This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on the link and making a purchase, I may receive a small compensation at no extra cost to you. I only promote products that we love and use in our homeschool. Please click here for full details on my Disclosure Policy.
Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.
Are you in camp: “Yay! History is so much fun,” or “Ugh, history is so boring”? Whichever camp you’re in, Home School in the Woods is definitely a way to add fun to your homeschool history class. We’ve been using the Lap-Pak: Wonders of the World for several weeks. Boy, are my kids having so much fun. Let me tell you more about this lapbook.
Table of Contents
- What is the Wonders of the World Lapbook?
- How We Used This Program in Our Homeschool
- Overall Thoughts of the Lap-Pak: Wonders of the World
What is the Wonders of the World Lapbook?
Home School in the Woods has a variety of hands-on history materials. The Wonders of the World is one of them. This lapbook is geared toward kids in grades 3-8. It seems like a large grade span, but it is simple to adapt this Lap-Pak to meet kids’ different needs.
If you are not familiar with lapbooks (or as they are referred to in this program as Lap-Paks), they are simply file folder that holds mini-books, foldable projects, and other information on a topic. In this case, the projects are on the Wonders of the World.
Lap-Pak: Wonders of the World
Now, this lap-pak isn’t just on the Seven Wonders of the World. It actually includes a lot more. It has:
- Ancient Wonders of the World
- Medieval Wonders
- Modern Wonders
- Natural Wonders
- Timeline of the Wonders of the World
There are seven Wonders that kids learn about in each section. You receive all you need to learn about the Wonders of the World in a digital file, making it easy to print off what you need.
What Kinds of Activities Do the Kids Do?
First off, you can create a little booklet or print binder pages that provide a few paragraphs on each of the Wonders. I chose to print off the full-sized binder pages and make them into our own booklet.
Once you have your information booklet, your kids will put together their timeline pages. As the kids work on a new Wonder, they then place it on their timeline or write it in themselves.
Now the fun begins! Kids can read the information on each Wonder OR listen to an audio recording. We listened to the audio recording (which, by the way, is very well done). The booklet was used as a reference when filling in information on certain Wonders.
Finally, there are lots of projects!
After your kiddos have learned a little about a particular Wonder, they have a fun project to put together. I always love the variety of projects that are included.
For instance, the project for The Colosseum was a gladiator that rises out of the Colosseum floor. But for the Great Wall of China, kids create a pocket to hold maps of China and a fold-out Great Wall with information about it.
At times the information on the Wonder is provided for the kids, but at other times, you can print off blank sheets for the kids to fill in their own information. It is a great way to adjust projects to meet the needs of a third-grader and an eighth-grader at the same time.
Overall, the program is easy to follow and simple to adjust to meet the needs of your kids. Plus, the projects are a lot of fun for kids that like hands-on learning.
How We Used This Program in Our Homeschool
Technically, we were on vacation for most of the review period. However, my kids enjoy Home School in the Woods history programs. So, I had no problem getting my 6th and 8th graders to study the Wonders of the World.
We usually did several Wonders of the World each week. The kids had fun learning new information about some of the Wonders they were familiar with and learning about some new ones altogether. Even I was fascinated to learn about the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa which I hadn’t heard about before.
At this time, we have not finished the complete lapbook. So, right now, we don’t have an assembled lapbook, but we have several projects completed. Currently, we have completed all the Ancient Wonders, Medieval Wonders, and most of the Modern Wonders of the World. So, we’ll be finished soon.
Overall Thoughts of the Lap-Pak: Wonders of the World
I think it is easy to tell we are enjoying the Wonders of the World lapbook. It is hands-on history at its best. For me, I like the audio recordings and booklets provided by the program. It gives enough information so the kids get a basic understanding of each Wonder. Plus, older kiddos can explore further for more in-depth learning if you so choose. Home School in the Woods does provide some suggestions for other resources you can use.
The variety of projects is excellent. Kids aren’t going to feel like they are doing the same thing over and over. Each project is unique and makes it a fun way for kids to remember what they have learned.
I’m a huge fan of Home School in the Woods because they make learning fun. My kids agree.
Pros and Cons of This Lapbook
This lapbook is for homeschoolers who:
- Like hands-on projects- If you have a kiddo that likes creating 3-D projects, lift-the-flap information sheets, pull-the-tab pictures, and more, they will love this unit study.
- Don’t mind prep work.
- Have active kids that need to keep busy while learning.
- Looking for a unique approach to unit studies.
- Want a program the family can do together.
Now even though we loved the Wonders of the World study, let’s take a look at who this lapbook ISN’T for.
This lapbook isn’t for homeschoolers who:
- Want a grab-and-go program- This unit study requires prep work. You need to print off the project pages, assemble timelines, and make booklets. If you don’t want a lot of prep work, this may not be for you.
- Don’t want to photocopy a lot of pages- As mentioned above, there is a lot of photocopying. You could have your kids make the projects and timelines together, though, if you don’t want to print off many sheets.
- Don’t enjoy hands-on projects- If you have kiddos that don’t like making crafts and projects, this is probably not for you. Some kids prefer to read something, do a quick W.S., and move on. Those kiddos may not enjoy it.
I would encourage you to take a look at the Wonders of the World Lap-Pak. It is a fun topic kids will enjoy, and the projects make it even more fun.
To learn more about this lap-pak and other unit studies offered by Home School in the Woods, click the banner below. You will find many great reviews on this product, their digital Individual Timeline Sets (which starts with Creation to Christ all the up through American History), plus many other products.
Don’t forget to follow Home School in the Woods.
Happy Homeschooling!
Those look like so much fun!
It is! The projects are really fun.
It is!
It is! The projects are great.