Interactive Notebook Mini

For the last several years, I’ve been working with interactive notebooks in my classroom. They’ve gradually transformed into interactive tools that have increased student engagement in content areas. If you’re just getting started with notebooks, try choosing one content area to start with. Then begin adding in additional content as you become more confident with the format.

   Originally I began using interactive notebooks for math. These skills seemed to be some of the easier topics to transition into interactive notebooks. That same year I also began notebooking for reading. My students really enjoyed this new format and it freed us from the dusty, old textbooks (that were falling apart anyway). Then last year I integrated our science content into interactive notebooks as well.

   Science is one of my favorite subjects to teach because it offers so many opportunities to do hands-on learning. It’s also a fantastic vehicle to integrate other content areas into. We frequently use science as a segway for writing projects!  In order to facilitate interactive notebooks for science, I began creating notebook-minis. These are interactive notebooks geared specifically to one particular topic. By using notebook-minis I can pull the exact skills I want to work on with my students. 

Check out my very first science notebook-mini...

This notebook includes directions with photo samples of each activity, activity directions, and technology links to enhance your science curriculum…

To download this notebook-mini, click on one of the photos...

Stay tuned for my next Plants & Soil notebook-mini! 

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

Easy Easter Cupcakes

       Nothing screams “Easter’s coming” like the store shelves filled with rainbow-hued Peeps®. If your kids are like mine, then they love these squishy marshmallow critters. This year I thought it would be fun to make some Peep® inspired Easter cupcakes to take to school (just be sure to pass them out at the END of the day so your students get their sugar-shock at home ;D). Even if you’re not a cupcake master, you can make these easy Easter cupcakes!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients

·      1 box cake mix (and the required ingredients)

·      1 can of vanilla frosting

·      1 package of neon gel food coloring

·      1 package of cupcake liners

·      3 boxes of Peeps (any colors will do)

                   

Materials

·      mixing bowl

·      1 cupcake pan

·      Mixer (or whisk, if you’re ready to work out your arms)

·      Oven

·      Freezer Ziploc bags

·      Scissors/toothpicks

   Now that you have everything you need, it’s time to whip out these tasty holiday creations!

Directions

1.    Prepare the cupcake mix per the box directions (*If you want a more homemade texture, then substitute 1 c. of buttermilk for the water the box calls for).

2.    While the cupcakes are cooking, prep your frosting. Add the neon green food coloring to your white frosting, and stir it up with a butter knife (*for thicker frosting, add a little powder sugar).

3.   Prep your Ziploc freezer bags to use as piping bags for your frosting (I use cake tips because I make all my kids’ birthday cakes, but this works in a pinch): For squiggly, grass-like frosting, poke the bottom corner of the bag with toothpicks. You should have multiple holes, but be careful not to add too many or your bag will blow out. For the regular, textured-spirals, cut a “W” in the bottom corner of the bag. *Remember the larger your hole, the more frosting will squeeze out at once!

4.  Place your Ziploc bags in a tall glass cup with the top open. Use a butter knife to add the frosting to the bag. *Try to squeeze it toward the bottom of the bag to prevent air pockets (which will also make frosting blow-outs).

5.   Set the frosting in the refrigerator until you’re ready to ice the cupcakes.  

6.   Cool the cupcakes completely.

7.   Grab your frosting bag and squeeze squiggly grass, or make swirls on top of the frosting to create a “grassy patch”.

OR...

 

8.   Add a Peep to the “grass”

9.   Take the Peeps to school and watch your students’ eyes light up with cupcake delight!

       I’d love to hear how you celebrate Easter in your classroom! Feel free to leave a comment and share your ideas for others to enjoy, or let me know how your cupcakes turned out.

Thanks for stopping by!

See you soon,