Output Ideas for Interactive Notebooks

INPUT vs. OUPUT

The Interactive Notebook has become a large part of many classrooms around the country.  It is typically divided into two sides (left side and right side). 

•The right side of the notebook is used for INPUT.  This side is for the student to record notes and “testable” information.  It is typically information that is provided by the teacher, such as class notes.  But it can also be diagrams or maps, vocabulary, graphic organizers, handouts, etc. 

•The left side of the notebook is used for OUTPUT.  This side is for students to process new ideas.  It can be a review of what they already know or thinking about new information.  It is also a place for students to show their understanding of the information learned in class.  It can include creative drawings, ideas, or writing.  It is simply a way to wrap up the lesson or summarize.

The Struggle is Real

The OUPUT side of the Interactive Notebook is something that I am constantly struggling with in my own classroom.  I either run out of time or forget to allow my students the opportunity to reflect and process their learning.  I know — worst teacher ever, right?!?  But, I know I am not alone.  (Simply typing this makes me feel less guilty somehow.)  I get a lot of questions from teachers around the country about how to do this or what method(s) I suggest.  

Back to School Jitters

Tomorrow I'm heading back to school.  And even though it's my 15th year of teaching, I still get a little nervous and excited and I NEVER sleep well the night before (this is probably why I have a big glass of wine on my desk as I type this blog post).

I have 2 really cool things to share with you today.  First of all, I'm really excited about a new activity I created yesterday.  My husband came home and announced that he was going to do something fun for his upperclassmen in Algebra II.  This is a monumental announcement at my house.  Typically I am the one creating exciting, fun activities for my students, while my husband puts most of his efforts into his athletes (in addition to Algebra II, he is the head coach for both cross country and track & field).  So, I was immediately on-board to help him out.  He wanted to do a Mad Libs style Get To Know You activity.  That sounded really fun to me too, so I created one for him, one for me, and five generic ones for all teachers.  And Crazy Libs is available for purchase just in time for back to school!

Guess What Time It Is?

It's the HUGE Teachers Pay Teachers Love Back-To-School SALE!

Seriously, people!  How can you NOT be excited!?!?  Not only am I offering 15% off all of my products, but if you enter the special TPT promo code at checkout (BTS15), you save an additional 10% off your entire purchase.

So start your pre-shopping now (it's kind of like window shopping for new clothes, but better because you can still use these products year after year, even if you eat a ton of cake and gain a few pounds.)  See?  The gift that keeps on giving.  Tons of dedicated, talented teachers have put countless hours into creating quality products for your classrooms that work (so you have more free time).

A few schools have already started, but just in case you haven't, I thought I'd get your eyes watering with a new Back-to-School activity. (Get it... instead of your mouth watering?  Maybe not.... I just had Lasik surgery so my eyes really ARE watering!)  It's called the "Science Lab Coat First Day of School Activity."  It provides you with a way to get to know your new students, your students to get to know each other, and some really cute, science-related decorations for your science classroom.  It's a 3-in-1 special!

Check it out by clicking on the image below.

Prepare in Advance for Sick Days - Editable Sub Binder

Being organized and prepared for whatever may come my way is pretty important to me.  If you're anything like me, you think you've got it all together and ready to teach tomorrow's lesson, until the WORST THING POSSIBLE HAPPENS....your child wakes up in the middle of the night SICK!

At my house, since my husband and I are both teachers, as soon as we clean up the vomit from the carpet, the clothes, the bed-sheets, the walls, etc... we immediately start discussing who can take off the next day to stay home with the sick child.  My husband usually loses that battle after I explain that there's no way a sub could teach this rockin' lesson I have planned or conduct the dangerous lab with chemicals...  I mean, really?!?!?  Can you imagine what would happen if I wasn't there?

But on those rare occasions, I lose the battle and go into panic mode at 3 a.m.  I rush up to the school in my pajamas, (yes, I've done it.  The night janitor has seen things I'm sure he'd like to block out of his memory) and start gathering up everything my sub will need.  I type up detailed directions, I try to think of everything the sub will need to know to make things run as smoothly as possible.

