Home School in the Woods #2 - A Crew Review

Disclaimer: I received  a FREE copy of this product from the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way.






If you live in the United States, you'll be very aware of the fact that the presidential election is set to occur this coming November. All of social media and the news channels speak of little else these days. Naturally, this is an opportune time for families to teach their children all about the U.S. election process. The question is, where do you begin? If you have students in the range of 3rd to 8th grade, Home School in the Woods offers a great resource in their U.S. Elections Lap-Pak . Our family is a big fan of this company, and I was more than happy to have this chance to use and review this product. 

I've always appreciated the philosophy of Home School in the Woods, that children learn and retain knowledge much better when lessons are presented through hands-on activities. You probably already know that that there are a variety of learning styles for students. The activity paks that are offered by this company work within those methods, allowing students to learn kinesthetically, audibly, visually, and/or orally. There is also plenty of flexibility in using their resources. Some families may choose to work through a study from cover to cover. Some may pick and choose from topics, using them along with other curriculum. Still others may use projects for students to use independently. Any of the paks may be used across a range of ages and grades. You can read more about this Pak by reading their Blog Post .


They called it The American Experiment

In this U.S. Elections Lap-Pak, there are 21 projects that may be completed, resulting in an impressive looking lap book that will teach students about the presidential election process in the United States. See the projects below:

1- Definition of  "Election"

2 -Different Forms of Government

3 - The American Experiment

4 - The Three Branches of Government

5 - Suffrage

6 - Who Do We Vote For?

7 - Terms of Office

8 - A "Handful" of Political Parties

9- Caucuses and Primaries

10 - National Conventions

11 - The Presidential Campaign: Platform

12 - The Presidential Campaign: Stump Speaking

13 - The Presidential Campaign: Media-News Source

14 - The Presidential Campaign: Advertising

15 - Raising Money

16 - Statistics

17 - Election Day

18 - The Electoral College

19 - Inauguration Day

20 - The Electoral Race

21- The "Vocabinet"

Election Day!

Included in the digital files of this kit are complete instructions, reading texts and assignments, masters of all of the projects, and optional audio of the narrated text. Supplies are not included, but you probably already have all or most of them around your house. You will need:

- white paper

-colored paper

- white cardstock

- colored cardstock

-pencil

- colored pencils

- scissors

- stapler

- liquid glue that dries clear

- glue stick

- double sided sticky tape

- clear tape

- clear packing tape

- gold glitter

- 5" square clear acetate

- exacto knife

- cutting surface

 - paper fasteners

- 3 1/2" x 5" piece of fabric

- pinking shears

- file folder (with middle tab)

- 6" x 9" manila envelope

- pushpin

Stump Speaking

Different Forms of Government

There is a LOT of detail included in this Pak, as with all of the others that I have had the pleasure of using. Don't let that intimidate you! As they say, begin at the beginning. Read the introduction, look over the summary and supplies list first. Then, print out the text assignments and instructions, and masters. Look over the project directions. It really is well organized and easy to follow, but there  is a lot, and it can seem daunting at first. After you've done these things, jump in and start creating your lap book!

Political Parties in the U.S.

I have always liked the freedom that these Paks allow within studies. They make great additions to enhance current studies. I like to bring them out when we need a break from our current work. It can be hard to be stuck in the same textbook day in and day out, and it's nice to have a break and work with your hands a bit. Having said that, this is a project pack that is heavy on cutting and pasting many small bits. That's great for my kids, especially when they've had enough of a dry text, but I know that not every student will fell the same way. Fortunately, you can tailor the activities to suit your students. Use them all, or just a few. Maybe you'll pass on the style of the lap book, and complete a display on poster board or other surface. It's up to you. 

This activity-pak is only one of several that our Crew reviewed. Check out the following:

Benjamin Franklin K-2 Lap-Pak

Timeline Collection: A Collection of Historical Timeline Figures K-12

Time Travelers U.S. History Studies (Grades 3-8)

Make-A-State Activity-Pak (Grades 3-8)

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