Interactive Student Notebooks

Interactive Student Notebooks are another great tool that I am implementing this year.  I have always had students keep a notebook, but it has usually just been a place to take notes and do a little practice. As I have been looking at all the amazing ideas on Pinterest and on teacher blogs, I have come to realize what a powerful asset an ISN can be in my class. My hope is that kids will take ownership of their notebook and see how it can help them deepen their learning. They may even use it for homework or studying. Ahhhh....a teacher's dream!

So we started by getting the basics pulled together in the notebook.  All of this takes time, and I am impatient. I feel like I should be getting "more" accomplished in the area of curriculum. I have to keep reminding myself that time spent on procedures, routines, and the basic structures for the year will pay off in the long run!

I have borrowed and stolen all the great ideas for my notebooks from other teachers who are so kind to publish on the web. Thanks to you all for sharing! I will post throughout the year to share my victories and a-ha's about this new process.  For today, we're putting the last of the pieces - a sheet to keep track of their progress on standards, an "iPocket" for those unglued pieces, a reference sheet for geometry formulas, and finishing two reflections. That ought to be enough to keep us busy today!

If you see that I have used your idea, would you give me a shout-out so that I can give you credit?
I must keep better track of where I have gotten these great ideas!