1. Interactive Notebooks
Yanessa L. Miller, MAT, JD
Social Studies Instructional Facilitator
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

2. The Theory:
Interactive Notebooks allow students to record information about history in an engaging way.
Students use several types of writing and innovative graphic techniques to record and process.
Students organize information and ponder historical questions.
This promotes creative and independent thinking.
Students develop graphical thinking skills and are often more motivated to explore and express high-level concepts.
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.

3. Some Research: 1. This year I felt the notebook really
helped me stay organized.
3. Even though the left-right thing
was confusing, once I got it I liked it!
8. I like having all of my work where
I can see it.
9. We should have two notebooks, one for the first half of the year and another for the second half.
10. I liked the notebook because it made me feel like I accomplished something.
11. I liked the notebook because it was really easy to study for tests/quizzes.
Pink (to the right)= strongly agree; light blue (to the left) = str

4. The Basics:
The right side—the “input” side—is where the teacher organizes a common set of information that all students must know.
The left side—the “output” side—is primarily used for processing new ideas.

5. The Setup: Sensory figures “Wanted” Posters Eulogy Thinking maps
Output
Student
Sensory figures
“Wanted” Posters
Eulogy
Thinking maps
Cartoons, Caricatures
Create an acronym
Newscasts
Design an advertisement
Teacher
Input
Lecture notes
Lab
Reading
Film/video/ documentary
Small or large group discussion
Collaborative group process
Vocabulary
Copied excerpt of a text

6. Evidence of Understanding: Left Side Processing
Storyboard
Postcards from the past
Trading cards
Admissions Game
Classifieds section
Advertisements
Eulogies
Report Cards
Textbook pages
Thinking maps
Create journal entries in the voices of immigrants as they partake in the great European migration.
Arrange nine foreign policy actions along a spectrum ranging from isolation to imperialism.
Write a fictional dialogue reflecting Martin Luther King Jr.’s and Malcolm X’s differing viewpoints.

7. Elementary Sample

8. Middle School Sample

9. High School Sample

10. The Process: Student Ownership
Let students create their own covers.
Require what you will (his/her name, your name, class, period, etc.), but allow and encourage creativity.
This is a Social Studies notebook, NOT to be used in other classes.
Encourage students to personalize their notebooks with an author page.
This could include a portrait or photograph, as well as personal information or favorite quotes.

11. The Process: Set up
Leave several pages at the beginning of the notebook for the Table of Contents.
This is not a random art portfolio; there shouldn’t be doodling for the sake of doodling.
Number the pages --- odd numbers on the right and even numbers on the left.
Students should never continue a right-side page onto the back but should rather staple, tape, or glue on an extra sheet to extend a page.
Date each page.

12. The Process: Rubrics
Attach a rubric to the inside cover of the notebook.
Using a rubric, check notebooks every 3-4 weeks (except for the first few weeks of class when they should be checked more regularly).

13. A Rubric Category 3 2 1 Teacher Input Right-Hand Pages Student
Notes, charts, maps, etc. are complete and accurate. All assignments are present. Student has made an effort to interact with the material.
One or two assignments, notes, charts, maps, etc. are missing, but otherwise the content is accurate. Student has made little effort to interact with the material.
Three or more assignments, notes, etc. are missing, incomplete, or some errors may not have been corrected. Student has made no effort to interact with the material.
Student
Processing
Left-Hand Pages
Student application of concepts is appropriate and shows depth of understanding by creating original work and making clear connections to the teacher input page.
Student application of concepts is mostly appropriate and shows a general understanding of the concepts .
Student application of concepts may be superficial or random .
Organization &
Presentation
Pictures are complete and show an understanding of the content and context. The notebook is neat.
Few pictures are complete and show an understanding of the text. The notebook is relatively neat.
No pictures or pictures show a lack of understanding of the text. The notebook is not neat.
Student Corrections
Student has responded in writing and in a timely fashion to the teacher’s comments and suggestions for improvement. Content and processing are now accurate and effective for study purposes.
Student is late in responding in writing to the teacher’s comments and suggestions for improvement. Content and processing are now more or less accurate and may be effective for study purposes.
Student has not responded to the teacher’s comments and suggestions for improvement. Content and processing are still incomplete and/or inaccurate.

14. Contact Yanessa L. Miller, MAT, JD
Social Studies Instructional Facilitator