Interactive notebooks are study tools at their core. There are many ways to encourage students to develop this relationship with their notebook. Here are a few:
How to use Interactive Notebooks as Study Tools in Algebra 1
Algebra 1
How to Grade Interactive Notebooks in Algebra 1
“How do you grade interactive notebooks” is a common question I get.
And, to be honest, I don’t.
Not always anyways!
To Grade or Not to Grade?
Continue readingRoutines for Using Interactive Notebooks in Algebra 1
One of the most important things to ensuring that your experience with interactive notebooks runs smoothly and doesn’t waste class time is through your use of routines and the organization of your classroom. In another post I talk about supplies you’ll need and how I organize them, and in this post I’ll walk you through how to set yourself up for success with routines that utilize that organization.
Interactive Notebook Supplies & Organization in Algebra 1
If you’re wanting to do interactive notebooks, you’re going to want to make sure you have several supplies ready and organized.
How I teach Properties of Real Numbers
This is part of my Unit 1 Interactive Notebook for Algebra 1. You can view the rest of it here.
1.2 – Properties of Real Numbers
Properties of real numbers. What a snooze fest, am I right? WRONG!
This set of notes turns that notion upside down and gets students involved in creating their own examples to demonstrate each property to make a lively and memorable lesson.
You might wonder, “why would I want to teach properties of real numbers?” It’s a simple way to help students start thinking algebraically and flexibly, especially after having a long summer off from math. These properties demonstrate nice rules for manipulating and moving numbers and variables around in expressions and will help them understand why certain moves are “legal” when we start solving equations. Helping students think flexibly and understand the structure of an expression is a huge step in their journey toward mathematical fluency.
Continue readingHow I teach The Real Number System, Classifying Real Numbers, and Closure
This is part of my Unit 1 Interactive Notebook for Algebra 1. You can view the rest of it here.
1.1 – The Real Number System, Classifying Real Numbers & Closure
There’s nothing trickier than picking the very first topic to cover in all of Algebra 1. So many options, so what goes first?
To start the very first unit of Algebra 1 off, I begin by talking about the real number system and how we classify numbers.
Why oh why, is this where I start, you might ask?
Instilling this vocabulary is very important in helping students be able to hold fluent conversations about math. I can’t tell you how many students I’ve had in Algebra 2 (or Pre-Calc!) over the years that have asked “what’s an integer?” and they are unable to complete a problem that they otherwise would know how to do solely because they lack the basic vocabulary and don’t understand what the question is asking.
This is silly, and I want to prevent these things from happening as much as possible. Math really is its own language, and helping students learn it will allow them to be more confident and much more successful in the long run.
Continue readingAlgebra 1 Unit 1 Interactive Notebook Pages – The Foundations of Algebra
Starting the year off right is SO important for any class, but especially in Algebra 1, in particular. Everything that is done in the first unit lays the foundation for everything to come throughout the rest of the year, so there is is a lot riding on starting the year strong.
Here’s what to include in your first unit of Algebra 1 to start the year off right…
Students NEED to have a strong foundation, or else they’ll be fighting an uphill battle all year, which is no good. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what topics are most important for students to know (from vocabulary to skills), so that each following unit has a strong foundation. Here are all of the notes I used with my students during the 1st unit of Algebra 1.
If you want to look inside any of the pages included in this unit, you can take a look at these topic-specific posts for a more detailed look!
- 1.0 – Notebook Setup
- 1.1 – The Real Number System, Classifying Real Numbers, & Closure
- 1.2 – Properties of Real Numbers
- 1.3 – Order of Operations
- 1.4 – Evaluating Algebraic Expressions
- 1.5 – Combining Like Terms
- 1.6 – The Distributive Property
- 1.7 – Translating Algebraic Expressions, Equations & Inequalities
- 1.8 – Solving 1-Step & 2-Step Equations
- 1.9 – Solving 2-Step Inequalities
How to Set up an Interactive Notebook for Algebra 1
Getting started with interactive notebooks? Here’s what to do!
The logistics of starting an interactive notebook is one of the most dauting barriers for math teachers. Here’s a set of simple 3 steps to take to get started!
1. Number the pages (If nothing else, do this!)
You will want to be on the same page as your students, quite literally, when using interactive notebooks. Being on the same page allows you so many opportunities to promote study skills and refer students back to a particular topic to help them get “un-stuck.” Promoting study skills is one of the biggest benefits of interactive notebooks so don’t skip this step.
WORD OF CAUTION: Make sure to number the pages as the very first thing that you do! Interactive notebooks get very thick over the course of a semester, and it will be difficult to write in the corners by the time the notebook is almost complete.
If you want more tips on choosing a notebook, read this post about What notebook should I use for an Algebra 1 Interactive Notebook?
2. Make a Plan
Continue readingWhat notebook should I use for an Algebra 1 interactive notebook?
If you’re just getting started with using interactive notebooks with your Algebra 1 class, you might have a few questions about what type of notebook you should use, how many pages, and how to make sure all of your students have one to use. In this post, I’ll try to address them all. If I leave something out, leave me a comment so I can answer your question!
What type of notebook should I use for interactive notebooks?
As a die-hard spiral-notebook lover, it even surprised myself when I first realized that composition books are the best choice for interactive notebooks. They had never been my first, second, or even third choice for my own personal note-writing over my life, so I was a bit resistant to trying them for the first time. Here’s what I found:
How I teach factoring + Factoring Investigation
If you’ve followed me for a while, you might already know that I’ve taught just about every factoring method under the sun over the years.
Through many trials and errors (along with teaching progressively more advanced classes such as pre-calculus), I have come to the conclusion that factoring by grouping is the best and most flexible method for students to learn.
Not only is it easy to catch onto and has a built-in check halfway through the process, but it’s flexible enough to keep being used in any future math course (something that is certainly not true for all factoring methods).
Math by the Mountain 