What classes do you feel it is necessary to use binders for?

[Hunter's Moon]

I bought four 1 1/2 in binders. I am trying to decide what classes I will be using a binder for though. I could certainly split a binder and put two classes in it if necessary, but that isn't really ideal.

 

What classes do you feel that you absolutely need a binder for?

 

Also, how do you arrange your binders?

 

I got 16 dividers I believe. If I need more, I could make my own, but I really think that should be enough.

 

Also, I know some programs are better used with binders, but the only full programs I am using are Apologia Chemistry and Math U See Pre-Calculus.

 

Thanks for any suggestions or tips

 

:)

[ereks mom]

I bought four 1 1/2 in binders. I am trying to decide what classes I will be using a binder for though. I could certainly split a binder and put two classes in it if necessary, but that isn't really ideal.

 

What classes do you feel that you absolutely need a binder for?

 

Also, how do you arrange your binders?

 

I got 16 dividers I believe. If I need more, I could make my own, but I really think that should be enough.

 

Also, I know some programs are better used with binders, but the only full programs I am using are Apologia Chemistry and Math U See Pre-Calculus.

 

Thanks for any suggestions or tips

 

:)

 

We use a binder for each Apologia science course. There are 16 modules (chapters) in the chemistry course, so we used16 dividers.

 

We also use a binder for history. The history curriculum we use is divided into 18 units per year (one unit=2 weeks), so we use 18 dividers each year.

 

I also like to use binders for literature and composition. My kids keep literature study guides, writing lesson handouts, drafts of essays, etc. in their binders. Sometimes we use dividers and sometimes not.

[Hunter's Moon]

We use a binder for each Apologia science course. There are 16 modules (chapters) in the chemistry course, so we used16 dividers.

 

We also use a binder for history. The history curriculum we use is divided into 18 units per year (one unit=2 weeks), so we use 18 dividers each year.

 

I also like to use binders for literature and composition. My kids keep literature study guides, writing lesson handouts, drafts of essays, etc. in their binders. Sometimes we use dividers and sometimes not.

 

Thank you. :)

 

I am still having trouble figuring out how to split up my History best, but once I do I will begin making dividers :)

[Teachin'Mine]

Don't really have an answer to the question you asked, but it brought to mind something that we've found really helpful. I know graph paper costs a bit more than regular lined paper, but it makes the math work so much easier when you have the lines available for a number line, a graph, constructions, whatever - instead of having a separate paper for the problems needing these things. We buy the spiral graph paper books at Staples and they work great and aren't expensive. Just an FYI on something you didn't ask about. :) But of course if you've been using lined paper, and that works, there's no need to change. :)

[Hunter's Moon]

Don't really have an answer to the question you asked' date=' but it brought to mind something that we've found really helpful. I know graph paper costs a bit more than regular lined paper, but it makes the math work so much easier when you have the lines available for a number line, a graph, constructions, whatever - instead of having a separate paper for the problems needing these things. We buy the spiral graph paper books at Staples and they work great and aren't expensive. Just an FYI on something you didn't ask about. :) But of course if you've been using lined paper, and that works, there's no need to change. :)[/quote']

 

My teachers forced me to do this because my graphs were horrid so I kind of picked up on doing it myself. :lol:

 

We get our graph paper from the Dollar Store. Of course, it all falls out of its binding. Maybe we'll invest in the Staples brand next time :)

 

Thanks.

[Nicole M]

My teachers forced me to do this because my graphs were horrid so I kind of picked up on doing it myself. :lol:

 

We get our graph paper from the Dollar Store. Of course, it all falls out of its binding. Maybe we'll invest in the Staples brand next time :)

 

Thanks.

 

Office Depot and other stores sell a bound composition type notebook with graph paper pages. (I remembered you mentioned that Staples stores are expensive.) College bookstores are also a treasure trove for nifty notebooks. That's the kind we use for our math, and it doesn't fall apart. I know, because I've been doing math alongside my boys for the last five years and I've been using the same book. :D

 

As for the binders, I am rather a binder-hater. They don't sit well on shelves, take up too much space when they're open and are a general nuisance. For much of our completed work, we simply use a binder clip for each subject and stack those in a paper tray. (Shocking, I know.)

