In 8th grade Science the students are required to have an Interactive Student Notebook. The preferred choice is a FIVESTAR Mead Notebook (8.5 x 10.5). The reason for this is that the size of that particular notebook is the same size of a sheet of paper. This keeps the notebooks neater and when students glue worksheets and review into their notebooks, they have less "hanging out" on the sides. If this is a financial issue for your family, feel free to purchase a regular size one subject notebook.
The idea behind an ISN is to encourage the student to take ownership of their learning. They are in essence creating their own version of a textbook that is tailored perfectly to help them study for tests, write a CER, and prepare for High School where they will be expected to take notes and have good study habits. The students will be required to use color in their note-taking and diagrams. The use of color as a study tool has been proven to be effective in increasing memory and solidifying facts. Instead of having several small grades throughout the quarter, the students will recieve one big grade on their overall notebook: effort, correctness and completeness. The notebook will be a work in progress throughout the year and serve as a representation of learning, understanding, and most importantly academic growth.
The research to support this method can be found here:
Teaching Science With Interactive Notebooks
Teaching Science With Interactive Notebooks
Research to support using color in notetaking and assignments can be found here:
Using Color To Learn
Using Color To Learn
