Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Activity, Change, Progress

Science Based

South America Unit Study Resources

| 8 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have many South America Unit Study resources. Grab more ideas on my Lapbook ideas, and on my Best Homeschool Unit Studies pages.

My first step as far as planning is to determine what I have in my home and what I can find online. 

Planning my unit studies is a lot like cooking from scratch.

First, I like to dig out what is in my pantry, then take a look at what others have too in their “pantry”.

South America Unit Study Resources

Too, at the beginning I decide whether we will do a lapbook or if we will just do some minibooks and keep it notebooking style. 

Besides, a lot of our units we do both a lapbook and some notebooking pages.

Also, I decide if our unit study will be just enrichment to what we are doing day to day or if it’s all we focus on for a while.

SOUTH AMERICA UNIT STUDY

My objectives affect how long we stay  on a unit.

Next, here is my short list for my objectives in this unit and a few goals.

  • Comprehensive overview of the physical geography
  • Focus on landforms like Andes, Machu Picchu and some reminders on the Amazon Rain Forest
  • Understanding the influence of the Spanish Colonial Empire and the key influence Simon Bolivar had in Latin America’s struggle for freedom

  • Build appreciation from our prior study of the Amazon that it is a life line for many and essential to our planet
  • Appreciate a unique design has a Designer by introducing the Galapagos
  • Allow time to immerse in the culture of people living in South America and the similarities and differences of each country though they are all considered Latin America.

We will be doing a lapbook and notebooking pages. I guess you could say for the first unit of the year, we are going all out.

South America Unit Study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Basically, South America has 12 countries and 2 dependent territories so we have more than enough to keep us learning for quite a while.

You'll love these South America Free Resources Unit Study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

After all, we will spend time looking at what we have covered up to this time, so I can build my unit study on that foundation.

My South America Unit Study Resources

South America and Rainforest Free Notebooking Pages @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I have a total of 12 notebooking pages right now on my page on the Amazon Rain Forest which I could use in this study.

I have free Rainforest lapbooks too on my site.

However, because I want to focus on the other parts of South America and because the boys are a bit older, I already see that I will need some more printables. So I will be sharing those with you soon too.

You'll love these South America Free Resources Unit Study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
After I gathered the books I had on South America which happen to be mostly atlases, I know I need a trip to the library.

You'll love these South America Free Resources Unit Study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

However, the library didn’t have as many as I would have wanted in the adult section.

Besides, they had some and that is more than enough to start a good thorough unit study.

SOUTH AMERICA UNITY STUDY ACTIVITIES

In addition, look at the resources and activities I have on my page.

South America Unit Study Ideas to Borrow

Additionally, there are so many talented teachers in the homeschool world, we can see what else we find. I have linked some of my favorite resources here.

1. Heather over at Blog She Wrote starts with a Geography Quest on Brazil. It starts with a treasure hunt and ends in Brazil. Then they did a map of the watershed of the Amazon River.
Geography Quest on Brazil Answers and a video.

2. Jolanthe over at Homeschool Creations has some great stuff too. She has some printables for a country study on Argentina, Chili, Peru and Venezuela.

3.  Then of course I always love Amy’s stuff over at Homeschool Share.

4. Heidi over at Homeschool Room has a nice collection of geography resources on studying Brazil. Geography Resources for Studying Brazil

South America Unit Study Resources. I have many South America Unit Study resources. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas, and on my best homeschool unit studies pages. My first step as far as planning is to determine what I have in my home and what I can find online. Planning my unit studies is a lot like cooking from scratch. First, I like to dig out what is in my pantry, then take a look at what others have too in their “pantry”. Too, at the beginning I decide whether we will do a lapbook,
South America Unit Study Resources. I have many South America Unit Study resources. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas, and on my best homeschool unit studies pages. My first step as far as planning is to determine what I have in my home and what I can find online. Planning my unit studies is a lot like cooking from scratch. First, I like to dig out what is in my pantry, then take a look at what others have too in their “pantry”. Too, at the beginning I decide whether we will do a lapbook,
South America Unit Study Resources. I have many South America Unit Study resources. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas, and on my best homeschool unit studies pages. My first step as far as planning is to determine what I have in my home and what I can find online. Planning my unit studies is a lot like cooking from scratch. First, I like to dig out what is in my pantry, then take a look at what others have too in their “pantry”. Too, at the beginning I decide whether we will do a lapbook,
South America Unit Study Resources. I have many South America Unit Study resources. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas, and on my best homeschool unit studies pages. My first step as far as planning is to determine what I have in my home and what I can find online. Planning my unit studies is a lot like cooking from scratch. First, I like to dig out what is in my pantry, then take a look at what others have too in their “pantry”. Too, at the beginning I decide whether we will do a lapbook,
South America Unit Study Resources. I have many South America Unit Study resources. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas, and on my best homeschool unit studies pages. My first step as far as planning is to determine what I have in my home and what I can find online. Planning my unit studies is a lot like cooking from scratch. First, I like to dig out what is in my pantry, then take a look at what others have too in their “pantry”. Too, at the beginning I decide whether we will do a lapbook,
South America Unit Study Resources. I have many South America Unit Study resources. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas, and on my best homeschool unit studies pages. My first step as far as planning is to determine what I have in my home and what I can find online. Planning my unit studies is a lot like cooking from scratch. First, I like to dig out what is in my pantry, then take a look at what others have too in their “pantry”. Too, at the beginning I decide whether we will do a lapbook,
Ocean Currents and The Galapagos1
South America Unit Study Resources. I have many South America Unit Study resources. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas, and on my best homeschool unit studies pages. My first step as far as planning is to determine what I have in my home and what I can find online. Planning my unit studies is a lot like cooking from scratch. First, I like to dig out what is in my pantry, then take a look at what others have too in their “pantry”. Too, at the beginning I decide whether we will do a lapbook,
South America Unit Study Resources. I have many South America Unit Study resources. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas, and on my best homeschool unit studies pages. My first step as far as planning is to determine what I have in my home and what I can find online. Planning my unit studies is a lot like cooking from scratch. First, I like to dig out what is in my pantry, then take a look at what others have too in their “pantry”. Too, at the beginning I decide whether we will do a lapbook,
South America Unit Study resources

