What are Interactive Reading Notebooks?

1. What are Interactive Reading Notebooks? • Student’s personalized “textbook”; a method for students to organize work; demonstrate learning styles • Student output (demonstration of understanding, responses, reflections, etc.) • Tool to capture the student’s thinking regarding other people’s writing • Aid to understanding/not understanding of concepts and strategies • Allows students to make connections to personal readings, genres, anchor texts, strategies • A portfolio of yearly work • Teacher input (concepts, strategies, etc.) • Communication tool during one-on-one conferences with the student • RtI tool/documentation

2. The Basics Notebook activities are completed on a two page spread OR can be divided down the page One side is teacher material, the other side is student processing

3. What Goes Where? Right Side: Student Output Left Side: Teacher Input • Activated Prior Knowledge • Class discussion notes • Student’s connection to strategy • Example anchor text • May include student’s connection to the topic, reflection • Thinking Maps • Visuals (i.e. pictures, drawings) • Other relevant information (i.e. “cool words”, a treasure “found” during reading • Quotes • Class notes • Handouts (glued onto page) • Rubrics (glued to page) • Pre-reading activities

4. Sections or Tabs? Categories/Sections Sticky Note or Color Code? • Genre Gallery • Specific information regarding each genre (definition, anchor text examples) • Independent Reading Responses and Reflections • Nightly or Weekly (you decide) • Left side open for comments/notes from teacher (i.e. opportunity for insight into the student as a reader, student issues with a comprehension skill (RtI moment) • Strategy Station • Workshop atmosphere • Reading comprehension strategies • Any other area(s) you need for your students • Personal preference • Sticky note off sections • Color code outside edge • Genre Gallery—orange • Independent Reading R&R—green • Strategy Station

5. What You’ll Need Notebook – spiral, 70 to 100 pages, your preference; possibly one each quarter Colored pencils or markers Glue – to glue on any handouts, rubrics Stickies (optional)

6. Housekeeping Reminders… Pages are to be numbered (front/back) First three pages are Table of Contents Page four included any vital information students will need for a quick reference (Forty Book Requirement Genre List) Entries need date and title (no matter if using the Section or Color Coding) Pages are not to be ripped out; if mistake is made, we can fix it Must be brought to class everyday with your independent reading; these are your official textbooks for class Personalize front cover (include F/L name, Title, class period)

7. Challenges • Set-up – overcome with time and planning • Grading – biggest challenge

8. Is this Just for Language Arts? • NO! This can be utilized in all content areas, personalize it for your subject • Interactive Reader’s Notebook can easily be named Interactive Science Notebook (example courtesy of Eboni DuBose) • Can modify and utilize as a Interactive Writer’s Notebook (craft of writing) during Writer’s Workshop

9. The notebook is divided into TWO sections. Right side TEACHER=INPUT Left side TEACHER=OUTPUT WARMUP #1 Fill in the missing word. Decomposer Producer Consumer Plants are ____. Lions, tigers, and bears are ____. Worms and mushrooms are____

10. Food for Thought… Be creative Personalize for your students Give each student detailed feedback (especially with their nightly/weekly responses) Be flexible Don’t give up Share ups/ downs, the good, the bad, the ugly

11. Additional Resources Buckner, Aimee E. Notebook Connections: Strategies for the Reader's Notebook. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse, 2009. Print. Miller, Donalyn, and Jeff Anderson. The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2009. Print.