What Does Notebooking Look Like?
You've heard about notebooking. You know it's a flexible tool that can be used with most any curriculum or homeschooling style. You've read a bit about it, but you're still not quite sure. What is notebooking? What does it actually look like, and how does it work?
You've landed on the right page. I've got lots of photos here to help you understand notebooking here on this Notebooking Exhibit.
Notebooking Exhibit #1
the standard notebooking page
This is what many people think of when they hear "notebooking page."In fact, this is what I first think of as well: a black and white page with lots of lines and a graphic or two. The student writes what he learned on the lines and may color in the graphics or draw his own.
These kinds of notebooking pages are easy to find for free online. You can also buy sets of themed notebooking pages.
Free Online Notebooking Pages
- Teacher Printables (look for writing paper, border paper, and background paper)
- Coloring and Writing Worksheet Generator
- Peakmore Academy has lots of great printable notebooking pages too!
- Homeschool Launch is a place where homeschool parents can upload files they have created. This link will take you to all files tagged "notebooking."
- Consumer Help Web Notebooking Pages
The Magellan page below came from Hold That Thought notebooking pages CD. The map is from Knowledge Quest.
Here is a Thomas Jefferson page that I created.
Commercial Notebooking Sites (that also offer freebies)
Notebooking Nook
Notebooking Pages
This site also has a great page showing different types of notebooking pages. Debra divides them into two types --templates and homemade.
Exhibit #2
a notebook page with drawings
Another type of notebooking page would have text already printed on the page. The student illustrates the page with his own drawings. The examples given are from Winter Promise American Story 1 curriculum. This style of notebooking is especially good for younger students for whom writing is a real chore.
Exhibit #3
a notebooking page with photographs
Another kind of notebooking page is one that documents a 3D craft. Most children love making paper crafts and other messy projects. But long-term storage is always an issue. A great solution is to photograph the product and put the pictures onto a notebooking page.To the right you can see the original craft, a pueblo village, that we wanted to document.
Exhibit #4
a notebooking page with a minibook
Any minibook can be mounted into a notebook in this way. In fact, the entire lapbook could be put into a notebook. Visit this homeschool mom's creative method of doing so using duct tape!
Exhibit #5
transform a 3D craft into a 2D notebooking page
Some 3D crafts can actually be reassembled to fit into a notebook. This diorama (pictured below) is a great example. After enjoying the project for a week or so, I give my daughter a piece of cardstock for mounting the craft. The now 2D images can be neatly filed away in the three ring binder.
Exhibit #6
one page printables -- maps and coloring pages
A really great coloring page site is EduPics. Most of the coloring pages there are high quality and of great educational value.
World Atlas is my favorite map site because it has almost any type of map you could want!
Exhibit #7
realia -- real things
Examples include
- postcards
- artwork
- brochures
- feathers or hair from animals
- pictures cut from magazines
- photographs from field trips
Postcards of the Mayflower and Plymouth, MA.
For mounting these things in your notebooks, you need a method that will hold things in place without damaging them and allow them to be taken in and out.
We have used
- page protectors
- clear zipper top bags
- photo corners
A "Wanted Poster" for Robin Hood.
A paragraph about Jamestown, VA.
This shows a cartoon styled diagram that my daughter drew to help us keep track of all the different names used during the American Revolution -- Torries, Whigs, Rebels, Yankees, Redcoats, etc.
And another postcard page, this time Philadelphia.
Notebooking Learning Blog
This blogger offers a lots of FREE notebooking pages! What a great resource! Search her archives for something you can use.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byNotebooking Themes
Visit these other pages for more about notebooking, lapbooking, and unit studies.-
Make Your Own Notebooking Pages
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So, you've done a bit of notebooking using the freebies online. Maybe you've even bought a kit or two. But now your creativity is kicking in and you want to do it yourself! Yes, you can make your own notebooking pages, even if you're not terribly co...
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50 States Notebook
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The Fifty States of America is a popular notebooking topic. It can be the basis of a unit study, or it can be a supplement to your American history curriculum. When you're finished, you have a wonderful, homemade reference book.
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Lapbooking and Unit Study Themes
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This page is guide to all my other pages of lapbooking, notebooking, or unit study themes. An entire list of all my pages here at Squidoo can be found on my profile page.
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Math Notebooking
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Whether you call them math notebooks or math journals, writing about math and documenting math activities are a great way to cement mathematical understanding. And along the way, you're creating a wonderful record of your math studies that can be use...
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Lapbooking Versus Notebooking
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Lapbooking and notebooking are both popular among homeschoolers now. I will take you through some basic characteristics of each and hopefully answer these questions: What are these learning methods? How are they similar? How are they different? Whic...
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Science Notebooking
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If you're new to notebooking, you'll discover that science is a great topic to begin with. Because science is so broad and lends itself to a variety of methods of expression such as charts, diagrams, paragraphs, and photos, it's perfect for notebooki...
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Bible Notebooking
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Notebooking can be applied to any subject of study, including the Bible! Enrich your Bible study times by recording what you learn and documenting it in notebooks. The notebook is not the same as a personal prayer or devotional journal although a Bi...
Blogging About Notebooking
Lots of people are using notebooking in their homeschools. Read some of their experiences on these blogs.
Reproducible Craft Books
Online Notebook for Your Feedback
I welcome your comments or questions.
Evelyn_Saenz wrote...
These are spectacular notebooks. When this much artistry, thought and information is put into a notebook it is a treasure to be kept and reread over and over.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Posted March 31, 2009
Eve Heaton wrote
Thank you for mentioning my blog (www.sciencenotebooking.blogspot.com) on your website. I love notebooking in science and am sad I don't teach social studies as well, since all your examples above are excellent. I'm adding your site to mine!
Posted March 19, 2009
Michellel wrote
I love that wanted poster, and the colonists cartoon. Great pages! Looks like a lot of fun learning!
Posted February 19, 2009
EverythingMouse wrote...
Another great resource! Thanks for all the links - I am heading on over to check out the World Atlas site.
Posted December 27, 2008
SJMurphy wrote...
This is a really awesome lens! You are such a resourceful mom! Thank you for all the notebooking info and resources.
Posted September 25, 2008
by Jimmie
Hello! I am a homeschooling mom who loves to teach and learn. I love the flexibility of Squidoo lenses for showing off our homeschool projects. Bloggi...
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