And you can move through me.

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Think About This

• There is no right way to teach science. Its a
  way of approaching the world and asking questions
  and learning about it. Gather monarch butterflies
  from milkweed plants and bring them into school
  and watch them pupate and emerge from the pupa.
• -Suzuki

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Brained Based Teaching and Learning7
Strategies/Devices to Include in Lessons

• Movement
• Music
• Writing
• Talk
• Pneumonic devices
• Information in chunks of seven
• Students remember first and last things.

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Vocabulary Theory Simplified

• 3 Properties, 3 Tiers,
• 3 Philosophies

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THREE PROPERTIES OF VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION THAT
ARE EFFECTIVE IN INCREASING READING COMPREHENSION

• Integration with other knowledge.
• Repetition-Many encounters with a new word are
  necessary.
• Meaningful use-Students learn more when they are
  actively involved.

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Three Tiers of Words for Classroom Use

• Tier 1 Words Sight words and memory words
• Tier 2 Words Most commonly used vocabulary
• Tier 3 Words Content specific vocabulary

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Three Philosophies of Vocabulary Instruction

• Nagys work promotes use of interactive word
  walls. Repeated use of words is important.
• Becks work emphasizes Tier 2 words
• Marzano encourages teaching Tier 3 words

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So, how do we address properties, tiers, and
philosophies in the classroom? Use the 3 Threes!

• We can strive to include the properties of
  effective instruction in our lessons.
• We can teach all the tiers of vocabulary in the
  context of our lessons.
• And we can address three approaches to vocabulary
  instruction.

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Tier 1 WordsFrequently Used Sight Words and
Memory Words

• Word Walls
• Interactive Word Wall
• Word Wall List in writing folders

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Word Walls
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Interactive Word Wall
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Word Wall Listfor Writing Folders
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Tier 2 Words

• WOW words or Rock words on display
• Vocabulary charts
• Vocabulary Notebooks

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WOW Words or Rock Words on Display
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Rock and Pebble Words
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Use of academic vocabulary is evident in the
classroom
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Class ChartsGraphic Organizers
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Students Vocabulary Notebooks
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Tier 3 Words

• Words specific to a content area
• Words specific to a particular text
• Seldom used words

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Content Specific Words
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More Content Specific Words
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Words Specific to a Particular Text
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Video Clip 1

• From Reading the World Content Comprehension
  with Linguistically Diverse Learners, Anne
  Goudvis and Stephanie Harvey
• Vocabulary lesson
• Repitition of content vocabulary and concepts
  central to the topic.

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From an Essay by the AuthorsReading in Science
Why, What, and How

• Beck and colleagues offer a number of helpful
  ideas for thinking about the teaching of
  vocabulary in
• the context of subject matter learning.
  Specifically, they encourage teachers to make
  distinctions
• among three tiers of words.
• Tier One words are basic words that are used
  frequently and that seldom
• require explicit teaching.
• Tier Two words are high-frequency words that are
  used by mature language
• Users across content areas.

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• Tier Three words are low frequency words that are
  often limited to specific
• content areas. Under the topic of plants in a
  science unit, for example,
• Tier Three words might include pistil, stamen,
  stigma, and angiosperm.
• Because Tier Three words are low-frequency words
  and are typically encountered exclusively in
• subject-matter texts, teachers usually spend
  little time teaching them. Instead, they focus on
  Tier
• Two words, which students will encounter across
  subject-matter areas. This is generally
• appropriate. Nevertheless, teachers can ease
  students reading of Tier Three words by
• introducing them in preparation for reading.

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• Pointing to the limitations of dictionary
  definitions, Beck and her colleagues (2002) urge
• that teachers introduce new vocabulary by
  explaining a words meaning rather than by
• providing a definition for it. These explanations
  should characterize the word and how it is
• typically used (for example, The word pistil
  is used to identify one part of the plant that is
• responsible for the reproduction of plants. It is
  the female part of the plant, and it holds the
• seed."). Vocabulary is only one dimension of
  language is relevant to learning from science
  text.

