The distinction between the participant and spectator functions of language are used to describe the teaching skills of a fourth grade teacher during a unit of instruction. This study documented the science instruction of a teacher who 20 years ago majored in teaching reading. In recent years she has taken steps to develop skill and knowledge in science and mathematics education. This study focused on the planning and execution of a 31-day unit on the solar system with the teacher acting as a collaborator in the qualitative research design. Linguistic theory of everyday communication highlights how this teacher used the rapid flow of relatively unstructured information, typical of inquiry-oriented elementary classrooms, as an asset in guiding students to constructing knowledge relevant to their developing concepts. Her teaching skills are commonly associated with teaching language arts and reading but are shown to be important assets in teaching activity-based elementary science. The implications for elementary science instruction, inservice education for elementary teachers, and statewide systemic initiatives seeking to affect lasting changes across a broad range of elementary classrooms are discussed. (PR)