WTS 1 & 2 page 1 of 21

Adding Engagement in Science Notebooks

Brittany Canfield

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs

Portfolio Entry for Wisconsin Teacher Standard 1 & 2

EDUW 691 - Professional Skills Development

Caroline A. Hickethier

December 9, 2017
 WTS 1 & 2 page 2 of 21

Selected Wisconsin Teacher Standard Descriptors

Standard # l: Teachers know the subjects they are teaching.

The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the

discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of

subject matter meaningful for students.

Knowledge: The teacher understands major concepts, assumptions, debates, processes

of inquiry, and ways of knowing that are central to the discipline(s) s/he teaches.

Dispositions: (a) The teacher realizes that subject matter knowledge is not a fixed body

of facts, but is complex and ever-evolving. S/he seeks to keep abreast of new ideas and

understandings in the field. (b) The teacher is committed to continuous learning and engages in

professional discourse about subject matter knowledge and children's learning of the discipline.

Performances: (a) The teacher effectively uses multiple representations and

explanations of disciplinary concepts that capture key ideas and links them to students' prior

understandings. (b) The teacher develops and uses curricula that encourage students to see,

question, and interpret ideas from diverse perspectives.

Standard #2: Teachers know how children grow.

The teacher understands how children with broad ranges of ability learn and develop, and

can provide instruction that supports their intellectual, social, and personal development.

Knowledge: The teacher understands how learning occurs-how students construct

knowledge, acquire skills, and develop habits of mind-and knows how to use instructional

strategies that promote student learning for a wide range of student abilities.
 WTS 1 & 2 page 3 of 21

Dispositions: The teacher appreciates individual variation within each area of

development, shows respect for the diverse talents of all learners, and is committed to help them

develop self-confidence and competence.

Performances: (a) The teacher stimulates student reflection on prior knowledge and

links new ideas to already familiar ideas, making connections to students’ experiences, providing

opportunities for active engagement, manipulation, and testing of ideas and materials, and

encouraging students to assume responsibility for shaping their learning tasks. (b) The teacher

accesses students’ thinking and experiences as a basis for instructional activities by, for example,

encouraging discussion, listening and to group interaction, and eliciting samples of student

thinking orally and in writing.

Danielson Domains

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation

Component 1a: Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy

Component 1b: Demonstrating Knowledge of Students

Domain 2: The Classroom Environment

Component 2b: Establishing a Culture for Learning

Domain 3: Instruction

Component 3a: Communicating Clearly and Accurately

Component 3b: Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques

Component 3c: Engaging Students in Learning

Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities

 WTS 1 & 2 page 4 of 21

Component 4b: Maintaining Accurate Records

Pre-assessments

Self-assessment of Instruction Related to WTS and Targeted Student Learning Objective(s)

For Wisconsin Teacher Standards (WTS) 1 & 2, I want to focus on project based learning

with the use of interactive notebooks. I currently teach middle school science to 95 sixth,

seventh, and eighth grade students in a Catholic school. There are many students who are

considered low ability in math, reading, and/or writing. In my current lessons, I have

incorporated labs, group and individual projects, and student-led presentations to allow for hands

on opportunities. I have found that I lose students when going over the initial material that starts

my lessons. Many students struggle with their note taking because they are more focused on

writing what is on the board than thinking about and comprehending the information they are

being told. I have decided to incorporate interactive notebooks into my classroom to increase

student engagement, allow for peer teaching opportunities, give students a unique learning

experience, and encourage students to use their own interests and ideas in their learning.

I chose nine descriptors within WTS 1 & 2 to focus on while encouraging students to use

their interests and unique talents in their learning experiences. I strive to get to know each and

every one of my students at the beginning of the year so I can use their hobbies and interests in

our lessons throughout the year. Using interactive notebooks allow students to “develop self-

confidence and competence” within science by making their learning experience unique to them.

There are general guidelines that every student needs to follow to keep them accountable, but no

two notebooks are the same. Each student’s notebook “stimulates student reflection on prior
 WTS 1 & 2 page 5 of 21

knowledge and links new ideas to already familiar ideas, making connections to students’

experiences, providing opportunities for active engagement, manipulation, and testing of ideas

and materials, and encouraging students to assume responsibility for shaping their learning task.”

Every student is unique so his/her learning experience should be as well.

I chose two knowledge descriptors for WTS 1 and 2. I think students should be taught

skills that can be used across the curriculum and in their daily lives. Establishing habits such as

note taking or studying can be beneficial to students and to teachers. Students can write notes

and maintain a study routine in all of their classes. Interactive notebooks can supply students

with multiple ways to learn certain concepts. Every student has a unique learning style and

teachers should alter their lessons to meet as many needs as possible.

I chose three dispositions descriptors for WTS 1 and 2. I believe that students should be

able to feel confident in their work. When a student feels comfortable and confident in their

knowledge, they may be more likely to share that information with others. Interactive notebooks

give students the opportunity to make their work unique which can add to their learning.

Science is an ever changing field. New developments are made every day and old concepts are

changed often. This allows me to teach students new information which helps with adding a

sense of flexibility in the classroom. This flexibility is not only important in learning techniques,

but also in students’ everyday lives. Flexibility, confidence, and comfort in knowledge are

extremely important when students are in the classroom.

 WTS 1 & 2 page 6 of 21

I chose four performance descriptors for WTS 1 and 2. I chose these four descriptors

because I believe that every student should feel that their knowledge is appreciated in the

classroom. Interactive notebooks allow students to learn or practice information in their own

way. As a teacher, differentiation is scary, but with this technique, students assist in their

differentiated instruction. Notes that students take are often forgotten after they take the test.

My goal is to give students a reason to remember the information for many years. By adding

personal interests, differentiated instruction, and choice in my classroom, students will be able to

relate to the information they are learning.

As a new teacher, I was able to bring fresh ideas that I learned throughout my degree.

Some of the ideas I implemented did not work at first. After reflecting on why some ideas did

not work, I was able to improve and try again. I have changed the way I presented material and

gave notes multiple times in the past two school years. My hope is that interactive notebooks

will give students a fun and interactive way to take notes and practice utilizing concepts

throughout the science curriculum.

Assessment of Student Performance Related to Targeted Student Learning Objective(s)

Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade learn about a different subjects within science each year.

Sixth grade focuses on physical science, seventh grade focuses on life science, and eighth grade

focuses on earth and space science. I give students information about our intended topic for the

day before giving them an activity to do for practice. In my first year, I used traditional notes by

putting slides on the SMARTBoard while students wrote information from the board into their

notebooks. Students would grumble about having to do notes and were unmotivated by the time
 WTS 1 & 2 page 7 of 21

we got to the activity for the day. There was a sense of disappointment that I felt because they

were not excited to learn. I feel that note taking is an important skill for students to develop and

continuously improve on. Not only does it keep them on task, but it also helps improve their

handwriting and organization. Note taking can be a daunting task to a student in middle school.

I want to get students excited and help them realize the importance of organized notes.

Assessment of Learning Environment While Learning Targeted Objective(s)

Middle school students are one of a kind. They go through many changes both

physically and mentally in the three years I am with them. As I watch my students grow, I think

of new ideas to get them to interact with each other in a positive way. This can be challenging at

this age because students want to work with their friends and nobody else. My classroom is set

up with students in groups of four at each table. These tables are spread out around the room so

students are not distracted by the table near theirs. I have always set up a seating chart and put

students where I thought they would work best. I quickly learned that they became distracted by

the fact that they are not at a table with their friends and would not be able to focus on the task at

hand. After a while of doing seating charts, I started to allow students to sit wherever they

would like as long as they were productive. I have also started to use student led partnering.

The expectation is that they have to partner with someone who does not sit at their table. I found

this very effective across every grade. Instead of two students working independently while

sitting next to each other, I saw students include one another and collaborate as a class. My goal

is to continue moving in this direction by adding notebook activities that require students to

collaborate with one another.

 WTS 1 & 2 page 8 of 21

Assessment Conclusion and Essential Question to Guide Research

The self-assessment, assessment of student performance, and learning environment

assessment show that students need a more interactive way to take notes, discuss topics, and

practice using new information. My recent attempts to change the way I use note taking have

failed. Therefore, my essential question to guide my research is, how do interactive notebooks

affect student engagement, note taking, and student learning?

Research Summary

In an education program in college, professors taught the fact that students have a short

attention span and often need an activity to stimulate their brain if they needed to stay focused

for long periods of time. Many first year teachers gain a new view of the term “long period of

time” after having some experience in the field. Middle school students can usually only focus

for about ten minutes before needing a change of pace. Making changes and being a reflective

practitioner throughout teacher is an important skill to have. Lectures should become shorter

and hands on activities should become longer. Vawter (2009) stated, “...due to the use of the

computers at early ages, these young brains have formed different connections and learn less by

listening and more by interactive teaching methods” (n.p.). Interactive notebooks are meant to

engage students in new ways. Not only do students get a hands on approach to their learning,

but they also get to dictate what their learning will consist of (Waldman & Crippen, 2009).

Students should think like a scientist when they are in science class. Scientists keep their notes

organized, neat, and detailed so students should do the same (Young, 2003). The interactive

notebook is more than just a student’s gateway to notes, it is an opportunity to promote

 WTS 1 & 2 page 9 of 21

confidence, learning, and ability. Not only are students benefiting, so are teachers. Chesbro

(2006) stated “...[interactive science notebooks] encapsulate and promote the most cutting-edge

constructivist teaching strategies while simultaneously addressing standards, differentiation of

instruction, literacy development, and maintenance of an organized notebook as laboratory and

field scientists do” (n.p.). Interactive notebooks are the perfect way for students and teachers to

stay organized, stay on task, and enjoy learning.

Science is a difficult subject to grasp for some students. This is especially true if they are

not fond of science to begin with. Waldman and Crippen (2009) stated, “each student’s

notebook becomes a unique expression of their effort and creativity, as well as a demonstration

of their pride in and ownership of their work” (n.p.). Having the ability to add their own flare to

their notebook has helped a lot of students want to learn even if the concept is difficult. Not only

is science an intimidating subject, it is also a difficult one. Science requires a lot of critical

thinking which an important skill that students should develop is. Using interactive notebooks

allows for a plethora of activities students use to their advantage. Determining an interest,

conducting research, and evaluating data are subtle ways to increase critical thinking without

scaring students away (Grant & Lapp, 2011). Being able to think like a scientist is not limited to

science class. Students should be able to identify and communicate about issues across subject

areas.

Research Implications

As I researched the effectiveness of interactive notebooks in keeping students engaged

and promoting organization, I quickly found that there are few ways of doing this in a middle
 WTS 1 & 2 page 10 of 21

school. Children are unorganized, especially when it comes to something they do not

particularly care for. Using an interactive notebook is a fun way for students to increase their

skill, gain knowledge, and stay organized. Not only are these skills required in a school setting,

but they are also required as a part of their daily lives.

Skills like note taking, organization, and paying attention seem to get put on the back

burner for some teachers. As a scientist, I am expected to keep an organized, neat, and detailed

record of experiments and data. Students run away from the idea of keeping an organized

notebook because it can be a lot of work. Interactive science notebooks can be a teacher’s way

of keeping students organized without telling them that is the goal. This is also how some

teachers approach critical thinking. I, personally, use note taking as an opportunity to challenge

myself to learn about a topic in a different way. Middle school students do not always think like

this so, as a teacher, I feel that it is my responsibility to encourage them to want to learn

differently. Interactive notebooks give students a reason to add uniqueness and be creative

which is a huge advantage when trying to learn something new.

Research-based Action Plan

Action Plan Summary Outline

1. I will instruct students on the use of an interactive notebook. This instruction will

include: how to use a science notebook, expectations, and how the notebook will be graded. I

will model what their notebook should look like by making a master copy. This will make it

easy to show students how to do each type of notebook insert.

 WTS 1 & 2 page 11 of 21

2. Students will be given information on a specific lesson in the chapter. As the week

goes on, students will receive more information each day. Instruction will last for eight to ten

minutes each day. The remainder of the class period will be used for questions, discussion, and

working on our notebooks. For this plan, I will be focusing on the seventh grade class. The

students will be learning about cell structure and function.

3. After each lesson, students will be given a notebook insert to practice what they just

learned. This insert could be a foldable, concept map, chart, graph, or diagram. Each day will

be a different type of practice worksheet. This will give students opportunities to think in a

different way every day.

Targeted Student Learning Objective(s)

1. Standardized goal: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7: “Integrate quantitative or

technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed

visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).”

2. Targeted learning objective: The students’ learning objective is to utilize information

given in class to complete a series of visual representations of content.

