What are interactive notebooks or journals?

Over the last several weeks, we have been using interactive notebooks or journals during our ELA time.  An interactive notebook or journal in our classroom is a spiral bound notebook that documents and collects our learning over time.  These notebooks can make learning more interesting, engaging and appealing.  Work in these notebooks can be creative including cutting, gluing, foldables, coloring, writing, planning and thinking!  These notebooks act like a portfolio of work and show learning over time.  We also have the learning at our fingertips to look back upon (if we forget a skill or concept) and to build upon.  So far these notebooks have been a positive additional to our classroom.  You may notice less paperwork coming home daily because we are utilizing these.