Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Walter WoolbaughParker, Cindee L.2018-04-032018-04-032017https://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/13681This Action Research project studied how building literacy skills in middle and high school classrooms can help students better understand science content. Students read different science related materials in and out of class, as well as worked on breaking down text and vocabulary to improve comprehension of units studied in class. As students read and understood the content, they applied what they learned into relatable situations in their lives and in the world around them. By becoming better readers, students were also able to improve their written communication skills. Basic improvements on spelling and grammar were realized and individual achievements varied across the board.enScienceHigh school studentsMiddle school studentsLiteracyComprehensionProfessional PaperCopyright 2017 by Cindee L. Parker