Thursday 6 January 2011

Leopard Gecko Lapbook

Yep, we do lap books here at our house. I discovered them about 6 months ago and find them useful for Science and History topics. I have two children who don't like to write and this is a way to incorporate a little writing into our school day.

But this lap book is SPECIAL because my 8 year old daughter did it 100% on her own. I am so thrilled and proud of her. First some background we visited a neighbor who has a collection of geckos and snakes in his home, see this post:) He lent us this book on gecko's and even offered to give the children one this spring. When we talked to my husband about this possibility he told my daughter to read the gecko book and do a book report. This immediately brought protests but after thinking awhile my daughter came back and asked if a lap book would be acceptable. My husband and I agreed that we would accept a lap book.

This is the result and I can honestly say she did it on her own. She drew the pictures, wrote the questions and the answers and even made the life cycle wheel:)

The cover with her drawing of Gecko we found a lizard drawing from the drawing books Draw. Write. Now. that she used as her inspiration.



After showing it to our neighbor he put the grade on the corner even tho I told him I don't grade the children's work. Some people just can't get out of the school mindset:)



On this page my daughter included what a proper habitat set up would look like. and what a healthy versus unhealthy gecko looks like












This page includes the life cycle and the breeding facts. Even th0 our neighbors breeds the gecko we will not be:) An interesting fact about lizards is the temp surrounding the eggs determines the sex of the lizards.
80 degrees and you get female lizards
85 degrees and you get half and half
90 degrees and you get male lizards







The final page includes basic facts such as
What they eat
where they live
are they good pets






Although I offered to find pictures to add to her drawings she insisted the book be all hand drawn by her. I suggested coloring but she wasn't interested in that. What I also should add is she did this lap book outside of our school time. I am really proud of her and hope you will understand my need to boast a little:)

25 comments:

  1. What a great idea and an awesome project! Thanks so much for sharing it :-)

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  2. Way to go!! You did a great job, young lady. Keep up the good work!

    Kimm Bellotto
    www.handsofachild.com

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  3. YAY Awesome job lil one Keep up the good work and keep reading those books!!!!

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  4. GREAT job!!! Keep up the good work!

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  5. That is great! I can tell she put a lot of work into that. We have yet to try our first lap book, but this makes me want to start!

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  6. WAY TO GO!!!! That is great work!!

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  7. good job, tell her "well done" for me please. :)

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  8. FANTASTIC, I am really impressed. I can't wait to show my 10yo son; writing really bothers him, and he struggles with reading, but when we have done lapbooks he always comes up with at least one element of his very own. I think if I show him this and let him make his own lapbook he may suprise even himself. Let your daughter know not only did she do great, but she is influencing others. :)

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  9. She did a great job. Can't wait until we are at the point where mine can do one by herself! I'm following you now too! :o)

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  10. ...Yes, I would be blogging and boasting about this accomplishment too IF it happened in my house! WOO HOO! Way to go! AWESOME and so impressive and creative! I think she not only earned a gecko, but a SNAKE too :) Hee! Hee! :) We have done a few lapbooks in the past and maybe one day my children will be inspired to do one on their own like yours!
    Great post and lapbook!

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  11. PS: I clicked a vote for you tonight! :)

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  12. She did it all on her own? That is really great, quite an accomplishment. I have thought about lapbooks and notebooking, but haven't gotten that far yet. She should be so proud of herself.
    I voted for you today too.

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  13. Wow, well done, she did a fabulous job.

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  14. Hi Anna-Marie!
    Happy Friday! Clicked a vote for you and I'm still impressed by the lapbook :) Have a blessed Friday and weekend!

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  15. Wow well done, that is one impressive lapbook, you have really impressed both me and my 9 year old son.

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  16. What a lovely lapbook :) You've obviously put a lot of work into it :) Well done! I would like to use this idea with my own daughtwer who is wanting a pet rabbit for her birthday. We have no pets at present and I think it would be useful for her to lkearn a little more about them first :)

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  17. Ready for the weekend? I am. It has been a long week. Want, need, craving some rest. I voted for you today. Blessings!

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  18. Great work! I know how proud she must be, as I have an 8-year-old little girl as well!

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  19. Fantastic job! We too love lapbooking and notebooking. Thanks for visiting my blog. You have a nice blog and I will be following!

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  20. How exciting for your children. Lap books are so fun. Did you make up your own way of putting them together or did you have a templet?

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  21. Hi Anna-Marie!
    Hope you are having a great Saturday! Stopping in to say Hi and clicked a vote for you :)
    Have a blessed weekend! :)

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  22. Thanks everyone who took the time to say a kind comment. My daughter has read every comment and it has boosted her confidence:)

    @ the Johnson Tribe - my daughter did the entire book herself so she decided the the booklet and all were an easy fold:).

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  23. That is sooooo cool! She did an awesome job! I hope the Little Miss will be willing to lapbook. I never heard of it when my older kids were younger and Gohan will not have anything to do with it. So she's my last chance.

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  24. Let her know that she is awesome and keep up the great work. My daughters love the way she did it. They want to learn about Geckos next.. Thank you for the great IDEA!!! =)

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  25. Happy Sunday Anna-Marie!
    Hope you had a restful day! I was out in the cold for 2 hours going door to door with my daughter selling Girl Scout cookies :/
    Clicked a vote for you today!

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