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Introduction
A Science Interactive Notebook is a great tool to use in the science classroom at
any level. Not only do interactive notebooks help with students’ organization, but
they are also a creative way to engage students to process information and
demonstrate critical thinking. At the end of the year, the students will have a
working portfolio that can be assessed to show what they have learned
throughout the school year.
Where to Begin
Introduce the Science Interactive Notebooks to your students as a tool that
they will be using daily/weekly to help them learn and understand the science
concepts that will be taught throughout the year.
Materials Needed
Students provide:

• Spiral notebook designated ONLY for Science (I prefer three or five

subject college ruled because you won’t have to trim down 8.5 x 11” paper).
Teacher provides (* required, other items optional):

• Glue sticks *
• Colored pencils *
• Scissors * (those with fun edges work too!)
• Crayons
• Colored paper
• Tape
• Post-its
• Stencils
• Index cards

�PRO TIP: Do not use marker (bleeds through pages) or staples in Interactive
notebooks.

�PRO TIP: Have students work in groups when they are working on the left
side of the notebook, have a supply bin on hand for each group.

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Putting Science Interactive Notebooks Together
Day 1
Have students personalize their Interactive Notebooks. Immediately this
shows that you are going to give them license to be creative and they can make
this notebook their own. One example may be dedicating the first page to an “All
About Me” poem such as the following:

Example:
ALL ABOUT ME
ALL ABOUT ME
First Name Erica
Four Descriptive Traits Energetic, Friendly, Sassy, Busy
Sibling of Jennifer and Brendan
Sibling/Daughter/Son of (choose 1)
Lover of Animals and Sports
Lover of (2 things) Who fears small spaces and
Who fears (2 things) running out of time
Who would one day like to see (1
Who would one day like to see
thing) the Pyramids
And try hang gliding
And try (1 thing)
Resident of Jacksonville, FL
Resident of (City, State) Colón
Last Name

Besides the poem, I also ask for the following:

• Minimum of three colors used

• Three pictures drawn

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Day 2
Have students set up a notebook, so they stay organized for the year. Here are
some ideas I have used so that all students are on the same page and you’re
not pulling your hair out in a couple of weeks.
1. Explain to students that this notebook will be used for science ONLY. They
are not to rip out any pages for any reason they are not to add any other
information.
2. Have students begin to number pages beginning with their All About Me page
being page number 1. Have students number the lower, outer corners of each
page. Fronts and backs of pages should be numbered. Suggestion: Have students
number pages 1 – 50. By the time they get to that page, they will have the idea
of the Interactive Notebook and the next time you ask them to number pages
it will go much faster and smoother.
3. Glue an envelope inside the front cover of the notebook. This will be used for
extra pieces where students can safely tuck inside and finish for homework if
they did not get enough time to finish in class.
4. Designate pages 2-5 to the Table of
Contents. Have students set up their
pages according to the following:

� PRO TIP: Keep a master copy of

the notebook all year long, so if a
student is absent, they have a
resource to help them get caught up.
I use a binder with page protectors
so I can change assignments from
year to year – just use a washable
marker on page protectors to number
pages).

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 � PRO TIP: Laminate section tabs that students can cut and glue into their
notebook for quick and easy reference. Click the image below for a free set!

Research Behind Interactive Notebooks

Science Interactive Notebooks are based around the idea that students will use
both their right and left-brain hemispheres to help them gain and understand
new scientific knowledge. Each two-page spread is used to teach the daily
science concept.
The Right Side of the Science Interactive Notebook is the Teacher Input side.
This is all the information that you want the students to learn and know. The
Teacher Input side uses a lot of the knowledge/comprehension levels of
Bloom’s Taxonomy (see wheel below).

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The Left Side of the Science Interactive Notebook is the Student Output side.
This side is where students use information from the teacher input side (right),
and creatively processes that information. Students will be using application,
analysis, synthesis and evaluation skills from Bloom’s taxonomy.
Here is a list of examples to use on both sides of the Science Interactive
Notebook.

