Idea Notebooks Presented by: Lila Jorge Patricia Krivac Stacey Shubitz Thursday, June 8th, 2006 Professional Development Day Presented by: Lila Jorge Patricia Krivac Stacey Shubitz Thursday, June 8th, 2006 Professional Development Day

The 5 W’s of Idea Notebooks / WHO / Students K-7 / Faculty / Administration / WHO / Students K-7 / Faculty / Administration

The 5 W’s of Idea Notebooks / WHAT: / A place to find & collect new ideas / WHAT: / A place to find & collect new ideas

The 5 W’s of Idea Notebooks / WHEN (pick what works for you) : / Morning lineup/sitting in auditorium / On the way to assemblies / Transitional times/early finishers (in class) / Recess during inclement weather / Waiting for after school to begin / In the morning, evenings, weekends, vacations / WHEN (pick what works for you) : / Morning lineup/sitting in auditorium / On the way to assemblies / Transitional times/early finishers (in class) / Recess during inclement weather / Waiting for after school to begin / In the morning, evenings, weekends, vacations

The 5 W’s of Idea Notebooks / WHERE (pick what works for you) : / Classrooms / Hallways / Auditorium / Cafeteria / Playground/Yard / Field Trips / Subway or bus / At home / WHERE (pick what works for you) : / Classrooms / Hallways / Auditorium / Cafeteria / Playground/Yard / Field Trips / Subway or bus / At home

The 5 W’s of Idea Notebooks / WHY: / “We can’t give children rich lives, but we can give them the lens to appreciate the richness that is already there in their lives. Notebooks validate a child’s existence.” --Lucy Calkins, Living Between the Lines, 35 / WHY: / “We can’t give children rich lives, but we can give them the lens to appreciate the richness that is already there in their lives. Notebooks validate a child’s existence.” --Lucy Calkins, Living Between the Lines, 35

The 5 W’s of Idea Notebooks / WHY: / To provide a place for students to practice writing. / Generate texts / Find ideas --Aimee Buckner, Notebook Know-How, 5 / WHY: / To provide a place for students to practice writing. / Generate texts / Find ideas --Aimee Buckner, Notebook Know-How, 5

The 5 W’s of Idea Notebooks / WHY: / To give children a place where writing matters to them. / To develop a love of writing. / To find excitement in the act of collecting ideas that hold meaning to them. / WHY: / To give children a place where writing matters to them. / To develop a love of writing. / To find excitement in the act of collecting ideas that hold meaning to them.

Implementation: Option A / Teachers will model how to use the Idea Notebook during the first week of school. / During Writer’s Workshop / Students will carry their Idea Notebook to and from school beginning the first week of school. / Teachers will model how to use the Idea Notebook during the first week of school. / During Writer’s Workshop / Students will carry their Idea Notebook to and from school beginning the first week of school.

Implementation: Option B / Teachers will spend about two weeks “talking-up” the Idea Notebook. / Modeling how to use the Idea Notebook. / Countdown the days until the kids receive their Idea Notebooks. / Launch the Idea Notebook with some fanfare in your classroom. / Teachers will spend about two weeks “talking-up” the Idea Notebook. / Modeling how to use the Idea Notebook. / Countdown the days until the kids receive their Idea Notebooks. / Launch the Idea Notebook with some fanfare in your classroom.

What Goes In An Idea Notebook? / Observations of people or situations / Overheard conversations / Sketches / Snatches of talk / Longer entries / Once kids feel comfortable using their Idea Notebook. / Observations of people or situations / Overheard conversations / Sketches / Snatches of talk / Longer entries / Once kids feel comfortable using their Idea Notebook.

Early Literacy and Writing Concepts According to the National Council of Teachers of English: / 1. Young children possess knowledge about written language and a variety of forms of writing—stories, lists, signs—from an early age; quality instruction in the primary grades reflects children’s experience and knowledge. / 2. All families engage with literacy and literacy- related experiences. According to the National Council of Teachers of English: / 1. Young children possess knowledge about written language and a variety of forms of writing—stories, lists, signs—from an early age; quality instruction in the primary grades reflects children’s experience and knowledge. / 2. All families engage with literacy and literacy- related experiences.

Writing Concepts (cont.) / 3. Writing develops in non-linear ways and takes multiple forms as it becomes more conventional. / 4. The “language arts” develop in concert. Drawing supports writing, writing supports reading; opportunity to use multiple expressions of language increases language learning and ability / 5. Writing is a social activity; writing instruction should be embedded in social contexts. / 3. Writing develops in non-linear ways and takes multiple forms as it becomes more conventional. / 4. The “language arts” develop in concert. Drawing supports writing, writing supports reading; opportunity to use multiple expressions of language increases language learning and ability / 5. Writing is a social activity; writing instruction should be embedded in social contexts.

