16 Full Option Science System
Science Notebooks in Grades 3–6
Drawings. When students observe the shape and distribution of
crystals after evaporation, or observe and identify the parts of a system, a
labeled illustration is the most effi cient way to record data. A picture is
worth a thousand words, and a labeled picture is even more useful.
Students’ initial drawings may need refi nement to accurately capture
their observations. It can be helpful to suggest an acronym for making
useful drawings. Accurate, big, colorful, and detailed (ABCD) drawings
can explain systems, identify structures of an organism, or capture
observations of landforms. As the need arises, introduce specifi c
drawing techniques, such as the use of scale, magnifi ed view, and
appropriate use of color.
Tables. With experience, students will recognize when a table
is appropriate for recording data. When students make similar
observations about a series of objects, such as a set of minerals or
powdered substances, a table with columns is an effi cient recording
method. The two-dimensional table makes it easy to compare the
properties of all the objects under investigation. Similarly, when
students conduct an experiment, they can record data directly into a
T-table. With little eff ort, they can transform the table, presented in
ordered pairs, into a graph.
Notebook sheets are a good way to scaff old the use of tables. Students
can quickly enter the information on the sheets. As they take on
more independence in their notebooks, discussions about the column
headings or the purpose of the tables shift the focus from
fi lling in the table, to the purpose the table serves, and,
eventually, to how to make a table to record this information.A drawing from the Structures of
Life ModuleA table from the Energy and Electromagnetism Module