Product Review: Download N Go Expedition Australia

This unit study/lapbook is part of The Old Schoolhouse Download N Go series by Amanda Bennett.  I was given a download of Expedition Australia to use with my boys and review.  The premise of this series is that everything you need to complete a study of the subject is included in one download.  All the research has been done, the lessons made up, all you do is, well, “download and go.”  :)

The age range for this study is K-4th grade, perfect for us with my 5yo kindergartener and 9yo 3rd grader.  Most of the hands on work is at the higher level, but the information is appropriate for all levels.

After reading through the download and printing up the worksheets and lapbook components, I made up a plan for our week by simply following the lessons as laid out in glorious color for me.  It only took a few hours and I was ready for a week’s worth of school.

This series is rich with resources.  My boys were never bored because of the variety with which the information is presented;  we watched videos on the computer, completed minibooks, read books from the library, went on an online scavenger hunt and used maps.  And I didn’t have to hunt down any links or spend time searching my library catalog.  All the resources are in the download.

My overall impression?  For me the unit was easy to use, pretty to look at and filled with appropriate activities.  For ds3, my 9yo, he enjoyed the variety of work and learned a lot.  The math pages were too easy, but the lapbook components were spot on for him.  For ds4, my 5yo, he enjoyed the videos, books and map work.  He used the math and coloring sheets.  Both boys enjoyed using and learned from this unit.  Ds4 surprised dh one night when they were flipping through t.v. channels and ds proclaims, “That looks like Uluru rock.”  Dh looks at me and I confirm that it indeed is.  ;)  Ds3 has been incorporating the places we learned about in his daily play with Legos and Webkinz as well.  Shows me that the hands on approach of unit studies is a good fit for our homeschool.  And that the Download N Go series works for us.  :)

We put the lapbook components in ds’s notebook/journal.  While he likes the idea of lapbooks, he doesn’t like the folders.  Also, this notebook will make a wonderful addition to his portfolio for the year.

I love that they were able to work together on this study.  :)

The Old Schoolhouse Store offers many more topics in the Download N Go series, including all four seasons, whales, George Washington, Davy Crockett and even a pizza party.  More topics will be introduced throughout the year.  You can buy them individually for $7.95, choose a pack of 4 for $30.00, or order a semester or year’s worth of studies ($114.00 and $190.00.)