Task(s) and Essential Proficiency Criteria for Targeted Learning Objective(s)

1. Task: Students will complete a series of visual models and foldables related to

the information given about the unit of cell structure and function.

2. Criteria that Prove Proficiency in Meeting Targeted Learning Objective(s)

a. Students’ notes, worksheets, and foldable projects will be complete,

neat, and organized in a logical order.

 WTS 1 & 2 page 12 of 21

b. Students will be able to interpret information given verbally and transfer

content to a visual model, chart, or graph.

c. Student engagement will increase during class time, work time, and

during group work.

d. Students’ attitudes towards note taking and in class worksheets will be

more positive than in previous units (Artifact B).

Method(s) to Assess Progress of Proficiency for Targeted Learning Objective(s)

1. The students will be given a survey to see if they feel that the interactive

notebooks have been beneficial to their learning (Artifact B). I will also look at

assessment scores within the same group of students who take the survey. The first will

be an assessment taken before implementation of the interactive notebooks. The second

will be an assessment taken after implementation of the interactive notebooks.

Post-assessments

Instructional Insights Related to WTS and Targeted Student Learning Objective(s)

Students are slowly becoming more comfortable with their ability to represent

information in different ways. This process was a shock to students because so many changes

were implemented at one time. Completing interactive notebooks has not been the easiest task

for myself or my students. Some students did not have the most positive attitudes in the

beginning, but their attitudes quickly changed as we worked towards our overall goal. A lot of

my students have severe test anxiety and shut down when we try to study as a class. These same

students have gained enough confidence to start helping other students study. As students
 WTS 1 & 2 page 13 of 21

experiment with new ways to represent information, they are becoming more confident in their

ability to succeed in science.

Comparison of Student Performance Related to Targeted Student Learning Objective(s)

Students were given a survey asking them how they felt interactive notebooks affected

their learning and ability to pay attention during lessons. From what I have witnessed, students

have been able to pay closer attention, actively study, collaborate with peers, and participate in

class more frequently. Student confidence has increased which has in turn, made assessment

scores higher. Many of my assessments are hands on projects and labs. The quality of work and

students’ abilities to demonstrate their knowledge of a subject has increased tremendously.

Comparison of Learning Environment While Learning Targeted Objective(s)

As I am implementing interactive notebooks into my classroom, I am noticing that

students are becoming more active in their study habits, note taking, and collaboration among

peers. There has been an interesting shift in classroom environment since the implementation of

interactive science notebooks. Students are showing fewer signs of test anxiety in the days

leading up to the assessment. They are also spending more time on their practice worksheets

that they are required to do every day. Students have been showing more interest and

engagement during the lesson. I have students who would not raise their hand even if they knew

the answer, but now they are confident in their ability to answer the question and even explain

the answer to peers. The shift in classroom dynamic has been incredible. I can honestly say that

interactive science notebooks have helped with student assessment scores, increasing student

engagement, and increasing student interest in daily lessons.

 WTS 1 & 2 page 14 of 21

Reflection of Entire Learning Process

Implementing interactive notebooks in my classroom proved to be successful. Using this

way of note taking and concept practice keeps students more engaged than traditional notebook

techniques. Students get more of a hands on experience during their content practice each day.

Science can be a very intimidating subject because of how complex concepts can be. Being able

to practice concepts immediately is important in succeeding in this subject area. Interactive

notebooks give students the opportunity to use their new knowledge while it is fresh in their

minds. They also give the teacher a way to assess understanding of daily concepts. I learned

that implementing interactive notebooks is a time consuming task, but also a task that is well

worth the work.

What Worked and Why

1. Making an interactive notebook at the same time as the students worked well.

Students had the opportunity to see what I expect from them. This was new to me as well so

there was trial and error throughout. I used these situations to demonstrate to students that it is

okay to mess up or not know how to do a task as long as we are willing to learn.

2. Using the idea that students needed to put their notes on one side of their notebook and

activities on the other proved to work well. Students told me that it was helpful when they were

studying because everything was in one location. There was no need for students to dig through

their folders to try and find the exact activity we did on that day because it was next to their

notes. This also helped students keep track of their worksheets. Before putting worksheets with
 WTS 1 & 2 page 15 of 21

their notes, I had many students lose their assignments in lockers, folders, or the hallway.

Having worksheets glued into the notebook proved to be very successful.

