NUO Conference: Failsafe Literacy Strategies for Science

In today's educational landscape, fostering interdisciplinary connections is paramount to creating meaningful learning experiences for students. During the conference, I had the opportunity to participate in the workshop "Failsafe Literacy strategies for Science." As a science geek, I'm always eager to find more way to incorporate scientific opportunities in the classroom.

This workshop, by Sandra Mirabellli, aimed to equip educators with strategies to integrate literacy skills into science instruction, fostering a holistic approach to learning. Throughout the session, we explored various classroom activities designed to encourage critical thinking, exploration, and comprehension through a cross-curricular lens. We focused on utilizing the five distinct literacy thinking routines—Observe and Wonder; Predict and Infer; Sort and Categorize; Analyze and Interpret; and Conclude and Apply—to deepen student understanding.

 

             

The idea is to recognize literacy as a foundational skill in science education. By incorporating literacy strategies into science instruction, educators not only enhance students' comprehension but also nurture critical thinking and scientific literacy. As a future educator, this workshop has underscored the importance of adopting a multifaceted approach to teaching, one that values the relationship between different subject areas. 

During the workshop, we also engaged in a hands-on activity that provided a tangible demonstration of how to implement these strategies in the classroom. The objective was to create a "missing potato" ad, precisely describing a mini potato so that our peers could locate the absent potato within a pile. This simple yet effective activity illustrated how descriptive writing can be connected to identifying the characteristics of objects, a skill often utilized in science. From engaging in scientific inquiries to crafting visual representations of scientific concepts, I gained insights into how to make learning more meaningful and optimize teaching efficiency.

Moving forward, I am eager to integrate the failsafe literacy strategies learned in this workshop into my own teaching practice. I believe that by fostering interdisciplinary connections and prioritizing literacy skills in science education, I can create a more enriching and immersive learning environment for my students.

Sandra Mirabelli, along with her colleague wrote, a book that showcases these strategies and how to incorporate them in the classroom. Check out this resource for more information:

 

                                            

Mirabelli, S., & Sandner, L. (2023). Fail Safe Strategies for Science & Literacy Classroom Activities to Engage Students in Thinking, Exploring, and Making Sense of the World. Pembroke Publishers. 

EDU491-JoelleM@NUO