Keeping InterActive Notebooks in Science

InterActive Notebooks will be used in this class to help you learn and remember key scientific concepts. Whydoes this type of notebook work? This notebook style uses both the right and left brain hemispheres to help youbuild neural networks. By providing space for you to record information and refer to it quickly, this too

increases your ability to remember and use the information later. You’ll also have an opportunity to interact cre-atively with the new knowledge you’re gaining.

InterActive Notebook supplies due by __________________

1. An 81/2 x 11 spiral notebook with at least 80–100 pages

2. 2 glue sticks

3. Highlighters of different colors and/or colored pencils

4. Pen and pencil with an eraser

InstructionsSee the sample below for the set-up for the first seven pages. Number all the pages that follow in the upper

right hand corner. Left sides pages are even; right side pages are odd.

Left pages = output (even numbered pages)

The left spiral page shows your understanding of information. Basically it’s your manipulation of the informa-tion from the right side. You work with input from the right side, but present it in your own way.

Right pages = input (odd numbered pages)

The right page is for writing down information you are given or you have read—when your teacher lectures, oryou get input from books, videos, or speakers. When you get information about how to set up a lab, or safetyrequirements—this goes on the right page.

Activity 1.1 (5 of 11) Student Handout (1 of 7)

Unit 1: Getting Organized to Learn 7

(right side) 1

Notebook Title Page:

Course, Teacher,Room, Student’sname, etc.

(Student constructed)

(left side) 2

Students glue/tape incopy of left-sideguidelines.

(inside cover)

Students glue/tape ina copy of theInterActive Notebookscoring rubric.

(right side) 3

Students glue/tape ina copy of right-sideguidelines.

(left side) 6Students construct atitle page for the firstunit of study. Title:Graphic:Date:

(left side) 4

Students glue in acopy of the StudentReflection pageguidelines.

(right side) 7

Students glue in thetable of contents forthe first unit.

(right side) 5Students glue in copyof parent review page.

8 The Write Path II: An Advanced College Preparatory Reading and Writing Program for High Schools

Scoring Rubric5+ Notebook exceeds all expectations in all areas; demonstrates superior understanding units of material,

extensive left-side processing and well-developed Cornell notes; includes review materials.

5.0 A Contents are complete, dated, and labeled; left sides/right sides show mastery pattern of organization;notes are Cornell-style with excellent questioning that goes beyond basic requirements; notebook inte-grates other sources of information; demonstrates extensive left-side processing of information; usescolor throughout in a meaningful way; includes effective diagrams and pictures; shows impressive, in-depth reflection about the work; includes signature and comments of significant adult; pages are num-bered correctly.

4.5 B+ Contents are dated and labeled with no more than one assignment missing; left sides/right sides showwell-developed pattern of organization; notes are Cornell-style with good questioning; demonstratessatisfactory amount of left-side processing of information; uses color in a meaningful way; includeseffective diagrams and pictures; shows thorough reflection about the work; includes signature of signif-icant adult; pages are numbered correctly.

4.2 B Contents are mostly complete (~2-3 missing/incomplete pieces), dated and labeled; left sides/rightsides show basic pattern of organization; notes are Cornell-style with questioning; demonstrates someleft-side processing of information; uses color; includes diagrams and pictures; shows reflection aboutthe work; has significant adult signature; pages are numbered correctly.

4.0 C+ Contents are somewhat complete (~4-5 missing/incomplete pieces), dated, labeled, and legible; notesare Cornell-style with some questions; left sides/right sides show developing pattern of organization;left sides include some processing of information; uses color; includes diagrams and pictures; hasreflection; has signature of significant adult; pages are numbered correctly.

3.7 C Contents are somewhat complete (max. 5 missing/incomplete pieces), dated, labeled, and legible; notesare Cornell-style; left sides/right sides show developing pattern of organization; left sides include someprocessing of information or minimal processing; work includes diagrams and pictures; has reflection;pages are numbered correctly.

MAXIMUM SCORE WITH NO SIGNIFICANT ADULT SIGNATURE AND COMMENTS

3.2 D Contents are partially complete, dated, labeled, and legible; notes are Cornell-style; left sides/rightsides show random pattern; few left sides include processing of information; has minimal reflection;pages are numbered.

2.0 Contents are incomplete; some attempt at dating and labeling of entries is made; left sides/right sidesshow little pattern; minimal left-side processing of information; no reflection; pages are numbered.

1.0 Notebook turned in; few assignments are included; most inserts not attached to notebook; too incom-plete to evaluate.

Activity 1.1 (6 of 11) Student Handout (2 of 7)

Unit 1: Getting Organized to Learn 9

InterActive Notebooks: Left SidesThe left spiral page (even number) demonstrates your understanding ofthe information from the right-side page (odd number). You work withthe input, and INTERACT with the information in creative, unique, andindividual ways. We’ll use the “clock” questions to help accelerate yourlearning and focus your attention on big science concepts.

What goes on the left side?

OUTPUT GOES ON THE LEFT SIDE! EVERY LEFT SIDE PAGE GETS USED! ALWAYS USE COLOR—it helps the brain learn and remember.

What else goes on the LEFT side?• Brainstorming • Mind-mapping

• Pictures • Concept maps

• Venn diagrams • Drawings

• Other diagrams • Commentary

• Reflections • Writing prompts

• Flow charts • Flights of fancy

• Significant statements • Hypothesis development

• Responses to the “clock” questions

12Make a visualillustration

explaining the topic.

6 Write four “Whatif…” statements

about this topic.

