The
Strategy
The
Set-Up
Interactive Notebooks
Interactive Notebooks originated with TCI, the organization behind History Alive. According to TCI:
“Many student notebooks are drab repositories of information filled with uninspired, unconnected,
and poorly understood ideas. Interactive Student Notebooks, however, allow students to record
information about history in an engaging way. As students learn new ideas, they use several types
of writing and innovative graphic techniques to record and process them. Students use criticalthinking skills to organize information and ponder historical questions, which promotes creative
and independent thinking. In Interactive Student Notebooks, key ideas are underlined in color or
highlighted; Venn diagrams show relationships; cartoon sketches show people and events;
timelines illustrate chronology; indentations and bullets indicate subordination; arrows show
cause-and-effect relationships. Students develop graphical thinking skills and are often more
motivated to explore and express high-level concepts.”
The end result is a learning and study tool that is meaningful for students. When used in assessed areas,
interactive notebooks are often referred to as “Government Manuals” or “Biology Manuals.” Teachers
who use interactive notebooks have reported that the students take great ownership in their notebooks.
Further, teachers report that because interactive notebooks contain both a teacher-guided “input” side
and a student-created “output” side, they are an excellent starting point for discussing student progress
with parents.
“Input” Side: The input side of the notebook is where the teacher organizes a common set of
information that all students must know. Students record class notes, discussion notes, and reading
notes in the form of traditional outlines or graphic organizers.
“Output” Side: The left side of the notebook stresses that writing down lecture notes does not mean
students have learned the information. They must actively do something with the information before
they internalize it; they must explore their opinions, ask questions, and make connections between and
among lessons. Students work out an understanding of new material by using illustrations, diagrams,
flow charts, poetry, colors, matrices, cartoons, and the like.
The input side and output side must be determined at the start of the notebook and remain consistent.
The
Resources
http://info.teachtci.com/forum/isn.aspx
http://interactive-notebooks.wikispaces.com/
http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction/ela/612/reading/Reading%20Strategies/interactivenotebook.htm
http://upstagereview.org/ClassroomArticles/interactive%20notebook.pdf