Homeschool Helper with Charisse Van Horn

Now that you know what a lapbook is, you’ll want to begin learning all of the different folding techniques that will ensure you have plenty of materials and teaching tools to add to your lapbook.  The first fold that I recommend everyone to learn is how to turn a single sheet of 8 by 11 paper into a mini book.  Actually, this is an Origami book, but it works so easily, you can create mini books for your kids in less than a minute!  There is a link that will show you in a diagram, but I will try to explain it as well.  Here is the link: Simple Origami Book.

1. Fold the paper in half lengthwise, then in half lengthwise again, then one time horizontally, to create 8 rectangles. (Open up the paper and make sure there are eight rectangles)

2.  After Opening the paper, fold it in half lengthwise and make a cut from the center fold to the first point where the horizontal and diagonal folds meet.

3.  Now open the paper (there is a slit in the middle of the paper)

4.  Fold the paper “landscape” and you’ll have the slit on top.  Push both ends of th paper together to create a cross section.  By pushing both the right and left sides of the paper, it will automatically create an 8 page book!

Now, let your kids write away!

(here is one more link with graphics, just in case you need further clarification- Think Quest Mini Book 

Notebooking is a method of using a subject notebook to research a topic.  You can choose to use a regular lined notebook to journal in and add cutouts or pictures to your notebook by taping or gluing them down, or you might prefer to use a three ring binder folder where you can add your own notebooking paper and easily add other pages (such as cardstock or picture cutouts) by using a paper punch.  It’s important to use a notebooking method that works best for you, but as you add more imagination to your notebook, you might find that the three ring binder is more suitable for your needs.

You can combine many scrapbooking techniques with your notebooking methods to create stunning and spectacular educational notebooks.  However, the main point of notebooking isn’t in creating a beautiful work of art, but an educational research book that children have created themselves.

Here are some examples to notebooking samples online.

One Child Policy Homeschool

Scrapbooking to Learn shows some amazingly beautiful scrapbooking techniques that you can use with notebooking.

Scrapbooking to Learn: Notebooking

Notebooking Exhibit