student notebooks

[mommy123456]

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to set up a notebook for UG students? It's possible I have been working way too long today but I just can't seem to come up with ideas for how to set this up. I plan to have them use our first week to decorate and get the insides ready. But I just seem to draw a blank on how I would like to organize this. We used lapbooks last time. I am not using them this time and want to keep an official notebook to store all their work in it. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks.

[Pat]

A lot will depend on what you want in it.

This year I will print out the appropriate SAPs and a paper map for each week for my students using notebooks.

Then I go to my local office supply store where they spiral bind this. I have a frosted plastic cover put on with a piece of blank colored paper underneath that can be decorate. Everybody gets their own color.

I don't put writing in this notebook but instead produce a separate Writer's Reference using Writer's Aid and they do the actual work on the computer.

For answer on thinking and accountability questions which are in the first notebook, they also work on the computer and print these out, hole punch and put them in a regular loose leaf notebook under a weekly tab. You could of course put all the SAPs, maps, etc in that loose leaf notebook as well. This notebook has those clear pockets on the outside. The front cover page can be decorated, but on the back cover they slip their weekly schedule of assignments (which they make out themselves).

[janelle]

My UG daughter has 2 notebooks. One is a history notebook. It is divided into years. ie first grade, second grade etc. Any history assignments, maps etc are added into this notebook. It makes for a great chronological review of all she's learned over the years. Our second notebook is used for the rest of the subjects (literature, spelling, science, grammar etc) As she completes an assignment, we add it to the notebook. She decorates and organizes this notebook at the beginning of each year.
Hope that helps.
Janelle

[Jean]

Karen,

We keep notebooks, one for each child, and have since they were in kindergarten. Now they are 6th and 7th grade. The three ring binders are divided into the basic TOG "subjects" and others that we do (like science, math, speech, etc). Each week, the kids put samples of "portfolio worthy" work right into the notebook. By the end of the year, they have a great cumulative record of their work.

We take photos of projects and field trips which is perfect for a binder. I keep them all on the shelf and sometimes they grab an old one a leaf through it. The notebooks are kind of liked prized possessions now.

Have a pleasant day,

Jean

[Quiverfull]

My loose leaf pages always rip out....how do you keep this from happening?

[Jean]

Hi!

For our three ring binder portfolios, we use those little round reinforcers. I buy loads of them at Office Depot's back to school sale each fall. They work like a charm!

Have a pleasant day,

Jean

[Langhaven]

I've been following KarenC's blog Rivendell Press and currently am creating workbooks for my 2 grammar level and 1 Rhetoric level children. It's a bit more work, but everything that they will need for the unit will be right there, already copied, and spiral bound ready to go. I'm printing the SAPs the general information for all levels, their reading assignments, writing assignment page, maps and a handwriting/copywork page for each week. I've finished one, and have two more to go. I love that I will not be scrambling on the weekend to have everything organized and that we will not have loose papers flying around the house. It will all be in one place!

Pam

[fivejewels]

Our Lower and Upper Grammar work is filed chronologically in a three ring binder. At 5th grade, I shift to filing by topic.

I print our worksheets and maps (when available) by the unit or semester and have them in file folders in a drawer so that there's no scrambling on worksheet/map day.

[DanaCinTN]

Hi ladies,
There is also notebook setup information on the Loom under Year 3 "start here."

Blessings,

[HomeAtLast]

Originally posted by Quiverfull:
My loose leaf pages always rip out....how do you keep this from happening?

Ours too! So we file our work in hanging folders kept inside a plastic file box. At the end of the year, we have a day where we go through the work completed and choose what to have in our final keepsake. The girls use larger size 9x11 inch watercolor paper to make an artwork cover with the school year/grade. I include transparent page protectors and folder pockets at the back to save items that cannot be spiral bound. Then copy shop spiral binds it with clear plastic covers on front and back.