A group of teachers, two of which will be presenting, has developed a literacy-based science curriculum to bridge the gap between hands-on investigations and performance-based assessments.  Using quality informational texts as our backbone, we chose to design every unit with the goal of building students' linguistic skills. Backward Planning Students' Linguistic Output Our process starts by analyzing performance-based assessments for linguistic demands.  From there, we look for texts that allow us to teach both the content and the language needed.  Since all performance assessments evaluate a Cross-Cutting Concept, we make sure to teach the Disciplinary Core Ideas through the seven Cross-Cutting Concepts.   We align every lesson with one of 21 functions associated with the Cross-Cutting Concepts.   For example, with Patterns, we teach three different functions: Classify the types of patterns, Predict future outcomes based on past events, and Question the cause of the pattern.   Conversation Protocols To get to quality interactions, we need to have lots of quick interactions at the beginning of the unit.  We teach several conversation protocols to give students multiple opportunities to practice.  By the end of the unit, they can have a sustained conversation that is the oral rehearsal for their written performance-based assessment.   Paragraph-Level Discourse All assessments, regardless of grade, call for paragraph-level discourse, where a child must explain reasoning through a series of sentences.  Using intentionally laid out anchor charts and word walls, our units start with small, attainable language goals, and build up to a longer train of thought.