Review
The America’s Presidents Learning Lapbook with Study Guide is designed to capture the student’s interest, without excessive information overload, as it introduces them to the history and role of our Commander-in-Chief. Through the hands-on learning experience of the lapbook method, students discover such things as: how the president is elected, the qualifications for the job, the difference between the two main political parties, who is pictured on our currency, and the order of the presidents from Washington to Obama.
Tucked within the e-book pages are:
- directions for assembling a file folder lapbook with a “map” noting where to place finished booklets
- a lovely page for the lapbook cover
- study guide for each lesson
- reading log
- NICK notes (“Notes, Information, Comments and Key words” to help organize information)
- outline forms
- biography book report worksheet
- additional reading suggestions
- notebooking pages for summarizing the study
- variety of mini-booklet styles
Up to this point in my son’s education, we really hadn’t covered the presidents in any great depth, so the opportunity to explore this particular subject was appealing. The study guide provided the answers for the mini-booklets, but it also served as a jumping-off point for further discussion and research. Best yet, it has copywork and narration exercises which align to our Charlotte Mason style of learning perfectly. The most enlightening and thought-provoking activity was writing a letter to the President. This prompted my son to think deliberately and carefully about his topic of inquiry before putting it to paper.
The America’s Presidents Lapbook serves as a suitable introductory unit, but it does has a few drawbacks. Since it features the pictures of all forty-four presidents, as well as several colorful images, there is a lot of ink usage. Purchasing the CD or downloading the e-book to a flash drive to be printed elsewhere may serve as a better option to help conserve ink at home. Also, the booklets for the presidents only suggested writing the president’s names, but for older students this is not challenging enough. Noting the year of their term(s) and a small ditty denoting what they are “known” for would bump that up to a more age-appropriate activity. Due to my son being ten years old, I only asked for the name and term listing, which was sufficient enough for him.
Families who are new to or who’ve had little experience with lapbooks would find this to be a good fit, but for those who are old pros, it probably will serve best as a light study since it is not overly difficult. The America’s Presidents Learning Lapbook and Study Guide is by no means a complete curriculum but rather a nice introduction that could be used as a “side dish” to any U.S. history program, especially when the presidents are being covered.
About the Reviewer
From the publisher’s website: A Journey Through Learning’s hope and prayer is that their curriculum will be a blessing to your family and that it provides your children with many hours of smiles, laughter, fun…and knowledge. They create beautiful lapbooks for many “well-known and beloved” programs.
I’ve purchased other lapbooks by A Journey Through Learning. This sounds like it’s another one of their good products and fits in with something I’ve been wanting to teach our son. It sounds good but, how do I purchase it and use the discount? Do I go to the publisher’s website or do I purchase it through you?
Hi Edwina! Thanks for your note! You can link to the publisher’s website under the “product overview” box above. Paste in the coupon code when ordering (there should be a spot for “coupon code” on the order page), OR if you have any questions about it, you would need to ask the publisher directly (should be a contact on their website). Home Educating Family provides the information on giveaways and discounts as a courtesy to our readers, but we have nothing to do with the actual ordering or purchase.
Blessings!, Jen McD