Integrating science and writing had positive effects on student learning in both areas. Students engaged with the science content and completed investigations. Upon completion of those investigations writing helped students process the content in the investigations and solidify what things they had learned. In the activity where students wrote about their discoveries, one student asked me “is learning a new word a discovery”. Having to write down what he had learned made him question where his understandinghad grown. It also gave students an opportunity to see which science concepts that had not fully come to understand. During the writing many students would ask me clarifying questions about portions of the science activity. These processes brought on through the writing supported the development of science content. Graphic organizers, discussion, and having a common discourse all helped students write more. I noticed a drastic increase in the amount students were writing. The shared discourse that was able to take place made the peer sharing and editing processes of writing a lot more productive for students.
