Want to Liven Up Your Science Interactive Notebook or You want to Ditch Those Traditional Classroom Notes?

Want to Liven Up Your Science Interactive Notebook? 

Check out these 7 AMAZING foldables!!

THIS CHLOROPLAST CHARACTER FOLDABLE IS FREE!

Grab this chloroplast diagram foldable to add a little fun, entertainment to your science interactive notebook.

You Get This!!

PLUS THIS!!

“Foldables are a great way to organize information in such of a creative way to make the information stand out in the student’s mind.”

All of these foldables are on my pinterest account.  Feel free to follow me and pin these foldables so you can use at later date in the classroom.

Teaching students about macromolecules can be a difficult topic to cover especially when you are using words like monomer, polymer, carbohydrate, monosaccharide, polysaccharide, glycerol, and so on.  Not to mention that students need to know the function of macromolecules and what types of food are high in certain macromolecules.

So I created these 4 foldables that can be used to review all of this material, plus it is EDITABLE if you have Microsoft Word!  Which means you can adapt the foldables to fit your classroom’s needs.

You can also watch these characters come alive in my YouTube Video called, “What are the 4 Major Macromolecules and How are They Made?”

Students love to cut out these foldables and put them in an interactive notebook to study.  Don’t forget, if you have Microsoft Word, you could even resize the characters and pieces if your interactive notebook is smaller or larger.

If you would like to purchase my Macromolecules Foldables, click here.  Thanks!

This is my pyramid of energy foldable.  It has flaps that open to show the different levels of consumers (with a picture) and their trophic level.

Students have to identify key vocabulary terms (like independent, dependent, controlled variable, experimental & control group).

Then using a real-life example and the vocabulary terms, they have to come up with a hypothesis to test or answer the question.  The foldable allows students to see the definition of the terms and using those definitions, figure out what the terms would be in their experiment.

It’s neat because it really sets up the experiment and the steps of the scientific method process for students.  You don’t need anything for the experiment except a ruler, something to color and write with, scissors, and glue.  This is a great resource to include inside an interactive notebook.

It also makes students write and what teacher doesn’t love that!  Common core and NGSS working its way in there.

If you like this foldable, you can buy it in my store by clicking here.

Protein synthesis is one of the hardest topics to cover in biology.  I realized this when I started teaching it my first year. So I wanted to create worksheets that are very visually appealing, hands on, interactive, and detailed.  I think it is important to break up the steps of protein synthesis as well.  You should have a few worksheets about transcription and a few about translation.  Then a worksheet or activity combining both steps.  I feel like my protein synthesis bundle has these types of worksheets/foldables/activities in it.

Just like my DNA Bundle, my RNA bundle has

• Teacher notes
• Student notes
• PowerPoint Notes
• Interactive Activities/Worksheets/Foldable(s)
• Homework
• Quiz

Here are some of the worksheets that I have in my bundle.

PROTEIN SYNTHESIS – How to Make a Protein

STEP 1: TRANSCRIPTION

(IMAGE ABOVE) I noticed that many worksheets had a DNA strand like this, “ATGCAT,” and would ask students to write the appropriate letters that mRNA would have if this DNA strand was used to make it.  It just wasn’t enough for me.  I wanted something more visual, so that is why I created my worksheet.  You can see that I start by explaining the first step of protein synthesis which is transcription.  Then I give students a image showing DNA unzipping.  I explain to my students just imagine transcription happening — the DNA unzips and one strand is used to make mRNA.  You can see that I give students three DNA strands and they have to make 3 mRNA strands from each DNA.  I noticed that in other worksheets, students couldn’t tell what letter they are under and this worksheet makes it easy to see what letter you are under and plenty of room to write the letter.

(IMAGE ABOVE)  This next worksheet has students use a image as a guide to help them re-enact the steps of transcription.  You will see that students have to help the DNA create mRNA.  Students will be given the DNA strand and mRNA nucleotides.  Students will cut out the DNA and separate the two DNA strands (just like when the DNA unzips) then use the left side of DNA as a template to create mRNA (just like the image shows them at the top of the page of the worksheet).  Then after they create mRNA, they will close the DNA strand back up and glue it onto the page along with the new mRNA strand.  You can see that I also had students label the strand of DNA that was used as a template, the mRNA that was made, and I had them write the differences between a DNA and mRNA molecule.

STEP 2: TRANSLATION

(IMAGE ABOVE) This next worksheet starts by explaining what happens during translation and has students fill in the anticodon for each tRNA.  Then students have to figure out the amino acid the tRNA is carrying.  Now students can start to see how a protein is built.  Now we need students to actually physically build a protein to really grasp this difficult concept.

(IMAGE ABOVE)  I like having students put the 1st step of protein synthesis, which is transcription, on the left side, and the second step, translation, on the right side.  Students can refer back to this section in their notebook to recall the difference between the steps.

(IMAGE ABOVE) Now, like I mentioned before….”we need students to actually physically build a protein to really grasp this difficult concept.”  So you can see that I give students a mRNA strand, and they have to figure out what tRNA they need.  I have a page of tRNAs.  They will look for the tRNA they need, cut it out, and then cut off the amino acid that it carries on top of it’s head.  They will take that amino acid and glue it down on the page on the right that says, “Let’s Build a Protein.”  They will continue this process until they finish making their protein.

