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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Interactive Notebooks for Little Learners...9 Helpful Hints to Ensure Success!

Where have you been all my life, interactive notebooks? I am so in love with them! If you are not doing interactive notebooks yet, I urge you to stop what you're doing and give them a try! The level of student engagement is at an all time high. In all my years of teaching, I have NEVER seen ALL my students so ENGAGED the ENTIRE time they are working. From start to finish, they are hanging on to every word I say, and trying their absolute best to have the neatest, nicest, most accurate notebook!

My first graders have completed several activities already and we've learned some neat tricks along the way. I'd like to share them with you!
Before the children cut anything, have them color the tabs that are glued to the notebook so they don't accidentally cut them off. 

While cutting, remind children NOT to cut off the colored tab. It's easy for them to see what they should NOT cut off since it is colored, but a helpful reminder (or two!) is a good idea. 

Have children keep the paper on the table while they apply the glue to the tab(s). If they lean on their notebook page, the notebook page will get sticky, resulting in flaps that may not open and close because they are glued shut.
Glue the tab(s) down before making any cuts. It is easier to glue the paper to the page while it is still intact. If they make cuts first, the flaps are moving all over the place, making it difficult to glue the tab(s) onto the page.
See how easy it is to make the cuts now?

Have children color while waiting for the others to finish cutting and gluing. This keeps them happily engaged and occupied while your slower cutters and gluers finish up. Then, you can all work together on the actual lesson.

Always use the left side of the page for the children to apply what they have learned on the right side of the page. Eventually, the children can come up with their own way to explore connections to what has been learned. But, for now, I am helping them along.


Keep scrap bins at each table so students can easily and quickly dispose of their scraps. Assign table captains to put scrap bins and glue and scissor caddies on the table and to put them away when they are finished. The rest of the children can use a wipe to clean off the table. 
Have students number each page they work on, so you can ask them to turn to a specific page when you want them to refer back to a previous lesson.
If you are thinking that you want to give interactive notebooks a try, but you are worried about how to fit it in to your already packed day, just remember this...Interactive Notebook activities should be used INSTEAD of other activities, not in addition to them. 

And, there you have it! 9 helpful tips to ensure that your interactive notebook activities are always successful! So, what are you waiting for? Jump right in and join the fun!

Feel free to check out all my interactive notebook activities!
Just click each cover!






































I love to talk about interactive notebooks. Please let me know if you have any questions or want to pick my brain!

This post was featured on the TpT blog!
Check it out here!

22 comments:

  1. Great tips, Lori! Thanks for sharing!

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  2. These are great tips! I have looked at and admired many interactive notebooks. I've just never been sure enough that we could maintain them. But maybe this year I'll take the plunge. Any recommendations for cross grade level interactive notebooks? I am a small group teacher so I see many grade levels, and would like something that I can use with more than just one group.
    Thanks
    Michelle

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  3. Awesome post! Thank you so much for these tips! We are starting ours next week, I think, so it was great to have these tips ahead of time!
    Miss Crafty Teacher

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  4. Great, great tips! Thanks for so manyangent tips. We are just about to begin our notebooks and this will save me many stresses!

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  5. I bought your Journeys bundle and my kids are loving it! Love the tip about having the kids color while waiting for others. Going to try it tomorrow.

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  6. Great idea about glueing before cutting. Getting ready to start next week. Do you put phonics and grammar in the same notebook?

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    1. Yes, I have everything in the same notebook. Too many notebooks would be too hard to store and keep track of!

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  7. These are fabulous tips-even for the old-timers like me! Thanks so much! I'm so excited to start my Interactive notebooks in my class!

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  8. Thanks for the tips my friend! I just love your interactive notebooks!!

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  9. Thanks! We have been using them for two wks and yip number 1 will really help. :)

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  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. Sorry:) I'll try again. I was saying ... GREAT post, Lori! Your tips are super useful. I'm pinning!
      Grade ONEderful

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  11. I have been using learning logs in my classroom for years. Your ideas will spice them up, thanks for the tips!

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  12. You give great ideas. I'll try to use them!
    ferulang.wordpress.com

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  13. Great ideas! I plan on doing more interactive notebooks. Love the Seat Saks!

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  14. great tips! thank you! i will definitely try out the ideas of coloring the tabs and then glueing before cutting!

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  15. Love this post. I have wanted to try this with my kinders and haven't known where to start. This post was so helpful!

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  16. Thank you for sharing these tips! I teach upper grades but this still came in handy. I have always tried to figure out which side was the correct side and this explanation really helps. Coloring the tabs first makes so much sense! Thank you for sharing and I appreciate all of your hard work.

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  17. What kind of notebooks do you use? I noticed they are not spirals.

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  18. Hi Lori! Thanks for these great tips! Do you use one notebook for phonics, grammar, sight words, etc. or do you have separate notebooks for each subject?

    Meaghan

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    1. Meaghan,

      I use one notebook for all language arts subjects. My students constantly refer back to lessons learned, and it's easier for them to refer back to just one book. Plus, I wouldn't have enough room to store so many notebooks!

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