Question about Notebooks

[tnahid]

Hello friends,

I would like ideas about how to organize notebooks for each subject. We are doing Beyond this year, and I just have one large 3 ring binder for all the various subjects with dividers. Such as sections for copywork, spelling, LA. I know that next year, I am going to need more sections for Science and History notebooking. I am probably going to finish out the year with Beyond with the 3 ring binders that I have now, but for next year with Bigger, I think I need to do something different. The papers in the binders are all torn and crumply (as my sons are not all that careful with their stuff ), and the dividers get smudged and torn, hanging out here and there. It's just too bulky to hold everything at once.

So, I would love ideas about how each of you do this. And if any of you have photos of your history or science notebooks, that would be great.

[SouthernMrs]

>>>I would like ideas about how to organize notebooks for each subject.

Hello Tina,
I didn't see a response to your question about notebooks and thought I'd share a post about this topic with you.
>>>>>You can go to Miller Pads and Paper online to get some of the journals and pick the graded paper that is most suitable for your ds. I noticed that my ds actually does better on the smaller lines so you may want to play around with it before you order. Print off some handwriting papers online of different grades and see if he might do a little better with it!!!!
Check out the post below for the different pads and portfolio ideas.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2944

We are using some of the Miller Pads and Paper (this is the name of the company and they are online) graded journals for our son who just finished up Bigger. We used one 3-ring binder more as a weekly History/Memory notebook, and added any papers that did not have a "home" otherwise. We used specific journals for the Science Notebooking (lines on bottom, blank on top) and Science Experiments (I printed out a set of these forms from a website and took it to Staples and had them bound) and Lakeshore Learning had a very nice Vocabulary journal that my son enjoyed using (Lakeshore is also online, but we have a local store here). I'll try to send links at the bottom of this post.
For the Language Arts areas, I have all the Level 1 dictation passages typed up and printed out on index cards. We keep these in an index card box and he writes his Dictation in a composition book. His Grammar lessons are mostly done orally, but for any written work, he has another composition book. We just use the same ones until they are filled and then get a new one out.
Links:
http://www.millerpadsandpaper.com/catal ... ItemID=419

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo/ca ... 7565~~.jsp

We used page 8 of this freebie file:
Set of 16 notebooking pages with cover page. Use this set of pages to create a notebook recording your science experiments.
Science Experiments Notebook
http://download687.mediafire.com/jz4da2 ... tebook.pdf

I hope this is helpful to you!

[blessedmomof4]

For Bigger, this is what I did:
One large 100-sheet (9"x12" with heavy paper)sketchbook for Science, divided into 2 sections with a stick-on tab-one section for notebooking, one for experiments
One large 50-sheet sketchbook for History
One composition notebook for Copywork (Poetry) I think the copywork is optional if you are using a handwriting program?
One composition notebook for grammar (though we do some orally)
Unlined 3"x5" index cards and an index card box with alphabetical dividers for Vocabulary
Unlined index cards and an index card box for Bible Verses
Unlined index cards and an index card box for Spelling Words, or a composition notebook for Dictation
I think that's it. If you use Singapore Math and DITHOR, they have workbooks, and the Cursive books are also consumable.
I bought my sketchbooks online, but everything else I got on sale at WalMart
My girls seem to like having the separate notebooks.

[pjdobro]

We started the year with one 3-ring binder to hold history, science, grammar, extra math, and other. It soon became too full and we gave science a binder of it's own. Just yesterday, I had to move all of my son's things from a 1" binder to a 1 1/2 " binder and I don't know if that will work through the end of the year. So if you do plan on putting most things in one binder, make sure to get a big one (at least 2") or perhaps get three smaller ones: one for history, one for science, and one for other things. We also have a separate dictation composition notebook. We use one of the 100 pages lined composition notebooks that Walmart has on sale for .25 in the fall. For vocabulary we have used 3X5 index cards with a card holder. For our scripture verses, we have used the sketch books that are blank on top and lined on the bottom from Miller Pads and Paper for the last several years. Each year we get one with smaller writing lines.

