Interactive
Science
Notebooks
Presented by
Laura Dailey
Adapted from
Lisa L. Hansen
Agenda
 Interactive Notebooks
 Why?
 How?
Set Up
Right Side / Left Side
What are Interactive
Science Notebooks?
 A student thinking tool
 And organizer for inquiry question and what has
been learned.
 A way to access and process the learning utilizing
various modalities (writing, drawing, and
discussion)
 A means for all students to work at their level
 A place for writing rough drafts based on handson learning
 A formative assessment tool for teachers
TUSD Science
Resource Center
5 Good Reasons to Use
Interactive Science Notebooks
1. Notebooks Are Thinking Tools
2. Notebooks Guide Teacher Instruction
3. Notebooks Enhance Literacy Skills
4. Notebooks Support Differentiated Learning
5. Notebooks Foster Teacher Collaboration
Science and Children
Nov/Dec 2005, p.28-32
Purpose for Interactive Science Notebooks
for Teachers:
 To identify evidence of student learning
 To identify students’ misconceptions
 To collect evidence of student growth over
time
 To develop next steps for planning and teaching
TUSD Science
Resource Center
Impact of Hands-on Science
& Science Notebooks on
Student Achievement
Research shows that student understanding
and literacy skills improve when students do
hands-on minds-on science and use science
notebooks to make sense of their science
investigations.
Additional Helpful Hints
 Provide immediate feedback by checking notebooks
regularly.
 Have occasional open notebook quizzes to inspire
great notebooks.
 Allow students to make the notebooks their
personal space!
 Encourage color and allow for differentiated
note-taking and assessment completion.
Why are we using science
notebooks?
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Record data
To study for tests
Record progress
Communicate with
others classmates
and instructors.
Notebooks help us
learn!
Science Notebook Setup
Right Side? Left Side?
What Goes Where?
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Left Side
Right Side
Student Output
Lots of Color
Teacher Input/Content
Concept Maps
Drawings
Reflective Writing Questions
Data from Experiments
Video Notes
Textbook Notes
Summaries
Homework
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Warm ups
Information given in class
Lecture Notes
Lab Procedures/Activities
Analysis and Assessments
Summaries
Classroom Specific
Information
Customize to Your Students’ Needs!
“A Bit More On The Left”
Getting Students to Think About Their Learning
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What are you curious
about?
What would you like to test?
What was the main idea?
What are the important
details to remember?
How does this relate to your
life?
What don’t you understand?
Science Notebook Supplies
glue sticks
scissors
(No staples or white glue)
pens &
pencils
colored pencils
NO MARKERS!
Getting started Step 1:
On the cover,
write your
name and
your teacher’s
name.
Step 2:
At the top of the first 2 pages, write
“Table of Contents”
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Step 3:

Starting with the next page, number the first 50 pages.
Numbers should be small and at the top outside corner of
every page.
Table of Contents
1
2
2
3
Step 4:
Beginning with page 1, students should write, or glue
in, any vocabulary or unit concepts. On the next odd
page, begin the first lesson!
1
Environmental
Science Vocabulary
2
Environmental Science
Misconceptions
3
Lesson 1
We Are READY!