Good Writing Is All about Momentum

National Science Teaching Association. 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Tel: 800-722-6782; Fax: 703-243-3924; e-mail: membership@nsta.org; Web site: https://www.nsta.org/

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Writing Achievement; Advanced Placement; Physics; High School Students; Content Area Writing; Writing (Composition); Science Instruction; Secondary School Science; Persuasive Discourse; Creative Writing; Mastery Learning; Scientific Principles; Outcomes of Education; Interdisciplinary Approach

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As a high school AP Physics 1 and 2 teacher, Sean Crumley wanted to create a curricular unit that would authentically connect literacy, opportunities for writing, and science standards while engaging a 21st-century student. This article provides an example of how Crumley incorporated writing into one of his AP physics units, and it could serve as a useful model for teachers in any high school science course. Writing and literacy standards can very effectively connect to science content and develop increased student achievement in both areas. Using online remote learning tools to engage students, Crumley developed a unit covering the law of conservation of momentum that also incorporated instruction on the use of argumentative and creative writing as an alternative means to demonstrate mastery of science content. When he implemented this unit in his AP Physics course, he found that students enjoyed the experience--effectively communicating their knowledge of the law of conservation of momentum through a variety of writing styles--and showed similar learning outcomes as in previous years using a more traditional end-of-unit assessment.

ERIC

2022

EJ1339923