So How Do Reading and Writing Fit Into All of This?

Another great question! At CCS, we strive to integrate all subject areas in as many ways as possible. Like I mentioned earlier, learning is all about having experiences and making connections, so the more integrated their experiences are, the more connections they’re likely to make. Problem-solving is LOADED with opportunities to integrate language arts. First of all, reading skills are essential for the first part of the problem-solving process – reading and understanding the problem. I’ve been teaching for quite some time, and I would argue that for many students, this first step is often the hardest – and most important. Without understanding what is being asked, how on earth can we expect kids to arrive at a reasonable solution? So I’ve found it very helpful to teach kids how to use the same reading strategies they utilize in language arts (making connections, inferring, predicting, questioning the author, determining importance, synthesizing, etc...). Once again, why compartmentalize their learning when their brains are physiologically and neurologically longing to make those connections?
Since reading and writing are reciprocal process and therefore inseparable, writing becomes an essential tool for students to make meaning. I use graphic organizers (see the KWC example) to organize information, and then I have students both explain their solutions and reflect on the problem-solving process in writing. Keep in mind that ALL of this is done in a cooperative setting. Kids need lots of opportunities to talk out their ideas, and the more they talk and listen to one another, the more ideas they generate, thereby enhancing the overall quality of their thinking and writing.