Apologia Astonomy w/Knowledge Box Central lapbook or Apologia Notebooking Journal?

[SS in MD]

Hi all,

 

We plan to study Apologia Astronomy for 18 weeks in the fall then A Child's Geography for the next 18 weeks with my 6th grader, 3rd grader & K'er (11 yo, 8 yo, 5 yo). Last night I went to the astronomy yahoo group and founds lots of schedules that will be helpful! We've done lapbooks in the past and enjoyed them, but I also was in the CBD catalog now there is a notebooking journal for Astronomy (as well as botony). I was wondering if anyone has used the journal, if it was enjoyable, worth the money, and would it be better do use than doing a Knowledge Box Central Lapbook (they are 50% off right now)?? Maybe I should do the journal book w/my 11 yo? and lapbook with 8 yo & 5 yo?

 

If anyone can give me advice with their past experience that would be wonderful!!!!

 

ALSO, I would like to purchase a box kit of supplies for Apologia Astronomy. I know there are various companies that put these out. Does anyone know which company has the most complete set? (creation sensation, home training tools, natures workshop plus?....)

 

THANKS!!!

[SS in MD]

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[Kari C in SC]

We have not done the KB lapbook for Astronomy yet, but we did do the Zoology 1 last year. The kids were two 10 year olds and two 11 year olds. They really enjoyed it and I thought they got a lot out of it. I have printed out the KB lapbook for Astronomy for this year. It looks really good and I think will be a great addition to our study. Of all the things we did last year, the kids like the lapbooks and experiments the most. This year we are also doing Zoology 3 for the second half of the year. I have the Live and Learn lapbook for that one because somebody gave me the cd they didn't use. I am not sure I am loving it though. It is a lot more booklets for about the same information. I am really torn about ordering the KB one while the sale is going on. I just don't want to spend money since I already have a lapbook. Decisions, decisions.

 

ETA: I think the KB lapbooks are way above a 5 year old's head. It is a lot of writing and answering questions. I am not sure about your 8 year old. My almost 5 year old will be listening in with our study, but not doing a lapbook. I found some printouts on Enchanted Learning and DKLT-Kids that go along with space for him to put in a lapbook of his own. Very basic stuff. HTHs.

Edited July 15, 2009 by Kari C in SC

[Samiam]

I bought the Apologia Notebook to go with Astronomy. It looks lovely, and even has a great schedule built in. We haven't started yet, so can't give you reviews, but I am glad that I bought it. I like stuff that is made by the same publisher, so I can be sure it matches up.

[jengjohnson]

I think the Apologia Notebooks are just out, so probably not many people have had a chance to use them. My daughters will use them this year in co-op. I haven't seen them yet, but their teacher was impressed with them. We had the lapbook for Zoology 1 last year and most kids (mine included) burned out on them. Their teacher said there is a bit of lapbooking type activities in the new Notebook, but there is more of a variety of review activities also.

[Mynyel]

This is a post from last year but I am interested in any updates on this. How were the notebooks? Did anyone see the notebooks compared to the lapbooks? I am torn between the two...the lapbooks look like fun but the notebooks look comprehensive.

 

Anyone? :001_smile:

 

:grouphug::grouphug:

[TracyR]

Well I won the very first Astromony notebook before it came out on the market. Jeannie Fulbright had a contest last summer and I actually had won something. LOL.

 

Anyways I have a 6th,4th and Ker and they seem to like it. I do like having them use it rather then lapbooking. I like it better than having to copy them off of the computer that's for sure. Everything is write in the Notebook. I think they are totally worth it. The books also have lapbooking minibooks in it so you really don't need to purchase a different Lapbooking program.

I had bought the lapbook stuff for the Zoology 1 and we never finished it, from KB,. But we did finish the original notebooking that she has on her website that you can download for free.

 

Actually your two older two may get more out of the Astronomy Notebook. I would have them use that and have your kinder use the freebie notebooking that she has for younger children on there. At least that is what I would do.

Edited January 13, 2010 by TracyR

[Kari C in SC]

This is a post from last year but I am interested in any updates on this. How were the notebooks? Did anyone see the notebooks compared to the lapbooks? I am torn between the two...the lapbooks look like fun but the notebooks look comprehensive.

 

Anyone? :001_smile:

 

:grouphug::grouphug:

 

 

Well, we finished our Astronomy study using the KB lapbooks last semester. The kids learned a TON! Who am I kidding... I learned a ton! I asked them several times if they were still digging the lapbooking and I always got a yes. The lapbooks turned out amazing. I get a really great feeling of accomplishment seeing them done, so I can only imagine how it feels to be the ones that made them.

 

We have moved onto Zoology 3 using the Live n Learn lapbooks. So far this is a mixed bag. There are MORE booklets, but really they equal about the same info. My dd and my niece like that they get to glue the booklets on the cardstock and put in a binder right away. My nephew prefers the KB lapbook where we stored the booklets in a baggy until the end of 1-6 or 7-14. Nobody is loving that there is more writing, but I don't think that really has that much to do with KB vs. Live n Learn. I think that has to do with Astronomy vs. Zoology 3. The level is stepped up a bit. I pointed out to them that they are in JUNIOR HIGH and that is why I expect they can cover more now.

 

I am still not sure if we will continue to lapbook next year or which source we will use. We plan to do Zoology 2 and the Human Body - so time will tell. Good luck!