Integrating Instruction: Literacy and Science(Tools for Teaching Literacy)

Current research suggests that active study of science reinforces thinking, language and reading skills. Presenting the necessary tools to integrate literacy with science, this hands-on book contains valuable instructional ideas and activities that make science less daunting - especially for teachers. It demonstrates how to use science trade books to help children tap into their natural interest in the topic and features handy reproducible documents, as well as a chapter on effective uses of technology that will enhance the teacher's repertoire.

Table of Contents:
1. Language Literacy/Science Literacy 2. Organizing for Integrated Instruction 3. Integrating Science and Language in Science Units 4. Vocabulary Expansion through Experiences 5. Exploring the Real World with Informational Texts 6. The Science-Fiction Connection 7. Writing to Learn Science 8. Effective Uses of Technology 9. Assessment References Children's Literature

About the Author :
Judy McKee, MA, is a science consultant for Wilmette Public Schools in Wilmette, Illinois. As an award-winning educator, Ms. McKee has specialized in science education and in differentiating curriculum for students with special needs. She has presented workshops on science and integrated curriculum throughout the United States and for American teachers in Latin America, and has taught courses in emergent literacy at DePaul University, as well as numerous courses at National-Louis University. Currently affiliated with the Out of State and International Student Teaching Program at the University of Northern Iowa, Ms. McKee is active in professional organizations and has helped in staff development in many school districts. She has also authored several articles for professional education journals, and has contributed to books pertaining to integrating curriculum and science activities. Donna Ogle, EdD, is Professor of Reading and Language at National-Louis University and past president of the International Reading Association. Dr. Ogle's extensive staff development experiences include working in Russia and other eastern European countries as part of the Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking Project and ongoing projects in U.S. school districts, particularly in content reading and integrating curriculum. Her most recent books include All Children Read, coauthored with Charles Temple, Alan Crawford, and Penny Freppon; Coming Together as Readers, and Reading Comprehension: Strategies for Independent Learners, coauthored with Camille Blachowicz.

Review :
This is the book elementary educators have been waiting for--an approach for integrating language and science literacies in ways that maintain the integrity of both. Integrating Instruction couples pedagogy with practice to ensure that children learn to think scientifically using the tools of literacy. This book belongs on the shelf of every teacher who views the classroom as a window to the natural and literate worlds.--Nancy Frey, PhD, School of Teacher Education, San Diego State University With so much talk about integrated teaching, finally here's a book that shows how--from creating a conducive learning environment and planning specific instructional units/lessons to utilizing available technology and developing valid assessment. In highly accessible language and format, McKee and Ogle have put together a text that offers useful guidelines, practical strategies, and concrete examples for integrating reading/language arts and science. This book is a valuable resource for elementary preservice and inservice teachers who hope to design and implement an inquiry-based curriculum that integrates literacy and content areas.--Zhihui Fang, PhD, School of Teaching and Learning, College of Education, University of Florida Curriculum integration has long been recognized as a critical component of best practices in classroom teaching. By exposing the rich connections between language literacy and science literacy, McKee and Ogle offer primary and elementary teachers a highly practical and inspiring guide for effectively blending instruction. Their efforts at encouraging our active experimentation with these methods are to be celebrated and will surely lead to rich and meaningful experiences for students as they achieve essential literacy goals across content areas.--Alan D. Rossman, PhD, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, National-Louis University A priceless volume! Integrating literacy strategies within the content area of science is a productive way to organize the learning environment. McKee and Ogle address many important instructional aspects, including assessment, unit planning, differentiation strategies, and classroom management techniques. Many teachers needlessly fear teaching science, and McKee and Ogle provide teacher-friendly information for implementing best practices in elementary classrooms.--Marie Donnantuono, MS, College of Education, William Paterson University - This is a comprehensive, research-based text replete with examples from real classrooms....Teachers reading this text could lift ideas and strategies directly from these examples to use in their own classrooms. The authors also address the basics of how to organize a classroom to support integrated instruction. They offer detailed plans for setting up the classroom with learning centers and provide tips for planning daily and yearly schedules....This is a well-organized and hands-on text that should be embraced by elementary teachers who want to implement best practices in science/literacy teaching. --Language Arts, 5/7/2005ƒƒ Of all the strategies introduced, McKee and Ogle's coverage of writing-to-learn is the most insightful, underscoring the importance of writing within scientific practice. Through the use of detailed vignettes, a portrait of richly literacy-integrated science instruction emerges. ...With examples like this, practitioners with competence in literacy instruction and with a good grasp of inquiry science should have plenty of ideas for modifying their instruction. --PsycCRITIQUES, 5/7/2005