Setting the Stage for Science

Whether you use notebooks, journals, or binders, preparing ahead of time can help students stay organized and keep things moving smoothly in those first few days.  This week I am preparing my own science journals. 

I prefer to color code things in my classroom for my sanity and the students'!  If everything related to literacy is red it is much easier for me to help my "lost Lucy" find her missing folder or notebook without missing a beat.  Color coding = happy teacher!! 

The biggest challenge I have had with my system has been those darn spiral notebooks. The covers can get ripped off easily, the mangled up metal becomes a booby-trap for unsuspecting hands  - all this in a matter of a few weeks. So, the alternative? Composition books, of course.  Colored composition books are usually more expensive and MY colors are not always easy to come by.  Also, I hate to be that teacher that all the parents are complaining about in the school supply aisle.  I know you have heard them grumbling about sizes of binders and colors of folders too! Occasionally I will take up the cause and try to explain gently that organizing allows us more time to teach, but I am mostly sure they are not in the mood for my pearls of wisdom. :) As a mom I understand their frustration, and without walking in a teacher's shoes it can be hard to see why it is so important to some of us. So instead of adding another hurdle for parents, I buy the traditional black and white composition books and add a cute cover label.  Last year a super smart teacher wrote about (or pinned about??) adding tape to the spine.  I loved the idea!! That way the students no longer had to look at the top cover to see if they had the right journal.  Here is a peek at my mock up journal. 

                     

Journals with (cute) form and function - a dream!

I'm starting with science journals.  I have put together 6 options for the cover label (2 with a boy and girl, 2 with just a boy, and 2 with just a girl).  The kids can choose their cover based on a scientist that looks like them or by the cool tools or animals the scientists are holding.  
 Our district has some changes in store for science this year, and while I don't have all the details I have seen one new item that will need to be included in each unit.  It is a half-page sized booklet, and they suggest gluing it into the notebook.  Well... I have nightmares about mostly complete, lost booklets and third graders in tears.  So, here is my solution...

A pocket!

                                   

   

A pocket that the booklet can be kept in when not in use! I hope this goes as well as I envision... I will get back to you on that! I created this pocket with my scrapbooking tools.  There are also pockets available from Post-It or you can fold and staple a page in the notebook as well (probably the best for time management, but I think the added goodies get the kids excited).  I liked the scrapbooking tools idea because I can use cardstock to make a sturdier pocket, size it to exactly what I need, and choose to make it thematic -- we are working on Plants in the Life Science Unit first, can you tell?

Other features that I have used and loved in the past are:

Tabs

Tabs for each workshop. I like the sturdy, sticky tabs and I really haven't had a problem with students removing them.  (I set up the next workshop when I collect to grade.  Students do not have to worry about using an exact number of pages.) I put three tabs on this mock up so I could see how the size will work out.  These tabs are large, but my students definitely won't have the ripping/falling off problems of the past - they are double sided and made on cardstock.  I added the unit this time, I usually only have the workshop name, but I think it will be helpful for getting to the correct section.  I anticipate making the next unit a different color.

Helper Resources

The helper resources include a couple of pages - one is pictured here.  I glue these citation aids on the covers of the journals so students have them as a handy reference.  One provides a guide of sentence starters based upon the lesson or activity done that day while the other offers additional phrasing. (This isn't the greatest picture - I will ask Santa for a new camera! ;)  )

Finally, rubrics. They are not pictured because our district provides specific rubrics for each workshop.  When I use additional resources they usually fit within one of the criteria on their rubric, if not I create a separate grade. I really like the idea of the visual rubric mentioned by the Science Penguin (see the link below); I will determine how to merge the two (district + visual) once I have the information from the district. 

My other goal this year is to implement a Table of Contents and to cut the top right corners to help students flip to the next page quickly.  I have done ribbon bookmarks in the past, they were pretty successful, but could be a distraction for a few student.

So, there you have it! My science journals are ready for some brilliant revelations as we investigate plants in the next couple of weeks. I am excited to try some of the great interactive resources I have seen from people like The Science Penguin!  Check out her information about interactive notebooking if you are thinking about trying it out by clicking here . 

If you would like the cute covers and sentence starter/citation starter pages you can pick up my Science Journal Resources at my TpT store.