Central America and Islands Lapbook

Central America and the American islands get the spotlight in Weeks 7-9.  Here’s another lapbook to keep going in our geography lapbooking series!

To make planning easier, the whole lapbook is in one downloadable file, including some instructions for assembly (although the blog shows more detailed pictures). 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!

Central America Lapbook (updated version)

(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:

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• A file folder (any color will do)
• Cardstock and white paper to print inserts on
• Glue stick or two sided tape
• Crayons/coloring pencils

Printing

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Print pages 2-11 two sided (flip on the long side of the paper) on cardstock.

Print the map and cover one sided on regular paper.  Laminate the map if desired.

Week 7

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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.

Print the  features flaps, cut out and fold on their lines of symmetry.

Arrange them in the middle section of your lapbook around the map.  Since this lapbook has a lot of flaps and match books, I recommend saving some space at the bottom or somewhere in the middle section for a couple of the country matchbooks to fit in later.  Here’s one way to do it, but remember to let your students have a little freedom in arrangement, they’ll have more fun that way.  Take turns reading the insides of the flaps and discussing which feature you would visit if you could.

Weeks 8 and 9

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Cut out around your country match books, and fold on the dotted lines to make match books.  Your students can add any additional information to these that they wish.  Add interesting animals, plants, patron saints, landmarks, or anything else they want.

Glue these to the insides of the two flaps of your lapbook.  You could glue all of the Week 8 countries on one side, and all the Week 9 countries on the other side if you wish.

Here it is again finished:

And with some flaps opened:

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.  Make sure you keep these accessible all year- they are great for reviewing.

 

Thanks!

 

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