Interactive Notes

Has anyone noticed that middle schoolers' attention spans have been getting longer and longer lately?  That their ability to stay focused through simple things like taking notes has gotten better?

Me neither.

So, a big theme in my development as a teacher has been to develop strategies and activities that are as interactive and fun as possible while still delivering content.

Interactive notes are a great way to present new information with opportunities for students to examine pictures, talk about what they are learning and sometimes even draw in an organized, student-friendly way.  They are way better than my middle school teachers' sloppy handwriting on chalk boards, or the equally sloppy writing of my college professors on transparency films with hot and loud overhead projectors!

15 years of teaching has taught me that no matter how organized I make notes, when middle schoolers copy them, they become a hot mess (Why don't you indent, Mason?  Why do you use a different color for each word, Meghan?).  So, I also created student note taking sheets.  If this seems like something you'd like to try, click the picture below for a free Google Slide interactive note presentation with a student note taking sheet and directions on how to use them below.