I have used Math Journals for 12 years. The ways I use them have changed over the years as I have become more comfortable with them. Now, I wouldn't know what to do without having them in my classroom.
This is how I have prepare them.
This year, I am using these composition books.Last year, I used spiral notebooks and they worked well. I am using the composition books because I had some left over and the room I moved into had a lot in there already so I didn't have to buy any. I printed a simple label for the front and taped it on.
On the back cover, I put a laminated Hundreds, Tens and Ones chart for the children to write on. I also stuck on a 100 chart sticker. I got the stickers from JoAnn Fabrics in their Teacher section. I got the Hundreds, Tens and Ones chart in the "Math Tools" set I bought on Teachers Pay Teachers. I printed it 2 to a page so they would be smaller.
On the inside cover, I attached the Math Tub of Tools from a set by Reagan Tunstall. You can get to it on Teachers Pay Teachers by clicking
here.
We will start with reviewing the money and Odd and Even cards in the Tub of Tools. We will add more tools as the year progresses.
In the inside of the back cover, I used duct tape to attach ribbon to be used as a bookmark. This will make it easier for the children to keep track where their next page is.
This is how I have prepared the Math Journals. This will help us to be well prepared to start the year right off with our Math Journals.