September 2, 2008 - Is Lapbooking Controlling Your Curriculum?
Sprite and I really enjoy lapbooking. The creative and artsy component is a great supplement to our homeschool adventure.
But I refuse to let lapbooking take over.
Sometimes it tries.
Let me share some mental temptations which alert me when I’m about to let lapbooking take over.
- We’ve got to make minibooks about these next four topics in the series. We already made minibooks for topics one and two. If we don’t keep going, we can’t make an entire lapbook. I know that we’ve exhausted the topic and are ready to move on, but what about these two orphan minibooks?
- I’ve got this fantastic printable from the new Homeschool in the Woods Time Traveler series. And another one on the topic from History Pockets. Oh, and I saw a blog yesterday that had yet another great idea for a layered book for this topic. Maybe we should do them all and connect them together…..
- Today’s lesson really suits a notebooking page for narration. But if I do that, then we won’t have that topic covered in our lapbook. The lapbook will be missing this huge chunk of information. I should put it into a minibook instead.
- Today’s lesson is best narrated with a simple verbal retelling rather than with a minibook. But if I do that, then maybe the lapbook won’t have enough minibooks in it. It really needs a long skinny book to fit on the side….
- Forget the nature walk today. Forget playing math games. These minibooks have got to get done today! I want this lapbook done this week.
minibooks from our American Revolution lapbook
In each of these scenarios, the completion of a “perfect” lapbook is the goal. And that’s when lapbooking is trying to take over your curriculum.
Lapbooking should be a tool. You use it to reinforce your already excellent curriculum. If the minibook fits, you use it. If it doesn’t, you don’t force it. You don’t use every free printable out there just because they are all so clever and, well, free! And you don’t have to use every resource that you paid for either. Simply pick and choose what is best. If you get a few ideas or printables from a resource book, then you’ve gotten your money’s worth. The lesson is the superhero; the lapbook is the sidekick. Sometimes the superhero can do his job without the sidekick at all. And that’s okay.
Oh, and it’s okay to make just one minibook. Or two minibooks. I give you permission. I give myself permission. Not every minibook has to become part of a lapbook. If you feel that those orphan minibooks are too lonely, affix them onto a piece of cardstock, and add them to a 3 ring binder as a notebooking page.
A lapbook doesn’t have to reflect everything you studied in a unit, either. If it’s gappy and unbalanced, that’s okay. You know that you covered all aspects of the topic in other ways besides lapbooking. Some things were worked out in long discussions or through role play. Those kinds of learning will never fit into a lapbook, but they are priceless nonetheless. Don’t force everything into a lapbook. And don’t force everything into a minibook. Just do what works.
Tame that lapbooking monster and get him under control. Make him work for you and for your children!
Comments
September 2, 2008 - Wisdom!
Posted by FaithfulGrace
Jimmie,
Thank you for sharing your struggles which have evolved into a lot of wisdom! Honestly this could be said of anything "good" that we become a slave to besides the Word.
I really think you should share this on the HSS yahoo list. It is very helpful.
Tell Sprite, great job on the lapbook!
Blessings,
Linda
September 2, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Sheri
yay!! I have to say that's one of the biggest questions I get with notebooking/scrapbooking. "How do you fit all of what they did in?" I am constantly saying "You don't! Just pick and choose."
http://theshadesofpink.blogspot.com
September 2, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Thank you for this timely reminder that everything does not have to go into a labbook! I sometimes forget that and I want my boys to enjoy lapbooking not be a slave to it!
Blessings~
Michele
http://koreamom.blogspot.com
September 3, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Your title and intro made me READ...because yes, when I do lapbook (which isn't often) it seems like I print off zillions of ideas and end up having the kids cut out and color way too much. haha My nearly 13 yo son doesn't appreciate that anymore.
Emily
thelearningneverstops.blogspot.com
September 3, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by socalval
I've been praying for wisdom, too. It's a simple thing to do, but a hard thing to wait for. Well, guess what? I am about to hit my 500 blog entry tomorrow... In celebration, I've created a DVD give-a-way on my blog for those who participate in Weblink Wednesday. Come on by and take a look. It might be something you might want to consider entering. Fun stuff!
Have a great week.
Valerie
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/socalval/582603/
September 3, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Dana @ School For Us
Great post about lapbooks! We've only done a few lapbooks, so I don't really feel like that's a problem. BUT, I see how other things in my life "take over" in this way. Thanks for the reminder to USE THE TOOLS and not let the tools 'use' us. :-)
Dana, www.alexml.blogspot.com
September 3, 2008 - Amen amen amen!
Posted by NeverAlone
And don't forget-- it is more important that it reflects your child's work than that it is beautiful! I have seen some that were works of art-- but my kids aren't that talented LOL.
Leslie
September 3, 2008 - Great post!
Posted by Anonymous
"The lesson is the superhero. The lapbook is the sidekick." Love that!
Stacy :-)
September 3, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by amtell
I'm often guilty of overkill, but mine isn't just lapbooking. It's "since we're studying this topic, lets do a lapbook and some notebook pages and these craft projects and how about a theme meal and oh! wait I found some coloring pages, but first read this web page, now lets listen to this audio, and you can do a map and a timeline after you read this stack of books and then . . . why aren't you kids excited? Isn't this FUN!?"
LOL! My kids often have to put a leash on me. ;-)
September 4, 2008 - Great reminder!
Posted by kristenph
This is one of my struggles, not just with lapbooking. I am such a do this and check off the box person. I have to constantly fight the urge to force the kids to do something just to be doing it.
September 5, 2008 - you're right
Posted by Penney Douglas
When I first saw the title, I thought you were saying, "Don't do too many lapbooks." I love lapbooking so much, I didn't like that at first. But when I read your post, I realized that you were making a very valid point. I like making lapbooks far better than my kids do, but it's still a good way to study a topic. We have to study anyway, so we might as well do it in a way that I enjoy! But I see what you mean about forcing the lapbooks instead of other ways of learning a topic and not being sensitive to when a topic has been fully covered. I do need to keep that in mind. We've been studying Japan and China for over a year. We just keep finding more books about them. But the kids are still interested. They are GREAT books.
Love,
Penney
September 7, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by solidrock
I thought mine were tired of lapbooking! However the first week of school proved me very wrong. I printed off some nice props for their MOH just in case and just put them in a file on their shelf along with a few file folders ect. Yesterday ( on a non school day) I discovered they were happily working on a War of the Roses lapbook!
October 12, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Mommy Reg
This is so wise and true. I have had to reign myself in with some of the lapbooks we do as they get so big and full. And the kids start to look at me with this look that says aren't we done yet. And they love lapbooking so much.
Mommy Reg
mommyhoodadventures.blogspot.com
November 11, 2008 - Thanks
Posted by momofsix
I am so glad that I stumbled on your site. Thanks for the balanced perspective.
Edited by momofsix on November 10, 2008 at 1:52 PM
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