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Elementary Science and Language Arts: Should We Blur the Boundaries?
Author(s) -
Dickinson Valarie L.,
Young Terrell A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
school science and mathematics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.135
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 1949-8594
pISSN - 0036-6803
DOI - 10.1111/j.1949-8594.1998.tb17429.x
Subject(s) - language arts , the arts , mathematics education , arts in education , thematic map , literacy , reading (process) , pedagogy , scientific literacy , science education , thematic analysis , performing arts education , psychology , computer science , sociology , qualitative research , linguistics , visual arts , philosophy , social science , cartography , geography , art
Elementary school goals for instruction focus on developing literate readers and writers. It has been recommended that language arts strategies can help elementary teachers more effectively teach science. The terms “integrated, interdisciplinary, and thematic instruction” are defined and examples are given for using each in an elementary classroom. Definitions are provided comparing language arts and scientific literacy. Use of thematic instruction with an interdisciplinary focus is recommended to help meet both language arts and science goals and objectives as they relate to the National Science Education Standards and the National English Language Arts Standards . Recommendations are made for helping teachers effectively use language arts strategies to help develop science literacy, and science to provide purpose for reading and writing activities within thematic, interdisciplinary instruction often found in elementary schools.