If students are to accurately model how scientists use written communication, they must be given opportunities to use creative means to describe science in the classroom. Scientists often integrate pictures, diagrams, charts, and other modes within text and students should also be encouraged to use multiple modes of communication. This article describes the experiences of a fourth grade teacher who has utilized alternative writing tasks requiring students to use multiple modes of communication. Not only have students communicated their understanding of concepts in these tasks, the assignments have encouraged student knowledge generation rather than recall of already learned information.