Rocketbook for Readers and Writers
As a teacher, I’m constantly lesson planning in notebooks, collaborating over Google Docs, and making lists. But then I forget which notebook or folder they were in.
In meetings with fellow teachers I’ll try to take notes on my computer, but am quickly frustrated by the limits of word processing and the fact that there’s a screen between me and my colleagues.
Then Rocketbook came into my world last year and all of that changed. If you haven’t tried it for yourself, give it a shot and see what I mean. I soon realized that in the same ways it can benefit me as a teacher, it can also benefit my fifth graders!
Getting Started
Starting to use Rocketbook with fifth graders was simple and it was fun to see how excited the kids were to get writing. On “Unboxing Day,” I went over the rules and expectations for the Rocketbook. Stating clearly that only Pilot Frixion pens can be used, write gently, and wipe/dry with the cloth. After the directions, I let them have some free time to write and draw. I know from experience that any new tool or device in the classroom needs to be played with first, before we can get any work done with it.
Writing
I use the Rocketbook for two main classes, writing and reading. For writing, I have students use them to journal and collaborate. Before getting our Rocketbooks, students would do pre-writing and journaling exercises in their notebooks. Then, days later when I’d ask them to look back on previous day’s work, they wouldn’t know where it went. Now with Rocketbook, I have them write their ideas and brainstorming down in their RB. After class students leave their pages open and I come around and scan their notes to our shared Google Drive writing folder. I have access to their notes without the hassle of having their notebooks, and they can easily find them if they erase their page. No lost notes or notebooks! Students also love sharing their ideas with their classmates, so having everything in one place will allow students to do that. I will have kids wait to erase until we’re done with the pre-writing so they can continue to look back in their own notebook, then as soon as we begin typing, they can erase and have access to their notes on Google Drive. When we’re done with the unit, I’ll ask students to move their RB scans into their own Google Drive to clear up our shared Drive.
Reading
In reading class, Rocketbook is used primarily for my small group reading instruction. As we read articles, passages, and books, I love to have kids write down interesting words or make connections to what we’re reading. Using Rocketbook, I scan notes they’ve taken and have an ongoing collection in a shared Google Drive for students to look back on and see each other’s notes and ideas. Students really benefit from seeing work of other students, and it’s fun how motivated they are to take good notes when they know it’s going into the shared Drive. I’m hoping that over time, students will begin doing this for their own independent reading and want to add it to our class collection!
I’m excited to continue exploring the many uses of Rocketbook in my classroom, and I know my fifth graders are, too.