(IMAGE ABOVE ON THE RIGHT) I also included two little foldables that asks students a question, and they will have to lift up the flap to see what the answer is.  This just helps students recall/remember this activity.

(IMAGE ABOVE) This worksheet I created so students could have something to compare the process of protein synthesis too.  When I teach this difficult concept, I tell my students, “when you make a cake, does it consist of just 1 ingredient?”  They will say, “no.”  Then I ask them “what ingredients could I find in a cake?”  They start to name ingredients like, “milk, sugar, eggs… etc” and I mention how “a protein is also made up of many different ingredients, but it’s ingredients are different types of amino acids.”  Students always have a hard time grasping the idea that a protein is made up of many amino acids just like cake is made up of many things as well.  I feel that by comparing it to something they already know, like how to make a cake, they tend to remember the process of protein synthesis better.

(IMAGE ABOVE)  I love foldables.  They are a great way for students to quiz themselves later or even a friend.  This foldable compares the 3 different types of RNA involved in protein synthesis and what their function/job is.  Students can lift the flaps to see the answer.

(IMAGE ABOVE)  This last activity has students bring together all of their knowledge and apply it.  Here students re-enact protein synthesis.  They start with transcription and then close with translation.  They will use the paper cut-outs to re-enact how a protein is made.  I also provided them with a worksheet above that serves as a guide to show them how to use the pieces to re-enact protein synthesis.  Students can glue a envelope in their interactive notebook to keep the pieces together so they do not lose them.  I don’t even have my students glue this activity in their notebook anymore.  I print it all on cardstock and just pass it to students to practice.  I have one student read the guide worksheet while the other student re-enacts the steps that their partner is reading.  This activity also comes with questions.  I place the questions (which is just a 1 page worksheet) in a sheet protector and give students a dry erase pen so they can write out the answers on the worksheet.  If you want an idea of how this product works, here is a old youtube video demonstrating the product. Click here to see the video.  I have updated the images/clipart since then.

If you would like to purchase my Protein Synthesis & RNA Bundle, click here.

One of my favorite products that I created is a DNA bundle (click here to find on TPT to buy) that includes

• teacher notes
• student notes
• PowerPoint
• Interactive notebook activities (or can be used just as worksheets)
• Homework
• Quiz

I’ve included pictures of the interactive notebook activities from this bundle.  You don’t have to have an interactive notebook to use these activities/worksheets.  You can give them as individual worksheets as your students progress through the topic.  You can see in the pictures that I did put them in a interactive notebook.

If you look at the worksheet on the LEFT ABOVE , you will see that I actually drew 3 DNA molecules I decided to do this because I am a visual learner.  I noticed that many worksheets had students practice complementary base pairing by writing that T-A   and G-C but didn’t show it in a DNA molecule.  I wanted to visually see it to help me process it and I knew it would help my students as well.

The worksheet on the RIGHT ABOVE takes students a little more in depth.  Students learn how nucleotides form the basic unit of DNA.  Here students have to define what a nucleotide is and be able to identify one in a DNA molecule.  It also goes over some rules to follow to know how to properly place the phosphate, deoxyribose sugar, and nitrogen base in a nucleotide.

The next worksheet you see above on the LEFT has students color one nucleotide, identify the backbone of DNA, and then color the different nitrogen bases.  This just helps students reinforce the components of a DNA molecule.  This activity would be great as a QUICK warmup after students have completed the Nucleotide Worksheet that I posted before this picture.  It uses terms like “backbone” to help your students remember that the backbone of a DNA molecule is sugar and phosphate.  I also made the DNA molecule in this picture twisted so you could show your students why DNA is often referred to as a double helix or twisted ladder.

In the picture above on the RIGHT, you will see I created nucleotide pieces that your students have to cut out and arrange properly to make a DNA molecule.  In my class, sometimes I don’t even have my students cut out the pieces.  I might have them already printed on cardstock, pre-cut, and in bags.  You could laminate the pieces to use year after year.  I just print everything on cardstock now because it is heavier and not as easily to bend or become ripped.  I usually can use these pieces for a couple of years.  I use to laminate everything but it takes up too much time.  I have too many students.  Next I will distribute the bags to my students (which are grouped in pairs) and ask them to create a DNA molecule.  Then I walk around and check to see if students can properly create a DNA molecule.  I will also ask students to point to the basic unit of DNA.  You would be surprised how many students point to a nitrogen base instead of one of the puzzle pieces (each puzzle piece is a nucleotide and that is the basic unit of DNA – so they should pick up 1 puzzle piece). This is a fast way to check for understanding and clear up any misunderstandings. I do offer the “Build a DNA Molecule” separately on my TPT store but the shapes of the nucleotides are a little bit different than in this bundle.  So please look at the images on TPT carefully before you buy and read the reviews.  To just see this individual item on TPT for sell, click here.

