Integration is definitely encouraged. The integration has focused on expository writing, mathematics and to some degree reading.

The Expository Writing and Science Notebooks effort is the most developed point of integration and is the most immediate point as students get out their notebook for every lesson. There are two introductory classes and then three classes per year for every grade level where the instructor provides scaffolding, structures and other ideas for every lesson in every unit. This is eighteen classes in all. She has produced sophisticated packets for every class. The teachers cherish the packets and use them quite a bit when back in class. They also look at student writing examples and analyze the conceptual understanding and how the writing supports or gets in the way of letting us know if they truly understand.

We also have a Science Writing Lead Teacher group with twenty-one participants. They come to all the classes and then to about eight additional meetings where they share their work. The idea is that they will learn to take over some of the teaching in some of these classes.

In addition, we have a 24-hour class (not all at once) where a research statitician teaches with the support of two science resource teachers data analysis strategies to use with each unit first - fifth grade. She has been working on this curriculum with some colleagues for about ten years. Then, she took what they had and adapted it to our curriculum, so the teachers do not have to adjust anything; the ideas come ready to use. This has been a very popular class; the feedback is very, very high. It also deals with the math strand that is most difficult for most teachers -- the Probability and Statistics Strand.

There was a donation for purchasing books to go with the units. After much piloting, we finally have put a half-class set of books in the Organisms first grade unit along with a reading lesson to go with lesson nine in the unit. The lesson was developed by a teacher and approved by our Reading Instructional Specialist. We also have put one big book in the kindergarten Fabric Unit along with a suggested reading lesson, and will have a half-class set in our Models and Designs unit with a reading lesson by fall.

In addition, we have created since the first year, a bibliography list for each unit. It was updated in spring 1999 and is on our Web site at
science.seattleschools.org.

We also work with some of the best dance/movement
artists-in-residents in the state. They have been doing "Dancing Science" since our pilot year. They actually carefully go over the manual, have worked with the SRTs in the past, and have children "act out" the concepts through movement and dance. They incorporate language with poetry on the walls which they dance.

We have not done anything with social studies, but many teachers think of ways to integrate.

We do have field trips tied to one science unit on each grade. One of our award winning high school science teachers who is now retired has organized these field trips with the main goal of bringing equity. The Alliance for Education that raises funds for our district has raised the money for these field trips. They cost about $130,000 this year. We hope to sustain these in the future as well.

I hope this is the answer you were looking for. Again, the Science Notebooks is the most developed and can be used with every lesson. We have the booklets printed with the district's name on the cover and provide them with the science units in the fall. Some units lend themself to more writing. A number of teachers have their students use at least two Science Notebooks during the year. Consequently, the students are writing an incredible amount and making T-charts, graphs and tables along the way as well as illustrations with labels.

Elaine Woo