Ten Amazing Ways to Use Sticky Notes (with Freebies): Part 2

Looking for ways to save time, engage students, and stay organized?  Sticky notes can help with that.  In my last post, I shared 3 ways to use sticky notes in writing instruction for genres, six traits, and rubrics.  This post is devoted to reading instruction.  You will find something for you whether your students read novels or you read aloud to them.

Reading

4.  Novel Studies

http://bainbridgeclass.blogspot.com/

We have been teaching students to look for text-to-self, text-to-world, and text-to-text connections for years.  What about giving them pre-printed sticky notes to place in the book when they made those connections?  I really like Christina's use of sticky notes on her website.  She has some for tricky words also.  Once you know how to set up a sticky note printable, you can change out the text.  I have seen sticky notes for "this is the exciting part because", "I think", "I feel", "this part is funny because", "this part is surprising because". Notice all those were sentence starters.  They encourage the readers to engage with the text, make connections, and respond to it.  

5.  Read Aloud Prompts

Ever finish a read-aloud and then realize you forgot to ask half of your questions?  How about the prompts your curriculum provided?  Forget it!  It's too hard to switch back and forth between the teacher manual and the big book.  Imagine this: what if your curriculum provided the prompts on sticky notes?  What if the prompts were upside down so you could read them (right side up), while reading the picture book aloud to the class?  Wait no longer.  Click here for a free printable of Read Aloud Prompts for the popular children's book Cactus Hotel.  

Ten Amazing Ways to Use Sticky Notes (with Freebies) is a 3 part series.  

Part 1: Writing 

Part 2: Reading

Part 3: Charts, Walls, and Organization

Sticky Note How-To:

1. Print the blank template.  If you are printing a pre-made printable, move on to the next step.  If you are creating your own printable, type directly into the squares on the word document.  **Before you print, remove the box outlines for the squares.
2. Place your blank sticky notes on the squares.
3. Place your sticky note paper into the printer (manual feed tray works best).
4. Print, remove, and bask in the beauty of your amazing sticky notes!

As a life-long learner, I am constantly looking at new ways to take instruction to the next level.  How have you used sticky-notes in the classroom?