Creating Notebooks!

A couple of weeks ago, Hobby Lobby had a LOT of scrapbook items on sale, including paper and stickers!!! I LOVE stickers... can't have enough!  Anyway here is a set up of my craft project that took me about 1.5 hours to do 4 notebooks from start to finish.  The composition books are on sale at Staples for $0.50.  This year I am teaching two classes (morning and afternoon), but I am teaching both Math and Science to 6th graders.

I am a huge fan of notebooks and have been doing it for the past 2 years diligently in Science.  This year I am going to give Math a shot, but I had an amazing teacher in high school who made me keep a Math notebook for Algebra 2, and you know what??? I still have it!!! In fact, I referenced it a few weeks ago when I was brushing up on parabalas for my 4-8 Generalist test.  So glad I had that notebook.

Anyway.... the point of this blog is this craft.  A month or so ago, a friend of mine, Katy,  posted some images of these notebooks on her Facebook and I knew I had to make them.  The key ingredient to making them is not in the picture above... see below:

No mod podge glue... just this tack spray, but it smells and can go everywhere!!  I did this project in my house, since it was like 1000 degrees outside,  but I had a fan going the whole time.  I sprayed my notebook COVERS... not the paper, inside a box I was going to throw away-- that way the glue stayed in one place... the box.

Then I placed my papers the way I wanted them and then cut around the edges using an exacto blade. 

I also did the back with the same papers, but maybe a different layout.   Then the real fun began!  STICKERS!!! I purchased all sorts of school stickers  at Hobby Lobby and they worked out wonderfully.  I also added some ribbon to all four.  The ribbon is not a bookmark or anything, just glued to the front cover for added interest.

During the first few days of school, I will let the students decorate their notebooks using colored copy paper, magazine cut-outs, stencils, and glue sticks.  I think if they take their time creating them, they will feel more connected to their work, and therefore, less likely to lose it.  One thing I have not done yet is use a hand held hold punch, punch a hole in the top right corner of the back cover, and attach a large rubber band to it.  This way when my notebook starts to expand (and believe me ... it will) , the rubber band will hold it all together.

You can check out more about how I organize my notebooks and grade them at my blog: Jack of all Trades!

Happy Crafting!!!