The development of scientifically literate citizens remains an important priority of
science education; however, growing evidence of students’ disenchantment with school
science continues to challenge the realisation of this aim. This triangulation mixed
methods study investigated the development of 152 9th grade students’ scientific literacy
through their participation in an online science-writing project on the socioscientific issue
of biosecurity. Children from eight intact science classes wrote a series of short stories
that integrate scientific information with narrative storylines. We call these hybridized
scientific narratives, BioStories. The students’ BioStories were quantitatively analysed
using a series of specifically-designed scoring matrices that produce numerical scores that
reflect students’ developing fundamental and derived senses of scientific literacy. In
addition, the students also completed an on-line Likert-style questionnaire, the BioQuiz,
which examined selected aspects of their affect toward science and science learning. The
results suggest that the students’ participation in the project enhanced their awareness and
conceptual understanding of issues relating to biosecurity, while writing differently about
a socioscientific issue developed a more positive affect toward science and science
learning, particularly in terms of the students’ interest and enjoyment. Implications for
research and teaching are also discussed.