Interactive Journals How to make your journal content-rich and creative

Purpose Interactive Journals are intended to: Create a review “warehouse” for your ISU reading Encourage active reading Help you process what you read Organize connections within the text Organize connections between texts Encourage creative thought

Content Rich What INFORMATION should be in my journal? Quotations from the reading Questions about the reading New Vocabulary Information about/examples of Literary Terms Original writing Outside connections Personal thoughts on the texts

Journaling Methods Writing Sketch noting Mind mapping Charting Collaging Connecting Other (let me know)

Writing Plain recording of thoughts and ideas Sentences Paragraphs Lists Point form notes Definitions Traditional writing methods must be in your journal

Sketch Noting Visual representations are added to text Great method for people who are “doodlers” Colorful “Day Doodle” is one example- imagine a character in the “Saturday” place with doodles and notes about him/her as a journal page.

Mind Mapping Organizing notes around a central idea and brainstorming from that. Free-association note taking. Often a theme, motif or image is the centerpiece with examples from the text, personal thoughts, connections to other pieces, etc- in the offshoots Color organizing makes for easily identifiable thought streams

Charting Charts and graphic organizer style layouts can include both text and sketches

Collaging Pasting items into your journal where they can deepen meaning. Pictures, copies of sections of text The act of “collaging” an idea from text into a visual is a form of processing which deepens our understanding if done with purpose and intention. Keep your eyes open for “artifacts & ephemera” that might work in collage pages.

Connecting Adding items (in any of the style methods) that relate to the current text Poems Songs TED talks/You Tube videos/Feature films Stories/novels/cartoons Newspaper articles/world events Art These items will be useful when you create your presentation.

General Guidelines for Journals Should be content rich! We aren’t adding doodles, collage, charts, etc for their own sakes. These are always used to process our current content and to add deeper meaning. Should ALL incorporate traditional writing plus at least 2 other styles. Should include color when possible to create more compelling visual organization. Should be with you EVERY DAY. You never know when an idea will strike.