But wouldn't things be that much easier if most of the work was done in advance?  Yes!  That's where the EDITABLE Sub Binder comes in.  I just finished creating it and have posted it in my TPT store at a 50% discount for a short time.

If You Fail to Plan...

Well you know the rest...

As many classrooms around the country are taking a break for the summer, it's time for teachers to reflect on the previous year and start planning for next year.

My science department is meeting this week (before we get into full vacay mode) to start planning for the new school year.  While many people are ready to flee the campus and not step foot into their classrooms until the fall, it really is a good time to do some reflecting on what worked and what didn't while it's still on your mind.  The only way to improve upon your craft and stay relevant is to constantly revisit and rethink what you do in the classroom and how you do it.  The lessons that were successful might be things you want to keep in your repertoire, while those that flopped, should be tossed or rethought.  

I am so pumped about the new Teacher Planners I've created this year.  While I use Planbook.com for a lot of my daily plans because it easily links to my class blog for my students, I still need to do my planning with paper and pencil.  These planners are all you will need!  I have 3 different design options to choose from, with each design offering many different options for layout, etc...  They are customizable, editable, and flexible in how you use them.  They are great for both primary and secondary teachers and don't break the wallet.  

Preparing for the 8th grade Science STAAR Test (Review & Plans)

This past week, my students took the 2014 Released Science STAAR Test as a tool for us to measure their progress and help assess what concepts need to be reviewed before the actual STAAR administration in April.  For more info on the test visit the TEA website.

Last year, I spent time going over the released test and I had a form for students to fill out showing them what TEKS and concepts they were strong in and which ones were weakness.  Ari from The Science Penguin had a great idea for the 5th grade test that I borrowed and adapted for the 8th grade test.  On one side it lists the question number along with the TEKS and a student-friendly explanation about that TEKS.  On the other side, students graph their raw score so they can get a visual of where they are at this point (have they met the minimum standard, are they just above/below it, or are they well within the Advanced Academic Performance zone?)  Then students have a chance to write down 5 strengths and 5 weakness and reflect on the test.

Download the document here!

All of the Moon Phases in Less Than a Week

I absolutely love teaching moon phases and after 14 years, I feel like I've almost perfected the art of teaching this concept.  I've created a lot of new things, come up with tips and tricks that will stick with my students, and created some pretty awesome hands-on activities for my students to be able to interact and experience the lunar cycle.  And because I only use activities that give me 'a lot of bang for my buck,' I'm able to shorten the amount of time I need to teach the concept and students are mastering the material in less time than ever.  

I begin on the first day with an engagement activity in which students receive a baggie full of moon phases and they are simply asked to place them in a logical sequence on their table.  When they are done with the task, they raise their hand for me to come check it.  Over 90% of the time, students will place the pictures in the correct sequence, but they will have the moon pictures laid out in a straight line.  So I ask, "What comes after this last picture?"  And they usually grab the first picture in the sequence and drag it to the end.  Then I ask the exact same question again, followed by another card moving from the beginning of the sequence to the end AGAIN.  So I ask, "Is there a better way you could lay these pictures out on your desk?"  They very quickly realize that a circle is more appropriate because the moon phases are a never-ending cycle.  There is no beginning and no end.  

After this engagement activity, I begin the "Lunar Lollipop Investigation" in which each student gets to experience and discover for themselves what causes us to see various moon phases from earth and why the moon appears to be lit in the sky.

Color-by-Number Activities for Middle School Science

Click HERE to check out all of my Color-by-Number products

What do you like to do on your days off?  Me?... Well I have issues... I took the last 2 days off to stay at home and work on creating more products for my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  Lately, my color-by-number activities have been a big hit.  I'm starting to add more to the growing list of available topics, so stop by my store and see if there's something you could incorporate into your lessons this week.

Students love the change of pace and teachers are thrilled that their students are getting a good review of concepts or additional practice in specific content.

And the second best part... all you have to do to grade this (if you choose to), is check to make sure their final picture matches the included answer key.  Each numbered area that is colored incorrectly means that the student needs a quick direct teach or review of the concept.