Student Output Ideas Teacher Input Ideas

• Concept Maps • Lecture Notes
• Comic strips • Vocabulary words
• Venn diagrams • Reading notes
• Drawings • Essential Questions
• Writing prompts • Teacher Models
• Metaphors & Analogies • Readings
• Posters • Sample Problems
• Foldables • Q&A
• Newspaper/Magazine Ads
• Brochures
• Data/Graphs
• Possibilities are ENDLESS!

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Examples
Here are a few examples
from my Science Interactive
Notebooks:

• Life Science
• Earth Science
• Physical Science

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Science Interactive Notebook Parent Letter
I wanted to share this parent letter with you since I think it’s important that
parents see what their students are doing in the science classroom. As
students move on to middle and high school, parents are less involved since
students are more independent, but I know many still love to see their child’s
work and what a great way to give each the opportunity to have a positive
conversation about school work!
This letter is intended to go home with the students every 9 weeks. I had my
students all designate a page for it and glue it in before they took it home to
ensure the parent was handed the notebook as well as the letter.
Just wait until you the feedback you get from the parents – you’re going to
wish you started your Science Interactive Notebooks sooner!

(see next page for letter)

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Dear Parents/Guardians,
The students have worked very hard on their Science Interactive
Notebooks and will continue to do so for the remainder of the
school year. The Science Interactive Notebook is an engaging
tool that students use to show that they understand what has
been taught in class each day and allows them to share some of
their creativity with the entire class.
I invite you to take a look at what your child has accomplished so far and feel
free to ask him/her about the pages they have completed. I know they are
proud of their work, as am I.
Please sign below to verify that your child has shared their work with you and
feel free to make a special comment to him/her in the space provided or use it
to share any of your thoughts or concerns you may have at this time.
Thank you for your time.

My child, ______________________________, has shared their Science

Interactive Notebook with me on ___________________ (date).

Parent Signature
______________________________________________________________________

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Grading the Interactive Science Notebooks
Everyone has a different way of doing this. Some paste in rubrics and use that
to track student progress. Others have students turn in notebooks at the end
of each unit and grade accordingly. What I have found works for me is a quick
“sticker-check”. I feel that I have enough summative assessments that help
me measure students understanding, so I use my students’ Interactive Science
Notebook as a daily formative assessment – graded with a sticker (or a stamp).
How the Sticker-Check works is that every day when students come into the
classroom, they automatically know to have their Interactive Science Notebooks
open to the most recent assignment. I walk up and down the aisles with a pack
of stickers, if the left (or student output) side is completed they get a sticker
in the upper left hand corner square. If it’s not, I don’t make a big deal, the
student just doesn’t get a sticker and I move on.
When it comes to the day of the test of the particular unit we’re working on,
students stack their notebooks on my desk with the last page being open. While
students are testing I quickly grade notebooks with a completion grade. For
example, if students are to have 8 different assignments done during the Plant
Unit, then I quickly count back the last 8 upper, left side corners of their
notebook. They should have 8/8 stickers – if they only have 7 stickers then they
get a 7/8 or an 88%.
This system works for me, but there is no right or wrong way. I also include a
parent signature page that I ask to have signed and dated (every quarter) that
they have seen the notebook, and students have explained what they are
learning. I usually get great messages from parents telling me they love seeing
their kids’ creativity.

Need More Ideas??

Are you looking for fresh and original ideas for Science Interactive Notebooks?
Maybe you just need to bulk up what you already have. The next pages share
the Table of Contents for my COMPLETE Science Interactive Notebooks for
Earth, Life, and Physical Science. Each chapter is aligned to the Next Generation
Science Standards and can be bought individually or as a complete bundle.

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 Table of Contents
Physical Science Interactive Notebook
Click HERE to Learn More.