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Adult Learning ExperienceChoosing Science
Vocabulary to Teach

• Importance and utility Words that are
  characteristic of mature language users in the
  science domains.
• Instructional potential Words that can be worked
  with in a variety of ways to help students build
  rich representations and connect to specific
  science concepts.
• Conceptual understanding Words that students are
  learning the general concepts about and that
  provide precision and specificity in describing
  that concept.

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WILF Using Tier 3 Vocabulary

• Each person choose three vocabulary words from a
  science text on your table.
• Have a recorder list everyones chosen words on
  the chart paper provided.
• Write a short poem on some form of movement or
  exercise. Use at least three of the words from
  the groups list in your report.

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List of Science Vocabulary

• Axle
• Gear
• Lever
• Pulley
• Wedge
• Load
• Work
• Force
• Breathe

• Friction
• Planet
• Solar system
• Telescope
• Orbit
• Lunar
• Asteroid
• Comet
• meteoroid

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The Tap Dance

• Load the music.
• Listen for the cue.
• Take a deep breathe.
• Begin.
• Work the legs.
• Let the friction of metal on wood make the sound.
• Keep the feet in gear.
• Turn on the axle of the toes.
• Work the legs.
• Slow down. Stop. Rest.

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THREE PROPERTIES OF VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION THAT
ARE EFFECTIVE IN INCREASING READING COMPREHENSION

• Integration with other knowledge.
• Repetition-Many encounters with a new word are
  necessary.
• Meaningful use-Students learn more when they are
  actively involved.

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Student Notebooks

• Multiple ways of representing data including
  diagrams, tables, figures
• Notebook texts include properly cited notes from
  reference materials to demonstrate how scientist
  access published materials, selectively read that
  material, and apply the newly acquired
  information to the problem at hand.
• Writing in first person gives a presence of voice
  in the science notebooks..STUDENTS comment that
  this makes text more readable

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Research Demonstrates p. 322

• These studies demonstrate that notebook texts
  used together with first hand investigations
  support not only the development of scientific
  concepts, but also childrens engagement in
  scientific reasoning, adopting a critical stance
  toward text, and metacognitive activity, such as
  monitoring for sense-making and taking steps to
  restore clarity and cohesion.

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Inter-textual ActivityResearchers used 4
textsLesson Study Classrooms could use these
also p. 325

• The notebook
• Childrens individual lab books
• The chart of class claims
• The conversations that occurred as the class
  investigated and shared their findings
• Also calling attention to the vocabulary words
  that were introduced in their notebooks and to
  how those compared with the terms the students
  had used in their own writing and discussion.

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Video clip 2

• From Reading the World Content Comprehension
  with Linguistically Diverse Learners, Anne
  Goudvis and Stephanie Harvey
• Children gather information to develop big ideas
  and questions by observing a praying mantis and
  talking and writing about their observations in
  their science notebooks

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WILF Experiment Reports

• Choose one experiment to write about.
• In your science notebook, write a paragraph on
  your observations of the chosen experiment.
• Use the vocabulary words from the experiment.

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Research Demonstrates p. 322

• These studies demonstrate that notebook texts
  used together with first hand investigations
  support not only the development of scientific
  concepts, but also childrens engagement in
  scientific reasoning, adopting a critical stance
  toward text, and metacognitive activity, such as
  monitoring for sense-making and taking steps to
  restore clarity and cohesion.

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Concept Mapping
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Energy Concept Map
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Materials in Cornerstone Notebook and Handouts

• ARTICLE from reading teacher Integrating
  curriculum through the learning cycle.
• Vocabulary notebook formats
• Spanish/English science vocab
• Powerpoint that contains
• Pictures/graphics of Spanish words and slides
  about roots of words
• Vocabulary Instruction Primary power point
• Vocabulary venues riddles
• Bibliography

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Bibliography

• Science on a Shoestring
• Teaching Vocabulary, Thompkins and Blanchfield,
  Pearson Education, Inc., 2004
• Literature and Science Breakthroughs
• Crossing the Borders In Literacy and Science
  Instruction, E. Wendy Saul, ed., International
  Reading Association, 2004.
• Talking Science
• Exemplary Science in Grade pre-K-4, Yager and
  Yager, ed., NSTA, 2006
• Bringing Words to Life, Beck, McKeown, and Kucan,
  The Guilford Press, 2002.