The Truth About Interactive Notebooks....

..........I LOVE them even though they don't always look "cute"!


When we create and purchase Interactive Notebooks to use with our students we have these wonderful visions of neatly cut pieces glued with just enough glue and colored in ever so neatly.  Who are we kidding!?!  Some kiddos just aren't the best with scissors or glue!  As teachers we just have to let go of our inner control freak and just let the kids cut, glue, and color the best they can. :)

Here are a few samples of some of our interactive notebooks used in my classroom....

Magnets Interactive Science Notebook By I {Heart} Recess


4th Grade Reading Interactive Notebook by Nicole Shelby



I absolutely LOVE interactive notebooks and continue to use them in my class!  My students are retaining content better, working on their OT skills (who knew using scissors was a lost art), and my kiddos LOVE using them!

The winner of my Rocks & Minerals Interactive Science Notebook Pin It to Win It contest is.....


Ali from Teaching Powered by Caffeine!  Congrats Ali!



7 comments

  1. I always have such good intentions of using interactive notebooks. I bought both Nicole Shelby resources, but cutting out and gluing down takes so much time....The kids want to turn it into an art project, which it is not, and they tune out when I need to move on.

    I appreciate your insights. You give me hope that they can work for me some day...when I develop more patience! :)

    Jennifer
    Mrs. Laffin's Laughings

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  2. Your post hit this topic right on the nose. I started using interactive notebooks for science last year and almost didn't this year because I was ashamed by how some of them looked when students would take the home to study with. (I was just sure some of my parents were thinking what is this woman doing!) I did some streamlining with my science things so far this year and they are looking so much better. Who knows maybe I am just doing a better job about explaining my expectations for their notebooks since I am now doing my reading-writing notebooks in a similar way.
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these. They really can be a great resources for kids.

    ♬Kay
    On the Trail of Learning

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  3. Lol! You are so right! Who would've thought it would take some kiddos so long to learn proper cutting and glueing techniques! It's definitely one of those things they didn't teach you about in college! Lol! Guess I'll just have to continue to review those skills!
    A Tall Drink of Water

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  4. Thanks for this post. This is my first year with interactive notebooks and some students turn out like the sample others are barely recognizable until I intervene. Definitely a work in progress.

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  5. Your post here is GREAT - I got such a kick out of reading and seeing the examples! Let's just say that I could almost name some of my own students with each picture!
    ~Deb
    Crafting Connections

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  6. Great post, and a great tip to remember....that interactive notebooks don't always have to look perfect! Thanks for sharing!

    Katie
    Mind Sparks

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  7. Hey Jess! A little shout out to ya on my blog recently. Thanks again!
    Ali
    Teaching Powered by Caffeine

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