Interactive Math Notebooks in Middle School Math

I love using interactive notebooks in my 6th grade math class, and I feel so excited when I find a new way to help students organize their resources/materials.

In previous years, we’d staple or glue the Fold It Ups into spiral notebooks or try to keep them in pockets. This certainly is an improvement…I’m so excited about how it’s working out!

• I only have about 40 minutes for math class, so there isn’t much extra time for passing out and creating the Fold It Ups and then securing them into a notebook.
• Having them bound requires students to simply take out their books and get started…and this does save time!

• Many of the Fold it Ups only require cutting and folding, which can be done right in the book. We don’t have to then take time to staple or glue into a notebook, and that can save a LOT of time. (There ARE some that have to be glued in, but using the book this way has reduced the amount of time for gluing overall.)
• For example, the Properties Fold it Up pictured here gets cut at the bottom and then the tabs are folded up. The page is already attached in the book, so students don’t have to figure out the best way to staple it or glue it into a notebook.

2) Easy reference for math topics
Once the math Fold It Ups are completed, they stay in the interactive notebook for the students to keep with them all the time.

​Students can use them as a reference when doing their in-class practice work or homework and will be able to refer to them throughout the year.

3) Easy to add additional math notes
I included lined pages for notes in between the Fold It Ups for additional topics, examples, etc., so students can keep all notes in this math notebook.

Feel free to add some tips in the comments!

See the interactive math notebook on TPT.

Learn about more ways to make the most of your 40-minute math classes in this blog post.