Teaching Language While

Integrating Science and

Math

Nancy Escamilla and Arturo

Calisto
Integration and Academic
Success
 Teaching efficiency is maximized
 Learning builds on previous
knowledge
 Students find lessons more
meaningful
 Student performance is improved
through integration
 Beyond the Teachable
Moment
 Take advantage of engaging science activities
 Make systematic connections to previous
learning
 Integrate language learning to develop content
comprehension
 Go beyond the advancement of conversational
skills to develop written academic language
proficiency
Writing Science Lab
Reports
 Reinforce concepts
 Process information
 Encourages higher-level thinking
(Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation)
 Brings up questions and new
ideas
 Improves written fluency
 Language Requirements
For a Simple Hypothesis
 Dependent and Independent
clauses.
 If ……………, then………..
 ‘If’ part of the sentence is in the
present tense.
 ‘then’ part of the sentence is in the
future tense.
 Language Requirements
for Writing Lab Results
 What did they observe?
 Should be in the past tense.
 Make sure to pre-teach the irregular verbs that
they may need for the lab.
 Spread
 Put
 Teach spelling of short vowel verbs.
 drop – dropped , stop – stopped
 Language Requirements
for Writing the
Conclusion
 Present tense when writing about a universal
truth.
 Past tense when drawing a conclusion from
what they observed.
 Cause and effect sentence structure.
 Should refer back to the hypothesis.
Identify the Science
Vocabulary for the Lab and the
Background Information
Students can learn this vocabulary in a variety
of ways
 Bingo
 Academic Vocabulary Organizer
 Identifying word parts
 Word Analysis
 Word Reports
 Word Families
 Multiple Meaning Word Activities

http://outreach.chem.ucsb.edu
Steps to Successful
Integration
Focus on only two content areas at a time
 Discuss your idea with a district specialist
 Ask a colleague for suggestions or feedback
 Use outside resources: SCSP and K-12 Science
Outreach: http://outreach.chem.ucsb.edu
 Analyze your results to make improvements, and/or
add another content area
 Example of an Integrated
Lesson
 Eco-peanuts vs. Styrofoam
Peanuts
Science
Math
Language Arts
Technology
 Better for
the
environment?
Why don’t
Take a
companies
position
use them?

Environmental Eco-
Compare
Cost peanuts with
Vs.
plastic
Shipping
peanuts
Cost
Shipping
cost Cost of eco-
difference peanuts
 Our Synthetic Properties
Seas: academic of
Chemical
listening Matter: Reactions and
Webcast-OPC Indicators
meeting on
marine debris

The Lorax:
Resolution of the OPC on Marine Debr
Mass,
Author’s purpose
Volume, Density:
and technique
Online research: Wh
UPS site
Write Lab
Reports:
written proficiency
Persuasive
 Persuasive Letter

Eco-Peanuts

Paragraph 2: Tell your

. Paragraph 3: Show your
Paragraph 1: Promote reader exactly how you
research. Provide Paragraph 4: Tell your
your product and discovered this product
facts, numbers, reader exactly what
create a bond with Is biodegradable, and
and include the cost. you want them to do.
your reader. therefore beneficial.
 Paragraph 1
I. Introduction

a) Say who you are and why

you are writing.
b) Talk about the product.
c) Mention why this might
interest your reader.
d) Compare yourself to your
reader. How are you the
same?
 Paragraph 2
II. Benefits

a) How is this product safer

for the environment than
others like it?

b) How will the ocean benefit?

c) How will ocean life benefit?

 Paragraph 3
III. Research

a) How much more do eco-

peanuts cost per bag?
b) Do starch peanuts cost
less if bought in bulk?
How much more per
bag?
c) On average, what is the
price difference between
starch and plastic
peanuts to send packages
all over the country?
d) Can you put a price on
keeping the environment
clean?
 Paragraph 4
IV. Action
a) Mention what has already
been done (or hasn’t been
done).
b) Tell reader what they
should do.
c) Add one last reason to do
this.
d) Close with “Sincerely.”
 Key Ideas
 Integration provides the time needed to
teach all content areas
 Key concepts are reviewed and practiced
 Lessons are more meaningful and require
higher-level thinking
 Students get excited about learning
 Academic success for all students
 Collaboration is necessary and rewarding
Hands-On Activity
 Fill two plastic cups with Peanut 1 and Peanut
2, then measure their mass using the
balance. Record, and compare the
difference.
 Fill cup with water and then measure the
volume using a graduated cylinder.
 Calculate the density by using the formula:

Mass ÷ Volume = Density

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