Just over twenty-two years ago I began my search for the “perfect” homeschool curriculum. This elusive volume needed to meet both a rigorous standard and include easy-to-understand text. After all, I was not a perfect student or even a good one. Quite the opposite if my school years were to be trusted. I was mediocre, something I did not want for my children. They would be brilliant! Knowing Latin and being able to quote Socrates and Moses from an early age. Thus my journey began.

I studied all the methods of homeschooling. I poured over all the companies that specialized in these methods. Prices were compared, ratings were recorded, and nothing could be left to chance, but soon the waves of doubt and panic began to crest over my head. In the end, I did what almost 100% of the world does when faced with an overwhelming task, I went with what I knew. I chose a workbook program that would allow me to set up a public school at home.

The beauty of those first steps on my homeschooling journey was that my eldest child thrived on workbooks. Reading came easily and she was more than willing to try the work on her own, giving me more time with a growing family. The workbook style was still around for child #2 because what works for one child will surely work for them all. And there began my downfall as the best-mom-ever. Not only did child #2 not like to read but neither did #3. How dare God switch things up on me!

A Study of Homeschool Methods

As our journey continued over the next few years we faced the expectation of child #4, as well as a job change. Belts were tightened and the pricey workbooks were replaced with a more practical method called unit studies. Something I hoped would work for all my children.

This time also brought the important personal lesson that I was not teaching math or science. I was teaching children, and not just any children. These were God’s blessings to us. I needed to take a step back and look at who I was teaching, not what I was teaching. I needed to study and learn about my children.

Lapbooking through Unit Study

A unit study is a method of focusing on one subject as a “spine” and then building other subjects around the spine. For example, a unit study on sea creatures might feature a week where we studied creation day 5, read aloud 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, tried to count the grains of sand in 1 tablespoon, made goldfish crackers, and tasted different kinds of ocean-caught food. Unit studies allowed for all types of learning styles to thrive because there was something for everybody! We loved unit studies, but I felt as though I had abandoned the sit-down work on which my eldest thrived. I began a new search for something “more”. Not a whole change, just something I could add. I found lap booking.

A lap book is defined as an educational tool, generally made from file folders and consisting of small “books”. Lapbooking can be used with all the methods of teaching as a supplement, it can also stand alone as a complete study, and it has something for each learning style. Lapbooking can be simple with a single plain folder and homemade contents. Or it can be extravagant with an intricately designed interior. It can also be fitted for all the grades your family needs.

We began simply with purchased lapbooks that matched our unit study topics. Homeschool Share had (and still does) many of these for free (Knowledge Box Central is a great starting point too). These lapbooks were easy to cut, fold, and glue, giving little hands practice in fine motor skills, and keeping them well occupied. Since we only had a b/w printer I could also include coloring for anyone that wanted to add a splash of excitement.

Lapbooking with various ages

Then I found lapbooks that exactly matched our history text. These were more intricate and kept the attention of the older students. My children enjoyed it so much that as the years progressed, I continued to search for any curriculum that included lap booking. Mystery of History, Apologia Science, A History of US, and Geography Matters are a few of the programs that have lapbooks as a complement to their main texts. These programs generally include ways to adapt what you’re doing for many grade levels and styles.

There is also a good program that utilizes the Lapbook as its central teaching tool, Homeschool in the Woods. Homeschool in the Woods is a history-focused curriculum that comes from a Christian worldview. History may be their starting point but they also include art and science, along with daily teaching text. These lapbooks are quite elaborate and are easily used by students in upper grades. They move from the simple one folder to two or more!

A quick online search for lap booking will reveal that history and science are not the totals of this method. Math, Literature, and Art are becoming some of the most popular subjects! We even did several lap books we created ourselves about our favorite movies! Popcorn, fun, and learning!

The takeaway is that lapbooks are a versatile way to introduce any style learner, in any grade, to every subject you can imagine. Whether you choose to buy them or make them yourself please give lapbooks a try.

To learn about other educational styles you can utilize in your homeschool journey, visit https://exoduschristianacademy.com/literature-based-learning/