Using Interactive Notebooks

Using Interactive Notebooks

Sally Creel – Sally.creel@cobbk12.org

Your Guide to using

Interactive Notebooks

Essential Question:

EQ: How do I use interactive notebooks to engage students and maximize learning in my classroom?

Today we will share information to support the use of science notebooks, and strategies to use notebooks to integrate reading, writing, mathematics, and science.

What are Interactive Notebooks?• Interactive Science notebooks are

individualized student journals where students develop, practice, and refine their science understanding, while also enhancing reading, writing, mathematics and communications.

Why Interactive Notebooks?•As teachers involve students in inquiry-based science investigations, the need to communicate science learning in new ways has become evident. • If students are encouraged to communicate their understanding of concepts through science notebook writings, these notebooks can be an effective strategy to help students learn science. •Research has shown that science notebook writing may also be a way for students to strengthen their language skills as they develop an understanding of the world around them. • Science notebooks allow teachers to assess students' understanding and provide the feedback students need for improving their performance.

No one “Right” way!• Just like writing a story…there are

any number of procedures, techniques, components, and elements to use when creating interactive notebooks with your students.

• They should be a reflection of your classroom and style of teaching & learning

Basic Notebook Set Up:• Personalized Unit

Title Page• Table of Contents• Standards• Unit EQ’s• Vocabulary Activities• Graphic Organizers• Foldables• The list goes on…

Each student’s notebook should be unique! They may

have similar assignments, but they

should “LOOK” different! Say “No!”

to cookie cutter notebooks!

Table of Contents… Table of Contents

1. Matter Brainstorm p. 232. Pre-Assessment p. 243. GPS Standards p. 254. Standards Unpacked p. 25-

265. States of Matter Foldable p. 276. Chem/Phys Changes T-chart p. 29

Options:1. New TOC for

each unit

Or

2. One TOC by unit

Matter

Table of Contents… Table of Contents

1. Rocks & Minerals p. 42. Fossils p. 223. Soils p. 344. Habitats p. 415. Magnets p. 606. Heat p. 687. Conservation & Recycling p.

87

Options:1. New TOC for

each unit

Or

2. One TOC by unit

Science Notebook

Basic Entry OrganizationalFeatures…

July 11, 2011Leaf Observation

Page #

1. Date each entry

2. List the Activity Title or Heading

3. Number every page in the book – in PEN!

tip – 1 pointveins

stem

smoo

th ed

ges

Types of Entries• Drawings• Tables, Charts, & Graphs• Graphic Organizers• Notes & Practice Problems• Reflective & Analytical Entries• Inserts• Investigations• Foldables

How is the Notebook assessed?• There are multiple assessment options:• Formatively

• Progress monitoring daily/weekly/spot check• Provide commentary about a concept or

written response • Summatively using a rubric• Individual assignments basis• Selected sections assessed for

conventions

Words of Advice…

• The process can be challenging• Takes a bit of patience• Requires modeling, modeling,

modeling• Must consistently be reinforced• Learning curve for both the teacher

and the students

Benefits over time…

• Notebooks become a portfolio on individual learning and a record of each student’s growth.

• Teachers, students, and parents can review a student’s progress in writing, recording, thinking, and organization skills.

How Do I Get Started?• At least one month in advance,

identify a subject and concept with which to begin

• As you plan your upcoming unit of study, create a model interactive notebook your would like your students to create.

• Identify necessary concepts, materials, and procedures you are going to use.

What Students Need…

• The notebook-loose leaf paper in a three pronged folder, spiral notebook, or composition book

• Pencils, crayons, markers• Glue stick or tape• Scissors• Paper, graphic organizers,

assessments, etc… • Grading expectations

Let’s Get Started!

Basic Notebook Set Up

• Create Front & Back Cover Pockets• Personalized Title Page• Number all the pages in the book • Create a Book Table of Contents• Then separate Table of Contents for each

section

• Give students standards or “Student Friendly Versions” of the standards

• Unpack these standards.• Three samples:• Nouns & Verbs• Pictures• Visual Sentences

GPS Standards

Foldables

• Multi-Door Foldable • Select vocabulary words from your

1st 9 weeks GPS• ¾ Fold Book

• http://cicobb.typepad.com/es/reading-strategies-for-science.html

• 3 Tab Foldable• Post-It Variation

Multi-Tab Shutter Foldable

MatchbookFoldables

2 Tab Matchbook Foldable

T-Chart Foldable

Envelope Foldable

Buzz Review Game

Word Trails p. 43“Seldom do words stand alone, isolated from

and unrelated to other words.”• Introduce a new word then build “trails” and

connections from other words to the new word. • There are five main trials that connect words.

Critical Incident Journal p. 91 Writing Strategies• Prior to beginning a science lesson (hands-on),

explain that students should look out for a critical incident throughout the course of the lesson.

• Here are some questions to consider:• What is the significant event you would like to write

about in your journal?• Why is this event important to you?• What was your favorite or least favorite part of the

lesson today?• Describe the event. What happened?• What did you learn from this experience?• How does this fit in with what you are learning in

science class?For grades K-1 – Invite students to draw and label their critical

incidents and display their drawings on the science board.

Twitter Posts• Can be used as a Ticket-Out-the-Door• Summarize what you learned in this

session. What are the strategies or information you are going to try?

V O C A B U L A R Y K N OW L E D G E I S M O R E

C O M P L I C A T E D TH A N R E C I T I N G KE Y T E R M S A N D T HI E R D E F I N I T I O NS . S T U D E N T S N EE D O P P O R T U N I T IE S T O I N T E R A C TW I T H W O R D S .

Vocabulary knowledge is more complicated than reciting key terms and their definitions. Students need opportunities to interact with words.