Writing with Scientists

• PRINT
• EMAIL

Writing with Scientists provides your students with step-by-step support to transform a collection of notes, observations, research, and experiments into a well-organized, thorough, and thoughtful science report. Students can use this site if they've already done research on a topic of interest or they may use it as a pre-guide to set up goals before gathering research and data.

Host Dr. Susan Perkins, a microbiologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, shares her experience taking lizard parasite research from idea phase to published report. Students can listen to her story and read along.

OBJECTIVE

Students will:

1. Describe their big question and hypothesis
2. Clearly explain research and information
3. Present and analyze their results
4. Use scientific vocabulary accurately
5. Communicate new questions
6. Show sources in a bibliography
7. Publish their science report online to be shared with a whole community of student scientists

LESSONS FOR THIS UNIT
Lesson 1: From Brainstorm to Published Paper
Lesson 2: Presenting Powerful Outlines for Science Fair Reports

REPRODUCIBLES
Teacher-Student Reading Conference Form (PDF)
Writing with Scientists Worksheet (PDF)
Group Assessment (PDF)

SUPPORTING BOOKS

Books and Resources for Writing with Scientists

• Scholastic Store
• 

  The Scholastic Store
  	Scholastic Dictionary of Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms With over 20,000 clear and concise entries, students will have synonyms and antonyms at their fingertips. And for kids who don't know their "principal" from a "principle," this handy guide also contains 2,000 homonyms. It's the perfect thesaurus for kids on the go. $5.59 You save: 20% books;paperback books;reference | Ages 10-14

  
  Scholastic Dictionary of Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms
  Ages 10-14 $5.59
  
• Teacher Store
• 

  The Teacher Store
  	Better Than Book Reports by Christine Boardman Moen View Sample Pages: Table of Contents Sample Page These engaging, hands-on activities help students demonstrate and build their comprehension, targeting key reading objectives $16.99 Professional Book | Grades 2-6

  
  Better Than Book Reports
  Grades 2-6 $16.99
  

This Unit Plan supports Writing with Scientists Activity

Weather Watch
Students observe weather, build an operational weather station, collect and compare data, create an "extreme" weather forecast and write first-person...

Responses to Literature: Be A Theme Park Designer!
Suggests fun and lively lessons where student apply reading, writing, research, and teamwork skills towards creating a Literature Land Theme Park.

Working Together As a Team
Turn the tables and let our class govern itself. In this unit exercise, students appoint leaders and write their own constitution.