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. We have created notebook pages based on our studies using the book Go Figure! by Johnny Ball and my Math Notebooking: 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*