Can't Live Without It eBooks - Get to Know TPT Sellers and Grab a Ton of FREEBIES

There are two things we know for sure…

1 -Teachers are busy!

2 -Teacher-Authors at Teachers Pay Teachers are working hard to make teachers’ lives easier!

And here’s the proof…
Brain Waves Instruction, Literary Sherri, Getting Nerdy with Mel and Gerdy, and Lindsay Perro have worked to compile 4 FREE ‘Can’t Live Without It’ eBooks filled with 120 instant print-and-teach resources for all you busy teachers out there!  And I am so excited to be a part of this special FREEBIE for teachers of all content areas.

The eBooks profile middle school and high school teacher-authors and include printable teaching resources from 30 TpT stores in each eBook.  The eBooks are categorized for ELA, Math, Science, and Humanities (Social Studies, Art, Foreign Language, and more ELA).

In them you’ll learn things that each TpT teacher-author can’t live without and you’ll receive a 1-page resource they think YOU can’t live without!

Who knows...You may learn something new about me...  :)

They’re made especially for you and you can check them all out here by clicking below on the category title of the ebook you want to look at:

ELA
Humanities
Math
Science

Click on my picture above to be taken directly to me free product in my Teachers Pay Teachers store and don't forget to check out the goodies from all of the contributors.

Check out the other teachers that have contributed to the 'Can't Live Without It' eBook:

An InLinkzLink-up

Science in Your Own Backyard

This weekend, on my family's road trip to eat some delicious BBQ at The Salt Lick, we happened to be driving by my old Alma Mater (I was the last graduating class of Southwest Texas State University, now called Texas State University) and I made my husband quickly pull off the interstate so that I could take my girls to see Aquarena Springs and ride on the glass-bottom boats.

We had a great time and the girls were amazed to see all of the life that was going on beneath the surface of the river.  Thousands of springs were bubbling up from the Edwards Aquifer.  Spring Lake is also home to one of the most dense turtle populations ever studied in the United States, so they saw their fair share of several different turtle species (up close).

But the part that really got the science teacher in me thinking was when we visited their indoor discovery hall and aquarium exhibit.  We were able to see several Endangered Species, such as the Texas Blind Salamander, San Marcos Salamanders, and Fountain Darters.  I started thinking how simple it would be to take a local (well...semi-local for me) spot like this, with so many educational opportunities and bring them into my classroom, or other classrooms across the state.

In 8th grade, we teach concepts, such as biodiversity, symbiotic relationships, and human impact on the environment.  In 7th grade, students model the effects of human activity on groundwater and surface water in a watershed.  All of these things could easily be tied in with a lesson about the local rivers in your area.  Science is right outside the 4 walls of your classroom, if you just look for it.



I happen to be fortunate to be located just a few miles down the road from Enchanted Rock State Park.  We have been able to partner up with the rangers on several occasions to have them speak to the students about the importance of conservation and keeping walking trails to a minimum.  Students discover what vernal pools are (and the tiny creatures that are a part of this fragile habitat) and see primary succession occurring on the giant granite dome with lichens.

Chemistry DIY for Your Classroom

In today's post, I'm going to share with you some simple DIY for your chemistry unit.  This is something my teaching buddy and I created this previous school year for our STAAR Review Camp, but I think it's definitely something we will be using during our chemistry unit for years to come.

It's an Atom Building Model that's magnetic.  And the best part is, most of the materials we used were things we already had around the classroom.

In my classroom, I have 2 different atom model sets.  The first one shown below cost somewhere in the $50 range and the second model pictures runs much higher, in the $70 range.  I like both of them for different reasons, but buying more of these for my students just wasn't going to happen.

I wanted some magnetic atom models that had a nucleus, 3 energy levels, and plenty of protons, neutrons, and electrons to allow my students to build atoms for atomic numbers 1-20.  I've noticed that in order for my students to master the structure of an atom and retain this information all year long, the key is to practice, practice, practice.

So, with all of the creative geniuses in my science department, we came up with a much cheaper version, that I actually ended up liking even more.

