Strategy Toolkit

for Science

By: Alyssa Haug

Strategy: Science Connection Overview

Steps for Teachers/Students: (Buehl 184-187)

1. Introduce the exercise by discussing with students how science helps them
understand aspects of their lives or world.
2. Give each student a blank copy of the Science Connection Overview chart.
Have students follow along as you model how to fill in the chart while you
skim a text. Intentionally ignore technical terms or information that seems
unfamiliar. Instead, focus on familiar terms.
3. Then, have students work with partners to look through the rest of the text.
They will first complete the whats familiar section.
4. If the chapter has a summary, have students read that to start the next
portion. Have students identify key topics that seem to be the focus. They will
then fill in what topics are covered portion.
5. Have students generate questions about the material. Encourage them to
think about what they already know in this topic area and what they might be
wondering. Have them fill in what are you wondering section.
6. Students will then complete the what will the author tell you section by
looking at the categories in the chapter. Science texts normally have sections
and headings to help fill in this portion of the chart.
7. Ask students to read the first section keeping their chart by them. As they
read have them develop vocabulary cards for the new terms they come
across.

Anticipated Time-Use: I would allow 30-45 minutes depending on the length of the
text for this strategy.

Support learning target: This strategy is used for background knowledge, before
reading and new vocabulary.

Potential shortcomings/misuse of strategy: Students may just skim the entire

text and not actually do the reading. Some students may not have any background
knowledge on the topic to easily fill out the what is familiar section on the chart.

Example of Science Connection Overview

This chart can be used when reading any science text.

Whats familiar?

Whats the connection? Skim and survey the chapter for things that are familiar and
that connect with your life or world. List them below:

What topics
are covered?

Read the summary. What topic areas seem to be the most important?

What are you

wondering?

What will the

author tell you?

Read and explain.

Questions of interest. What questions do you have about this material that may be
answered in the chapter?

Chapter organization: What categories of information are provided in this chapter?

Fill out vocabulary cards with your explanations.

Strategy: B/D/A Questioning Chart

(Questions for before, during & after reading)

Steps for Teachers/Students: (Buehl 67-60)

1. Introduce thick and thin questions.

a. Thick questions: ponder deeper ideas to take you far beyond the text that
started our thinking
b. Thin questions: clarify things the author says
2. Model thick and thin questions with a short text. Use newspaper article for
example.
a. Thin questions: what causes flu?, what worries public health officials
about it?
b. Thick questions: what is the meaning of what the author tells us?
3. Select short text related to curriculum and think aloud before questions while
students fill out B/D/A chart along with you.
4. Read the text aloud and think aloud as you do so filling in the B/D/A chart for
during reading. Fill in the D portion of the chart
5. When finished, have students categorize their questions along or with a partner
a. Check mark- author answered question
b. Squiggle line (~)- author partially answered
c. Question mark- still hanging question unanswered
6. After reading, inquisitive people often still have lingering questions that were not
answered. Have students decide on one or two question in the after portion of
the chart.
7. Have students summarize key insights in the what do you understand now that
you didnt understand before? section.

Anticipated Time-Use: allow approximately 45-60 minutes

Support learning target: This strategy supports the learning targets before, during,
and after reading.

Potential shortcomings/misuse of strategy: Students may struggle to come up

with questions during or after and just say all of their questions were answered while
reading.

Example of B/D/A Chart:

You could use this strategy while reading any science text. It would allow
students the ability to question rather than be expected to have all of the
knowledge from the beginning. In Content Matters (pgs. 98-101), the teacher is
constantly questioning the students on mealworms. Using a B/D/A chart would
allow the teacher to change roles with the students and have them asking the
questions rather than having her do it.

Strategy: Concept/Definition Mapping

Steps for Teachers/Students: (Buehl 83-86)

1. Display a blank Concept/Definition Map. Point out the questions that a complete
definition would answer. Model how to use it by selection a familiar concept and
get the answers to each section from the class.
2. Present a key term or concept from material students are learning and have
them work in pairs to create their own Concept/Definition map.
3. When students have finished, have them use their map to write a definition of
the concept in their own words using the my explanation or my definition
section.
4. You can then assign individual students key terms and concepts from their
reading to be sure each student does their own.

Anticipated Time-Use: I would allow 45-60 minutes for this activity depending on
the length of text to allow enough time for reading & defining.

Support learning target: This strategy supports the learning target of vocabulary.
Potential shortcomings/misuse of strategy: If the text does not have a lot of
vocabulary words in it, it would be difficult to use this strategy. If the teacher does not
model effectively, the students would not complete it effectively. If students feel
rushed, they may not fill out the map adequately and/or look at a neighbors paper to
just fill in the answers. Students may also just search for the terms rather than actually
do the reading.
Use this graphic for the example below:

Example of Concept/Definition Map:

In science texts, heterotroph and autotroph would be great examples for

students to start with if you were doing a unit on living organisms. Students
would see the photo above to help them. You could use this to have students fill
out when they find words that they are unsure of and teach those new concepts
to the class with their concept/definition map.

