Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
A couple of my elementary school aged kids and I have enjoyed learning about one of America’s Founding Fathers this summer. We’ve been using the Benjamin Franklin K-2 Lap-Pak from Home School in the Woods.
What Is This Product?
I received a digital download of this material. Once I downloaded it, I needed to unzip the files. Then, it was ready to go.
The download includes the PDF master copies of the materials, an MP3 audio version of the readings, and images of completed projects, which can give you a visual if you’re struggling with the directions for any.
But, you don’t need to worry about any of those. The most important thing included is a link to a webfile that’s called START. This is where you begin.
Sometimes when you first get a new curriculum to explore, it can be a little overwhelming to know where to go. That’s why I appreciate that Home School in the Woods makes their digital projects very user friendly.
Here’s what you see when you start:
Lap-P you scroll down and see all of the links to the things you need.
Then you can just begin clicking on each link to read the directions and access the material you need.
How We Used This Product
The Benjamin Franklin Lap-Pak is designed for kids in grades K-2, so I decided to use it with my incoming kindergartner and 1st grader. They had a lot of fun doing some “fun” school over the summer.
There were a lot of hands on projects, which they enjoyed. Both like to color, and we bought a bigger box of colored pencils for them to use, so they had fun using different colors.
We worked on about two projects each week. Though we aren’t yet ready to assemble the final lap-book, we are certainly making great progress. It’s just important to find a safe place to store everything, since there are lots of little pieces. We’re using gallon sized Ziplock bags since we’re down in Missouri and don’t have our normal homeschool storage area. It’s not perfect (if not sealed tightly things fall out), but it has kept everything together so far.
Note: you can opt to glue things in right away to the Lap-Book. However, I’ve discovered that my younger kids really like to play with these and open and shut them over and over again. Because of this, I try to wait until everything is done so it’s all still in good shape when we glue it together.
The above photos show one of the mini-projects. The kids got to learn about Benjamin Franklin’s printing press, and then complete this activity.
Since the reading is too hard for either of these two to do independently, we’ve been listening to the readings on the MP3 format. It has fun sound effects that the kids enjoy, and the narrator does a good job to not sound boring. The kids typically listen as they work on the projects.
What We Thought of This Product
We’ve completed many different Lap-Paks from Home School in the Woods over the years. This one differed in that it was geared for younger children. The projects were mostly simple, though sometimes I needed to help with some more precise cutting or gluing.
While my older kids could complete projects and the readings more independently, this one was definitely hands-on for me. But, it was a fun way to dive into some American history as we studied Benjamin Franklin.
The content is thorough, and provides a lot of insight into the different facets of Franklin’s life.
I appreciate that these materials don’t need to be printed in color. That makes it simpler, and is less expensive.
Having a digital file means I can print the things out over and over again. When my son accidentally cut off Ben Franklin’s leg, it wasn’ ta big deal. We were able to tape it together, but we could have easily printed another.
I could also print out some extras for my little boys to color on. They thought it was fun to sit with the bigger kids at the table and do “school.” They had a blast coloring (and scribbling).
There were a lot of pieces and parts to keep track of, but the way it was put together is easy to follow. There’s a very well written step-by-step guide to help you through the process. You’ll always know what to print, where to put it, and what it’s for. That’s important, especially when you’re a busy homeschooling mom who doesn’t want to spend all day trying to figure out how to complete a confusing project.
If you’re looking for a fun way to learn more about Ben Franklin, I’d definitely recommend this product.
Other Products by Home School in the Woods
And remember, this isn’t the only product available from Home School in the Woods. They offer plenty of materials to help you bring history to life. One of our recent favorites has been the U.S. Elections Lap-Pak. Since this is an election year, it’s the perfect way to teach your students about the elections.
To learn more about this or other products by Home School in the Woods, please click on the banner below.
