Interactive Notebooks in the Science Classroom

Mrs. Lees 3rd Grade ClassReagan ElementaryRogers, ARJanuary 23-24, 2012Tami Lee, Classroom teacherTrudy Cansler, Literacy Facilitator

Interactive Notebooks in the Science ClassroomStandards Covered

Science StandardsMrs. Cansler focused more on the ELA standard while teaching the students how to create an interactive notebook. Mrs. Lee then helped the students apply that knowledge in the content area.ELA StandardsThe purpose of the GANAG structure To give students the opportunity to actively use the nine high-yield strategies:(2) Identifying Similarities and Differences(3) Summarizing and Note Taking(4) Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition(5) Homework and Practice(6) Nonlinguistic Representations(7) Cooperative Learning(8) Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback(9) Generating and Testing Hypotheses(10) Cues, Questions and Advance OrganizersGANAG is a lesson structure that allows teachers to plan for student use of research based instructional strategies.G= goalA= access prior knowledgeN= new informationA= applicationG= generalize the goal

4Setting Up the Interactive NotebookTrudy Cansler, Literacy FacilitatorDay 1Accessing Prior KnowledgeTurn and talk to your partner.

(6) Nonlinguistic Representations(7) Cooperative Learning(10) Cues, Questions and Advance OrganizersGoalI can use an interactive notebook to take notes.

(8) Setting Objectives and Providing FeedbackNew Information:

Mrs. Cansler introduced the Interactive Notebook to the class using a PowerPoint and examples of notebooks from 5th grade and her own personal college notebook.(6) Nonlinguistic Representations(2) Identifying Similarities and Differences

The students turned and talked about the different ways they thought they could use the notebooks.(7) Cooperative LearningApplication

The students used what they had just learned about Interactive Notebooks to begin setting up their notebook for use in their science class.

The students checked with their shoulder partner to make sure they were getting information in the correct place.The students put their fingers on their noses to let the teacher know they were ready to move on to the next step.(5) Homework and PracticeGeneralize the Goal

The students revisited the earlier goal by rating how competent they felt about using the notebook after the lesson. They also wrote a couple of ways that they could use an Interactive Notebook.

(8) Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback

(4) Reinforcing Effort and Providing RecognitionUsing the Interactive Notebook in the Science ClassTami Lee, 3rd Grade TeacherDay 2Goal

We are learning about Earths Movement.(8) Setting Objectives and Providing FeedbackAccessing Prior Knowledge

Mrs. Lee showed the students a website that had a model showing the Earths rotation on its axis and the revolution of the Earth around the sun. The students wrote down their observations in their Interactive Notebooks and then turned and talked with their partners about what they had written.

Click on this picture to view the website the teacher used.

(3) Summarizing and Note Taking(6) Nonlinguistic Representations(4) Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition

Mrs. Lee typed up the definitions that the kids would need and had them glued onto the right side of the notebook before the lesson began. She felt at times it is easier with 3rd grade students to have things pre printed for them rather than having them write everything.New InformationNew Information Mrs. Lee went through a Smartboard Lesson introducing the Earths movement to the students that included a cloze activity. The students used the definitions from the right side of the interactive notebook to help them fill in the blanks while they went through the cloze activity.

A couple of students gave their answers and the class gave a thumb sign to show if they agreed with that answer or not.The students took turns uncovering the correct answer.(10) Cues, Questions and Advance Organizers(6) Nonlinguistic Representations(4) Reinforcing Effort and Providing RecognitionApplication Part 1: The students practiced revolving and rotating with a partner.

Part 2: The students used crumpled up blue and yellow paper to represent the Earth and Sun to show how the Earth revolves and rotates.

(2) Identifying Similarities and Differences(5) Homework and PracticePart 3: The students created a diagram on the left side of their interactive notebooks to show the Earth revolving and rotating around the sun.

(5) Homework and Practice(2) Identifying Similarities and Differences(3) Summarizing and Note TakingGeneralize the Goal

Both students only moved their numbers up one rating. This went right along with what Mrs. Lee was seeing as well. She felt this was okay since it was the first day of this topic and it would be further developed in future lessons.

The students have become much better at being honest in their ratings because Mrs. Lee has been working with them on this for a couple of months.The students revisited the earlier goal by rating how they felt about it now. They also wrote a brief summary on the left side of their notebooks about what they had learned during the lesson.(3) Summarizing and Note Taking(8) Setting Objectives and Providing FeedbackMarzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Pollock, J. E. (2007). Improving student learning one teacher at a time. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Pollock, J. E., & Ford, Sharon M. (2009). Improving student learning one principal at a time. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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