What is a Mini Office?
A mini office is a particular application of lapbooks. Each child can make his own mini-office -- a lapbook filled with reference pages for his own learning. The sky is the limit on what you can include. Fill the mini office with the charts that your child needs -- maps, state abbreviations, penmanship models, clock faces, a multiplication table, or timelines.
The mini office actually helps the student move towards being a more independent learner as he looks up the answers to his own questions.
With a mini office, you have an individualized reference tool for each student! Cater it to your child's level and needs. Make a new one each term if necessary or make several -- one for each school subject. Pull out the math mini office when studying math. Or use the language arts mini office when doing a writing assignment.
Since the mini office is affixed to a file folder, it can be easily folded up and put away when not needed. But when the child needs to look up a fact, he knows right where to go -- to his mini office.
Images of Mini Offices
For more visuals, visit abc teach for a great PDF, complete with photos and directions for creating the file folder base.
Mini Offices 1
Mini Offices 2
Mini Offices 3
2nd Grade Mini Offic...
2nd Grade Mini Offic...
2nd Grade Mini Offic...
2nd Grade Mini Offic...
2nd Grade Mini Offic...
2nd Grade Mini Offic...
2nd Grade Mini Offic...
Mini-Offices from the Classroom
Classroom teachers also use the mini offices to make a temporary study carrel, shielding each child from the distractions of the others in the room. Use a legal sized file folder for maximum height and privacy.
- Teaching Heart
- This site will explain mini-offices to you in detail and inspire you with all the great photographs.
- Mrs.Meachan's Classroom Snapshots
- Click on her links for full sized and half sized mini offices. You'll find printables and clear directions!
- Busy Teacher's Cafe
- It's all here -- directions, pictures, free downloads, and links.
- Reagan All Star Kinderbears
- Both photographs of completed mini offices and links to PDF printables.
File Folders
More Mini Office Pictures
This is a mini office for my 3rd grade daughter.
mini office
mini office
mini office
mini office
mini office
mini office
mini office
laminating
cover of mini office
Homeschool Mini Offices
Homeschooling families use mini offices as well! Visit these links for photos and how-tos.- Westward's Mini Offices
- This blogging mom shares the mini-office her children made. She herself made one for her youngest child.
- Fifth Grade Mini Office
- Another great example of a mini office complete with description and photos.
- The Daniel Academy's Mini Offices
- This link will take you to a photo slideshow with math and writing minioffices for various ages. Sure to inspire!
- Mini Office Lapbooks
- Too bad there are no pictures here because this is an incredible LIST of what this mom will put in her children's mini offices. I read her list thinking, "Wow! That should be in the mini office! How brilliant!"
Mini Offices Poll
Printables for Math and Science
You'll have your own printables copied from the curriculum you use or favorite posters you already have. But these links may give you some ideas for other things to include in the mini office.- Donna Young's Charts for Math
- Donna offers free hundreds charts in many varieties, multiplications charts, and addition facts.
- Busy Teachers Cafe
- Although many of these are worksheets, the money section is especially good for a mini office.
- Periodic Table of Elements
- This full color periodic table can be printed in several sizes -- letter, legal, and A4.
- Periodic Table in Pictures
- What a fun resource! An illustrated table to help you remember the elements.
- American Coins Chart
- Images of coins with their names and values. (Includes penny, nickel, dime, and quarter.)
- Math and Science Posters
- These are more advanced posters -- area and volume, symmetry, atomic orbitals, and more.
Language Arts Related Printables
- American Sign Language
- Look for the links near the bottom for two finger spelling alphabet charts -- one is B&W drawings, the other is photographs of hands.
- Morse Code Chart
- Dots and dashes in a simple PDF chart.
- Handwriting Printables
- Several penmanship styles are offered. Print an entire alphabet for your child's mini office.
Other Printables
- Outline Maps
- Nice PDF files with names of countries. Print by continent or the whole world.
- Nicolas Academy Printables
- Scroll down for "Printable Charts" in the areas of math, science, and social studies. These charts should be saved as images and then printed. Charts include presidents of America, planets in our solar system, states and capitals, and many more.
- Music Basics
- A great printable for students learning to read music!
- Books of the Bible List
- I made this PDF for my daughter's mini office. It has two charts -- Old Testament and New Testament-- listing the books of the Bible. They are long and skinny for fitting well on the sides of your mini office.
- Days of the Week and Months of the Year
- Two more simple charts I made. They include the abbreviations.
- SparkleBox
- Free teaching printables for lots of topics, all in PDF format!
Creating the Mini Office
For younger students, most mothers would create the mini office for the student. But for an intermediate elementary and higher student, why not let her create her own? Of course, you will want to guide her choices. But let her design the layout and decorate it. When she has some ownership in it, she will be more likely to use it each day. Reproducible Reference Materials
The World Reference & Map Forms
Amazon Price: $16.99 (as of 07/25/2008)
Used Price: $5.05
Lift-the-flap Timelines: American History (Lift-the-flap Timelines)
Amazon Price: (as of 07/25/2008)
Used Price:
Math Fact Book: Grades 4-8 (Notebook Reference) 2nd Edition
Amazon Price: $3.95 (as of 07/25/2008)
Used Price: $8.65
Reader Feedback
If you create a mini office and post the photographs on the Internet, please leave a link here! Others will benefit from your ideas.
If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to post them here as well.
Hi Jimmie! Here's a link to my blog entry where I posted our mini-offices. Thanks for all the links on your site, very helpful! My kids had a lot of fun making these. God bless, Merry :-)
Posted July 24, 2008
|
Evelyn_Saenz
I was looking for some sites about Mini Offices for Math to link to my lens when I ran across your wonderful lens. The work you do is always inspiring. I have featured this page on my Hands-on Math Lens. Posted June 01, 2008 |
AWESOME! You are always a step ahead of us.... pooling together great resources & inspiration! Thank you! :D
Posted April 12, 2008
Thank you so much for this wonderful idea! I plan on starting mini-offices with my children tomorrow!
Posted March 11, 2008
You did it again! Well done!!
www.homeschoolblogger.com/westward
Posted February 08, 2008
I really like the minioffice idea. thanks for posting
Posted January 26, 2008
