Ink and Think Log
Ink & Think
My Project GLAD Learning Log
GRADE 1
Name:
Date:
TEXT
Factual details & drawings
Draw and write what you learned:
YOU
Personal connection & sketch
Draw and write your connection:
Active Listening & Reflection
Project GLAD Writing Journal
Ink and Think Teacher Guide
Teacher Guide
Project GLAD® Ink & Think Learning Log
PEDAGOGY
What is a Learning Log?
The Learning Log is a core Project GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) writing strategy. It provides a highly supportive, visual framework (the T-chart) for primary students to process academic input. Instead of passively receiving information, students actively convert lessons into their own drawings, labels, and sentences.
The "TEXT" Column
FACTIONAL INPUT & DETAIL
Students record what they learned directly from the lesson, chart, read-aloud, or realia.
- Scientific observations
- Historical facts or terms
- Diagrams with labels
- Direct details from a story
The "YOU" Column
METACOGNITION & CONNECTION
Students express their personal connection, creative reaction, opinions, or lingering questions.
- "This reminds me of..."
- "I felt surprised when..."
- "I wonder why..."
- Emojis, self-portraits, feelings
Scaffolding for First Graders
First graders enter with highly diverse writing skills. Encourage student autonomy through tiered expectations:
Level 1: Emergent
Focus: Detailed drawing with 1-3 labels. Letter strings or phonetic initial-sound spelling on primary lines.
Level 2: Transitional
Focus: Labeled diagrams + one complete sentence in each column. Uses site words with phonetic spelling.
Level 3: Fluent
Focus: Multiple sentences per column. Proper punctuation, capitalization, and clear personal connection.
Step-by-Step Modeling Lesson Flow
- Direct Input: Deliver rich content (e.g., Pictorial Input Chart, Narrative Input, or science demonstration).
- Co-Constructed Modeling (Day 1): Project the blank template. Do a think-aloud: "On the Text side, I'll draw the frog's egg. On the You side, I'll draw myself looking excited because I saw frog eggs at the park!" Model writing a simple sentence.
- Collaborative Practice (Day 2): Students pair-share ideas before drawing/writing to build verbal output first.
- Independent Work: Students work in their journals. Circulate to scribe for emergent writers if needed.
Professional Development Resource
Project GLAD Writing Journal Support
