INTERACTIVE STUDENT
NOTEBOOKS
AP Biology/Pre-AP Biology
What is an Interactive Notebook?
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A student created and student maintained collection
of notes, activities and commentary from your
AP/Pre-AP Biology class.
It creates a system of organization and reflection.
It is where you will keep practically everything from
your AP/Pre-AP Biology class.
Benefits
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You will learn a collegiate system of organization.
All of your notes, labs, work, and information will
be in one place.
You will have a chance to interact with the content
of the course by reflecting, reacting, questioning
and commenting on your work and lab
investigations.
You will develop a study system to help prepare
you for quizzes and tests.
Real Scientists Use Notebooks
Charles Darwin
Leonardo Da Vinci
Albert Michelson
Elements Required in Your Interactive
Notebook:
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Cover
Scoring Rubrics
Author Page
Notebook Guidelines
Highlighting System
Class/Notebook Policies
Page Numbers
Inputs and Outputs
Sketches
Summaries
Notebook Guidelines
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Bring notebook to class every day.
Keep track of assignments, notes, etc. in
chronological order and in Table of Contents
NO staples; Use glue or tape only
Each page has page #, Date, Title
Right Side Pages have Inputs (mostly teacher-given)
Left Side Pages have Outputs (mostly student-given)
Examples of Inputs—Always on Rightside Pages
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Lecture notes
Discussion notes
Video clips summaries
Writing Prompts
Reading Notes from Textbook/Articles
Free-Response Questions
Examples of Outputs—Always on Leftside Pages
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Analyzing the content
Argue for or against
Asking a question
Graphs
Lab Conclusions
Thinking Maps
Write your reaction or opinion to the reading or
content
Creating a Cover for Your Interactive
Notebook
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Your cover should have the following basic elements
in writing somewhere on the cover and easy to
read:
 Name
of Course
 The words: Interactive Science Notebook
 Class Period
 School Year
 Teacher’s Name
 Your Name
Creating a Cover for Your Interactive
Notebook
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Visual Content
 Thumb
through your textbook to identify two topics in
which you are interested
 Use the table of contents in the textbook to find the
chapters related to these topics
 Draw, or use magazines or images printed from the
internet to show the two topics within the design of your
cover. You can label the topics if it helps your design.
Scoring Rubrics & Author Page
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Scoring and Lab Report Rubrics will be taped on
inside front cover.
Author Page (1st Page in Your Notebook): Write a
short information paragraph about yourself: where
you were born, what are your hobbies and interests
and other interesting things about yourself. Include
why you are taking this course and how it relates to
your future career goals.
Notebook Guidelines/Table of Content
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Notebook Guidelines (On Back of Author Page)
Examples of Inputs (Right Side)/Outputs (Left Side)
 Highlighting:
Green=Vocabulary
Words;
Purple=Names of People/Scientists;
Pink=Big Idea (AP);
Blue=Essential
Knowledge (AP)
 Bring to class every day.
 Keep track of assignments in chronological order
 No Staples; Glue or tape only
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents: On Page Following Notebook
Guidelines
Table of Contents has four columns: (USE Ruler!)
Page
Activity
Date Grade/Score
Notebook Guidelines and Table of
Contents
Inputs and Outputs
Questions?