Using Literacy to Work Through Science Goals

With the end of year state tests quickly approaching, our mentor sessions have focused around the actual implementation of the tests as well as how we actually prepare students.  In each class I work with, there are at least 2 kids who are working on following single step directions, recognizing basic sight/functional words; as well as potty training and following instruction.

While I see the value in assessing students, I question whether the people developing these tests have actually every worked with students on this level.  But that is a topic for another day...

What we came up with were tasks that at least exposed the students to the topics.  We developed tasks for these students to work on during teacher time or independent time, if for nothing other than exposure.  Here is what we came up with dealing with animals (habitats and food chains) that also correspond to their IEPs.  Hopefully you can find something in this post to help you as well.

We began with Reading A-Z.com (yes, again) for text that supported the theme.  The book that was chosen was a multi-level book.

The wordless book was used to label the animals.  

The midlevel book was used to focus on goals on a few of the student's IEPs that focus on verbs.

The highest level book will be used either for a teacher-read text or for a student reading task.

This task used photographs to identify habitats.

This is a comprehension task based on the animals from the Readinga-z book.  (It will use Wiki-Sticks to "draw" a line to the photo that shows the answer.)

Using a book format, this task focuses on what each animal eats.

Based on the ReadingA-Z book, this task focuses on placing animals in the appropriate habitat.

This task asks the students to match the photograph to the outline of the animal.

Same task with the labels covered up

Sorting task for herbivores, carnivores or omnivores with labels

This is a reading comprehension task.  The animals in this task are from the ReadingA-Z book.

An AB Pattern task using pictures from Board Maker.



These activities were printed from the Reading A-Z website for some of the higher level students to use during 1:1 time.



I hope you have a lovely weekend!  -Kara