Publications & Resources

Evaluation of Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading: Effective Tools For Developing Literacy Through Science in the Early Grades-Light Energy Unit

Jan 2011

Pete Goldschmidt and Hyekyung Jung

This evaluation focuses on the Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading: Effective Tools for Developing Literacy through Science in the Early Grades (Seeds/Roots) model of science-literacy integration. The evaluation is based on a cluster randomized design of 100 teachers, half of which were in the treatment group. Multi-level models are employed to account for the clustering of students within teachers and teachers within schools. Four primary outcomes of interest are examined: science content, vocabulary, reading and writing. Additional analyses focus on the impact of teacher and student background, instructional methods, and teacher self-efficacy. Quantitative results indicate that the Seeds/Roots intervention resulted in statistically and substantively higher student performance in science content, vocabulary, and writing. Qualitative results indicate that teachers overwhelmingly found the Seeds/Roots unit usable, effective, and engaging.

Goldschmidt, P., & Jung, H. (2011). Evaluation of Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading: Effective tools for developing literacy through science in the early grades-light energy unit (CRESST Report 781). Los Angeles: University of California, Los Angeles, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST).