Let's Talk About Math Notebooks!
Our Eureka Math program has so much, but it's missing something. Parents have asked for it, and some of us teachers miss it. What am I referring to? It's a student textbook!
I tell my students all year long that since there isn't a textbook, we are writing our own in the form of a Math Notebook. Creating one is not only simple, but I believe, necessary. Your students will have a valuable learning tool, something concrete to reference past learning to use while doing homework or studying for tests. And, they love it!
I think the biggest complaint I hear from parents about math is that there isn't a book to send home with step-by-step instructions on how to solve problems within our current unit of study. Sure, we have video links, parent letters, and student workbooks, but tell me I'm not the only one with parents asking for a textbook?! Am I the only teacher that's missing a textbook? The Math Notebook is the perfect solution here! Obviously, since the shift in the math standards to Common Core, our math is less algorithm-heavy and more concept based. However, I would argue that there is still a need for a place to record steps, pictures, thoughts, and other math "stuff" that isn't only a practice book of problems.
So, let's get down to business. What do you put in a math notebook? Anything and everything!
Here are some of the things the students and I put into our notebooks:
- Templates from Eureka math. I love to glue a copy in here and tape half of a sheet protector over it. It's a built-in whiteboard that can go with them wherever and doesn't get filled up!
- Models and Manipulatives. In my Eureka modules, there are lessons here and there that require us to cut up papers or use models/manipulatives. We glue or tape in envelopes to keep these small pieces in. Then they can reuse them at home and at school when needed. This also works for any manipulatives you want them to have that maybe aren't referenced in the modules. I love having fraction pieces, pattern blocks, and 2-sided counters in there.
- Song lyrics! Have multiplication raps to help the students learn multiplication facts? Awesome! Glue the lyrics in here so your students always have access to them.
- Notes from direct instruction lessons, or templates from lessons like the amazing ones Kimberly Smith Loya showed in her post HERE. Seriously, these are amazing, go check it out if you haven't already!
- Drawings illustrating solution strategies or concepts. We draw in our notebooks a lot! We glue in graph paper to draw fractions or place value charts and isometric dot paper to draw 3-D figures. We use the lined sheets already inside for the rest.
- Foldables from outside sources that have been carefully selected to support, remediate, or enrich the concepts being taught.
- Recording sheets for task cards, extra work/practice sheets, a vocabulary glossary/dictionary of math terms, reference sheets, pictures of anchor charts, literally ANYTHING that will fit on the pages make a FABULOUS addition to your notebook!
There are, of course, a few things to consider when it comes to using notebooks, and here are the most frequently asked questions when it comes to my notebooks.
Q: What do you use for the notebook?
A: There are two camps of people- the spiral notebook people or the composition book people. I am feet firmly planted in the composition book camp. My students can't tear pages out of them (I show them what happens if they do) and I really dislike how the spirals get played with and stretched apart, creating poking hazards. Yes, I have to shrink or cut things to fit in there, but I like the compact size of the composition book.
Q: Do you allow the notebooks to go home?
A: It's always been my policy that the notebooks may leave the classroom, just like any other textbook. They just need to come back to school each day so we can add to them. Parents like that the books can come home so they can see what we are doing and how to help their kiddos if they need it.
Q: How do you manage all of the cutting and gluing?
A: I'm not going to lie, it's slow going at first. Depending on my class, I do varying amounts of prep work for the notebooks. Last year, my class was really quick about cutting and gluing. This year? Not so much. So this year I do some of the cutting on the paper cutter getting things down to size or trimming the sides, etc. That way we are just gluing. As for adhering things to the notebooks, I use glue sticks and tape. Again, glue seems to be a polarizing topic, and if white glue or glue sponges work for you and your class, go for it! :)
Q: Do you grade your notebooks?
A: Yes, and no. I use it to inform participation grades and comments. Every so often, I look through them just for relative completeness and neatness. It's notes and learning, so I don't use it for any of the content grades.
Q: Do you use notebooks in other curricular areas?
A: YES! In addition to my math one, I have two for ELA and one that I split between Social Studies and Science. Snippets of these appear in the video above. :) As with the math one, I use things in there that come from our adopted materials, but I also add in supplemental items as well.
I hope you have found this not only informative but that it has inspired you to give notebooking a try. If you've never done a math notebook before, now is the perfect time to try it! Students may have a spare spiral notebook or the back of one that's not completely full. Try it for a week or two here at the end of the year and see what you think. Or, use this time to plan out what it may look like for the beginning of the year. If you're stuck, please reach out, I'm happy to help in whatever way I can! If you already use math notebooks, I'd love to hear about it. Share an idea or two, why you like it, or a helpful piece of advice in the comments below for those new to notebooks. Let's help and learn from each other!
Mathematically yours,
Sabrina Blake
sabrina.blake@omsd.net
sabrina.blake@omsd.net
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