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History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Studying the history of the Texas cowboy, cattle drives, and Chisholm Trail is a fun and fascinating one. Cowboys, cattle drives and the Chisholm Trail all embody the spirit of a Texan.

Being born and raised in Texas, I grew up going to rodeos, knowing about cattle drives, and watching wide open spaces of grazing cattle as the norm.

History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail Free Unit Study

As a native Texan too, my husband grew up with ranching and rodeoing in his life and family.

He comes from a family of cowboys.

I couldn’t wait to do a unit study focused on the history of the Texas cowboy, cattle drives, and the Chisholm Trail.

History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail

With fond memories, I recall the first time I heard the poem Cattle by Berta Hart Nance (1883-1958).

Other states were carved or born,
Texas grew from hide and horn.

Other states are long and wide,
Texas is a shaggy hide.

Dripping blood and crumpled hair;
Some fat giant flung it there,

Laid the head where valleys drain,
Stretched its rump along the plain.

Other soil is full of stones,
Texans plow up cattle-bones.

Herds are buried on the trail,
Underneath the powdered shale;

Herds that stiffened like the snow,
Where the icy northers go.

Other states have built their halls,
Humming tunes along the walls,

Texans watched the mortar stirred
While they kept the lowing herd.

Stamped on Texan wall and roof
Gleams the sharp and crescent hoof.

High above the hum and stir
Jingle bridle rein and spur.

Other states were carved or born,
Texas grew from hide and horn.

A lot of Texans view their state differently from how other states grew. After the American Civil War, it was cattle which helped to make Texas grow.

Also, ranching was a big part of Texas growth.

This study is about the grit, hardiness, and stubbornness early Texans embodied and how they passed it down to our generation.

So in this history of the Texas cowboy, cattle drives, and Chisholm Trail, I’ve rounded up some helpful resources to teach your kids about Texas.

Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail

I aimed at resources for elementary ages to about middle school, but as with all my resources you decide which ages to use them for.

The American Civil War {1861-1865} had almost destroyed the United States, but by 1867 the United States found peace again.

Long-horned cattle, which were introduced in part by the Spanish roamed freely upon the plains.

Ranchers noticed that the longhorn turned out to be particularly well adapted to the harsh and arid conditions in the West. 

So thousands of head of cattle were rounded up from pastures in southern and central Texas and herded hundreds of miles north to Kansas.

Cattle drives were a celebrated event of this time period.

Between fascination with the American legend of a cowboy and a transitional time period in American history this brief, but captivating moment in history attracts learners of any age.

Too, with the invention of refrigerated railroad cars in the 1870’s it also made it possible to ship fresh beef anywhere in the country.

I used the Texas Chisholm Trail by the Texas Historical Commission to use as a guide for this lapbook. It’s a free wonderful educator’s guide, but of course you can use any resource you have.

First, there were at least four cattle drives during the 19th century. They were the The Chisholm Trail, The Goodnight-Loving Trail, The Western Trail and The Shawnee Trail.

The Chisholm Trail has at least 7 names: Abilene Trail, the Cattle Trail, the Eastern Trail, the Great Texas Cattle Trail, the Kansas Trail, McCoy’s Trail and the Texas Chisholm Trail.

Lesson Plans History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail

Texas Size Vocabulary Words

  • Cattle Kingdom – An industry based on cattle ranching that arose on the open range from Texas to Canada during the 1800s.
  • Texas Rangers – Law enforcement to keep the law in frontier Texas.
  • Tejanos – A person of Mexican heritage, but considers Texas home.
  • King Ranch – Ranch in South Texas that is one of the most important cattle operations in the state.
  • brands – identification marks on livestock made with burning irons
  • barbed wire – a wire used in fencing that is made with points, or barbs, placed at intervals to prevent livestock from crossing the fence
  • vaqueros – from vaca (cow) cowboy
  • wrangler – one who herds or cares for livestock on the range
  • XIT Ranch – Ranch established by the Capitol Freehold Land and Investment Company which was funded by investors from Chicago and Great Britain.
  • Longhorn – a hybrid breed of cattle that descended from Spanish and English stock; the main breed used in Texas ranching

Field Trip Ideas for History of Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives and Chisholm Trail

  • We love visiting the Barrington Plantation which is the last home of Anson Jones, the last President of the Republic of Texas. They have a fun program for homeschoolers which includes hand-on activity.
  • The Star of the Republic Museum is on the same property as the Barrington Farm.
  • Varner Hogg Plantation. Yes, it’s true Gov. James Hogg named his daughter Ima Hogg.
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail Free Unit Study

Hands-on Ideas For a Texas Unit Study

Next, you’ll love a few ideas for some hands-on fun to study about Texas.

HOW TO GET THE LAPBOOK

You can download it now!

TOU

Important: READ THIS FIRST.
Before you email me asking where your download link is or tell me that it is not working, read this to ensure that you get your pretties timely and that you don’t pay for something and not get it.

History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail

• All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store. A digital physical year calendar does not mean a physical product or calendar.

.• Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.

• The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.

Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com (take out the space and substitute the right symbol for dot) in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.

Field Trip to Washington on the Brazos, Star of the Republic Museum, Barrington Farms and Buckhorn Museum/Texas Ranger Museum
(don’t miss any of these places)

History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail 1
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
Star of the Republic Museum
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
Buckhorn Museum
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
Barrington Farms Anson Jones Home Republic of Texas
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
Learn about brands
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
Barrington Farm
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
Texas Rangers
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
Chuck Wagon at Buckhorn Museum
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
Chuck Wagon at Buckhorn Museum San Antonio, Tx

Look at these other fun ideas:

Hugs and love ya,

Fascinating and Fun Honey Bees Unit Study and Lapbook for Kids

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Your kids will love this honey bees unit study and lapbook. Also, grab more unit studies on my page Best Homeschool Unit Studies,

Whether you want to learn about how honey bees are fascinating master pollinators, learn about the interesting social activities in the hive, learn about beeswax, or know what is honey, these honey bee activities and resources will be helpful.

Whether you want to learn about how honey bees are fascinating master pollinators, learn about the interesting social activities in the hive, learn about beeswax, or know what is honey, these honey bee activities and resources will be helpful. You’ll love these fun honey bees lapbook! CLICK HERE to grab it! #lapbook #honeybees #unitstudy #homeschoolscience #handsonlearning

Next, look at these honey bee resources:

Bees, wasps, and ants are part of one of the large group of insects, the order Hymenoptera mean “membrane-winged.”

It comes from the Greek words hymen (membrane) and pteron (wing.)

BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT BEES

Equally important when doing a unit study is to add living books and books to use as the main spine of your study.

8 Honey Bees Unit Study Resources & Books

Add some of these fun resources to your bees unit study or spring unit study.

Bees: A Honeyed History

One part science, one part cultural history, and countless parts fascination, Bees: A Honeyed History celebrates the important role that these intriguing insects have played in our ecosystem throughout the ages, and today.

The Beekeeper's Bible: Bees, Honey, Recipes & Other Home Uses

Part history book, part handbook, and part cookbook, this illustrated tome covers every facet of the ancient hobby of beekeeping, from how to manage hives safely to harvesting one’s own honey, and ideas for how to use honey and beeswax. Detailed instructions for making candles, furniture polish, beauty products, and nearly 100 honey-themed recipes are included. Honeybees, which are critical in the pollination of popular US produce such as almonds, apples, and blueberries, are actually not native to the Americas. The honeybee that you see dancing from flower to flower in farms and gardens originated in Europe. The introduction of the honeybee began with European colonization of the Americas; before that, wild native bees, other insects, and some birds and mammals pollinated the native flowers of the continent. The honeybee’s ability to pollinate crops, produce honey, and be easily domesticated precipitated the growth in beekeeping all over America.

Flight of the Honey Bee: Read and Wonder

Follow the flight of a honey bee as she searches for nectar to sustain her hive and, along the way, pollinates flowers to produce seeds and fruits. Nature lovers and scientists-to-be are invited to explore the fascinating life of a honey bee.

Life Cycle of a Honey Bee

Honey Bees are fascinating creatures which have been kept by humans for centuries. Now you can explore the life cycle of the honey bee without being stung. Watch as it grows from an egg, to a larva, and to a pupa before finally emerging as a mature adult.

Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

Always a favorite when doing any kind of nature study, there are a few pages that cover different types of bees, common nectar sources, and bee anatomy. If you don't have this set already I cannot recommend it enough for nature studies.

Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life

One of the companion books to Nature Anatomy, the farm version covers all parts of farming, machinery, and crops but it also caught my eye because it even covers Beekeeping for aspiring beekeepers. It goes over bee terminology, parts of a bee, the parts of a hive, types of bees, flower parts, and beekeeper essentials. These books really put a lot of info into compact parts.

The Life and Times of the Honeybee

Why do beekeepers use smoke machines when collecting honey? Can a bee really sting only once? Why do bees "dance"? In concise, detailed text and abundant illustrations that range from the humorous to the scientific, Charles Micucci offers a wide-ranging and spirited introduction to the life cycle, social organization, and history of one of the world's most useful insects.

The Magic School Bus Inside a Beehive

When the Magic School Bus turns into a beehive, Ms. Frizzle's class learns firsthand about how workers, drones, and the queen bees live together. Readers will be abuzz with knowledge as they discover how honeybees find food; make a comb, honey, and beeswax; and care for their young, all from the bee's perspective.

First, dive into learning about the life cycle of the honey bee.

Honey Bees Unit Study

After mating, the queen’s ovaries expand. She is fed nutrient-rich food from the worker bees. Within three or four days she begins laying eggs.

By day 3 or 4 eggs hatch. Workers begin feeding larvae. By day 8/9 workers seal cell with wax.

And then the larvae transforms into pupa and from days 16 to 24 queen, workers and drone emerges.

Honey Bee Life Cycles

Honey Bees Anatomy

Next, learn about honey bees anatomy.

Although each bee in the hive is formed a bit differently because of their occupation, the worker bee has one of the most fascinating jobs.

Chemistry and Science of Honey

In addition, learning about the chemistry and science of honey is a fascinating topic. Sure, it’s been said honey is bee puke so you’re kids will love knowing that.

Also, honey bees collect the sweet nectar from various flowers with their straw like tongues. Then the nectar mixes with enzymes in their stomach and is taken back to the beehive.

The bees fan the cells full of nectar which draws the moisture out and thickening the nectar to make honey.

And there are many different types of honey. The color and flavor is determined by the nectar.

More Honey Bees Unit Study Ideas

Honey Bees Pollination

However, the true worth of honey bees is their contribution to the environment through pollination.

Plants don’t just rely on bees, but need other pollinators like butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, and moths.

Moreover, for fertilization to occur, the pollen must get from the anther to the stigma.

Once on the stigma, the pollen grain sends a pollen tube down the style and to the ovary where the pollen’s genetic material combines with the egg’s genetic material.

What Happens Inside a Hive

Bee swarm on a fallen tree

A cloud of bees forming a swarm is spectacular sight. Swarming is the natural means for how new colonies are formed. Beekeepers try to control swarming since it disrupts the hive. When the colony gets to a certain size, the current queen leaves with thousands of workers and creates a new nest elsewhere.

Language Art Ideas for Studying Honey Bees

Too, some of our sayings or idioms comes from bees. How fun. Your student can write some of them down and learn their meaning.

Look at a few expressions or idioms we get from bees.

  • queen bee – Queen bee refers to a dominant female.
  • busy as a bee – Busy as a bee means we’re working hard.
  • bees knees – The bees knees means something or someone who is admired or great and all things are sweet and good.
  • bee in your bonnet – You wouldn’t want a bee trapped in your hat. So bee in your bonnet would mean something or someone that is aggravating you.
  • the birds and the bees – This is a gracious way of saying you’re going to be talking about how babies are made or sex.
  • spelling or quilting bee – We use it today to mean children who come together to compete in spelling, but it’s been thought that it derived from the social interaction in a beehive. Hence, folks gather for social bees of different kinds whether it’s sewing or quilting.

Vocabulary words for a honey bee unit study.

Additionally, look at these vocabulary words.

  • pollen – powder-like material produced by the anthers of flowering plants
  • apiarist – Beekeeper.
  • apiary – A bee yard.
  • hive – The structure in which bees live and are kept.
  • honeycomb – A sheet of hexagonal wax cells made by honey bees to store honey, pollen, and brood.
  • drone – The male honey bee.
  • swarming – The natural process of how new colonies are formed.
  • worker bee – A female bee. The majority of the honey bees are worker bees. They do all the work in the colony except for laying fertile eggs.
  • pollinator – an animal that moves pollen from the anther to the stigma of a plant
  • colony – The colony is the living unit of tens of thousands of workers, drones, and a queen.
  • brood – Eggs, larvae, and pupae.
  • cell –  the hexagonal comb built by honeybees.
  • royal jelly – It is a honey bee secretion that is used in the nutrition of larvae, as well as adult queens.
  • virgin queen – A queen bee who has not mated.
  • scout bees – Bees who look for new nesting areas in preparation for a swarm and are normally familiar with the area.

Free Books
Hear a Librivox recording of The Children’s Life of the Bee by Maurice Maeterlinck.
The Behavior of the Honey Bee in Pollen Collection by Dana Brackenridge Casteel

Honey Bee Teachers Guides & Activity Guides

Finally, you’ll love a roundup of some fantastic honey bee teaching guides.

Honey Bee Lapbook

You can purchase my honey bee lapbook below, but look at how I created it.

Too, the resource I used is The Beekeeper’s Bible.

I used this because it’s the book I had. It was very thorough in explaining about honey bees. This lapbook is focused on honey bees, and not so much beekeeping.

Awesome features of my honey bees lapbook:

  • You are paying for the printables, the lapbook.
  • My lapbooks are created for multiple ages and geared toward older children unless I specifically state that it’ is’ for a certain age.
  • Most of the minibooks have facts which accompany the minibook and a lot of the minibook are offered two ways. One way where your child uses the facts provided and another way where your child can add his own research and not use the inside pages.
  • You do not need to use The Beekeeper’s Bible: Bees, Honey, Recipes & Other Home Uses. It’s the book I had and the one we liked.
  • You can use any reference materials, books, or online resources to complete the lapbook.
  • I don’t provide links in the lapbooks for filling out the information. This keeps my prices low for my products, but I do try to provide free links on my site as I can.
  • Because I do use a combination of cursive or script and print, I aim my lapbooks toward upper elementary up to high school.
  • Another way which I aim my lapbooks toward older children is that I avoid using baby-ish or goofy looking clip art. I spend many hours culling through images and purchasing ones that are correct and highest quality.
  • Because I have been a working homeschool mom for more of my journey than not, I need flexibility for using lapbooks. Proving a few facts from the main resource I use is one way I have of saving you time and giving you flexibility in how to use the minibooks.
  • Too, some of your kids may be older and you want them to do more research and some of your kids may be reluctant writers so you may want to mix and match pre-filled minibooks with blank minibooks. Flexibility is the key to my lapbooks.

Other nature unit studies you’ll love.

7 Super Easy and Free Nature Lapbooks Guaranteed to Beat Boredom

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Nature studies revive the most listless learner and teacher. Today, I have 7 super easy free nature studies and lapbooks guaranteed to beat boredom.

Free Nature Studies

Hands-on learning is best because it actively engages the brain. And getting outside is always a way to ground my kids (ha ha corny pun intended.)

I know it’s not always easy to get outside, but whether you live in a snow covered or snow bare area like I do here in Texas, one or two of these nature lapbooks will work.

7 Super Easy and Free Nature Lapbooks Guaranteed to Beat Boredom

With boys it can be hard to separate the feeling of being refreshed and letting off energy while being outdoors and the same positive feeling they get with exercise. They’re synonymous right?

3 Benefits of Studying Nature

I don’t try to separate the two anymore because being outside or studying nature has a way to revive and renew you and your child’s sluggish feelings.

Look at these three benefits of studying nature and why I was focused on adding more to our year

1. Nature-based learning reduces over stimulation.

It’s easy to fall into a rut of being inside and doing book work. It’s simple. Kids can be over stimulated by being contained indoors.

2. Nature-based learning increases motivation, curiosity, and creativity.

As educators we also can fall int our own rut. We may think that unless we can put a letter grade beside a skill, it may not be important.

Nature has a way of shifting focus and increasing creativity.

When a kid can study the patterns in nature, not to mention see the colors and sights it gives them a natural shift in focus. A shift in focus spurs creativity.

Creativity spills over into academic skills that we can put a letter grade to like writing and math.

Also, be sure to check out a lot of the activities at Ellen McHenry’s Basement Workshop. We love a lot of their fun ways to keep learning engaging and fun.

The Basement Workshop Store

3. Nature-based learning can reduce anxiety and stress.

Let’s face it. Homeschooling can be just as stressful for our kids as it can be for us as the educator.

We know it shouldn’t be like and in our anxiousness we can over push.

Studying nature allows our kids to step back and focus on the natural wonders of the world.  There is something calm about watching the waves whip up onto the shore. It can reduce stress and clear your kids’ mind.

There are more benefits to nature-based learning or being outside so I know you’ll love these free nature-based unit studies to add to your curriculum.

Too, don’t forget that if you have a backyard, you have a place for nature study.

Backyard Science ebook

7 Free Nature Studies and Lapbooks.

Additionally, I know you’ll love the nature studies and lapbooks below to help your kids beat the boredom.

Above & Below: Pond Unit Study, Hands-on Ideas, & Lapbook

One/ Above & Below: Pond Unit Study, Hands-on Ideas, & Lapbook.

Super Seashore Watching Unit Study and Beach Lapbook.

Two/ Super Seashore Watching Unit Study and Beach Lapbook.

Foraging and Feasting Nature Unit Study and Lapbook.

Three/ Foraging and Feasting Nature Unit Study and Lapbook.

Wildflowers Unit Study & Lapbook.

Four/ Wildflowers Unit Study & Lapbook.

From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook.

Five/ From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook.

Colorful Winter Bird: Northern Cardinal Lapbook & Unit Study.

Six/ Colorful Winter Bird: Northern Cardinal Lapbook & Unit Study.

Free Arctic Ground Squirrel Lapbook & Unit Study Resources

Seven/ Free Arctic Ground Squirrel Lapbook & Unit Study Resources

Lastly, the unit study resources have been linked above, but the free printable nature lapbooks are a subscriber freebie.

How to Download the Lapbooks.
They are Subscriber Only Gifts.

From time to time, I do Subscriber Freebies only. This lapbook is a subscriber freebie. I do this to show my appreciation and because I want you to follow me and give me a chance to make a difference in your homeschool.

