Abstract
Early elementary students are not typically introduced to science-specific disciplinary literacies - the specific ways in which scientists use and interpret language - even though authentic experiences with literacy strategies and tools used within the field may help incorporate learners into the scientific community of practice. The lack of freely available easy-to-use resources to build these literacies in the early elementary classroom may be a contributing factor. The Authentic Literacy and Language (ALL) for Science curriculum framework was developed as a deliberate approach to teach disciplinary literacies in the context of science using three distinct components: Science Investigations, Mini-lessons, and Science Inquiry Circles. Here we outline the development of the curriculum framework and a pilot of a 2nd grade unit based on the framework to teach concepts related to heredity and life cycles. We present findings from the pilot and discuss future directions and implications for the development and implementation of curricular materials using the ALL for Science curriculum framework.
Highlights
In order to examine feasibility and effectiveness of the curriculum framework, we developed a three-weeklong unit on animal life cycles and inheritance to implement in second grade classrooms; we called this unit Heredity and Life Cycles
The evaluation questions that guided this process are: 1) Is the framework logistically feasible to implement in elementary classrooms?; 2) To what extent can teachers implement the Authentic Literacy and Language (ALL) for Science framework, in the context of the Heredity and Life Cycles unit in a grade-level appropriate, effective way?; and 3) Is a unit built upon the framework effective in enhancing student knowledge, strategies and skills as outlined in the desired short term program outcomes?
Teachers participating in the pilot reviewed the ALL for Science curriculum framework as presented in the Heredity and Life Cycles unit favorably
Summary
There are a number of reasons students from these backgrounds may not pursue STEM disciplines, in general, or science, in particular. Even students who express interest and demonstrate academic achievement in science, may not persist because they view science as incompatible with their identities (Archer et al, 2010). Traditional school science experiences may not be enough to help students view themselves as current or future members of the science community. Given that students’ identities influence choice behaviors later in life, explicit connections to help students see themselves in science roles may be necessary to increase the number of underrepresented students choosing to enter STEM fields (Carlone et al, 2014; Vincent-Ruz, 2018; Zhai et al, 2014)
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