Cult. Scie. Edu. (2007) 1:559–592 DOI 10.1007/s11422-006-9017-x ORIGINAL ARTICLE “They probably aren’t named Rachel”: Young children’s scientist identities as emergent multimodal narratives Eli Tucker-Raymond · Maria Varelas · Christine C. Pappas with Allu Korzh · Ashley Wentland Received: 21 February 2006 C  Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2007 Abstract In this research we put forth a theoretical framework that explores the nature and value of multi-modal narratives as a tool for studying young children’s conceptions of themselves as scientists as they exist in relation to scientists out in the world. This framework shapes and is shaped by an empirical study that took place within the context of a year-long program that engaged children in integrated science-literacy experiences around two units – one on matter and one on a forest ecosystem. Thirty-six children were asked twice to draw and discuss two pictures of times they were scientists. We present our findings in two main ways. First, we use case studies of three students (one each in the first, second, and third grade) to show how the various constructs in the theoretical framework come together in the empirical study, and to explore in depth the various ideas that the children revealed. Second, we share a summative descriptive analysis of the differences between the pre and the post interviews. One of the important findings included the increase in the number of pictures from the pre-interview to the post interview in which children represented themselves as scientists (31 to 61). The children also showed themselves and scientists out in the world as engaging in practices with a range of materials, for a variety of purposes, and with particular kinds of epistemological commitments. Keywords Identities . Scientists . Narratives . Multimodalities . Epistemologies Educational research has experienced a surge of interest in the construction of academic identities, including those in the domain of science. We believe that by understanding iden- tity and identity formation, we can come closer to understanding why people make the life-path choices that they do, especially in relation to the material, social, discursive, and institutional opportunity and marginalization of certain identities for certain kinds of peo- ple. Furthermore, access to science and scientific practice has been an important topic for groups, such as women and ethnic minorities, who have been historically marginalized or E. Tucker-Raymond () · M. Varelas · C. C. Pappas · A. Korzh · A. Wentland College of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1040 W. Harrison St. (M/C 147), Chicago, IL 60607, USA e-mail: etucke1@uic.edu Springer