ASD Science Notebook Strategies

Science Notebook Strategies

ASD Science Notebook Strategies are structured to be usable with any kit and are integrated into all science kit trainings. Although the intent is not to use all strategies during one science kit lesson, the strategies are included here in the approximate order that they would fit into the sequence of a science kit lesson. Each strategy below has a short description of the teaching aim of the strategy, several ways to use the strategy to capture student thinking, and a range of possible prompts to use with students of various ages. These notebook strategies were developed by the ASD science department and may be copied for educational use, but not for profit. For copyright information, please contact us. For more information on science notebooks, check out the other resources ASD recommends and the ASD Tube Science videos (e.g. Getting Started with Science Notebooks, or Science Notebooks Overview).
Set Up Your Notebook! Reserve pages or space ahead of time. Cover: Kit title and student name, illustration by students *Title Page:* optional, similar to above *Table of Contents:* 1-3 pages, add to this as new entries are made *Number* first few pages, make a habit of numbering new pages as you go *Vocabulary:* 3-10 pages in from the end *Other options:* Word bank, references, web sites, line across for space at bottom of page, fold over margin, draw line 1 inch from outer page edge, … *Adjust numbers of pages in student notebook as needed!
Notebook Strategy - Activating Prior Knowledge Helping students identify what they have already experienced or observed about the topic and to make connections. Capture student thinking: On a KWL chart or other graphic organizer Individually, in groups, or as a whole class Sparked by a different content area connection (i.e. poetry or art on the topic) Possible prompts: What does (science topic or term) make you think about? Have you _________ before? What do you think about when you look at … Science kit teachers guide questions
Notebook Strategy – What I Used & What I Did Helping students to think about materials used, their planning process, and the procedure they followed (planned or not). Capture student thinking: With labeled diagrams, a series of records, or words While working with materials for greater detail In pictures, sequences, lists, or descriptions As students plan Before, during, or after exploration Notes or comments can be added to original plan during or after exploration With materials word wall, can include visuals, or brainstormed uses In an unregimented way Possible prompts: Today I …. Use a series of technical drawings with labels to show how you … Show or tell in your notebook what method you used to investigate… What tools did you use … How did you … Questions from the science kit Teachers Guide
Notebook Strategy – What I Saw Helping students notice and record all of their observations and look carefully at details. Capture student thinking: With numbers, technical drawings, descriptions, lists, tables, charts, notes, graphs, and words. During the exploration for greatest accuracy By restating observations afterwards Possible prompts: I observed… or I noticed… When I looked closely at … Science kit teachers guide questions
Notebook Strategy – What I Recorded Helping students reflect on their data and observations. Capture Student Thinking With a summary of information recorded during the investigation On a class chart, list, or graphic organizer After re-reading or comparing data and observations from an investigation Individually, in groups, or as a whole class Possible prompts: Write a summary of your observations. How is the information you recorded similar to or different from your partner’s? Today I noticed… What did you record during the investigation? How did you record it? Science kit teachers guide questions
Notebook Strategy – What I Think Helping students think about and record what their data means, examine their investigative conclusions, and focus on those claims supported by data and observational evidence. Capture Student Thinking After discussion and reflection time With a “T” chart (“Claims” and “Evidence”) With a summary statement Written in a different color next to the data that supports the conclusion During a class discussion to generate a model conclusion About possible changes to the investigation Possible prompts: My observations mean… What information did you record that makes you think that? I claim that … because … I think if … then … because … Science kit teachers guide questions
Notebook Strategy – What I Learned Helping students reflect on what knowledge they have gained through their investigations, discussions, and reflections. Capture Student Thinking Several times during the kit with a Ladder of Learning. During individual reflection time After reviewing science notebook entries By identifying WHY students think what they think Possible prompts: Record your new response to the BIG question. From … I have learned … Science kit teachers guide questions
