1D.3: Writing in Science

This final part of the competency assessment will assess the skills in SCI.4.

You will need to pick a prompt from the list below to write about.

The writing format can be any of the following. You will need to decide based on what you think fits your prompt best:

Informative essay
Scientific journal
Argumentative essay
Research report
Magazine article
Letter to an official

If you think of a format not on my list, please ask me and I will let you know if it is okay for this assignment.

Self-Rating: SCI Competencies

Self-Evaluation

Steps:

Choose a prompt.
Research your prompt.
Write an outline.
Write a rough draft.
Get feedback.
Revise your rough draft.
Complete your final draft.

Lab Report Guide

Guide to Creating Labs at a Level 12

Go through the last part (SCI.4) of this guide to help you.

Talk to your ELA teacher about meeting ELA.4 or ELA.7 competencies with this project. I have designed this to hit SCI.4, not ELA so there will be requirements from them to count it in both classes.

Step One: Choose a Prompt

Choose one of the following prompts:

Why should people care about the environment?
Are humans the most important species on the planet, or are they just another one of Earth's millions of forms of life?
Do people have an obligation to see that their activities do not cause the extinction of other species? If so, should all species be protected and who gets to decide?
Does the current generation have an ethical obligation to pass the natural world on to future generations in the same or better condition as they inherited it?
Should individuals and society as a whole seek to live more sustainably, and if so, how?

This question is your research question.

After you choose a prompt, pick a writing format that fits the question you are choosing to answer.

Step Two: Research your Prompt

Complete research about your question.

You will need to have the following evidence to support your claims:

Images
Data (graphs, charts, tables, etc.)
Statistics
Direct quotations

As you collect sources, make sure you are saving them. You will need to cite your sources in either MLA or APA both in-text and in a works cited.

If you need help, use an online citation generator.

Step Three: Write an Outline

After you have gathered your evidence, organize your thoughts in an outline.

You will need a thesis statement, claims that support your thesis statement, and evidence to support your claims.

Turn in your outline to Slate.

Step Four: Write a Rough Draft

Use your outline to write a rough draft.

Check for grammar, spelling, and proper English.

Make sure you are citing sources and using scientific language. Your writing should be informative and have a formal tone.

Step Five: Get Feedback

After you have completed your draft, you need to get feedback.

You can take it to any teacher (if they have time), or bring it to me. You can also ask a trusted peer.

Have your peer reviewer answer the following questions:

Is the thesis clear?
Do the claims support the thesis?
Does the evidence support the claims?
Does the analysis of the evidence make sense?
Was the tone formal?
Was the grammar correct?
Were scientific terms used?

After you have had someone peer review your writing, review it yourself with these questions:

Do I have multiple types of evidence?
Is my answer backed by scientific evidence?
Have I followed my outline?

Step Six: Revise your Rough Draft

Use your feedback to revise your rough draft and make it even better!

Step Seven: Complete your Final Draft

Before you submit your final draft, review the following things:

Is my grammar correct?
Did I cite my sources?
Do I have a works cited?
Do I have all the evidence I need in my writing?
Did I answer my question?

Once you are confident you have done your very best work, submit your final draft to Slate.

You've now finished everything for Environmental Science A!

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