Children make discoveries spontaneously while participating in hands-on science learning experiences. The students in this study were attending an after-school science program that was organized around authentic literacy activities and hands-on science learning experiences related to the theme of wetlands. Literacy connections formed natural bridges between students' prior experiences with the world around them, their questions, and new science learning adventures. Following a brief review of the literature on integrating literacy with the science curriculum, this article will describe the Water Education Training (WET) Science Project and a sample 5-Step Learning Cycle lesson that was implemented in this after-school science program. The article also includes samples of children's writing, a description of what was learned from the WET project, and implications for classroom teachers.