Our next mini lessons were on topic sentences and relevant details.  My little Einsteins guessed why I put "Main Street" as the graphic.  "It is the main idea of the sentence!"  Such smartie pants!  As you can see in their Interactive Notebook examples below, some students chose to create flaps and others chose to simply paste their notes and examples.  I tell my students that as long as they have the right information, they can display it however they choose.  I put the teaching slide up on my smart board while introducing the mini lesson.  Then students add it to their notebooks.  Last, I give them a printable for independent practice.

This one has tape at the top and flaps up.

This one is taped at the top to create a flap.

The examples are under the flap.

My interactive notebooks are selling like hotcakes!  I am so glad that everyone finds them so useful!  I created it for myself to make sure I covered all the standards and had teaching tools for each all nicely placed in one location.   Many lessons I've created throughout the years but finally compiled it into one file!  Woo woo!  It has been so easy so far!  If you are interested in Interactive Notebooks for your classroom, you can follow this blog!  If you need the teaching tools, printables, tracking forms, rubrics, etc, you can find them below or in my store!

Grades 3-6-  This one was created with Common Core Standards in mind.  I included standards but not the Grade and numbers.  That way if a teacher didn't use the Common Core or taught several grade levels, they could pick and choose from the slides.

The Interactive bundles below are aligned to the Common Core and have standards with numbers on each slide and printable.  There are other slides included not in the Common Core standards but necessary to go through the Writing Process effectively.
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6

I also have shortened versions with standards and numbers.  This is great for someone who wants the numbers aligned and teaches two grade levels.  I took out all the same slides and charts, etc.  The standards are there but not all the fluff!
Grade 4 Shortened Version
Grade 6 Shortened Version

Last, if you are just looking for paragraph writing, this one is for you!
Paragraph Writing


Happy Writing Everyone!

After we added Complete Sentences to the notebooks, we moved onto Fragments and Run-ons.  A fragment is missing a subject or a predicate so it is considered to be an incomplete sentence.  A run-on is two complete sentences that run together.  I love starting off the year with these lessons because I refer to them all the time!  Especially when students are writing a response to a question.  I always ask them to write in complete sentences and incorporate part of the question into the answer.

I start off with a teaching slide on my smart board and we practice together.  Then they work on notes and samples for interactive notebooks.  Don't forget to make flaps!  Last, I give them some independent practice that I may use for a daily grade.

Tilt your head sideways!  I can't seem to be able to flip them around!  Ha!

Before I tell you about this motivating project, I have to tell you about the amazing woman who planned this activity for our fourth graders.  Yes, our one and only Erin Few!  She loves to dress up and got the perfect outfit for the dig!  Here she is!  Cute, huh?  Love it!!!!!!  I am trying to get her to start blogging too!

Today, my classes were ready for their first mini-lesson in our Interactive Writing Notebooks!  I presented the lesson slide, did a few samples together in class and then got to notebooking!




I also showed my students how to get to my blog and where to find the "ELA Online Games" tab. There are a couple games for subjects and predicates.  I shared my blog with my parents also.  You are welcome to send your parents to my site for the games as well!  Tomorrow, we will work on an independent printable for extra practice then move onto the next lesson.....RUN-Ons!