RAFTing with raptors: Connecting science, English language arts, and the Common Core State Standards

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RAFT writing assignments can help students learn while developing writing and thinking skills.Forty-five states and three territories have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and most states are now in the process of implementing them (CCSS Initiative, 2012). CCSS for English Language Arts (ELA) & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, or CCSS for ELA/Literacy, are designed to extend literacy learning beyond ELA to other areas. The CCSS for ELA/Literacy are not intended to replace standards but are designed to supplement them. The result of this effort is a framework for integrated learning consistent with This We Believe (National Middle School Association, 2010). (Editor's note: This will require targeted professional development for teachers in all areas, as Gilles, Wang, Smith, and Johnson discuss in this issue.)The integration of literacy skills with science has been increasingly emphasized in science education (see, e.g., Bricker, Rogowski, Hedt, & Rolfe, 2010; Sinatra & Broughton, 2011), and recent literature has featured various writing strategies that have been successful for integrating ELA and science (Bintz, Wright, & Sheffer, 2010; Kokkino, Ortiz, Pappas, & Varelas, 2008). This article explores using the RAFT strategy (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) for writing in science classes. The framework of the RAFT strategy will be explained, and connections with CCSS for ELA/Literacy will be discussed. Finally, there will be a discussion of a professional learning experience for teachers in which they implemented the CCSS for ELA/Literacy in middle grades science classes. The teachers used RAFT strategies to develop instruction about birds of prey, or raptors.RAFT writingRAFT is a common writing strategy that was introduced by Nancy Vandervanter, a middle grades English teacher, to encourage students to write from different perspectives (Santa, 1988). Role refers to the position of the author of the piece that is being written. The role does not necessarily have to be that of a human. The role could be from the perspective of an animal, a plant, a rock, a building, or any object. Audience is the target group for whom the piece is being written. Once again, the audience does not necessarily have to be human. The format can vary widely: a wanted poster, a love letter, an obituary, or a conversation between inanimate objects. The topic is limited only by the imagination of the writer. The RAFT strategy can be extended to RAFTS by including a focus on strong verbs that grab the reader's attention. The emphasis on strong verbs enables the students to focus their efforts in a particular way. While RAFT was designed to facilitate student writing, using a RAFT strategy with middle grades students is especially effective because it supports reading and writing across the curriculum (Melin & Schiller, 2011; Shellard & Protheroe, 2004) and provides opportunities for students reading below grade level to improve their reading skills (Fisher & Ivey, 2006).RAFT and CCSS for ELA/LiteracyCCSS for ELA/Literacy has reading standards for informational texts for each grade level that require students to analyze a text; draw inferences from a text; analyze interactions between individuals, events and ideas; and determine an author's point of view (CCSS Initiative 2010). Furthermore, the writing standards for grades 6, 7, and 8 require students to Write informative/ explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content (CCSS Initiative, 2010, p. 42). RAFT writing requires students to draw inferences and analyze interactions in the texts as they develop their ideas. As they complete RAFTs, students will write texts that fulfill the requirements of the CCSS for ELA/Literacy writing standards. …