NOTEBOOKING??? What in the Wide World??

I first heard of notebooking probably last year. I thought -- oh well... that sounds neat.

This year -- I'm diving in.

I mentioned it earlier -- because I almost stumbled over the cost of 1 notebook at $4.75/each. BUT -- I was at Wal-Mart this week-end and they sell 1" Notebooks for $1.00. That's affordable. I can get 6 notebooks for each kid at that price. 6 notebooks X 3 kiddos = $18. Doable.

What is it you ask? It's a way to do school that's NOT purely anything. You can do Charlotte Mason this way -- you can do "un-school" this way. You can definitely do the CLASSIC method this way. In fact -- I'm reading The Well Trained Mind right now, and they tell you to get notebooks and how to label them. That is a great book to read, if you are just starting out homeschooling -- or don't have a clue, but would like to get one.

There are a million and one web-sites out there.. and a few of them mention NOTEBOOKING. I'll share a few that I have bookmarked.

Well -- this page, The Well Trained Mind, is a good place to start. I don't see a lot about actual NOTEBOOKING here, but this is a very meaty web-site... so it's in there somewhere. Actually -- I recommend checking their book out from the library and sitting down with a notebook and pen and taking notes... copious notes. Then -- check out a few of these web-sites.

Ignite The Fire! Go to this page to get EXCITED about Notebooking!! They make you feel like YOU CAN do notebooking!

Notebooking pages is where I first realized you could get a ton of "pre-made" notebooking pages for FREE! Wow! Free?? Really?? Yep.

Then I found a link from her site that taught about home schooling with 3x5 cards... but I've already blogged about that some. Well -- she calls it home schooling with index cards.

The Homeschool E-Store has a HUGE amount of Notebooking stuff. Sometimes they'll give away a Notebooking packet as a freebie. I am on their mailing list -- so I see their freebies each week. Some times they are doozies!! I've bought some blank CD's so I can down load these huge things and save them somewhere other than my hard drive. That $10 can save you a ton of $$ in the long run. I've got several hundred dollars worth of "freebies" on CD. Saving them for a rainy day. This is also the place to find notebooking Unit Studies -- if you are into those.

This Site makes great claims about notebooking... such as it's the BEST way to have great retention. I do know that the things I have taught are usually the things I retain the longest or the best. Notebooking could be a form of teaching. They have to write down, or note some how what they have learned from their reading, or hands on projects. Your pupils aren't just reading -- they are reading and then narrating in their notebook. Or they are making notes of science projects. What they right down should be accurate, of course, and should be enough to teach someone else what they have learned.

This site here has a page on using Unit Studies and notebooking.

I've got friends whose children notebook, and that really makes for great projects for the project fair in the spring.

I can't imagine a grandparent who wouldn't LOVE to sit down with a grand kid and go through their Literature Notebook, or even a History notebook. Now art seems obviously a great notebooking subject. But I think I'm going to include our Nature Walks as a notebooking subject.

I like how this site gives different examples of notebooks. It doesn't necessarily HAVE to have 3 rings. LOL. That's just what I prefer.

This week -- the Notebooking Nook is giving away free notebooking "stuff" all about bees. Her link will take you to that Homeschool E-Store I mentioned earlier.

This cute little countrified site tells how to use it with MATH. That is something I don't do -- we are Saxon Math folks -- but Notebooking is even doable for Math... if you ask her.

Still not sure?? Homeschooling with Notebooks will tell you it's the way to go.

Home Hearts is maybe one of my favorites. It's sure pretty anyway. They talk about notebooking in their teaching toolbox. I stole this quote from their web-site...

"No other learning tool has more purity of approach than a blank notebook. Like the artist's canvas, it has the creative potential of becoming anything the author wishes to portray. Its natural form makes it adaptable to any task or learning situation. The content, rather than being dictated by a pre-set curriculum, is determined by the family, meeting their unique and individual needs." Marilyn Howshall, Wisdom's Way of Learning

So -- their mentioning a blank notebook reminds me of a great little book. Everyone who would consider notebooking as a way of doing school should read this book. Carry On Mr. Bowditch He may be the original notebooker. LOL I found it at our public library. Great read!! Very inspiring.

OK -- these last three links are some that can make notebooking just a bit more fun. I think that all of these I found through my e-mail loop that is a Notebooking Gold Mine! Notebooking Yahoo Group. I get something through here every day. Doesn't always pertain to what I need... but every now and then there are some goodies! Here is what they say in their e-mail loop description.

This group is for homeschoolers with an interest in notebooking. Whether you have been notebooking for years (and have binders in every room of your house!), or are just interested in starting, this is the place for you. Ask questions, share resources, pass along favorite tips and ideas, and of course, let us know what notebooks you are working on! We welcome long, detailed ideas or descriptions of notebooks you have done. Other homeschooling-related ideas and questions are fine as well.

Bare Books - neat find.
Hearts & Hands - grab a cup o'joe and browse!
Lapbooking -- a different form of notebooking... some kiddos love it -- I think it's over kill. ;) BUT -- if you google lapbooking... you'll find a million more links to browse through.

Have Fun! Let me know if you find any good stuff about notebooking that's not here. I'd love to see it!!