Intervention Lesson Sequence
Kristin Armstrong

Purpose: Increase students’ ability to elaborate in their written reports of science experiments and responses to prompts.
Student work shows writing limited in:
• detailed explanations
• sensory language
• sequentially arranged and complete recounts of actions
• content vocabulary
• sentence structures to relay cause/effect and time relationships.
The goal of this intervention is to establish vocabulary resources and writing patterns upon which to gradually expand throughout the year, leading to more in-depth and descriptive writing over time.

NH State Standards Addressed:
W:IW:8:3 In informational writing, students demonstrate use of a range of elaboration strategies by …
8:3.1 Including facts and details relevant to focus/controlling idea, and excluding extraneous information.
8:3.2 Including sufficient details or facts for appropriate depth of information: naming, describing, explaining, comparing, use of visual images.
S:SPS3:8:2.4 Synthesize observations and findings into coherent explanations about natural resources and the environment.
S:SPS4:8:4.2 Use evidence collected from observations or other sources and use them to create models and explanations.
S:SPS4:8:2.1 Use a wide range of tools and a variety of oral, written, and graphic formats to share information and results from observations and investigations.

Population: Grade 8, Earth/Physical Science Class for ELL and Special Needs Learners. 12 students total, all receiving special services and achieving substantially below proficient or partially proficient on NECAPs.

Schedule: 20 minute blocks (1/2 of science periods), 5-8 days in a row for targeted intervention.

Assessment: preliminary assessment on final day, on-going assessment using same rubric throughout the year.

Scaffolding Techniques:
Teacher models
Think-alouds
Heterogeneous pairings of students
Group writing
Graphic Organizers
Writing Frames
Realia
Manipulatives/hands-on sentence work
Public Notes

Lesson Sequence:
1. Group brainstorm on question: What is the job of a scientist? How do they do this? Elicit answer: to observe and help others understand the world by using their senses and carefully organizing their thoughts/observations.
2. Public Notes: 5 senses. Label large chart paper around room with a sense.
3. Jig-saw: in groups of 2-3 (5 groups total), students are assigned a sense about which to become experts. Students as expert groups examine realia in a carousel formation, filling in their sense on the “Language of Scientists” graphic organizer. Re-organize into groups made of an expert from each sense, and have experts tell others about their sense for each object and fill-in graphic organizers. These will be kept in student “Toolboxes” for future reference. Back in expert groups, transfer prioritized word lists onto public notes around room using student scribes.
4. Teacher Model of hypothesis and data gathering while co-teacher does experiment. Use projector to model completing Hypothesis/Observation graphic organizer. As large group, students complete Experiment Flow Chart graphic organizer. Students use Writing a Lab Report frame, and complete with a partner.
5. In groups of 3, students categorize sensory vocabulary written on note cards (cover public notes). Give prompt: The liquid was __________________. Students choose appropriate words from their stack and arrange into a sentence describing the liquid.
6. Observation Practice: watch a Rube Goldburg video. Students record as many actions and adverbs as they can. Compile into another piece of chart paper labeled “Actions/How they are done”.
7. Give students a scrambled sentence by distributing note cards containing single words. Students must arrange themselves into a sensible sensory sentence. Ex. The liquid looked dark brown and smelled sweet, moving slowly and thickly down the side of the test-tube.
8. Student experiment in partners/small groups. Students complete the Observations and Flow Chart in pairings, then complete frame individually. Assess using rubric.


Next Steps in Gradual Release:
• Individual note-taking and sentence generation for experiments.
• Lessen/remove sentence starters from frame for Lab Report.
• Continue adding to and referencing public notes.
• Continue to use the same rubric to assess details and elaboration in writing throughout the year.