Strategy: Hands-On Reading

Steps for Teachers/Students: (Buehl 115-117)

1. Introduce technical nonfiction as a new special text genre. Technical texts are
usually short and students wont have as much background knowledge going into
them. There is usually a clear goal in mind for students when reading these
texts. The technical texts are usually full of new vocabulary.
2. Brainstorm with students problems that they experience when reading technical
texts.
3. Outline the Hands-On Reading strategy. Hands-On reading assumes that readers
will be reading, manipulating or examining objects when they are featured in the
text. It has a start again, stop again approach.
4. Give students the Hands-On Reading Bookmark (posted below in my example)
a. Discuss the following:
i. Size up the task- students look through the text the get a general
sense of what needs to be done
ii. Clarify vocabulary- look for key terms that they know and/or are
unfamiliar with
iii. Scan the visuals- check for any visual information to help visualize
the process
iv. Look out for cautions- be sure to follow the steps exactly
v. Read and apply- begin reading and completing the task at hand,
check for misunderstands and clarify them
vi. Collaborate- there is normally some problem solving that needs to
be done, collaborate with others to complete the task

Anticipated Time-Use: I would allow 45 minutes for this strategy. Depending on the
length of the project, it could take longer or take less time.

Support learning target: This strategy supports during and after reading targets.
Potential shortcomings/misuse of strategy: Students may rely on one of their

partners to complete the reading task and have the partner tell them what to do rather
than to do the reading themselves because they just want to complete the activity.
They may skip portions of the strategy just to get to the activity which would result in
the activity being completed incorrectly at times.

Example of Hands-On Reading:

Hands-On Reading can often be used in science with experiments. For example,
in Content Matters (107-115), students are creating an ecosystem. They are
given a letter and things to know hand out. They also need to use their school
textbook to help create an ecosystem that will thrive. While reading each portion,
they can use the Hands-On Reading bookmark to be sure they arent missing
anything.

Hands-On Reading Bookmark

1. Size up the task
a. To figure out what you will need to
do.
b. To determine what the final outcome
should be.
c. To inventory items or tools needed
for the task.

2. Clarify vocabulary
a. To review terms you have previously
learned.
b. To identify and explain new terms.

3. Scan the visuals

a. To compare the illustrations with any
physical items you will be using.
b. To help imagine what you should be
doing at each phase.
c. To identify items or objects you will
be handling.

4. Look out for cautions

a. To avoid common errors.
b. To avoid harmful or dangerous
mistakes.

5. Read and apply

a. To make sure each sentence makes
sense.
b. To clear up things you dont
understand.
c. To connect the directions to the
illustrations.

6. Collaborate
a. To work out understandings with
your partner.
b. To reread and confirm your
understandings.
c. To complete each step of the task.

Strategy: Inquiry Charts

Steps for Teachers/Students: (Buehl 123-125)

1. Select a topic that is studied in your science curriculum. You can use this
strategy with the B/D/A Charts I examined previously.
2. Introduce the inquiry chart by modeling how to use this tool to organize
information. Record the questions that students came up with in the chart.
3. Brainstorm any preexisting knowledge about the topic and ask students to
offer what they already know. Any information that does not pertain to the
question on the chart can be placed in other important information.
4. Provide students access to a variety of materials including websites,
newspapers and magazines that they can use to answer their target
questions. Students can work in groups for this task. They will have to decide
if the information is credible and will answer their questions appropriately. I,
personally, would have websites be the last choice so they use books,
newspapers, and magazines first.
5. Ask students to create a summary from the information they have found.
6. Students can now write about their topic and proceed to discuss each
question.

Anticipated Time-Use: I would do this strategy over two or three days for about 3045 minutes each day.

Support learning target: This strategy supports building background, before

reading, during reading, and after reading.

Potential shortcomings/misuse of strategy: Some sources given to the students

may not answer their questions. They may not be able to find all of the answers to their
questions because it is difficult to predict what questions they will come up with.

Example of Inquiry Charts

This could be used along with doing the ecosystem project. Students can come
up with a list of questions about ecosystems before beginning their ecosystem
project. This would help them build the background knowledge needed to create
and sustain an ecosystem.

Topic:
What we
know:
Source
1:
Source
2:
Source
3:
Summary

Question Question Question Question Other

New
1:
2:
3:
4:
Important
Questions
Information

Works Cited
Buehl, D. (n.d.). Classroom strategies for interactive learning (Fourth ed., pp. 49-260).
Spiegel, S., Bintz, J., Taylor, J., Landes, N., & Jordan, D. (n.d.). Disciplinary Literacy in
the Science Classroom. In Content Matters (pp. 87-127).