Sense-Sational Science…

Sense-Sational Science… Exploring Science Notebooking Primary/Elementary Students Shan Glandon (shan.glandon@jenksps.org)

What? Why? How? So What? Exploring Science Notebooking

Think: What is the work of scientists i.e., their roles, the skill sets they bring to their work, the tasks they pursue? Pair: Discuss with a partner; record ideas on sticky notes. Share: How can science notebooking support students’ work as scientists? The Work of a Scientist

An Entry from the Science Notebook of Linus Pauling What components do you see?

An Entry from the Science Notebook of Isaac Newton What components do you see?

Real Scientists’ Writing • Field notebooks documenting observations • Journal articles citing research and new questions • Lab reports that outline specific procedures

An Entry from a Student’s Notebook What components/ do you see?

An Entry from a Student’s Notebook What new components/ variations do you see?

An Entry from a Class Notebook

Another Class Notebook

Other Class Notebook Ideas • The Discovery Table • Small table or shelf • Magnifying glasses • Nature objects/ objects brought from home • Observation sheets in a notebook

Other Class Notebook Ideas • The Observation Window • Classroom window • Observation notebook • Cup of pencils and markers

Small Books Zoo Trip

Small Books All About Book: Spider Fascination

Small Books Observing Hermit Crabs

Small Books Race Car Movements

Turn and Talk • Share with colleagues at your table and compile one list of science notebook components/small book expectations. • Browse and read in chapter 2 to add to your list of science notebook components/small book expectations. • Set priorities for the 2012-2013 school year. Asterisk the components/ small book expectations that you will require. • Set up your own science notebook for your work with the non-profits, so you have modeling pages to share with your students.

Why Science Notebooking? • The best record of the lesson or unit. • A way to establish habits of scientific documentation. • A good place for students to “listen to themselves think”…..A record of findings, questions, thoughts, procedures. Writing demands that students learn to organize their knowledge, link evidence to claims and draw conclusions. • A reference tool to use in small or whole group discussion….notebooks are often dirty, tattered and used!

Why Science Notebooking? • Data for Informal Scientist Meetings • Share insights, reflections, conclusions, questions • Participate in a turn and talk about the investigation • Occur daily • Data for Formal Scientist Meetings • Make presentations based on a focus or a purpose • Create authentic purposes for keeping an organized and detailed notebook

What type of notebook? • Composition book • Spiral notebook with observation sheets • Two-pocket folder • Small books

Encouraging Use of Notebooks • Before an Investigation… • Gather in a discussion area. • Engage students’ attention. • Discuss and model use of science notebooks. • Identify requirements e.g., date, title, information, drawing • Record background information/prior knowledge • Set up data charts • Record process information, observations • Make technical drawings • Record questions/wonderings • Make a small book

Implementing the Lesson • During an Investigation… • Circulate and observe students at work. • Ask open-ended questions. • Make anecdotal notes. • Pause students in their investigation work to give them time to make notebook entries.

Implementing the Lesson … • After the Investigation… • Gather in a discussion area. • Ask thought-provoking questions- What did you discover? What are you finding? What are your thoughts about _______? • Share, share, share. • Encourage students to cite specific examples from their notebooks.

Planning a Lesson … • What are the content goals for this activity? • What is the main inquiry skill (observing, collecting numerical data, drawing conclusions, recording procedures)? • What are different ways students might represent information? • How can I support students’ use of their notebooks?

Notebooking…Planning Example • Content goals: • Matter changes. The change can be physical or chemical. • Inquiry Skills: Observe, Collect and Record Data, Note questions • Representation Options: • Draw pictures • Write a narrative • Make a list • Other ?? • Support for Students: • Giving students time • Giving students opportunities to reflect, share, and debrief

An Investigation • Take a moment to record….in your science notebook. • Date: June 5, 2012 • Title: Changes in Matter • Observations of a gobstopper • Before you put it in your mouth • After you put it in your mouth • Predictions/hypothesis regarding what will happen to the gobstoppers when they are placed in water • Drawing of the experimental set-up • A data chart recording changes/observations • Wonderings/questions • Conclusions related to your predictions/hypothesis

Creating an environment for writing … • Processing time is key: Give students time to talk, think, draw, and write. • Prior to an Investigation (thinking, planning, tapping into background knowledge) • During an Investigation (illustrations, photographs, data, reflections, interpretations, wonderings, questions) • After an Investigation (discussion, presentation, adding to background knowledge)

Creating an environment for writing … • Create a word wall to post new vocabulary. • Develop class research board to capture student questions. Sort the questions into categories: • “Can be answered by working with materials” • “Can be answered by an expert or book” • “Not sure”

Using the notebook to assess student progress … developing rubrics Predicting

Using the notebook to assess student progress … developing rubrics • Recording and Organizing Data • Drawing (making a small book) • Questioning • Reflecting • Using Notebooks as a Resource • Self-Assessing and Ability to Set Improvement Goals • Other Rubric Possibilities: Concept Understanding ?? Other Inquiry Skills ??

Assessing… • Collect and read. Write comments on post-it notes, not in their notebooks. • Ask students to choose “best 3 entries” to be graded. • Observe and talk to students during and after the investigations (conferencing). • Read science notebooks/small books to evaluate level of understanding of concepts and process skills.

Assessing… • Ask students to choose “best 2 inquiry skills” from each item on Science Notebook Checklist to be graded.

Other helpful insights from the book…. • Pages 12-16: What will the first week actually look like? • Chapter 4: Discussions with Two Scientists: How they use their notebooks

Unit Requirements … An Overview Teacher: Subject/Course name: Grade level: Contextual information/learning environment adaptations: Tell about your students. Include the number of students and relevant demographic information, current academic abilities, and any other information you believe is important to know about your students.

Unit Requirements … continued 5. Unit learning objectives: Unifying concept: Content understandings: Inquiry skills: Attitudes toward science: Key Vocabulary: 6. Unit plan: Describe Sense-Sational Science connection: Integrate vocabulary-building strategies: Plan non-fiction reading/recording strategy: Consider mathematics/technology/writing opportunities:

Unit Requirements … continued 7. Assessments: Pre-and post-assessments Formative assessments (notebook entries, discussion contributions, anecdotal notes) 8. Reflection regarding the assessments Did the pre- and post-assessments tell you what you wanted to know? How did you monitor student learning during the lesson/unit?

Unit Requirements … continued 9. Analysis of student learning (outcomes) List students’ pre- and post-assessment scores with gains and losses Write analysis: What do these scores tell you about students’ learning during this lesson/unit? Who was successful and who was not? Did you notice any groupings or trends? 10. Reflection on teaching and learning How did you apply what you learned from the non-profits in teaching this lesson/unit? Did you get the results you hoped for?

Sense-Sational Science…