Teaching kids HOW to learn through Lapbooks

Many homeschool moms suffer from gap-itis.  We forever are fearful that our curriculum or our teaching is going to come up short and have gaps in content.  Well frankly, EVERY curriculum, no matter how comprehensive is going to have a gap here and there.  There is no way for human-created curriculum to not have some sort of short-coming in content.

So rather than “fear the gaps”…I try to embrace them and accept them.  And instead, I strive to teach my kids HOW to learn… so that no matter what questions they run into in life, they have the cognitive and logical skills to attack the questions.  Here are a few ideas on how to utilize lapbooks to teach your kids how to answer their own questions.

1. Look for inspiration in life: whether it’s a question from a curriculum or interest sparked by a life experience, this is a great place to start a lapbook.
2. Set a time frame: It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the oodles of material that could be put in a lapbook.  It might be helpful to say, “We will work on it for one week or two weeks, maybe we’ll add one or two items each day.”  Then it’s guided and minimizes being overwhelmed.
3. Look for quality literature.  Get to your library! No matter how great the lapbook, it will never replace great literature.  And don’t forget the best literature of all time, the BIBLE!  As you move to number four where you are asking questions…one of those questions should likely be, “What does the Bible have to say about this topic?”
4. Start to ask questions: each question can usually be a mini-book. Example Question: What are the phases of the moon?  Then collect the answer and document in your own mini-book or find a pre-made mini-book that answers that question.
5. Identify Resources: Open your favorite search engine (Google, Bing, etc.) and just go.  I promise, there isn’t much you can search for that someone else hasn’t already published in lapbook or minibook form.  (And even if it isn’t in traditional mini-book form, many printables can be modified into a small mini-book to be placed in a lapbook)
6. Print and Prepare: For younger children, you may need to print it out ahead of time and help prepare.  For older kids, they are likely able to do this on their own and may make some great discoveries in the process.
7. Throw in a field trip.  Some of our favorite unit-lapbooks are those in which we took a trip or created an experience.  Who and where in your community could help you answer some questions on your topic?  Visit them!  Take some pictures and don’t forget to include them in your lapbook.
8. Assemble the Lapbook: Sometimes you can assemble as you go, but it’s probably better to use the folder as a file until you’ve completed most or all of the mini-books.  In our home, Fridays are often “assembly” days…we discuss and review as we assemble which allows me to check for understanding.
9. Reflect on the ENTIRE process: What worked and didn’t work? What parts did you enjoy and not enjoy?  Are there other systems or resources you could use to make the experience more valuable or useful?  Don’t just keep doing lapbooks because your favorite blogger is doing them.  And don’t stress everyone out trying to make it “pretty”…really, that is so not the point! Make sure it really works for your teaching style and your children’s learning style!

Now, go teach your kids HOW to learn (lapbooks or not!).

This is Stacey’s last post with The Homeschool Village.  We are incredibly thankful for her support and encouragement to the homeschool community!  Stacey homeschools her two kids in the Midwest, she blogs as brainintrainin.