Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading: Effective Tools for Developing Literacy through Science in the Early Grades

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This three-year pilot project will develop and field-test three 2nd-3rd-grade modules incorporating science and literacy. Each module will consist of a cluster of inquiry-centered science investigations and a set of nine readers. These research-based resources for literacy development will emphasize science content related to the investigations. The staff of the Lawrence Hall of Science and faculty from the Graduate School of Education at the University of California-Berkeley will work with literacy experts from the School of Education at the University of Michigan to develop the readers. The science materials will be based upon successful GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science) units, revised to enhance their alignment with the National Science Education Standards. Teachers involved in the field test will receive professional development in the use of the resources. They will also have access to an assessment system, developed as part of this project, that will provide formative feedback on students' progress in both literacy and science. The research component of this project will examine teachers' responses to these materials, to their effectiveness in a variety of classroom settings and to merging science with literacy instruction.