Students making meaning- alternative to worksheets

Finally finding time to post again.  I can't believe it has been almost a year!  My goal is to post a few things between now and our November break...  With report cards and student conferences, we will see how it goes.

Thinking about my students, this year, I have found that they are creative, but have language learning issues.  Almost half of my students a English language learners and struggle with learning formats that are heavy in reading and writing.  Of course, improving their skills in these areas is important, but so is developing their scientific literacy. I have been refining my methods, activities and strategies to have them make meaning for themselves, develop essential science vocab, and provide evidence of their learning without lost s of traditional worksheets and quizzes.  Here is an example of my nines working through the learning outcome of the history of the modern atomic theory.  We worked thorough class demonstrations, short video clips, LOTS of small group and whole class discussions and a fun play dough Build-an-Atom activity.  Then, they were tasked to show me what they know.  I gave them a few suggestions off formats, and a checklist of criteria based on the learning outcome, then watched what they did.  They had one 50 minute class to work.   I moved about the class with my mini whiteboard and class list in hand and noticed right away who needed further clarification, who had a misconception, who was bang on and such.  I made notes as they worked that could easily be added to data on their learning achievement.  I find when students are given the opportunity to make meaning in a way that makes sense to them and is open ended enough to make them think thorough the concepts and organize it for themselves, they learn it deeper than if I had given them a pretty graphic organizer I made myself, thought thorough myself and had the fill in while I taught.  They also love to share with each other in their table groups and place their finished work in the student work bin to display in the classroom as an exemplar.  I think they put their work in their science binder in an organized way instead of stuffing it into their backpacks or leaving in behind on the table when the bell goes because they have ownership over it.  1 sample is from a student who has always been a high achiever; the other is from a student who has struggled academically.  The seamless differentiation has also been a bonus.   Both students were happy with their work, both could talk in detail about their work, and both did well on the traditional paper/pencil assessment that followed.