• Home
  • Blog
  • Master Mentor Sentences
    • Mentor Sentences for K-2
    • Mentor Sentences for 3-5
  • Professional Learning
    • Course Login
    • Interactive Read Alouds
    • K-2 Mentor Sentences Course
    • 3-5 Mentor Sentences Course
    • FREE 1-2 Mentor Text Course
    • FREE 3-5 Mentor Texts Course
  • Shop
    • My Account on Jivey’s Site
    • Shop Jivey’s Site
    • Shop on TpT
    • Mentor Texts on Amazon
  • About
    • Meet Jivey
    • Disclosure & Affiliate Policy
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • 0 items
  • Ideas by Jivey

    Jivey shares ideas and lessons to make literacy accessible for all.

    • Shop
    • Master Mentor Sentences
      • Mentor Sentences for K-2
      • Mentor Sentences for 3-5
    • Maximize Time With Mentor Texts
    • Vivid Vocabulary
    • Close Reading
    Close Reading

    What Is Interactive Notetaking?

    August 15, 2015

    Share
    Pin
    Tweet

    Interactive notetaking is the BEST way to get information to “sink in” for your students. I first learned about it five years ago at a staff development session and never looked back. Give it a try with your students, and I bet you’ll feel the same- especially when you see how much they ENJOY it!

    If you do a search on the internet for this topic, you will find that there are all different types of strategies. I am going to share the one that has worked for me in my classroom. In my room, we use colored pencils to key our paragraphs, then we use those same colors to write phrases and draw pictures that represent the important information learned in a passage. I LOVE using this strategy in science and social studies, but you could use it in any subject! It is really just a fancy way of doing close reading. :o)

    Interactive notetaking is active learning because it helps students understand what is important in a text and allows them to represent what is important in their own way. It also helps students use BOTH parts of their brain!

    Interactive notetaking strategy with Ideas by Jivey.

    The left brain “controls” the right side, and the right brain “controls” the left side. For this reason, anything I give them gets glued on the right side of the notebook- this is the “control.” And anything they write or draw goes on the left side of the notebook- this is their “connection and creativity.”

    Interactive notetaking strategy with Ideas by Jivey.

    Color is VERY important with interactive notetaking. Students will box each paragraph with a different color. As they read, paragraph by paragraph, they should use the color of THAT paragraph to represent what they have learned. I highly recommend colored pencils- markers bleed, and crayons are hard to read when they start getting rounded ends. I have my students keep a handheld pencil sharpener with a shavings catcher at their desk- this keeps them from jamming my nice electric ones, and from getting up and down to sharpen. (They sharpen every five minutes at first, but then once they realize they are “eating” their pencils, the novelty wears off and they only use it when necessary!)


    The first several weeks of school (and even sometimes later in the year when I really want to make sure they understand what they are reading), we do interactive notetaking together. Once I see they have the hang of it, I let them work in partners to read, dissect, and represent their passage. This is one of their favorite activities, and little do they know, they are learning so much by talking about what they are going to write/draw and why!

    Sometimes there are more words and phrases than drawings. It depends on the topic.

    Interactive notetaking strategy with Ideas by Jivey.

    You can find great {free} articles on k12reader.com on several science, social studies, and math topics (the two examples above are from there)- and they are sorted by grade level readability! You could do this with any article, of course.


    **Copy Hack: If the page is too big for the notebook, copy it at 85%, cut off the white edges on the bottom and side, and BOOM. Perfect fit!**


    We sometimes use annotating symbols as we do interactive notetaking, too. You’ll see in the passage below, I had them draw a cloud around tricky words, then we defined them in the margins.

    Using annotating symbols in interactive notetaking with Ideas by Jivey.
    Get this Columbus Passage and Organizer for free!

    You can also see above that this can be done with a graphic organizer! Students are guided to find information in their passage, and they use the color to show where the information came from.

    Once students have finished their notes, they should be able to read back what they have learned. I have them sit with a partner and talk in complete sentences to summarize the notes they have drawn and written on the left side of their notebook.

    This is also a great study tool. When we do interactive notetaking, my students are required to take home their notebook that night… they fold their notebook in half so that they can see their notes and a parent or older sibling can see the article. They should do just as they did in class and summarize their notes- and the person on the other side of the notebook should be able to follow along in the article, so they know if the child is not understanding.

    Need passages? Check out the freebies in my store, as well as the complete sets!

    I’m linking this up with another fabulous blogger and teacher- Joanne at Head Over Heels for Teaching! Interactive notetaking is absolutely a motivator for students… who wants to just “sit and get?” Not me! My students absorb so much using this strategy!

