Fossilisation Flapbook

This is my son, Yusef’s flapbook about the process of fossilisation. Flapbooks are a nice way of breaking down information that contains a sequence of events. It helps children to memorise and recall processes easily. Diagrams are particularly important. When children draw their own diagrams it helps them retain more information.

Yusef has been learning recently about fossils and rock formations and I thought this little flapbook was a nice way to help him remember the process of fossilisation.

We broke down the process into four steps that can be easily remembered. Yusef drew four diagrams and added details underneath to explain each step. This process focuses on the fossilisation of Ammonites.

To make this flapbook I folded a sheet of A3 card into half and then folded each half in half again. I then cut a slit up the centre of each outer half to make the individual flaps.

I printed off the title wording for Yusef to colour and stick onto the front of the flap book and when the flap is opened it reveals a diagram and some written information.

Here is the book when it is opened out completely.

Progress Chart

Recently, my husband and I came to a decision to take our younger two girls out of the local nursery and start them studying at home with their older siblings.

We have established a daily routine and I created this progress chart with a weekly table for each of the four kids to add gold stars as they complete various activities throughout the day.

Each sheet shows 7 days of the week and various subjects including English, Maths, Science and Islam.

I have set targets for each of the kids to achieve on a daily basis. At present I expect Yusef to complete activities for at least 5 subjects a day; for Samira, at least 4 subjects a day and for Amina and Basma, 3 subjects a day, which will usually incorporate Phonics, Numeracy and Islam.

I make sure that we have a balance so that the older two cover every subject in one way or another, at least twice a week with English, Maths and Islam being fixed daily targets.

And I also set targets for the number of gold stars I expect them to achieve by the end of the week. For Yusef, he currently has a target of 25 gold stars a week, Samira is aiming for 20 and the younger two aim for 12. When they reach those targets they are rewarded with a small prize and they feel that they have really achieved something and they all enjoying working for their stars, masha’Allah.

Education Tips: Leaflet Learning

As a home-schooler of relatively young children, I find that I am constantly having to come up with new and interesting ways for my kids to learn and retain the information I teach them.

My son, Yusef was recently learning about India from one of his atlas information books and I suggested he put together a leaflet to display the information and facts he had learned.

He looked at many different aspects, first about the demographics, then about the crops grown and exported. Then he focused on the tiger which is famous in India. Then he added some information about the food eaten in India and finally he added in some information about the geography and topography of the country.

By breaking down and  laying out the information in this way, it helped him remember more of the information he had learned, masha’Allah.

Education Tips: Drawing Diagrams

A very dear friend of mine, also a home-schooling mum, recently gave me a very good piece of advice. She told me to encourage my children to draw and label their own pictures and diagram. Children learn and understand more when they reproduce a diagram because they have to look at all parts of it, so they are likely to take in more information.

My son Yusef, was interested to know how steam engines worked so he started reading a book called The Mega Book of Trains. Inside was a diagram showing the internal workings of a steam engine:

I explained to him using the diagram in the book, how the steam engine works and then I asked him to reproduce the diagram for himself and label it, which he did. Afterwards he explained it to me in full detail pointing out parts of the diagram as he explained. He understood exactly how it worked simply by following his diagram. Later in the day I heard him explaining to his sister how a steam engine works and it was clear he knew what he was talking about.

It’s so simple, yet so effective. Encourage your children to draw and label their own diagrams. Not every child is an artist. You may not understand your childs drawing but remember never to criticise it because you will dent their confidence, instead ask them to explain the diagram to you and if needs be help them step by step to explain the various parts and workings. When they have explained it to you in their own words and you are sure they understand, praise your child.

If you think your childs diagram is missing any crucial details be sure to mention this to them gently. Refer back to the original diagram from the textbook and ask them if they think they may have missed anything.

Technical drawing is something that most kids will encounter sooner or later in their studies, so getting into practise from an early age will help them build confidence, learn to pay attention to detail,  and help them have clearer understanding of the way things work insha’Allah.