Lapbooking !

What Is A Lapbook?

A lapbook is a wonderful homeschooling tool! It is a regular file folder (or folders) refolded and filled with mini books and flaps. These books and flaps can be filled with all kind of information on any topic you choose. There is no right or wrong way to lapbook. Each lapbook is an original creation and will be a treasure for years to come!

Why Lapbook?

1. Lapbooking is a wonderful tool to use to teach and learn with your children! Lapbooking is exciting! Each on is like a little adventure into learning.
2. It is a way to teach your children how to become researchers and writers! Children learn to research as well as compose what they have learned so it can be presented to others.
3. It is a great place to keep a record of their work over the years. Before we began lapbooking I really had very little as far as examples of my children 's work. We use a Literature Based Curriculum and other than Math Books, handwriting wookbooks & a report here and there I didn't have many concrete examples of what they had learned. Once they began lapbooking this quickly changed! Suddenly we had these bright, colorful, exciting packages we could look at again and again. We began to find ourselves saying "Wouldn't that make a wonderful lapbook?" as we read book and went on field trips. We began to "think" like lapbookers. Taking notes on topics of interest and planning out what lapbooks we would like to make.
4. They are great for reviewing what they have learned since they are so much fun to pick up and look through over and over. How many time are your children going to drag a out a report they wrote last year and re-read it? These are like scrapbooks of their education. They will get them out again and again reviewing without even realizing it.
5. They are wonderful to show-off what you have been doing in school, whether it be to a school official or Grandma. In some States work samples must be shown to school officials through the year. What a impressive presentation lapbooks would be for this purpose! Even if you are only showing them to Grandma your children will be proud to share what they have learned. Plus you will never have to dread that end of year Project Fair again!
6. Lapbooks can be done on any topic and with any age of child. Cutting, pasting, drawing, stickers, what's not to love?
7. They are less intimidating for reluctant writers.
8. The are compact and easy to store. Most of all they are FUN!!!Recommended Ages for LapbookingLapbooking can be done from Preschool through Highschool! The topics will change over the years but it can be adapted to any age.

What You will Need
SuppliesFile Folders of all colorsAdhesives (I like scrapbooking adhesives the best.)ScissorsRuler or paper cutter
White Cardstock
Color Paper
Color pencils, markers or crayons
Stapler
Clear packaging tape (To add on extensions.)
Optional - Ziploc baggies and a sewing machine (If you want to make the ziploc baggie lift tabs.)Optional - stickers, magazines, rubber stamps, scrapbooking supplies, etc...

The Nuts and Bolts of Lapbooking

Here is one method we have used...
1. Pick a topic you are interested in.
2. Find books, webpages, etc that have information on your topic.
3. Start reading the information you have and make notes on what information you want to include in your mini books.
4. Find folds that you want to incorporate into your lapbook. Once you know what you want to include start writing the information into the books. Keep the mini books in a large ziploc bag and keep adding more of them as you do your study.
5. Once you have completed your study lay out all the mini books you have made and decide how many folders and extentions you will need to have. Put the folders and extensions together and start gluing in your mini books.
6. Design and decorate your cover.
7. Add graphic, clipart, original drawings, stickers, etc.
8. Design and decorate your cover.
9. Sign and date the back. Include your childs name, age, grade, & date. This is also an excellent place to write up a bibliography of all your resources. Your DONE!

Here is the second method we have used
(Laying out the lapbook 1st.)
1. Pick a topic you are interested in.
2. Fold your folders and attach as many together as you want to the particular study.
3. Make whatever mini books you want to make and put them inside the folders.
4. Now that you know how many books you will be making start thinking of questions to answer about your topic. You will need one question for each mini book or flap.
5. Start researching your topics.
6. As you find the information write it into the mini books. You will probably want to write a rough draft on notebook paper before writing the info into the books. You can also type the info out and print it then cut and past it into the books.
7. Add graphic, clipart, original drawings, stickers, etc.
8. Design and decorate your cover.
9. Sign and date the back. Include your childs name, age, grade, & date.
This is also an excellent place to write up a bibliography of all your resources.
Your DONE!

