Hi Betsy!
I am a homeschooling Mom, and I really want to learn notebooking. How do I start? How do you choose what/ how/ when to notebook? HELP!!!
Debbie in Oregon
I am a homeschooling Mom, and I really want to learn notebooking. How do I start? How do you choose what/ how/ when to notebook? HELP!!!
Debbie in Oregon
Hi Debbie,
When I started notebooking I began with history, but this was just me. I love to notebook history because there
is so much you can put into a history notebook. . . historical maps of the civilization, event, empire. . . quotes
from whomever you are studying, there's always great images you can find online. We love the Usborne
Internet Linked World History Encyclopedia! Along with the links, which enhance what you are studying, they also have maps and clipart you can add to your pages.
I like to print most of my pages onto 24 lb. paper, but you could use 18 lb. no problem. I print cover pages onto
card stock. If the kids are going to be doing a lot of gluing we might also use card stock. When I find scrapbook
material on sale I pick up a few things here and there. We like to use "fancy" paper behind some of the images
as borders, mostly black and white, to dress up the page a bit. It's also fun to punch out shapes to dress up. This
is not the most important part to notebooking but once the research is done and the pages are mostly put
together you can add all the “frills".
At the moment, we are working on the dinosaur packet available on my website. We spent a couple days last
week reading about dinosaurs. . . types of dinosaurs, how they fit into creation, what they left us (fossil fuels)
and the kids have been looking through and reading books from the library. Today we filled out the fact sheet
for one of the dinosaurs and then from that wrote up a brief narration about the dinosaur. They colored them,
marked on the map where fossil evidence has been found and that was about it. They have done 2 dinosaurs so far this week.
Another really easy way to start is to begin a nature notebook. Just spend some time outside and have the kids
look for something interesting to write about. It might be a cluster of lady bugs in a bush or an ant hill. They
can take pictures and then go inside and try to find what it is they found. Add the picture to their notebook
along with whatever information they were able to find.
My best advice would be to just start, don't wait until everything "looks" a certain way or you think you have
everything you "need". I think your kids will surprise you with their creativity.
When I started notebooking I began with history, but this was just me. I love to notebook history because there
is so much you can put into a history notebook. . . historical maps of the civilization, event, empire. . . quotes
from whomever you are studying, there's always great images you can find online. We love the Usborne
Internet Linked World History Encyclopedia! Along with the links, which enhance what you are studying, they also have maps and clipart you can add to your pages.
I like to print most of my pages onto 24 lb. paper, but you could use 18 lb. no problem. I print cover pages onto
card stock. If the kids are going to be doing a lot of gluing we might also use card stock. When I find scrapbook
material on sale I pick up a few things here and there. We like to use "fancy" paper behind some of the images
as borders, mostly black and white, to dress up the page a bit. It's also fun to punch out shapes to dress up. This
is not the most important part to notebooking but once the research is done and the pages are mostly put
together you can add all the “frills".
At the moment, we are working on the dinosaur packet available on my website. We spent a couple days last
week reading about dinosaurs. . . types of dinosaurs, how they fit into creation, what they left us (fossil fuels)
and the kids have been looking through and reading books from the library. Today we filled out the fact sheet
for one of the dinosaurs and then from that wrote up a brief narration about the dinosaur. They colored them,
marked on the map where fossil evidence has been found and that was about it. They have done 2 dinosaurs so far this week.
Another really easy way to start is to begin a nature notebook. Just spend some time outside and have the kids
look for something interesting to write about. It might be a cluster of lady bugs in a bush or an ant hill. They
can take pictures and then go inside and try to find what it is they found. Add the picture to their notebook
along with whatever information they were able to find.
My best advice would be to just start, don't wait until everything "looks" a certain way or you think you have
everything you "need". I think your kids will surprise you with their creativity.
I'm often asked questions about notebooking,
how it works, narration, copywork questions and so
forth. A member of a my
Notebooking Nook Yahoo!
group
and good friend
Melissa
put together this list of questions that have
been asked on my group. I thought I'd add them here
to help those of you just starting out with
notebooking. I will add more as the questions
arise. Thanks Melissa!
Hey Betsy,
I have wanted to start copy work with Kelsey. Can you tell me a little bit more about copy work and how you notebook it.
Jeannie
I have wanted to start copy work with Kelsey. Can you tell me a little bit more about copy work and how you notebook it.
Jeannie
Jeannie,
Basically, copywork is meant to show your child the correct way a piece of literature should look and be
written. When your child does copywork it is important that they not look at a word and copy one letter a
time but look at the whole word and write it. This really helps a lot with spelling. I've been doing copywork
for about 4 years now with my kids and the kids that started with copywork seem to be better spellers
earlier.
