Traditional Textbook or Math Notebooking: Can You Do Both?

Just because you use a traditional math curriculum doesn't mean you can't take advantage of the benefits that come from math notebooking. As with any other subject, the lessons learned in mathematics can be recorded using the notebooking method. While the problems contained in the textbook give the student an opportunity to put into practice the concepts taught, the math notebook is a place where the student gives voice to those concepts. Math notebook pages can include notes on what is being learned (a great reference to use in solving this type of problem in the future), visual illustrations of the concepts learned, and examples of problems from the lesson. The math notebook can even be a place to copy and solve those problems.

Generic Concept Notebook Page

Multiplication Concept Page

Additional Ways To Use Traditional "Textbooks" With Notebooking:

• Upcycle Workbooks- The drawbacks to workbooks are that they are consumable, disposable, and the information is diluted throughout a large space of pages. But workbooks can be a good solution when you or your students need a change of pace, or for times when you just need something to keep them in practice while other subjects receive a more intense focus. And when you have finished a workbook, it can be upcycled and put to new use in math notebooking. Directions for completing the workbook pages contain formulas and definitions which can be copied into- or cut out and glued into- a math notebook for later review. Charts and diagrams provide inspiration for additional math notebooking. And colorful clipart cut from old workbook pages can be used to add color and interest to math notebooks.  Even those who are opposed to the use of workbooks can find thrift shop cast-aways to repurpose. (Mad House Academy has a Flickr Photo Set with examples of notebook pages created in this way.)





• Work Your Way Through Some Library Books- Check the shelves of your library for books on math topics or math puzzle book and do notebooking on the concepts you learn.  My Math Notebooking: Counting and Numbers pages were based on our studies using the book Go Figure! by Johnny Ball and my Math: Geometry pages were a result of our studies using Figuring Out Geometry by Rebecca Wingard-Nelson. We found both of these books in our library.

Links To Other Bloggers Who Use Textbooks With Notebooking:

• The MacRAK- using a combination of living math, Saxon, Life of Fred, Ray's Arithmetic  and Teaching Textbooks with notebooking.

This is post is the third in the Math Notebooking Series.

*Go to Part One of the Math Notebooking Series*

*Go to Part Two of the Math Notebooking Series*

Integrating Math With Other Subjects {math notebooking}

One of the problems with modern schooling is the artificial divisions it creates. Children are put into grades based on their ages, rather than their learning abilities. Learning is labeled as scholastic and non-scholastic. And subjects are divided as if they had no connection with each other. This is one reason many people have a hard time grasping the concept of math notebooking.

We have been trained through this system of artificial divisions to think of math in terms of numbers and equations. And how can you notebook that? But when we step outside of this box, the variety of ways that notebooking can be used in the study of math becomes much more clear.

History & Math: The Fibonacci Sequence

Someone say, "math" and we think numbers. But if someone says, "the history of math" something entirely different comes to mind. For instance,

• how, when, and by whom were numbers first used?
• what did those numbers look like, and how did they change over time?
• what were some of the most important mathmatical discoveries, and who made them?

Think about "geography and math" and you will come up with a different list:

• how did the first explorers use math in navigation?
• how do we use mathmatics in navigation today?
• what do numbers look like in different countries?
• how is math done differently in those countries?
• how is math used in mapmaking or in reading a map?

You might be tempted to object that this is not really a study of math at all. But when you child is able to see how math relates to other subjects, they will understand why learning math skills is important for what they want to accomplish in other areas of life.

Here are more ways to integrate math with other subjects:

• Learn about famous (and not so famous) mathematicians. Mathematicians Are People, Too and Mathematicians Are People, Too Vol.2 are good books to use. (Here is a PDF of the Fibonacci notebooking page from the picture above.)
• Study math as it relates to music. (You can start by watching this YouTube video of a song composed using the numbers of Pi.) Learn about rythmn, beat, intervals, etc.
• Combine math with your poetry studies.
• Use literature books to teach math concepts. The Love2Learn2Day blog has a great post on Math In Children's Literature and I found many additional book suggestions on this MATH Pinterest board.
• Teach math as part of your science studies. Record your results. This Lesson Planet article has some ideas to get you started.
• Mix art and math.

Once you begin to think of ways to integrate math with other subjects, there is no end to the ideas for math notebooking that you will discover.

This is post is the second in the Math Notebooking Series.


*Go to Part One of the Math Notebooking Series*

*Go to Part Three of the Math Notebooking Series*

Using Anchor Charts In Math Notebooks {math notebooking}

One of the easiest ways to begin math notebooking is by having your students create anchor charts for key concepts they are learning. In the traditional classroom environment, an anchor chart is created by the teacher (with student help) and hung on the classroom wall. But in a math notebooking environment, the anchor charts will be created by the student (with teacher help) and placed in a three ring binder for future reference. Pinterest is a great place to search for ideas. Here are a few printable math notebooking pages I have created, as well as links to the anchor charts that inspired them:

• Equal and Un-Equal Fractions inspired by Adventures of First Grade Fractions and Contractions
• Ways To Make 10 inspired by Coaching Chronicles Math Anchor Charts
• Fact Families inspired by Mrs. Zimmerman's Learning Conservatory

This is post is the second in the Math Notebooking Series.

*Go to Part Two of the Math Notebooking Series*

Multiplication Wheel {free printable}

I first saw this idea on Pinterest, but it was one of those pins that has been copied so often, the original source seems non-existent. I finally traced it down to a blog post by Robinsunne which came up with an error message.

Since I really wanted to do this activity with my girls, and it looked like a bit too much measuring and designing for a 7 &  8 year old to accomplish, I created a notebook page with a pattern. There are lines to help with the number placement, but they are light enough that they are barely visible after the wheel is colored. (The wheel pictured above is the sample I did to show them.) 

I tried once more to trace down the source before writing this blog post and came up with Robinsunne's Flickr page  showing a picture of the multiplication clock that started it all. You can download my Multiplication Wheel Printable if you'd like to try it with your own children, or do it freestyle (as the original was done) by following the instructions linked below.

* (You can read Robinsunne's original instructions by typing the URL into The Wayback Machine.)