Using Science Interactive Notebooks in the classroom is a creative and engaging tool for your students to process and understand information given by the teacher. Unfortunately, I have seen one too many peers be defeated by one thing or another and usually give up on the Interactive Notebook by the time Thanksgiving rolls around.
A few reasons why Interactive Notebooks fail: 1. Lack of organization (not everyone is on same page number, running out of supplies, etc.); 2. Realizing that coming up with Student Output side activities takes time…and we all know that is something that teachers rarely have enough of; and 3. Student Output side activities stop asking students to be creative, so students lose interest and pride in their notebook and it just becomes another piece of school material that gets thrown in their backpack or on their bedroom floor.
Hopefully this new blog will help with all three issues so your Science Interactive Notebook endeavor does not become another statistic.
A good place to start would be to check out my free Intro to Science Interactive Notebooks to help you with materials and getting started then come on back and check out what other tips and strategies are being used.
Wow Erica! Excellent post! I have even shared this guide for my non science teacher friends for setting up their interactive notebooks in their English, math, social studies classrooms. Very good details. My question is, do you have a post on how to actually execute the notebook in the class or is there a set of videos you could show with a teacher actually using the notebook in the class? I just purchased and downloaded your complete Physical Science Guide (thank you). I am not sure how the children "get" the notes you post in your book? Do you have them copy when you lecture? Do they generate their own notes from text? Is this homework? I hope my question is clear. I really want to incorporate this in my classroom. My own son who is in 6th grade took a look at your notebooks and said, "Mom, this looks so cool." (He hates writing in notebooks and he is a straight A student.) Tips on how the notebook is actually used in a lesson are much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteHello, Erica!
ReplyDeleteI am beyond ecstatic that I found your blog and resources via Pinterest! I've been thinking about utilizing interactive notebooks in my science classes this year, and when I saw your items pop up, I just had to check them out. I am absolutely blown away and I cannot wait to start developing my own notebooks in class with my students using what you've created (and developing some of my own, of course). Not only did I purchase the majority of your life science guides and your physical science bundle on TpT, but I have been inspired to start designing my own "student output" products (I have 2 so far). Thank you for sharing - hopefully I will have some student samples to share with you once we get started.
Hi Jordan,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you found me too!! I know you will not be disappointed with your students work, as well as their enthusiasm when it comes to using an Interactive Notebook. Kudos to you on your own products as well - summer is definitely the time to do it before the craziness sets in :)
I would be honored to showcase some of your students work once the school year starts! Have a great rest of your week!
Erica
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ReplyDeletewe do the interactive notebook in my class and we love it.
ReplyDelete