Description NGSS
(MS w/ DCI)
Chapter One: Nature of Science
Section 1: The Method of Science
Section 2: Standards of Measurement
Section 3: Graphing
Chapter Two: Motion and Forces
Section 1: Describing Motion PS2-2A
Section 2: Acceleration PS2-2A
Section 3: Motion and Forces PS2-2A
Section 4: Newton’s Laws of Motion PS2-1A; PS2-2A
Section 5: Gravity PS2-4B
Chapter Three: Energy, Work and Simple Machines
Section 1: Nature of Energy PS3-1A; PS3-2A
Section 2: Conservation of Energy PS3-5B
Section 3: Work PS3-2C
Section 4: Using Machines PS3-2C
Section 5: Simple Machines PS3-2C
Chapter Four: Electricity and Magnetism
Section 1: Electricity PS2-3B
Section 2: Electric Current PS2-3B
Section 3: Electrical Circuits PS2-5B
Section 4: Magnetism PS2-3B
Section 5: Magnetism and Electricity PS2-5B
Chapter Five: Waves and the Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Section 1: Waves PS4-1A
Section 2: Features of Waves PS4-1A
Section 3: Behavior of Waves PS4-2A
Section 4: Electromagnetic Spectrum PS4-2B
Section 5. Communicating with Radio Waves PS4-3C

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Chapter Six: Sound, Light, Mirror and Lenses
Section 1: Sound PS4-2B
Section 2: Music and Uses of Sound PS4-2A
Section 3: Reflection and Refraction f Light PS4-2B
Section 4: Mirrors PS4-2B
Section 5: Lenses and Optical Instruments PS4-2B
Chapter Seven: Matter
Section 1: Composition of Matter PS1-1A
Section 2: Types of Mixtures PS1-2A; PS1-3A
Section 3: Describing Matter PS1-2A; PS1-3A
Section 4: States of Matter PS1-1A
Section 5: Changes in States of Matter PS1-2A; PS1-4A
Section 6: Fluids: Behaviors of Liquids and Gases PS1-1A; PS1-4A
Chapter Eight: Atoms and the Periodic Table
Section 1: Atomic Structure PS1-1A
Section 2: Masses of Atoms PS1-1A
Section 3: The Periodic Table PS1-3A
Section 4: Metals, Nonmetals and Metalloids PS1-3A
Chapter Nine: Chemical Bonds and Equations
Section 1: Types of Chemical Bonds PS1-1B
Section 2: Writing Formulas and Naming Compounds PS1-5B
Section 3: Chemical Reactions PS1-2B; PS1-5B
Section 4: Balancing Chemical Equations PS1-2B; PS1-5B
Section 5: Chemical Rxns – Types, Rates and Energy PS1-2B; PS1-5B
Chapter Ten: Solutions, Acids and Bases
Section 1: Solutions, Solubility and Concentration PS1-4
Section 2: Acids, Bases and Salts PS1-3B
Section 3: Strength of Acids and Bases PS1-2A
Chapter Eleven: Thermal Energy
Section 1: Temperature and Heat PS3-1A
Section 2: Transferring Thermal Energy PS3-1B
Section 3: Using Heat PS1-4A

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 Table of Contents
Life Science Interactive Notebook
Click HERE to Learn More.

NGSS
Description Middle School
with DCI
Introduction
Chapter One: Nature of Science
Section 1: The Method of Science
Section 2: Standards of Measurement
Section 3: Graphing
Chapter Two: Intro to Life Science
Section 1: The Science of Biology
Section 2: Science Lab Safety
Section 3: Scientific Research and Tools
Chapter Three: Principles of Ecology
Section 1: Nutrition and Energy LS2-3B
Section 2: Energy Flow in Ecosystems LS2-3B
Section 3: Cycles in Nature LS2-3B
Section 4: Organisms and Their Environment LS2-4C
Section 5: Ecological Succession LS2-4C
Section 6: Biomes LS2-1A
Chapter Four: Population Dynamics
Section 1: Characteristics of Populations LS2-1A
Section 2: Human Population LS2-2A
Section 3: Renewable & Non-renewable Resources LS2-1A; LS2-5
Section 4: Biodiversity LS2-4C
Chapter Five: Cell Structure & Function
Section 1: The Discovery of Cells LS1-1
Section 2: The Plasma Membrane LS1-2A
Section 3: Eukaryotic Cell Structure LS1-2A
Section 4: Prokaryotic Cell Structure LS1-1A
Section 5. Cellular Transport LS1-2
Chapter Six: Cell Processes & Energy
Section 1: Photosynthesis LS1-6C; PS3.D
Section 2: Cellular Respiration LS1-7C; PS3.D
Section 3: Cell Cycle LS1-2

