A Month of Using Interactive Notebooks

We have spent a lot of time working on the Interactive Notebooks so far this year. I look back on previous years' and realize how much more I'm doing now. It's GREAT!!

Even though I teach Honors English 8 and regular English 9, I have found Erin Cobb's "Interactive Reading Informational Text Notebooks" such a fabulous resource!! (It's written for grades 4-8.)

I've followed along with her suggested lesson plans and my kids are really getting it! I think we assume they learned different things in previous years so we don't need to teach it. Or...we assume they remember what they were taught but they don't have any resource to refer to that will help jog their memory. This is it!!!

Throughout Erin's pages of information, I've added some of my own supplemental information. For example, I thought they needed more details on the "SUMMARIZING NON-FICTION" pages. I know I searched Pinterest and gathered the information but can't find it for the life of me! (So frustrating!! So...if you know where I might have found this, please leave me a comment so I can give credit where it's due. I don't want to be accused of plagiarizing or violating copyright!)

I also added more information to the TEXT STRUCTURES pages. I wanted some definitions and key words. For that page, I purchased Deb Hansen's "Nonfiction Text Structures" packet from TeachersPayTeachers and tweaked the graphics to fit what I needed. I LOVED coloring them with my many colored pens. (Don't you just hate seeing everyone using "adult coloring books" and/or "Colorfy" on their phones and you don't have time? I took a picture of the things I color at school and sent it to my daughters who all love to color. I captioned it with something to the effect that while they are making pretty pictures with Colorfy, I'm coloring school stuff. One daughter commented back that my stuff was "much more satisfying." I hadn't thought of it like that...it made me feel a lot better!!) Anyway, here are the pages I put on the left side of my notebook then put Erin's practice page on the right page; the two pages created a "spread" of information for each structure.

This is on the left side...Deb's graphics added to a WORD document I created.

Erin's page from her packet.

We did quite a bit of simple practicing with Erin's examples which helped solidify the ideas in the kids' minds.

Then, I needed to figure out a way to teach NON-FICTION TEXT FEATURES. Erin has a little "toolbox" in her packet but I wanted something a little more detailed and more age appropriate for my kids. I couldn't find anything designed specifically for the Interactive Notebooks so I created my own by putting two different sources together with my own design. Here's what I came up with...

(Sorry...I couldn't get the stupid picture to rotate!)

First, I downloaded Tangstar Science's fabulous "Interactive Notebook Templates FREE Sampler Pack" from TeachersPayTeachers. I used the "Hexagon 7 panels" template. I enlarged it 155% on our copier and cut it in two sections: one section of four panels and one section of three panels. I added a tab at the top of the three panel section so they could glue them together. 

Then, I downloaded Deana Kahlenberg's FREE DOWNLOAD of "Non-Fiction Text Features Posters" from TpT. They're GREAT!! I printed them nine to a page and then reduced them another 85% on my copier. This made them the PERFECT size to glue on the panels foldable. I made the header using WordArt in Word and printed it all out. The kids had a fabulous time cutting, gluing, and singing to Pandora. (Whatever makes the little dumplings happy, right??)

Honestly, I don't know what we did before TeachersPayTeachers, Pinterest, and Google. I've only been teaching for 14 years but, seriously, how did we survive without being able to share ideas with anyone who cares to search? You all should get on TpT and check these talented ladies out! They have wonderful stuff to share. Even though a lot of it is written for lower grades, I'm able to adjust it to fit the needs of my junior high kids. They LOVE IT!!! (I've had some of my honors kids from last year come back and tell me how much they wish they had me again this year. Their friends in my regular 9th grade classes are showing them what we're doing and how much it's helping them. They're jealous!! Secretly...it makes my heart happy!!)

On to the practice activities now!! 

Main Idea & Supporting Details

FOR MY STUDENTS:
You will need to get copies of the handouts for these two pages from the file folder on the counter in the room. Please be sure you follow the examples to complete your notebook. (Note: my copies are always available before or after school. Please see me if you have any questions!)

Thanks to Erin Cobb's packet, "Interactive Reading Informational Text Notebook," I have some great additions to our notebooks this year! I've found determining the TOPIC, MAIN IDEA, TOPIC SENTENCE, and SUPPORTING DETAILS is hard for some students. This is going to serve as a GREAT review!!

PAGE 10 OF INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK:

• Color, cut out, and glue the page in as shown.

