Monday, September 3, 2012

Interactive Notebooking TEXAS style

**UPDATE** I've added a follower button if you would like to come out and follow in the open :)

This past week was the first week of school for our kiddos. I am in a new grade, in a new school, and a new style of teaching. I'm teaching 4th grade for the first time. My school rotates the kiddos just like junior high. I am in charge of Social Studies. In Texas 4th grade Social Studies is Texas history. The first two days we kept our own homeroom. Once the kiddos started rotating we spent 2 days setting up our notebooks. It didn't cross my mind to grab pictures of the set up. I planned to spend the week on procedures and routines. We did one lesson on listening and practiced using our journal. Then I decided that this group did not need any more behavior lessons.

Overall, they are all pretty good. My first block is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G I wish I could keep them all day. So quiet and such hard thoughtful workers. I have 5 blocks total and really only 1 makes me work extra. I'll take that! Since they were so well behaved I knew I wanted to do something fun on Friday. But it wasn't in my plans so and I was drawing a blank. I went to bed thinking and thinking. Then BAM in the middle of the night in my sleep I dreamt of what to do in class. I got to work a little early and printed out what I needed. I had some super sweet girls (love them already) in my homeroom help me cut before the tardy bell rang.

We did a lesson on our Texas BK(background knowledge). We had a discussion on what we already knew about Texas. I listed the topics as they named them. I left them up just in case they needed a reminder while they were working. They had to write four things they had in their Texas BK and then draw pictures of things that had to do with Texas and label them. I took a picture of my example and then I started to notice the kiddos notebooks. They did such a great job. Their artwork was so cute! I totally didn't need mine. So then I took pictures of some examples from block 1 and block 2. I asked their permission to blog them and the agreed. :) I just printed out 10 copies of the state outline and they traced and passed and began to work. The kids had so much fun with this! One of my sweet girls even asked me if this idea came from pinterest. HA! I told her nope but I will definitely pin it. This would work with any state! I hope this helps someone out there in blog land. Happy Teaching. :)
 
I'm going to link the post with Tara at 4th grade Frolics and Kelly at Teaching Fourth to share with lots of teacher friends.
 
 

 
 

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13 comments:

  1. Very cool! I am so jealous! I would love to teach 4th grade S.S. only.

    Kristin
    Teachntex.blogspot.com

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  2. I love it...:) I'm a 5th grade science teacher, but I only have three blocks! We are using interactive notebooks too...:) Have a great year!

    Vicky
    Keep Calm & Imagine

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    Replies
    1. This could totally adapt to science. You could do it at the beginning of each unit.

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  3. Found you on Monday Made It. I teach second grade and will be trying out interactive notebooks in science this year. I'm a little nervous doing it with primary kids, so I'll be back (often) to get ideas/tips from you!

    Angela :)
    Hippo Hooray for Second Grade!

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    Replies
    1. Angela,
      I taught 2nd grade for 5 years. I did notebooking with them too. You can do it! Keep checking back. I just mentioned to the previous person that this could go easily for science. You could use it at the beginning of each unit to check for BK.

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  4. I love this! I am going to share this with my teacher friend who teaches history. She will love it! Thanks for linking up!

    Kelly
    Teaching Fourth

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  5. I pinned it! Very clever!
    Emily
    I Love My Classroom
    www.ilovemyclassroom.blogspot.com

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  6. I love that idea! I teach 4th grade in California, and we do California history! I'll be finding a way to use this soon!

    -Dani
    A Place to Thrive

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    Replies
    1. That's awesome! I'm glad this post was helpful.

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  7. This is an awesome post! I am a Texas teacher too and I LOVE teaching about Texas. One of my kiddos favorite things is when we eat a prickly pear cactus since it is our state plant.

    When you get the chance, add a follow button. You can go to design at the top of your blog and then layout. Choose add a gadget and the follow button in the 9th choice. I would love to follow you. =)

    If you get the chance, I would love for you to hop over and visit me.

    Heather
    Heather's Heart

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    Replies
    1. Heather if you would like you could follow by email. :)

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