From Cindy Rushton's Desk(TOP!)!

Let's Try Lapbooking

12:29 PM, Jan. 2, 2006 .. Posted in Making Homemade Books .. Link

Let's Try Lapbooking


 

Join Cindy as she takes you through the simple steps of creating Lapbooks while developing fun studies on any topic. Of course, Cindy will be providing you with articles that will take you by the hand and help to take the mystery out of Lapbooking. Plus! She will also provide you with links to great websites online that are sure to inspire you! And...for those of you needing a few fresh ideas...this is just for you too! Just pour a big cup of tea and settle in for a bit! You are sure to be fired and inspired during your time with us!



Let's Try Lapbooking!

11:31 AM, Nov. 11, 2005 .. Posted in Making Homemade Books .. Link

 

Let's Try Lapbooking!

 

Join Cindy as she takes you through the simple steps of creating Lapbooks while developing fun studies on any topic. Of course, Cindy will be providing you with articles that will take you by the hand and help to take the mystery out of Lapbooking. Plus! She will also provide you with links to great websites online that are sure to inspire you! And...for those of you needing a few fresh ideas...this is just for you too! Just pour a big cup of tea and settle in for a bit! You are sure to be fired and inspired during your time with us!



Let’s Make a Lapbook! By Cindy Rushton

1:53 PM, Oct. 27, 2005 .. Posted in Making Homemade Books .. Link

 

Let’s Make a Lapbook!

 

 

I have the fever! Yep! I have the Lapbook fever! I was bit by the Lapbooking bug and I have never been the same since! J

 

Ready to catch the fever? Not sure if you want yet ANOTHER thing to do? Oh, beloved friend, you are going to just LOVE making Lapbooks in your homeschool!  Your children are going to LOVE making Lapbooks. Don’t believe me? Well, look at the PERKS of Lapbooking…

 

Þ    Encourages your children to dig out (and remember! AND…review!) information from their studies.

Þ    Students retain more information from their studies. More memorable. They remember information that would slip by in any other format.

Þ    Options and ideas are endless! No limits!

Þ    Encourages a constant review of information—your children CANNOT help but to open booklets when they look through their Lapbooks. J

Þ    You (and everyone! J) see what they are really learning.

Þ    Great hands-on project to correspond with any study.

Þ    Inexpensive—you probably have everything that you need on hand already.

Þ    Great for all ages…all learning styles…and all abilities! Meets them where they are!

Þ    Fun for even the most reluctant writer! They write in snippets—intimidating and more do-able in their eyes.

Þ    Breathes life into the doldrums. If you are dealing with burn-out, this just might be an answer to your prayers!

Þ    Great for any curriculum—any approach!

Þ    Uses skills of learning without even knowing it—cut and paste… copying/copywork… researching… display… outlining… note-taking… computer skills… sequencing… categorizing… compare and contrast… plus, writing!

Þ    Encourages the children to use their own creativity and originality.

Þ    Great record of what is really being learned from the studies.

Þ    Teaches the student how to organize and present material.

Þ    Gives the child a purpose for writing. They see the reason that they are writing. They have an immediate product forming. Real purpose!

Þ    Let’s the children know that what they spend their time producing is special and worth keeping.

Þ    Encourages a love of learning

Þ    They see their success!

 

Sold? Oh! You will LOVE Lapbooking! Just wait and see!

 

 



Grab a Theme For Your Lapbook!! by Cindy Rushton

1:50 PM, Oct. 27, 2005 .. Posted in Making Homemade Books .. Link

 

Grab a Theme For Your Lapbook!!

 

Ready to get started…but just not sure of what to use for your first Lapbook title? Why not look through the following ideas. You are sure to find one…or think of a really NEAT one yourself!

 

From Topics…

50 States

A,B,C...

Airplanes

American Government

American History

American Revolution

Anatomy

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Israel

Ancient Babylon

Ancient Greece

Ancient Rome

Animals (all about…)

