1. Interactive Math Notebooks
Robyn Trowbridge
Instructional Coach
Park View Elementary
Cleveland, TN

2. What is an IMN?
“Math notebooks are a tool to strengthen student learning of curriculum through increased student participation. They are used in class daily to help the student learn and keep track of their learning. This style of notebook uses both the right and left-brain hemispheres to help sort, categorize and be creative with the newly attained knowledge. (One) side of the spiral notebook is for writing down information given by the teacher (notes, vocabulary, formulas, examples, etc). The (other) side of the spiral shows the understanding and references the information from the right side through self-worked examples, reflections, drawings/figures, completed assignments, etc.). The benefits for the student are endless because the students are more organized and can easily access their work and notes.” Kymberly Riggins - Houston, TX

3. What is an IMN?
Originated from Teachers Curriculum Institute as Interactive Student Notebooks
Details from TCI px

4. What is an IMN? Student-produced textbook Reflection log
Working portfolio
Study guide
Note-taking process allowing students to record information in a personal and meaningful way
Way for students to annotate teacher-supplied notes illustrating their understanding of concepts
Way for students to personalize their work

5. The process... Can be challenging Takes patience
Must be reinforced consistently
Takes time for the teacher and for the students to develop their own styles
Requires teacher modeling, modeling, MODELING and more modeling

6. But in the end, IMNs ... Assist students in organizing their work
Teach students how to think
Integrate reading strategies within a content area, such as science or math
Help students to distinguish between what they know and what they need to focus on

7. Many birds, one stone...
Students make their own meaningful connections.
It encourages pride in student work.
It encourages cooperative learning.
It appeals to multiple intelligences.
The kids love it and learn so much!

8. Research shows Robert Marzano - Classroom Instruction that Works
Identifying Similarities and Differences
Nonlinguistic Representations
Summarizing and Note Taking
Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback
Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition
Generating and Testing Hypotheses
Homework and Practice
Cues, Questions, and Advanced Organizers
Cooperative Learning

9. What do they look like? Can be in pencil, crayon, or colored pencils
Are personal and unique to each student
Allow students to doodle or draw in their notebook and still be on task!

10. In an IMN... Key ideas are underlined in color or highlighted.
Arrows are used to show relationships between graphics and notes.
Diagrams, sketches, cartoons, charts, graphic organizers, songs, ... really
anything can be included.

11. IMN allow students to... Record information in an engaging way.
Rehearse and retell information.
Discuss and accept other’s ideas.
Identify main ideas.
Paraphrase.
Transform written concepts into visuals.
Become more independent thinkers.

12. Inside an IMN
Standards or Checks for Understanding in kid friendly language
Class notes, activities, and lab notes
Vocabulary words, math formulas, graphs and anything else

13. Getting Started Identify which subject and unit you want to begin with
Let students know what supplies are required
Make sure you have copies of notes for each student

14. Getting Started
The notebook-loose leaf paper in a three pronged folder, spiral notebook, or composition book
Pencils, regular and colored
Glue stick
Scissors
Teacher handouts (as needed)
Grading expectations (if you choose to grade the IMN)

15. Organization Title page Table of contents Teacher-supplied handout(s)
Student-created graphics/notes

16. Let’s begin with YOURS!
Create a title page for the notebook. This includes student’s name and any other information you think is important. Students may enjoy illustrating this page. It might include fun facts about the student where all answers have to be numbers.
Number the title page #1. On the back of PAGE #1, number it as PAGE #2. Odd numbers will always on the right side pages, and even numbers will always be on the left. There will be NO blank pages.
Pages are NEVER torn out. Notebooks must be kept neat because students will need them to study for tests and quizzes.

17. Sample Title Page

18. Sample Title Page

19. Table of Contents This is the student’s organizing page.
It can be as detailed as the student wants.
It will help you evaluate their work and comprehension.
It is an outline of their notebook and can be filled in as they go or completed at the end of the unit. It is easier to fill in as you go!

20. Sample Table of Contents

21. Sample Table of Contents

22. Lay-out For primary/elementary For intermediate/middle
Left side = “Show”
Right side = “Tell”
For intermediate/middle
Left side = “Learning”
Right side = “Reflections”

23. Let’s get started.. You should have glue scissors colored pencils
highlighters
Regular Platonic Solids handout

24. Your first entry Make sure your pages are numbered.
Write “Show” at the top of the left page (#4) and “Tell” at the top of the right page (#5).
Next, cut out the lesson standard and glue it at the top of the “Show” side of the page.
Cut out the Platonic solids. Match each 3-D figure to its 2-D representation and glue on the left side of the notebook under the standard.

25. Your first entry Work with your table to label the shapes.
On the “Tell” side, write your observations about each Platonic solid. Try to include the number of faces, edges, vertices, and shape of each face.
Save about 10 lines at the bottom of the “Tell” side.

26. Guidelines
Students draw pictures of their notes, create charts, diagrams, cartoons-- whatever they want.
Teacher must be able to identify what is being explained.
This allows for various learning styles and allows students to be imaginative and creative--experiment!

27. Guidelines
All information that is tested can be found in their notebooks.
If a student misses an item on a quiz, they can locate that information in their notebooks and mark that page--usually with a sticky post-it note.

28. IMN as study guide
Read the notes. Marking up and highlighting key concepts helps students focus on main ideas.
Paraphrasing helps them to process the information.
Studying the graphics helps students to create pictures in their minds. This is a fundamental difference between good and poor readers.

29. Entry Ideas Fact Sheets Mini books Foldables Graphic Organizers
Mental math models
Steps in a process (like long division)
Paraphrasing processes

30. Sample entries

31. Sample entries

32. Sample entries

33. Sample entries
Glue one side of the minibook onto the IMN. This holds it in place while still being able to flip through the book.

34. Sample entries
Glue one side of the minibook onto the IMN. This holds it in place while still being able to flip through the book.

35. Sample entries

36. Tips
First week: Each page of the notebook is numbered in marker or colored pencil.
Precut assignments to make it easier to glue.
When students finish their work early or have some "free" time, have the students update their table of contents or review their notes by adding color, highlighting, underlining, boxing the important things.

37. Wrap up
A copy of this presentation can be found under Robyn Trowbridge’s presentations on the Park View website.
Please feel free to contact me at
Please turn in your evaluation before you leave.

38. Credits
Carol Bauer, Sheryl Roberts, and Carolyn Belson (Virginia Teachers)
Classroom Instruction That Works!
by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollack
Teachers Curriculum Institute
Melinda Gannon, Z. Saunders, and Kymberly Riggins