This document provides information and instructions for setting up and using interactive notebooks in the classroom. Interactive notebooks promote student organization and engagement by having students process information on the left page (output) through activities like diagrams, questions, and writing, based on the material provided by the teacher on the right page (input). Setting up the notebook with labeled tabs, a table of contents, and alternating input/output pages helps students systematically organize their learning. The interactive process facilitates understanding as students explore content visually and through various writing and graphic techniques in their own unique style.

1. Canyon Hills MS
Notebook set-up

2. Introduction
• Notebooks used to be places that
students wrote occasional notes, stuffed
handouts, and perhaps referred to
before a test when all other options
failed.
• Interactive notebooks promote
organization, engage students, and
encourage students to process
information, combine words and
visuals, become a working
portfolio, and demonstrate critical
thinking.

3. They can….
• Transform written concepts into
visuals.
• Find main points.
• Organize events.
• Draw whatever illustrations that
make sense to them.
• Personalize notes.

5. Interactive Notebooks…
• Organize the student.
• Help students sequence
assignments.
• Encourage pride in student work.
• Facilitate cooperative interaction.
• Appeal to multiple intelligences.
• Provide opportunities to spiral
instruction and facilitate learning.

7. Interactive Notebooks…
• Are colorful with diagrams, bullets, and
arrows
• Are presented in a unique, personal style
• Have key ideas that are underlined in color
or highlighted
• Have Venn diagrams that show
relationships
• Have cartoon sketches that show people
and events
• Have timelines that illustrate chronology
• Have arrows that show relationships

9. Why Interactive Notebooks?
• Students use both their visual and
linguistic intelligences
• Approach understanding in many
ways
• Use many types of writing and
graphic techniques
• Each student can select their best
medium to explore and learn new
content
• Note taking becomes an active
process

10. Why Interactive Notebooks?
• Students are invited to take notes- it’s
fun!
• Students will read their notes- they have
to in order to process for the left side
• Students will be working with the
information which facilitates learning
• Students will be involved with the content
• The notebooks help students to
systematically organize as they learn
• Organization is key to the notebook

11. The Set Up
• Right-Side (Input)
– Teacher involvement (given
information)
• Lecture notes
• Handouts
• Vocabulary
• Basic knowledge questions
• Reading notes
• Nonprint source notes

12. • Notes from
– Powerpoints
– Movie/Video
– Article Readings
• Scientific vocabulary
exercises
• Lab procedures
• Study Guides

13. The Set Up
• Left Side (Output)
– Student involvement (showing understanding
and creativity)
• Brainstorming
• Concept maps
• Questions
• Descriptions
• Venn diagram
• Cartoons
• Riddles
• Songs/poems
• Metaphors/similes
• Writing (reflection/analysis)

14. The notebook is divided into TWO sections.
LEFT side “loves”
YOUR work = OUTPUT
RIGHT side is “restricted” to
Teacher’s INPUT
WARMUP #1 Fill in the missing word.
Decomposer Producer Consumer
Plants are ____. Lions, tigers, and bears are
____. Worms and mushrooms are____

15. Scissors
colored pencils
Erasable pens & pencils1- SUBJECT
composition Notebook
Glue stick
(several thru the year)
HIGHLIGHTER

16. • Begin numbering with #1
as the first right hand
page.
• Glue top of the Table of
Contents to the outside
edge of the front cover.
• Glue the Output and Input
sheets to pages zero and
one respectively

17. • The rest of the handouts are
numbered.
• Glue them onto the
appropriate pages.
• Hint: Odds should be on the
right hand side.

18. Page Item
1 Input page
2 Blank for processing
3
4
5
6
7
8 Blank for processing
9
10 Blank for Processing

19. Page Item
11
12 Blank for processing
13
14 Blank for processing
15
16
17
18
19
20

20. InputOutput