Notebook Evolution ~ Math

Looking back, I'll definitely say my use of math notebooks has improved!

When I started doing notebooks, I definitely knew I wanted to do them, but was a little unclear how to go about it.

Then Common Core and Teachers Pay Teachers came along and it got a little easier! :)

But let's take a walk down memory lane...

As you can see, in year 1, I didn't get very far. I used it mostly for our geometry unit.

But last year and this year...

We're actually further along this year than last-even though it looks the opposite! I've started combining pages on the same skills, and just extending the pages numbers in the table of contents.

Let's go back to year 1 for a minute. This year, I was figuring it out as I went. (I was also doing math workshop this year and teaching three lessons a day in an hour period)

I didn't really get into the groove until geometry, which I did in February. I did this whole class, which lent itself for notebooking better.

I did a lot of what I like to call, 'old school foldables'- you know, with construction paper :)

I also sourced a lot of this through the web, but the way our series taught skills was spiral (not that there is anything wrong with that), and it made for a jumbled up notebook-until I threw the series pacing out the window and used it as a resource!

In year 2, I started off with a left learning page-but as I was trying to pilot a new series, the notebook had been left behind (until the end of the year, when I was frantically trying to teach two subjects at once...)

Different between year 3 and year 2

Yeah, that didn't last long. It took my kids too long to set up, when we had to be movin' and groovin'.

In year 2, I also found a wonderful resource from Mrs. C's Classroom, that was almost the answer to all my prayers. 

It's common core aligned, has practice pages for certain skills (which means they can do them independently!)

I used it almost exclusively for year two.

Year 2-trying like crazy to get it all in

Now on year 3, I use...a mix!

I use some of Mrs. C's Classroom (sometimes more for the practice-it turns into a station), some of my own created-with instructions and practice

Me created-I did a lot for the fraction unit-which I'll revise a little for next year!

and some old school foldables

Some Mrs. C's Classroom and old school foldable being friends :)

I've moved from the notebook being more teacher directed to more student learning, and hope to continue that next year. (Boy, do I have big plans for my math block next year...I hope you'll stick around to see if it works out!)

My goal next year is to have math notebooks as one of the stations-and also start using math prompts more (we did a little of that here and there for fractions, but I want more!)

Hopefully, our math notebooks will be a resource my kids can keep and use for years to come-that's my goal, anyway!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn