Lapbooking and Unit Study Themes

General How-To Pages 

Lapbooking

Lapbooking can be done by any learner-- from preschoolers to adults. With this educational method, you make mini-books covering details that you've studied. After making a variety of mini-books about a larger topic, all the books are put together in...

Lapbooking -- Frequently Asked Questions

Most any topic comes with its own set of FAQ --frequently asked questions. Lapbooking is no exception. These questions seem to be asked by most new lapbookers. The fortunate thing is that there are lots of other lapbookers who've already come up with...

How to Plan a Lapbook

Once you understand the basics of lapbooking, you can easily plan your own lapbook to match whatever topic you are studying. You don't need to buy a kit, so you save money. And you can custom design the lapbook to reflect your children's interests a...

What Do I Need to Get Started With Lapbooking?

If you're ready to take the plunge to use lapbooks in your curriculum, you should evaluate your resources. Do you have what you need to do it well? Where do you store your craft and art supplies? Do you have the essentials for lapbooking? Do you know...

A Super Easy Way To Begin Lapbooking : The Simplest Lapbook Ever

So you've heard about lapbooking and seen pictures or videos of other people's finished lapbooks all over homeschooling blogs. You're intrigued and want to make a lapbook with your own children. But where to start? How can you transform that plain, b...

Blogs & Videos 

The Best Lapbooking Blogs

Want a regular supply of lapbooking inspriation? Subscribe to the feeds of the best lapbooking blogs. Each day you'll see some brilliant ideas and lots of links to explore.

Lapbook Video Showcase

Wouldn't it be great if another homeschooling mom could come over with a lapbook in hand and simply show you what lapbooking is all about? If she could let you see an actual lapbook and explain how it works, how it's made, and what her children lear...

Minibook Lenses 

How to Make a Trifold Minibook

A trifold is one of the simplest and most versatile minibook out there. It's called a trifold because it's folded in thirds just like you fold a letter to put into an envelope. This lapbook option can be large or small. With lots of empty space ins...

How to Make a Flag Book

A flag book looks tricky, but it's not really hard. These step by step photo instructions will teach you how to make a flag book that you can fill with whatever you want. It's sure to impress! Use it as a minibook for lapbooking something you learne...

Minibook Gallery

Whether you're new to lapbooking and are trying to get an idea of what minibooks are or whether you're an old hand at lapbooking and want some fresh ideas, welcome to the minibook gallery! Browse the images for some creative inspiration. Follow the...

How to Make a Three Square Unfolding Book

This is a tiny book that opens up BIG. In fact, it's so big that some people call it an explosion book or a squash book! Okay, I'm not going to lie. This minibook is a bit difficult to make because it involves some origami folds. BUT it's really coo...

How to Make a Wheel Book

Grab some cardstock and a paper fastener! We're going to make a wheel book today! This minibook is especially popular with the little ones because of the motion of the book. The wheel book is especially good for steps in a process or listing several...

How to Make a Matchbook

Called a matchbook because it's folded like a book of matches, this minibook is just a few folds away. Generally a small book, it is perfect for vocabulary words or other snippets of information. Make several and arrange them in a group inside your...

How to Make a Three Fourths Book

A three fourths minibook is a simple fold for your lapbook that offers plenty of space inside for writing text or drawing pictures.

How to Make a Tabbed Book

Making a tabbed book is quite easy! So you don't really need a template. You simply need instructions. Do you have scissors (or a paper cutter), a ruler, a stapler, and some paper? Okay. Follow these step by step directions and you can make this min...

How to Make a Four Corner Minibook

Have a square of paper? Then you can easily make this minibook. Because of how it's folded, the four corner minibook is also often called an envelope book. Make it large or make it small depending on how much content you want to include in the book....

Notebooking 

Lapbooking Versus Notebooking

Lapbooking and notebooking are both popular among homeschoolers now. I will take you through some basic characteristics of each and hopefully answer these questions: What are these learning methods? How are they similar? How are they different? Whic...

Notebooking Exhibit

You've heard about notebooking. You know it's a flexible tool that can be used with most any curriculum or homeschooling style. You've read a bit about it, but you're still not quite sure. What is notebooking? What does it actually look like, and ho...

