Investigating Cereal

Integrating Literacy and Science Instruction

Stage of Literacy Development:

Stage 1: Beginning Literacy
Stage 2: Consolidation / Fluency

Ages:

5-9

Grade Range:

1st 2nd 3rd

Food Groups:

Primary:
Motivation for Literacy, Knowledge Building

Activity Description

Preparation:

Gather materials for investigation
1. Post a piece of chart paper on the board for recording hypotheses and results
2. Select different brands of cereal
  - Each group will need 1 brand
3. Gather paper plates
  - Each group will need 2 paper plates for sorting raisins
Prepare display board
1. Gather 1 large display or poster board
  - For example: Bristol board
2. Glue 5 pieces of construction paper on the board
3. On each piece of construction paper write the following headings:

i. Problem Statement
ii. Hypothesis
iii. Data
iv. Results
i. Conclusion

Implementation:

Session 1:

Introduce the investigation by explaining to the students that they will be conducting an experiment to find out which cereal brand contains the greatest amount of raisins
Have the students make hypotheses
1. Show each brand of cereal and have students vote on which cereal they believe has the greatest amount of raisins
2. Invite students to explain their thinking using evidence from the picture on each box
3. Discuss the target audience and have students explain their thinking
  - Ask: For whom is the cereal intended? What makes you say that?
4. Record their hypotheses on a piece of chart paper
Have students conduct the investigation by counting the raisins from each brand of cereal
1. Pass out a different brand of cereal to each group
2. Have the students separate the raisins using paper plates
3. Once the raisins have been separated have one member of the group count the number of raisins
Have each group orally share the number of raisins in their cereal
1. Record the brand names and number of raisins on a piece of chart paper
Discuss the results and compare the results with the hypotheses
1. Encourage students to explain why one brand of cereal may have more raisins than another brand

Session 2:

Invite the students to help you complete a display board by writing about the investigation
1. Under each heading brainstorm and record information

Adaptations For

English Language Learners/ESL:

- Prior to the investigation pre-teach the terms you will use
- Display a visual cue, picture or symbol, beside each term or heading

LD/Reading & Writing Difficulties:

- Color code each heading on the display board
- Repeat instructions to each group as they begin the investigation
- Post a small picture of each cereal brand beside the name when recording the number of raisins

Cultural Appropriateness & Diversity:

- Include cereals with which students are familiar

Differentiated Instruction:

- Use heterogeneous and mixed ability groupings

Related References

Evidence:
Wolk, S. (2003). Teaching for critical literacy in social studies. Social Studies, 94(3), 101-106.

Activity Objective

The goal of Investigating Cereal: Integrating Literacy and Science Instruction is to motivate students to participate in the scientific process by having them experimentally explore the amount of raisins in different brands of cereal.

What You Need

Prep Time:

20 minutes
- Gather materials for investigation
- Prepare display board

Task Time:

2, 30 minute sessions

Session 1:
- Teacher introduces and explains activity
- Students brainstorm hypotheses
- Students conduct experiment

Session 2:
- Teacher and students complete a shared writing activity to describe the investigation

Materials Required:

Teacher:
- Chart paper
- Markers
- Display board
- Construction paper

Students:
- Cereal (1 box per group)
- Paper plates

What You Do

Teacher Role:

Direct instruction:
- while teacher introduces and explains activity

Facilitator:
- while students brainstorm hypotheses and conduct experiment

Consultant:
- while teacher and students complete shared writing activity

Student Grouping:

Whole class:
- when teacher introduces and explains activity, during brainstorming session and shared writing activity

Small groups:
- during investigation

Assessment Ideas:

- Use a checklist to track participation during the discussion and investigation
   a.  Check for students' understanding of branding and target audiences

- Record anecdotal comments as students conduct the investigation

Quick Tips

Activity Extensions:

- Have students write up their own report about the results of the experiment

- Have students read other simple "studies" and discuss the important features of a scientific report

- Link this activity to media literacy by having a deeper discussion of the advertising strategies used by each brand
   a.  For example, what do the target audiences appear to be? How is the container designed? What does each company want you to believe about the raisin content in their cereal?

- Use 1 cereal box as a model and discuss and record the features that it includes

- Have the students design and create their own brand of cereal
   a.  Have the students promote their cereal by writing a commercial

- Have the students choose 1 brand of cereal and create a skit promoting that cereal

- Examine various kinds of food brands and print ads and their target audiences

Additional Comments:

- This activity will be best implemented after students already have some exposure to the scientific process and scientific vocabulary such as "hypothesis."

- Before counting the raisins examine each guess and discuss the most, least, and equal amounts.

- Encouraging students to discuss the brand and target audience in detail fosters critical thinking and promotes the idea of being an informed consumer.

Other Adaptations/Modifications:

- Provide a quiet work area for students disturbed by sound