Home School in the Woods: Elections Lap pak review (TOS)

With this year being a presidential election year, I was excited to do a review of HISTORY Through the Ages Hands-on History Lap-Pak: U.S. Elections from Home School in the Woods.

The lap-pak that we received was an instant download, but it is also available for purchase on a CD for a dollar more. It has complete plans for a lap-book, including step-by-step pictures on how to assemble when complete, reading text to go along with each activity, and even audio of the reading if you prefer to listen. There are 21 projects, or "mini books" to complete. They include:

• Definition of “Election”
• Different Forms of Government
•  The American Experiment
• The Three Branches of Government
•  Suffrage
• Who Do We Vote For?
• Terms of Office
• A “Handful” of Political Parties
•  Caucuses & Primaries
• National Conventions
• The Presidential Campaign: Platform
• The Presidential Campaign: Stump Speaking
• The Presidential Campaign: Media — News Source
• The Presidential Campaign: Campaign Advertising — Spreading the Word!
•  Raising Money
•  Statistics
• Election Day
•  The Electoral College
•  Inauguration Day
•  The Electoral Race!
• The “Vocabinet”

All we needed to complete this was a computer (to open the files and listen to mp3's), printer, paper, scissors, glue, wire brads, file folders, and writing and coloring utensils. Pretty much all the supplies you'd normally need for a lap book unit.

I had my 9 year-old work on this project. He loves lapbooks, so I thought this would appeal most to him. He is also the right target age for this product which is 3rd-8th grade. Although, my 2nd grader has asked to work on it so I may start including him as well as we continue to work on it. Yes, we have not finished it yet. I plan to keep working on it throughout the school year, and as it gets closer to election day.

He has been enjoying it pretty well. The text is a bit much for him at his level. It really helps for me to read it to him so we can stop and talk about it. I tried the audio one day, and asked him how it went. He said he didn't understand anything. So, yes, it really helps for me to read it with him.

His first day he was inspired to draw an American Flag, and then he went on to make a flag pole so we could raise and lower a flag for our homeschool. It turned out pretty cute.

 Here are some pictures of the semi-completed lapbook. 

This is the front of our lap-book.

  This is some of the inside of our lapbook.    Since we didn't complete it the next 2 pictures are from the Home School in the Woods website. These are what the lap-book might look like all complete. There is some great stuff in there!

The Hands-on history elections lap-pak could be a complete unit just by itself. It contains enough information and activity that would paint a pretty good picture of the elections process. I have even found myself learning a thing or two! But, I really like to dig deeper into some of the subjects, so I found some extras to do along the way. 

Reviewing some of the past presidents is a great part of this history experience! (This was not part of the review, just something I had printed from a while ago.)

School House Rock, Election Collection. (This was not part of the review, just something I grabbed to supplement it.)

Overall I think this is a great product. I love lap-books, and I think this one has all the perfect elements all in one place to create a very memorable and lasting book. I will add though that there is a lot of cutting and putting together of mini books, and that is not a highlight for my boys. I had Aaron put together the first 2 books, but quickly realized it was just bogging him down. I will probably finish the assembly so that both my boys can just look through and enjoy it, and as we go through it we will find activities to go along.

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Would you like to read more reviews about this product? You can find out what my crew mates have to say as well! Just click on the image below and it will take you to the list of reviewers.