This paper argues for a rethinking of what it means to "do science" in language minority classrooms by putting forward a view of science as a sense-making practice. Before outlining a sense-making perspective on scientific practice, some familiar images of what science is like in many classrooms are invoked in order to lay out a few critical connections among teaching, learning, and assessment. Two examples are provided, one descriptive of science in many mainstream classes, and the other of science in a Chinese bilingual program in California. The following questions are explored: What is the purpose of doing science in language minority classrooms, to learn science or to learn English? Is there an alternative to common practice? and What are the implications of such an alternative for assessment? The sense-making alternative to traditional practice is discussed as well as possible contexts and roles of assessment that emerge in a sense-making culture in language-minority classrooms. Implications of this view for improving science education and assessment for language minority students, paying particular attention to issues of teacher development, are explored. Responses to the paper by Ron Rohac and Sam Lin Tsang are appended. (VWL)