Math Journals

Here are some ideas shared on Teachers.Net chatboard

Here is how I did math journals (not every day)
1. Bought spirals on sale, for 10 cents each.
2. Kids picked out a notebook color they liked and I labeled them.
3. First day I taught how to use journal (very specific), tobe on correct page, write date etc. Then we traced our handand counted fingers, some kids wrote the numbers.
4. Continued with drawing and tracing (shapes) and learninghow to use journals
5. Worked up to gluing a math problem in the book (up in themargin and then another one by the hole in the middle of thepage) Showed how to answer problem in the correct space - nextyear I may just do one problem per page, just to fill in moreof the book:) I used a lot of problems http://sewwhat4ucorp.com/teacherresources2006.htm then once Igot the hang of it I made up some of my own.
6. The only thing I had to really watch was to make sure theywere on the correct page. I would check each journal as Ipassed out the problems.
7. The journals were kept in their cubbies. I have tablesupplies (scissors, glue sticks, pencils for them to use)