TEKS RESOURCE SYSTEM SOCIAL STUDIES

Interactive Student Notebooks

What is a Social Studies Interactive Student Notebook (ISN)?

Interactive Student Notebooks (ISN) were first introduced to social studies
teachers in conjunction with the History Alive! program. The ISN soon spread
as a popular practice implemented by many social studies teachers who
adapted the ISN to fit any curriculum. Eventually ISNs came to be widely used
in all subject areas, with science teachers particularly expanding their use as a
tool for recording observations.
An ISN serves as a student’s collective body of recorded information complied
in a cohesive and structured way. The ISN provides students with a place to
creatively express their ideas, and reactions to what they are learning.
Ultimately, the ISN becomes a portfolio of the student’s learning.

Why use Interactive Student Notebooks in the Social Studies classroom?

ISNs are a powerful tool that functions as a portal for every activity used in the
classroom. The ISN activates both visual and linguistic intelligences, and shifts
note-taking to an active process. ISNs support continual review, reflection, and
interaction with content.

How are Interactive Student Notebooks assembled?

Practices on how to assemble ISNs can vary, but generally each ISN begins
with a composition book or spiral notebook and the following characteristics.
1. Decorated cover which includes the student’s name; some use clear
packaging tape to protect and reinforce the cover
2. Table of Contents; one for each unit; posted in the classroom also
3. Numbered pages; even numbers on the left/odd numbers on the right;
some teacher opt to use dates as opposed to numbers and date pages as
they are completed
4. Unit pages with student produced artwork related to the unit; serves as
a bookmark between units of study; completed on a right side page
Each pair of pages in the ISN is designated for different purposes. The left side
is intended for student output with preview/engagement activities or
processing assignments. The right side is intended for teacher directed input,
such as foldables, graphic organizers, notes, and/or recorded information.

©2017, TCMPC TEKS Resource System Social Studies

How are Interactive Student Notebooks used effectively?
The value in the ISN is that it must become interactive. It is important that
teachers have students using the ISN as a tool and reference not just for
storage. Some considerations for effectively using the ISN include:
1. It is most important to provide students with interactive activities for
note-taking. Get students reading and extracting information and
recording using graphic organizers or foldables.
2. Create processing activities that require students to apply the
information they gathered during the lesson.
3. Students can place sticky notes on information they have questions
about from a previous lesson. Students then pair with peers who can
answer that question in a peer tutoring activity.
4. Students should review the previous day’s lesson on a daily basis.
5. The ISN should include reference material for quick access, such as
maps, timelines, syllabus, or other related materials.
6. Address student questions by having them go back into the ISN to find
the answer.
7. Post warm-ups that require students to use the ISN.
8. Use the ISN to review for assessments, such as having groups create lists
of the top ten items they judge to be of significance and that will possibly
be on the unit assessment. Students share/compare lists and the
teacher facilitates discussion based on students list.

How are Interactive Student Notebooks graded?

It is important to implement grading of the ISN that does not get overwhelming.
It would be extremely difficult to grade every aspect of the ISN. Consider
grading selected assignments in the ISN, or checking for completion while
students are completing other work. Some teachers give a unit grade based on
the grading of a number of selected assignments. Teachers can also use the
ISN as a formative check for understanding. Providing a checklist to peers can
facilitate grading for a notebook completion grade.
Be sure to keep a “mock notebook” as a reference for students who have been
absent. Consider assigning this task to a different student each class period, so
it does not become a chore for the teacher. The “mock notebook” should
include the preview assignment, the handout used for notetaking, and the
processing assignment, but not the answers.

©2017, TCMPC TEKS Resource System Social Studies

Some special considerations and the ISN
1. Decide if the ISNs will remain in the classroom, if so have storage bins
in an area of the classroom for quick access. Keeping ISNs in the
classroom ensures they do not get misplaced. If students need to
finish work at home, it can be done on paper and then placed in the
ISN later.
2. Decide if you will attach papers/foldables into the ISN using glue
sticks or tape. Spend time educating students on how much glue or
tape to use, so that time is not wasted on this part of the process.
Letter-sized papers can be folded in half to attach to the right side
page in the notebook.
3. Consider having parents or a parent/teacher organization donate
composition books, glue, and tape so the materials needed for the
notebooks are readily available.
4. Keep extra notebooks for the disappearance of one, or for the arrival
of a new student.
5. Consider creating an illustrated glossary in the ISN, by turning the
ISN upside down and working from that direction for the glossary.
6. If you opt to try to create the ISN in digital format take extra effort to
keep it interactive. Many digital notebooks just become digital storage.

A final note
We specifically did not provide photos of ISNs because there are many
resources available online with models of ISNs, videos of how to set up ISNs,
and products sold to support ISNs. We encourage you to explore and apply
your learning. Keep in mind that for an ISN to work in your classroom you
must USE IT and VALUE IT.

©2017, TCMPC TEKS Resource System Social Studies