Science Notebooks in K-5th Grade Science Reform and Effective Instruction

Presentation by: Tracy DabbsBurlington-Edison School District

Reflection and DiscussionWhat do you know and believe about effective science instruction?

What are some successes and struggles from your own classroom?

By using effective notebook strategies, we can help

students strengthen content knowledge and develop

critical thinking skills.

Workshop Agenda

• Introductions and Purpose• Getting Started: Setting up a Science

Notebook• Science Notebook Entry Types• Break• Science Notebooks and Assessment• Review• Closing

Science Across

the Curriculumthrough…

NOTEBOOKSInformation gathered from Peggy Willcuts and Writing in Science, by

Betsy Rupp Fulwilerimages used with permission from the NCOSP and LASER Grants

LET’S GET STARTED…Cover or Title Page

Give your science notebook a title.

This should give the reader an idea of what this notebook will be about.

TABLE OF CONTENTSFirst 1-2 pages

OPPOSING PAGES FOR EASY REFERENCEUse professional judgment as to format

DATE ACTIVITY PAGE #

NUMBER YOUR PAGES

1

NUMBER YOUR PAGES THROUGH 10

32

Organizational Tip-Select a ribbon and tape to the back

cover of your notebook-Use as a book mark

Set Notebook Expectations

• Set the standard for work • Begin a quality corner• Share student samples• Create a plan for teacher and student

assessment• Put scoring guides in your notebook

Review, review, review

Create a notebook routine…It should be the FIRST thing that goes onto the

student’s desk during science instruction

Then…• the date• the page number• the focus question OR title of the lesson• A discussion of the expectations (activity,

data table, safety, etc)In fact, no materials should be distributed

until these things are done

The scientists’ notebooks featured in this section come from those working at Battelle Pacific NW National Labs.

WHY KEEP ASCIENCE

NOTEBOOK…

because, that is what real scientists do!

Powerful Learning Experiences

Most Powerful

Least Powerful

·   First Hand (the real thing)o    HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE SENSES  ·   Second Hand (representational)

o    VIDEO/PICTURES/MODELS/SIMULATIONS

 ·   Third Hand (symbolic)o     BOOKS

THINKING ABOUT NOTEBOOKS…

What do you know and believe about effective notebooking?

When you have finished your response, draw a

under what you wrote…

On page 1 add the date and…

THINKING ABOUT NOTEBOOKS…

Share out with your table group…

Key findings from

HOW PEOPLE LEARN1. Students come with preconceptions

about how the world works2. Students must gain deep factual

knowledge and way to organize this knowledge

3. Students need to take control of their learning (define their own goals and monitor progress)

National Research Council: How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice 2003

Notebooks Support

• Encourages students to explore what they know

• Promotes the development of higher level thinking

• Provides students with the opportunity to share their thinking

Early Efforts to Keep a Science Notebook

Computational Chemist“Something wrong with this”

Materials ScientistReference graphs and tables pasted into notebook

Results (crossed out)

Notebook Entry Types• Scientific Drawings• Writing Frames• Notes and Practice Problems• Inserts• Graphic Organizers• Tables, Charts, and Graphs• Reflective and Analytical

Entries• Investigation Formats

First Hand

Learning:Hands On

ENTRY TYPE:

ScientificDrawings

SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATIONS

Model first – describing what you are doing…Outside shape

Split object into partsLabel the partsAdd color and dimension

Now it’s yourturn… focus on:

LabelsDetailsAccuracy

Scientific IllustrationsFIRST GRADE

EIGHTH GRADE

ENTRY TYPE:

WritingFramesObservations

Organizer

Betsy Rupp Fulwiler

OBSERVATI ONS ORGANI ZER Writing Frame

Think of properties you can see such as size, shape, color, lines, texture, pattern, behavior…

I observed

Think of the other senses of smell, sound, touch, and perhaps taste!

I noticed

Connect it with something that you already know.

I t reminds me of

Add more detail as needed. This is so because

Be curious and ask questions you could investigate.

