In this video sequence, the important role that hands-on science plays in providing opportunities to develop language is explored. The SISL units are very intentional about generating and introducing new language and concepts in context, while or after students are investigating. You will notice that Luz does not pre-teach a list of vocabulary before students have the opportunity to interact with something concrete. The unit is grounded in the idea that words and concepts will only have meaning for students when they are connected to meaningful experiences.
In this video you’ll see how students first have concrete experiences investigating falling stars and rocks. After this concrete experience, Luz brings the class together to generate language, charting it to create a web of environmental print. This environmental print is used as a resource for when students talk and write in later lessons.
The titles below correspond to segments of the video (the approximate segment start time is given in parentheses). Select each title for additional commentary.
During this sequence, students are investigating a collection of rocks. They are using magnifying glasses, rubbing the rocks against one another and a tile, and observing the differences and similarities between the different rocks in order to determine the properties of the rock collection. This investigation is a natural opportunity for students to use and hear language. Students are commenting on what they are observing and generating the language that describes their observations and initial thoughts. Some students use their Spanish to describe their observations. Luz moves around the room asking students questions and listening to the talk generated in their triad. The classroom is active and busy as all of the students are highly engaged with the experience with phenomenon.
In this video sequence, the students have come together to discuss the different properties of the rocks. Luz has captured the initial ideas on the board and is now asking students to talk about specific properties of individual rocks. She asks Michelle to describe the falling star. Michelle is able to participate because of the experiences she had through the investigation and the class-created environmental print. This practice whole class sets up Michelle for a successful experience writing.
In this video sequence, Luz supports Michelle while she writes in her science notebook about the properties of the rocks and falling stars. Luz points Michelle to the environmental print in the room and she uses it as a resource for her writing. Michelle talks to herself as she writes her ideas down and her writing will be the basis of what she shares with her triad. The environmental print serves as a contextualized resource for all of the students.
In this segment, Luz and Laura discuss Michelle’s participation in the activities and how her engagement is sustained throughout the lesson. Luz notes that both the hands-on experience with the rocks as well as the creation of the environmental print serve to support Michelle’s engagement, science learning and language development. Luz points out that the experience grew from more context embedded (exploring the actual rocks) to more abstract writing about the properties of these rocks. Luz comments on the important and intentional sequence of activities that make-up the SISL curriculum. In order for Michelle, and other students, to do the talking and writing that is required, they needed to first have a hands-on experience that the talk and writing could build from.