Interactive Reading Notebook Post 1

For the past couple of days, I have been working on setting up example, interactive notebooks for language arts and reading.  For the first week of school, my students will be setting their notebooks up and creating some pages that tap into background knowledge and (hopefully) help them take ownership of and pride in their notebooks. 

I figured I would share how we are starting the reading notebook.  The students will have to create a cover for it that titles it as their interactive reading notebook.  They can draw it, write it, or create it on their computers.  (I am very lucky.  My district has a laptop initiative that allows every student from 6th grade through 12th grade have a school-owned laptop to use at school and at home.  It has a VERY low initial fee and a contract that governs usage and a $100 deductable should the student damage the laptop.  Most families take the district up on this deal.  I also have two laptops in my room that students, who were unable to afford the plan, may use.  Thus, the only students that really do not have computer access are those that lose the right through misuse of their laptop from a prior year.)

The Last 10 Books I Read, where students will reflect on the books they have read most recently.

My Reading Timeline, where students will reflect on the books that have shaped their lives.




I Read Because... will help students consider the reasons they read.





My Heart Map helps students identify what is important to them so they can use it as criteria for picking books.

The first 4 pages are set up as a table of contents.  Then, the students will create some pages that demonstrate their reading background and allow them some creativity to make their notebook theirs.  None of these page idea are mine.  I came across them on Pinterest, and they are all pinned at various points on my reading board.  Some have been slightly modified for my grade-level or preferences, but others are exactly as the originators designed them.  The pages with book images were printed on my home printer.  My students will have the option of printing at their homes in color or on our grade-level printer in black and white.  The "I Read Because..." page uses random scrapbook papers I have collected over the years punched with a 1 1/2 inch circle punch.  The timeline is made using blue masking tape I had leftover from a painting job.  Finally, the cover art/title was sealed using packing tape so it can stand up to the use it is going to receive.  For the covers, I used backgrounds by http://www.etsy.com/shop/beartless and a digi font by http://www.etsy.com/shop/kpmdoodles.

 

I hope to get photos of the language arts notebook up soon, and I need to finish a few more pages that will be part of setting up the reading one too.