Using an Interactive Notebook 5E NGSS Science Classroom

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.  

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.  

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,

NGSS: Developing and Using Models

As we started our year in Science with the Next Generation Science Standards for Middle School, I knew that we'd need some prep time familiarizing ourselves with the Science and Engineering practices as each standard is framed in a particular practice as we migrate through the year.  To those unfamiliar, the SE practices are:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Science-and-Engineering-Practice-Handout-4868652

 To start our year in sixth grade, I decided to PRACTICE each PRACTICE before practically applying them to our standards.  That way the students have a good understanding of the process, procedures and expectations that correspond with each of the Next Generation Science standards. 

Some of the practices have more of an engineering focus, and others relate better to Science.  Paul Anderson does an excellent job of explaining these practices and I used his Bozeman Science video series here to glean a better understanding of each practice.  After we worked on each practice, we then reviewed using this game and posters:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/NGSS-Science-and-Engineering-Practices-Pack-486880

Science and Engineering Practice #2:  Developing Models

As we consider the practice of developing models, it's important to note what was (and was not) intended to represent modeling in the new standards.  The standards consider modeling to be external representations of mental concepts.  

Models can be:

• diagrams
• three-dimensional physical structures
• computer simulations
• mathematical formulations
• analogies

It's important to note that modeling should be of SYSTEMS and PROCESSES not structures.

Some of our time modeling is spent making observations, models and diagrams. As such, we spent time learning how to make (and record) those observations in our interactive notebooks like scientists do.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Scientific-Drawing-Lesson-Plan-4767704

We also learned how to model using the Polar Bear Dice Game.  The students were given a the Polar Bear Dice Game phenomenon to consider and were encouraged to model their initial theory about the phenomenon.  As additional information was revealed to students, they had to test and evaluate their model and then revise it if necessary.  This was a GREAT way to get them into the practice of modeling unfamiliar concepts and adding/revising them.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Science-and-Engineering-Practice-2-Developing-a-Model-5184763

Wipe Erase Boards

Other ways we've successfully modeled our investigations are on giant wipe boards.  Often students work in groups to create (and explain) their discoveries.

TECH TIP!   One great tool that helps save information from wipeboards into your Drive are Rocketbook Beacons! Rocketbook Beacons allow you to capture, organize and broadcast important notes, diagrams, and big ideas on any whiteboard or wall surface..

Tinkercad

Another tool helpful is Tinkercad. Tinkercad is a free, easy-to-use app for 3D design, electronics, and coding.  We found Tinkercad great for modeling molecular structure:

Here's more on using Tinkercad in your classroom!

CoSpacesEDU

One tool that I've found very effective for three-dimensional modelling of systems is CoSpacesEDU.  This virtual environment allows students to construct, design, evaluate, modify and demonstrate their learning in a 3D space. Here's an example of an Energy World that students created to model different forms of energy in real world settings.

https://cospac.es/taGU

Needless to say, it's always effective when you are

Practicing the NGSS Practices: Asking Questions

As we started our year in Science with the Next Generation Science Standards for Middle School, I knew that we'd need some prep time familiarizing ourselves with the Science and Engineering practices as each standard is framed in a particular practice as we migrate through the year.  To those unfamiliar, the SE practices are:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Science-and-Engineering-Practice-Handout-4868652

 To start our year in sixth grade, I decided to PRACTICE each PRACTICE before practically applying them to our standards.  That way the students have a good understanding of the process, procedures and expectations that correspond with each of the Next Generation Science standards. 

Some of the practices have more of an engineering focus, and others relate better to Science.  Paul Anderson does an excellent job of explaining these practices and I used his Bozeman Science video series here to glean a better understanding of each practice.  After we worked on each practice, we then reviewed using this game and posters:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/NGSS-Science-and-Engineering-Practices-Pack-4868807

Science and Engineering Practice #1:  Asking Questions

Our first practice was Asking Questions.  For this I followed the QFT (Question Formulation Technique) as developed by the Right Institute. 

 The steps of a QFT are:

#1.  Brainstorm AS MANY questions as you can about a phenomenon

#2.  Identify which of your questions are Open Ended and which are Closed Ended

#3  Change ONE Closed Ended question to an Open Ended question to improve it.

#4.  Prioritize your top 3 questions that you are truly curious about.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Question-Formulation-Technique-Handout-4808249

I used this Google Slide Deck to introduce the strategy and then students placed the handout above into their interactive notebooks.   We actually used a Merge Cube as our phenomenon the first time!!  It was a fun way to show the Merge Cubes to the students and they had little to no knowledge of them!

Needless to say, it's always effective when you are

All the Hype About Hyperdocs

If you haven't heard of Hyperdocs, they're an AMAZING tool for instruction, especially in the 1:1 classroom. A reimagined perspective on the old 'webquest', a Hyperdoc concentrates learning in a one-stop-shopping style format and allows educators to integrate digital learning into their instruction in an attractive format WITHOUT providing students a list of links.  Each student has their OWN version of the document that they utilize to drive their own instruction.  With the advent of classroom management systems (such as Google Classroom) facilitating the dispersal of a Hyperdocs document to each student is easier than ever!!