How To Get Started With Stations in the Science Classroom

I've a had a few teachers email me asking about how to begin to use stations in the science classroom, so I thought a quick How-To Post was in order.

My students are doing stations this week (4 out of the 5 days), so I will refer to those stations throughout this post, in addition to adding some pictures I snapped in class today.

First and foremost, I've discovered that not all content easily lends itself to stations.  And not all students are 100% ready for this different way of doing things.  This year, I teach five 8th grade Pre-AP classes and one 7th grade regular science class.  I do stations a lot with my 8th graders because I have spent time (since the start of the school year) introducing more and more stations and I feel comfortable knowing that they will take the stations seriously and be more responsible for their own learning.  If you teach lower grades, you may have to ease them into it or start with some stations that are typically easier content to comprehend.

My 8th graders are beginning their weather unit.  Weather tends to be a unit that is quite challenging and fairly unfamiliar to most of my students.  Last week we did several labs to remind the students how density and temperature are related.  I also provided them with some simple models that would help them remember more difficult concepts.  For example, I blew up a balloon and we discussed where the pressure was greater (inside the balloon).  Then I released my fingers from the neck of the balloon and allowed the air to escape.  The students were able to verbalize that this created wind.  So, we discussed that wind is simply moving air.  Then, we took it a step further and got to the big idea of the whole demonstration which was ... Air moves from high to low pressure.  They've all experienced letting air out of a balloon, so to have this simple model/memorization tool to help them remember a more difficult concept (how air moves in relation to pressure), was priceless.  They even remembered it today (after a 3 day weekend)!  Woo Hoo!

Today my students did stations on wind and air pressure.  There were a total of 5 stations (I always set up two of each station, so that there is always somewhere for my students to go).  That is pretty important in my opinion.  You don't want students to be standing around, so make enough stations to always have an empty one.  It's also good to consider the amount of time that each station may take.  If all of your stations take 10 minutes, but you have one station that is taking them 15-20 minutes, you are going to have a major traffic jam at that "longer" station.  Have a plan.

At station 1, they were doing a card sort in which they identified different tools used to measure both wind speed and/or wind direction.  Each station has a sign with directions and all of the handouts, tools, and resources needed to complete that station.  I even have directions telling them where to glue it into their Interactive Science Notebook (ISN).

Nerd Year Resolution- Nerd Libs Link-Up

I'm linking up with Mel and Gerdy for their latest Nerd Libs!


To be honest, I don't make New Years Resolutions, mainly because I know I'll drop them after a week or two. But there are a few on my Nerd Lib that I might be able to keep up with. I'll let you guess which ones! Hee, hee!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Top 5 Reasons YOU Should Be Using Stations in Middle School

It's like David Lettermen's Top Ten List, but better!  Only 5!

5.  It gets middle school students moving around the room, completing several organized tasks.
Let's face it - their attention spans are short and they learn best when they are able to communicate with their peers.  Instead of completing a boring packet of work or completing a series of practice worksheets, try making stations out of the activities.  Simply breaking the tasks into smaller chunks makes it seem more manageable to the students and isn't so overwhelming.  Varying the types of activities at each station allows you to reach all of the different types of learners within your classroom - try a quick lab, a reading passage with questions, a card sort, a video or other online activity, a station with the teacher to do a quick direct teach, etc...  Differentiation happens naturally.  I rarely have my students complete a typical worksheet anymore.  I find ways to incorporate them into station activities or questions on task cards that can be found around my room, building, or school campus.  You would be amazed at how hard the most unmotivated student will work, when you make it more of a competitive activity.  The most important thing is to keep them moving and don't let them spend more than 10-15 minutes on any one activity.  

4.  It saves time.
In one day, the students will complete more work in a stations setting than they would if working individually or simply sitting in their chair.  There is something about getting a list of tasks completed by the end of the period that motivates students for some reason.  As soon as they finish what they are working on, they know they have the "reward" of being able to move to something else.  Now, to be honest, the prep work for YOU is a bit more, but once it's set up, you aren't busy at all.... Which leads me to #3...