HOW TO GET THE FREE SOUTH AMERICA LAPBOOK

Finally, look at how to grab the free lapbook. This is a subscriber freebie.

Also, look at these minibooks which come in the free South America lapbook 27 page download.

  • Vocabulary Pocket and Vocabulary Words
  • Animals of the Galapagos fan book which includes the Giant Tortoise, Lava Lizard, Marine Iguana, Green Turtle, Galapagos Penguins, Magnificent Frigate Bird, Blue-Footed Booby, and Blue-Banded Goby.
  • Comparing Mountain Climate Zones
  • Simon Bolivar Copywork
  • Map of South America to label and one labeled
  • Machu Picchu – Lost City of the Inca
  • Negrinho – A dessert from Brazil
  • How to Memorize the Countries of South America and Dependent
  • Map Flags to put on your salt dough map
  • 2 – The Galapagos Island layered book. One prefilled with facts and one blank to add your own information.

 1) Sign up on my list and get this freebie at the same time.
 2) You’ll instantly be directed to download the printable.
3) Last, look for my emails in your inbox as a follower. Glad to have you following me!

Break for Nature Luv

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

There really was another reason I couldn’t finish my spring cleaning.  We got to the back porch and discovered a nest down between the cushions of the chair.

Baby Bird Nest

I know I have seen nests in some crazy places. Makes you wonder what a bird finds appealing about a certain place. In between the back and seat cushion of our chair is not a safe place in my opinion, but it sure made for a grand view for me and the kids over the last few weeks.

Baby Bird Nest

It wasn’t long before we had babies.  I thought it would be easier to take pictures but the mom and dad were quick in bringing back food. So we had to shoot pictures quickly. They had their mouths opened quickly.

nature

By the next week, they grew quick too but we were able to get as close as we wanted to. We noticed this week that they probably knew we weren’t mom and dad now.

It was just a few more days before we saw them ready to leave the nest.

We knew it because of the great amount of chirping coming from mom.  This baby managed to leave the porch right to the grass and had to take a break. I don’t know who enjoyed this more, me or the boys. He is so cute and we loved being so close to him without handling him.

nature Break

Then it got up on the wall and found the corner. It took momma to come find him so he could leave the corner. He couldn’t figure how to get to the trees but finally figured it out. Amazing how they can cling to almost nothing, but the tiny ledge of a brick.  I finally got to clean my back porch but waiting those few weeks for our bird watching was more fun.

It didn’t take long before the kids and I decided it was too hot to be doing cleaning now.

nature break during homeschool

So we invited over my niece and spent a good amount of time in the pool. So this is how we will be starting our school days during the summer.  I highly recommend starting your day off like this.

Hugs and love ya,

Dynamic Reader Spotlight Life in The Rainforest Project

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

I love getting your emails and hearing about your projects whether they are learning or organizing related. And, I am never too busy in my blogging schedule to pause and share when I get one from my dynamic readers. I recently got these beautiful pictures from Chayaan’s mom in (Colombo, Sri Lanka) and I just had to show you what a beautiful job Chayaan did.

Life in the Rainforest by Chayaan Perera (Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Vrai, Chayaan’s mother said:The cover images are all cut outs, and the other pictures of animals, birds, reptiles etc are also all cut outs pasted on to the backgrounds.

I love it because it shows how intricate children can be when learning comes alive or when you find the spark that ignites them.

You have to love the fact that when something interests a child, they will write. The key is to finding something that interests them.

Vrai also said: The pages of pictures on Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, People and Flowers have been done in 3D!

Each key page has a ‘Fact Box’ into which he made and placed ‘Flash Cards’.

