Quick and Easy Coin Counting Lapbook

Once again, I'm linking up with Third in Hollywood, Sparkling in Second, Peppy Zesty Teacherista, and Teach Create Motivate for the #TpTSellerChallenge. This week's challenge was to Make a Masterpiece, which gave me some MUCH needed motivation to kick my rear into gear and get back to work.
(Side note: Is anybody else in complete summer mode? It has been so hot here that I don't feel like doing much besides chilling in the air conditioner!)
Anyway, here's my latest creation - or masterpiece, if you prefer:

And (just for fun) here's the backstory behind this puppy!
About two months ago, my husband had a business trip to Denver. Having never experienced the midwest, I decided to tag along! On our last morning, we took a tour of the Denver Mint... What a neat experience! I came back with the desire to create a handful of products with a coin theme.
I started by overhauling the coin puzzles and games I uploaded as one of my first products, and then this lapbook seemed like a natural extension. I don't know WHY I took so long to make it, because I am super excited about how cute it is. :) (I'm biased, I know.)
I'm hoping to create some more coin themed products to go with it in coming weeks. I've got a little list going on my desk, but I'd love to hear your ideas! If there is something you'd like to see, leave a comment and let me know!
Enjoy!
(P.S. Happy Independence Day!)

Valentine's Day Lapbooking

          I don't know about you, but I'm pretty addicted to lapbooking! I'm really excited about this new Valentine's Day lapbook I created to use with my students, and I uploaded it to Teachers Pay Teachers so that you can use it with your students, too! Here's a little tour of the lapbook complete with some links that you might find useful for your Valentine's Day study! :)

          The left side of the lapbook is focused on friendship and kindness. I wanted to make the lapbook relevant to children and help them make personal connections with the holiday. Students will complete the sentences "Friends can..." "Friends have..." and "Friends are..." They will also create a mini-book full of ways to show kindness.

          I've also included vocabulary in the lapbook. Students will define five "LOVEly" words and will explore the word "love." They will look up both the dictionary definition of love, and will write their own definition of love. This is a great way to introduce the concept of connotation and denotation, and help students connect with the idea of "love."

          Of course, meaning is not just limited to words, so students will also be asked to explore the meanings of symbols related to Valentine's day. The symbols I have selected for our study are hearts, lovebirds, roses, and (of course) cupid. I found some explanations of the symbols HERE and HERE that I plan to pick and choose from for our study.

          When I was researching Valentine's Day for this lapbook, I also came across an interesting tidbit! Valentine's Day is celebrated in MANY countries around the world. I thought THIS article was particularly interesting, so I included a booklet where students could write about traditions in Japan, Guatemala, Ghana, and the Philippines. We will look up these countries in an atlas or on a map or globe, too! 

          On the back of the lapbook, we will write about the history of Valentine's Day. We will probably use THIS resource from ABC Teach to help us. If you'd rather keep it secular, there non-religious resources for the history of Valentine's Day out there, too. It might be interesting to research the history of Valentine's Day cards, for example. Anything that doesn't fit into our history of Valentine's Day can go into the "Fun Facts" booklet. There are some unique facts on THIS website. For example, did you know that nearly 10 MILLION pet owners buy Valentines for their pets each year? 

          Finally, we will write a little poem about Valentine's Day to go in our lapbook. Honestly, we will probably just write an acrostic poem using the word "Valentine" because that will give us a chance to reflect on all that we learned. If you wanted, you could also copy a poem about love or friendship into the foldable instead of writing one.

          I absolutely cannot wait to assemble this lapbook with my kiddos! If you'd like to make one, too, you can find it in my TpT store by clicking HERE, or clicking on the image above! If you end up making it, let me know what you think! I always love getting feedback and seeing pictures of completed projects! :)

Lapbooking 101: Picking a High-Quality Lapbook

Over the last few weeks of this series, we've discussed why you should use lapbooking, what supplies you'll want to gather, and how to fold a lapbook. Today, we will move into content - or, more specifically, how to select a lapbook kit. Even if you do not intend to purchase a lapbook kit, this information will help you as you design your own lapbooks.

A high-quality lapbook should contain...

1. Cross-curricular materials. This is VERY important! I strongly believe in an interdisciplinary approach to learning. When you are picking out a literature lapbook, look for lapbooks that tie in (at the very least) science and social studies. Likewise, science lapbooks should tie in math and geography, and social studies lapbooks should tie in literature and science.

2. Real life applications. Relating new facts to everyday life will make them more memorable. You might look for activities that include writing letters to characters, or comparing life today to a different era. If you're creating a science-based lapbook, find ways to include day-to-day applications of different concepts.

3. Appropriate amounts of research and writing. This may seem like common sense, but select a lapbook geared towards your child's age and ability level. For example, don't choose a lapbook with lots of Internet research for your second grader, or a fill-in-the-blank project for your eighth grader.

4. The right amount of material to fit your schedule. Don't try to rush it! A rushed lapbook doesn't make for a pleasant or effective learning experience.

5. Engaging colors, shapes, fonts, etc. Lapbooks should not be garish or distracting, but should be attractive and appealing to young learners.

I hope these tips help you as you select a lapbook for your child! Next time, we'll discuss how to create your own mini-books and foldable lapbook pieces. 

Have you found a great lapbook kit? Share it with us in the comments, or on Instagram by using the hashtag #Lapbooking101 or by tagging me at @edventuresathome!

