You know how sometimes something is just perfect timing? Right about the time we started getting out more, we also got the opportunity to review the brand new Exploring Creation Field Trip Journal from our friends at Apologia Educational Ministries.
Our family used to do a lot of field trips, and we've really gotten away from them the last few years. I recently realized that while the older kids remember our field trip days, the younger kids were either too little, or not here yet, so they haven't experienced the thrills of Monterey Bay Aquarium, the California Missions, Sutter's Fort, and other fun and educational trips we've taken.
The field trip journal contains helpful tips for preparing for your field trips, and inspiration to get you started on your adventures, including several interesting field trip destination suggestions I wouldn't have thought of. I'm looking forward to planning some of these excursions now that school is out.
In addition to pages dedicated to recording specific trips, there are also pages for recording past explorations. One of these two page spreads contains a map of the U.S. which is just begging to have the states you've been to colored.
The Specific Trip pages are my favorite. They have places to record the date and time of the trip, the location, books read in preparation or after the trip, places to attach a map or brochure, a picture or drawing box, and space to record what happened and what you want to remember about that specific trip.
We decided to make ours a family journal, rather than belonging to one person. I had Hannah fill out one spread for the Farmer's Market trip we took, and Eli did one on Big Truck Day. Both boys wrote about our trip to the County Fair. We even glued event logos in our book.
One of the cool things about Apologia products is that you get more than just the physical book. In their science books, this is online access to dozens of links to further your studies on a particular subject. For the field trip journal, it's a huge list of links for field trip ideas, maps, field guides, all sorts of resources!
I love this book because someday we'll be able to look back through it and remember places we've been, memories we've made. The kids will be able to see, in their own words and their own handwriting, special events we shared.
Another really neat feature of this spiral bound book is the My Special Spot pages. The field trip journal guides you through choosing a spot in nature and visiting it in each of the four seasons to observe and document the changes.
There are also pages available for prompted drawings and whatever-you-feel-like drawings. The Exploring Creation Field Trip Journal and a good set of colored pencils are two things you won't want to go adventuring without.
This fun keepsake sells for $22. You can connect with Apologia on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or G+. You can read what other Crew families have to say about the Exploring Creation Field Trip Journal by clicking the box below:
This sounds like a really great product. I never thought of being organized about field trips - you know? It just never occurred to me.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this great idea!
We used to keep a field trip scrapbook, years ago, but this is so much more. :)
DeleteWe are going to use the Apologia science next year. I saw the field trip journal when I was browsing their site. I may have to give it another look.
ReplyDeleteOooh, which one?? We finished Astronomy, and we're doing Botany next year. :)
DeleteZoology
DeleteI'd love to hear what you think of it when you're done.
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