How many of you use interactive journals in kindergarten? I do, I do!!! They come in so handy during parent teacher conferences and are perfect for quick, fast, effective, formative assessments! If you are new to interactive journals, are considering using them, or don’t know what they are, well this post is for you.
I began using journals for “writing” and “math” 6 years ago with my kindergarteners to “keep track” of writing and “work samples” for grades. Honestly they were pretty boring and not very useful. They were just plain NOTEBOOKS!!! My first year teaching my mentor used them with her 3rd graders and I really LOVED how she used them as portfolios and formative assessments. I guess I was trying to do the same thing, but not very successful π I just couldn’t figure out how to really implement them at a kindergarten level. Until 3 years ago, the light bulb finally went off! Thanks to Common Core! Common Core gave me a clear road map to what exactly my Kinders needed to learn by the end of Kindergarten, and now here I am sharing them with you!
- This is what you will need: Two composition notebooks: one for reading, one for math, painters tape (7 Different Colors,) envelopes. colored labels or not.
- Next you will divide notebook number 1 into 6 sections ( for Reading)
I count 16 pages, label the 17th one, so students have 16 pages to work on for each Common Core Strand.
Reading Notebook
- Print Concepts
- Phonological Awareness
- Phonics and Word Recognition
- Conventions of Standard English (L.K.1)
- Conventions of Standard English (L.K.2)
- Text Types and Purpose
- Then you will divide notebook number 2 into 5 sections (for Math)
I count 16 pages, label the 17th one, so students have 16 pages to work on for each Common Core Strand.
Math Notebook
- Counting & Cardinality
- Operations and Algebraic Thinking
- Number & Operations in Base Ten
- Measurement & Data
- Geometry
To look like this
At the very end you will staple or glue a yellow envelope for “unfinished” work. Often times students do not finish their “cutting & pasting” work or activities and magically disappear! Or maybe just in my class, but I tell my students, that when the timer rings, or if they did not have time to finish one of those activities to place them in their “NOT FINISHED FOLDER” for later.
And TADA!!! Interactive journals for Kinders! Now you can make your own activities and have students work in the particular standard they will be learning about that week, day, or month. I’m currently working on compiling all the activities we use in these journals and will be sharing some more on that later. If you want these templates you can purchase them on my TPT store. But for tonight ONLY, I will leave it open for free download for an hour, while I go on my afternoon RUN!! Hurry up and tag some FRIENDS!! Just click below!!
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| http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Interactive-Journal-Templates-for-Kindergarten-1421414 |
If you have any questions please email me or ask!
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