2. Making Student Thinking Visible
3 Approaches to Eliciting Student Thinking Using
Science Notebooks / Journals
Presented By:
Mark Casto (Earth Science),
Cindy Richmond (Biology),
&
Brett Manoloff (Physics)
Amesbury High School Science Dept.

3. This year’s questions….
1. What is it we want our students to learn?
- scientific thought process/method
- main concepts in scientific areas to make informed decisions
- adequate preparation for post secondary education
2. How will we know if each student is learning?
- assessments (formal and informal)
3. How will we respond when some of our students do not learn?
- find alternative assessment strategies (journaling / notebooks)

4. Professional Development Work Gradual Release of Student Learning
TLA (Teaching and Learning Alliance Inc.)
Work focused on two areas of need.
Improving Reading Comprehension Making Student Learning
In Content Areas Visible through Scientific Writing
Developed a library to supplement difficult texts.
Gained access to many useful templates to highlight main textual components.
Gained insight to departmental approaches by inter-visitations.
Discussed many notebook / journaling approaches.
Determined approach needed to suit needs of individual classes.
Experimented with approach and modified as needed.

5. Science Journals / Notebooks / Folders
Rationale:
Teacher Perspective:
1. Vast array of possible entry types (see examples).
2. “Go to” collection of student work.
3. Allows for deeper understanding of student knowledge.
4. Allows for practice of standardized test prompts that require deeper thinking.
Student Perspective:
1. Low risk ( weight in overall grade is small).
2. More personal / students take ownership of their work.
3. Meets needs of many student learning styles.

6. Paragraph (w/word limit)
Class: Meteorology (Elective) Heterogeneously Grouped (Grades 10-12) Journal Template
Date:
Map Description:
Map
Prompt:
Required Writing Assignment:
Examples
Numbered List
Venn Diagram / T-Chart
Graphic Organizer
Paragraph (w/word limit)
Narrative
Script (Weather)

7. Example:
10/31/11
The map depicted below is a pressure / front map showing their locations at 4pm EDT on 10/30/11.
Prompt: Using the map above, explain why there is the likelihood of rain on Tuesday. Cite at least three pieces of evidence in your answer.

8. Student Example 1 Explanation of meteogram and expected weather.

9. Student Example 2 Analysis of daily weather conditions (frost – freeze warnings)

10. Class: Biology (Required) Heterogeneously(
Class: Biology (Required) Heterogeneously(??) Grouped / Inclusion (Grade 9) Journal Entries
Low Risk – assignments are not graded, participation only
Check for understanding
Reinforce curriculum
Extension
Practice skills (math, graphing, writing)
Organize information

11. Student Example 1 Venn Diagram comparing prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell types

12. Student Example 2 Flow chart showing the stages of the cell cycle.

13. Student Examples 3 & 4 Student Drawings with labels
Student Examples 3 & 4 Student Drawings with labels. (atomic structure / mitosis)

14. Class: Physics - Honors (Elective) (Grades: 11 & 12) Journal Entries related to graphic analysis of physics principles.
In the spring of 2011 received a grant to purchase several thousand dollars of Vernier Probes / Software to graphical analyze physics principles.
Journals to be used for:
Reinforcement of the scientific method.
In depth analysis of collected data sets.
Discussion of predicted results vs. actual results.
Connections to real-world problems / other disciplines.
Post Lab Discussions (Performance Results) – Considerations for conducting the lab in the future. (Important teacher feedback)

15. Student Example 1

16. Student Example 2

17. Student Example 3

18. Student Example 4

19. Thank You.
Questions?