Ants

Arachnids

Architecture

Art

Artists

Astronauts

Astonomers

Authors

            Robert Louis Stevenson

Battles of the Civil War

Baseball

Baseball Players

Basketball

Basketball Players

Bees

Beetles

Bible Stories

Bike Safety

Books of the Bible

Boxing

Bill of Rights

Birds

Bob the Builder

Branches of Government

Bugs

Butterflies

Cathedrals

Caterpillars

Cats

Castles

Church History

Circles

Civil War

Civil War Generals

Colonial Life

Comets

Composers

Constitution

Continents

Creation

Daniel Boone

Davy Crockett

Desert Storm

Dinosaurs

Dinosaur Facts

Dogs

Eagles

Early America

Elections

Evangelists

Explorers

Farm Life

Fine Arts

Fish

Flight

Flowers

Fraction Fun

Gardening

Geography

Golf

Government

Grammar Rules

Historical Figures

History of Flight

Hockey

Honey Bees

Horses

Human Body

Hurricanes

Indians

Indians of America

Insects

Inventions

Inventors

Jesus

Jobs

Jungle Animals

Knights

Leaves

Leonardo da Vinci

Lewis and Clark

Lewis and Clark Expedition

Life Cycle of an Animal

Life Cycle of a Flower

Life Cycle of an Insect

Life Cycle of a Tree

Life Cycle of the Plant

Lives of…

            An Author

            A First Lady

An Inventor

A Preacher

A President

A War Hero

Bible Characters

Mammals      

Maps

Medieval Times

Middle Ages

Military Leaders

Missionaries

Moon

Monkeys

Mummies

My State History

My Vacation

My Travels…

Music

Music Composers

Names of God

Names of Jesus

Nature

Nature Hymns

Nature Poems

Oceans

Ocean Life

Old Testament Life

Our Currency

Our Solar System

Parables

Pharoahs of Ancient Egypt

Pilgrims

Pilgrim Life

Pilots

Pioneers

Pioneer Life

Plant Cell

Pocahontas

Pond Life

Prayers

Preachers

Presidents

Puppies

Pyramids

Queens

Reformation

Renaissance

Revolutionary War

Rivers

Sacajawea

Sailboats

Sailing

Seasons

Season of a Tree

Shapes

Silkworms

Snakes

Songs

Song Writers

Space

Space Exploration

Space Shuttles

Speeches

Spelling Rules

Spiders

Spider Webs

Squares

Stamps

State History

States

States and Capitols

Telegraph

Telephone

The Tabernacle

Tornadoes

Viking Life

Volcanoes

Wasps

Weapons

Weather

Westward Expansion

World Leaders

World War I

World War II

Writers

Zoo Animals

 

 

Bible Themes…

All About Advent

Bible Genealogy

Bible Timeline

Books of the Bible

Children in the Bible

Creation

Days of Creation

Favorite Bible Verses

How to Hear God

Story of Samuel

How to Memorize Scripture

How to Pray

How to Read Your Bible

How to Study Your Bible

Illustrated Bible Stories

Illustrated Bible Verses

In the Beginning

Miracles of Jesus

Missionary Stories

My Favorite Bible Character

My Favorite Bible Story

Parables from the Bible

The Fruits of the Spirit

The Names of God

The Names of Jesus

The Sermon on the Mount

The Ten Commandments

The 23rd Psalm

Parables

Story of___

Baby Moses

Christ

Creation

Moses

Noah and The Ark

Paul

Paul’s Missionary Journeys

Life of__________

             Hannah

Jesus

            Moses

            Noah

            Paul

 

From Book Studies

            Charlotte’s Web

            Brown Bear

            Make Way for Ducklings

 

 

From Games…

50 States Bingo

Clock Bingo

Color Tic-Tac-Toe

Go Fish

Letter Sounds Bingo

Math Tic-Tac-Toe

Multiplication Tic-Tac-Toe

Puzzles

States and Capitals Match

Travel Bingo

Vowel Sounds Bingo

 

 

Holidays!

Try these ideas for any holiday!

 

ABC Book

Bible Story

Bible Verses

Family Recipes

Poetry

Quotes

Recipes from Around the World

Songs

Story

Traditions

 

History Timeline…

My Country Timeline

My State History Timeline

----(Unit Study) Timeline

Space Exploration Timeline

Westward Expansion Timeline

Lewis and Clark Expedition Timeline

The Vikings Timeline

Composers Timeline

American Artists Timeline

----(Person) Timeline

Robert E. Lee

Thomas Edison

Helen Keller

----(Time Period) Timeline

Bible

American Revolution

Egyptian

Greek

Romans

Middle Ages

My Family Timeline

Famous Men of---

Civil War

American Revolution
Battles of---

The American Revolution

The Civil War

World War I

World War II

The Vietnam War

Desert Storm

 

ABC LAPBOOKS

            Alphabet book (pictures and Alphabet)

Alphabet word book (Letters of the Alphabet/words...you may also want to add pictures)