Seeing the proper way to punctuate and the usage the different parts of speech is also a key to copywork.
Your child can't help but do better in their writing if they are daily see great works of literature and copying
them.
Copywork can very easily be brought into notebooking. I keep a bookshelf in my schoolroom with books of
poetry, fables and quotes. They also take their copywork from their literature. I have a binder I am always
adding quotes and scripture verses for them to copy. I still have young children who copy and so I make
sure to find very short verses for them. However, they are so used to copywork that I can give them a piece
to copy and they might spend a week, copying one or two lines a day. I couldn't do this with my older kids
when we first started out because it would overwhelm them.
All you need is a basic notebook page for these notebooks. If your child enjoys illustrating make sure there
is an illustration box for them to add a drawing to. I like to look for coloring pages for my younger ones and
shrink them down to fit onto their pages. I copy it to my desktop, drag it into my drawing program and
create a page for them. This way the page is all ready for them to write and color. One of my younger kids
enjoys drawing his own pictures and my other likes coloring in a picture already provided for her. I do have
a primary copywork packet available on my website.
Over the years I've done different things to get the kids motivated about doing their copywork . . . I used to
keep separate jars with scripture verses, quotes, and poems and they would pull them out and that was their
copywork for the day. We still alternate days doing a verse, quote, poem, literature and their choice for each
day of the week. Although, like I mentioned before some selections take more then one day.
Basically, copywork is meant to show your child the correct way a piece of literature should look and be
written. When your child does copywork it is important that they not look at a word and copy one letter a
time but look at the whole word and write it. This really helps a lot with spelling. I've been doing copywork
for about 4 years now with my kids and the kids that started with copywork seem to be better spellers
earlier.
Seeing the proper way to punctuate and the usage the different parts of speech is also a key to copywork.
Your child can't help but do better in their writing if they are daily see great works of literature and copying
them.
Copywork can very easily be brought into notebooking. I keep a bookshelf in my schoolroom with books of
poetry, fables and quotes. They also take their copywork from their literature. I have a binder I am always
adding quotes and scripture verses for them to copy. I still have young children who copy and so I make
sure to find very short verses for them. However, they are so used to copywork that I can give them a piece
to copy and they might spend a week, copying one or two lines a day. I couldn't do this with my older kids
when we first started out because it would overwhelm them.
All you need is a basic notebook page for these notebooks. If your child enjoys illustrating make sure there
is an illustration box for them to add a drawing to. I like to look for coloring pages for my younger ones and
shrink them down to fit onto their pages. I copy it to my desktop, drag it into my drawing program and
create a page for them. This way the page is all ready for them to write and color. One of my younger kids
enjoys drawing his own pictures and my other likes coloring in a picture already provided for her. I do have
a primary copywork packet available on my website.
Over the years I've done different things to get the kids motivated about doing their copywork . . . I used to
keep separate jars with scripture verses, quotes, and poems and they would pull them out and that was their
copywork for the day. We still alternate days doing a verse, quote, poem, literature and their choice for each
day of the week. Although, like I mentioned before some selections take more then one day.
Hi everyone,
After attending my daughter's college preview this weekend I learned a lot that might be helpful for some of you coming up on this stage in your life soon. The university my daughter will be attending has a leadership scholarship which she can apply for. They look closely at service hours in community work. They want an essay for service she has provided. Which got my "notebooking brain" thinking . . . she will need to keep a journal in order to keep track of all her service projects, so we are going to be making up service notebooks. My kids all contribute in different ways to the community and I think starting now, even with the younger kids, will be a great way for them to be more prepared when it comes time to write those dreaded college essays.
After attending my daughter's college preview this weekend I learned a lot that might be helpful for some of you coming up on this stage in your life soon. The university my daughter will be attending has a leadership scholarship which she can apply for. They look closely at service hours in community work. They want an essay for service she has provided. Which got my "notebooking brain" thinking . . . she will need to keep a journal in order to keep track of all her service projects, so we are going to be making up service notebooks. My kids all contribute in different ways to the community and I think starting now, even with the younger kids, will be a great way for them to be more prepared when it comes time to write those dreaded college essays.
Betsy,
What kind of services would you document? Examples? . . . I am listening while dangling.
LOL,
Dawn
What kind of services would you document? Examples? . . . I am listening while dangling.
LOL,
Dawn
Dawn,
My daughter is a black belt in Hwa Rang Do and she has been teaching for about a year for no pay. She has
also taught several free self defence classes. Here's a list of other things we might add . . . this also includes
some things my son has done in Boy Scouts. . .
