Interactive Notebook Strategy





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ELA Web Pages:

Use this Strategy:

Before Reading

During Reading

After Reading

Targeted Reading Skills:

· Condense or summarize ideas from one or more texts

· Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information

· Compare/contrast information from one or more texts

· Make text-to-text, text-to-self, and/or text-to-world connections

What is it?

The interactive notebook began as a strategy in Addison Wesley’s program, History Alive! Since then, many teachers and students have expanded and added to the repertoire of ideas and ways to use this strategy. Generally, the way it works is that each student has a spiral notebook that he/she uses for recording information for the class; each pair of pages is designated for different purposes. The right side of the notebook is used to record notes on a mini-lesson, lecture, reading, class discussion, etc. The left side of the notebook is used solely for the purpose of the student’s individual interaction with the information on the right page. This interaction is not directed by the teacher in any way other than a list of possible options for the various methods from which a student may want to choose. Below is a partial list of some of those options, but I’m sure you and your students will add to this list when you use this strategy.

Left Side of the Notebook

Paraphrase or clarify items
Enter a drawing, photo, sketch, or magazine picture that illustrates the concept, ideas, or facts
Pose questions about the information
Form and express an opinion
Predict outcomes or next steps
Create a metaphor that captures the essence of the information/issue
Formulate and record a contradictory perspective
Write a reflection on the information or experience
Find a quote that connects to the concept; record it and explain your rationale
Make connections between the information/text and your own life, another text, and/or the world
Create a mind map that captures the main topic and key concepts and supportive detail
Create an acronym that will help you to remember the information covered
Make connections to the content/processes of other courses

Right Side of the Notebook

Notes on a:

mini-lesson

lecture
lab
reading
film/video/documentary
small group or large group discussion
collaborative group process
a copied excerpt of a text

What does it look like?

The following is an example of what an interactive notebook might look like; the students reviewed and took notes on the literary terms they would be using as they read and discussed Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. On the right side is an excerpt of a student’s notes, and on the left side are the student’s interactions with the information. Students started their interactions as a class closure activity and finished them for homework.

Click here for a printable version of this example.

How could I use, adapt or differentiate it?

If you have used interactive notebooks before, you probably already have several options to add to the lists; if you haven’t used them before, I’m sure you and your students will be adding to the lists almost immediately.
These interactions can be done at the end of class as a closure activity or as a great way to engage kids in a homework assignment that is individualized and practical.
As students become more comfortable with this type of processing, it may be a useful tool to help each of them examine and reflect on their metacognitive skills in relation to processing information. This reflection may even become a part of their final reflection for portfolio assessment.