Fitting it all in – start with the science
You have probably heard the time-management parable regarding “filling the jar.” For those who have not, the story goes something like this: a man fills a jar with golf balls and asks “Is the jar full?” To demonstrate that even though the jar looks full it still can hold more, he pours some small pebbles in, which fill in the spaces between the golf balls. The man then proceeds to pour sand in, which fills the spaces in between the pebbles. Finally, he pours in water to completely fill all spaces within the jar. If the man had put the pebbles, sand, or water in before the golf balls; the balls would not have fit.
Reflecting on this parable, what if Science was treated as the golf balls, rather than the water? What would it look like if instruction was turned around, and Science was the theme or thread in which we were able to utilize and apply Literacy and Math skills? The writers of the Next Generation Science Standards recognized this relationship and were very purposeful in making connections to Literacy and Math. This group outlines eight Science and Engineering Practice and three of the eight have the strongest connection to Literacy:
- Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
- Engaging in argument from evidence
- Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
In addition to these Literacy connections, two of the eight have strong connections to Math:
- Analyzing and interpreting data
- Using mathematics and computational thinking
The National Science Teachers Association publishes positions statements on a variety of topics, including an elementary position statement. Within this position statement’s recommendations are two that speak specifically to the integration of Science, Literacy and Math:
“Elementary school students learn science best when—
D. mathematics and communication skills are an integral part of science instruction.
Elementary school students value science best when—
C. other subject areas are infused into science.”
Consider this possible 2nd grade unit, which was written by first starting with the science standards. In developing the following synopsis, the science standards were considered first, and then aligned with literacy and math standards to support the students in the activities. This provides the students with an authentic need to read, write, speak, and compute and, thus, also creates motivation in building those skills.
| Activity: | Standards working towards: | |
|---|---|---|
| Read the book “The Most Magnificent Thing” by Ashley Spires (Read aloud can be found at: https://goo.gl/PHnpZn)
Lead the students in a class discussion regarding the key details in the text, the moral of the story, and how the character responded to challenges. |
RL.2.1 (literacy) | Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. |
| RL.2.2 (literacy) | Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral. | |
| RL.2.3 (literacy) | Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges. | |
| SL.2.4 (literacy) | Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences. | |
| Students will be building a catapult from teacher-provided supplies of craft sticks, plastic spoon, and rubber bands. Students will first draw a model of their catapult, including measurements. |
K-2-ETS1-2 (science) | Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem. |
| 2.MD.A.1 (math) | Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes. | |
| After building their catapults, students will fire the teacher-provided projectile. Students will watch each other’s catapults function. Students will estimate distances and then measure. Students will record measurements and create a data chart. |
2.MD.A.1 (math) | Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes. |
| 2.MD.A.3 (math) | Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters. | |
| Class will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of their design. Students will re-design their catapults to try to have it work more effectively and shoot the projectile farther than before. |
SL.2.4 (literacy) | Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences. |
| K-2-ETS1-3 (science) | Analyze data from test of two objects design to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs. | |
| 2-PS1-3 (science) | Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made of a small set of pieces can be disassembled and made into a new object. | |
| Students will once again demonstrate their catapults with the modifications, explaining why they made changes. Distances will again be estimated, then measured and recorded. Students will do the computations to determine the change in distance. |
SL.2.4 (literacy) | Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences. |
| 2.MD.A.4 (math) | Measure to determine how much longer one object is than another, expressing the length difference in terms of a standard length unit. | |
| Students will then be tasked with creating a catapult with materials they select from a large selection or bring from home. Students should be provided with text resources and guidance in experimenting with materials |
W.2.8 (literacy) | Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. |
| 2-PS1-2 (science) | Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.* | |
| Students will share their catapults, claims and evidence for their improved model. Students will again measure and compute the differences in distances from the variety of catapults to determine which design is the most effective. |
W.2.7 (literacy) | Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations). |
| W.2.8 (literacy) | Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. | |
| 2.MD.A.4 (math) | Measure to determine how much longer one object is than another, expressing the length difference in terms of a standard length unit. | |
| Students should discuss their engineering and building process and connect their experiences back to the book “The Most Magnificent Thing.” | RL.2.1 (literacy) | Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. |
| RL.2.2 (literacy) | Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral. | |
| RL.2.3 (literacy) | Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges. | |
The above lesson is meant to demonstrate how science, literacy, and math can be seamlessly integrated and by no means is it fully developed. There is much room for modifications, adaptations, and extensions. The key to putting a unit such as this together is to start with the science concepts, identify student learning goals, and the Literacy and Math standards that support these goals.
If you are interested in working with your Central Rivers science consultant to write an integrated unit for your own classroom, please don’t hesitate to contact Kay (kschmalen@centralriversaea.org) or Mandie (asanderman@centralriversaea.org)