The Hyperdoc Girls are truly the brainchild behind the Hyperdoc revolution, and should be given credit where credit is due! Their timely idea, tips and resources for use, bring this terrific instructional tool with a digital twist into ANY classroom.  Their website is a MUST SEE with dozens of FREE templates!  Their book provides amazing tips for those wishing to venture into this instructional avenue.

My foray into Hyperdocs began in Social Studies class.  I had seen the concept and wanted to integrate it in an inquiry based lesson, so the concept of ADRIFT came about.  In this Hyperdoc, students are presented with a situation; they are on a boat that is ADRIFT on the Nile River.

In order to 'save' themselves, they have a mystery to solve and a series of locations, items and information they must collect in order to survive.  As they investigate each question, they are using embedded tools such as the explore feature in Google Documents, Google Maps, and Google Image Search.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rosetta-Stone-Hyperdoc-Lesson-3451672

Check out the Rosetta Stone Hyperdoc here!!!

By framing their experience in a problem/solution way, students were extremely engaged in the learning.  My objectives were to have students learn about the Rosetta Stone, how it was found, by whom, where it was found as well as why it is important.  In the process, we secured their knowledge of the geography of Ancient Egypt as well.  This experience was MUCH MORE interactive and robust than simply providing them with questions, a textbook or a worksheet.  

As a Science teacher this year, my goal was to find more way to integrate Hyperdocs to assist with instruction of the Next Generation Science Standards for Middle School AND expand my use of Hyperdocs to include MORE digital options for students to demonstrate learning/understanding.  These goals came about by providing students with this Hyperdoc featuring Electromagnetic Waves aligned to the MS-PS4-2 Next Generation Science Standard.   

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hyperdoc-Electromagnetic-Waves-4677766

Check out the Electromagnetic Wave Hyperdoc here!!!

What I LOVE about this that students first activate their background knowledge on the topic by adding slides to this virtual bulletin board.  

Students then learn about each feature of Electromagnetic Waves by watching videos that are directly embedded within the Hyperdoc.  The videos are programmed to show ONLY the content that I want students to see.  Students watch the video clips that isolate the instructional concept and then demonstrate their understanding right on the Hyperdoc in the "DO" column.

This Hyperdoc also combines two of my favorite digital strategies for showing student understanding of concepts,  the Class Tools SMS Text Generator AND the Fodey Faux Newspaper Generator.

Here is a video tutorial showing how the texting chat feature works! 

Hyperdocs are transformative, customizable, interactive, engaging, relevant, promote digital skills & creativity, and best of all, they demonstrate that you are:

Engineering Design Process

This is my first year of teaching Science, and after 15 years as a social studies teacher, that's QUITE a change!!

As an advocate and enthusiast of STEM Design, I truly embraced the challenge OF the challenge of using Experimental Design (also known as Engineering Design) for instruction. Not knowing EXACTLY what I was doing when I reached this standard for my sixth graders:

MS-PS1-6 Undertake a design project to construct, test and modify a device that either releases or absorbs thermal energy by chemical processes

I started from scratch; researching Experimental Design expectations, exploring what Bozeman Science had to say on the topic, and eventually establishing my own guide for students to participate in Experimental Design.

The infographic above basically establishes the elements that need to be included in any engineering (experimental) design project.  

For my students, I broke this down into more manageable steps and began with a SMALL challenge...the candle, thumbtack and match challenge.  My goal?  To get them to be able to IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, ESTABLISH CONSTRAINTS and DETERMINE CRITERIA and to develop POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.

As I introduced my students to this process of Experimental Design I needed them to be able to understand CONSTRAINTS and CRITERIA.  The candle challenge is PERFECT for students to isolate the concepts of establishing the problem, determining the constraints and outlining the criteria for success.   Needless to say, when provided the problem, students EAGERLY engaged in determining a solution.  Here are the guide sheets I gave them along the way:

I grouped the students and had them work collaboratively towards a solution to the problem of HOW that candle can be fixed to the wall preventing candle wax from dripping onto the table using only the candle, thumbtacks and a box of matches.  They successfully identified the problem, constraints and criteria and eagerly brainstormed solutions but were tormented as I made them wait an extra day to find out the solution.  (he he)

GET THE SOLUTION HERE!!

The good news is it WORKED and I successfully provided a scaffold to move forward and provide them with a more rigorous design challenge:  The Marshmallow Tower.  Stay tuned for MORE details on the Marshmallow Tower as we expanded from PROBLEM, CONSTRAINTS, CRITERIA, POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS to DESIGNING, CREATING, ITERATION and OPTIMIZATION and even more on our eventual Chilly Scarecrow Challenge that finally achieved the standard in an amazing way, all while