    Do you have any fun notetaking strategies you use? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

     

    Share
    Pin
    Tweet
    close reading interactive notes
    by Jessica Ivey 

    About Jessica Ivey

    View all posts by Jessica Ivey

    Related Posts

    • Stop Highlighting… Start Thinking!
    • Social Studies Integration Planning Present
    • Text Dependent Questions with Annotations
    • More Work With Text Dependent Questions
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Welcome!

    Welcome!

    Hi, I'm Jessica, also affectionately known as Jivey! I am passionate about making literacy accessible for all students using research-based strategies. Students learn best through content integration and in-context skills, and my goal is to help you deliver your instruction with these best practices!

    Looking for something?

    SHOP

    SHOP

    Recent Posts

    • Planning a Language Arts Schedule (How To Fit It All In!)
    • Mentor Sentences Routine: Break It Down (Assessment)
    • Mentor Sentences Routine: Break It Down (Time to Imitate)
    • Mentor Sentences Routine: Break It Down (Time to Revise)
    • Mentor Sentences Routine: Break It Down (Parts of Speech)

    Facebook

    Ideas By Jivey

    2 weeks ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    Right?! Picture books are for every👏🏼one!👏🏼 ... See MoreSee Less

    Photo

    View on Facebook
    · Share

    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

    Ideas By Jivey

    3 weeks ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    I shared my TPT story with you back in April... (if you missed it, you can check it out here: ckarchive.com/b/4zuvheh5z24kp)As promised, the next big celebration update has happened!! FIVE brand new units have been added to the Yearlong Mentor Text Curriculum Bundle: Volume 2 for Grades 3-5! www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Yearlong-Mentor-Text-Curriculum-Bundle-Volume-2-for-Grades-3-... (This is the large $99 bundle that covers the entire year with mentor sentences, interactive activities, reading and writing, and vocabulary.)If you own the large bundle, whether it's through TPT, my website shop, or through a course purchase, you will get these FIVE NEW UNITS (valued at $18.75) FOR FREE!! Just re-download your purchase!📔School's First Day of School by Adam Rex📘Our Table by Peter H. Reynolds📗The Widow's Broom by Chris Van Allsburg📙Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty📕Vulture Verses by Diane LangI am creating these units to strategically align with the large bundles- you'll find the books chosen in volume 2 cover language skills that didn't have lessons previously, and can also be paired nicely with books included in the original bundle. For example, use Vulture Verses with Animals Nobody Loves!Just as a reminder, YES! I plan on doing the same thing for all of the other yearlong volumes, so don't be upset if you own another volume, or another grade! (And remember, Volume 1 already has its bonuses added!!) I am going in order of when I released them, and as you can imagine, it takes some time to create so many brand new units. 😉If you DON'T OWN the Volume 2 Yearlong Bundle and still want these five amazing book units, you can get them now ON SALE for just $3 each for the next 48 hours! www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Ideas-By-Jivey/Order:Most-Recent#seller_details_tabsThank you again for all your support and feedback over the last decade! Here's to at least ten more!! ... See MoreSee Less

    Photo

    View on Facebook
    · Share

    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

    Ideas By Jivey

    3 weeks ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    Every Tuesday in June and July, you'll be able to purchase one of the MANY individual mentor text units that I've created from my website shop!This is a great way to stock up on some new lessons for next school year. 🎉The first $2 Tuesday is TODAY, and is the unit I created for the WONDERFUL mentor text, Trombone Shorty!Don't own the book? Don't worry! It's on Storyline Online! In this pack, you will receive:★a mentor sentence lesson for the book★an interactive notebook activity to review/teach comparatives and superlatives★seven reading ideas suggested with three activities provided: identifying theme, describing illustrations, and analyzing author's language★one writing idea suggested with a writing prompt given★contextual vocabulary activities★ Activities are also provided as links to Google Slides for Digital Learning! ★ www.ideasbyjivey.com/coupon/TROMBONE2/ ... See MoreSee Less

    Video

    View on Facebook
    · Share

    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

    Pinterest

    Instagram

    Right?!! Don’t take away my #mentortexts! #pictu Right?!! Don’t take away my #mentortexts! #picturebooksaremyjam #picturebooksareforeveryone 

#ideasbyjivey #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #teachertribe #iteach345
    Every Tuesday in June and July, you'll be able to Every Tuesday in June and July, you'll be able to purchase one of the MANY individual #mentortext units that I've created from my website shop!

