Workshop Title Description

1 Taxonomy Building Building scientific vocabulary

2 Composing with Constructing sentences and paragraphs

Keywords using scientific terms

3 Metacognition Exploration and reflection on personal

scientific knowledge

4 Defining Format Organizing and categorizing knowledge

Writing isn't a skill that some people are born with and
others aren't, like a gift for art or music.

Writing is talking to someone else on paper. Anybody who

can think clearly can write clearly, about any subject at all.

…….. the essence of writing is rewriting

A writer’s job is to lead a “reader” who knows

nothing, step by step, to a grasp of the subject.

(Zinsser, 1990)
Workshop 5:
PROFILES

Shirley R. Jusayan
West Visayas State University
 Objectives of the Workshop
• Demonstrate knowledge of interconnections of
concepts across disciplines using one concept as
basis.

• Create a logical Profile of a given scientific

term(s) ensuring that the information provide an
ample description.

• Acknowledge the importance of “Profiles” in the

learning process.
What are Profiles?
• Text organizers and outlines that help students
keep to the topic and follow a plan, so that, they in
turn can guide the reader.

• Templates into which students plug appropriate

information to solve a problem or explain a science
concept.

• Allow the students to either organize or reorganize

information based on both prior knowledge and
research.
Why Use Profiles?

“The brain’s susceptibility to paying attention is

very much influenced by patterning.

Patterns give context to information that

otherwise would be dismissed as
meaningless”.

(Jensen, 1998. Teaching with the Brain in Mind)

• Students who are learning to write (and read) must
discover and then follow the patterns of
organization that give text meaning- within their
own or someone else’s text.

• When students use Profiles as text organizer, they

can concentrate on the scientific information they
need to impart with minimum concern about the
beginning, middle, and end of their writing.

• When students learn to write text consistently

organized, they learn to internalize the “sound” of
good writing, so that eventually they can organize
their writing independently and in their own voice.
(Bomer,1995)
Introducing
Profiles
What information can you get from the
Periodic Table of Elements?
 Profile of an Element
Complete the information in this Profile. Then write a
story or article about the element you have selected. Be
sure to follow the organization of the Profile.

• Select any element from Group 1A, 2A, and & 7A/17
which can also be found in Period 2 or 3 of the Periodic
Table: ________

• Is the element coming from the s or p block? ._______

• What is the nature of the element? _________

• Write the electronic configuration of the element. _____

 Continuation
• Is it capable of combining covalently with other elements
found in the same groups and periods mentioned in the 1st
statement? ________.
If yes, how many electrons can it share? ________

• Can this element give up its valence electrons when

bonding with other elements as mentioned in statement 1?
_______.
If yes, how many electrons can it give up? ______. Show an
example.

• What is the element and its symbol? _______

• Are there any other information you can add to this profile?
 Profile of an Element
(Sample Response)
Complete the information in this Profile. Then write a
story or an article about the element you have
selected. Be sure to follow the organization of the
Profile.
• Select any element from Group 1A and & 7A/17
which can also be found in Period 2 and 3 in the
Periodic Table.
Magnesium
• Is the element coming from the s or p block?
s block
• What is the nature of the element?
It is a metal/metallic
 Continuation

• Write the electronic configuration of the element.

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2

• Is it capable of combining covalently with other

elements found in the same groups and periods
mentioned in the 1st statement?
No.
• Can this element give up its valence electrons
when bonding with other elements as mentioned in
statement 1?
Yes
Why?
Being a metal, this element can combine with
an element in Group 7/17 to form ionic
compound and tend to give up or donate its
valence electron to the non-metal to attain a
stable electron configuration.
If yes, how many electrons can it give up?
Show an example
2 …MgCl2…..
 Continuation

• What is the element?

Magnesium -
Mg

• Are there any other information you can add to this

profile?
Being a metal, Magnesium is malleable, ductile,
and capable of conducting electricity.
 Profile of an Element
(Sample Story)

Every element in our PT has a story. Here is a part

of the story related to one of them - Magnesium.

Magnesium is located in Group 2A, Period 3 with an

atomic number of 12. Thus it belongs to the s block
of elements in the PT. It is metallic. This description
can be checked through its electronic configuration:
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 . Elements with 3 or less number of
electrons in their outer energy level are classified as
metals.
 Profile of an Element
(Sample Story)

The arrangement of electrons showing Magnesium’s 2

valence electrons can also tell that the 12 electrons of
the element occupy 3 energy levels, indicating its
period number 3.

Magnesium is not capable of combining covalently

with other elements found in Groups 1A, 2A and
7A and periods 2 and 3. However, it is willing to
 Profile of an Element
(Sample Story)
give up or donate its 2 valence electrons to any
element in Group 7A/17 to attain a stable
configuration following the rule of 8 (Octet Rule).
One example is Magnesium chloride, MgCl2.

Magnesium is represented by its symbol Mg. Being

a metal, it has the following characteristics:
malleable, ductile, and capable of conducting
electricity.
Can we do it?
 Workshop InstructionsONCEPT
▪ Each group may use the out put from the Defining
Format session (Session 4) or choose a new term,
from their taxonomy.

▪ Your goal is to create a Profile of the term, similar

to a resume or a CV. You decide on the
information you will provide. The earlier example
can be guide.
 Workshop InstructionsONCEPT

▪ Using the Profile as basis, write the information in

paragraph form.
▪ Or you can use the following Examples:
➢Profile of a Planet
➢Profile of a Scientist
▪Present the group’s work for discussion.

Time allotment : 15 minutes

Presentation of
Outputs
 Points for Discussion
▪ Were the Profiles logically constructed and have
provided enough description of the term(s)?

▪ Can we include Profiling in our teaching-learning

process? What possible problem(s) may arise if you do
the same activity? How would you response to it?

▪ What probable value would this strategy have to your

teaching - learning process?

23
 Rubrics for Write For Science Profiles Strategy

Strategy 4 (high) 3 2 1
/
Points
Profiles Completes Completed Shows Very little
researches most of limited information
and science information information in the
information . in Profile. Profile.
for a Profile.
 Wrap-Up
Writing in the discipline requires:

➢ important details;

➢ presenting the information logically; and

➢ ensuring that the information provides a

complete description.
 End of Session 5

Good writers know that very few sentences

come out right
the first time, or even the third time
or the fifth time.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION-BUREAU OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT