With the advent of the standards movement, most states have produced statewide tests that evaluate children's understanding of expository science text. Expository texts are designed to explain, describe, or present a logical argument. Usually, the purpose of expository texts is to present new information. This article describes a research-based strategy referred to as "Talking Drawings," which can be easily incorporated into science curricula in the intermediate grades. Talking Drawings enables children to combine their prior knowledge about a topic with new information derived from expository text. The students translate recently acquired understandings into illustrations and then further elaborate their understandings through discussion with partners. In this article, the Talking Drawings strategy is demonstrated through intermediate students' study of rain forests. In this scenario, a definition of Talking Drawings connects the symbol system of drawing with writing, develops oral language skills, and fosters listening comprehension. Additional Talking Drawings examples are included, which reflect students' misconceptions and understandings regarding topics of space and oceanography. Finally, a summary outlines methods of implementing Talking Drawings in intermediate science classes. (Contains 4 figures.)