Too, when you join my email list, you get access to my Subscriber’s Only Exclusive Library of Freebies.

This is how you get access to this form quickly.
1) Sign up on my list.
2) Go to to your inbox and confirm your email.
3) Look for the automatic reply giving you the password to the private subscriber’s area. You should have it soon.

IF you are already a follower/subscriber, PLEASE do NOT email me asking how to find it. You may not want to wait on me replying since I get bombarded with emails.

IF you’ll find the MOST RECENT email from me, the password and link to the Subscribers Area are ALWAYS at the bottom of every email. Look for the most current email since I change the password frequently.

How do you add nature-based learning to your every day?

7 Super Easy and Free Nature Lapbooks Guaranteed to Beat Boredom. Nature studies revive the most listless learner and teacher. Grab these beautiful printable lapbooks and hands-on unit study nature study ideas at Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus!

You’ll love these other articles and fun tips:

Hugs and love you,

Whether your kids are having winter doldrums or you feel like your kids learning has become stagnant, nature studies can revive the love of learning. CLICK HERE to grab these 6 Free Nature Study Unit Studies and Lapbooks!

.Whether your kids are having winter doldrums or you feel like your kids learning has become stagnant, nature studies can revive the love of learning. CLICK HERE to grab these 6 Free Nature Study Unit Studies and Lapbooks!

Homeschool Lapbooks – Powerful Tools For Mastery Learning

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

There is no comparison of homeschool lapbooks to digital enhanced content today, but there may be competition. Bring it. You’re sure to find a homeschool lapbook here at Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus.

When I started homeschooling, I stuck CDs in the computer and I controlled the digital content that my children were watching.

After being introduced to lapbooks, I knew it was a learning tool that could be a contender to digital content now and in the future. I wasn’t wrong.

My affection for lapbooks, however, was not immediate.

At first glance, I assumed it was a learning tool that was opposite of what I thought learning should look like. The lapbooks seemed more like a crafty project and waste of our learning time with all the cutting and coloring.

First, what is a lapbook?

What is a Lapbook

A most basic definition is that it is a group of small books or minibooks, mostly of different shapes and sizes that contain information about the topic the lapbook is on. It is a hands-on tool which can easily take the place of worksheets, tests, and memorization. Created by the student each one will be different. A lapbook can be as creative or not as the child wants it to be.

What is Lapbooking

Sometimes I get asked what is lapbooking. It just means using a lapbook to cover a subject or theme and it means the process that your child goes through to create one. It can take anywhere from a few days to weeks to complete one.

In addition, your child can used ones with prepared minibooks or he can create the minibooks without any assistance.

Homeschool Lapbooks - Powerful Tools For Mastery Learning

How to make a Lapbook With Paper

And creating a lapbook doesn’t have to be in-depth or can be as you want it to be. This is the best thing about lapbooks. Like any hands-on tool, it bends to the needs of the child.

Look at my two videos on how to make a lapbook and what is a lapbook.

Additionally, we do use worksheets in our lapbook occasionally. However, what can make even a worksheet interactive is how it’s folded to put into a lapbook to store it.

Look at my post How to Turn Boring Worksheets into Fun Minibooks – From Boring to Interactive

Lapbook Materials

Moreover, most of the materials for a diy lapbook you already have in your home.

My top 3 favorite supplies are bright colored letter size file folders, clear packaging tape, and glue acid free. These top materials are important if you’re creating lapbooks to last as memory keepers.

Of course, paper matters too the most.

If you’re creating lapbooks and want to do them as inexpensive as possible, then regular paper works fine.

However, if you want your child to keep them to use another year or for memories, you need cardstock. And you want the lightest weight cardstock that you can get. Anything too thick and your child can’t fold the paper minbooks easily.

However, there are SO MANY things your student can add to his lapbook.

My post 75 AWESOME Things to Add to a Lapbook will get you started.

Ancient Civilization Lapbooks

Next, look at these fun ancient history lapbooks divided by time period. I have many lapbook ideas for history.

I have history lapbooks organized by time period as close as I can get.

Middle Ages to Renaissance Lapbooks

Also, you’ll love these next lapbooks which are topics we covered from the middle ages to the renaissance and reformation time period.

Exploration, Colonization, and Industrialization to Revolution Themed Lapbooks

World Wars to Modern History and Geography Lapbooks

3 Best Things About Lapbooks

1. If your child wants a whole to pieces or wants a big picture first look at a topic, he’ll love lapbooks.

I love details, but when I teach I also can overwhelm my sons. A lapbook allows us to add minibooks or facts to remind my kids of the major teaching points I want them to remember.

Homeschool Lapbooks - Powerful Tools For Mastery Learning

Information can be arranged in a lapbook to give a child a quick glimpse of a topic. That’s the point. It can be as general or as detailed as you or your child want it to be.

2. If your child does better with a mastery based approach, lapbooks allow him freedom to master the material that piques his interest.

Another lure of lapbooks is that if you have an independent learner, he doesn’t always want a lot of direction when his curiosity has been piqued.

Lapbooks incite an uncontrollable urge to research and add more information that your child wants to learn. It gives an independent learner freedom to learn what he wants to.

One of the best things about this step is that he has to learn to organize that material so it fits compactly into a minibook or chart. That is a higher level skill.

That technique has been one of the things I’ve liked most about lapbooks.

Our kids amass so much knowledge. But instead of using rote memory to tell it back, they need to learn how to connect it to other topics they know.

Understanding comes from manipulating the information and categorizing it.

Because the books are small, a learner has to manipulate and extract key points. In a setting that seems more fun than work he learns to organize his information.

3. No amount of digital content can rival your child’s own work for a masterpiece that lasts into adulthood.

When my older two sons look back at their learning journey, they haven’t mentioned any learning app, but they do remember the hard work put into their lapbooks.

Homeschool Lapbooks - Powerful Tools For Mastery Learning

Not only is it a learning tool that they used for constant review, but it’s a project worth keeping.

Science and Nature Lapbooks

In addition, I have many lapbook ideas for science and nature lapbooks to help bring your topics to life.

3 Worst Things About Lapbooks

I almost stopped doing lapbooks because I fail into traps that most new lapbookers do.

1. Lapbooks can turn crafty project if you allow it to overtake your day.

I admit it. I wasn’t all that much into crafts. I’ve come a long way since I first started using lapbooks.

Now, I realize the value of allowing children creative outlets and try to look past the mess.

If you and your kids love crafts this won’t be a negative for you. For me and my sons, we focused too much on the crafty part of the lapbook instead of the research part of it.

I soon learned that minibooks didn’t have to be all designed by the kids. We could use some premade ones.

2. Lapbooks can be expensive if you choose color pictures and clip art.

If you only use black and white pictures and have your children color them all, you can save some money.

But in the process you may create a lapbook hater if you have kids that don’t really like coloring.

Coloring by younger children for the most part is enjoyable, but as they grow, emphasis needs to be on clip art and pictures that inspire a learner to dig into the information.

Cardstock, printers, and colorful clip art costs money. If you have multiple children, it can cost a bit more.

Although it can get costly, I also remember that we will have a tool that lasts almost a lifetime. And lapbooks can have flips and flaps added to it each year as your child grows.

It costs something to have a portfolio for my children’s work other than a bunch of boring stapled worksheets.

Lapbooks have been worth every penny, nickel, dime, quarter and dollar I spent through the years to have something my children can look back on that they had a hand in creating. What a worthy investment.

3. The prep work can be time consuming.

If coloring is one gripe then right behind that is my gripe for the time it takes to prep the minibooks.

Through the years, I’ve learned a few tips. I don’t have us sit down at one time and do all the minibooks at one time. By doing one or two each day, I can help each child and it doesn’t become too overwhelming to prepare one or two each day.

Also, unless I’m teaching a course in fine motor skills, I’ve learned to cut some of the minibooks on my own time. My kids seemed more impatient than me and having to cut out all the minibooks just seem torture.

Although I still don’t like the prep work, I see the value of having it done before we sit down to work on the lapbook. Emphasis is put on the content instead of cutting.

Now, I will print and cut out some of the minibooks on my time. I kept each of my kids’ books in separate ziploc bags.

By storing each kids’ books in separate ziploc bags each kid can add special things he discovers to his lapbook when he puts it together. One of my sons found a shed snake skin and kept it in his ziploc bag until he put his lapbook together.

Lapbooks are not time wasters but a good use of time. It’s a fun and interactive way for kids to remember information. Whatever digital curriculum comes, it just can’t equal the time each child puts into preparing a lapbook.

A premade book or digital curriculum is no comparison to a handmade interactive tool made by your child.

Homeschool Lapbooks - Powerful Tools For Mastery Learning

The 3 Best and Worst Things About Lapbooks. Lapbooks are not time wasters but worth your time. You'll love the over 30 FREE Lapbooks on this site. Come on over and try one or two.

5 BEST Books To Create An Around The World Unit Study | Easy Hands-on Ideas

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It’s possible to create a world unit study with a few great books. Also, look at my page Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more free unit studies.

The best way to learn about other parts of the world is through a book.

A book tells stories full of suspense, adventure and discovery.

Events that happened in a geographical area, at a certain time, or as they unfolded through the life of characters in history engage kids.

5 BEST Books To Create An Around The World Unit Study | Easy Hands-on Ideas

{Warning: Picture overload. This post has tons of pictures so you’ll be scrolling. These books are so beautiful and worth every penny so I want you to see lots of pictures!}

I was given these books for free and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. All opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Not every product will get a positive review. Too, because I carefully sort through numerous offers for reviews, it usually means I’m giddy about the product when I do accept it. Read my full disclosure here.

