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Apologia Notebooking Journals


wehave8
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We didn't. I used the journals for the younger series with my artistic dd. I felt they were expensive, but worth it for her. They really motivated her more than drawing her own diagrams into blank composition books. The questions and such were all the same as were in the book.  For some reason having the notebooks with fill in the blanks and spots to draw pictures and do some cut and paste activities motivates her to do the reading and assignments enough that it makes it worth extra expense. 

 

A different child of mine, not artistic, does fine with a blank notebook to write her definitions into and to answer all of the questions into and to draw diagrams, etc. She did physical science at a co-op, and the teacher supplied them with lab sheets to fill in. 

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They weren't out when my son did those levels (dd didn't do them--she used other things and jumped right into Apologia bio in 9th grade. The notebooks continued to come out about a year after we could have used them!). The only notebook for the upper level science that we've been able to use is the one for Advanced biology, and we love it! These upper level notebooks are not the same as the ones that came with the elementary series (we also used one of those but didn't like them as well). I have seen the one for Physical Science in person (I actually started pestering Apologia every year after that for notebooks for upper level science--glad they finally created them!)

 

It's been awhile since I looked at it, and I remember someone commenting that the one for General sci included some extra things to do (note-taking maybe or some kind of worksheets?) that isn't included in the notebook I have for Advanced bio. I'd probably have skipped anything extra. What I like:

 

The On Your Own questions are written in the notebook with room to answer under--easier than flipping back and forth between a spiral notebook and the question in the book and then needing to flip in the book to find the answer, and then back to the OYO page...

 

The Study Guide is also written in the notebook--again, much easier than all the flipping you need to do without it to find answers. 

 

The Lab Reports are set up for you.

 

The one I have has extra helps in the back (such as Greek and Latin root words--not applicable to other levels but makes me think other levels might have extra helps that relate to those levels).

 

Schedule in the notebook for the student to see--easy to follow. 

 

It's just nice to have everything together, to have it set-up for the student. 

 

HTH!

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Yes, my daughter uses the notebooking journal.  I can't imagine not having it!  It really helps keep her organized with the daily schedule and helps keep her on task through each module.  It's nice to have one book for her to enter all her work neatly into the various categories....the lab/data sheets, study guides, On Your Own pages, etc.  It's formatted nicely and visually appealing which I think helps it to be even more engaging.

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I am really enjoying these positive reviews.  I have boys still at home, but they seem to like 'organized' plans.

 

We could not get into the Notebooks for General after we used the one for Flying Creatures about 4 years ago.  I think because they got somewhat burned out being they were so young.  They turned out great, but they were way too much work at the time.  Then every time I thought of doing another one, I looked at the size and cringed.  Tonight I pulled a notebook for General out of a box in storage, and it seems so different now.  I started thumbing through it and noting what a week would look like according to the lesson plans in the front, and it looks so do-able!

 

I am so excited to put these to use!  I think it will be freeing now instead of drudgery.

 

(don't ever get old.   :laugh:   I think schooling at 55 is getting to me, as much as I still LOVE it!  :001_smile: )

 

Pam

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Yes, we've used them since General Science. Before that I'm not convinced they're necessary, but for Gen and up they're great. As mentioned above, the schedules and things they include are great- reviews, etc. In all honesty the Notebooks are one of dd's favorite parts of Apologia. We're using it this year for Biology too.

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Glad you posted!  We are using Zoology 3 this year and the notebooks have been so-so.  We have a lot of pages we didn't get to and I didn't find it very easy to know when to use what.  I was going to skip the journal for this reason when my oldest starts general science next year, but now I think I'll go ahead and get one. 

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My oldest is doing General Science and is using the notebook. I really like it. It keeps the schedule, note taking, questions, study guide, summaries, and lab report pages all in one place. I'll definitely use the notebook next year with Physical Science as well.

 

My younger 3 have been using the notebooks with the elementary Chemistry and Physics book. I probably won't get them for next year. They feel like busy work to me. I thought I would like the schedule but I feel like reading through the book and doing the experiments gets rushed or takes too long in order to make time for the notebook projects. I feel like we skip experiments to make time for the notebook and I'd rather it be the other way around. (Obviously I could just not let that be an issue but I like to stick to schedules too much.) Next year I'll schedule out the book myself and let the kids keep their own notebooks.

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My oldest is doing General Science and is using the notebook. I really like it. It keeps the schedule, note taking, questions, study guide, summaries, and lab report pages all in one place. I'll definitely use the notebook next year with Physical Science as well.

 

My younger 3 have been using the notebooks with the elementary Chemistry and Physics book. I probably won't get them for next year. They feel like busy work to me. I thought I would like the schedule but I feel like reading through the book and doing the experiments gets rushed or takes too long in order to make time for the notebook projects. I feel like we skip experiments to make time for the notebook and I'd rather it be the other way around. (Obviously I could just not let that be an issue but I like to stick to schedules too much.) Next year I'll schedule out the book myself and let the kids keep their own notebooks.

I wish I could have mine keep their own notebook for the younger series, but it doesn't get done, and it's too much for me to plan.  Maybe you could send me your plans!!!  :)  :)

 

Pam

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I wish I could have mine keep their own notebook for the younger series, but it doesn't get done, and it's too much for me to plan. Maybe you could send me your plans!!! :) :)

 

 

 

Pam

Well, I have learned that just because I have a plan in my head doesn't mean it will actually happen. LOL What I picture is that after we read from the book the kids will spend a few minutes writing a few sentences about what the learned and draw accompanying pictures and diagrams. They will also write descriptions of projects and experiments.

 

What will actually happen is probably quite a bit different.

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We tried the notebooks for the elementary series and didn't find them useful - seemed like WAY too much, and seemed to confuse my boys more rather than reinforce.

 

At the General level, though, I think they're great.

 

I love the schedule and the lab reports' pre-written forms. As a science major, getting lab report format ingrained this young is terrific. I may not have my boys write out every single one, but at least one per week.

 

I love that they can answer the "On Your Own" right in the spaces. My boys both have ADD, and the organizational layout helps them to focus on the content rather than formatting their papers/ reports.

 

And yes - the notebook is HUGE, but it is more like 3 notebooks in one - the regular activities to do from the text (like "On Your Own"), the lab manual, and then the review/study questions, which are optional. I've actually thought of taking it to Staples or somewhere and getting it rebound into 3 separate sections...

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