What Did Not Work and Why

1. Throughout the notebook, I assigned specific page numbers for students’ worksheets.

This ensured that every student is on the same page all the time. This did not work as well as I

planned. Some students write larger than others which causes the issue of page numbers being

different. Therefore, I had the students glue in an additional page and use it like a flap if they

needed more space. This proved to be very challenging for the few students who needed

everything to be in order.

2. In the front of the notebook is a table of contents. In the table of contents, students

would put the first page of the new concept with the corresponding page number. This was

extremely confusing for some students because they wanted to put every worksheet in their table

of contents. A table of contents is very important because it adds an aspect of organization for

the students. In the future, I plan to use a table of contents, but let students decide how they

want to number their worksheets. This may be more confusing for me while grading, but it

would make more sense to the students.

My Next Steps

1. I plan to continue researching ways to make note taking a daily part of students’

routines. I would like to find a fun way to keep track of worksheets and content information.

This would help with student organization and my own organization. This was a good start, but

there will always be room for improvement.

 WTS 1 & 2 page 16 of 21

2. I plan to continue researching effective ways to grade the interactive notebooks. It is

a big task to grade 95 notebooks at one time. My hope is to find a system that allows for

periodic notebook checks without having to go through the entire unit of worksheets and notes.

The rubric I used was a good starting point, but is only a stepping stone in my interactive

notebook endeavor.

3. I would like to involve students in the planning and preparation of their notebooks

even more than I do now. Students should feel that they have a choice in their education. My

hope is that I will gain further insight into what my students like and dislike about their

notebooks and make changes accordingly.

 WTS 1 & 2 page 17 of 21

References

Chesbro, R. (2006). Using interactive notebooks for inquiry-based science. Science Scope.

Retrieved from http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=51882

Grant, M. and Lapp, D. (2011). Teaching science literacy. Educational Leadership 68 (6).

Vawter, D. (2009). Mining the middle school mind. Middle Matters. Retrieved from

https://www.naesp.org/sites/default/files/resources/2/Middle_Matters/2009/MM2009v17

n4a2.pdf

Waldman, C. and Crippen, K. (2009). Integrating interactive notebooks: a daily learning cycle to

empower students for science. The Science Teacher, 51-56.

Young, J. (2003). Science interactive notebooks in the classroom. Science Scope 26 (4), 44–47.
 WTS 1 & 2 page 18 of 21

Artifact A

This is the interactive notebook cover page that every student received. The cover page was
supposed to be unique to each student. Some students used highlighters while others used
crayons to color in their cover. Using a cover page that is the same for every student was helpful
because I knew exactly where to look to see their name and period.
 WTS 1 & 2 page 19 of 21

Artifact B

This is the interactive notebook rubric that every student received and taped into the front cover.
Students liked having the rubric so they knew what was expected of them. There was no room
for question as to what the students needed to do to get full points. At the top of the rubric were
my general rules for their notebook. Students were graded on their table of contents, worksheets,
notes, neatness, color, and personalization.
 WTS 1 & 2 page 20 of 21

Artifact C

This is an example of a foldable activity that was given to students. Students were expected to
glue together multiple sheets of paper and then condense them to fit on one notebook page. On
each section, there was a drawing, name, and description of each organelle in a cell. We colored
the organelles and eventually used this foldable to create a complete cell diagram. The foldable
was a fun and different way for students to learn the organelles which can be a daunting topic to
seventh grade students.
 WTS 1 & 2 page 21 of 21

Artifact D

Eighth grade students were asked to complete a before/after survey regarding our method of note
taking. “Current notebooks” refers to their interactive notebook. “Old version of note taking”
refers to the presentation of notes on the board while students wrote in their notebooks.
Previously, worksheets were handed out, completed, and put in their folder. Currently,
worksheets go in their notebook next to the notes for that day. They practice using the concepts
we learned each day with some sort of activity in their notebook. On the given scale, 1 is “not
helpful at all” and 4 is “extremely helpful.”

Additional Comments
I like the new version of our notebooks more because its organized and it helps me when im
not in class.

I really like the notebooks the way that we have them now. It helps me pay attention. I also
helps me know if I have everything that I need.

Having a notebook makes everything more organized and in order. The notes are easier to
understand and we have our assignments right there to study.

I like the new notebooks because it keeps me more organized and lets me be able to study
more easily.