Notebook Strategy – What I Learned: Ladder of Learning Helping students reflect on what knowledge they have gained through their investigations, discussions, and reflections: a long-term tool for metacognition; helping students think about how they know what they know and see how what they think changes over time. How to set it up: Set aside a few pages in the notebook. (Can use borders, colors, “Ladder of Learning” heading, add to Table of Contents, etc.) Record a BIG QUESTION. This question needs to be something that is applicable throughout the kit. Focus on the overarching ideas and key science concepts from the kit or grade-level theme. Possible Big Question format: What do you know now about sound? Describe how energy flows in the environment around you. Science kit teachers’ guide questions How to use the Ladder: Students record their initial response to the question, date the entry, and draw a line under it. After several lessons or experiences related to the kit, students return to the Ladder, reread previous responses and notebook entries, and record their current answer to the Big Question. Student responses could describe how their learning experiences since their last Ladder entry have: reinforced ideas they held previously, changed knowledge they recorded before, caused them to think something new, added a new twist or dimension to something they wrote down earlier… Date each entry and separate with a line. Students make repeated responses to the same question at strategic times throughout the kit to create an ongoing record of their thinking about the big idea(s) and/or key topic(s). Make time for students to discuss and share how their thinking is changing and identify what made them think these new things!
Sharing Strategy – How I Organized Helping students to think about, articulate, and discuss or evaluate the organizational decisions made while recording information in their science notebook. Students share with: Themselves, a partner, a group, the class, or an adult How to set it up: After students have recorded information in their notebook they review an entry (or multiple entries). Students consider the type of information they generated (e.g. numerical, descriptive, drawings, words, etc.) and how they recorded it (e.g. lists, labels, randomly, sequentially, headings, charts, divided pages, etc.) Reflect on and discuss the usefulness of the entry with a focus on organization: Which methods of recording allowed you to retrieve and use the information from the entry? Which methods of recording allowed others to understand the information? (Answers to these are likely to vary considerably between individuals.) Options: The class can all examine copies or an overhead of the same entry and discuss its organization as a group. Partners can compare similarities and differences in the way they each organized their information from an exploration. Students can compare two different notebook entries from their own notebook. After unguided recording, ask students to use their entries for some purpose. Use any difficulties or confusion as the basis for a discussion of how they might have recorded the information so it would be easy to access and understand later. Possible prompts: Someone else would have a difficult/easy time understanding this science notebook entry because … When I record _______ I need to remember to … In this entry, I recorded _________ using … I organized my observations by …. To use my information later, I could …. Science kit Teachers Guide questions
Sharing Strategy – What I Heard Helping students to listen as they explain and clarify their thinking in a new way to different partners and to gain new ideas about content, organization, etc. from other students’ notebooks. How to set it up: Pair up with a new partner, take turns sharing based on information recorded in science notebook entry. After listening to partner, record something learned from partner in science notebook. Possible prompts: Sticker prompts: “Today I shared with:____” “My partner thinks …” “My partners evidence for … is ….” Line of Learning: divide individual information from new ideas generated Record one thing your partner discovered about… Comment Capture Box: recorded comment and why chosen Science kit teachers guide questions
Notebook Strategy – Asking Questions Working with students to recognize and record their questions. Capture Questions Partners can help remind each other to record Before, during, or after exploration When working with materials In a class idea bank By looking back through entries On a chart or special space Possible prompts: What are you trying to do with that? Record any questions you have about … I wonder… What questions do you still have… Science kit Teachers Guide questions
Notebook Strategy – Self-Assessment Helping students evaluate their own progress by identifying examples of their current best work as part of an ongoing process. Capture student thinking: With moveable color-coded flags or stickies on a color-coded key glued inside the notebook cover With reflective statements About a custom-selected group of skills or demonstrated understandings By changing the location of flags as a better example, in the student’s opinion, is generated About evidence in the science notebook that supports understanding of science content statements from storylines To guide teacher examination of student work By summarizing what they think about their work Possible prompts: Flag a piece of work that shows…. This is my best … / This is a… …observation, great diagram, question, something I learned, new word I used, summary, statement based on data, explanation, labeling, strong conclusion, data, detail, organization, most accurate measurement I changed the location of the flag for … because … I used to think….but now I think… This observation shows that I understand …. Questions from science kit Teachers Guide