 

Also, I just want to add my congratulations on settling on your final schedule for 11th grade. You've been an inspiration for us. My boys didn't even know it was allowed for them to figure out this curriculum stuff. They thought that was my job. After reading one of your posts to them, they stared at each other in stunned silence. I told them, "It's a brave new world, boys." :D

[Hunter's Moon]

Office Depot and other stores sell a bound composition type notebook with graph paper pages. (I remembered you mentioned that Staples stores are expensive.) College bookstores are also a treasure trove for nifty notebooks. That's the kind we use for our math, and it doesn't fall apart. I know, because I've been doing math alongside my boys for the last five years and I've been using the same book. :D

 

As for the binders, I am rather a binder-hater. They don't sit well on shelves, take up too much space when they're open and are a general nuisance. For much of our completed work, we simply use a binder clip for each subject and stack those in a paper tray. (Shocking, I know.)

 

Also, I just want to add my congratulations on settling on your final schedule for 11th grade. You've been an inspiration for us. My boys didn't even know it was allowed for them to figure out this curriculum stuff. They thought that was my job. After reading one of your posts to them, they stared at each other in stunned silence. I told them, "It's a brave new world, boys." :D

 

That is so sweet, thank you :)

 

And thank you for the college store suggestion. I'll definitely look into that :)

[Twigs]

What classes do you feel that you absolutely need a binder for?

Ask yourself: “what do I need / want a binder for?â€

For myself, it is to store and organize my work so that I can refer to something when I need it – to work out a similar problem, to study for an exam, etc. So I would have all my work in binders.

Then you might ask, “how long do I need to store the work for this subject? “ Just for the course year, or for longer? You may want to keep formal papers or reference pages longer than daily work, for example. At some point, you may go through your binders and decide to toss some papers and keep others. You could then combine work from several courses into 1 binder and label it “Junior Year Keepers†or whatever. I do not have any work left from high school, but I do have some work, notes, etc. from college.

 

Don’t worry too much if you cannot figure out exactly how to fix your dividers now. After a few weeks, (and a few papers!), you will probably figure out a system that will work. Don’t be afraid to change it if you think something different will work better.

Learning to put together a binder was one of the best things I learned in English class. (Not much writing, but we did have notebooks!) That was many years ago, but what I remember was something like this:

Syllabus / Assignments

Notes

Daily Work

Tests

I think there were more sections, but I’ll probably never remember them!

For science, I might do something like this:

Syllabus / Assignments / Calendar / Schedule

Notes

Handouts (such as a periodic chart, list of constants, list of equations, etc.)

Daily Work

Lab reports

Tests

For some classes, I just kept my papers in chronological order (by the date I did the work), without dividing them up by type of work.

Did you ever get to read The Well-trained Mind? Dr. Bauer has lots of great ideas about how to put together binders for different subjects. Just remember, a binder is a tool for you to use; you should not be a slave to a binder (in other words, experiment to get a system that works for you!)

Here are some links to handouts you might find useful for chemistry

• Printable Periodic Table: http://www.webelements.com/nexus/Printable_Periodic_Table

• “How to study for Chemistry Exams and Quizzes†(I can’t figure out how to get the exact link for the PDF file; you can go to this site: http://faculty.valenciacc.edu/jbivins/ ; then the CHM 1025 section, Handouts, then How to Study Handout

Best wishes for your homeschool education!

[memphispeg]

As the teacher, I am using binders for everything!!! For Math, I've got a sheet of assignments/tests/projects for each week. I loaded up the worksheet stuff and tests behind each page. I also have a section for grades. We will generate an exam study section and a portfolio section (of work that my dd and I liked or did not like).

I think the most important thing is to have tangible evidence of the work you do so you can easily refer to it and use it in the future for course descriptions, study, and college app. documentation.

[KAR120C]

We've used different methods of organization for different things, but this year he's required to have a binder for one class, and I think it's a good idea for another four.... so binders it is! :)

 

Mostly what he's using them for is for his outside classes, to make sure everything he needs to refer to and/or deliver somewhere is in one place so he can grab it on his way out the door. I'm encouraging him to use them for online classes too even though he doesn't have to go anywhere, just to keep everything at hand.