Lapbooking 101: How to Fold a Lapbook

Welcome back to Lapbooking 101!

Now that we've discussed the reasons to try lapbooking, and some of the basic supplies you'll need, we're going to discuss how to begin building a lapbook. If this is your first time creating a lapbook, I'll break down the steps of the basic fold in the "How to Fold a Lapbook" image below. If you are an experienced lapbook maker, scroll on down past the image and check out some of the "advanced" lapbook building tricks!

Once you've mastered this fold, you can use it to make a "mini" lapbook, or you can use it as a building block to make a larger lapbook. Here are a few ideas for making a larger, "advanced" lapbook. (It's not that hard, I promise!) You will need some tape and strong glue. (I recommend tacky glue or basic school glue - just don't use too much. You could even use hot glue, if you prefer.) 

1. Make a Longer Lapbook. Glue the outside of third section of one lapbook to the outside of the first section of the next lapbook. I know that sounds a little complicated, so here's a graphic to clarify it:

2. Build a Double-Sided Lapbook. Make two lapbooks and glue them back to back.

3. Combine Lapbooking and Notebooking/Journaling. Glue the back of your lapbook to a three-pronged pocket folder, perfect for notebooking pages!

4. Add Extra Flaps and Tabs. Grab some cardstock, or cut up an extra file folder. Using tape to form a "hinge," let your imagination go wild as you create extra flaps that flip or open to reveal more mini-books.

Have you built any lapbooks before? Have you tried any fancy folds with your folders? Post links in the comments, or share them with me on Instagram using the hashtag #lapbooking101, or by tagging me @edventuresathome. :)

Lapbooking 101: Building Your Supply Kit

Lapbooking is a VERY flexible art! When you decide to build a lapbook, there is no limit to the creativity that you and your students can invest. As we've discussed before, lapbooks can be very simple, or very intricate - it's all up to you!
In order to make your lapbooking sessions as efficient as possible, and to maximize creativity, there are a few basic supplies that I recommend rounding up before beginning to lapbook. Many of these are, of course, optional, and this is by no means an exhaustive list. If you are prepared with these supplies, however, you'll be able to create almost any lapbook you desire. :)
So, grab a post-it note and a pencil, and get ready to shop your supply stash or the local craft store!
1. Variety of File Folders - I usually buy primary colored file folders for lapbooking. You can by the plain "manila" folders, but I think the colored ones are so much more fun! There are also a lot of patterned folders on the market, and I imagine that you could make some gorgeous lapbooks with them, but I haven't used them for fear of them being too "busy."
2. Colored Cardstock and Printer Paper - You'll need these for printing (if desired) or designing and cutting your mini-books and foldable lapbook pieces. I usually color-code my lapbook pieces so that all of the mini-books pertaining to a specific subject or theme are the same color. (We'll discuss that further in a future post.)
3. Glue Sticks and Double Stick Tape - Some people swear by bottled glue, but I personally use high-quality glue sticks for lapbooking because they dry more quickly, don't wrinkle your paper, and don't seep out around the edges. You can also use double stick tape or an adhesive runner from the craft store, if you prefer.
4. Quality Colored Pencils - Do yourself a favor and get a nice variety of colors of Crayola (or better yet, Prang) colored pencils. While they are more expensive than other brands, your investment will pay off when you don't have to stop to sharpen them every 5 minutes! :)
5. Scissors - This one should be fairly self explanatory! 
6. Stapler and Extra Staples - Several types of mini-books require stapling, so make sure you have a stapler (and extra staples) handy.
7. Hole Punch and Brads - This is a great way to bind some mini-books together, and will add variety to your lapbooks. While you could certainly get away without them, they will make your lapbooks far more interesting!
8. Stickers, Scrapbook Paper, etc. - These will come in handy when you personalize your lapbooks. Let your student or students go wild as they personalize the cover and make it their own. :)
Have you ever used lapbooks before? Are there any supplies that you love, recommend, or couldn't do without? Leave a comment and let us know!

Lapbooking 101: Five Reasons To Use Lapbooks

It's no secret that one of my favorite homeschooling tools is lapbooking! If you've been homeschooling for long, you've probably heard of them, but have you tried them yourself?
Here are five great reasons to give lapbooking a whirl:
1. Lapbooking helps both visual and kinesthetic learners pick up and retain information. Lapbooking involves lots of visual elements - colors, pictures, text, etc. as well as tons of cutting, gluing... and of course writing and drawing!
2. Lapbooking allows seamless integration of various subjects during a unit study. Working on a literature unit? You can incorporate science, social studies, and even math into your lapbook! In my current elementary literature co-op class, we're reading Pippi Longstocking and Cricket in Times Square and our lapbooks include maps, fun facts about insects, flippable books about counting money, and more!
3. Lapbooking is an inexpensive way to record student learning and create a keepsake for years to come. Lapbooks can be created with supplies that you may already have on hand. All you really need are file folders, paper, scissors, glue, and colored pencils! 
4. Lapbooking is an easy way to capitalize on your child's creativity. Lapbooks can be created very simply, or very intricately! There are no limits to lapbooking - if your child is very creative, you can investigate hundreds of foldables and mini-books, and incorporate all sorts of fun paper, stickers, and scrapbook supplies.
5. Lapbooking is more than another boring worksheet or report! While there is a time and place for formal reports and worksheets, variety is the spice of life (and education)! Mix things up and try a lapbook.
Now it's your turn! Do you have any other reasons for using lapbooks? Leave a comment and share!