- service with the Salvation Army (collecting & making toys for children)
- made baby blankets for children in need
- made ABC books for children in need
- reading to the elderly & young children
- planting trees in a park & at the community college
- yard work for elderly or ill
- organize and assist in food drives
- organizing a Thanksgiving dinner for seniors
- visit with and assist a senior who is ill
- assist a new mother with house cleaning, meals, and younger children
- organize youth activities (service projects, game day, dances)
- donate time at a pet store, library, doctors office, day care, etc.
- youth leader at church
These are a few things my kids have done over the years. I know many things have slipped my mind but I
think you get the idea.
My daughter is a black belt in Hwa Rang Do and she has been teaching for about a year for no pay. She has
also taught several free self defence classes. Here's a list of other things we might add . . . this also includes
some things my son has done in Boy Scouts. . .
- service with the Salvation Army (collecting & making toys for children)
- made baby blankets for children in need
- made ABC books for children in need
- reading to the elderly & young children
- planting trees in a park & at the community college
- yard work for elderly or ill
- organize and assist in food drives
- organizing a Thanksgiving dinner for seniors
- visit with and assist a senior who is ill
- assist a new mother with house cleaning, meals, and younger children
- organize youth activities (service projects, game day, dances)
- donate time at a pet store, library, doctors office, day care, etc.
- youth leader at church
These are a few things my kids have done over the years. I know many things have slipped my mind but I
think you get the idea.
Betsy,
What is the difference between a lapbook and a notebook?
Thanks,
Kim
What is the difference between a lapbook and a notebook?
Thanks,
Kim
Hi Kim,
A lapbook is a learning tool created by taking a file folder and folding it in such a way as to look like a shutter.
Inside the lapbook your child would create mini-books, folds, and flaps that would focus on different subtopics of a certain subject. For example, if you were studying the solar system you might have mini-books, flaps or folds for planets, galaxies, constellations and so on. Here are some examples of lapbooks for you to look at more closely . . .
Lapbook samples
There is also a lapbooking yahoo group if you are interested.
A notebook is similar in that you could use mini-books, flaps and folds on your pages, however you would store them in a notebook or bind your own book. Notebooks could consists of narrations from your child's reading, copywork, maps, quotes, scripture, illustrations, really anything that assist in helping your child remember what they've learned. Your child would create several pages while studying different subjects. We enjoy notebooking a bit more then lapbooking because for us lapbooking takes more time than we have to put into it. I have 6 kids and 3 are in high school. Notebooking seems to be a better fit for our family. Here's more information about notebooking from my website.
At your kids ages, I have found a good place to start is reading literature aloud to them and having them narrate back to you what they remember. I have an 8 year old son and a 10 year old daughter and we are currently reading Charlotte's Web. We read a chapter or two every day and then my son narrates to me what we read while my daughter writes her own narration. I write down what he tells me about the chapter and we add it to his notebook. I do write a small portion of his narration with a fine point highlighter on a primary-lined page for him to trace over. He then illustrates a picture. Some children enjoy coloring a picture already
provided, while others enjoy illustrating their own. At times my son does a bit of comparing with his older
sister and feels a bit insecure about his picture so he often will trace a picture from a book and then color it.
This actually has been good for steadying his hand.
I'm planning on having the kids write letters to each of the characters and adding them to their notebooks. We
do copywork daily and when we copy from our literature it gets added to that notebook as well. If we do a
project which can not be added we take pictures, create a notebook page and add it to the notebook. We are
planning on making a diorama of the barn, maybe. My kids enjoy dioramas a lot. So basically, you add
everything you do from that subject to that particular notebook. The same would go for your history, science, or
whatever other notebooks you are working on.
A lapbook is a learning tool created by taking a file folder and folding it in such a way as to look like a shutter.
Inside the lapbook your child would create mini-books, folds, and flaps that would focus on different subtopics of a certain subject. For example, if you were studying the solar system you might have mini-books, flaps or folds for planets, galaxies, constellations and so on. Here are some examples of lapbooks for you to look at more closely . . .
Lapbook samples
There is also a lapbooking yahoo group if you are interested.
A notebook is similar in that you could use mini-books, flaps and folds on your pages, however you would store them in a notebook or bind your own book. Notebooks could consists of narrations from your child's reading, copywork, maps, quotes, scripture, illustrations, really anything that assist in helping your child remember what they've learned. Your child would create several pages while studying different subjects. We enjoy notebooking a bit more then lapbooking because for us lapbooking takes more time than we have to put into it. I have 6 kids and 3 are in high school. Notebooking seems to be a better fit for our family. Here's more information about notebooking from my website.