            All About Me ABC Book

            My Family ABC Book

            Funny Family Stories ABC Book

            ABC’s of  Airplanes

            ABC’s of American Government

            ABC’s of American History

            ABC’s of American Revolution

            ABC’s of Ancient Egypt

            ABC’s of Ancient Greece

            ABC’s of Ancient Rome

            ABC’s of Anatomy

ABC’s of  Animals (any animal—or all animals you can think of through the Alphabet)

            ABC’s of Architecture

            ABC’s of  Art

            ABC’s of  Astronauts

            ABC’s of  Astronomers

            ABC’s of  Astronomy

            ABC’s of  My Favorite Artist(s)

            ABC’s of  My State

            ABC’s of  My State Government

            ABC’s of Baseball

            ABC’s of Basketball

Adding Games to Your Lapbooks…

1:39 PM, Oct. 27, 2005 .. Posted in Making Homemade Books .. Link

Adding Games to Your Lapbooks…

Oh! Making a Lapbook? You MUST add games to your Lapbook! Nothing will help your children in reviewing all of their information from their study like having a game to pull them back into their Lapbooks! Then, they cannot resist opening all of those booklets yet again! J

 

Adding Games to Your Lapbooks…

The other day I ran across a dear friend’s blog that was FULL of adorable ideas for making “folder” games. These are simply adorable! Check it out today! J

            http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/eclecticchaos

 

Online Games…

http://www.primarygames.co.uk/

 

Help Making Your Own Games Online!

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/learning_games.htm    

http://www.PrimaryGames.com

http://www.waterfordpress.com/game1.html

http://208.183.128.3/tutorials/gameboard.htm

http://www.waterfordpress.com/game1.html

 

 



What Ya Need To Get Started Lapbooking by Cindy Rushton

1:30 PM, Oct. 27, 2005 .. Posted in Making Homemade Books .. Link

 

What Ya Need To Get Started...

Our Easy Shopping List!

by Cindy Rushton

 

 

Ready to get going? Just need to know what you need? Need to gather and organize those supplies?  Okey, dokey! Let’s look at what you need to get started…

 

Our Easy Shopping List!

 

Þ      File folders...Use plain or manilla. You can also use colored file folders to match the theme of your Lapbook. Another great option is to use 11 X 17 or 12 X 18 card-stock paper or posterboard. You may want to use those if you need a specific color to coordinate with your project.

 

Þ      Paper...ANY kind of paper is game. In fact, you will need a wide variety of paper for different uses.  We mostly use 110 lb. white cardstock for most of our children’s pages for their books and their artwork. We make the “hard-copy” of our book on this durable paper when there is a lot of artwork being used.  It is usually acid-free, economical, and the most durable for a wide variety of purposes.  As the years have gone by and their work has shifted to the computer, now we primarily produce their work on the computer (scanning in illustrations or using pictures taken on the digital camera as their clip-art. When books are prepared on the computer, all we need is 20lb. copy paper. We print the “hard-copy” on the computer printer and copy it on a copy machine. We have also been blessed by several of our local printers with scraps of brightly colored paper of all different weights. Most printers have so many different projects going that require different types of specialty paper. As they trim and cut those projects, they are left with an abundance of scrap paper.  We usually get a huge box of scraps.  The children use them for anything from  bright touches on little books to added dimension on pages that need a special emphasis.  The best part of it is that these scraps are FREE! I know, I just lost you...you are on your way to your local printer now!  J

     

      Still need more paper?  You can find bright colored, often acid-free cardstock paper at your local office supply store or Sam’s Warehouse for VERY reasonable.  We always have a big supply of paper on hand for our children since we use Notebooking and Book-making for all of their studies.  Plus, we are addicted to Scrapbooking, so we MUST have plenty of options on hand for those creative moments when they hit. We choose a wide variety of paper depending on what we need…

           

©      110 pound white…for an art project (great for watercolors and markers and glue projects), book or notebook covers, sturdy pages, and timeline notebooks/books.

©      110 pound colored…for book covers… for sturdy pages… for mounting specimens… for mounting backgrounds for pictures and text.

©      Any pound…any color!  Great for adding a touch of color and emphasis to any page.

©      Printed paper...for cute combinations and contrasts!  We also use cute stripes/prints/florals as backgrounds for our covers.  We have found MANY great options right at our fingertips!

©      Plain lined paper…use paper for their level of handwriting.  We cut out small strips for captions, titles, poems, labeling pictures and specimens.  I keep them on hand in our supply cabinet. All the children have to do to write is grab a page and WRITE!

©      Copy paper…for printing off of the computer and Internet. We also use copy paper for printing our “hard-copy” from the computer and for printing the inside pages of our books (covers are printed from cardstock).

