History is one of our favorite subjects. We study history in a variety of ways using various resources, but never a boxed curriculum. One thing that is consistent in our history studies is our use of resources from Home School in the Woods. We first started using their timeline figures a few years ago. The artwork is beautiful and simple (but not plain). We soon started incorporating more of their history resources (lapbooks and unit studies). We were thrilled when they started offering some of the projects from within the studies as stand-alone history resources, à la carte projects. The projects range from timelines to lapbook elements to games to hands-on crafts. We were given the opportunity to choose a few for the purpose of this review. We have also purchased others because we enjoy them that much.
There are so many projects to choose from it can be hard to decide what you want to use. Start with the history time period you will be studying. Some of the projects are taken directly from one of the larger studies. If you want a sample of the full study, this is a great way to try it. We are studying early American history so we looked first for resources from this era. There is now a way to sort the offerings by time period as well as project type – I love this! My girls immediately noticed the colorful craft, The Art of Quilling so we decided to make that one of our selections.
These items are downloaded pdf files. After purchase, you download the files to your computer then print what is needed. Some pages you will want to print single-sided, some on card stock, or colored paper. Be sure to check over all the pages before simply hitting print. We make an attempt at being organized by keeping all the papers and supplies together in a folder while we are working on a project. If you have ever used lap books in your homeschool, you know the importance of keeping everything together.
For our quilling project, we needed a few supplies, namely a quilling tool. The printout gave some tips to improvise a tool which worked well for us. We also did a little research and my crafty daughter made a few of our own that are a bit more sturdy than what the instructions covered. We used heavy tapestry style needles and hand-made handles. My daughter needle-felted one and whittled another. Next, we needed to either cut the narrow strips of paper or obtain them from an online source or a craft store. After we had begun our project, we happened to be at Hobby Lobby and saw a whole section of quilling supplies. I think a new hobby has been begun in our home. We also found some of the quilling papers in the supplies my daughters inherited from their great-grandmother. What a special find that was (and maybe part of the reason the girls have been eager to plan other projects using this skill).
We also chose a timeline for our review. We did not select one that coordinated with the time period of our history studies. Instead, we selected a timeline that is not part of one of the full studies or tied to a specific era. One of my daughters is doing a literature study on the history of science. The Science, Invention, & Mathematicians Timeline is a perfect fit for her to use. She has been affixing the cut and colored entry to her timeline as she has encountered the person. There are some people who are not part of her study. She has been putting them in place then doing a little research on the individual. The timeline figures include not only names and dates but also a little of what they are known for. Her research has expounded on this. This has become material for her daily writing. I love it when resources go beyond use in one subject!
Even the younger ones have utilized her timeline. We had a fun book checked out from the library about Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. The younger two wondered if they really knew each other. So we went to the timeline so they could see when these two inventors lived. We learned it was quite possible; their lives overlapped in time. Our recent study of Fibonacci also was included in the timeline. It is so interesting to see who could have known who or who might have influenced someone else.
If you like being creative in your studies, then you’ll love what Home School in the Woods has to offer. Families from the Homeschool Review Crew have had fun with other resources. Be sure to read their reviews – simply click the image below.
