1. Launching and Sustaining Reading
and Writing Notebooks
Presented By
Heather Corral
Mindi Rench
Northbrook Junior High, Northbrook, IL
Tuesday, April 3, 12

2. Why a notebook?
• Notebooks offer a place for students to
capture their thinking. A place to call
their own.
• In writing, notebooks provide a place to
experiment and take risks.
• In reading, notebooks serve as a
collection spot for a student’s thinking
about his/her reading.
Tuesday, April 3, 12

3. Whose Notebook?
• Writer’s Notebooks will look different
depending on your purpose:
• Ralph Fletcher Style
• Aimee Buckner Style
• Your Style
Tuesday, April 3, 12

4. • Less Structured:
• No formal sections
• Dependent on student
preferences
• “junk drawer”
• quick writes
• student’s observations
• writing territories
Writer’s Notebook: Organization and
Layout - Three Possibilities
Tuesday, April 3, 12

5. Writer’s Notebook: Organization and
Layout - Three Possibilities
• Somewhat Structured:
• Formal sections
• Numbered Pages
• quick writes
• minilessons
• grammar notes
• craft lessons
Tuesday, April 3, 12

6. Writer’s Notebook: Organization and
Layout - Three Possibilities
• Very Structured:
• Formal sections
• Numbered Pages
• Quick writes
• Minilessons
• genre study notes/
craft lessons
• grammar and
mechanics notes
• Vocabulary study
• Conference notes
Tuesday, April 3, 12

7. Heather’s Somewhat Structured Notebook:
★No page numbers
★Vocabulary study
★Genre study writing interspersed with craft
lessons
★Writing Territories
Tuesday, April 3, 12

8. Mindi’s Very Structured Notebooks:
★Students use a standard composition
notebook
★Conference notes/goal setting: 20pg
★Lesson notes: 60 pg
★Grammar notes: 40 pg
★Notebook work: 80 pg
Tuesday, April 3, 12

9. Two views:
Tuesday, April 3, 12

10. • Books Read List
• Someday Books List
• Genre Chart
• Reading Response
Reader’s Notebook Structure
Tuesday, April 3, 12

11. A Reader’s Notebook...
• Captures a reading life
• Provides a place for
reflection and response
• Encourages students to be
“personal, individual, and
real as they take notice of
themselves and their
world.” (Rief, 2007)
• Allows students to see
growth
Tuesday, April 3, 12

12. Don’t Give Up!
Once you see the power of the notebook, you
will place a priority on making it work!
Tuesday, April 3, 12

13. Contact Us:
Heather Corral
hcorral@northbrook28.net
on Twitter: @heathercorral
Mindi Rench
mrench@northbrook28.net
on Twitter: @mindi_r
on Goodreads
Tuesday, April 3, 12