Smithsonian Science for the Classroom Literacy
Integrate science content, literacy resources, and Smithsonian resources to create a rich, complete, experience for students.
Access for ALL students
Resources for students come in a wide range of formats including Student Activity Guides and literacy readers to meet students where they are, including:
Print and digital
English and Spanish
On-grade and below-grade literacy readers
Digital literacy readers that feature text-to-speech capability and allow for close reading strategies
Content Relevant to Students
Meeting the needs of all students means more than just providing multi-language and leveled resources for students with varying abilities. It also means connecting to students lives, culture, and history.
Smithsonian Science Stories™
- Intentionally feature women and minority scientists and engineers.
- Feature interesting careers that directly or indirectly relate to science
- Incorporate culturally relevant and historically accurate topics, artifacts, and events
- Bring these connections to life through the vast archives, research, and resources that only the Smithsonian can provide
Historically Accurate Content
Grade 3: Motion and Magnets, Physical Science
Incorporate Literacy in Meaningful Ways
Smithsonian Science Stories feature high interest, engaging stories that students use to:
- Obtain and evaluate information.
- Identify key details and main ideas
- Gather evidence from text to support claims and the ideas of the lesson objectives
Engage in STEM Notebooking
Get students thinking, acting, reflecting, and communicating like real scientists and engineers and support ELA writing standards.
Notebooking in science gives students opportunities to engage with the writing process, write for a purpose and a place to record and organize:
Notebooking in science gives students opportunities to engage with the writing process, write for a purpose and a place to record and organize:
- Their design and testing plans
- Collected data
- Ideas and explanations of phenomena
- Claims based on evidence