I am curious about I t surprised me that I wonder what would happen if

Observations Organizer

“I observed my plant is fat. I noticed that my plant is getting skinnier. It reminds me of a tree because it’s long and has a flower. I am curious to know how the roots grow.”

“The object I am choosing to write about is the marker. When written with, it provides a bold red color. As I remove the cap, it gives off a strong and potent scent…”

Notebooks and FOSSExplore the FOSS binder• find areas to use notebook responses

• Scientific Drawings• Observation Organizers

Use post-it notes to mark areas in your binder

Second Hand

Learning:Videos, models, simulations (web

resources)

ENTRY TYPE:

Notes

1. Incense-cedar logs are cut into "Pencil Blocks.“

2. Pencil Blocks are cut into "Pencil Slats.“

3. Pencil Slats are treated with wax and stain.

4. A machine cuts grooves into the slats to accept the writing core (or "lead").

5. Writing cores -- made from a mixture of graphite and clay -- are placed into the grooves.

6. A second grooved slat is glued onto the first -- making a "sandwich.“

7. The sandwich is machined into pencil shapes.

8. Individual pencils are cut from the sandwich and are sanded smooth.

9. Each pencil is painted.10.A recess is cut to accept the ferrule.

The ferrule and eraser are crimped into place on each pencil.

ANATOMY OF A PENCIL

Add new labels to your scientific drawing and make any notes on new items that you learned.

Notebooks and FOSSExplore the FOSS binder• find areas to use notebook response

• Note taking

Use post-it notes to mark areas in your binder

Third Hand

Learning:Text

Using Text to Support Science

• Use FOSS Science Stories or Big Books– Have students keep track of new learning and

understandings by using notebooks– Many stories have important GLE ties

ENTRY TYPE:

Glossary

Ways to use a glossary…• Provide word list as an insert and

add definitions after concepts are encountered

• Keep the list in the back of the journal and provide space for additional words

• Continue to keep a class list on a word wall

• Have students include a definition, a picture, and a meaningful sentence.

Let’s add to our Glossary• Use the provided insert

• Add at least one definition and quick picture

• How have you used glossaries in your classroom?

 

The Anatomy Of A PencilBody: Most often made of wood, however it can be made of other materials including cotton scraps from blue jeans. Wooden bodied pencils are often made from incense cedar slats. A second grooved slat is glued on top of the graphite core filled slat; the slats are then cut and shaped into individual pencils. According to the Dixon Ticonderoga Company, the reason why pencils are often painted yellow is because, during the 1800’s, the best graphite came from China, and because yellow was the color of the Imperial Chinese Emperor and stood for royalty and respect; by painting the pencil yellow, people would recognize that their pencil contained the finest graphite available.

Eraser: The eraser is also known as the rubber, (it used to be made from rubber), it is actually a plastic or sometimes vinyl compound.

Ferrule: The ferrule is the metal band that's located at the end of the pencil body and holds a eraser which has been glued into it.

Graphite: Also known as the writing core. The writing cores are glued into grooves that have been cut into the wooden slats. The writing core is made from graphite and clay. The more graphite in a pencil - the darker the mark. The more clay in a pencil - the lighter the mark.  

Vocabulary Development

Kit Inventory Activity• Share kit

tools/materials• Discuss items• Build a Working

Word Wall and charts

ENTRY TYPE:

Graphic Organizer

Now add a colored marker…(a critical competitor)

THE BOX & T-CHART

PENCIL MARKER

Similarities

Differences

Box & T-Chart

Box & T-Chart with lines

ENTRY TYPE:

WritingFramesCompare &

Contrast and Investigation Frames

COMPARE AND CONTRAST Writing Frame

Start with how things are the same or similar.

The _____ and the ______ are the same because they both ___________.

Add more details as needed. In addition, they both

________________.

Explain how they are different. You can compare the same property or characteristic in the same sentence. Use “and”, “but”, or “whereas” to set up the contrast.

They are different because the ______, but the ______ does not.

Add more detail as needed. Also, the ________, whereas the

________________ does not.

Betsy Rupp Fulwiler

Comparison

Brand new entry type:supports students as they work to justify ideas/claims

Please note…

These writing frames should be used for initial scaffolding.

