Interactive Notebook Freebie

Ok, I've been tardy to the party on the whole interactive notebook thing. I just didn't get the whole hoopla. It seemed like a lot of cutting, gluing and a major time commitment and I wasn't sure if all of that input was worth the output. I was totally that kid whining "I don't geeeettttt it".

Well, my friends, I am now a believer. After researching a bit, I was starting to see the benefit  and then when my kids were working on my Fall EZ-Prep Center, I was getting lots of questions: What's a singular? What's a plural? What's a proper noun? Sound familiar?  It was then that I really felt the lightbulb go on and I realized if they had their own little notebook with this information in it, they could help themselves without waiting for me to help them. Well, hello interactive notebooks! Problem solved!
Hard at work on Fall EZ-Prep Centers!
The biggest benefit of the interactive notebook is that after all that cutting and gluing, the kids will have their own reference book at their disposal all year long. I can even see them keeping it at home to help with homework next year! So yes, it took me a while but I'm totally on board!

I have made some great purchases, which I'll include in the links at the end of this post but yesterday when I was searching around,  I found a super cute seasonal pack from Collaboration Cuties. It was perfect because it covered the basic parts of speech which are missing from another great pack I bought but something my kids totally need. Here's my example, which I had too much fun making!


My kids already had the basic knowledge of nouns, so this a great first activity. I had them trace around the ghost before we wrote on the notebook paper so they knew exactly how much room they had to write, then I let them decorate the background a bit while they took in the whole idea of having their own notebook. Under the first ghostie, we just wrote the definition for a noun. Then I had them take their notebook with them for Read to Self. I asked them to read an entire page, then write down two nouns from the page they read. (If I just crucified the Daily Five, please forgive me. I'm a rebel) They really got into it!
Then when it was time to for Read to Someone, the first thing we did was read our lists to each other. If someone found a word they didn't think was a noun, they discussed it and made any necessary changes. The instantly fell in love with their notebooks and were so proud of them!

Tomorrow we'll be adding the common and proper noun bats from the same pack. 

There is also a great activity for singular and plural nouns, but I was so excited about the whole concept that my creative juices started flowing and I had to try my hand at making my own. One of the things I'm finding is that the intricate cutting involved in some of the activities can be a bit taxing and time consuming. So, I made this one a bit easier to cut out. I think it came out pretty cute! Who knows, maybe some more interactive notebook making in my future!
 In the free download, you'll see this version and another version that does not have the square around the top for ease of cutting. I like having options. 

Hopefully I've convinced you to take the plunge and try interactive notebooking, but if it still looks a bit overwhelming for you right now, I have a suggestion. Try doing an activity or two on a sheet of construction paper, just to test the waters. That way you you can get an idea of the time it takes and your students' level of engagement before you make a decision - and your kids will still definitely benefit from the activity!
From Me:


Other Interactive Notebooks I love:



 Just in case you missed it, check out the first of my 12 part series - My Truth Monday
There's still time to link up!






12 comments

  1. I just bought the packet you suggested in IG.....LOVE !!! Thanks for the freebies!

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  2. I have been using a vocabulary journal for the last several years in first grade. Last year I incorporated a few interactive ideas I got from Scholastic. I really like using them. Some of my kids struggle to get things written or it is so sloppy they can't read it when they are finished, so it really doesn't being much of a resource for them. I will definitely be going interactive. I appreciated your post!
    Kelly
    I'm Not Your Grandpa, I'm Your Teacher

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  3. I introduced your EZ Prep fall centers yesterday and the kids were WILD about them! PLEASE make more! I'm going to use your interactive Journal ideas too. We have ELA duotangs that they can put the sheets into. Thanks!

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  4. Thanks for sharing your interactive verb activities. I like how they are easier to cut. Great idea!

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  5. I finally started interactive notebooks this week. I bought the notebooks in August, but life got in the way. Thanks for the ideas and freebies! Love those EZ Prep freebies, too!

    Sally from Elementary Matters

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  6. Thank you young lady! These are great! I love the way you think!
    Patty

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  7. I'm just getting in on the interactive notebook craze, too!! Thanks for the freebies!
    Nicole :)

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  8. Thanks for the awesome freebie. I have the Collaboration Cuties pack too and it has been super motivating for my students all month. I just started using IN this year and I think we are getting a handle on the cutting, gluing and recycling of paper bits :)

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  9. I LOVE and appreciate all of your freebies so much! Thanks for sharing! I have been off on maternity leave since Thanksgiving, so I am just trying to get back into things and figure out what I have missed! Have you posted any other interactive notebook activities lately? I love the notebooks, and so do my students!

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