This is a great way to stock up on some new lessons for next school year. 🎉

The first $2 Tuesday is TODAY, and is the unit I created for the WONDERFUL mentor text, Trombone Shorty!

Don't own the book? Don't worry! It's on Storyline Online! 

In this pack, you will receive:

★a mentor sentence lesson for the book

★an interactive notebook activity to review/teach comparatives and superlatives

★seven reading ideas suggested with three activities provided: identifying theme, describing illustrations, and analyzing author's language

★one writing idea suggested with a writing prompt given

★contextual vocabulary activities

★ Activities are also provided as links to Google Slides for Digital Learning! ★ 

Link in profile! https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/coupon/TROMBONE2/ 

#ideasbyjivey #2dollartuesday #mentortext #mentorsentences #iteach345 #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th #teachersfollowteachers #teachertribe #teacherdeals
    Enough is enough. I’m sick over this. I’m sick Enough is enough. I’m sick over this. I’m sick OF this. I’m tired of children’s and teachers’ lives being lower on the list than the right to bear arms. Sending love to all my Texas teachers and families. Comments are turned off and yes, removed, because this is NOT an argument. Go to someone else’s post to do that. This is the 30th school shooting this year. This doesn’t happen in other countries, yet there is still plenty of evil there. I’m done.
📸: @theteachingtexan
    When I began creating #mentorsentence resources to When I began creating #mentorsentence resources to list in my TpT store over ten years ago, it was because of the huge shift I’d seen in my own students implementing the game-changing routine. I LOVE to hear other teachers have the same results! 🥰 #fabulousfeedback #ideasbyjivey #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #teachertribe #iteach345 #mentorsentences
    Can students think critically about grammar!? YES Can students think critically about grammar!?

YES THEY CAN!

I know higher order thinking skills (HOTS) are generally not associated with grammar, but give it a chance… you’re going to see a HUGE shift in writing abilities and language understanding if you do!

Check out the blog post in my profile for a run-down and a free download to help you get started! https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/higher-order-thinking-questions-for-grammar-and-writing/ #ideasbyjivey #grammar #language #mentorsentences #effective #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #iteachupperelementary #iteach345
    My club units have been some of my favorite resour My club units have been some of my favorite resources to create because the planning and creation were guided by the teachers using them!

Because of the input from your fellow teacher community, I know these units will be such a benefit to you, too! Every unit in the bundle has: 

📕a week of plans that integrate multiple skills and subjects
📙detailed explicit lessons, including teacher samples
📒a week-at-a-glance plan
📗digitally converted activities in Google Slides and Forms, when applicable
📘mentor sentence lesson
📕reading and writing lessons
📙integration of other subjects (science, social studies, or social/emotional skills)
📒printables for skill practice
📗at least one other text (poem, article, paired passages)* to integrate with your lessons *this will vary each unit depending on skills covered!
📘short assessments

Check out the latest bundle at the link in my profile! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/MENTOR-TEXT-CLUB-by-Jivey-2ND-EDITION-for-Grades-3-5-7058941 
#ideasbyjivey #mentortext #mentortexts #teachersfollowteachers #mentorsentences #effective #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig
    Did you know I have a total breakdown of how mento Did you know I have a total breakdown of how mentor sentences can look day by day in your classroom?
Head over to my blog! www.ideasbyjivey.com #ideasbyjivey #mentorsentences #teachersfollowteachers #iteach345 #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig
    Elizabeth Started All the Trouble by Doreen Rappap Elizabeth Started All the Trouble by Doreen Rappaport is the perfect #mentortext to incorporate in your studies of women's suffrage. With this unit, you'll be able to work with students on analyzing primary sources (specifically political cartoons, but also some written documents), identifying supporting reasons and details, writing opinion pieces, and using relative pronouns. This unit is the perfect way to integrate social studies with language arts! Grab it from the link in my profile! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Elizabeth-Started-All-the-Trouble-Womens-Suffrage-Mentor-Text-Unit-8036259 #ideasbyjivey #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #socialstudiesintegration #iteach345 #teacherspayteachers
    This feedback means so much to me because as I’v This feedback means so much to me because as I’ve made my mentor sentence lessons over the last ten years, I’ve put so much thought into the way I craft my units and bundles! Thank you for trusting me! ❤️ #mentorsentences #ideasbyjivey #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #iteach345 #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th #iteachfourth #iteachfifth #iteachthird
    Load More... Follow on Instagram

    Copyright © 2022 · Prima Donna theme by Georgia Lou Studios

    Copyright © 2022 · Prima Donna on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

    This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See full disclosure here.​

    accept

    This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
    See full disclosure here.​

    accept