Students who struggle with comprehension and recording information.
The Interactive Notebook strategy provides a platform for students to document their own learning and reading experiences in a notebook. They can document information about content-specific material, include drawings and charts, and organize previously completed graphic organizers. The Interactive Notebook allows students to watch his/her learning progress overtime while practicing organization and notetaking skills.
1. To increase involvement in the Interactive Notebook, teachers may ask students to purchase their own spiral-bound notebook, bound-composition book, or three-ring binder. Interactive Notebooks can be used for many different subject areas or topics; it is recommended to have one notebook per topic or subject.
2. Choose appropriate content-area resources based on your students' abilities and the curriculum.
3. Model the use of the Interactive Notebook and the various types of ways that the students can use it before, during, or after reading a text. Explain that students may Incorporate completed graphic organizers or other strategy templates into the notebook. Illustrations and drawings that assist the students to remember key ideas or concepts is also encouraged.
4. Assign Interactive Notebook activities accordingly for small group time, test preparation, group presentations, or other related activities.
Adapted from 40 Strategies for Guiding Readers through Informational Texts
(Moss, B., & Loh-Hagan, V. (2016). 40 strategies for guiding readers through informational texts. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.)
Lauber, P. (2001). Hurricanes: Earth's mightiest storms. New York: Houghton Mifflin. (M)