Science Notebooks: Writing About Inquiry

by Lori Fulton, Brian Campbell, Linda Gregg

From Galileo to scientists working on cloning, notebooks have been used to document scientific discovery. Science notebooks are also effective tools in the classroom. They make science experiences more meaningful and authentic for students as they observe, record, and reflect on what they've learned. For time-strapped teachers, notebooks offer a natural way to integrate science and language arts. Brian Campbell and Lori Fulton spent four years investigating the use of science notebooks by students, teachers, and practicing scientists. This book not only details what they learned, it serves as a ready resource of strategies and methods for teachers to incorporate science notebooks into their school day. Along the way, the book intersperses additional help: Use science notebooks and watch as your students write as scientists do, share their thinking, support their ideas with evidence, and improve their literacy through reading, writing, and speaking.

Genres: Education, Teaching

112 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

Reviews

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every teacher who teaches science would like this book!!!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fulton and Campbell explain the learning benefits of using notebooks authentically in science, and give practical suggestions for planning for and implementing their use. It's aimed at elementary school teachers, but has a few helpful suggestions and ideas for middle grades. My biggest takeaways were:
1) Investigations should be authentic, meaning students should be genuinely invested in answering the research question, actively involved in collecting data, and designing whatever part of the process is developmentally appropriate to have them do.
2) Plan each investigation with three goals in mind: 1 learning target, 1 science practice, and 1 literacy skill.
3) Check notebooks frequently as formative assessments focused in on those three goals. Then provide students with supports as needed.
4) Give students real opportunities to talk about their results and they will improve the quality of what they put into their notebooks.

[Mrs. Ruigrok · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book to inspire teachers and students alike. This book shows how to use science notebooks in the classroom to help students develop observations and explanations. This book illustrates the importance of the science notebook as a powerful tool to help advance scientific thinking and literacy skills.

[Ruth Barone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book a few months ago and am just now getting around to reviewing it. Luckily, I took notes so I have more than just my memory to go on. :)

The book starts out by defining a science notebook. A science notebook is a place for students to record not only their data, but also their thoughts on the work they are doing. In essence, a science notebook is a science log and a science journal that have been combined into one tool.

The book explains what type of notebooks work best as science notebooks, and what notebook entries should look like. Some things, (date, time, etc.) should be included with every entry. Other content will vary depending on the student’s investigations, the nature of the project, the student’s age, and other factors. Graphs, diagrams, drawings, notes, lists, charts, tables, and written observations are all examples of notebook entries.

Teachers are encouraged to let students record data in a way that makes sense to them. The entries do not need to be perfect or neat, and the notebooks will probably end up splattered with various experiments and may be full of hastily-written notes. As long as the student can refer to their notebook and get the information they need from it, it is serving its main function. Notebooks should help students become better observers, classifiers, and questioners.

Additionally, teachers should not always tell students *how* to record their data. Students need to learn how to choose an appropriate recording method on their own, and there may be more than one method that will work. It is the teacher’s responsibility to make sure that the students know how to use many different methods.

Notebooks are also an assessment tool for teachers and students. They shouldn’t be graded, but they can be helpful in determining if students are understanding assignments and where more instruction could be given. Teachers should also observe students using their notebooks – do they reference them during discussions? If not, why? Maybe they are not recording data in a way that is helpful to them.

The book then gives some examples of different types of entries, discusses how to determine if a student is progressing, and how science notebooks can be used to make literacy connections.

I thought the book was good, and that I learned a lot from it, but it felt like 90% of the content was in the first two chapters and then the next four seemed a bit light. I would have loved to have seen more examples of notebook entries by grade level. Overall, though, I’m glad I read it and I will definitely be implementing many of the suggestions/ideas. I think it will prove to be a good reference tool, both for coming up with (and assessing) our own notebook entries and for evaluating notebook pages that come with various science curricula.

[Kalynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the book we used in our elementary science methods course, and it was a great example, reference, and discussion source. I used science notebooks when I taught middle school and in 5th grade, and found them to be a vital tool for science.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there is a lot of good information in this book, there is also a lot that needs to be sorted through. For the most part, the valuable parts are things that are common sense. But the strategy is good one way or the other.

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of great ideas and would love to incorporate some into my class, but a little to free form, i feel students need at least a model to follow.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just couldn't make myself read this, although I think there is valuable info in here.

[Kristle Pipgras · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was full of useful information that will come in handy when I am teaching science to my own students.