Science Notebook Strategies

ASD Science Notebook Strategies are structured to be usable with any kit and are integrated into all science kit trainings. Although the intent is not to use all strategies during one science kit lesson, the strategies are included here in the approximate order that they would fit into the sequence of a science kit lesson. Each strategy below has a short description of the teaching aim of the strategy, several ways to use the strategy to capture student thinking, and a range of possible prompts to use with students of various ages.

These notebook strategies were developed by the ASD science department and may be copied for educational use, but not for profit. For copyright information, please contact us.

For more information on science notebooks, check out the other resources ASD recommends and the ASD Tube Science videos (e.g. Getting Started with Science Notebooks, or Science Notebooks Overview).

Set Up Your Notebook!
Reserve pages or space ahead of time.

Cover: Kit title and student name, illustration by students

Title Page: optional, similar to above

Table of Contents: 1-3 pages, add to this as new entries are made

Number first few pages, make a habit of numbering new pages as you go

Vocabulary: 3-10 pages in from the end

Other options: Word bank, references, web sites, line across for space at bottom of page, fold over margin, draw line 1 inch from outer page edge, …

*Adjust numbers of pages in student notebook as needed!

Notebook Strategy - Activating Prior Knowledge

Helping students identify what they have already experienced or observed about the topic and to make connections.

Capture student thinking:

On a KWL chart or other graphic organizer
Individually, in groups, or as a whole class
Sparked by a different content area connection
(i.e. poetry or art on the topic)

Possible prompts:

What does (science topic or term) make you think about?
Have you _________ before?
What do you think about when you look at …
Science kit teachers guide questions

Notebook Strategy – What I Used & What I Did

Helping students to think about materials used, their planning process, and the procedure they followed (planned or not).

Capture student thinking:

With labeled diagrams, a series of records, or words
While working with materials for greater detail
In pictures, sequences, lists, or descriptions
As students plan
Before, during, or after exploration
Notes or comments can be added to original plan during or after exploration
With materials word wall, can include visuals, or brainstormed uses
In an unregimented way

Possible prompts:

Today I ….
Use a series of technical drawings with labels to show how you …
Show or tell in your notebook what method you used to investigate…
What tools did you use …
How did you …
Questions from the science kit Teachers Guide

Notebook Strategy – What I Saw

Helping students notice and record all of their observations and look carefully at details.

Capture student thinking:

With numbers, technical drawings, descriptions, lists, tables, charts, notes, graphs, and words.
During the exploration for greatest accuracy
By restating observations afterwards

Possible prompts:

I observed… or I noticed…
When I looked closely at …
Science kit teachers guide questions

Notebook Strategy – What I Recorded

Helping students reflect on their data and observations.

Capture Student Thinking

With a summary of information recorded during the investigation
On a class chart, list, or graphic organizer
After re-reading or comparing data and observations from an investigation
Individually, in groups, or as a whole class

Possible prompts:

Write a summary of your observations.
How is the information you recorded similar to or different from your partner’s?
Today I noticed…
What did you record during the investigation? How did you record it?
Science kit teachers guide questions

Notebook Strategy – What I Think

Helping students think about and record what their data means, examine their investigative conclusions, and focus on those claims supported by data and observational evidence.

Capture Student Thinking

After discussion and reflection time
With a “T” chart (“Claims” and “Evidence”)
With a summary statement
Written in a different color next to the data that supports the conclusion
During a class discussion to generate a model conclusion
About possible changes to the investigation

Possible prompts:

My observations mean…
What information did you record that makes you think that?
I claim that … because …
I think if … then … because …
Science kit teachers guide questions

Notebook Strategy – What I Learned

Helping students reflect on what knowledge they have gained through their investigations, discussions, and reflections.

Capture Student Thinking

Several times during the kit with a Ladder of Learning.
During individual reflection time
After reviewing science notebook entries
By identifying WHY students think what they think

Possible prompts:

Record your new response to the BIG question.
From … I have learned …
Science kit teachers guide questions

Notebook Strategy – What I Learned: Ladder of Learning

Helping students reflect on what knowledge they have gained through their investigations, discussions, and reflections:

a long-term tool for metacognition; helping students think about how they know what they know and see how what they think changes over time.