Science Notebooking

If you're new to notebooking, you'll discover that science is a great topic to begin with. Because science is so broad and lends itself to a variety of methods of expression such as charts, diagrams, paragraphs, and photos, it's perfect for notebooki...

Math Notebooking

Whether you call them math notebooks or math journals, writing about math and documenting math activities are a great way to cement mathematical understanding. And along the way, you're creating a wonderful record of your math studies that can be use...

Bible Notebooking

Notebooking can be applied to any subject of study, including the Bible! Enrich your Bible study times by recording what you learn and documenting it in notebooks. The notebook is not the same as a personal prayer or devotional journal although a Bi...

Printables for Mathematicians Are People Too

Biographies are a mainstay of a living books curriculum. Therefore biographies of mathematicians are a key part of living approach to math. In my transition to living math, I bought the book, Mathematicians Are People, Too. It is composed of 15 chap...

Science Themes 

Space Lapbook

Take advantage of a child's natural fascination with outer space and space travel with this science unit study!  What child doesn't like to pretend he's an astronaut, flying a spaceship to a distant planet or yet to be discovered galaxy? Channel...

Human Body Lapbook

We all have one! We use it every moment of every day-- your incredible human body! What a personal and relevant topic of study for any child! For the younger students, your study may focus primarily on anatomy, so you will explore the body's organs...

Chemistry Lapbook

Finally we are studying chemistry for homeschool science! This year is going to be really fun! We will study the elements, learn about subatomic particles, read biographies of famous chemists, and the best part -- make lots of messy experiments! Besi...

Physics Lapbook

Think physics is only for college geeks? Think again! Physics is a fascinating facet of science that is especially relevant to children -- pushing and pulling, falling and leaping are all components of this science. Even elementary students can benef...

Animals and Ecosystems Themes 

Rainforest Lapbook

The tropical rainforest is a fascinating topic for a homeschool unit study! Just the botany and zoology alone could take weeks to cover. There are also the history of the rainforest, the indigenous peoples of the rainforest, and the economy of the ra...

How to Create an Animal Lapbook

Planning your own lapbook is quite do-able because of the wealth of free and instant resources available on the Internet. This lens will point you in the right directions for a free DIY animal lapbook. Once you understand the process, you can use the...

Penguin Lapbook

The penguin makes a great unit study and topic for a lapbook. There is the biology involved in the study of the animal itself. You can also add the earth science and geography of the penguin's habitat.  Then there are great living books about pe...

Holiday Themes 

Thanksgiving Lapbook

Take a break from your regular homeschool curriculum and have a Thanksgiving unit study! History, culture, and food all come together in this topic! Create a lapbook to record what you learn. This page will direct you to great books to read and free...

Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month. But that's not May 5th. This holiday is calculated according to the lunar calendar. The next Dragon Boat Festival is June 16, 2010. You still have time to plan some fun activities f...

Chinese New Year

新年快乐 Happy Chinese New Year! Take your children on a fascinating cultural experience -- celebrate Chinese New Year! Chinese New Year is the celebration of a new lunar year. It is a fifteen day holiday that starts on the e...

Mid-Autumn Festival

Most cultures have a harvest festival. China is no exception. The Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节 (Zhong Qiu Jie) is one of the three most important, traditional Chinese holidays. (The other two are Chinese New Year and Dragon Boat Festi...

Arts Themes 

Cassatt Artist Study

Mary Cassatt is an excellent choice for your homeschool artist study. She is one of the few women Impressionists, and commonly portrays domestic scenes of women and children. She was American by birth, but lived for much of her life in France, surro...

Classical Music Lapbook

Music is one of those topics that we homeschool moms know we should teach our children. But whether it's because of our own lack of knowledge, a tight homeschool budget, or just a crowded schedule, music study often gets pushed to the back burner. Th...

Picasso Artist Study

Study the artwork of a modern artist whose very name has come to mean a masterpiece of art-- "a Picasso." If your children have been studying more traditional artists, the works of Picasso may be a most welcome change of style. Dabble into the arti...

Monet Artist Study

Claude Monet is sure to be at the top of your homeschool artist study list! His paintings are everywhere and his contribution to art history is unparalleled. It is his own painting Impression-- Sunrise that gave Impressionism its name! Monet's subje...

