Science Notebooks – A Solution for End of the Year Exhaustion

The end of the school year can be a challenge. Excitement is high. Patience may be low. And student attention is fading. Sometimes you just need to press pause and take your students outside for a bit of fresh air. Yet that break can be productive if you ask them to take along a science notebook. Science notebooks are research-based tools where students can record their observations and think through science ideas.

Here are five quick and easy science notebook activities you can introduce with nonfiction picture books and use with students of all ages.

Tiny, Perfect Things by M.H. Clark – Find a tiny perfect thing and document it.

Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner by Janice N. Harrington – Write a list of ten things you wonder about on a nature walk.

One Small Square: Backyard by Donald M. Silver – Throw down a hula hoop or enclose a small area with string. Document what you see. What do you notice and wonder?

Small Wonders: Jean-Henri Fabre & His World of Insects by Matthew Clark Smith – Find an insect and document it.

Bioblitz!: Counting Critters by Susan Edwards Richmond – Conduct a school yard count.

If you have students who are reluctant to participate because they lack confidence in their drawing abilities, the videos on John Muir’s site make wonderful mini-lessons – especially for something different to engage students near the end of the school year.

While you are there, check out his video series for a thorough overview of nature journaling techniques, and be sure to grab his free .pdf with hundreds of pages of lessons and helpful ideas for using science notebooks in your classroom. It will make fascinating summer reading. . . in a few weeks after you have a chance to catch your breath!

Emily Starr

When Emily Starr was six, she grabbed her small red suitcase and stomped through the kitchen, announcing her plans to run away. The suitcase’s flimsy latch promptly popped open revealing its contents–air. Thankfully, Emily grew-up to be a planner like Claudia. For nearly two decades, she has worked with experts, authors, and educators to develop science curriculum and professional development resources for her company, StarrMatica. As a former elementary teacher, her specialty is helping educators to incorporate scientific thinking and an engineering mindset into daily classroom routines using picture books.

Emily is a reluctant daredevil, joining her husband in sky diving, cliff jumping, white water rafting, and hundreds of scuba diving adventures including diving with sharks. But, Emily’s favorite thing to do is read and write STEM-themed nonfiction picture books (and middle-grade!) Emily lives in Iowa where she enjoys exploring nature with her two boys, and she holds her library’s record for the most books checked out at one time–185!

Emily is a member of the Iowa State Science Leadership Team and a reviewer for NSTA's journal Science and Children. She has received five highly competitive Small Business Innovation Research grants, the Prometheus Award, District Administration's Top Products Award, and the Iowa Entrepreneur of the Year Award. You can learn more about Emily’s work on StarrMatica.com