Interactive Notebooks

[carrieSAtoUSA]

Has anyone heard of or have used interactive notebooks? I've just heard about them and am interested in implementing them during the next school year with my 5th graders. I found some information at



There is a lot of information there, but having never done these, it's a bit confusing as to where and how to start. If anyone has any information that can help get me going, I'd really appreciate it! I need a bit of help with organization in my class!!!

[wig]

Hmmm. Your link didn't show up. I have used ISNs in my SS classes for several years. I love them. Here is a link that may help you.

http://interactive-notebooks.wikispaces.com/

First of all decide how you are going to set them up. The most popular way is the left pages being the Learning (Teacher directed) side and the right being the Response or Reflection by the student side. You can use a spiral, bound or three ring notebook.

What subject are you thinking about using it in?

[jsfowler]

I am going to use interactive notebooks next year and I can't wait!! I am very excited about it. I have simply google "interactive student notebooks" about a million times...when I find something I like, I print it off and put it in a notebook.

Next year, I am having all students buy a composition notebook. The first day of class will be decorating the notebooks (for ownership) and numbering the pages. Then I am jumping right in. I have made a second notebook to display in my room full of graphic organizers that students can use in their book. I am also working on a peer and parent evaluation that I can use approximately every 2 weeks.

Sorry if this sounds jumbled but I am at the beach...I literally missed all of you so much that I wanted to check in real fast to see what was happening. Please feel free to PM me with any specific questions about ISNs. I will be happy to share what i have found with you.

[SS Rocks!]

I'm going to be using them next year. I was talking to a teacher in my county and she gave me a student example from a couple years ago.

I'm going to be spending my summer working out the details for mine. Thanks for the link, wig.

[jsfowler]

What subject will you be using the notebooks for? I have found some websites that are subject specific...

[littlmare]

I have tried to use them myself, but as I just mentioned in another post, I am organizationally challenged, and I don't know how to manage them. So, anyone out there with advice: how do you grade them, how do you make sure the students are maintaining? It seems so time consuming. (I work in a residential group home and homework just doesn't seem to get done...that could be the problem)

On the other hand, both of my children have used them (elem and MS) and they are awesome!!! Can't say enough about the positives. I know their teachers were all inserviced on it. If I can find the name of the company, I will post it.

I do have 2 concerns: the time consuming aspect, and I haven't seen a good transition from teacher giving the students the info and teaching them how to highlight to where the students learn note taking skills themselves (even in my son's MS class, the info is given to them, they glue it in their notebook and highlight the important stuff)

Comments/suggestions??????

[littlmare]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention... I have seen them used effectively from elementary all the way to High school in every subject...love my daughter's math one!

[SS Rocks!]

What subject will you be using the notebooks for? I have found some websites that are subject specific...


Do you have a link for social studies?

[wig]

Did you check the link I posted above? There is a section on Social Studies.

Here is one example from that page: http://www.nonags.org/members/dasaunders/index2.html

Keep in mind when you look at the examples that some go L= Left Learning ((teacher directed) and R = Right, Response/Reflection (Student). Others go just the opposite. It does not really matter.

The originators of the ISN is History Alive.

[SS Rocks!]

Did you check the link I posted above? There is a section on Social Studies.

Here is one example from that page: http://www.nonags.org/members/dasaunders/index2.html

Keep in mind when you look at the examples that some go L= Left Learning ((teacher directed) and R = Right, Response/Reflection (Student). Others go just the opposite. It does not really matter.

The originators of the ISN is History Alive.

I only looked at the page briefly the first time and didn't scroll down. :o Thanks!

[carrieSAtoUSA]

What subject are you thinking about using it in?

I am not sure yet which subject I will use it in. I guess I will have to see which one I feel more comfortable in. Any suggestions as to which would be the easiest to start in?

[wig]

I think Social Studies or Science would be easier than math or Language arts.

[Rio Windsor]

I'm going into my first year, and I am determined to find a way to use ISNs in my music classes! In my experience, music history/appreciation classes are pretty infamous for information going in one ear and out the other. I think ISNs would be really helpful for that. Also, with younger students (5th and 6th grade) who have trouble remembering how note values come together to make whole beats.

Does anyone have a link to any subject-specific ISN sites? I've read about 6 websites, but I want to see all the examples I can.

[wig]

Check Post #2, There is a pretty comprehensive list of ISNs on the link posted, although I do not believe their are any for Music. However, if you look at the examples linked, especially in the first section, I think you will be able to adapt it to music.

There is a very small section on interactive music notebooks on this site:

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:_CVlzLTUJD0J:www.fcps.k12.va.us/HayfieldES/Musicpages/images/MusicNews2-05.pdf+interactive+student+notebooks+for+music&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us

Under Assessment Instruments there are ideas you may be able to apply to your notebooks

http://cnx.org/content/m13516/latest/

[Rio Windsor]

Thanks for those links, they are helpful. It's definitely a lot less intimidating knowing that ISNs have worked for other music teachers!

[mrschestney2]

I have used Interactive Notebooks for Science, and Social Studies in 2nd grade. I am hoping to find ideas how to do these even better and perhaps add in Math. I have only been back in 2nd for 2 years and we didn't do these when I was in 2nd before... Problem is 3 of my teammates have been "trained" and 2 of us haven't been... so the 2 of us are often at a loss... Hopefully I will see something on the links above that will inspire me. My daughter did hers in 1st grade this year but it was "EVERYTHING" in one notebook. I will have to get her to explain it to me more in depth. Cheers! Andrea