Math Notebooks: Pink?
Pink is my favorite color!
Not really.
That’s a song reference –
I realized it might be obscure enough to lose most people.
I like pink, but only sometimes.
I have issues choosing a favorite color, because I’m very moody.
Right now, I think it’s green,
but that’s probably because I’m Spring Crazy and I can’t wait for nicer weather.
I love the first month of every season.
The next two are just superfluous and make me appreciate the next season even more.
Anyway, pink isn’t my favorite color. I just use a lot of it during math. I’ll tell you why in a minute.
Math Notebooks.
I love them
but when I say math notebooks, I mean something different than my school is wanting.
This is the way my school is making has asked me to use them this year.
On the right side, we have “Input”. This is INformation that goes INto the notebook (and hopefully, the student). On the left side, we have “Output”. This is where the student (hopefully) demonstrates that he or she has processed the information and uses it to do something.
It’s similar to our science notebooks, which also follow the input/output format.
These are a few ways I’ve used my notebooks this year.
This is an entry about comparing numbers. On the input side, we wrote directions on how to compare numbers and made a simple foldable to help kids remember the symbols.
Why is the foldable pink?
To help kids remember this standard belongs in objective one (Number Concepts), which is also color coded pink.
Why do kids have to remember that objective one is pink?
“So next year, they’ll remember that the number concepts in objective one are pink.”
Why is this important?
No one knows.
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Sorry it’s sideways. |
This is our entry about number lines. This should be yellow, because geometry and spatial reasoning is supposed to be yellow.
Why is the sentence strip pink?
Because I only had pink sentence strips.
Input: Identifying what a number line is and does. Also an awesome pull-out-able, expandable number line.
Output: Uses of number lines in everyday life, such as thermometers, rounding, bar graphs, and map scales.
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Wooo fancy. |
Question Time!
(You have to say this in a really excited voice, like you’re singing a fun song from the 70s.)
1. What do you do to have students write about math?
2. Do you use input/output notebooks?
Happy Notebooking!
this is the first year our district has "aasked us" to do science notebooking….but I'm sure that math is next…
You're the devil! I told you I was going to say or type it I guess!
You need to blog about Hugo and his singing…and musical choices.
The fact that you have to color code for no good reason makes ME angry! And like you, I'd be the one to run out of a certain color and break said code.
Meg
Third Grade in the First State
Thanks for sharing what you do! Love the foldables π
This year, I am not doing what I want to… just didn't have the thoughts together at the time and now it's too late! But I am dreaming up what it is that I will do NEXT year (by the way, I teach 2nd).
I plan to do a binder with my students (I know they are expensive but I think it'll be worth it)!
Three sections – Calendar Journal, Math Notes & Thinking about Math
Calendar Journal is basically the calendar procedures that I do with my students but instead of being an oral practice, it will be written by every student. I currently do JUST a calendar journal with my kiddos – we practice the number of the day (place value, number grid puzzles, addition and subtraction, base ten blocks, multiplication, money, etc).
Math Notes are a collection of foldables, definitions, guided practice and mnemonic devices that we use.
Thinking about Math is that section we will use to write about our thoughts, our sucesses and struggles, any connections we can find.
Any way… that's my dream π
Amanda
Interesting…we don't have math "notebooks." We have our student math journals that are actually like workbooks. Many times they stay in their cubbies because the worksheets and lessons are completely unengaging so I create my own.
We use our notebooks to keep their thinking about that days lessons and their vocabulary in. We use the Frayer model (which I LOVE!) and start their vocab in the back of their notebook. All new learning goes in the front. I have done so much better with them this year and have included things like foldables and handy items that will hopefully help my kiddos remember certain topics!
Thanks for sharing π
Oh btw, my kids LOVE the writing workshop song and it is now our daily routine!
Twins, Teaching and Tacos.
Oh my gosh! That's so awesome! I'm really happy to hear that.
Chrissy
Pink–It's like red but not quite!!! Is that where you were going?? That's what I heard when I read your first line! I LOVE Aerosmith! π
I mostly have my kiddos write open ended stuff–My favorite part of the lesson was…Explain how to…. That kind of stuff. I like the input/output idea too. π Thanks for sharing!
Live Laugh and Love to Learn
YES! Love this post! I use Notebooks (I call them everydayPORTFOLIOS and I created a business and produced my own because I couldn't find what I wanted in the store for K-2!)……..I learned about this concept (slightly different from the input/output) when I was teaching overseas. I now focus on getting notebooking ideas to K-2 teachers as it is extra challenging with those little guys.
I noticed that countries overseas use the notebooks as a reflection of students' independent practice (and they didn't have as much formal assessment)…..they have notebooks for everything…literacy, math, history/geography, science, etc.
I wrote more about it on my website: http://www.portfolioadvantagesystem.com
Yay for notebooks!
Kelli
http://www.talesfromatravelingteacher.blogspot.com
Yup! Glad somebody got my Aerosmith reference lol. I actually prefer the open-ended stuff because then I can have them write about where they feel comfortable or where they are confused, specifically. It helps them notice their thinking.
I also teach second grade and have stopped calendar journal altogether except in how it relates to time. We record things like important events, things we want to remember about what we learned in math, and upcoming things we need to remember. So, it ends up being a schedule/journal for daily, weekly, monthly ideas.
I have been using notebooks in science, math, and language arts for the last 11 years. I really like it. You get a real sense of what students know in their own words. I like the idea of foldables and would like to incorporate more of that in my notebooks. Thanks for this great idea!
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