©      File folders...fold in a shutter-fold to make a fun, lapbook/desktop project! Great way to safely produce a whole project book with all of your little books. See Dinah Zike’s books for how-to’s, information to include, and great ideas! Another great resource that is HOT off the press is Tammy Duby’s new book The Ultimate Lap Book Handbook. You CAN use 11 X 17 or 12 X 18 paper for nice desktop projects, but the file folders are very sturdy. Both can be stored in your Notebook or in a gallon size plastic bag.

 

Giving your children a wide variety and easy access BEGS them to get busy creating fun and easy books!  Turn them loose!

 

Þ      Pens, pencils, and markers…You probably already have these on hand! Encourage writing by having a wide variety of pens, pencils, and markers. For notetaking, you will need pencils, pens, and highlighters. Most any brand will work fine. For producing your books, look for acid-free, photo-safe supplies. They will last longer, look better, and be easier for your children to use. Your child may be like Elisabeth and have TONS of fun using Gel pens. Those are fun to use for journaling, labeling or hand-writing books. We keep a large supply on hand for Elisabeth to use on her little (and big!) projects! Also, another staple is brush markers! Elisabeth loves to use brush markers to illustrate her books, notebooks, and scrapbooks. The tip works much like a paint brush, making them great for coloring rubber stamps or adding color to their book sketches. Watercolor pencils are also great for this! Both of my children have loved to use watercolor pencils through the years. Watercolor pencils come in a huge variety of colors and can be used to add a touch of color to any page.                  

 

Þ      Scissors!!!  Who would have ever thought that there would be SO many options when it comes to scissors?  We usually keep many different kinds so everyone in the house (except me when I NEED a pair!) has easy access!  We have children’s scissors, fabric scissors, embroidery scissors, decorative scissors (For scrapbooking and, of course, book making!), and craft scissors.  You probably have some of these around your home. The key is having them in an accessible place when you are ready to create your heirlooms.  Use scissors to make the books completely unique. We apply many of the ideas we use in our scrapbooks to make the pages in our books very, very special. Check out some of the pages from Elisabeth’s and Matthew’s  books (on the previous page) for cute samples of how you can use the different edgings to make the pages just perfect!

 

Þ      Glue...Here again, there are sooo many options available.  Each has its own purpose.  We try to always have fresh glue. The beginning of the school year is the best time to buy fresh glue because there are so many great Back-to-School sales.  Stock up then on your Elmer’s or 3M glue sticks, 3M spray adhesive, Elmer’s liquid glue, rubber cement, mounting corners, and mounting tape.  Keep them accessible for your little ones to freely use. We keep ours in our supply cabinet, ready-to-use at any time!

 

Þ      Staplers…Although there are MANY, MANY ways to bind books, we bind our books in four primary ways: comb-binding, spiral-binding, 3-ring notebooks, and stapling.  The first two may be a bit out of reach for you, but staplers are readily available for beginning authors.  We recommend that most of you just have the comb and spiral binding done for you at your local printer, but you may want to purchase your own staplers if you want to keep your expenses down and encourage your children to make books at their whim.  We keep the regular staplers AND the heavy-duty, long-arm booklet staplers.  These are especially great for making books. They are well-worth your investment if your children get hooked on creating books. You will find them using them regularly!

 

Þ      Hole puncher…You probably already have one on hand. These are fairly inexpensive. If funds are really limited, buy a hand-held hole-puncher. You can line up notebook paper on top of your page as your punching guide. Of course, the 3-hole punchers are now so much more reasonable and save your time, making them well worth the investment. These can be used for a multitude of uses, but one great way to use them is to create your books in a 3-ring notebook binder style. Your children can design their own covers, hole punch the pages, and add the pages to the binder. Voila! Binding is DONE! Quick, easy, and inexpensively. If this is your option, you can find your binders reasonably priced at your local Sam’s Discount Warehouse or office supply store.

 

Þ      Notebooks...Speaking of notebooks… Our favorite notebooks are the 3-ring vinyl notebooks that have the clear pockets on the outside so the children can design their own covers.  We usually choose the white notebooks (Either 1 or 1 ½ inches thick, although some of the more beloved studies have required larger notebooks.) and fill it full of plastic sheet protectors.  Then, all our children have to do is add their work each day.  This is one of the greatest places to store your information while compiling your book. Of course, we LOVE Notebooking! Our homeschool notebooks have inspired many of the books that we have produced. As topics have grown in our notebooks, we have found PERFECT topics for our books. Everything from our notebooks can be used in our books too! Copywork, maps, narrations, letters, interviews and even illustrations can be used in books. Also, notebooks are the perfect place to store away your books to keep them safe!  If you need more help with notebooking, check out our best-selling book Notebooking! Yes! You CAN Be A Binder Queen Too!

