Lapbooks are eye-catching, versatile lap-filling scrapbooks. They are a collection of mini-books packaged together in such a way that the final product can sit in your lap. Lapbooks are gaining in popularity in the homeschooling world, and in the classroom, and we think this is absolutely fantastic!

But as the popularity of something new grows, so do the misconceptions. Today, we want to dispel a few common flawed ideas about lapbooks.

Let's dig in...

3 Common misconceptions about lapbooks, and the eye-catching truth 

1. Lapbooks have to be in file folders.

While file folders are certainly the most common way to keep all those mini-books in one place, there are other options. You can assemble your mini-books:

• In a bound notebook,
• On construction paper,
• Or display them on a poster board.

Ideally, you want to mini-book container to fit into your student's lap, but the ultimate goal is to have a collection of booklets that your student can open, read, and remember for years to come.

2. Lapbooks can only be used with younger students.

While it's true that lapbooks are more frequently used with younger students because of the benefits of notebooking with less white space. However, don't let the diminished size of the mini-booklet lead you to conclude that notebooking is only for younger students.

Older students can benefit from the creative outlet that lapbooks can provide. Plus, lapbooks are a great way to review what you are learning with your students!

3. Lapbooks can't be used for science.

While lapbooks are most often seen in history, you can use these versatile scrapbooks with any subject! You can add science lapbooks into your homeschool in several ways. You can:

• Use a lapbook to review a unit that you have just finished covering in your current curriculum;
• Switch things up a bit by exchanging a lapbook for your regular science notebook;
• Or base an entire unit around a science lapbook. In this case, the lapbook can serve as the guide for a full unit study.

The science lapbook you choose can be an added bonus to your current plans or it can be your main plan for science as long as the lapbook plans contain all three keys for teaching science.

Wrapping it Up

In short - lapbooks don't always have to be in file folders, they can be used with any age of student, and they can most definitely be used for science!

Did you know that we have a full line of science lapbooks? Learn more about them here.