1. Integrating Informational Text and Science Through the Polar Regions Jessica Fries-Gaither Elementary Resource Specialist and Project Director Ohio State University [email_address]

2. Todays Presentation

Project Overview

Integrating Science and Literacy: Informational Text

Resources, activities, and support fromBeyond Penguins and Polar Bears

Jef Maion (www.maion.com) Resource list provided 3. Integrating polar science and literacy in K-5 classrooms This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0733024. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Nick Russill 4. The International Polar Year Will Steger An international, interdisciplinary, collaborative research effort from March 2007 to March 2009 Over 200 research projects and 60 countries involved Focused on understanding the Arctic and Antarctica and modeling the changes in a warming world 4th official International Polar Year (1882-3, 1932-3,1957-8) 5. Monthly thematic issues of a free online magazine:

Issues reflect topics from elementary science curricula

Each issue includes:

Content Knowledge Lessons & Activities

Virtual Bookshelf Teaching & Assessment Strategies

Technology Integration Cross curricular connections Standards alignment

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service http://beyondpenguins.nsdl.org 6. Beyond Penguins and Polar Bearsblog

News from the polar regions

Professional Opportunities

Broadcasts

Monthly polar news roundups

Polar research

http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/polar National Science Foundation 7. Project Partners 8. Why integrate science and literacy?

Overlap of science process and literacy skills

Increased learning and achievement

Real world context for reading, writing, and discussion

Gives students avoicein science

Help students develop 21 stcentury skills

Information and media literacy

Communication skills

Critical thinking and systems thinking

Problem identification, formulation, and solution

Creativity and intellectual curiosity

Interpersonal and collaborative skills

Self-direction

Accountability and adaptability

Social responsibility

9. How can you integrate science and literacy?

Pair hands-on science with a literacy focus

Teach reading comprehension strategies with informational text

Read and write science poetry

Use science notebooks

Steve Hillebrand, USFWS 10. Why Informational Text?

Key to success in later schooling

Widely used in real world

Preferred by some students

Builds on curiosity; addressesinterests and questions

Builds background knowledge

May help build vocabulary andliteracy knowledge

Yet, informational text is underrepresented in the primary and elementary grades.US Fish and Wildlife 11. Using Informational Text

Foster interactions

Use lower and higher-level questions

Help students make connections

Spend time discussing technical vocabulary and organizational features

Apply comprehension strategies

Read-alouds Shared reading Guided reading Independent reading With all types of reading 12. Virtual Bookshelf

Written by a childrens librarian

Primarily nonfiction

Books support science content of issue

Pair with science lessons

Polar book club on Shelfari

13. www.shelfari.com/beyondpenguins/shelf 14. Nonfiction stories for students

Feature Story column of the magazine

Available at three grade levels (K-1, 2-3, and 4-5)

Available as text, illustrated book, and electronic book

Paired with a reading strategy and a content knowledge article

15. 16. Illustrated Book 17. Electronic Book 18. Teaching reading strategies withBeyond Penguinsinformational text Each months Feature Story is paired with a reading strategy Reading (and re-reading) story allows students to learn science content and practice key reading comprehension strategies Content knowledge articles and templates provide support for students and teachers. Sue Sheridan 19. Identify Similarities and Differences

Studentslearn about the polar regions

through content area reading:

• Nonfiction articles

• Virtual Bookshelf

Graphic Organizer helps students organize information 20. Cause and Effect Use science text to teach signal words and the text structure of cause and effect.Nick Russill 21. Determining Importance Students read the article, Reader of the Rocks and classify sentences as main ideas or interesting details. 22. Note Taking Teach students to take notes by recording key words, paraphrased definitions, and by creating graphic representations of information. 23. Pairing Science and Literacy Lessons

Hands-on science lessons for grades K-2 and 3-5

Science lessons are paired with literacy lessons for easy integration

NSES and NCTE/IRA standards alignment

24. Pairing Science and Literacy: Solar Energy

Hands-on Investigations

The Warmth of the Sun

Our Super Star

What Color Absorbs the Suns Energy Best?

Content area Reading

Question-and-Answer books - Gather information frominvestigations and nonfiction text - Organize with KWL charts, and create a book. 25. Interested in Learning More? BPPB magazine http://beyondpenguins.nsdl.org/ BPPB blog http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/polar BPPB Shelfari Group www.shelfari.com/beyondpenguins/shelf Post: Informational Text and the Polar Regions Monthly tours of latest BPPB issue http://tappedin.org/tappedin/