PAGE 11 OF INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK:

• Underline the passage as shown. (This is helping you to identify the four items we are reviewing today.
• Glue the passage in your notebook.
• Then, add the information to the back side of the TOPIC/TOPIC SENTENCE/MAIN IDEA/SUPPORTING DETAILS page. Cut along the OUTSIDE edges of this section and glue the right and left sides to the passage. 
• CAREFULLY cut up the middle of the top page only, as shown.
• SEE ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!!!!!

DON'T FORGET TO PUT THE DATE ON THE INSIDE CORNERS OF THE PAGES!!

DON'T FORGET TO ADD THESE PAGES TO YOUR TABLE OF CONTENTS!!

ASSIGNMENT:

1. Get a copy of the article, "She's Back!" located in the file folder.
2. Identify the main idea and supporting details as taught on these two pages.
3. Turn the assignment in for participation credit. (REMEMBER!! You only have ONE DAY for each day you were absent to make up the work for full credit!!)

Plot/Storytelling Arc for Interactive Notebooks

As I've mentioned before, I'm using Laura Randazzo's FABULOUS "FULL YEAR of English Class Vocabulary, Grammar, and Literary Terms, Devices" available on Teachers Pay Teachers. Today's "Lit Term Tuesday" was all about Plot, or as Laura's products call it, "Storytelling Arc." I want my kids to be familiar with both terms so I've tweaked my Plot Interactive Notebook pages to add the new term. The process is still the same as I had on the blog with THIS POST but I just re-created the front page. 

DISCLAIMER...Sorry for the crummy pictures. Low lighting in a hurry does not mix! :(

THIS IS WHAT MY EXAMPLE LOOKED LIKE TWO YEARS AGO. DON'T MIND THE DATES...

Links to the foldables and better pictures of the anchor charts may be found on the original posting located HERE.

Plot

I love teaching the Elements of Literature! I think it's vital to students understanding what it takes to make a good story (long or short) so they are able to add it to their own stories. Today we expanded from Monday's foldable for PLOT. See the EofLit foldable.

We created a page for the basic steps of PLOT:

• PLOT: sequence of events, cause/effect, conflict, relationships. *the storyline*

1. EXPOSITION: meet the characters; learn about the setting (time & place; where/when); conflict/problem is introduced
2. RISING ACTION: conflict(s) develop; suspense builds
3. CLIMAX: turning point; character faces conflict; main character's attitude changes
4. FALLING ACTION: loose ends are tied up; conflict(s) are being solved
5. RESOLUTION: reasonable ending; conflict is "resolved" (taken care of

Using the idea for Dinah Zike's "Layered Notebook Foldable, I created a 4"x6" box with a 1/2" border at the top. I was able to fit two on each page then photo-copied them onto six different colors (I chose "fall" colors...you can choose anything!). Each page supplied two students with boxes; I had them cut them out on the solid black lines. Then, I had them write the above terms and definitions on their papers (one on each paper for a total of six.) NOTE: I created an "Anchor Chart" of the basic page and had that on my whiteboard. I made copies of each page on an 8-1/2"x11" sheet of paper in the colors I wanted them to use and showed them how to layer them using magnets. I LOVED the Anchor Chart idea! {it was fun writing REALLY big! :) }Then we glued them in the Interactive Notebook, dated and titled it, then added it to the Table of Contents. All in all, I'd say it went well. It took about 30 minutes to complete (less if they focuses...more if they talked...). 

Anchor Chart and notes at the beginning of class.

What it looked like by the end of class.

Sample in the Interactive Notebook.

Sample page layout.

One-tab Layered Masters

Elements of Literature

I used a combination of ideas from "The Mouth," Dinah Zike's Foldables, and my own experience to create the foldables which cover Elements of Literature. I had the luxury of using a color printer and Word clip-art to create mine; I gave the students a copy of the two pages and gave them instructions to cut them out, fold the edges, glue the outside edges in the notebook, cut up the center line as well as the two horizontal lines (making sure they don't cut into the solid horizontal line). Then, they drew pictures (I let them copy mine) and colored them...illustrations and coloring are MANDATORY! That took one day...

 After they are cut, you'll have four little windows/doors. I created anchor charts on 11" x 17" paper of what should be written under the windows/doors. I taped the anchor charts up around the room and had them move from chart to chart writing the information. (NOTE: I tried to upload a PDF of these documents but couldn't figure out how...:( )

Blah...blah...blah...title...blah...date...blah...Table of Contents. You know the drill...

UPDATE: After some research, I think I've figured out how to upload a PDF of the files! Click on the links below:
Elements of Literature foldables
Elements of Literature Anchor Chart