Strategies

in Implementing Chemistry Writing Tasks

Teachers need to design •

The Chemistry topic;

•

The specific genre for writing

Lesson Plan 1

(1) Brief Notes on Chemistry Specific Genres

- Sentence patterns of writing topics - Structure - Language Features

10 mins

Structure

Sample Text (CE question)

Language Features

(2) Question Analysis •

Read the question carefully



Sentence patterns of writing topics

•

Determine the relevant chemical content

•

Determine the genre of the essay to be written

20 mins

(3) Guided Writing

-- write with guidelines and support (A)Using Graphic Organizers

Reading:

Text-to-Graphic activities

Writing:

Graphic -to-Text activities

Advantages

: • Illustrate the key content words explicitly • Help students understand how the ideas are related to each other • Help students understand the genres of the writings

(3) Guided Writing

(B) Using Writing Framework

30 mins • The

basic structure

of the genre can be provided as guideline.

•The flow of ideas can be guided by listing related

connectives

in sequence and

special language patterns. (

A form of language support.)

How to You will need Procedure Diagram or drawing First Then Next After that Finally

Comparison frame

________________ and ____________________ are alike in some ways as follows.

For example they both They are also similar in The _________________ resembles Finally they both ________________ and ____________________ are different in many ways.

The __________________ has _________________ whilst / whereas ____________________ has ___________________.

They are also different in that Another way in which they differ is Finally

(4) Writing Assignments

Writing with topics in HKCEE or NSS Chemistry Curriculum (with / without guidance)

40 mins

Lesson Plan 2

(1) Brief Notes on Chemistry Specific Genres

- Sentence patterns of writing topics - Structure - Language Features

10 mins

Structure

Sample Text (CE question)

Language Features

(2) Interactive Exercise on Chemistry Specific Genres http://resources.edb.gov.hk/~science/genre/games-c.html 20 mins

(3) Writing Assignments

Writing with topics in HKCEE or NSS Chemistry Curriculum (with / without guidance)

40 mins

(4) Summative Assessment •

Questions with effective communication in tests or examinations

40 mins

Some more …

Modelling :

(a) Model Sentences

( for junior forms) • Provide students with model sentences and explore with the special features .

• help students understand how to structure different types of sentences better.

Write sentences to describe the chemical reactions occurred. Use the sentence patterns given in the example. (F3 Chem)

Example: burn magnesium + oxygen  magnesium oxide ( white solid )

When

magnesium

is burnt

in oxygen, a white solid

is formed

. The product

is called

magnesium oxide . burn 1. lead + oxygen  lead(II) oxide ( yellow solid )

When is burnt

The product

is called

in oxygen , a _______ solid

is formed

.

burn 2. Carbon + oxygen  carbon dioxide (colourless gas )

When

carbon

is burnt

in oxygen, a colourless gas

is formed

. The product

is called

carbon dioxide.

(b) Model Texts

( for senior forms) • Provide students with a model reading text with a certain type of genre, then ask them to write a text with the same type of genre .

• Help students understand how to structure different types of genre better .

• Students can learn to express the concepts more explicitly and accurately .

Example :

Assessment rubrics :

• an authentic assessment tool used to evaluate a student's performance • a working guide for students and teachers, usually handed out

before

the assignment begins in order to get students to think about the criteria on which their work will be judged.

HKEAA CE Questions with Effective Communication (A),(B),(C) marks

AL Paper I Section C (O),(L) marks

Writing Assignment with specific genres (C),(S),(L) marks Emphasize the Use of Genres

-

Structure of genres

-

Select certain language features required in that genre

-

Marking scale with marks and feedback