Interactive Math Notebooks

Robyn Trowbridge

Instructional Coach

Park View Elementary

Cleveland, TN

What is an IMN?

“Math notebooks are a tool to strengthen student learning of curriculum through increased student participation. They are used in class daily to help the student learn and keep track of their learning. This style of notebook uses both the right and left-brain hemispheres to help sort, categorize and be creative with the newly attained knowledge. (One) side of the spiral notebook is for writing down information given by the teacher (notes, vocabulary, formulas, examples, etc). The (other) side of the spiral shows the understanding and references the information from the right side through self-worked examples, reflections, drawings/figures, completed assignments, etc.). The benefits for the student are endless because the students are more organized and can easily access their work and notes.” Kymberly Riggins - Houston, TX

What is an IMN?

Originated from Teachers Curriculum Institute as Interactive Student Notebookshttp://www.historyalive.com/

Details from TCIhttp://info.teachtci.com/forum/isn.aspx

What is an IMN?

Student-produced textbook Reflection log Working portfolio Study guide Note-taking process allowing students to record

information in a personal and meaningful way Way for students to annotate teacher-supplied

notes illustrating their understanding of concepts Way for students to personalize their work

The process...

Can be challengingTakes patienceMust be reinforced consistentlyTakes time for the teacher and for the students to develop their own styles

Requires teacher modeling, modeling, MODELING and more modeling

But in the end, IMNs ...

Assist students in organizing their work

Teach students how to thinkIntegrate reading strategies within a content area, such as science or math

Help students to distinguish between what they know and what they need to focus on

Many birds, one stone...

Students make their own meaningful connections.

It encourages pride in student work.It encourages cooperative learning.It appeals to multiple intelligences.The kids love it and learn so much!

Research shows

Robert Marzano - Classroom Instruction that Works

• Identifying Similarities and Differences

• Nonlinguistic Representations

• Summarizing and Note Taking

• Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback

• Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition

•Generating and Testing Hypotheses

•Homework and Practice

• Cues, Questions, and Advanced Organizers

• Cooperative Learning

What do they look like?

Can be in pencil, crayon, or colored pencils

Are personal and unique to each student

Allow students to doodle or draw in their notebook and still be on task!

In an IMN...

Key ideas are underlined in color or highlighted.

Arrows are used to show relationships between graphics and notes.

Diagrams, sketches, cartoons, charts, graphic organizers, songs, ... really anything can be included.

IMN allow students to...

Record information in an engaging way.Rehearse and retell information.Discuss and accept other’s ideas.Identify main ideas.Paraphrase.Transform written concepts into visuals.Become more independent thinkers.

Inside an IMN

Standards or Checks for Understanding in kid friendly language

Class notes, activities, and lab notes Vocabulary words, math formulas, graphs and anything else

Getting Started

Identify which subject and unit you want to begin with

Let students know what supplies are required

Make sure you have copies of notes for each student

Getting Started

The notebook-loose leaf paper in a three pronged folder, spiral notebook, or composition book

Pencils, regular and coloredGlue stickScissorsTeacher handouts (as needed)Grading expectations (if you choose to

grade the IMN)

Organization

Title pageTable of contentsTeacher-supplied handout(s)Student-created graphics/notes

Let’s begin with YOURS!

Create a title page for the notebook. This includes student’s name and any other information you think is important. Students may enjoy illustrating this page. It might include fun facts about the student where all answers have to be numbers.

Number the title page #1. On the back of PAGE #1, number it as PAGE #2. Odd numbers will always on the right side pages, and even numbers will always be on the left. There will be NO blank pages.

Pages are NEVER torn out. Notebooks must be kept neat because students will need them to study for tests and quizzes.

Sample Title Page

Sample Title Page

Table of Contents

This is the student’s organizing page.It can be as detailed as the student wants.It will help you evaluate their work and

comprehension.It is an outline of their notebook and can be

filled in as they go or completed at the end of the unit. It is easier to fill in as you go!

Sample Table of Contents

Sample Table of Contents

Lay-out

For primary/elementary•Left side = “Show”

• Right side = “Tell”

For intermediate/middle•Left side = “Learning”

•Right side = “Reflections”

Let’s get started..

You should have•glue

•scissors

•colored pencils

•highlighters

•Regular Platonic Solids handout

Your first entry

Make sure your pages are numbered.Write “Show” at the top of the left page (#4)

and “Tell” at the top of the right page (#5).Next, cut out the lesson standard and glue it

at the top of the “Show” side of the page. Cut out the Platonic solids. Match each 3-D

figure to its 2-D representation and glue on the left side of the notebook under the standard.

Your first entry

Work with your table to label the shapes.

On the “Tell” side, write your observations about each Platonic solid. Try to include the number of faces, edges, vertices, and shape of each face.

Save about 10 lines at the bottom of the “Tell” side.

Guidelines

Students draw pictures of their notes, create charts, diagrams, cartoons-- whatever they want.

Teacher must be able to identify what is being explained.

This allows for various learning styles and allows students to be imaginative and creative--experiment!

Guidelines

All information that is tested can be found in their notebooks.

If a student misses an item on a quiz, they can locate that information in their notebooks and mark that page--usually with a sticky post-it note.

IMN as study guide

Read the notes. Marking up and highlighting key concepts helps students focus on main ideas.

Paraphrasing helps them to process the information.

Studying the graphics helps students to create pictures in their minds. This is a fundamental difference between good and poor readers.

Entry Ideas

Fact SheetsMini booksFoldablesGraphic OrganizersMental math modelsSteps in a process (like long division)Paraphrasing processes

Sample entries

Sample entries

Sample entries

Sample entries

Glue one side of the minibook onto the IMN. This holds it in place while still being able to flip through the book.

Sample entries

Glue one side of the minibook onto the IMN. This holds it in place while still being able to flip through the book.

Sample entries

Tips

First week: Each page of the notebook is numbered in marker or colored pencil.

Precut assignments to make it easier to glue.

When students finish their work early or have some "free" time, have the students update their table of contents or review their notes by adding color, highlighting, underlining, boxing the important things.

Wrap up

A copy of this presentation can be found under Robyn Trowbridge’s presentations on the Park View website.

Please feel free to contact me at rtrowbridge@bradleyschools.org.

Please turn in your evaluation before you leave.

Credits

Carol Bauer, Sheryl Roberts, and Carolyn Belson (Virginia Teachers)

Classroom Instruction That Works!

by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollack

Teachers Curriculum InstituteMelinda Gannon, Z. Saunders, and Kymberly

Rigginswww.enchantedlearning.com