Literacy and Science....How so?

When creating a Rich Task integrating subjects can be difficult. However, this is a great example of how teachers can incorporate a writing piece within a science activity.

Science Video Writing Activity

  

 Strand: Habitats and Communities

                        Grade: 4

Before the task:

• Teachers would first show students the movie Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest (1992)
• Teachers would then have a discussion about how the rainforest is being destroyed which is affecting various animals homes and their natural habitats.
• This could lead to some inquiry based questions that the students may ask and later on research.

Writing Task:

• Students will be asked to write a creative news article that informs readers that habitats are being destroyed in the rainforest and ways that it can be stopped.

Success Criteria:

Students are able to...

• create a newspaper article using the different elements of expository writing.
• can organize their ideas effectively using the 5 Ws.
• are able to identify different elements of expository writing and explain how these elements affects the reader's reaction to text.
• have a greater knowledge of animals natural habitats and rainforests. 

How is this a Rich Task?

This is a very rich task because not only is the teacher incorporating the strand Habitats and Communities from the science curriculum but it is also incorporating a writing and media literacy piece (if students decide to do their news article digitally)  to showcase their knowledge and comprehension. There is an equal balance between focusing on the science curriculum and the literacy curriculum. 

References

 Teachers, B. T. (n.d.). Awesome Lesson Ideas to Integrate Science Across the Curriculum. Retrieved September 28, 2016, from http://www.teachhub.com/integrate-science-across-curriculum