Campbell & Fulton Science Notebooks, Literacy Connections

Campbell, B., & Fulton, L. (2003). Science notebooks: Writing about inquiry. Portsmouth, NH: Heineman.

Chapter 6: Literacy Connections

•    Connections to Literacy
    o    How do science notebooks promote literacy?

•    Oral Communication
    o    How do science notebooks promote literacy in terms of oral communication?
        •    “Often, it is in sharing their evidence with others during science talk that students begin to make sense of a concept and connect information in their notebooks to bigger ideas (p. 74).”

•    Written Communication
    o    How do science notebooks help promote written communication during science investigations?
        * “Use of notebooks provides students with an authentic reason to write in science, and communicating ideas encourages students to synthesize their thinking in order to share it with others (p. 75).”
        * “Teachers should encourage various recording methods that allow students to capture the essence of the science (p. 76).”
    o    How do science notebooks help promote written communication after the science investigation?

•    Reading
    o    How do science notebooks help promote reading?

•    Vocabulary Development
    o    What is the role of science notebooks in vocabulary development?
        •    “Within science, vocabulary is developed in the context of the investigation (p. 79).”
        •    “Students should understand the vocabulary well enough to be able to use it in the correct context while speaking and writing (p. 80).”

•    Connections to the Standards for the English Language Arts
    o    What connections are there between science notebooks and the standards?
        •    “Many times students write for others; however, within their notebooks, they are writing for their own needs and using the information they collect to share with others (p. 80).”
        •    “When used to their full potential, science notebooks help promote the idea that sciences is a context for literacy development (p. 81).”