Interactive Reading Journals/Notebooks: Starting The Year Off Right

A few years ago before the school year started, I stood in my classroom with two huge piles of notebooks.  I knew there had to be a way to practice our reading standards and skills while creating a reference tool for my third graders.  I had always used a writer's notebook, and I really liked the way I could teach mini lessons and my students could reference the information if they needed to.  

I looked around online and learned about the concept of Interactive Reading Notebooks or Interactive Reading Journals.  This excited me so I set out to create my own, one that would suit my students' needs.  If you haven't already checked out my post about my interactive reading journals, you can find it here.  

The notebook I use includes many different standards and skills such as:
Sequencing (first, next, then...etc)
Predictions
Questioning
Beginning/Middle/End
Character/Character Traits
Character Comparison
Using text evidenceto support your answer
Vocabulary w/meanings
Vocabulary w/create a sentence
Fiction Vs Non-Fiction Venn Diagram
Schema + Text Evidence = Inference
Blank Venn Diagram
Theme
Cause and Effect
Author's Purpose
Main Idea and Details (paragraph and page)
3-Types of Connections
Visualizing
Problem & Solution
Drawing Conclusions (2)
Books I Would Like to Read List
Why Do Reader's Read?
Schema
Great Sentences (3)

Some of the pages create flaps (that the students write on top of and then under) and other pages just get glued in after the students write on them.   

I was reluctant to do this type of journal because third graders can be a little slow to cut and glue.  I cut around the dotted lines on the paper cutter before I pass out the pages t to save time in a pinch.   

The kids ABSOLUTELY love the interactive journal!  We have even used Scholastic book orders to cut out non-fiction vs fiction books and glue them in, as well as realism vs fantasy books.   

I used fun fonts and made it VERY student friendly.  I also made the journal pages so that they will fit in a regular notebook or a composition notebook.   

If you are looking for a new way to start your students off on the right foot for reading, I can assure you that this is a great way to do it.  There is so much flexibility because you can copy what you need.  If students need extra practice on a skill, you can do the same page a few time, using different reading materials.  If you are interested you can find my Interactive Reading Journal in my TeacherPayTeacher store.  

~Heather