Check out this page for some resources that will help you take your science notebook to its best.

Science Notebook Rubric

Science Notebook Table of Contents

Table of Contents: Chemistry (notebook p. 6)

Left Side	Page	Right Side	Page
Table of Contents	6	Cover Page	7
Introduction to Atoms	8	Diagram of an Atom	9
Atomic Code Activity	10	Numbering Atoms	11
The Bohr Model: Drawing Atoms	12	Assignment: Atoms	13
Physical and Chemical Properties	14	Explaining Properties	15
When Atoms Bond	16	Comparing Atoms, Elements, Compounds, & Molecules	17
Using Molecular Formulas	18	Making Sense of Molecular Formulas	19
Notes: Mixtures vs. Compounds	20	Lab: Classifying Matter	21
Phases of Matter Concept Map	22	Phases of Matter Foldable	23
Foldable: Phase Changes are Physical Changes	24	Reflecting on Phase Changes	25
Notes: Phase Changes	26	Visualizing Phase Changes	27
Explaining Changes in Matter	28	Concept Map: Part 1	29
Lab Safety Rules	30	Reflecting on Lab Safety	31
Lab: Heating Curve of Water	32	Graphs: Heating and Cooling Curves	33
Notes: Chemical Changes	34	Comparing Chemical and Physical Changes	35
Lab: Chemical & Physical Changes	36	Application Qs	37
Making Compounds: Reactions & Equations	38	Interpreting Chemical Equations	39
Lab: Law of Conservation of Matter	40	Lab Discussion	41
Rules: Balanced Chemical Equations	42	Practice: Is It Balanced?	43

Color with a Purpose:

As the rubric says, a good science notebook uses color to enhance understanding. We can refer to this as "color with a purpose." We shouldn't use colors just to make it look nice - we need to use colors to make our notes easier to understand, to give our diagrams more meaning, to help us build more connections in our brain...

Here is the basic system I use for highlighting notes, though I will use other colors as needed in diagrams.
Goal questions highlighted in green
Key terms/vocabulary highlighted in blue
Important information highlighted in pink

Want more information on why you should color code your interactive notebook? Check out this link for more information about why you should color code your notebook and how you could do so.
Why You Should Color Code Your Notebook, and How to Do It

Graphic Organizers:

Diagrams:

Remember, a diagram is basically a labeled drawing.
A good science diagram meets the following requirements. These are called the ABCDs of diagramming.
A: Accurate (accurate representations and labels)
B: Big (use up an appropriate amount of space)
C: Colorful (remember to color with a purpose)
D: Detailed (detailed drawings that are labeled)

Why it is so important to try to make your diagrams make the most sense? Watch this video about 15 inaccuracies found in common science illustrations. Think about how diagrams that are incorrect can build misconceptions.