Writing Like a Scientist in Kindergarten

Next month in many kindergarten classrooms the students will be writing like scientist since their unit of study is Observing, Labeling and Listing Like Scientists.  To get ready for that unit coming in November, it would be best to be reading as many nonfiction books for the read aloud time as possible. Students will be learning that writing is not only a tool for writing stories, but it is also a tool for writing about science.

Depending on the focus that will be used in your classroom, you will want to be sure and read lots of books on that subject before you begin the unit. As you are reading the books, be sure to talk about the text features that you see...zoom in pictures, bold fonts, italics, color fonts.  Things that perhaps the students will want to try when they begin their own books. Deciding ahead of time what your focus will be for this unit will help. As I am getting ready for using this unit with Meron, my four-year-old granddaughter, I am looking for books on autumn and fall since that is the focus I will use with her.

Working on her nonfiction writing!

As you are preparing for this unit of study, one thing to have ready for all children is science notebooks. This might seem like something only older children could take part in, but that is not true. As the students make discoveries in the world around them, they will need a place to collect those findings. The notebook collections will only be approximations of what they will do in the future. The information they put in these notebooks might be simply drawings and labels. Still they are looking at things with new eyes and have a place to keep those findings.  Another thing you might want to gather for this unit is several magnifying glasses so they can look closely.

Looking through a magnifying glass

You also will want to have a few boxes of zip-top baggies for the children to collect things when you take nature walks. You will probably want to have containers to keep the things they collect.  By preparing for this unit now, you will be able to enjoy more the discoveries and awareness the children have while writing about science next month!