The next worksheet above on the left helps students understand how a DNA molecule replicates.  Often, I see teachers just show their students a picture of how this process works but doesn’t physically have their students re-enact the steps.  So I created this worksheet where students start with 1 DNA molecule and they have to help the molecule replicate.

(IMAGE ABOVE) Here is another close up shot of the same activity.  Students had to look at the DNA molecule on the left and had to replicate it.  They were given the DNA molecule and additional nucleotides.  Using scissors, students had to cut open the DNA molecule and placed the original strands on the far left and right.  Then cut out the new nucleotide pieces and place them according to the complementary base pairing on the original strands.  This resulted in DNA replication.  I would recommend having students label the original strands in one color, and then label the new strands in another color.  Then I would have students write how many DNA molecules we started with, and how many we finished with (so we started with the 1 DNA molecule on the left, and after replication, we now have 2 DNA molecules on the right –> thus DNA replication happened!).  If you would just like to buy this individual item, DNA Replication Activity, click here to go to my TPT store.

(IMAGE ABOVE) The next activity I created was a DNA foldable.  This foldable has flaps that open up where you students can write in the different parts of a DNA molecule and use this foldable as a tool to study with or quiz other students.  I also made sure that this DNA molecule took students knowledge to the next step.  It really showed students what a DNA molecule’s parts actually looked like.  If you would like to just purchase this DNA Foldable separately, click here to go to my TPT store.

If you would like to purchase the entire DNA bundle with all of these activities including PPT notes, homework, and quiz, click here to go to my TPT with the Bundle https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/DNA-Deoxyribonucleic-Acid-Notes-PowerPoint-Activities-1818918

(IMAGE ABOVE)  My students have to learn the photosynthesis equation.  So you can see that I created two activities to help them achieve this.

(IMAGE ABOVE)  My first activity is a foldable.

(IMAGE ABOVE) When students open the flaps, you will see the equation in words.  I had my students also write in the reactants and products.

(IMAGE ABOVE)  When students open the flaps again, you will see the symbols representing the equation now.

(IMAGE ABOVE)  This is my second activity.  It has students answer a few questions regarding photosynthesis and then complete the equation in terms of words and symbols.

(IMAGE ABOVE)  When I have my students do this second activity, I have the students do it in pairs.  One student would receive the answer key (the white sheet) and the other student would receive the blue sheet with the yellow pieces.  The student with the answer key would guide the student doing the activity.  If the student put down one of the wrong pieces then the student with the answer key would tell him/her it is wrong and give him/her a hint to correct their mistake. Great for EL students!

You can buy this activity from my TPT store by clicking here.

(1) What is a foldable?

A foldable is a graphic organizer that folds in some type of way.  Foldables have become popular in the last few years to help engage students in the classroom.  In recent years, there has been a big push to move towards a classroom that involves more hands on learning and student centered classrooms.  Foldables were created to help present material that is normally given in direct instruction or notes, as a way to engage students and have them do the thinking.

(2) Why do we use foldables in the classroom?

As stated earlier, I absolutely love using foldables in our classroom!  There are so many different types of foldables and they can display information in a variety of ways.  Foldables can be used as an alternative to traditional style of notes (teacher lectures and students take notes) or as a supplement to transform what students learned into a type of graphic organizer that makes the information more visually appealing.

My plant cell foldable above is a perfect example of how I have changed the traditional way of students taking notes.  Students are given a visual of a plant cell with flaps that open up (next two images below).  Students will need to research and give the organelle name and function.  This is very different from having students take notes from a PowerPoint or lecture that goes over the organelles.

I have found that students perform better on tests when they have constructed foldables on a certain concept.  Students are better at retaining the information when they research and write down their findings.  In addition, they are able to look back at their information and quiz themselves or their partners.

(3) How do we use our foldables in our classroom?

There are many different ways that you can use my foldables in your classroom.  You can have students construct the foldables individually, in pairs, or in groups.  There are certain times that I have had students construct it individually versus with classmates.

Foldables that are used as an introduction to a topic will more than likely be constructed individually.  This is so that students can research and explore a topic on their own.  Even if students construct a foldable individually, I can place them with a partner and have them quiz one another using their constructed foldable.

I place students in pairs or groups when they have already learned about some information, and I want our students to discuss with one another.  It is my firm belief that students learn the most when they are discussing and justifying their answer.  Students are more confident and willing to share when they have had time to discuss with one another.

(4) Why are my foldables unique?

I present information through visual cues (like graphs, pictures, and/or charts) and imagery that appeals to many students.  I have used other foldables in my classroom many times.  Yet, I have found that some other foldables sometimes give too much information, not enough information, or are difficult for students to construct.  My foldables were created to help make the concepts easier to break down and process.  I keep my foldables simple and straight to the point.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had students take forever to look through foldables to find the information that they need.  With my foldables, your students will find it easy to locate information.

(6) What type of foldables do you offer?

I are continuously adding new products to my store. That is why I recommend you visiting my foldables in my store, and searching by subject (like biology, earth science, etc) or by topic (for example, animal cell) to receive the current up-to-date list of foldables.  I offer foldables in many different science concepts.