1. Interactive Journals How to make your journal content-rich and creative

2. Purpose Interactive Journals are intended to: Create a review “warehouse” for your ISU reading Encourage active reading Help you process what you read Organize connections within the text Organize connections between texts Encourage creative thought

3. Content Rich What INFORMATION should be in my journal? Quotations from the reading Questions about the reading New Vocabulary Information about/examples of literary devices/techniques Original writing Outside connections Personal thoughts on the texts

4. Journaling Methods Traditional Response Writing Sketches Mind mapping Charts Annotations Collages(own photographs, print images) Making Connections through outside sources Presentation options: all of the above could be in digital format(Power Point,Glogster, Prezi, iAuthor, electronic portfolio).

5. Writing Styles Sentences Paragraphs Lists Point form notes Definitions Double entry style

6. Sketch Noting Visual representations are added to text Great method for people who are “doodlers”.

7. Mind Mapping Organize notes around a central idea and brainstorming from that. Free-association note taking. Often a theme, motif or image is the centerpiece with examples from the text, personal thoughts, connections to other pieces, etc. in the offshoots. Color organizing makes for easily identifiable thought streams

8. Charting Charts and graphic organizer style layouts can include both text and sketches

9. Audio-Visual Consider making a video of one of your journals during which you discuss important issues, discoveries, characters and events in one section of the novel. To set the mood of your audio journal, consider adding music or including an artifact that is important to this section of the novel.

10. Collages Pasting items into your journal where they can deepen meaning. Pictures, copies of sections of text The act of “collaging” an idea from text into a visual is a form of processing which deepens our understanding if done with purpose and intention. Keep your eyes open for “artifacts & ephemera” that might work in collage pages.

11. Making Connections Adding items (in any of the style methods) that relate to the current text Poems Songs TED talks/You Tube videos/Feature films Stories/novels/cartoons Newspaper articles/world events Art

12. Requirements The journal needs to incorporate critical commentary in writing, at least two pages of annotated text and a minimum of two other creative methods of recording your thinking. Focus on character, theme, technique/style. Be content rich! Include color when possible to create more compelling visual organization. Have it with you EVERY DAY so that you make entries on a regular basis because you never know when an idea will strike. Length: Consider how the process will be reflected in the quality of the final product. Show your deep thinking, rich connections, insightful ideas. Don’t add doodles, collage, charts, etc for their own sakes. These are always used to process current content and to add deeper meaning.