Communication is a major aspect of the nature of science. Because of this, skills developed in Maryland’s writing program are naturally applied and developed for the writing process. The laboratory investigation (the exploratory activity) becomes a pre-writing experience that motivates and stimulates students to write. When students organize and display the collected information, they produce graphics that organize their thinking. The analysis of the data provides inferences and details that are supported by data. For the student, the writing is a logical part of the lesson and occurs naturally within instructional context. Student learning is enhanced by the experience.

The following prompts may help teachers who choose to promote this integration.

Today you are writing to inform. When you write to inform, you are sharing what you know about a topic or subject with another person. When you write to inform you want to do the following:

• Think about what the person you are writing to already knows about the topic or subject.
• Think about what the person you are writing to needs to learn about the topic or subject.
• Put your information in a logical order.
• Use examples, definitions, and descriptions to make the information clear to your reader.

Today, you are writing to persuade. When you write to persuade, you want to convince someone else to do or think about something the way you do. When you write to persuade, you want to do the following:

• Decide what your position or stand is on the topic or subject.
• Think of your reasons for that position or stand.
• Think about the reasons against that position or stand.
• Think about the possible position or stand of your audience.
• Organize the reasons for your position or stand in a logical way.
• Invite your reader to understand and share your position or stand.