 

Þ      Computer… Talk about turning a young writer loose! Our computers today invite our children into publishing their own books! Whereas you do not have to have the best and the most updated computer to produce your own books with your children, I am amazed at the prices for great computers today. They have become affordable for every home! We suggest that your computer have a good publishing program. Microsoft Office is our pick. It is the most versatile and is now available in a student edition—just show your local office supply your proof of enrollment with your homeschool. We use Microsoft Word (included in the student’s version of Microsoft Office) for writing our actual rough-drafts since it also has a built in spelling and grammar check. We use Microsoft Publisher (also in the set) for our actual book set-up. We operate Microsoft Windows XP for our operating system with our computers. It has a wonderful program that archives our digital pictures into files that are easy to use as clip-art.

 

Þ      Camera… Yes, you can use those disposable cameras if that is your only option.  However, I must share our mainstay: our digital camera!  Not only do you save money on film processing, but you can also “paste-and-clip” all of your pictures into documents that your children are writing.  Printing is as easy as the click of a button.  NOW…if you have a nice camera, you can still have your film processed in most locations so that you can request a disc with the pictures on it. Those pictures can be used as clip-and-paste into your documents as well. This unleashes those children who are hands-on into a whole new world of writing. If they are your children who are constantly building, cooking, creating, or tinkering; they can document what they are learning step-by-step in their books. Get those cameras out! Turn those little ones loose!

 

Þ      Comb-binder…I know, I know… This sounds like such an extravagance!  But, hold on! Comb-binders are now available in small, reasonable versions that are no larger than a 3-hole puncher. If you are going to make many books, especially if your children want to begin their own “business,” this is a MUST! You will save enough money on your very first books to purchase your own little comb-binder. These are available through our bookstore or at your local office supply.

 

Þ      Other “essentials” you probably have...The extras are what makes each and every book special in its own way, with the personality of the writer.  The sky is the limit!  Again, these are probably already in your home. Gather them together and turn your little ones loose!

©       Stickers!

©       Rubber Stamps!

©       Paper Cutters!

©       Cutting Mat!

©       Scrapbooking Books and Magazines!

©       Paints!

©       Ruler!

©       Paper Cutter!

©       Craft Knife!

©       Scrapbooking Supplies!

©       ETC!

                                   

 

 

Need Help with Your Young Writers? 

Write a BOOK!


Yep! And WE will help you each step of the way!!

 

See our NEW E-book Homemade Books!

 

 

See More Information Here:

http://www.cindyrushton.com/HMBEBOOK.html

 

 

 

 



Recommended Resources for Lapbooking! by Cindy Rushton

1:30 PM, Oct. 27, 2005 .. Posted in Making Homemade Books .. Link

 

Recommended Resources...

Still need a bit of help?  Is there a particular area of this process that you just need a bit more help? The following are some of our PICKS!

Cindy Rushton

            Let’s Make Lapbooks!

            Let’s Make Lapbooks—Audio Workshop

Homemade Books! YES! You CAN Be a Writer Too!

Let’s Make Homemade Books—Audio Workshop

On the Go With Lewis and Clark

Planning FUN and EASY Lessons—On the Go with Lewis and Clark—Audio Workshop

10 Fun and Easy Ideas for Making Homeschooling Great—Audio Workshop

Language Arts The Easy Way

Language Arts The Easy Way—Audio Workshop

Copywork! Answers to Your Questions! (COMING SOON!)

Notebooking! YES! You CAN Be a Binder Queen Too!

Notebooking! YES! You CAN Be a Binder Queen Too—Audio Workshop

Let’s Try Notebooking—Audio Workshop

Homeschooling The Easy Way Manual

Inspiring Our Children Toward Greatness Using Great Literature

A Charlotte Mason Primer

Audio Workshops (see our listing at our website--look for our DESTOCK Sale!)

 

 

            Barb Shelton

The Booklet Building Book

 

 

            Tammy Duby and Cyndy Regeling

                        The Ultimate Lap Bookä  Handbook

                        Tammy Teaches Lap Booksä  (Video)

Great Lap Bookä  Ideas (CD ROM)

Getting Your Kids to Love to Write (Audio)

 

 

            Dinah Zike