Hi Shelby! I'd agree with your professor about science notebooks. Also, as a principal of mine once said, "learning is not a spectator sport." So involve the students as much as possible in their learning. For example, display student work in the classroom, let the students create the word wall entries, encourage them to explore on their own, and allow them to make mistakes (with guidance on how to follow up on them). Remind them of the learning objectives related to each activity so that they don't think of hands-on activities as a special event or recreational opportunity! Rather than ask "are there any questions?" instead say "what questions do you have about (topic)?" Or better yet, "ask me three questions." Students love to create games and song lyrics, too. -- Mary B