Africa Lapbook
Africa has A LOT of countries, so pace yourself with this lapbook! Really, you can stretch it out over this whole semester if you want, since we study Africa for Weeks 13-23.
To make planning easier, the whole lapbook is in one downloadable file, including some instructions for assembly. You can print it all out ahead of time and complete each section as you come to it, or assemble the lapbook at the end of the quarter as review. You choose the best way to use these lapbooks in your school!
(Download and save to your computer before printing for the best results. To print accurately 2-sided, make sure you click “actual” in size options and not “fit” in printing options if you use Adobe Acrobat.)
Here’s a picture of the completed lapbook:
My usual Note about the Lapbooks:
Lapbooks can be a fun and interactive way for students to learn- lots of teachers both in and out of the school system are using them these days. And they are a fun way to review material you’ve already covered. Don’t feel pressured to make your lapbook look exactly like the pictures. The most important thing is that your students are learning and having fun! If they want to put pieces in different places, color it differently or make their own additions, go for it! Lastly, if you have several students, you can either let them each make their own (if they can cut and glue by themselves) OR you can make one lapbook as a family.
Supplies you’ll need for this lapbook:
- A file folder (any color will do)
- Cardstock and white paper to print inserts on
- Glue stick or two sided tape
- Crayons/coloring pencils
- 2 metal brads
Printing
Most items are fine if printed on regular paper, but printing on cardstock will make it last much longer.
Print the cover and the map (pgs 5-6) one sided.
Print the North African booklet (pgs 7-8) two-sided (flip on the long side of the paper).
Print the Western Africa booklet (pages 9-12 ) two sided (flip on the long side of the paper).
Print the Eastern African Countries Pocket (pg 13) on cardstock one sided.
Print the Eastern African Cards (pages 14-17) one sided.
Print the Central Africa booklet (pgs 18-21) two sided (flip on the long side of the paper).
Print the African feature and African Water tags (pgs22) one sided.
Print the African Rivers foldable (pgs 23-24) two sided (flip on the long side of the paper).
Week 13
Fold your file folder inward to make a lapbook.
Glue or tape the map to the middle section of the lapbook. You can laminate it first if you want a wipe-clean activity of labeling for your students.
Cut out the African Rivers foldable. Fold on the solid lines, back and forth. Glue to the bottom of the center section below the map.
Week 14
Cut out the African Features Tags (Atlas Mountains, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Sahara Desert, Nubian Desert, Sinai peninsula, cape of Good Hope, Serengeti Plain). Hole punch on the circle, then hole punch in the top right side of the lapbook’s middle section. Stack the tags with the title on top and using a small brad, secure the to the lapbook.
Week 15
Repeat the same steps for the African Waters tags (Mediterranean Sea, Suez Canal, Gulf of Suez, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, Lake Victoria). Attach to the lapbook the top left side of the lapbook’s middle section
Week 16
Cut out the Northern African Countries Booklet pages, making sure not to cut down the middle of the book (do not cut on the dotted line).
Stack them such that the title is on the front (see pictures below).
Staple in the middle, then fold in half on the dotted line. Glue stick/tape/glue dot to one side of the lapbook.
Week 17
Cut out the Western African Countries booklet pages, making sure not to cut the dotted lines.
Stack them such that the title is on the front and they look like the picture below. (Stack so that the dotted lines are all on top of one another).
Staple in the middle (on the dotted line), then fold in half. Glue/tape/glue dot to a side flap of the lapbook.
Week 18
Cut out the Eastern African Countries pocket, making sure to cut around the tabs. Cut out the Eastern African Countries Cards.
Fold the tabs over and around the pocket and secure with gluedots/tape/glue stick. Secure the pocket to the side flap of the lapbook. Stuff your cards into the pocket.
Week 19
Cut out the Northern African Countries Booklet pages, making sure not to cut down the middle of the book (do not cut on the dotted line).
Stack them such that the title is on the front (see pictures below).
Staple in the middle, then fold in half on the dotted line. Glue stick/tape/glue dot to one side of the lapbook.
Your finished lapbook might look like this:
Print the cover and attach to the fronts of the flaps. I like to either glue the cover to one side and cut along the edge as a guide, or you could lay the flap on top of the cover and use a pencil to draw where to cut. Either way, it looks pretty snazzy with a Catholic Schoolhouse cover!
Make it fit into your 3-ring binder next! Run some packing tape or duct tape along the left side of the lapbook, and fold it over so it sticks to itself partway and to the lapbook part way. Then hole punch with your 3 hole puncher. The pictures below show how to do this on the Botany Lapbook, but the procedure is the same!
I hope your students enjoyed making this lapbook. It’s packed with countries and information! Make it your own by the extra details you add for each country.
Keep these lapbooks around during the summer. You’d be surprised who you find taking a look at them, even when you’re on break from school
Thanks!
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