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​Math Notebooks in the Elementary Classroom

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What are math notebooks?
Math notebooks are a place for students to reflect on their math learning and keep notes in an organized and useful way. They may also be used as a workspace for students to show their thinking as they engage in math. Math notebooks can be as simple as folders created from construction paper, spiral notebooks, or composition books.

Why would I use math notebooks?
Math notebooks give students agency over how they demonstrate, organize and reflect on their own learning.  They also provide a record of math learning throughout the year for students, teachers, and families.

Math notebooks can be:
  • a space for individual reflection
  • an organizational tool for math development over time
  • a reference material
  • a source for formative assessment
When do I use math notebooks?
Math notebooks should be used on a regular basis. For example, they can be used daily to establish effective learning routines. They can be used at any point during the lesson, such as the launch, explore, summary, or reflection.

How do I set up math notebooks?
There are many ways in which math notebooks can be set up. Decide what type of notebook to use, whether folded construction paper, spiral notebook, or composition book. Also consider what information and format you want your students to use. Be sure to model this clearly at the beginning and throughout the year as needed.

Here are some formatting suggestions for daily notebook entries:
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  • Date
  • Learning objective / focus norm (in kid friendly language)
  • Anchor problem that can either be copied or glued on the notebook page
  • Information related to the content of the unit (such as anchor charts, fraction strips, number lines etc.)
  • Extra work space
  • Personal reflection

Here are some considerations of what student work may look like:

Kindergarten and 1st grade
  • Work may include drawings and simple labels.
  • Reflection may be drawings in response to simple prompts:
    • !  (Something I learned)
    • ?  (A question I have)
2nd and 3rd Grades
  • Work includes full sentences explaining work, along with calculations, and/or drawings.
  • Reflection may include sentence frames, such as
    • Today I learned _______
    • One question I have is _______
4th and 5th Grades 
  • Work includes multiple sentences that justify math thinking along with calculations and/or diagrams.
  • Reflection includes response to prompts, such as 
    • How is ____ similar or different  to _____? 
    • What would happen if you changed _____?
Math notebooks can also be used as:
  • An interactive tool, either between teacher and student, student and student, or school and home.
  • A sources of formative assessment
  • Model study skills via a teacher math notebook projected on a document camera
  • A reference tool for students to use during the milestone task
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