John James Audubon Artist Study

Was John James Audubon a sketching naturalist or a nature loving artist? Actually, his bird drawings were intended to be scientific sketches instead of art. But most people would agree that his careful observation of birds brought a realism and deta...

Social Studies Themes 

President Barack Obama Lapbook

Celebrate President's Day or Black History Month (or both!) with a study of our current president -- Barack Obama! Read about our 44th president and make a lapbook to record what you learn.

Ancient China: A Homeschool Unit Study

When teaching our children ancient history, we are sure to include Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome. Unfortunately we sometimes omit another great ancient civilization on the other side of the globe-- Ancient China...

Ancient Egypt Lapbook

Ancient Egypt is one of the most fascinating of world cultures! What child isn't intrigued with mummies, pyramids, and the complicated religion of this ancient civilization? Create an interdisciplinary study by including subjects besides just histor...

50 States Notebook

The Fifty States of America is a popular notebooking topic. It can be the basis of a unit study, or it can be a supplement to your American history curriculum. When you're finished, you have a wonderful, homemade reference book.

Math Themes 

Charts and Graphs for Learning

We were studying the instruments of the orchestra, and my daughter had an idea to make a poll of people's favorite composers to add to her lapbook . I asked her a few questions, and she said, "Wait a minute. I know just what I want. Let me go ge...

Tangrams

Tangrams are geometry made into 3D, creative fun! Print off some paper tangrams or make your own from craft foam. Then put on your visual-spatial thinking cap as you discover how to arrange the tiles to make animals, people, or objects. Put away the...

Living Math

In a child's early years, math is actually play. Counting, stacking, sorting, and balancing are all fun activities that develop mathematical reasoning. Don't separate math from fun. Don't kill a child's natural love of mathematical play by insisting...

Hands-on Fractions

Understanding fractions is a critical foundation of math learning. But despite their daily frequency in our lives, math with fractions can be difficult to grasp. Not surprisingly, research shows that to master fractions, students need multiple opport...

Miscelaneous Themes 

Celebrate National Dictionary Day!

October 16, the birthday of Noah Webster, is Dictionary Day in America. Show your appreciation for this most useful of reference books by celebrating Dictionary Day with your children --learn some new words, learn how dictionaries came to be, spruce...

Mini Offices

A mini office is a particular application of lapbooks. Each child can make his own mini-office -- a lapbook filled with reference pages for his own learning. The sky is the limit on what you can include. Fill the mini office with the charts that your...

Timelines for Homeschool

Timelines are an important complement to any homeschool history curriculum. They are especially good for visual learners because they offer a view of historical events in a pictoral way. Even very young children can use a timeline to see the span of...

Celebrate the Peanut -- A Unit Study

The average American consumes more than six pounds of peanuts and peanut butter products each year. WOW! Americans love to snack on peanuts. In fact, four of the top 10 candy bars manufactured in the USA contain peanuts or peanut butter. Because of...

Charlotte Mason Inspired Themes 

Nature Study -- Charlotte Mason Style

Charlotte Mason's educational philosohpy is a great fit for homeschool families who love great books, simple methods, and academic excellence. One component of a Charlotte Mason education is the regular study of nature. Nature Study has just two pa...

Shakespeare for Children

When should students first be exposed to the world famous works of William Shakespeare? Should it be during high school or college years? Isn't it true that Shakespeare is inaccessible for most modern readers and certainly for all children? No, not...

Poetry in Homeschool

April is National Poetry Month. Does your homeschool language arts curriculum include the study of poetry? Whether you're striving to incorporate more poetry into your curriculum or whether you are looking for a poetry unit study, this webpage should...

Artist Study -- Charlotte Mason Style

With most things CM (Charlotte Mason), once you get accustomed to her methods and they become a habit, you realize just how easy they are. Artist study is no exception. Charlotte Mason's way of studying artists is inexpensive, simple, and enjoyable. ...

Composer Study -- Charlotte Mason Style

A rich and full homeschool education is sure to include some study of classical music and the famous composers who write its music. The Charlotte Mason style of studying composers is an easy and inexpensive way to expose your children to the masters...