Students should be moved to more fluent writing once they have experienced these simple frames depending on grade level.

Betsy Rupp Fulwiler

Notebooks and FOSSExplore the FOSS binder• find areas to use notebook responses

• Glossary• Graphic Organizers:

• Box and T-Chart• Compare and Contrast

• Investigation Set-upUse post-it notes to mark areas

in your binder

ENTRY TYPE:

Reflectioin

Personal Reflection• Using your science notebook,

take a few minutes alone to QUIETLY write what your expectations for your STUDENTS’ science notebooks will be.

Table Reflection

• Draw a LINE OF LEARNING

• Hold a table discussion about what you have each written.

• Jot down for yourself, some of the table groups’ wisdom.

Group Report

• Draw another LINE OF LEARNING

• Each table group shares one thing.

• Jot down for yourself, some of the whole groups’ wisdom.

Additional Resources

• District Website–www.be.wednet.edu

• Notebooking Site–www.sciencenotebooks.org

Notebooks and FOSSExplore the FOSS binder• find areas to use notebook responses

• Reflections

Use post-it notes to mark areas in your binder

Let’s talk about Assessment

(Formative and Summative)

Setting Expectations:• Model notebook entries to

ensure that students understand what to include

• Post strong entries in a “Quality Corner”

• Review expectations for entries frequently

Opportunities for Assessment

Teacher’s Opportunities to Score:• “Drive-Bys” • Data sheets scored before

attaching to notebook• Quizzes scored

independently• Weekly if possible for

critical comments

Opportunities for Assessment

Opportunities for Assessment

• Self assessment or teacher assessment–Scoring Rubrics (primary and

intermediate)• Student scores self• Teacher scores student• Student and teacher score student

–Notebook Reflections

CRITICAL FEEDBACK IS CRITICAL

• Writing on pages • Post-It Notes• Oral Commentary

Let’s examine this practice…What is your purpose?• What target was hit?• What could have been done better?

• Does your feed back motivate students to explore and continue to develop their thinking?

CRITICAL FEEDBACK IS CRITICAL

Look at how you wrote about each of the soil components. Another scientist would be impressed with how much information you included.

Now, what do you want to explore next?

Let’s Review…

Student Benefits• Reinforces student understanding of

a subject.

• Helps develop clear thinking.

• Encourages and illustrates importance of writing across the curriculum.

• Allows for their self expression.

Student Benefits• Provides open and risk-free communication

with the teacher.

• Emphasizes importance of writing now and in the real world.

• Can be used as a resource in an open notebook test and a great opportunity to practice for the WASL.

• Gives students an exciting reason to write.

GLEs in WRITING!!!• THE STUDENT WRITES CLEARLY AND

EFFECTIVELY– Develops concept and design– Using style appropriate to the audience and purpose– With writing conventions such as spelling, grammar, etc.

• THE STUDENT WRITES IN A VARIETY OF FORMS– For different audiences, purposes, forms, applications

• THE STUDENT UNDERSTANDS AND USES THE STEPS OF THE WRITING PROCESS– Prewrite / draft / revise / edit / publish

• THE STUDENT ANALYZES AND EVALUATES THE EFFECTIVENENSS OF WRITTEN WORK– Assess own strengths and needs for improvement– Seek and offer feedback

Teacher Benefits• Ties to research on How People Learn and

Marzano’s best practice strategies

• Provides insight into students as individuals and their understanding of content and skills (science, math, language arts).

• Provides an opportunity for “active research”. It forces you to examine your teaching, more closely.

• If dialogue exists, it builds rapport between teacher and student; makes learning a joint effort.

• Provides a future resource of information for teacher, students, parents, and classmates.

• Provides accountability for teacher assessment of individual students and the entire class.

Teacher Benefits

FINAL COMMENTS…While learning science effectively,we can also help students develop skills

in:– writing– reading– communications– math

Students can learn the value of keeping a

record of their own learning and focus on

Critical Thinking Skills