Skip to main content
Log in

Comparing the added value of blended science and literacy curricula to inquiry-based science curricula in two 2nd-grade classrooms

  • Published:
Journal of Elementary Science Education

Abstract

In response to pressures to integrate literacy and science learning, an observational, comparative, analysis was conducted exploring the added value of blended science and literacy curricula over inquiry-oriented science curricula in two 2nd-grade classrooms (ages seven to eight). Data were collected over ten weeks by the research team, and statistically significant differences were found in favor of the blended curricula on measures of identity and student understanding of the nature of science (NOS) as well as conceptual understanding. Analyses of the reading, writing, and language use in both classrooms suggests several factors that may have contributed to these important differences in outcome.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). (1989).Project 2061: Science for all Americans. Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asimov, N. (2007, October 25). Science courses nearly extinct in elementary grades, study finds.San Francisco Chronicle, A-1.

  • Baker, L. (1991). Metacognition, reading, and science education. In C. M. Santa & D. E. Alvermann (Eds.),Science learning: Processes and applications (pp. 2–13). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker, L., & Saul, W. (1994). Considering science and language arts connections: A study of teacher cognition.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31, 1023–1037.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1986).Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brophy, J. (2004).Motivating students to learn. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duke, N. (2000). 3.6 minutes per day: The scarcity of informational texts in first grade.Reading Research Quarterly, 35, 202–224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckert, P. (1989).Jocks and burnouts. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaskins, I. W., & Guthrie, J. T. (1994). Integrating instruction of science, reading, and writing: Goals, teacher development, and assessment.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31, 1039–1056.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gay, L. R., & Airasian, P. (2003).Educational research: Competencies for analysis and applications. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Germann, P. J. (1988). Development of the attitude toward science in school assessment and its use to investigate the relationship between science achievement and attitude toward science in school.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 25, 689–703.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Girod, M. (2001).Teaching 5th grade science for aesthetic understanding. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University, East Lansing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaser, B. (1978).Theoretical sensitivity: Advances in the methodology of grounded theory. Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967).The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. New York: Aldine De Gruyter.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glynn, S. M., & Muth, K. D. (1994). Reading and writing to learn science: Achieving scientific literacy.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31, 1057–1073.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Great explorations in math and science (GEMS). (2005). Lawrence Hall of Science website. Retrieved May 18, 2009, from http://lhsgems.org/aboutgems.html.

  • Greeno, J. G., Collins, A. M., & Resnick, L. B. (1996). Cognition and learning. In D. Berliner & R. Calfee (Eds.),Handbook of educational psychology (pp. 15–46). New York: Simon & Schuster Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guthrie, J. T., & Ozgungor, S. (2002). Instructional contexts for reading engagement. In C. C. Block & M. Pressley (Eds.),Comprehension instruction: Research-based best practices (pp. 275–288). New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hand, B. M., Alvermann, D. E., Gee, J., Guzzetti, B. J., Norris, S. P., Phillips, L. M., et al. (2003). Message from the “Island Group”: What is literacy in science literacy?Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40, 607–615.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hapgood, S., & Palinscar, A. S. (2007). Where literacy and science intersect.Educational Leadership, 64(4), 56–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keys, C. W. (1999). Language as an indicator of meaning generation: An analysis of middle school students’ written discourse about scientific investigations.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 36, 1044–1061.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koballa, T. R., & Crawley, F. E. (1985). The influence of attitude on science teaching and learning.School Science and Mathematics, 85, 222–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lampert, M. (1990). When the problem is not the question and the solution is not the answer: Mathematical knowing and teaching.American Educational Research Journal, 17, 29–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Latour, B., & Woolgar, S. (1986).Laboratory life: The construction of scientific facts. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lave, J. (1988).Cognition in practice. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991).Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lederman, N. G. (1992). Students’ and teachers’ conceptions of the nature of science: A review of the research.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 29, 331–359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lederman, N. G., Abd-El-Khalick, F., Bell, R. L., & Schwartz, R. S. (2002). Views of nature of science questionnaire: Toward valid and meaningful assessment of learners’ conceptions of nature of science.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39, 497–521.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lemke, J. L. (1990).Talking science: Language, learning, and values. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lemke, J. L. (2001). Articulating communities: Sociocultural perspectives on science education.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38, 296–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meichtry, Y. J. (1993). The impact of science, curricula on student views about the nature of science.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 30, 429–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padilla, M. J., Muth, K. D., & Padilla, R. K. (1991). Science and reading: Many process skills in common? In C. M. Santa & D. E. Alvermann (Eds.),Science learning: Processes and applications (pp. 14–19). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palinscar, A. S., & Magnusson, S. J. (2001). The interplay of firsthand and text-based investigations to model and support the development of scientific knowledge and reasoning. In S. Carver & D. Klahr (Eds.),Cognition and instruction: Twenty-five years of progress (pp. 151–194). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum

    Google Scholar 

  • Peacock, A. (2001). The potential impact of the “Literacy Hour” on the teaching of science from text material.Journal of Curriculum Studies, 33, 25–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peacock, A., & Weedon, H. (2002). Children working with text in science: Disparities with “Literacy Hour” practice.Research in Science & Technological Education, 20, 185–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pintrich, P. R., & DeGroot, E. V. (1990). Motivational and self-regulated learning components of classroom academic performance.Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 33–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramey-Gassert, L., & Shroyer, G. M. (1992). Enhancing science teaching self-efficacy in preservice elementary teachers.Journal of Elementary, Science Education, 4, 26–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reeve, J. (1996).Motivating others. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romance, N. R., & Vitale, M. R. (1992). A curriculum strategy that expands time for in-depth elementary science instruction by using science-based reading strategies: Effects of a year-long study in grade four.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 29, 545–554.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roth, W-M. McRobbie, C. J., Lucas, K. B., & Boutonné, S. (1997). Why may students fail to learn from demonstrations? A social practice perspective on learning in physics.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 34, 509–533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roth, W-M., & McGinn, M. K. (1998). Inscriptions: Towards a theory of representing as social practice.Review of Educational, Research, 68(1), 35–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seeds of science: Roots of reading. (2006). Lawrence Hall of Science website. Retrieved May 18, 2009, from http://seedsofscience.org/about/index.html#approach.

  • Shepardson, D. P., & Britsch, S. J. (2001). The role of children’s journals in elementary school science activities.Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38, 43–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, F. (1988).Joining the literacy club. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solomon, J., Scott, L., & Duveen, J. (1996). Large-scale exploration of pupils’ understanding of the nature of science.Science Education, 80, 493–508.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitale, M. R., & Romance, N. R. (2007). A knowledge-based framework for unifying content-use reading comprehension and reading comprehension strategies. In D. McNamara (Ed.),Reading comprehension strategies (pp. 73–104). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mark Girod.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Girod, M., Twyman, T. Comparing the added value of blended science and literacy curricula to inquiry-based science curricula in two 2nd-grade classrooms. J Elem Sci Edu 21, 13–32 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03174720

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03174720

Keywords

Navigation