If My Students Don’t Like it…

In our science classes we spend a lot of time writing in our science notebooks. We write down vocabulary words and their definitions, we make notes about things like the order of the planets, we write bullet points, “a few sentences,” paragraphs, and multi-paragraph reflections. 

We’re going to fill that science notebook you set up in September - trust me.

But why so much writing?

I have to say, “too much writing” is the number one complaint about my classes. You might ask; If my students don’t like it, why do I make them do so much of it?

There are several reasons.

First off, the simple act of writing something down gives you a better chance of remembering it. If I just handed you lists of vocabulary words and their definitions, you probably wouldn’t learn them very quickly, if at all. The act of putting pencil to paper engraves that information on your brain in a way that has sticking power. 

In science, using proper vocabulary is critical. We learn these words so we can be precise in our speaking and writing. For example; when we talk about a spring tide, we’re saying a lot about the placement of the Sun, Moon and Earth, the resulting phase of the moon and the implication of all this on our tides. You’re saying a lot with just a couple of words. 

Second, I ask you to write complete sentences and paragraphs because that is the way professionals express their thoughts. One-word answers are quick but are rarely complete. If you’re going to be successful in high school, college and your work-life, you will need to present your thoughts and ideas in a clear and understandable way. In other words, you will need to write complete sentences, paragraphs and essays. 

Remember, I did about a million other jobs before becoming a teacher. I know what I’m talking about (technically, I know what I’m writing about - and note, I’m doing it in complete sentences and paragraphs). I wrote sales proposals, advertising copy, memos, reports, letters and emails. I wrote book reviews, newspaper and magazine articles. I produced research findings that made their way into books and TV documentaries. I have spent a lot of time expressing my thoughts and ideas in writing.

The only way to get good at writing is to do it - and do it a lot.

Finally, our science notebooks are organized in a very specific way. We have a table of contents at the front. This lists the major questions we have been looking into and the page number on which that work begins. At the back we are creating an index of all the vocabulary words we have learned. Do you think it is a coincidence that reference books are set up the same way? This is a really good way of organizing your work and, later, finding what you need.  

It is a lot of writing but it is worth it. All that writing is changing your brain. You are embedding that information in there forever - it may not always be a top-of-mind, but you will know that you’ve seen it before and it will be easier to access and remember.