Web Seminar Series

How are students using science notebooks in your classroom? Science notebooks can be more than a record of what students did in class. This two-part series, scheduled on Feb 16 and March 2, 2027 explores how notebooks create a window into how students think and figure things out.

This web seminar series is an opportunity to explore how science notebooks can support student sensemaking and how they can be used to assess learning and provide meaningful feedback. 

Across the series, participants will experience how science notebooks can be used by students as they make sense of phenomena and learn strategies for shifting towards student-directed use of notebooks. They will also consider how to leverage science notebooks for formative assessment and gain insight on how to provide productive feedback for students and make informed decisions about grading practices that support student sensemaking.

Through this two-part web seminar series, participants will deepen their understanding of how to use science notebooks through:

• Firsthand experiences using science notebooks to make sense of phenomena.
• Exploration of practical strategies that build student ownership of notebook use.
• Analysis of student notebook entries to identify evidence of sensemaking and opportunities for assessment.

Participants will leave with practical strategies for positioning science notebooks as powerful classroom tools that provide insight into student thinking!

Who Should Attend:

This web seminar series is particularly relevant for:

• K-12 science educators
• Instructional coaches and sciences specialists
• Schools and district leaders supporting science instruction

Program Dates and Times:

The two live web seminars are scheduled on Tuesdays, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM Eastern time. Specific program dates are below:

• February 16 and March 2, 2027

During the Topic Study Participants Have Access to:

• Digital resources and all NSTA online community tools (My Library, My Profile, Community Forums)
• All archive versions of the web seminars to watch on-demand.

Program Certificates:

Participants will receive a certificate from NSTA after each live web seminar for attending the live program AND completing the post-program survey. No certificates will be awarded for watching the recorded version of the program.

Groups of Teachers:

Science Leaders Can Sponsor Groups of Educators!  Are you a state, district, or school leader working to enhance your teachers' professional learning?  Please consider sponsoring a cohort of teachers to participate in the Making Student Thinking Visible: Supporting Sensemaking and Assessing Science Notebooks Topic Study!  

Cost to Groups:

• $750 flat fee per cohort of 25 participants, regardless of their NSTA membership status. Additional participants (beyond 25) will be charged $30 per person.

If you are interested in sponsoring a group of at least 25 individuals, please contact Zoe Evans via email ([email protected]) for a quote.

Send your questions about the program to ([email protected]).

Final note: The rates below are for individual registration only and include both web seminars in the series.