Learning to put together a binder was one of the best things I learned in English class. (Not much writing, but we did have notebooks!) That was many years ago, but what I remember was something like this:

Syllabus / Assignments

Notes

Daily Work

Tests

I think there were more sections, but I’ll probably never remember them!

 

For science, I might do something like this:

Syllabus / Assignments / Calendar / Schedule

Notes

Handouts (such as a periodic chart, list of constants, list of equations, etc.)

Daily Work

Lab reports

Tests

This is very similar to how he's setting his up. Latin, Spanish, Economics, and Math he's doing a section for notes, a section or two for checked work (returned homework, quizzes, and tests), and a section for the syllabus and any reference materials in sheet protectors. Then current homework - to be done or turned in - in the front pocket.

 

Literature is in two co-ops this year, and those binders (one for each) will probably be divided differently... One co-op is entirely project-based, so probably a section for each project... and the other spends a semester on each of two Shakespeare plays... so that's probably going to be more like the notes-and-homework sections. Depending on what we end up doing there, it could also have a section for scripts, and a section for group projects... whatever turns out to be useful.

 

Science this year is a whole bunch of projects, so he's actually divided the (larger) binder into seven sections for the seven projects (which may well become eight or nine before we're done). And his science fair project is a separate binder with sections for photos, notes and references. When he's done he'll add the finished paper at the front and it all goes out with his project display. The lab book is separate, bound, with numbered pages, and only written in pen. He uses one for the science fair project and one for his regular daily work. Science this year is entirely at home, so it's less a matter of showing up with materials, and more a matter of not losing track of all the bits and pieces of a lot of projects with a lot of information.

 

In the past he's had a single binder for his assignment lists/ syllabi, and kept everything else in files in a crate (except for the science fair project - that has always been a binder). That works well too, but it's not as portable and easy to grab... So the binders this year are mostly because of his extensive outside class schedule.

[Teachin'Mine]

My teachers forced me to do this because my graphs were horrid so I kind of picked up on doing it myself. :lol:

 

We get our graph paper from the Dollar Store. Of course, it all falls out of its binding. Maybe we'll invest in the Staples brand next time :)

 

Thanks.

 

We tried Staples bound graph paper when they were out of the spirals once, and that fell apart too.

 

The spiral bound graph paper books are great!!! $2.79 at Staples. :)

 

http://www.staples.com/Staples-Quadrille-4x4-Spiral-Notebook-8x10.5/product_716522

[Ellie]

Any class which requires the use of loose-leaf paper for assignments/notes/etc.

[AnitaMcC]

I bought four 1 1/2 in binders. I am trying to decide what classes I will be using a binder for though. I could certainly split a binder and put two classes in it if necessary, but that isn't really ideal.

 

What classes do you feel that you absolutely need a binder for?

 

Also, how do you arrange your binders?

 

 

 

We haven't used binders so far. We just use 1-subject spiral notebooks.

 

For math: daily practice problems they do in their spiral and when they do quizzes/tests they give me the spiral to grade.

 

For English: composition notetaking, daily assignments, Essay outlines they use spiral. Rough Drafts and Final draft of essays they do them on computer and print them out for me to grade and keep. For grammar and vocab they use workbooks and spirals.

 

For History: they use spiral for notes and daily assignments. Essays are done on computer and printed out for me to grade and keep. They do on-line quiz through publisher companion site and email me the grade report.

 

For Science: they use spiral for notes and daily assignments. Labs are done on looseleaf paper, Final lab reports are done on computer, and turned in to me to grade and keep.

 

Elective courses: daily work done in spiral unless we use workbooks/lab books. Essays again are done on computer and printed for me to grade and keep.

 

This works for us. Ds cannot keep anything organized in binders -LOL. Dd just hates using binders. I am not fond of binders either. If I do use any... it is the 1/2 inch ones. I hate having the thicker ones as I never need all that space since I wouldn't be carrying around previous work done anyway... even in high school or college I wouldn't lug them around.

Edited June 21, 2010 by AnitaMcC