How to set it up:

Set aside a few pages in the notebook. (Can use borders, colors, “Ladder of Learning” heading, add to Table of Contents, etc.)
Record a BIG QUESTION. This question needs to be something that is applicable throughout the kit. Focus on the overarching ideas and key science concepts from the kit or grade-level theme.

Possible Big Question format:

What do you know now about sound?
Describe how energy flows in the environment around you.
Science kit teachers’ guide questions

How to use the Ladder:

Students record their initial response to the question, date the entry, and draw a line under it.
After several lessons or experiences related to the kit, students return to the Ladder, reread previous responses and notebook entries, and record their current answer to the Big Question.
Student responses could describe how their learning experiences since their last Ladder entry have:
- reinforced ideas they held previously,
- changed knowledge they recorded before,
- caused them to think something new,
- added a new twist or dimension to
  something they wrote down earlier…
Date each entry and separate with a line.
Students make repeated responses to the same question at strategic times throughout the kit to create an ongoing record of their thinking about the big idea(s) and/or key topic(s).
Make time for students to discuss and share how their thinking is changing and identify what made them think these new things!

Sharing Strategy – How I Organized

Helping students to think about, articulate, and discuss or evaluate the organizational decisions made while recording information in their science notebook.

Students share with:

Themselves, a partner, a group, the class, or an adult

How to set it up:

After students have recorded information in their notebook they review an entry (or multiple entries).
Students consider the type of information they generated
(e.g. numerical, descriptive, drawings, words, etc.) and how they recorded it (e.g. lists, labels, randomly, sequentially, headings, charts, divided pages, etc.)
Reflect on and discuss the usefulness of the entry with a focus on organization: Which methods of recording allowed you to retrieve and use the information from the entry? Which methods of recording allowed others to understand the information? (Answers to these are likely to vary considerably between individuals.)

Options:

The class can all examine copies or an overhead of the same entry and discuss its organization as a group.
Partners can compare similarities and differences in the way they each organized their information from an exploration.
Students can compare two different notebook entries from their own notebook.
After unguided recording, ask students to use their entries for some purpose. Use any difficulties or confusion as the basis for a discussion of how they might have recorded the information so it would be easy to access and understand later.

Possible prompts:

Someone else would have a difficult/easy time understanding this science notebook entry because …
When I record _______ I need to remember to …
In this entry, I recorded _________ using …
I organized my observations by ….
To use my information later, I could ….
Science kit Teachers Guide questions

Sharing Strategy – What I Heard

Helping students to listen as they explain and clarify their thinking in a new way to different partners and to gain new ideas about content, organization, etc. from other students’ notebooks.

How to set it up:

Pair up with a new partner, take turns sharing based on information recorded in science notebook entry.
After listening to partner, record something learned from partner in science notebook.

Possible prompts:

Sticker prompts: “Today I shared with:____”
“My partner thinks …”
“My partners evidence for … is ….”
Line of Learning: divide individual information from new ideas generated
Record one thing your partner discovered about…
Comment Capture Box: recorded comment and why chosen
Science kit teachers guide questions

Notebook Strategy – Asking Questions

Working with students to recognize and record their questions.

Capture Questions

Partners can help remind each other to record
Before, during, or after exploration
When working with materials
In a class idea bank
By looking back through entries
On a chart or special space

Possible prompts:

What are you trying to do with that?
Record any questions you have about …
I wonder…
What questions do you still have…
Science kit Teachers Guide questions

Notebook Strategy – Self-Assessment

Helping students evaluate their own progress by identifying examples of their current best work as part of an ongoing process.

Capture student thinking:

With moveable color-coded flags or stickies on a color-coded key glued inside the notebook cover
With reflective statements
About a custom-selected group of skills or demonstrated understandings
By changing the location of flags as a better example, in the student’s opinion, is generated
About evidence in the science notebook that supports understanding of science content statements from storylines
To guide teacher examination of student work
By summarizing what they think about their work

Possible prompts:

Flag a piece of work that shows….
This is my best … / This is a…
- …observation, great diagram, question, something I learned, new word I used, summary, statement based on data, explanation, labeling, strong conclusion, data, detail, organization, most accurate measurement
I changed the location of the flag for … because …
I used to think….but now I think…
This observation shows that I understand ….
Questions from science kit Teachers Guide