Why Lapbooks Replaced Interactive Notebooks in My Classroom

I’ll start by admitting that I jumped on the interactive notebook bandwagon early on. I absolutely loved using them in the classroom. I started using them during my Science class and then incorporated them into my Social Studies class once I saw how useful they were. Why did I use them in my classroom?

• ·        They were a hands-on way to introduce information. Most students are tactile and interactive notebooks are a great way to utilize use.

• ·        They’re a terrific way to reinforce concepts. The more that a students sees a concept, the more likely they are to retain the information.

• ·        You can use them all year long. In all my years using them, we never once filled them up.

As much as I did enjoy them. There were some definite downfalls (especially with younger students at the beginning of the year).

• ·        The beginning of the year was a real struggle. Setting up the notebook would take at least two class periods.

• ·        Storage took up valuable space in my classroom. Younger students are not capable of storing them in their own desks and teacher storage is essential. For me that meant that a chunk of my counter space was lost to interactive notebook storage.

• ·        Information was constantly falling out or ripping. Students often carry them upside down and items fall out of pockets. As the year goes on, many of the foldable items would rip or come out because of being glued in with gluesticks.

• ·        The biggest problem I had with them is the fact that students were only able to take them home at the end of the year. In younger grades, parent and family involvement is crucial. Students were only able to share their interactive notebooks with their family once the school year is over.

When I discovered lapbooks, I realized that they could solve many of the problems that I faced with interactive notebooks! I started using them here and there and soon realized that they had completely taken the place of my interactive notebooks!

What is a lapbook? It’s sort of a hands-on project that they create as we go through a unit. I’ve seen more complicated ones made with a variety of materials, but I simply use plain ol’ 12” x 18” construction paper or manila paper. Simply “elevator” for the large piece of paper.

You can use the outside flaps as a cover for the lapbook or place information on it. I prefer to add a cover to each lapbook. Students can usually finish working on their cover if they finish early.

 

Guidelines for lapbooks:

• ·        Complete in small parts – only add one or two components each day. Do not plan on completing them during one class period.

• ·        Make a lapbook along with the class. They will need to see an example.

• ·        Take them up each day for storage. Students may lose them or they can be damaged in students’ desks.

• ·        Make sure to send them home once they are complete. Parents love seeing what the students have been working on. Students enjoy showing them off to their families.

Looking for units that incorporate lapbooks? Check these out!

American Heroes 

Types of Communities 

Using Thanksgiving to Teach "Now and Then"

I absolutely LOVE Thanksgiving! I love the holiday and teaching everything about it. However, by the time that the kiddos hit second and third grade, they have done all the cutesy Thanksgiving things that us teachers love to do. The turkey hat is cute, but it loses its charm after first grade;)

I have found that Thanksgiving is a great way to incorporate some of my “Now and Then” standards. You can teach about the first Thanksgiving while comparing it to the Thanksgiving that we celebrate today.

Fantastic discussion starters for comparing the First Thanksgiving to the present Thanksgiving:

How long did the first Thanksgiving last? How about ours?

What did they eat at the first Thanksgiving? What do you like to eat at yours?

How did they talk back then? Now?

Always a favorite – What did they wear at the first Thanksgiving? What about you?

This Thanksgiving Now and Then Unit covers all these questions while teaching about the first Thanksgiving. It also contains several interactive components that allow to you use this in your interactive notebooks or to make lapbooks! You can buy the unit alone or as BUNDLE that includes a fun presentation to spark your students’ interest.

Christmas Around the World

My students have always adored learning about Christmas traditions around the world. We try to learn about Christmas in other countries throughout the month of December. It’s a great unit for our Social Studies class! I usually introduce the unit with a power point presentation. It is a super way to encourage class discussion.

The presentation covers Christmas traditions in 10 different countries. The countries include:

·         United States

·         Mexico

·         Australia

·         Sweden

·         France

·         Germany

·         Italy

·         Japan

·         Greece

·         Spain

For each country, the presentation allows us to discuss:

·         The country’s location in relation to the United States

·         Their country’s flag

·         When they celebrate the holiday

·         Special traditions that are unique to the country

·         Figures that they have that are similar to Santa Claus

We then cut out fact cards for each country that reiterates the information from the presentation. We put them into pockets in our Social Studies interactive notebooks. The cards help us with our activities throughout the unit.