1 What’s my study plan tolearn this information?

3 Write the lyrics for a song onthis topic.

2 What’s the best way toremember this topic?

5 Paraphrase this informa-tion into one sentence.

4 Make ____ VocabularyCartoons from this topic.

11What do I already knowabout this topic?

10Use a Venn diagram tocompare these two ideas.

9 Write and solve _____prob-lems using this information.

8 Create an analogy and avisual for this topic.

7 Write a letter to _________about this topic.

Activity 1.1 (7 of 11) Student Handout (3 of 7)

10 The Write Path II: An Advanced College Preparatory Reading and Writing Program for High Schools

InterActive Notebooks: Right SidesWhat goes on the right side spiral page?

INPUT GOES ON THE RIGHT SIDE (ODD NUMBER)!Always start the page by recording the date and subject title at the top.

• The right side spiral has only odd-numbered pages

• The right spiral page is for writing down information you are given in class.

• When the teacher lectures, you take notes on the right side.

• When you take book notes or video notes, they go on the right side. ALWAYS.

• You may use Cornell-style notes on the right pages.

• Vocabulary words and their “book” definitions go on the right side.

• Notes for labs and lab instructions, procedures, and materials.

• Teacher questions and sample problems.

• Any other type of INPUT you get in class.

Use Cornell-style notes to take lecture and video notes in class. Use them also for text notes from your book.

Sample Cornell-Style Notes

Student Questions 1. Why are plants green instead of blue or red?

2. How does photosynthesis work to make food?

3. What’s the difference between transmit and absorb?

* Ask in class tomorrow: What is the key differencebetween Photosystem I and Photosystem II. Do allplants need both? What about shade plants?

Factual InformationScientists note that plants are green. Many hypotheseshave been proposed to understand plant color.

Photosynthesis means ‘to put together with light’meaning that plants use a process to produce food andenergy from light.

Plants are green because they transmit green light.

Photosystem I: Sun’s energy breaks water in two.Electrons are set free and boost the levels....Chlorophyll absorbs the energy during sunlight hours.NADPH+....

Activity 1.1 (8 of 11) Student Handout (4 of 7)

Unit 1: Getting Organized to Learn 11

Keeping InterActive Notebooks in Science:The Reflection

Toward the end of each unit, you will be called upon to reflect upon your work. This writing sample beginson the left side on the notebook and continues on the right. While there is no required length, high qualityreflection uses 1–2 pages of the notebook. Attach the par-

ent review form (with comments and signature) at the bottom ofthe right-hand page.

1. Select up to four items that repre-sent your best work—2 from theleft side, 2 from the right side. Inseveral reflective paragraphs,address the specific reasons whyyou chose these items as yourbest work, as well as what theseassignments reflect about yourskills as a scientist-student.

2. Indicate your overall rating ofyour notebook based on the1–5 rubric. What do youthink this notebookdeserves on an A–Fscale? Include sev-eral sentencesusing specificdetails, on whyyou’ve chosenthis rating. Hasyour notebookimproved frompast notebooks?

3. What specific study skills haveyou employed to be successfulin this class? What organizationalstrategies in the notebook helped you learn the most? Explain.

4. What are your goals for improvement in this class? List specific areas in whichyou feel you need to improve or need help improving.

5. What specific changes would you like to see in this class? Explain.

High-quality reflection includes your considera-tion of the following in reference to your best work:what you learned from the activity; how you learnedfrom it; what aspects of the work were high quality;what you would do differently in the future (andwhy); what makes you proud of this particular work;what made the activity worthwhile for you; how doesthis work impact your view of the world; what infor-mation did you learn that was new to you; etc. High-quality reflection also examines your skills as astudent and as a scientist. Skills you might discussare organization, analysis, logic, creativity, thorough-ness, accuracy of information, ability to put newinformation together, understanding new concepts,etc. Please note: Reasoning that it was “fun” or justthat your liked it, is NOT adequate reflection.

Activity 1.1 (9 of 11) Student Handout (5 of 7)

12 The Write Path II: An Advanced College Preparatory Reading and Writing Program for High Schools

InterActive Notebook: Parent ReviewDear Parent/Significant Adult:

This interactive notebook represents your student’s learning to date and should contain the work your studenthas completed in class such as notes, homework, class work, reflection on the unit, etc. It should be neat in appear-ance, have all materials glued in, include color, and have about three pages of materials for each day of class. Inorder to initiate and continue communication between you, your student, and me, I ask that you please take sometime to look at this notebook with him/her, read the reflection, and comment on your student’s work to date. Someideas to comment on are:

• The work we found most interesting was... because...

• What does the notebook reveal about your student’s learning habits or talents?

• My student’s biggest concern about this class is...

• The biggest improvement my student is making is...

Parent/Significant Adult Signature

Comments? Questions? Concerns? Feel free to contact me at __________________________________________

Activity 1.1 (10 of 11) Student Handout (6 of 7)

Unit 1: Getting Organized to Learn 13

InterActive Notebook - Table of Contents

Unit_____________________________________________ Chapters__________ Date_________________

Left-Side Items Page Right-Side Items Page

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

7 7

8 8

9 9

10 10

11 11

12 12

13 13

14 14

15 15

16 16

17 17

18 18

19 19

20 20

21 21

Quality Rubric Rating: __________ x Value Factor ______ = Total Score _____/____

GLUE your table of contents on the first right-hand page of the new unit, after the title page.

Activity 1.1 (11 of 11) Student Handout (7 of 7)