Setting Up My Interactive Notebooks

Only a few more days until teacher inservice begins, followed by the start of the school year! Boy, where has the summer gone? As I start preparing for the new year, I began to think about how I wanted to introduce the Interactive Notebooks into my classes. Fortunately, my students have dabbled with them a little in previous years, so the concept should not be brand new. I am just concerned that their experience with them in the past was not positive, so I'm preparing for some negativity towards them.

So, here is my game plan to turn those frowns upside down! Start the school year, and their notebooks, off with some fun foldables. I have only completed the first few pages of the INBs, but I am falling in love with them. Here is a quick rundown on what I have so far:

First Page: Title Page, (backside left blank)
Page i: Syllabus & Class Information, (backside, page ii, left blank)
Page iii - Page v: Table of Contents, (backside of page v, left blank)
Page 1: Unit #1 Introduction Page

I hope those aren't to difficult to understand, but I am referring to the actual physical pages in order. I will be using the right and left side of the notebook sheets, so they will be numbered in sequential order.

The best part of this so far is the Syllabus and Class Information section. I have created a small, three page, flip book to house information related to the class.

First: The Syllabus. The syllabus is an interactive syllabus graphic organizer. I have seen a few examples of this from Dan Meyer, and a teacher mentor from my educational service center. The students will be completing their own syllabus as we cover it in class. Gives them ownership of their understanding of the syllabus, plus the student will have a parent or guardian sign the document after we have completed it. I plan to have the students highlight two main ideas from the syllabus so that they have some big ideas to talk about with their parents. Of course there is no right or wrong answer here, they pick the top two that are most relevant or appealing to them and highlight them.

Second: Interactive Notebooks and FAQs. I wanted to include some information about the Interactive Notebooks (INBs), what the left side and the right side are used for, and put in writing that the students will be receiving a test grade each 9-week grading period for their INBs. The rubric is on the third page. Following the INB information is a section with three frequently asked questions. This portion provides information related to absences, bathroom/hall passes, and what to do if the student needs help.

Third: Interactive Notebook Rubric. I only slightly modified a INB grading rubric that I received here. I added a section that will allow me to use the same rubric through out the year (just print out new ones), and I can circle which grading period it is for. There are four different sections: Neatness & Organization, Content Accuracy, Required Elements, and Illustrations & Diagrams. The maximum point value for each category is 4 points, which leads to a total possible points of 16. The number will be converted into a percentage, and that will be the test grade they receive for their INBs.

Since this is a flip book, I left the area below the third page open. In the event that I need to add some additional information, I can add them in here. Otherwise, I may use that section to add a small folder to  hold the grading rubrics once I complete them. I like to keep everything in one place!

So far I feel that I have a great start to this INB idea, and I am looking forward to getting my students through setting them up and taking them home to show their parents!