Kristen HellierMiddle School Science Coordinating Teacher,

WCPSSkhellier@wcpss.net

What is it??On the surface, it is just a spiral or

composition notebook.It is actually a tool for helping students

process the information they learn in class.It gives a structure for organizing thoughts

and personalizing information.It is like a closet organizer!

What is it not??A place for lab reports onlyA “gotcha” for unorganized students

A tool that is rarely used in the classroom

Left Side Right Side

Reorganize new information in a creative way

Preview and review information

Express opinion, reactions, and feelings

Graphically process the information on the right side

Ask questions about new ideasUse charts, poems, diagrams,

and artistic pictures to show me you understand the information on the right side

Class NotesDiscussion notesReading notesHandouts with new

informationAll testable information

Examples

Class notes on the effects of the ozone layer.

A diary entry from a person that lives in a world with no ozone.

Examples

Book questions on adaptations and natural selection.

A summary of the “beak size” lab.

Examples

Class notes on a video about “green construction”.

Design your own resort that incorporates at least 3 “green” features.

Table of Contents Use the front and back of the 1st page and the

front of the 2nd page.

You can always add a “flip page” later if necessary

The first few daysYou want to allow time for the students to

properly set up their notebook.Have them complete an “About the Author”

sheet and paste it on the inside cover. Have them include pictures of themselves, family, and friends (this makes them less likely to lose the notebook).

You will also want to include your name and room number on the front cover for a quick return if it is misplaced.

The first few pagesThese pages should help the students become

comfortable with the process.Include information about grading, ideas for

activities, etc.

How to incorporate technologyThere are many “digital notebooks” available. is a great option. This would require a 1 to 1 laptop/iPad situation.

On the left side, students could include aLink to a voice thread (www.voicethread.com)Link to their own website or wikiLink to a self made comic strip

(www.bitstrips.com)QR code (www.qrstuff.com)

How to incorporate literacyAny left side page could be a literacy activity!Literacy is not separate from content, it is the

vehicle to understanding the content.

Think aboutRAFTsComic stripsStoriesPoemsJournal entries

But what about…Students that lose EVERYTHING!Pages falling outKinesthetic activitiesStudents that write too largeRunning out of pagesUsing foldablesLarge lab reportsCopy limitsIEPs/504sWhat else ya got for me???

The hidden benefits of INBsPortfolio of work to use during

conferencesA way for students to communicate

with parents about what they are doing in science class

A place for students to find what they missed if they were absent

A teacher portfolio

GradingWhat should a grade represent?Content knowledge gradeWork habits gradeAllow students to use their notebook during a

test or quiz

Your turn

Now that we have talked about Interactive

Notebooks, what questions or concerns do you still

have?

Available resourceshttp://bitly.com/hellier

Google the term “Interactive Notebooks”

Any questions?

Kristen Hellierkhellier@wcpss.net

919-431-7673

So how would this look in the classroom?You are now going to be my “students”.I will present the next slides as if I were in

the classroom. Be kind!!

Unit 5- Matter

On page 3LWrite the following on the top of the page:

6.P.2

At the end of this unit, you will understand the structure, classification, and physical properties of matter.

Write the word “Matter” in the center of the page.

Draw any pictures or write down any words that come to mind when you hear the word “matter”.

Write the following questions on your page. You do not have to answer them right now. What is matter?How and why does matter change?Why does matter matter?

Foldable time!!Cut on the dotted line and fold on the solid line.Write the following words on sticky notes. One

word per sticky note:dependentthe amount you havestay the sameIndependent

Put them where you think they belong on your foldable.

We will do the definitions later this week. We will check our answers in just a few minutes.

6.P.2.3

You will compare the physical properties of pure substances that are independent of the amount of matter present including density, melting point, boiling point, and solubility to properties that are dependent on the amount of matter present to include volume, mass, and weight.

In other words…It does not matter how much of a pure

substance you have, the density, temperature to boil or melt, and the ability to dissolve stays the same.

Volume, mass, and weight will vary depending on how much you have.

This helps when identifying unknown substances.

Go back to your foldableLet’s check you answers!Paste your foldable onto p. 3R

Write 6.P.2.3 on the top of the page.

We will start with a lesson on density

Density is the mass per unit of volume. If you know the mass and volume, you can calculate the density.

Density=mass/volumeSo…… two objects can have the same volume but

different masses. The object with the lower mass is less dense. (New York City vs. DeKalb County TN)- Can you think of other densely populated cities in the world?

… two objects can have the same mass but different volumes. The object with the greater volume is less dense. (pound of feathers, pound of lead). Can you think of other examples?

Lets try this activity

on p. 4L…3 things you discovered while using the simulation

2 things you already knew

1 question you still haveIf you don’t have a computer or the site is

not working, try to answer the following question:

“How can you change the density of a pure substance?”

On page 4RPaste the lab notes

Re-visit p. 4LMake any adjustments in a different

colored writing utensil.

How can this help in the “real world”?

If you know the mass and volume of an object, you can determine the density and possibly identify the substance.

Let’s go backOn p. 3R- write the definition of density

On p. 3L-Draw some pictures to remind you of this activity.

Table of ContentsPartner discussion notes

on INBs……………..1L

My Ideas for output activities….…..….….2L

6.P.2- Matter Intro….…3L

Simulation 3-2-1……...4L

So What is an Interactive Notebook?................1R

Left side Reflection Ideas……………..….2R

6.P.2.3 foldable……….3R

A Date with Density…..4R

Good websiteshttp://www.middleschoolscience.com/notebook-2010-2011.htm

http://thetechnorateteacher.wordpress.com/2009/06/14/interactive-notebooks-in-science-class/