  • The books are
  • Cleopatra Queen of Egypt,
  • Marco Polo History’s Great Adventurer,
  • Archie’s War – My Scrapbook of The First World War,
  • Into the Unknown – How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air and
  • John Muir America’s First Environmentalist.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study

Look at the list below and then look at the unit study ideas below as I break down each book.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study

I can’t wait to show you 5 best books to create an around the world unit study easily through stories by Candlewick Press.

Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt (Historical Notebooks)

The story of Cleopatra’s life has captured the imagination of countless writers and artists for centuries. As one of history’s most enduring figures, much lore has obscured the real woman behind the myth. Was she a beautiful and heartless schemer who stopped at nothing to get what she wanted? Or was Cleopatra a tragic victim of her own heart? This next volume in the acclaimed Notebook series offers a fascinating look into the world of one of Egypt’s most notorious leaders. Featuring a fictional journal that invites us into Cleopatra’s inner world, this is an exquisite guide bursting with gorgeous illustrations and packed with fun interactive extras such as flaps featuring historical facts and pop-culture references. This is a riveting volume rife with battles, passion, and even murderous intrigue — an exclusive look into the legendary queen’s dramatic life.

Marco Polo: History's Great Adventurer (Historical Notebooks)

Immerse yourself in this interactive introduction to one of the greatest explorers ever known.Travel along the Silk Road to medieval China with Marco Polo as your guide. Meet the warlord Kublai Khan and sail through pirate-infested seas in search of riches beyond measure. Including booklets, foldouts, and maps, as well as excerpts from The Travels of Marco Polo, this beautifully illustrated volume illuminates the adventures of history’s greatest storyteller.

Archie's War

Marcia Williams captures the Great War through a child’s eyes with a fascinating fictional scrapbook including real mementos of the day.Meet ten-year-old Archie, his family, and best friend in a scrapbook Archie has made himself, full of comic strips and plenty of other memorabilia. The year is 1914, and as the Great War begins, Archie’s scrapbook reflects the war’s impact on his life and on those who write back from the front. Marcia Williams retains her humor and energy as she employs a new collage style to present an intimate and compelling view of the
First World War and its era.

Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air

Ready to relive some of the most daring voyages of all time? Unfold these spectacular cross sections and explore fourteen historic journeys, with the help of dramatic storytelling and sidebars that highlight key concepts, places, and technology. Presented in a larger format to make these exciting journeys even more accessible and engaging.Back matter includes an index, a glossary, and sources.

John Muir: Candlewick Biographies: America's First Environmentalist

John Muir loved the land. Born in 1838, he was a writer, a scholar, an inventor, a shepherd, a farmer, and an explorer. But above all, he was a naturalist. John Muir was particularly devoted to the high cliffs, waterfalls, and ancient giant sequoia trees that, through his careful influence, were set aside as Yosemite, one of the first national parks in America. Here is the life story of the man who, moved by a commitment to wilderness everywhere, founded the Sierra Club in 1892, a conservation group that carries on his crucial work to this day. Back matter includes an epilogue, a bibliography, and information about the Sierra Club.

The first book Cleopatra Queen of Egypt is for ages 8-12 .

It is for grades 3 -7 which makes it a useful book for teaching multiple ages.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

That is one huge advantage that attracted me to these books.

Strive for a middle age when choosing books.

Why? Because you can create a unit study for multiple ages without being so time intensive when planning.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Moving up or down from a middle point to plan age appropriate activities.

That is less stressful at a middle grade level.

Starting off your adventure, your kids can read about Ancient Egypt.

Then learn about Ancient Rome through the life of Cleopatra.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

I also pulled out a game I had created when we studied Ancient Egypt before.

Look here for the Free Ancient Egypt Mehen Printable Board Game (Hands-on History).

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

What I appreciated most about the book was that it had both positive and negative things to say about the life of Cleopatra.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Whether true or not, many things we’ll never know about her.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

But your kids can learn about life during that time through the pull out maps in the book and lift flaps.

Other topics in the book that you want to cover are Roman numbers for math, Cleopatra’s relatives which were Greek-speaking aristocrats, Egyptian religion, Julius Caesar, Egyptian hairstyles, Egyptian jewelry, festivals and temples.

How to Teach About World Cultures Through Children’s Books

Also, learning about how the Egyptians were accustomed to female pharaohs wielding power, but the Greeks and Romans were not gives your kids a glimpse into the government.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Look at some of these hands-on ideas while learning about Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome. They round out a world unit study.

Grab this free Ancient Lapbook and unit study here.

We studied Greece numerous times and here is a second lapbook for Ancient Greece.