[tnahid]

Thank you, ladies. That was very helpful to me. I bookmarked those links for future reference. Blessings to you!

[pjdobro]

I meant to add too that if you use a binder, you might want to use the plastic sleeves to hold the notebooking and other pages. The plastic sleeves tend to hold up better over time than just regular paper and they keep all of the notebook pages looking nice. For things that are regular paper, we use the white circle hole reinforcements. That helps to keep papers intact longer. Also, the plastic dividers or heavier poster board dividers have worked better for us than the lighter weight or paper ones. Have fun getting everything ready! It's so exciting getting ready for a new guide, isn't it?

[abrightmom]

We started the year with one 3-ring binder to hold history, science, grammar, extra math, and other. It soon became too full and we gave science a binder of it's own. Just yesterday, I had to move all of my son's things from a 1" binder to a 1 1/2 " binder and I don't know if that will work through the end of the year. So if you do plan on putting most things in one binder, make sure to get a big one (at least 2") or perhaps get three smaller ones: one for history, one for science, and one for other things. We also have a separate dictation composition notebook. We use one of the 100 pages lined composition notebooks that Walmart has on sale for .25 in the fall. For vocabulary we have used 3X5 index cards with a card holder. For our scripture verses, we have used the sketch books that are blank on top and lined on the bottom from Miller Pads and Paper for the last several years. Each year we get one with smaller writing lines.

Patty,

Why do you use the Miller Pads (blank on top/lined on bottom) for scripture verses? I think I need to pull the Bigger manual out and check it out.

[abrightmom]

Check out the post below for the different pads and portfolio ideas.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2944[/color]

Thank-you SouthernMrs for sharing so many helpful tips and links! Any chance you could re-post the link mentioned above (for different pad & portfolio ideas)? It's not working and I'd LOVE to see it. Thank-you again!

[tnahid]

Thank you. So I would just slide the notebook pages down in a plastic sleeve and keep them together that way? Is that what you mean? Also like for the copywork pages also? That does sound like a better idea. Maybe a list of items I need in my binder would help me...a list with broken down parts and what I need for each. I would like to keep all the Bigger Stuff together as much as possible in one binder or two.

I'm getting it...really, I am!

[Mommamo]

We use a 3 inch binder with dividers. Everything that goes into the binder goes into page protectors first. I did buy C a notebook where we can do spelling and grammar. Copywork gets copied onto lined paper and then it goes into a page protector in the binder as well. Now I do need to get some better dividers. I just got cheapy ones at first and they haven't held up. Everything in a page protector has worked wonderfully though. I wouldn't do it without them.

[pjdobro]

Patty,

Why do you use the Miller Pads (blank on top/lined on bottom) for scripture verses? I think I need to pull the Bigger manual out and check it out.

This is something we started back in LHFHG. My dc were ready for some copywork so we used the weekly scripture for copywork and they illustrated it on the top part of the sketchbook. They enjoyed doing that so much and the scripture seemed to stick with them so much better after illustrating it, that we have continued to do that. They really love getting to illustrate their scripture. This is just something extra that we do. Illustrating the scripture isn't something that is mentioned in the guide. Sorry to misguide you.

[countrymom]

Abrightmom, try this link below - I think it works.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2944

[SouthernMrs]

abrightmom
[/quote]
Thank-you SouthernMrs for sharing so many helpful tips and links! Any chance you could re-post the link mentioned above (for different pad & portfolio ideas)? It's not working and I'd LOVE to see it. Thank-you again! [/quote]

Hi Katrina,
The topic was called 3rd Grade Boys in Bigger
I've sent you a PM

[Daph]

What a helpful thread! And so exciting! I love Miller Pads and Paper. I buy from them at my homeschool conference, sometimes more than once. I just can't resist all their awesome notebooks and colorful papers! I usually have no real plan when I go into their area, though, which is very dangerous for me. I love getting things organized for the school year, so these links and ideas are great!