Adopting the Next Generation Science Standards can be a challenge! When we adopted, I KNEW I wanted to use an interactive notebook to guide my learners. I opted for a paper notebook as I felt it would facilitate more movement (and less worry) allowing my learners to work outside, on the floor, and in some cases near messy things! To plan our notebook use, we referred to the work of Kellie Marcarelli in "Teaching Science with Interactive Notebooks".
As our year progressed, we used a LOT of the concepts and ideas from the book, but then modified them to suit our purposes. As the 5E model was our framework for instruction, we wanted the notebook to follow the format of our investigations, Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate.
Each unit of study began with a colorful cover page with a thematic phrase followed by an AHA Connections Page. As phenomenon were introduced, students would attempt to describe/summarize the phenomenon they saw and then engage in a QFT (Question Formulation Technique) or activating knowledge activity.
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| https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Question-Formulation-Technique-Handout-4808249 |
When the students reached the Explore phase, the notebooks reflected which Science and Engineering practice the students were engaged in. Sometimes they created models, conducted investigations, designed solutions or collected and analyzed data.
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| https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Science-and-Engineering-Practice-Handout-4868652#show-price-update |
As we came to conclusions and discovered new information, we would refer back to our AHA Connections pages and record those discoveries. Sometimes we would write Claim Evidence Reasoning reports or build investigative reports. As units were complete, student were asked to compete exit ticket strategies or self-reflect on their experiences/discoveries.
Below are some of the highlights of how we organized our notebooks:
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As always, thanks for,