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 Section 4: Mitosis LS1-2
Section 5: DNA Structure and Replication LS1-2
Section 6: Control System of a Cell LS3-1
Chapter Seven: Genetics: The Science of Heredity
Section 1: The Work of Gregor Mendel LS4-6
Section 2: Mendel’s Laws of Heredity LS3-2A
Section 3: Punnett Squares LS3-2A; LS4-4
Section 4: Meiosis LS3-2A
Chapter Eight: Modern Genetics
Section 1: Complex Patterns of Inheritance LS3-1B
Section 2: The Genetic Code LS3-1A
Section 3: Human Genetic Disorders LS3-1
Section 4: Advances in Genetics LS4-5
Chapter Nine: Change Over Time & Classification
Section 1: Darwin’s Theory of Evolution LS4-4B
Section 2: Evolution of Populations LS4-4C
Section 3: The Fossil Record LS4-1A; LS4-
2A
Section 4: Classification LS4-2A
Section 5: Domains and Kingdoms LS1-1
Chapter Ten: The Microbial World
Section 1: Prokaryotes LS1-1A
Section 2: Viruses LS1-1
Section 3: Protists LS1-1A
Section 4: Fungi LS2-3B
Chapter Eleven: Plants
Section 1: The Plant Kingdom LS1-4
Section 2: Plants Without Seeds LS1-4B
Section 3: Seed Plants LS1-4B
Section 4: Flowering Plants LS1-4B
Section 5: Roots, Stems and Leaves LS1-2A
Section 6: Plant Responses and Growth LS1-5B
Chapter 12: Animal Diversity – Invertebrates
Section 1: Introduction to Animals LS1-3A
Section 2: Animal Behavior LS1-8D
Section 3: Sponges, Cnidarians and Worms LS1-4B
Section 4: Mollusks, Arthropods and Echinoderms LS1-4B
Section 5: Insects LS1-4B
Chapter 13: Animal Diversity – Vertebrates
Section 1: Intro to Vertebrates: Fish & Amphibians LS1-4B

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 Section 2: Reptiles and Birds LS4-6C; LS1-
4B
Section 3: Mammals LS4-6C; LS1-
4B
Chapter 14: Human Body – Part 1
Section 1: The Skin LS1-3A
Section 2: Muscular System LS1-3A
Section 3: Skeletal System LS1-3A
Section 4: Nervous System LS1-8D
Section 5: Digestive System LS1-3A
Chapter 15: Human Body – Part 2
Section 1. Respiratory System LS1-3A
Section 2: Excretory System LS1-3A
Section 3: Cardiovascular System LS1-3A
Section 4: Blood LS1-1A
Section 5: Endocrine and Reproductive System LS1-3A

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 Table of Contents
Earth Science Interactive Notebook
Click HERE to Learn More.