Teaching Christmas around the world, allows us to also practice our map skills that we learned earlier in the year. This unit has activities that reinforce what we’ve learned about the seven continents and allows us to locate countries and capitals on maps.

This unit is full of activities that help students to use nonfiction information!

You can find the complete unit at:

Christmas Around the World No-Prep Unit

You can find the presentation at:

Christmas Around the World Presentation

OR, you can buy the BUNDLE that includes the unit and the presentation!

Christmas Around the World BUNDLE

Veteran's Day for Primary Grades

A great starting point for teaching about Veteran’s Day is to teach about the different branches of the military. My students are always fascinated to learn about the different branches. They love to learn about the role of each branch and what their main duties entail. (FYI, this allows them to ask great questions when he have Veterans visit!) There seem to be very few resources that accomplish this. Since our resources are limited, we always make fact cards that we keep in our interactive notebooks. The cards have the basic facts that my students need to know about each branch.

                To incorporate Veteran’s Day into our Reading and Language Arts, we read short passages about each branch of the military. Each passage is followed by several comprehension questions.

                All of these fact cards and a reading passage about the Air Force can be found in my Branches of the Military FREEBIE. Feel free to download and enjoy!!!

Veteran's Day FREEBIE

                All of the reading passages and the rest of the COMPLETE Branches of the Military Unit can be found below.

Branches of the Military No Prep Unit

My presentation that accompanies this unit can be found below!

Branches of the Military Presentation

OR, you can buy the BUNDLE and SAVE!!!

Branches of the Military BUNDLE

Interactive Notebook Storage

I learned real quickly after I started using interactive notebooks that they could NOT be stored in the students’ desks. If they stored them in their desks, they would constantly get them mixed up with their writing journals or other interactive notebooks. I store our interactive notebooks fairly easily. I currently have them on the back counter in my room (simply because that is where I happen to have room for them this year).

Another helpful tip that I have learned is to have students simply stack them in the middle of their tables (or desks) when they are done. I always collect them by table. This ensures that passing them back out is a quick process!

Science Tools and Lab Safety for Primary Grades

  

One of the first Science units that I teach every year to my kiddos is about Science Tools and Lab Safety. It is a great way to familiarize the students with the Science tools that they will be using all year long. It is also a great way to teach them how to properly use them. It is important to remember that while you may be teaching young kids, you are also laying the ground work for all the Sciences that come later. Science in the primary grades prepares students for biology, chemistry, physics, etc…Since I teach second grade, I generally stick to the basic Science tools such as:

·         Magnifying Glass

·         Magnet

·         Microscope

·         Terrarium

·         Computer

·         Balance

·         Beaker

·         Weather Vane

·         Aquarium

·         Safety Goggles

·         Notebook

·         Thermometer

·         Rain Gauge

·         Stop Watch

·         Ruler

·         Scale

I have my students cut out fact cards for the different Science tools. We put them into a pocket in our Science notebooks for reference throughout the year.

If possible, have all the tools for the students to examine. I like showing the students the real tools as well as using a Power Point presentation that encourages discussion about the reasons we use Science tools.

We also discuss which tool is the correct tool for the different jobs…

Lab Rules are also crucial to teach students. Even if you don’t have a Science lab, lab rules are important to follow when performing experiments in your classroom.

My best-selling Science Tools and Lab Safety Unit can be found below

Science Tools and Lab Safety Unit - No Prep

My Science Tools and Lab Safety Presentation can be found at:

Science Tools and Lab Safety Presentation

OR, you can buy the BUNDLE and SAVE!!!

Science Tools and Lab Safety BUNDLE

Weather Foldables for Interactive Notebooks and Lapbooks

Interactive notebooks are an awesome way to introduce or reinforce information. These Weather foldables serve as a source of information for the students. When printed regular size, the foldables fit perfectly into notebooks.

 

                However, there are some times when I would rather have a lapbook for my students. Lapbooks can serve as a quick and easy reference when studying a topic. I really like them for units of study that make take more than a week to cover. We simply add a little to them each day. For instance...WEATHER!

 I have found that I can accomplish this by simply adjusting the way that I print them. It’s really easier than you think.

Step 1

Select the pages that you want to print.

Step 2

Decide how many to print per page. You may want to experiment with this to see what size works best for you.  I have found that 2 or 4 per page works really well. Any more than 4 is really just too small.

All of these weather foldables (and more) are available in my Weather Foldables for Interactive Notebooks and Journals!

 Weather Foldables for Interactive Notebooks & Lapbooks