At your kids ages, I have found a good place to start is reading literature aloud to them and having them narrate back to you what they remember. I have an 8 year old son and a 10 year old daughter and we are currently reading Charlotte's Web. We read a chapter or two every day and then my son narrates to me what we read while my daughter writes her own narration. I write down what he tells me about the chapter and we add it to his notebook. I do write a small portion of his narration with a fine point highlighter on a primary-lined page for him to trace over. He then illustrates a picture. Some children enjoy coloring a picture already
provided, while others enjoy illustrating their own. At times my son does a bit of comparing with his older
sister and feels a bit insecure about his picture so he often will trace a picture from a book and then color it.
This actually has been good for steadying his hand.
I'm planning on having the kids write letters to each of the characters and adding them to their notebooks. We
do copywork daily and when we copy from our literature it gets added to that notebook as well. If we do a
project which can not be added we take pictures, create a notebook page and add it to the notebook. We are
planning on making a diorama of the barn, maybe. My kids enjoy dioramas a lot. So basically, you add
everything you do from that subject to that particular notebook. The same would go for your history, science, or
whatever other notebooks you are working on.
Betsy,
I want to notebook science and history with my oldest child next year. I already bought the book on
inventors and the notebook pages from you. . . BUT what do I do with them. How do we study the subject?
What is my part and what is my son's part??? Where do I get material for the education side or do I already
have it from what I mentioned???
Valerie
I want to notebook science and history with my oldest child next year. I already bought the book on
inventors and the notebook pages from you. . . BUT what do I do with them. How do we study the subject?
What is my part and what is my son's part??? Where do I get material for the education side or do I already
have it from what I mentioned???
Valerie
Hi Valerie,
Welcome! Great to have you join us. I think once you get started with notebooking you are going to really
love it. Much of what you will do with notebooking is having your kids narrate back what you all read that
day. The inventors package you purchased will provide nice pages for him copy his narration on to. Use the fact sheet to fill in the facts as you come to them or have him research the answers during a few days time if need be. Once that is filled in he could use it to write up another paper on the subject, if you choose to.
If you have the inventors book you could just read through one or two sections a day and have him write
about what you read. You can also do further study by checking out books from the library and utilizing the
internet. I really like wikipedia. But, you could do a Google search on whatever you're studying and find lots of great sites. You can also ask the group for links and resources and there is often someone who can send you in the right direction.
The empty boxes provided on some pages are for illustrations, such as diagrams. The boxes could also be
used to add quotes, maps of where the invention was introduced or maybe the inventors birthplace. You
might find a picture of a monument in his honor. If he enjoys making models he could put something
together that relates to what you are studying and add a picture of it to his page.
One other thing about narration . . . I have an 8 year old son who narrates to me as I write it on a
separate piece of paper. I still have him use primary lines (he's a bit messy) and often use
a highlighter, writing in the narration for him to trace over. If his narration is long, we decide together what
the most important part of the narration was, and he writes it on the paper. I still add his whole narration to
his notebook, but because writing is something of a struggle for him I don't push writing too much. I usually
type it out for him. Although, he really enjoys typing and will sometimes type part of them out himself.
Welcome! Great to have you join us. I think once you get started with notebooking you are going to really
love it. Much of what you will do with notebooking is having your kids narrate back what you all read that
day. The inventors package you purchased will provide nice pages for him copy his narration on to. Use the fact sheet to fill in the facts as you come to them or have him research the answers during a few days time if need be. Once that is filled in he could use it to write up another paper on the subject, if you choose to.
If you have the inventors book you could just read through one or two sections a day and have him write
about what you read. You can also do further study by checking out books from the library and utilizing the
internet. I really like wikipedia. But, you could do a Google search on whatever you're studying and find lots of great sites. You can also ask the group for links and resources and there is often someone who can send you in the right direction.
The empty boxes provided on some pages are for illustrations, such as diagrams. The boxes could also be
used to add quotes, maps of where the invention was introduced or maybe the inventors birthplace. You
might find a picture of a monument in his honor. If he enjoys making models he could put something
together that relates to what you are studying and add a picture of it to his page.
One other thing about narration . . . I have an 8 year old son who narrates to me as I write it on a
separate piece of paper. I still have him use primary lines (he's a bit messy) and often use
a highlighter, writing in the narration for him to trace over. If his narration is long, we decide together what
the most important part of the narration was, and he writes it on the paper. I still add his whole narration to
his notebook, but because writing is something of a struggle for him I don't push writing too much. I usually
type it out for him. Although, he really enjoys typing and will sometimes type part of them out himself.