NGSS
Description Middle School with
DCI
Introduction
Chapter One: Nature of Science
Section 1: The Method of Science
Section 2: Standards of Measurement
Section 3: Graphing
Chapter Two: Intro to Earth Science
Section 1: The Study of Earth Science
Section 2: Science Lab Safety
Section 3: Methods of Science
Chapter Three Mapping Earth’s Surface
Section 1: Exploring Earth’s Surface
Section 2: Models of Earth
Section 3: Maps & Computers
Chapter Four: Rocks and Minerals
Section 1: Properties of Minerals ESS2-1A
Section 2: Mineral Formation and Resources ESS2-1A; ESS2-2A
Section 3: Classifying Rocks ESS2-1A; ESS2-2A
Section 4: Rock Groups ESS2-1A
Chapter Five: Plate Tectonics
Section 1: Earth’s Interior ESS2-3
Section 2: Convection and the Mantle ESS2-2
Section 3: Continental Drift & Seafloor Spreading ESS1-1C; ESS2-3
Section 4: Theory of Plate Tectonics ESS2-3B
Chapter Six: Forces that Shape the Earth
Section 1: Forces that Shape Earth ESS2-2A; ESS3-2B
Section 2: Earthquakes ESS2-2A; ESS3-2B
Section 3: Volcanoes ESS2-2A; ESS3-2B
Section 4: Volcanic Landforms ESS2-2A
Chapter Seven: Earth’s Changing Surface
Section 1: Weathering ESS2-1A
Section 2: Soil Formation ESS2-1A

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 Section 3: Erosion & Deposition: Wind and Water ESS2-2C
Section 4: Erosion & Deposition: Glaciers ESS2-2C
Chapter Eight: A Trip Through Earth’s History
Section 1: Fossils ESS1-4C; ESS2-3B
Section 2: Determining Age of Rocks ESS1-4C; ESS2-3B
Section 3: Geological Time Scale ESS1-4
Section 4: Earth’s Eras ESS1-4
Chapter Nine: Earth’s Waters
Section 1: Earth – The Water Planet ESS2-4C
Section 2: Fresh Water ESS2-2C
Section 3: Characteristics & Composition of Ocean ESS2-6C
Section 4: Ocean Waves and Tides ESS2-4C
Section 5: Ocean Currents and Climates ESS2-6D
Chapter Ten: Earth’s Atmosphere
Section 1: The Atmosphere ESS2-2A
Section 2: Atmosphere Energy Transfer ESS2-6D
Section 3: Wind and Water ESS2-4C
Section 4: Air Quality ESS3-5D
Chapter Eleven: Weather and Climate
Section 1: Weather Patterns ESS2-5C
Section 2: Weather Forecasts ESS2-5D
Section 3: Climates of Earth ESS2-5D
Section 4: Climate Cycles ESS2-6D
Section 5: Recent Climate Change ESS3-5D
Chapter Twelve: Astronomy and Space Science
Section 1: Earth’s Motion ESS1-1A
Section 2: The Moon – Earth’s Satellite ESS1-1A
Section 3: Solar System ESS1-2C
Section 4: The Planets ESS1-3B
Section 5: Stars and Galaxies ESS1-2
Section 6: Space Exploration N/A
Chapter Thirteen: Natural Resources
Section 1: Energy & Mineral Resources ESS3-1A
Section 2: Renewable Energy Resources ESS3-1A
Section 3: Land Resources & Human Impact ESS3-1A; ESS3-3C;
ESS3-4C
Section 4: Air/Water Resources & Human Impact ESS3-3C; ESS3-1A

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 Thank you for your recent download!! I hope this resource
helps you and your students have a successful year using
Science Interactive Notebooks. I can guarantee students will
show pride in their work and be willing to share their notebook
entries with you and their classmates.

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editable resources that correlate with my Science Interactive
Notebooks including PowerPoints, chapter tests and notes. Don’t
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@nittygrittyscience to get product updates, exclusive deals and
fantastic science content and humor!

Enjoy,

Erica L Colón

Copyright Information

© 2013 Erica L Colón: Nitty Gritty Science. All rights reserved by the author.

My terms for use for all are as follows:

Purchase of this unit entitles the purchaser the right to reproduce the pages in limited quantities for classroom use only.
Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system, or commercial purposes is strictly forbidden without written
permission from the author: Erica Colón: [email protected] or by purchasing multiple licenses.

Copying any part of this product and placing it on the internet in any form (even a personal/classroom website) is strictly
forbidden and is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). You may post pictures from using this product
in your classroom as long as you provide a link back to my store.

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