This module supports grade 8 students’ close reading, modeling, explanation, and argumentation practices in science while building their knowledge of water resources and pollution. The water investigation materials include an interactive notebook with integrated routines, scaffolds, and tasks, and a set of texts presenting engaging articles, photos, diagrams, data, and science principles. The accompanying carbon cycle pre/post assessment can be used to measure students’ close reading and modeling progress. The water investigation may be used with the Reading Models module and the middle school MRSA investigation to provide more extensive opportunities to learn. See Curriculum Modules #24, #25, and #30.

This module supports science students’ close reading, modeling, explanation, and argumentation practices while building their knowledge of evolution, microbes, and antibiotic resistance. The MRSA investigation materials include an interactive notebook with integrated routines, scaffolds, and tasks; a set of texts presenting engaging news stories, data, and science principles; an annotated teacher guide; and additional supports for science discourse and argumentation. The high school MRSA investigation may be used subsequent to the Reading Science Models module and the Homoeostasis investigation to provide more extensive opportunities to learn.

This module supports grade 6 students’ science close reading, modeling, explanation, and argumentation practices while building students’ knowledge of evolution, microbes, and antibiotic resistance. The MRSA investigation materials include an interactive notebook with integrated routines, scaffolds, and tasks, and a set of texts presenting engaging news stories, data, and science principles. The accompanying lice pre/post assessment can be used to measure students’ close reading and modeling progress. The middle school MRSA investigation may be used with the Reading Models module and the Water investigation to provide more extensive opportunities to learn.

• Unit 1: Reading Self and Society
• Unit 2: Reading History
• Unit 3: Reading Science

In a randomized, controlled study funded by the U.S. Department of Education, students in the two-semester RAAL course made statistically significant gains in reading comprehension, grades, and standardized test scores and had significantly lower suspension rates in comparison with control students.

The experimental study followed 9th graders who were reading significantly below grade level. In addition, RAAL has been used successfully in ELD classes and with students reading at and above grade level.

RAAL provides a literacy and engagement advantage for all students. Students learn to grapple with complex subject-area texts, make meaning of them, and make arguments based on them. In each subject-area unit, students learn how to use the discipline-specific features of texts, make content-worthy inquiries, build evidence-based arguments, and use subject-appropriate discourse in their speaking and writing.

Purchasing available through the WestEd Bookstore:

• Order online
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See related article: Reimagining Our Inexperienced Adolescent Readers, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy feature about a RAAL classroom.