Math Interactive Notebook 2

This is the second volume of my original Interactive Math Journal. If you are new to interactive math journals, I would recommend looking at my original Math Journal first – the first edition contains pages of valuable information about how to set-up journals, the different sections included in each journal entry, assessment ideas and options, reasoning behind the journals, and how I use them in my classroom.

This second volume was created to supplement the first volume. This volume contains 27 more journal entry ideas, including different entries and interactive tools for some of the concepts covered in the first journal (in case you are looking for a new way to cover a concept), and brand new concepts that weren’t covered in the first resource.

This zipped file contains both a PDF version of the entire journal resource, as well as an editable PowerPoint file of all the templates included in the resource in case you wish to modify the templates, or add in your own numbers or titles.

My Interactive Math Notebooks are not meant to be a replacement for your curriculum. Instead, they are meant to complement your curriculum – getting students to think about, interact with, and reflect on the major concepts they are studying. These journals create a priceless resource for your students – they become your students very own reference tool that they can refer to when independently completing lesson work and extending their learning. The tools they create in the journal are hands-on and exploratory for students – this is not a “cut and paste” questions and answers notebook.

Although I have full lessons and instructions for each entry in the journal, I have intentionally left most of the templates blank for a few reasons. In my class, we come up with the numbers we use together (although sometimes I guide or nudge a bit). When the students have more input into the lesson, their engagement is so much higher. Also, as this journal is based on CONCEPTS rather than specific standards or expectations, you can alter the numbers you use for the templates to make it fit your specific standard or expectation, which is precisely the reason why this resource fits a number of grades and curriculums. The blank templates also provide the perfect differentiation for your students who need to work with a different set of numbers, or simpler concept – the template can be adapted for these students and they can create the same entry as their classmates, but work with numbers that “work” for them. You could also use the templates if you wish to add a new lesson to your journals, or complete a different template for one of the concepts provided.

Almost all the journal entries in this resource have been tested in my classroom. I have included pictures of actual student and teacher work for each concept. Although I have a grade 5/6 class, I believe most (if not all) of these entries can be adapted to fit math standards and expectations from grades 4 – 7. I have taken the time to align each entry with the Common Core Standards in the U.S., as well as the curriculum strands in Ontario.

I use these journal entries as the introduction to a concept or upcoming lessons (providing necessary review before starting into the more difficult standards or expectations). Once we have built a strong base with the journal entry, students are better able to comprehend the more difficult information taught during lessons.

Please download the free preview for a free sample of two full journal activities.

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