I know he will not get tired of reviewing or going back over this. This is the kind of tool to use for assessment of knowledge instead of boring tests.

Vrai also told me: This was all his idea and plan and knowledge is all his own.

I also love the fact that he mixed and matched printables from our site and others to get something unique.

I love the end where he made a call to save the planet. Overall, you can tell how much time was spent on this project. I put Chayann’s work as a slide presentation on our Amazon page. If you get a chance and have time, go on over  to our page and show this little guy some love by commenting in the box at the bottom of our website.

Chayaan, you did a GREAT job and hope you enjoyed the dynamic reader spotlight today. Thank you to your mom for sending in your hard work. She is doing a great job with you.  You made my day today.

Hugs and you know I love ya,

The Inuit & Arctic Wrap up + Free Lapbook Cover Pages

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

I just realized as we had put the final touches on our Arctic & The Inuit Unit study that I did not ever send you the cover pages. I normally try to make these first if I make some, but usually send them last or toward the end of the unit since they go on the outside flaps of our lapbook. Too, if you choose to notebook and just use part of the minibooks, the covers can be used to divide sections or as decorative pieces.

Both of the covers are in color and as always I normally add more later that are black and white. When I put this unit on the website, I will probably add more black and white coloring pages then as well as links.  You received a good portion of the links as you followed me along in this unit study, but I will still have more to share on the site.

Download Cover 1 above here.

Download Cover 2 above here.

Okay, NOW, I think I am ready to move on to our Ancient Civilizations Unit and the Home Management Binder update.  Keeping it organized for you me.

You have to love the Dr. and all his inspirational quotes. Thinking about this today…..

“We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”

~ Dr. Seuss~

Hugs and love ya,

 

 

The Inuit & Arctic Circle FREE Lapbook

| 7 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Using a lapbook is not just for real young children. I am not sure why that thinking permeates in the homeschool world and I have often wondered why it does. I think sometimes we might feel that middle school or high school is suppose to be only about serious learning. My thinking has changed and has been molded by many homeschool experiences but one thing that has not changed is the need to add a bit of fun to our every day subjects. Easy lapbooking is a way to do this and to curb negative attitudes about middle school and high school.

High school for sure is preparation for adulthood and a livelihood.  For example, in our business we have had to prepare visually appealing brochures. Our very livelihood has depended on the visual appeal of both our business website and our trifold brochures. The layout of a lapbook models for my children the different graphic layouts for any project that they may encounter as adults. The emphasis too is not just on the content or material to be researched but on presentation of the lapbook. I guess that is why I say I use my lapbooks for enrichment. We do unit studies, write some each day and like you, do math. So I am not interested in presenting to my children or anybody else for that matter a bunch of blank uninspiring mini books.

I try to strike a balance on having some information available to guide them and model for them but leaving some of it blank so they can explore and add what interests them. I keep that in mind as I prepare each lapbook.

Not all of my children will do a lapbook and sometimes my older guys will choose only like 3 or 4 of the books to position on a notebooking page of their choice. That is fine with me too as long as they enjoy the process and make it their own. Knowledge is just acquired information, facts and experiences and it is hard to assign grade level to those experiences. My lapbooks are similar because they can be as easy or as comprehensive  as you want them to be based on your experiences and because you ultimately decide content.

I just wanted you to know my heart behind my work and how I use the lapbooks to reach my goals with my sons. I hope you enjoy them as much I enjoy creating each one. I especially enjoyed creating this lapbook for the Inuit and Arctic as I mixed up some of the clip art so it can be enjoyed by all ages.

This first minibook in the center is a map of the Arctic Circle.

I provide two pages that are the same except one has the countries and areas labeled and the other one is blank so that your child can write them in.  Click here to download the Arctic Circle Map.

These are tiny meander books. I provide instructions on the page on how to cut them and fold them. They store in mini pockets. Click here to download all four meander books.

This next book is a 4 tab flip book and small enough so that  a few facts can be written under each tab about the things the Inuit use and thought of. Click here to download the book The Inuit thought of it.


This next shape was much pretty much fun to make. It was interesting to learn about how the Inuit used snow houses to live in as temporary homes while they hunted. Click here to download the minibook Snow House.

The Peoples of the Arctic was especially fun to do because we read in the book Inuit Glimpses of An Arctic Past about the people of the Arctic.

When it comes to learning about any country, it is the diverse style of the people living there and how each adapts to their native land that makes learning come alive. This is a fandex type of book explaining each culture. Click here to download The Peoples of the Arctic.

This mini book explains some of the everyday things in the lives of the Inuit. Click here to download the layered book.


Lastly, I have a mini pocket with vocabulary words to match and store in the pockets. Click here to download Amazing Arctic Words.

I am wrapping up this month with the Free Inuit and Arctic lapbook and I hope you enjoyed this mini unit.

You will also like Winter Season Unit Study. Free Lapbook & Hands-On Ideas and Fall Unit 2 Apple Sir Isaac Newton Art.

Hugs and you know I love ya,