Graphic Organizers and Interactive Notebooks

Math and Science

Carol Bauer and Sheryl Roberts

2004-2005

What are Interactive Notebooks?

• A note taking process that allows students to record information in a personal and meaningful way.

• A way for students use teacher supplied notes to draw whatever illustration makes sense to them.

• A way for students to personalize their work.

This Process…

• Can be challenging

• Takes a bit of patience

• Requires modeling, modeling, modeling

• Must consistently be reinforced

• Takes time to learn both for the teacher and for the students to develop their own style

The Payoff…

• Is a way for students to organize their work

• Teaches students how to think• Uses reading strategies within a content

area, such as science or math• Helps students to distinguish between

what they know and what they need to focus on

…And Finally

• Students make their own meaningful connections

• It encourages pride in student work

• It encourages cooperative learning

• It appeals to multiple intelligences

• The kids love it and learn so much!

Interactive Notebooks …

• Can be in pencil, crayon, or colored pencils

• Are personal and unique to each student

• Allow students to doodle or draw in their notebook and still be on task!

In an Interactive Notebook,

• Key ideas are underlined in color or highlighted

• Arrows are used to show relationships between graphics and notes

• Diagrams, sketches, cartoons, charts, graphic organizers, songs, really anything can be included

Interactive Notebooks Allow Students to…

• Record information in an engaging way• Rehearse and retell information• Discuss and accept other’s ideas• Identify main ideas• Paraphrase• Transform written concepts into visuals• Become more independent thinkers

What will be in it?

• Class notes, activities, and lab notes

• Vocabulary words, math formulas, timelines and anything else

How Do I Get Started?

• Identify which subject and unit you want to begin with

• Let students know what supplies are required

• Make sure you have copies of notes for each student

What Students Need…• The notebook-loose leaf paper in a three

pronged folder, spiral notebook, or composition book

• Pencils, regular and colored• Liquid glue or a glue stick• Scissors• Ruler• Teacher supplied notes• Grading expectations

How is it Organized?

1) The Notebook has a title page

2) Table of contents

3) Teacher supplied notes

4) Student created graphics/notes

THE NOTEBOOK’S COVER

Students’ notebooks should be easily recognizable to each student.

My Book

Let’s Begin Create a title page for the notebook. This includes

student’s name and number, and any other information you think is important. Students enjoy illustrating this page.

Number the title page #1. On the back of PAGE #1, number it as PAGE #2. Odd numbers will always on the right side pages, and even numbers will always be on the left. There will be NO blank pages.

Pages are NEVER torn out. Notebooks must be kept neat because students will need them to study for the SOLs in May.

Table of Contents

• This is the student’s organizing page.• It can be as detailed as the students want• It will help you evaluate their work and

comprehension• Is an outline of their notebook and can be filled

in as they go or completed at the end of the unit. It is easier to fill in as you go!

• Make sure students leave enough room, especially for big units

Table of Contents Example

Lets Go!

• Make a decision how you want to place your notes and be consistent

• On one side will be notes and on the other side will be pictures, timelines, memory maps, cartoons, or graphic organizers that may explain students’ notes

Before We Begin, You Should Have…

• set of Ocean notes

• scissors

• glue stick

• pencils, plain and colored

• ruler

• paper-fold in half length-wise

Cut and PasteJust Like Kindergarten!

• Next, we cut out the notes and paste it on one side of the notebook.

• Then we draw an arrow to the other side of the page. Leave enough room for student connections.

• Box in your notes.

Marking Up and Boxing In

• Block in the text, make a line separating this information from other notes

• Underline key concepts and circle words you need to know

• Next, draw an arrow to the other side of the notebook and box in

• Paraphrase your notes and create your graphics

Paraphrasing (Optional)

• Paraphrasing takes a lot of modeling and is not learned easily.

• Students rewrite teacher supplied notes in their words. This gives them ownership and makes them think about their notes.

Graphics/ Student Notes

• Students draw pictures of their notes, create charts, diagrams, cartoons-- whatever they want.

• Teacher must be able to identify what is being explained.

• This allows for various learning styles and allows students to be imaginative and creative--experiment!

Sample of Student Notes

Ocean Ecosystems

Coral Reefs

Tide Pools

Sample of Student Notes

Ocean Trench

Ocean Ridge

Estuary

Do they Understand It?

• All information that is tested can be found in their notebooks

• If a student misses an item on a quiz, they can locate that info in their notebooks and mark that page-usually with a sticky post it note

Studying with Interactive Notebooks

• Read the notes. Marking up and highlighting key concepts helps them to focus on main ideas.

• Paraphrasing helps them to process the information.

• Studying the graphics help students to create pictures in their minds. This is a fundamental difference between good and poor readers.

What Goes in the Back of the Notebook?

• handouts and quizzes and any other notes

How is the Notebook graded?

• Explain rubric to students• Conferencing-teacher and

peer• Notebooks are collected the

day of the final exam• Notebooks may be collected

with or without notice, so….students MUST have their notebook everyday.

Notebook Rubric

• Notebook grades will be based on:

• Thoroughness (Every page must be complete)

• Organization / Neatness• Mark ups• Boxing in• Graphics

Remember…

• Student work is recorded in an interactive notebook

• Students are required to bring the notebook EVERY DAY

• Notebooks should be well cared for, so they can last throughout the school YEAR

It’s that simple!!!

You can do it! We did and the kids loved it!

Credits

• Classroom Instruction That Works!

by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollack

• Sharon Miles and Amanda Donnelly

• History Alive! www.historyalive.com