Writing Concepts / 6. Language learning proceeds best when children use language for meaningful purposes. / 7. Experience with a particular kind of writing is the best indicator of performance; extensive reading and writing within a particular genre or domain increases successful performance. / 8. Writing is effectively used as a tool for thinking and learning throughout the curriculum. / 6. Language learning proceeds best when children use language for meaningful purposes. / 7. Experience with a particular kind of writing is the best indicator of performance; extensive reading and writing within a particular genre or domain increases successful performance. / 8. Writing is effectively used as a tool for thinking and learning throughout the curriculum.

Writing Concepts / 9. Students’ writing and language use reflects the communities in which they participate. / 10. Control of a written and spoken discourse supports personal/political power. / 11. The intent of education is to increase and broaden our use of multiple social discourses, as well as to understand the implications of their use. / 9. Students’ writing and language use reflects the communities in which they participate. / 10. Control of a written and spoken discourse supports personal/political power. / 11. The intent of education is to increase and broaden our use of multiple social discourses, as well as to understand the implications of their use.

Considerations for Early Childhood Writing / Children need to know that writing is a social process that brings people closer. / Writing has many purposes and forms. *** / Oral stories drawn from their own lives is quintessential in the writing process. / Students need to think of themselves as authors. / Teachers need to model all the many ways we use writing. / Children need to know that writing is a social process that brings people closer. / Writing has many purposes and forms. *** / Oral stories drawn from their own lives is quintessential in the writing process. / Students need to think of themselves as authors. / Teachers need to model all the many ways we use writing.

Differentiation / Sketching and labeling are the two best ways to get them started. / Give the students time to share their notes or write to a partner/teacher. / Capture students’ stories during centers, as students unpack/pack, return from trips or vacation and create conversations on these moments. / Sketching and labeling are the two best ways to get them started. / Give the students time to share their notes or write to a partner/teacher. / Capture students’ stories during centers, as students unpack/pack, return from trips or vacation and create conversations on these moments.

What does it look like? / Faculty/Administration: / Continue to use your Blueline Notebook (aka: your Writer’s Notebook) for this purpose. / Grab an Idea Notebook, like the one your kids will use, and carry that around if you prefer! / Students: / That’s up to you. / You’ll get to choose from a few small notebooks; whichever one suits you and your students’ needs best. / Faculty/Administration: / Continue to use your Blueline Notebook (aka: your Writer’s Notebook) for this purpose. / Grab an Idea Notebook, like the one your kids will use, and carry that around if you prefer! / Students: / That’s up to you. / You’ll get to choose from a few small notebooks; whichever one suits you and your students’ needs best.

So the kids are writing in little notebooks… now what? / Idea Notebooks should be semi-private. / Encourage your kids to share their entries with a writing partner or the class. / Give students time to transfer Idea Notebook jottings into their Writer’s Notebook so they can develop good jottings/sketches into seed ideas. / Idea Notebooks should be semi-private. / Encourage your kids to share their entries with a writing partner or the class. / Give students time to transfer Idea Notebook jottings into their Writer’s Notebook so they can develop good jottings/sketches into seed ideas.

Next Steps / Select an Idea Notebook. / Develop short lessons to model the way to create entries in an Idea Notebook. / Decide how you’ll promote the use of the Idea Notebook with your students. / Select an Idea Notebook. / Develop short lessons to model the way to create entries in an Idea Notebook. / Decide how you’ll promote the use of the Idea Notebook with your students.

Questions/Comments / Does this mean kids can’t carry books with them like they used to? / Will there be Writing Certificates (similar to Reading Certificates)? / How do I prevent my students from using their Idea Notebook for writing notes to friends? Tearing out pages? / How do I assess the Idea Notebook? / Should time be allotted during the school day for students to write in their Idea Notebook or should this be done on-the-go? / Do I have to carry a Writer’s Notebook with me everywhere I go? / What happens if a student loses his/her Idea Notebook? / What do I do if my students run out of pages in their Idea Notebook? / Anything else that’s on your mind… / Does this mean kids can’t carry books with them like they used to? / Will there be Writing Certificates (similar to Reading Certificates)? / How do I prevent my students from using their Idea Notebook for writing notes to friends? Tearing out pages? / How do I assess the Idea Notebook? / Should time be allotted during the school day for students to write in their Idea Notebook or should this be done on-the-go? / Do I have to carry a Writer’s Notebook with me everywhere I go? / What happens if a student loses his/her Idea Notebook? / What do I do if my students run out of pages in their Idea Notebook? / Anything else that’s on your mind…

A final word about goals… / We are striving to become a community of writers at P.S / If we show the kids that their writing matters, then we’ll be on our way to building a thriving community of writers this fall. / We are striving to become a community of writers at P.S / If we show the kids that their writing matters, then we’ll be on our way to building a thriving community of writers this fall.