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Engagement in Three Dimensional Science Learning
Engagement in Three Dimensional Science Learning
CSEL Science units incorporate attributes that benefit all learners, but are particularly important for emergent bilingual students. CSEL Science engages students in three-dimensional science learning: a focus on core science ideas, scientific practices, and cross-cutting concepts.
Dimension 1:
Core Science Ideas
CSEL Science focuses on disciplinary core ideas that are aligned with state standards.
Students are introduced to real-world phenomena through activities and discussion related to driving questions.
Students participate in engaging activities that help them dig deeper into the phenomena in an effort to understand and explain it.
Dimension 2:
Scientific Practices
Scientific practices describe behaviors that scientists engage in as they investigate the natural world.
Students engage in scientific practices like:
developing & using models
collecting & analyzing data
constructing scientific explanations
asking questions & defining problems
Dimension 3:
Cross-Cutting Concepts
Cross-cutting concepts provide a connective structure that supports students’ understanding of science.
Cross-cutting concepts have application across all domains of science.
In CSEL science, students have opportunities to practice recognizing patterns, identifying cause and effect, and analyzing system models.
Academic Language Developed in the Context of Content Area Instruction
Academic Language Developed in the Context of Content Area Instruction
Developing academic language is particularly important because the language used in science at this level is significantly different from the language used in every-day conversations. The methods used in CSEL science support all four domains of academic language—listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Developing Academic Language:
Word Level
Students have opportunities to learn general academic and discipline-specific vocabulary:
Key science vocabulary words and phrases are previewed with picture cards (see example below).
Key vocabulary words that all students need to learn are defined in the margins.
General academic words that emergent bilingual students may not know are defined in the text.
There is a glossary for each unit. Bilingual glossaries are available for emergent bilingual students.
Developing Academic Language:
Text Level
Various methods are used to assist students in reading and writing:
Text is chunked
Both explicit and inferential questions are inserted into the text for students to answer to support reflective reading (as opposed to receptive reading) (see example below).
Students write to learn by answering questions related to the science core content and by composing text associated with scientific practices (e.g., explanations, summaries).
Models, graphic organizers, and templates are provided to support students in writing (see example below).
Visual and Linguistic Supports
Visual and Linguistic Supports
CSEL Science uses visuals to support comprehension. Visual supports range from simple illustrations to sophisticated, interactive diagrams. Visual supports also include symbols, graphs, tables, and models. Visual supports include labels to ensure students understand what they are looking at.
Linguistic supports (aside from those described in the previous section) include teachers modeling thinking, performance, and language associated with scientific practices. In cases where students are using the digital version of the curriculum, they have access to accessibility tools like text-to-speech support. For many students, the combination of spoken and written words is particularly useful, in part because some students are not fluent readers.
Home Language Support
Home Language Support
Emergent bilingual students come from many language backgrounds and benefit from support in their home language. CSEL Science provides side-by-side bilingual versions of the unit glossaries and content summaries. CSEL Science also provides translations of select reading passages and video transcripts for students who benefit from this support.
To the extent possible, students at entering and emerging levels of English proficiency are partnered with students who are bilingual. Students at entering and emerging levels of proficiency are also encouraged to use Google translate to read or listen to text in their home language prior to or concurrent with reading text in English. Click here to view sample home language resources!
Activities that are Meaningful and Engaging to Students
Activities that are Meaningful and Engaging to Students
CSEL Science uses real-world phenomena as the basis for teaching and learning. To make the activities engaging, students interact with the content in many ways, through: reading and listening; answering multiple-choice and open-response questions; working individually or with partners or in teams; using digital manipulatives (drag-and-drop activities); acting out science scenes; moving around (participating in stations or moving around the room to act out a Venn diagram); participating in hands-on experiments and modeling activities; and engaging in reinforcement games. Click here to view sample activities!
Partner and Team-Based Learning
Partner and Team-Based Learning
CSEL Science promotes discussion among students by using partner and small-group learning. Students who are strong readers are partnered with students who are not. As noted above, students at entering or emerging levels of English proficiency are partnered with bilingual students when possible. To support newcomers in heterogeneous classrooms, teachers have the option to work with these students while other students work with partners or in heterogeneous small groups on the same tasks; if students finish early they have access to extension activities.
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