Review: Home School in the Woods

Hello, friends! I want to share with you a resource company that uses the popular method of lap booking to teach history! If you have never heard of lap books, I encourage you to check out this resource. It is a great way to get your child involved and active in their learning. The review today will focus on The 20th Century in America Lap-Pack by Home School in the Woods.

Description

Home School in the Woods Publishing has created a detailed and thorough process for studying the 20th Century in America. It highlights some of the most important moments of this century as well as the fads and even styles of the time. I received the following in the download:

• Introduction and Directions so that you feel confident in how to create and assemble the lapbook. This is especially helpful if you have never used them before.
• LapBook Project Masters which are the printable pieces for each activity. There are 22 activities included that range from topics of the conflicts, music, famous people, medical advancements, transportation and much more.
• Reading Text Passages that are available in formats to either place in a binder or even print as a book whichever you would prefer. I printed mine to place in a binder. Also included is a list of books and resources that you can use to further your study on the topics.

Routine

I had my sixth grade daughter complete the lap pack for her daily history instruction. She would study the selected reading and then complete the activity that corresponded to it. There were a few days she completed two sections depending on the length. She filed each activity in a file until she was ready to put the pieces all together to create the finished lap book. I was very relieved to find extensive directions with pictures as this was quite a lap book once completed! 

Good to Know

1. This lapbook is suggested for grades 3-8.
2. The downloadable version is available for $21.95 while the CD version is $22.95.
3. I would definitely recommend obtaining the additional resources suggested as each topic is discussed in a shortened form. To build background and give students a better understanding, I would say that a bit more reading is necessary.
4. What I loved about this company was how thorough the instructions were. As we had never created a lapbook so extensive, I felt confident after reading the directions. They were detailed for each activity and then for the creation of the finished product. Your student's lapbook will look like the awesome pack below!

Our Thoughts

I label this section "Our Thoughts" as I wanted to include my daughter's opinion as well. In our opinion, this project gave activities that would allow her to transfer her what she has learned into a cut and paste activity and result in a finished project. However, we felt the reading was not quite complete enough. She often came to me to ask more questions about the reading and I needed to fill in the gaps or find resources that could do so. However, it is a great jumping off point for you to direct your child's instruction using the suggested resources. It is a fantastic method to bring a bit of excitement into what could be a very boring subject for some.

The best part of this learning method is that your child finishes the unit with a book to keep for future review or pleasure. The Lap Packs would be perfect to include in portfolios and learning files. It is also a fun way to share with family and friends what your child is learning. I was not the only one to review this great product. Be sure to click the banner below to read how other families used this curriculum in their homes.