Science Notebooks in Grades 3–6 3
Reference document. When data are displayed in functional ways,
students can think about them more eff ectively. A well-kept notebook
is a useful reference document. When students have forgotten a fact
about a rock that they learned earlier in their studies, they can look
it up. Learning to trust a personal record of previous discoveries and
knowledge structures is important.
A complete and accurate record allows students to reconstruct the
sequence of learning events to “relive” the experience. Discussions
about science among students; students and teachers; or students,
teachers, and families have more meaning when they are supported by
authentic documentation in students’ notebooks.From the Soils, Rocks, and Landforms Module