Have you ever heard of Home School in the Woods? History can be mundane. But, it doesn't have to be with these fantastic kinesthetic projects available for immediate download! The best part is you can find most any historical subject. It's a lot of fun making history with these two hands-on Á La Carte products.
3D Jamestown Replica
The first product we reviewed is the Jamestown Replica 3D Project. Honestly, I thought it was going to be difficult and tedious. When we decided to start on the project, I was really busy and didn't have a lot of time. I am happy to report -- it was actually easy, quick, and fun! The kids used colored pencils as instructed to color in the fences and base.
I folded in the creases where it was marked on the sheet (instructions recommend using a ruler) and then intricately cut out the peices. The project required card stock for a few pages. We did not have card stock but used resume paper. It worked really well as we could shape it easily but it wasn't flimsy like copy paper. My 13-year old daughter taped inside corners for extra stability and positioning.
We were able to complete it in a day with the three of us. However, if only one or two students working on it, it may a couple of days to finish, especially for younger students.
We picked the Jamestown Replica for the historical and fascinating facts associated with Jamestown, Virginia. Named after King James I, it was the first settlement in the Colony of Virginia in the early 1600's. But, did you know that's where the first slaves arrived on Portuguese ships?
The price is right for this 3D replica -- $3 for a downloadable file and you can download up to 4 times. It's also recommended for Grades 3 through 8.
The War Between the States Timeline
The next project we were anxious to get started on is The War Between the States Timeline. We've been using a Book of Centuries timeline in our homeschool for many years. However, this was easier, hands-on and informative.
The Civil War in America timeline came with figures, predated lines, and a teacher’s key. It was easy peasy! All we did was print, color, cut, and glue -- that's it!
Every year, we focus on a certain time period. For 2017-2018, we are studying the late 1700's and 1800's. Building this timeline was a perfect way to ensure the kids can match the facts along with their appropriate dates.
My daughter and son worked on coloring the figures and cutting them out. I helped put together the actual timeline by printing it on resume paper (card stock is recommended), then taping Lines 1 through 10 like an accordion. Once they fit together nicely, I taped them with packing tape in the back.
Please note that my printer ink was defective so the ink was lighter than normal.
My 11-year old son was in charge of finding where each piece went, whether it was a person, place or event. It did take a couple of hours for my son to find the right spot on for 100+ pieces on the timeline.
Here is the final product pictured below. Isn't that awesome? I plan on ordering more products from them in the future. For this 10-page timeline, it's only $6.95 and recommended for grades 3 through 12!
Á La Carte Projects
You might also want to try the following Á La Carte products if you are studying American History:
American History Newspaper Collection - (Grades 3rd-8th) This collection captures history in headlines, from the discovery of the New World right up into the 20th Century in America! The seven newspapers included in this master collection provide article and advertisement headlines, leaving it to the students to fill them in with the information they’ve learned throughout their studies in their own words as if reporting on the incidents as they happened.
A Young Country Newspaper Collection - (Grades 3rd-8th) - With this creative writing newspaper collection, you can have your students review their American Revolution and early U.S. history studies while practicing their creative writing skills at the same time! Each of the two newspapers included providing article and advertisement headlines, leaving it to the students to fill them in with the information they’ve learned.
FINAL THOUGHTS
We enjoyed these products from Home School in the Woods and plan on purchasing more in the future. It's easy on the budget, great for kinesthetic learners and hardly any mess to clean up. Organizers everywhere rejoice!
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