A Guide to Supporting Literacy in the Science Classroom

Learning to decode words is essential. But being able to read the words on a page doesn’t automatically mean a student will understand what those words mean together in a text. Comprehension also depends on what students already know.

A student's ability to make meaning from a text is shaped by the vocabulary they recognize, the concepts they grasp, the experiences they connect to, and the background knowledge they bring.

That’s why science instruction deserves an important place in the literacy conversation.

When students investigate scientific phenomena, encounter informational text, learn new vocabulary, discuss ideas, and explain evidence, they’re doing more than learning science.

They’re building knowledge they can carry into future reading and learning.

Fill out the form on this page to get your free copy of this eBook. Here's a brief summary of what's inside.

Contents of A Guide to Supporting Literacy in the Science Classroom

Below is a quick guide to what you’ll find inside.

• Why Reading Comprehension Requires More Than Phonics
• How Inquiry-Based Science Supports Reading Comprehension
• How Science Creates More Equitable Learning Opportunities
• What School Leaders Can Do Next
• Quick-Check Tool

Keep reading to get a sample of each section.

Section 1: Why Reading Comprehension Requires More Than Phonics

For years, elementary schools have invested significant time and resources in helping students become proficient readers. Guided by the Science of Reading, districts have strengthened foundational literacy instruction through evidence-based practices that develop students’ phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.

These efforts have helped more students learn how to read. Yet many educators continue to encounter a familiar challenge: students who can accurately decode words yet still struggle with reading comprehension, especially with complex texts.

The missing piece is often not reading ability itself — it is language comprehension.

In this section, we discuss how research increasingly suggests that inquiry-based science plays a critical role in strengthening language comprehension. Through hands-on investigations, classroom discussion, and meaningful exploration of real-world phenomena, science helps students build the shared experiences that make reading comprehension possible.

Section 2: How Inquiry-Based Science Supports Reading Comprehension

Inquiry-based science doesn't just teach students scientific concepts — it creates the shared experiences and skills that make reading comprehension possible.

Rather than asking students to read about unfamiliar ideas through informational texts, inquiry-based science begins with observation, investigation, and discovery. Students explore real-world phenomena, ask questions, gather evidence, test ideas, and discuss their findings before they encounter related reading.

In this section, we show how those experiences become the foundation for comprehension. Imagine an elementary classroom where students investigate how matter changes, observe weather patterns, and explore how ecosystems change throughout the seasons. Long before reading an informational article about these concepts, students have already developed the mental models needed to understand the vocabulary and ideas in the text.

Section 3: How Science Creates More Equitable Learning Opportunities

Perhaps the greatest strength of inquiry-based science is that it creates shared experiences for all students.

Students do not enter school with the same life experiences. Some have visited museums, explored nature, traveled extensively, attended summer camps, or engaged in rich conversations about science and the world around them. Others may have had far fewer opportunities to build the background knowledge that supports reading comprehension.

Rather than relying on background knowledge shaped by personal life experiences, this section encourages readers to embrace inquiry-based science — an approach that ensures every student observes the same phenomenon, engages in the same hands-on investigation, and participates in the same rich academic discussions.

Section 4: What School Leaders Can Do Next

Recognizing the connection between science and literacy is only the first step. The next challenge is ensuring that instructional priorities reflect what research tells us about how students learn.

In this section, we outline three key areas that school and district leaders can use to strengthen both science and literacy.

Section 5: Quick-Check Tool

Educators can use this convenient, printable checklist to determine whether or not their science programs support literacy learning.

Want to learn more about using science to strengthen literacy?

Be sure to complete the form at the top of this page to get your free copy of A Guide to Supporting Literacy in the Science Classroom!