Science Notebook Resources

I think my favorite thing about science are the science notebooks!

The student's worksheets, lab sheets, observations, foldables (lots of foldables) all go in there. This is my 4th year doing the notebook and it just gets better every year.

I always hope that by the 3rd day of school, all students have their composition notebooks purchased and brought to school. If not, I always buy extra and they replace mine later on. (Sometimes, but I am particular enough about it being a composition notebook that I will pay for it. My first year, composition notebooks weren't even on our school supply list, so I bought them for the entire class.

For those who do notebooks, you probably already have a process that you use. I want to share some of the resources I have found that might expand what you already do. And get those of you started who haven't done it yet.

Middle School Science has lots of ideas for the Science Notebook- and the actual worksheet to add to the notebook available for download. The page I linked to is mostly 5th grade resources, but I believe I saw 7th grade notebooks there as well. And everything can be adapted to fit what you need.

Another website I found was from the East Bay Educational Collaborative located on the east coast. There are several resources for activities (especially science process skills), rubrics, setting up notebooks, etc. I haven't explore the whole thing yet, but I've already added several things to my lesson plans.

My favorite things here are the Index Master (because after 3 years, I still have not mastered the science notebook index) and the the "Let's be a Scientist" Checklist that students can make sure they are hitting all their steps in reflection and experiments.

Are there any other websites you've found that are great notebook resources? I would love to hear about them!

Science Safety

There is one thing all science classes teach the first week of school: Science Safety.

There aren't many dangerous things 5th grades get to do in science quite yet. The most dangerous thing they face can be their own behavior. I am sure some teachers have seen some crazy things! The worst I've had so far is some pencils poking eyes (mostly their own).

Yet, building good habits now will help when they get to that dangerous stuff later on.

As part of my "Plan-a-palooza," I have finished the lesson on science safety.

We'll begin with the science contract. It is the first grade of the year and it is an easy one. Just a parent signature!

My students have a hard time communicating their thoughts. After we go over the science contract, I will give the groups some scenarios of students breaking the rules. As groups, they will discuss what is going wrong and how the students can fix it. An easy intro to all the talking and writing about science they will have to do this year.

Both the contract and the science safety cards are available for download in the TpT store. Just click on the pictures.

One thing I discovered last year, was this video. The kids love it. 

<

I am debating giving additional homework. I am definitely a teacher who believes in homework, especially if it involves the parents somehow. I might send home a blank sheet of paper and asking students to create a safety poster choosing one rules from the contract. I did this in class last year, but I just don't think I'll have the time with this lesson. 

How are you sure your kids are safe during science?

Back to Work and Prepping for Baby

I took the month of June off from any school work. But now I am back.

For the next two weeks, I will be participating in my own "Plan-a-palooza."

With a baby on the way and beginning grad school in the fall, I feel like this is one way I can stay on top of things.

The month of June was all about cleaning. I have begun to realize that bringing home a baby also means bringing home a bunch of stuff to go with this baby. There was absolutely no way this stuff would fit nicely with the way I had things (un)organized now. I threw away loads of stuff and donated boxes of things. There is room in the second closet, our bedroom is clean, and the living room looks a little more livable.

Our second bedroom went from this...

To this...

It still isn't perfect. I really just need one more shelf, then I can get rid of the second table and there will be plenty of room for baby's stuff.

Now, I just need to know what is expected of me by my school and district during maternity leave. I realize it must be different for every school. Is there anyone who has done maternity leave that can tell me how it was like for you?

What? It's Summer Vacation!

That happened quickly.

Not really, the last 4 months of school were hard, but hard is good. After a week and a half of no school, I am getting the lesson planning/classroom decorating bug.

But I have a summer planned ahead of me.

I am starting the orientation for my Master's tomorrow. I will be getting a Masters in Curriculum and Instructions. More specifically, Integrated Math and Science Reflective Teaching for Middle School. But that is too long to say in one breath.

At the end of the summer, I will be attending the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teacher Academy in New Jersey.  With an extended vacation to New York City with my husband.

And in between all of that, I will be preparing for our baby girl coming in November. Becoming a mom, working full time and working on my Master's is a daunting task. But I plan on prepping a lot this summer.

All this means more posting! Forcing me to explain what I am thinking to someone else (even the internet) =better lessons. 

Fortune Teller Project

I found this idea on Pinterest awhile ago and have tried it twice this year. 

The first time was when technology failed me horribly. One day I had a lesson planned where I needed the computer and internet, and I just couldn't get them to work. Luckily my conference period is first thing in the morning when I realized my day wasn't going to work. I remembered this foldable and sent my intern to cut some large 11x17 paper to square size.

That day, we reviewed science vocabulary. The students chose 8 words from their science notebook. On the top triangle, they put the vocabulary word. Underneath, they put the definition and a picture or example of the vocabulary word. The students loved it. Who doesn't like  making fortune tellers in the open instead of trying to hide it! Best of all, if they didn't finish that day, they got to pull it out later in the week when they finished something else. 

The second time I used it, I planned it out a bit more. At the end of our unit on Renewable Energy, I set up a choice/menu board. One of the choices was a fortune teller.  On the top triangle, students wrote the 4 types of renewable energy they chose and included the pictures. Underneath they wrote the advantages and disadvantages of each. 

Some students, really did their best work on this. These are some of my favorite examples. 

Christmas Vacation

It is almost over! My husband went back to work today (teaching high school debate) and I go back to work tomorrow.

It has been an amazing break. I got to see family and I didn't 2 hours of work over the whole break. I would have done more, but then I decided that it was my vacation and I didn't have to work.

But it is good. Because now I feel rejuvenated, which I have been hoping, praying and wishing for since Thanksgiving break ended.

So, I'm back. The year is half way over. And that pile of papers I left ungraded just might get graded this week.

How do you feel after the Christmas Vacation? Are you ready?

Declaration of Independence

I love Social Studies, but I find it harder to teach than science. I want it to be as interesting as science and I want my students to come to conclusions and make judgements on their own. But if they lack background knowledge, it is hard to get them to do that.

So I am always on the look out to make social studies more interesting. In Texas, 5th grade is US History. I found this video. It is Too Late to Apologize, but re-written about the Declaration of Independence.

My students loved this video. I wish whoever did this would make new videos. It isn't just the lyrics to the song that are great, but the music video that goes along with it.


There is another video that includes the lyrics on the screen. I usually watch that one.

And now they actually remember the three rights in the Declaration! Hopefully it sticks.