Dick, Jane and Einstein: Merging Literacy and Science in the Classroom
Tuesday, July 15 2008
July 15, 2008 MOSCOW, Idaho – Remember reading and writing in grade school about the simple lives of Dick, Jane, Spot and Puff? Reading and writing skills were honed with, “Go Jane go. Go go go. See Jane go.” Students today start out interpreting far more complex narratives. To keep up with the demands of other content-area subjects, researchers are studying the effects of using science texts to teach literacy skills – and vice versa. The results have shown an increase in test results in both areas. The University of Idaho College of Education is on the forefront of this research. With a three-year, $300,000 grant from the Idaho Department of Education/ Mathematics and Science Partnership, a team of Idaho faculty is partnering with 19 Idaho teachers from the Lake Pend Oreille School District for professional development focused on integrating writing and literacy into their science curriculums. This summer, the teachers participated in a workshop in Sandpoint that helped them begin designing their science curriculums for the coming school year. Topics of the workshop included inquiry-based science instruction, literacy strategies, science content and aligning science instruction with standards. “The main focus will be on having the students create science notebooks,” said Jerine Pegg, principal investigator on the project. “We’ll look at vocabulary, reading, writing and oral discussion as aspects of literacy, with writing as the main focus.” Pegg invited Michael Klentschy, Superintendent of Schools of the El Centro School District in El Centro, Calif., to work with the group. Klentschy is co-director of the California Science Subject Matter Project Regional Center and has served as co-principal investigator on several elementary science initiatives. He also authored a book on using science notebooks in the classroom and was a contributing author for the Scott Foresman science curriculum. Klentschy worked with teachers as they planned their own lessons using the science notebook models. His expertise in integrating literacy into science was a major asset to the Lake Pend Oreille district teachers. Klentschy conducted a session with Lake Pend Oreille District building administrators about the research behind the science and literacy connection. “It’s good for the building administrators to understand and support what we’re doing in their schools,” said Pegg. “That way, we can all work together towards a common goal.” Administrators participated in some hands-on activities that demonstrated the model for teaching that will be used in the classroom. Teachers will meet again in October and two additional times during the year. University of Idaho faculty will visit each teacher’s classroom three times during the year to collaborate and offer support. Teachers also will have access to a website where they can view all of the handouts and interact with each other about their progress and experiences. “There was so much enthusiasm from the teachers at the workshop, it’s hard to capture it,” said Pegg. “When we ended the meetings, there were still teachers there planning and talking. We had to remind them that it was time to go. It was amazing.” The University faculty team also has selected a comparison group to gauge whether or not there is more change in the participant group than the comparison group. In addition to Pegg, the University of Idaho team includes Anne Kern of the University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene; elementary science instructor Gail Ballard of Coeur d’Alene; environmental science faculty David Newcombe; physics faculty Frederick Ytreberg; and chemist Jennifer Pollard. The following teachers from Lake Pend Oreille School District in Idaho are participating in the project: In Cocolalla: Barbara Hunt, Southside Elementary Brian Nickerson, Southside Elementary Jan Vann, Southside Elementary In Hope: Purley Decker, Hope Elementary Martha Kelley, Hope Elementary Janice Riley, Hope Elementary In Kootenai: Diane Jones, Kootenai Elementary In Sagle: Raymond Bird, Sagle Elementary Jackie Hanna, Sagle Elementary Kathy Prummer, Sagle Elementary In Sandpoint: Linda Dallman, Washington Elementary Ellen Darling, Washington Elementary Peggy Gaudet, Farmin-Stidwell Elementary Susan Lee, Washington Elementary Sally Loveless, Washington Elementary Patsy Olin, Farmin-Stidwell Elementary Laura Rantala, Farmin-Stidwell Elementary Jody Russell, Farmin-Stidwell Elementary Rod Swerin, Washington Elementary For more information about the Idaho Science and Literacy in the Elementary School project, contact Jerine Pegg at (208) 885-9278 or e-mail peggj@uidaho.edu. # # # About the University of Idaho Founded in 1889, the University of Idaho is the state’s flagship higher-education institution and its principal graduate education and research university, bringing insight and innovation to the state, the nation and the world. University researchers attract nearly $100 million in research grants and contracts each year; the University of Idaho is the only institution in the state to earn the prestigious Carnegie Foundation ranking for high research activity. The university’s student population includes first-generation college students and ethnically diverse scholars. Offering more than 150 degree options in 10 colleges, the university combines the strengths of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu. Contact: Cheryl Dudley, College of Education, (208) 885-0119, cdudley@uidaho.edu CD-7/15/08-EDU
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.