This year I am planning on using a reader's notebook. I found a lot of GREAT ideas from other teachers. I made a few things of my own to add to the notebook and I also plan to add some things that I have used in the past. I think it will be great for them to have all of their learning in one place to refer to. I have added an example of how I am going to start the year with my reader's notebooks. I hope to write more posts about the notebooks as we add to them throughout the year! I plan to have the students decorate and personalize their journals first. Here is an example of mine! I used this awesome website: www.festisite.com to create a word shape. So fun! I plan to have the students write- I read because... and then add their words to one of the sites below to create their word bubble for the cover of their journals. These sites are great: www.festisite.com www.wordle.com www.tagxedo.com I am also going to have the students glue a little introduction and goals page at the beginning of the journal. I plan to meet with them during groups to add some things to their goals page. Here's what it looks like...click the title to get the download. Reader's Notebook Goals One of our first lessons for the year will be how to pick a just right book. I am going to have them add this hand to their journals as a reminder. I found it on Pinterest....here's the link! This would be the perfect time to teach the Daily 5 lesson about Good-Fit books. I would have the students add their notes on this page about IPICK. If we don't have the time (or patience) to take notes, we might just add this little cheat sheet to their notebooks! I Pick Good-Fit Books During the first weeks, we will be adding this little flip book to the notebook. They can list what genre's/author's/topics they are interested in reading. (this would be good to add to writer's workshop for writing ideas...I have to remember that!) Reading Interests Flip Book I am adding a genre breakdown page for them to refer to....we will get to discuss that frequently throughout the year! (This resource was found here: http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/ MANY great resources on this site...check it out!) Genre Categories I created this genre graph/bingo page for them to keep track of the genre's they are reading. I used this last year. The class really liked it! Genre Graph I hope some of this helps you out and gives you some ideas to get started! Here are a few other sites I found that have great suggestions for reader's notebooks. Enjoy! Thinking of Teaching Miss Klohns Classroom Scholastic Teaching My Friends Beth Newingham