[LIT] Science and Literature: Literacy objective

[Mark Anderson/Sally Haldorson]

Hello, everyone. 

I'm new to the listserv and I'm also a new middle school teacher. In order to improve literacy in our school, I've been given a Science and Literature class to teach. I am looking for suggestions for books that have been successful in 7th and 8th grade classes (and relate to science) and methods that really work for you to get kids reading. I've got about 1/3 of my students who are unruly and I'm not sure how they will receive an assignment to read as opposed to doing some specified project or experiment/activity (which is, of course, what I am used to teaching).

Thank you for any help you can offer,
Mark Anderson
Milwaukee WI