Links to GREAT Lapbooking Resources!

Here are some site that shows you how to make mini books.

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/lapbooking_resources.htmhttp://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/templates.htmhttp://www.txchess.com/minibooks.htmClipart!

http://www.teacherfiles.com/clip_art.htm

http://school.discovery.com/clipart/index.html

http://webclipart.about.com/od/webclipartatoz/l/blnettop.htm

http://www.kidsdomain.com/clip/

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/FX101321031033.aspx?pid=CL100570201033

http://webclipart.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coolarchive.com%2Fclipart.cfm%3Fparameter%3DOffice%2520and%2520Business

Other great Online resources

Make your own puzzles. (Excellent resource!!! Lot's of types of puzzles to create on your topic.)
http://www.puzzlemaker.com/

Jigsaw Puzzle Pattern (Heart) to print 7 pieces:http://www.msssbible.com/memoryverses/createyourown/heartpuzzle3.htm

14 pieces:http://www.msssbible.com/memoryverses/createyourown/heartpuzzle1.htm

Cool Shapes to cut and paste (suitcase w/clothing, paper chain of men w/ hearts, faces, etc.)http://www.msssbible.com/memoryverses/createyourown/

Templates to Printhttp://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/templates.htm

Templates, templates and more templates! (Including templates to make mini folders!)http://www.stampersmall.com/templates/

Templates For Pop-Upshttp://robertsabuda.com/popmakesimple.asp

Cool fold to include worksheets in Lapbookhttp://wildwood.homestead.com/expandbook.html

Create Your Own Crossword Puzzlehttp://www.edhelper.com/crossword_free.htm

Create Your Own Printable Awardshttp://www.dltk-cards.com/award/

Make a Venn Diagram Onlinehttp://teachers.teachnology.com/web_tools/graphic_org/venn_diagrams/

Make a Timeline to Printhttp://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/timelines/

Free Printableshttp://www.apples4theteacher.com/http://www.abcteach.com/

Free Printable MiniBookshttp://mrsjonesroom.com/teachers/minibooks.htmlhttp://www.dltk-teach.com/minibooks/index.htm

Cindy Rushton Websitehttp://www.cindyrushton.com

Cindy Rushton's Bloghttp://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cindyrushton

Scrapbooking To Learnhttp://scrapbookingtolearn.com/

Lots of Info on LapbookingTobins Lab Lapbooking Info Sheet. Here is the link http://www.tobinslab.com/downloads/Lap%20Book%20Info%20Sheet.pdf

This is a sheet with some good basic info on lapbooking. Here is the Tobin's Lab catalog section on lapbooking. Lots of good resources for sale. Here is the link to the catalog. http://www.tobinslab.com/shopping/catalog.aspx?scCatalogCategoryID=63&CategoryTrail=0

(This is a great place to buy Dinah Zikes books!)

Here are some great places to buy pre-made lapbook kits. All of these offer Freebies!!!

Hands of a Child http://www.handsofachild.com

Live And Learn Press http://www.liveandlearnpress.com

Knowledge Box Centeral http://www.knowledgeboxcentral.com/

Here is a site that shows a Human Body Lapbook and all the links to make your own.http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HSBCompanyBlog/230284/#c422930

Lapbooking Yahoo GroupIn my opinion this is the BEST resource on Lapbooking. Over 3000 homeschooling Mom's sharing ideas about lapbooking! It is AWESOME!!! (And is brought to us by the ladies over at Hands of a Child.) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Lapbooking/

Outside The Box IdeasNo law was ever written that lapbooks have to be in a file folder! How about making a GIANT lapbook using a Presentation Folder? -

http://homeschoolblogger.com/jaminacema/109818/Make A Paper Bag Book. -

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jaminacema/194729/Make A Scrapbook Page -

http://homeschoolblogger.com/jaminacema/105639/The Only Limit Is Your Imagination! (Or Your Kids!!!)The best advice I can give you for lapbooking is "Just Do It"!!! No one will be grading you. Get out your supplies, put on your thinking caps and have fun! You will be amazed what you and your kids can come up with together. Isn't togetherness the best part of homeschooling?