Interactive notebooks are an effective strategy for students to record notes and reflect on what they have written. Research shows that students need to revisit concepts 7 or more times in order to commit them to their long term memories. Students are able to construct knowledge by processing
these concepts through their own interpretation and writing.
Interactive notebooks allow students to record their notes, data, and evidence presented in class in one part of the notebook and “interact” with this information by writing reflections in the other. (on opposing pages of their notebook). Students, ideally, are engaged in activities and are asked to record what they are doing on the right-hand pages. On the left-hand page, they are asked to “think about their own thinking” and write their thoughts, opinions, feelings, and epiphanies.
Left Page
reflections
Students can write:
a summary of the article itself.
thoughts and feelings about the article
draw pictures related to the article.
ask questions about the article.
write down 5-10 important key words mentioned in the article
*responses to discussion questions given
by the teacher
Right Page
notes, data, evidence
notes taken on an article related to a topic or unit of study. A student is reading this article in class as an activity.
There are many reasons why Interactive notebooks are an effective tool for learning. Some of the benefits of using them include:
Assists in the development of language development and writing
encourages them to think independently
Learn to improve organization
allows them to brainstorm
make information their own and interact with this information
allows students to be creative
skills of metacognition...they think about their own thinking through reflection
becomes an archive of information they can review for assessments and use in the completion of projects
creates high intrinsic motivation
can be incorporated into any subject
Notes can include “” or “evidence” of learning: text, pictures, graphic organizers, concept maps,
Can be use as an authentic assessment of student learning...assess they’re understanding of concepts and determine whether they have mastered it