How to Help Students Master ELA Concepts with Interactive Notebooks
Helping your students master writing and reading concepts and language skills can be really tough! Are you frustrated after seeing countless errors in students’ writing? Not sure what to do when students struggle with writing a paragraph or understanding an ELA concept like cause and effect?
Have you ever tried an interactive Notebook (INB) with your class? They became popular about ten years ago but are still a relevant way to help students master skills!
Let’s find out more and keep reading to grab a freebie!
Why Use an Interactive Notebook (Language Arts)?
- Engagement: Interactive notebooks are far more engaging than basic worksheets. Students are actively involved in the process of creating one and have to think and focus on the topic to do so!
- Hands-On Learning: Cutting and gluing activities not only keep students engaged but also sneak in fine motor practice, which is crucial for their development.
- Organized Resource: INBs provide students with an organized resource they can refer to in the future, reinforcing learning over time.
- Record of Work: They serve as an excellent record of students’ work, showcasing their progress and understanding in one place.
- Provides extra practice: They cover essential topics and skills in a structured way.
- Support for Standards: My favorite INB, the 2nd Grade Interactive Language Arts Notebook, addresses critical topics and aligns with Common Core State Standards (CCSS), making it a powerful teaching tool.
Solve your Challenges with a Bundle of an ELA Interactive Notebook and an Interactive Notebook for Reading
Wouldn’t it be easier to have a ready-made set of resources to get going on writing and reading interactive notebooks? Well, yes! A few years ago I created some for my own second graders and decided to share them with other teachers.
The 2nd grade ELA Interactive Notebook and Reading Interactive Notebook cover tons of skills and get your students set up for success in writing, conventions, and reading comprehension skills.
Need more details?
The 2nd Grade Interactive Language Arts Notebook includes:
- Nouns
- Verbs
- Adjectives
- Adverbs
- Complete Sentences
- Capitalization
- Punctuation
- Subjects and Predicates
- Sentence Structure (simple and compound)
- Brainstorming
- Opinion Writing
- Narrative Writing
- Informational Writing
- Fiction
- Editing and Proofreading
These topics help students learn the building blocks of writing and how to approach different types of writing prompts. Each page is marked with the relevant CCSS to support you in your teaching.
The Reading Interactive Notebook addresses:
- Plot
- Characters
- Setting
- Cause and Effect
- 5 W’s
- Compare and Contrast
- Author’s Purpose
- Fiction
- Nonfiction
- Prefixes/suffixes
- Illustrations
It is also aligned to the CCSS and focuses on standards for Reading (both literature and informational text), which are the building blocks your students need for improving their reading comprehension skills! PLUS it includes a bonus FREE section on prefixes and suffixes.
Both interactive notebooks include flip flaps books, accordion books, brainstorms, cut and glues, and many more types of pages and activities .
Click on the image below to check it out – by the way, you save 20% when getting the bundle vs. each resource separately.
Keep reading for more ideas and a freebie!
Are there Teacher Tips?
Yes, both notebooks offer 2- 3 pages of teacher tips whether you are just getting started and need to know the basics or just would like some reminders on how to implement them with students.
Where to Find Notebooks
Try stores like Target, Big Lots or even Amazon. I found my notebooks at Wal-Mart for just 10 cents each during back-to-school sales. It’s a cost-effective way to get started! You can use standard one subject notebooks or composition books (which I prefer with second graders)
Ready to Try a Free Sample?
Want to see for yourself? Click here to get a short free sample featuring an opinion writing prompt!
Prefer the whole kit and kaboodle? Click here or on the image below:
If you want to pin this post so you can read it again later, click below!
You might also be interested in these blog posts:
- 5 Ways to Help Students Check their Writing for Correct Capitalization and Punctuation
- 8 Ways to Use Pop Its to Engage Learners
- Back to School Writing Tips
- 5 Ways to get Your Students Excited for Writing
- Myths about Teaching Reading
