As teachers, we want to be sure our students are really reading during silent reading and not secretly dreaming about what they are going to have for lunch even though they look like they’re reading! That said, are you using a system to hold kids accountable for independent reading during Daily 5 Read to Self or to use during silent reading time? If not, then you might want to add reading interactive notebooks to your teaching toolkit! I have two easy to implement teaching resources to share to help you get set up in your classroom!
Written Response to Reading Interactive Notebooks
This reading notebook incorporates the best of the Cafe Menu and sprinkles it with a little metacognition with some sweet reading comprehension strategies (and of course, a dash of cute). There you have it, a reading response notebook that can be used with just about any book~ both fiction and nonfiction.
You can choose a mentor text too and assign a fitting prompt from this printable packet. Students cut out the prompt header and glue it into the notebook and then respond in writing. The best part is that the prompts can be used again and again as sort of a spiral review.
If you want to read more about this product, just click on the cover page image at the top to see it at my TPT store.
Here’s my example! (Note the zebra print, my fav)
By the way, I’ve discovered recently that coloring can be very therapeutic and relaxing! I’ve been doing a lot of coloring for new item samples lately! Thank goodness for twistable colored pencils, the best invention yet in my opinion! They are on my school supply list and I highly recommend them, especially for coloring detailed pictures neatly. Goodness, we have enough pencils to sharpen!
As you can see, the response to these prompts can be pretty short and sweet, so it doesn’t take much class time to add this to your reading routines. If you have been thinking about starting response journal notebooks with your class, this is an easy way to get going! The pages fit in both a composition book or a spiral, so you can use whatever you have purchased or collected for your class.
So, if you want to read more about the reading response notebook, just click on the cover page image at the top to see it at my TPT store.
Reading Interactive Notebook Flip Flap Pages:
You will flip out when you see how easy it is to put together a different kind of interactive notebook for your students to use during whole group reading activities. This one has lift the flap sections. Students are very engaged with their notebooks and take great pride in completing their reading skills practice in this way!
What Teachers are Saying About This Resource:
I really like how this can be used with any book, and in multiple ways…such as a response to a book students have been working on in a guided reading group, as well as during independent work. Thank you!
William F.
I really like this resource and think I will get a lot of use out of it. I appreciate that I can reuse it over and over with different texts and help students work specifically on what they need to focus on.
Morgan C.
Ready to Jump in with Interactive Notebooks?
Are you excited to start using reading interactive notebooks with your students? Maybe you would like to add some comprehension activities to your existing Language Arts notebooks. If so, this set of reading flip flap pages may be just the thing! The best part is that they can be used repeatedly with just about any fiction story as a whole-group activity following a read-aloud or with your guided reading groups using leveled books! Keep some copies ready and filed away to use when you have a few extra minutes throughout the day, or schedule interactive notebook activities into your daily routine and reading lesson plans!
The easy to cut shapes and simple designs are perfect for young learners. The text is large and the fonts bold and easy to read. The flaps are large enough so that students have plenty of room for writing under the flaps. It is also very teacher-friendly for those just beginning to introduce notebooks in the classroom for the first time.
This item is best suited for second grade and third grade students but may be used with advanced first grade students or with older students in intervention groups.
The pages are created to fit in a composition notebook and may also be used in a spiral notebook.
A variety of reading skills are reinforced with this packet.
Included are printable pages for the following:
Notebook Cover (3 designs to choose from)
Teacher directions and some photographs
Story Elements
Cause and Effect
Sequence of Events
Main Idea and Details
Point of View
Author’s Purpose
Theme and Central Message
Asking Questions
Character Traits
Main Character
Setting- When and Where
Problem
Solution
Most Important Event
Beginning, Middle, End
Somebody- Wanted- But- So
Making Inferences
Favorite Part
Vocabulary (New Words)
Characters Change
Making Inferences
All of the flaps are in black and white to save ink. You may copy them on bright paper for a fun and colorful notebook. The pages look just great on white paper too!
So, if you have been thinking about ways to get your readers both engaged and accountable for their reading sessions, consider adding interactive notebooks to your activities!
Happy teaching!
