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Science Notebooks. Part of the scientific process . Provides structure for inquiry learning. Sense-making tool for students. Supports the development of literacy skills. Natural differentiation. Saves preparation time. Why Use Science Notebooks. What is a Science Notebook?.
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Part of the scientific process. Provides structure for inquiry learning. Sense-making tool for students. Supports the development of literacy skills. Natural differentiation. Saves preparation time. Why Use Science Notebooks
How to Set-Up a Notebook Notebook Must Haves: Table of Contents (save 3 pages) Page Numbers Title and Date (for each entry or lesson) Optional: Index or Glossary
What Goes In the Notebook • Observations – Drawings, Written Descriptions • Hands-On Investigations • Research • Graphic Organizers • Summaries of Learning • Reflections Hot and Cold Water Investigation • Investigatable Question • Hypothesis • Procedures • Results / Data Collection • Claims and Evidence T-Chart • Conclusion
Notebooks and Investigations The Non-Negotiables • Question • Prediction/Hypothesis [Procedures and Recording Data Depends on the Activity] • Conclusion or Reflection
Investigate-able Questions Question that can be answered by collecting data or making observations. Often begin with how, what, or which Can be teacher generated in guided inquiry Can be student generated in open inquiry Examples: - How does number of winds affect the strength of an electromagnet? Which material creates the most charge on a vinyl record? What happens when calcium chloride is dissolved in water?
Hypotheses/Predictions Provide a reasonable prediction regarding the question in the investigation Clear and concise Provide a reason Push students to use because Example: The aluminum foil will not conduct electricity because it is not attracted to a magnet.
Make A Plan/Procedures Ways Students Can Make a Plan • Step-by-Step Procedures • Narrative • Diagram of Lab Set-Up • Put 150 mL of hot and cold water in each cup. • Find the temperature of water in each cup. • Add 3 drops of food coloring to the top of each cup. • Time how long it takes for the food coloring to mix with the water. • Record the temperature, time to mix, and other observations on a chart.
Observations & Data • Think of ways that students can collect both quantitative and qualitative data. • Options for students’ recordings • Diagrams and illustrations • Charts • Graphs (usually created after students collect data) Example:
Claims/Evidence T-Chart Claim: A student explanation. It should answer or relate to the question. (I claim that….) Evidence: Comes from data or observations collected during the investigation. It is used to support the claim. (I know thisbecause…) • Helps students make the link between data and an explanation. • Acts as a “scaffolding” for students before writing a conclusion.
Conclusion Students write what they have learned, not what they have done: • Evaluate the prediction. • State what happened. • Back up the findings with evidence. • (Provide a reason. Make a connection to science learning.) Example: My hypothesis was correct. The food coloring in the hot water mixed the fastest. In cold water it took 2 minutes for the food coloring to mix. In the hot water it only took 30 seconds for the food coloring to mix. I think that heat in the water makes the water move around more and that is why the food coloring mixed faster.
Creating a Purpose Science notebooks will be more meaningful to students if they need to use their notebooks to review, complete projects, solve new problems, or even create fold-ables.
Assessing Science Notebooks Reviewing Science Notebooks Takes Time! Time-Saving Strategies: Assess and provide feedback as students work. Have students leave notebooks open to page on their desks. Collect only 1/3 of the notebooks at a time. Focus on one skill or one reflection at a time. Have students do work on a hand-out, grade it, then tape it into the notebooks later. Have students self assess notebooks using a checklist.
Assessing Science Notebooks TASK: - Read the student work and determine what you would tell and/or write to the student to give the student feedback. Conclusion In this lab we put food coloring in hot and cold water. We made sure that we used the same amount of water and the same amount of food coloring in each cup. I thought that the food coloring would mix in the hot water fastest and I was right . We found out that hot water won! If I did this experiment again, I would want to try salt water and fresh water instead of changing the temperature. Conclusion Checklist: Evaluate the prediction. State what happened. Back up the findings with evidence. (Provide a reason. Make a connection to science learning.)
Final Thoughts… Science notebooks promote reflection and critical thinking and teach students science process skills. As notebooks become an “everyday expectation” with science it will help students remain focused and get more out of hands-on lessons. Start with a lot of modeling in notebooks, move towards student choice in how to record and reflect on information.
Reflection Look through your notes and/or the handout and spend a few minutes reflecting in your notebook. How might you use notebooks in your classroom? What questions do you still have? What advantages do you see? What roadblocks do you see?
