jejily Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 I paid $24 for a lapbook on "The Magician's Nephew." I am REALLY disappointed in it. The artwork is cheesy and inconsistent. The number of minibooks to make is really overwhelming -- at least two per chapter, sometimes three (and there are 15 chapters in this book!), plus about eight more supplemental minibooks (overviews of the book, literary themes, author biography, etc.). Also, a lot of the minibooks are difficult to cut out and construct (odd shapes), and they have the book covers and the interior pages on the same printed page, so if you want the cover in cardstock and the pages on plain text paper, you have to print them TWICE, which wastes an enormous amount of paper. Well, my DS10 is about 1/3 of the way through. We did most of the overview books (except the biography), and we've done all the minibooks through Chapter 5. At this point... it just feels like busywork. He loves reading the book, but is growing weary of the minibooks. I do appreciate some of the supplemental activities that explore the hidden Christian themes and that have the child examine Scripture to see what God's Word says about certain actions, behaviors, and attitudes. That is the one plus to the program. But, even then, I think having ONE activity like that for ever THREE or FOUR chapters would suffice. I know I can pick and choose what I want to do, and I don't have to do them all. I've already dropped some of them. Of course, then I'll have to re-figure the final layout, since we'll be missing some of the minibooks. Ugh! I am really wondering WHY I spent so much money on this! :angry: What a waste. But I feel compelled now to finish it. Anyone else been in this situation before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.J. at J.A. Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 We have a couple lapbooks we either haven't finished or just finished up with a couple color pages that cover the entire part of a folder. Don't stress about it! Just consider it an "oops" on the curriculum expenditure (which I'm sure we all have!) and move on! No reason to kill your joy or your son's joy for the book. :0) Angela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaCA Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 I think they put a little something for everyone in most curriculum. Be flexible and do just what calls to you or your student. I would rather have things to pick and choose from than be stuck with only a handful of projects that must be completed. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina in WA Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 Permission granted to stop. :) If a lapbook your working on isn't work for your family, it is ok drop it. I know the $$ factor is hard, but it is better to stop doing something that isn't working for peace of mind and letting go of the guilt of not working on it. :) If you do decide to go on, here are some thoughts: Is he doing all the cutting & folding? Could you do all the mini books (cut and fold), and he doesn't have to do that part at least. Perhaps then it wouldn't seem like to much busy work. Or even have him type out the answers on the computer (use little text boxes) and then he can adhere them to the booklets. That way a little typing practice is touched on as well. I would wait to adhere them until you are completed with the booklets. That way you don't have to worry about empty space in the file folder. But another thought is to not use a file folder. Just have him glue them on cardstock and place the cardstock (3-hold punched), in a notebook or one of those 3 hole prong file folders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KForce Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 Sorry to interrupt your thread, but could you explain what a lapbook is? I keep reading about them on this forum, but I can't get a clear picture of what they are. It sounds like I'm years away from needing them, but I'm trying to learn all I can now:) Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina in WA Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 Here is a couple link to look at: Lapbooking Lapbooking F.A.Q.'s The 2 above come from a wonderful gal named Jimmie. Here is her main squidoo account site with all her wonderful posts. She is an amazing, encouraging gal. :D Here is a group that recently started: Lapbook Lessons. It is wonderful. They even have a GOB of lapbooks on video, free lapbooks and more. I just love this group! Your K'er might really enjoy lapbooking. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jejily Posted May 17, 2008 Author Share Posted May 17, 2008 OK, I think I'm going to scale it waaaayyy back... choose the best of the minibooks from the ones we still have left to do (20 or more!!) and go from there. I really love looking at lapbooks, and I love the concept... but I'm having a hard time knowing if my child is really learning anything from doing them, or if we're just making them because I think they're cool. As far as quality... I think I was spoiled right out of the gate, because our first lapbook project (which, actually, is still ongoing for us, because it will take us a few months to cover all the material) was from Homeschool in the Woods - Amy Pak's lapbook on the Old Testament. I love it. But, again, we're probably doing it mainly because I think it's really nifty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 If you feel badly about $24, come over here and beat me up for realizing (too late) that Saxon was not the math program for us! :ohmy: Great big expensive mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jejily Posted May 17, 2008 Author Share Posted May 17, 2008 If you feel badly about $24, come over here and beat me up for realizing (too late) that Saxon was not the math program for us! :ohmy: Great big expensive mistake. LOL!! OK, all things in perspective... probably not the biggest "oops" I will make in this HSing journey. I feel like I've just spent bucket-loads of money already since starting HS in March, in part because my thinking and planning were so haphazard at the beginning. I hadn't found this forum, for one. And I was was just flailing around, trying to figure out what to do! The $24 thing was one of those impulse buys. Trying to get that impulse spending under control. And, in the meantime, trying not to overload DS with stuff he just *hates* simply because I spent money on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Well since you already know that you don't have to do everything . Don't . Maybe try a different template for something . I usually do . Also maybe have him type out the minibook. There's an awesome site here that you can type it and the computer makes it for you . All you have to do is fold and cut and fold :>) I've been using these for my girls . I do a mix of them writing their own stuff and then using these little mini books . I make them where I put text at the top and give them enough room to draw a picture after they read it . I'm not sure how old your son is . But that's a thought . If he is too young then just type it yourself and have him draw an illustration on each page . My girls love this . Is is possible to use flip flap books instead ? Or accordian books or match books for the information instead ? I usually make my own flap books and just use templates copied from the computer. I'm learning to make my own as well . The only one I've Bought so far is from Lapbooks for Catholics.com Which we'll be starting tomorrow . Other then that I scour the internet at Homeschoolshare.com , HomeschoolHelperOnline.com and with my oldest we just google . I do know that I'd like to try some already made ones . We'll be moving and will have the evil DSL so it will take too long for us to do it this way . If its frustrating you . I'd put it away . Start on something else for a little bit and then maybe come back to it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bells Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Odyssey - and dropped them. Too time consuming & redundant. Drop. Bells Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KForce Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Permission granted to stop. :) If a lapbook your working on isn't work for your family, it is ok drop it. I know the $$ factor is hard, but it is better to stop doing something that isn't working for peace of mind and letting go of the guilt of not working on it. :) If you do decide to go on, here are some thoughts: Is he doing all the cutting & folding? Could you do all the mini books (cut and fold), and he doesn't have to do that part at least. Perhaps then it wouldn't seem like to much busy work. Or even have him type out the answers on the computer (use little text boxes) and then he can adhere them to the booklets. That way a little typing practice is touched on as well. I would wait to adhere them until you are completed with the booklets. That way you don't have to worry about empty space in the file folder. But another thought is to not use a file folder. Just have him glue them on cardstock and place the cardstock (3-hold punched), in a notebook or one of those 3 hole prong file folders. Thank you so much, Tina. The videos in Lapbook Lessons really gave me a good picture of what a lapbook is:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina in WA Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 You're welcome, Kathy. Aren't those video's wonderful? I just love them. I wish they were around when I began lapbooking... People are so smart to think of these things (making video's). I like to watch them to keep it fresh in my mind. And I even learned something new from watching some yesterday. Gotta Love that! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Anyone else been in this situation before? Yes. I'm getting over it, but it's hard. However, one way to look at it is that by continuing and causing grief to both you and child; it's a more "expensive" mistake than the money you spent. Here's something else to consider. Some parts of lapbooks are "neutral". Even though they were intended for one thing, sometimes you can use them later for another. (Frequently this is true in book studies.) Even if it's just the idea and not the actual mini-book, that can be very valuable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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