To understand the background of Ancient Egypt also download this free Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt lapbook.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Grab this free Ancient Rome lapbook and make this fun easy Roman helmet and shield.

Just to be sure you have more than enough hands-on history activities to bring the reading of this book alive.

Here are several more Hands-on History Activities for Learning about Ancient Civilizations you don’t want to miss. This post gives you more ideas for other civilizations in this world unit study.

Then on to the next adventure with the book Into the Unknown – How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

The reason I chose this book is that when you look at the table of contents, it has a mix of 14 different adventurers from Pytheas the Greek to Tenzing Norgay.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

And Edmund Hillary who scaled Mount Everest in 1953 to Umberto Nobile who flies across the Arctic in 1928.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Some kids get bored covering history and geography in a chronological order and need some breathing room to skip to other areas of the world about topics that intrigue them.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

How to Use Children’s Books to Teach History Units

The beauty of this book is that through the courageous and thrilling trips of the explorers, your child can learn about many different places.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Just some ideas to take away from this book are to learn about how Apollo II rockets in space, Leif Ericksson reaches the coast of America and how John Cook maps the Pacific Ocean.

This book too is for ages 8-12.

And through the colorful maps, detailed drawings and double spread pull out page, it was hard for Tiny to put this one down.

Not only can you can bring this book alive by studying the different parts of a ship, your child can learn how explorers found their way using different navigational tools.

From ancient to modern places, your kids have their choice of where to start. Here are some hands-on activities to pique their interest.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Awesome Literature to Teach World History

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Moving on to understand about China and the Silk Road through the eyes of Marco Polo, we loved reading Marco Polo History’s Great Adventurer.

Like the Cleopatra Queen of Egypt book, this one too has beautiful bright fold outs with background information about medieval China.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Additionally, look at my Free Marco Polo Unit Study, Lapbook, and Hands-on Ideas.

One reason I chose this book is because it can be hard to find resources that don’t just focus on Medieval Europe  without including what’s happening in the rest of the world during that time.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Topics like the Maya city of Chichen Itza (by the way, we went there on our honey moon, okay, okay) the Soninke Empire of West Africa and the Silk Road are equally engaging and important.

Yes it was fascinating to read about the discoveries along the way but other topics like understanding the geography also helps your child to appreciate the rugged terrain.

Including deserts, mountains and the silk making process make for fascinating topics while studying about Marco Polo.

Learning about deserts, your child can create desert sand art, make a hygrometer and make a sand clock.

Picture Books Brings Learning to Life

Also, I have a huge Marco Polo unit study where your child can make a mythological map, an interactive extend a timeline book, terracotta warriors, an artful mosaic and salt dough map.

My next choice is Archie’s War – My Scrapbook of The First World War.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

This book is full of comic strips with a collage or scrapbook style.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Although war is not a comical matter, I’ve always struggled with teaching my boys about wars and this book gives a picture of what life would have been like in World War I in an entertaining way.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Through letters, drawings and through collages articles from that time period, your kids can appreciate the emotion of the time period.

Also, because it is about World War I, your kids can read about snippets going on in other parts of the world along with an easy timeline.

How rationing begins and how life is never the same again is a message that is gently weaved through the newspaper headlines, letters and diary like quotes throughout the book.

One of the best things I didn’t realize about this book is that some of the things are actual mementos of the time period. This is one period that Tiny and I are wanting to focus more on.

Be sure to grab my free World War II lapbook and learn to make ration cakes as a follow up to this book.

The last book John Muir America’s First Environmentalist is the perfect book for an outdoors adventure.

From Muir’s birthplace in Scotland to Florida and California, John Muir was the ultimate nature adventurer.

Sketching natural journals while learning about the local flora and fauna your child can love nature and appreciate it through his fascinating life.

How to Use Picture Books to Merge Academic Subjects

Learning about Yosemite National Park and Muir’s love to preserve the wilderness, this book has us researching for hours about songbirds, Sequoia, Canada and the Aurora Borealis.

Look at this free spring unit study about John Muir where we did several hands-on activities.

One we did was to learn how ice affects mountains.

If you’re looking to use one book with all of your children to learn about far away places from the comfort of your chair, you’ll swoon over the choices.

We easily have several more unit studies planned.

What do you think? Ready to put together your own world unit study?

How to purchase them.

►Product Names: Cleopatra Queen of Egypt, Marco Polo History’s Great Adventurer, Archie’s War – My Scrapbook of The First World War, Into the Unknown – How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air and John Muir America’s First Environmentalist.
►Website: Candlewick Press.
►Suitable for Ages:  8 to 12 or grades 3 – 7.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities). When you use picture books for multiple ages of children they have a way of bringing homeschool unit studies to life. If you are looking to cover geography and history, grab these books and the easy and fun hands-on homeschool ideas @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

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