Homeschool Review Crew - A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks of Apologia Astronomy

My daughter loves lapbooks, and she is currently using Apologia's Astronomy as her science curriculum, so it couldn't have been more perfect when I got a chance to review the Exploring Creation With Astronomy 2nd Edition lapbook from A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks that I was able to select from the Apologia Curriculum page on the A Journey Through Learning site.

Other members of the Crew got a chance to review:

Classical Conversations Cycle 3 JUNIOR Activity Book Grades K-2

Classical Conversations Cycle 3 Activity Book Grades 3-6

Other Apologia Elementary titles found at the Apologia Curriculum page. (Most for Grades 2-7). Current titles include:

• Apologia Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day Lapbook
• Apologia Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day Lapbook
• Apologia Land Animals of the Sixth Day Lapbook
• Apologia Exploring Creation with Botany Lapbook
• Apologia Exploring Creation with Astronomy (1st Edition) Lapbook
• Apologia Exploring Creation with Astronomy (2nd Edition) Lapbook
• Apologia Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology Lapbook

An Overview of the 20th Century and Study Guide Grades 2-7

The Greatest Inventors  and Study Guide Grades 2-8

What is A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks Apologia Astronomy?

Lapbooks use file folders to create books filled with mini-books and other interactive components that provide a hands-on, interactive learning tool for unit studies and to correspond with some popular homeschooling curriculum. A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks provides instruction and everything you need in one handy, easy-to-follow packet. What sets A Journey Through Learning above other lapbooks is in the way it is designed to flow well as you work. There is not jumping around trying to figure out where you left off or what section you use next. It all goes in order, provides an answer key along with some other extras like book lists and report forms at the end of the lapbook.

The Apologia curriculum corresponding lapbooks are available for purchase pre-printed or as a pdf download. If you choose a download, you can choose either full color or a format that can be colored by your student. For the review, I received a download pdf format with full-color illustrations. The Astronomy download corresponds with the lesson modules and includes a file folder lapbook for each chapter in Jeannie Fulbright's Apologia Our Exploring Creating with Astronomy text. It even has a lesson plan built-in which lists the pages to read each day as you build your lapbooks. The directions are included at the top of each mini-booklet page. To complete the entire course, you will need 14 file folders and some common school supplies, such as glue, scissors, and crayons, pen or pencil. The lapbook is 158 pages and includes everything you need to complete each section including: Mini-booklets with Instructions Lesson Plan Answer Key Website and Book Suggestions Enrichment Pages Book Log Planet Book Report Page Narration Form for Younger Students Narration Form for Older Students Other Products From A Journey Through Learning

All we needed to get started was to follow the Materials List:

How Did We Use It?

I have a 10-year old who is EXTREMELY hands-on in her learning. She is a little artist and always wants to keep her hands busy, so this was right up our alley. Why use only worksheets or workbooks alone when you can make the entire lesson interactive.  This was PERFECT TIMING for us because this is the exact curriculum we are using for science this year. My daughter loves lapbooks, so adding this to her science curriculum to go along with her learning was absolutely wonderful!

I downloaded the full-color version of the lapbook, and then we headed out of town for a couple weeks, so when I went to print it, the hotel's printer only had black ink. So, my loves-to-color daughter added her own color to the pages. As much as I love the full-color illustrations that are included on the download, I was very pleased with the added artistic touch of her being able to color the images. She loved this too!

What Did We Think?

Lapbooks are a fun hands-on way for students to expand their learning on a topic. The booklets are easy to assemble using file folders and other materials you probably already have in your schooling items around the house such as cardstock, glue, scissors, crayons stapler, etc. Each portion of the lapbooks include miniature booklets, display notes sections, and other interactive components that the student assembles and attaches to the lapbook file folders. Once all of the pieces are completed and attached to the file folder lapbook, the project is complete.

I loved the way the lapbook is laid out. I've used other lapbooks, and this one really is easier to follow. I appreciated the answer key and extra pages, but I had a little trouble accessing some of the websites. Maybe my antivirus program was just working overtime to block everything, but I couldn't access the extra website recommendations directly from the pdf. Mostly, I was able to find the information by doing a Google search using the website but not always. Other than that, the actual lapbook has been and will continue to be a supplemental addition to my daughter's science curriculum that will help reinforce her learning of astronomy.

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Read what other members of the Homeschool Review Crew thought by clicking on the picture below: