1. Interactive Biology Notebooks

2. What are Interactive Biology Notebooks?
A student thinking tool
An organizer for questions and what you have learned in class
A way to access and process what you have learned with various modalities (writing, drawing, discussion, etc.)
A place for recording rough drafts
A formative assessment tool for teachers

3. Why Use Interactive Biology Notebooks?
Improve organization skills
Improve opportunities for critical thinking
Express understanding of material creatively

4. Why Are We Using Interactive Biology Notebooks?
Record data
Record notes
Study for tests
Track progress
Communication of thoughts and learning

5. Biology Notebook Set-up

6. Notebook Supplies Spiral notebook Glue or glue stick Pens and pencils
Scissors
Colored pencils or crayons

7. Right Side/Left Side; What Goes Where
Student Output
Lots of color
Concept maps
Drawings
Reflective writing
Questions
Data and graphs
Songs
Poems
Data from experiments
Cartoons or cartoon strips
Right Side
Teacher Input/Content
Blue or black ink/Pencil
Information given in class
Lecture notes
Lab activities
Video notes
Summaries
Textbook notes
Procedures for experiments
Classroom specific information

8. The Left Side: Getting You to Think About Your Learning
Reflection; using guiding prompts
What are you curious about?
What would you like to test?
What was the main idea?
What are the important details to remember?
How does this relate to your life?
What don’t you understand?

9. Getting Started – Step 1
On the cover, write your name and period number. If you want, draw a diagram of something that reminds you of biology.

10. Step 2
Cover 1
Starting with the first page, number the first 50 pages. Numbers should be small and at the bottom outside corner of each page. 2 3

11. Step 3 2
Table of Contents
Date Description Page # 3
At the top of pages 3, 4, and 5 write Table of Contents. Divide each page into 3 columns: date, discription, and page number. (Skip pages 1 and 2.)
Table of Contents
Date Description Page # 4 5

12. Step 4
Add the following reflection questions on page 2. You will use these as open response questions.
What are you curious about?
What would you like to test?
What was the main idea?
What are the important details to remember?
How does this relate to your life?
What don’t you understand?

13. Examples

18. Graphic Organizers Help organize thoughts
Assist with answering open response and other types of questions

19. Fish Bones

20. Venn Diagram

21. T-Chart

22. Net

23. Wheel

24. Tree

25. Graphic Organizers
There are many different graphic organizers you can use to organize your thoughts and what you learn in class.
You may use any type of graphic organizer to help you remember information.
At times you will be directed as to which type of graphic organizer to use.

26. We Are Ready!
Remember, always be sure to bring your Biology Notebook with you to class!
Scientists write down everything they do, so that they may remember what works, and learn from what doesn’t work.
You will also want to remember what you learn in class, so that you may do well in Biology this year. 