• Home
  • About Me
    • Reviews & Advertisements
    • Affiliations, Disclosure, and Privacy Policy
  • Notebooking
  • Lapbooking
  • Homeschool
    • Teaching Writing
    • Homeschooling an Only Child
    • Homeschooling Middle School
    • Homeschool for High School
    • Curriculum Reviews
  • Charlotte Mason
    • Narration
    • Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Q & A
    • Artist Study
    • Composer Study
    • Living Math
    • Nature Study

Jimmie's Collage

lifestyle blog of a single mom who works from home

  • BUY THE BOOK: Notebooking Success
  • BUY THE BOOK: Essay Tune Up

Beijing Notebook

October 31, 2009 By Jimmie Quick 15 Comments

beijing notebook coverI can’t tell you how many blank books and sketchpads I’ve purchased over the years. It’s the natural outcome when you’ve got a journaler (me) and an artist (Sprite) in the house.

Over the last six months, however, Sprite has also started to love writing. So we’re buying more and more lined journals. Thankfully even our small city has a wide variety of  inexpensive styles.

Sprite knows art supplies and books don’t count, and blank books fit right into that same category. How can I resist when she says, “But mom, I need a fresh book to record our Beijing trip?”

The night before our flight, we sat in bed and read over the materials I’d prepared — a history of the Great Wall, facts about the Forbidden City, and the symbolism of Beijing Opera masks. I had no idea she’s want to take notes in her notebook, but that’s what she did. I had to read slowly with lots of pauses in between to give her time to jot down the key ideas. Part of me was frustrated with having to go so slowly, but then I realized what an amazing learning activity this was! My fifth grader is learning note taking skills on her own accord and for something she would really use in just a few days! This was worth the investment of time.

About Chinese Dynasties

beijing notebook inside beijing notebook dynasties

She left blank spots with plans for diagrams and filled those in the morning before we departed.  As I  packed, her dad scoffed, “Can’t we have a vacation without it being an educational project?” I assured him that I wasn’t forcing her to do this; it was all her own idea.  He countered that I don’t have to force her because I’ve already brainwashed her to convert everything into a learning opportunity. Okay. I admit it. And I’m proud.

Notes on the Forbidden City

beijing notebook forbidden city1 beijing notebook forbidden city2

a flag book from our minibook stash
beijing notebook forbidden city3

The Great Wall

beijing notebook great wall1 beijing notebook great wall2
Beijing Opera

beijing notebook opera1
beijing notebook opera3 beijing notebook opera2

Just to prove this was not a school assignment, check out the spelling errors! I restrained my desire to correct her and instead simply praised her creativity, industry, and organization.

Sprite carried the notebook with her most everywhere we went in Beijing. I saw her referencing it at the Forbidden Palace and making sketches at the acrobat show. Yep. Totally brainwashed.

More You Will Like

World War 1 Notebook or Lapbook
Theodore Roosevelt President Study
Learning x9 Facts

Filed Under: field trips, notebooking Tagged With: beijing, field trips, journaling, notebooking

Comments

  1. Martha says

    October 31, 2009 at 2:09 pm

    You’ve done some great bainwashing! My oldest always loved to do little books with his information in it. It’s cute now that I look back on this work.
    .-= Martha´s last blog ..Pumpkin Fun =-.

    Reply
  2. Nikki says

    October 31, 2009 at 9:16 pm

    LOL….brainwashing:)
    Her journal looks amazing! I believe it will be something she treasures forever!

    Reply
  3. Michelle says

    October 31, 2009 at 10:29 pm

    I LOVED reading this post. What a wonderful job you have done “brainwashing” her! Yep, you should be proud! *Ü*

    Reply
  4. sarah in the woods says

    November 1, 2009 at 2:01 am

    Ha Ha! This is really great. My husband accuses me of brainwashing our kids too.

    Reply
  5. Kris says

    November 1, 2009 at 3:31 am

    Very impressive! I wish my kids were a little more brainwashed. 😉
    .-= Kris @ Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers´s last blog ..Weekly Wrap-Up: Cullen Cut and Around the World Day =-.

    Reply
  6. Rhonda says

    November 1, 2009 at 9:18 am

    That’s awesome! I’m going to keep working on my brainwashing project.

    Rhonda

    Reply
  7. Sarah says

    November 1, 2009 at 10:04 am

    I am impressed! Can’t wait for my kids to be able to do something like that on their own!
    .-= Sarah´s last blog ..History : Patricians and Plebeians =-.

    Reply
  8. Marsha says

    November 1, 2009 at 12:09 pm

    If I send you a ticket, can you come brainwash my kids too? PLEASE?!
    .-= Marsha´s last blog ..In a strait between here and there =-.

    Reply
  9. Evelyn Saenz says

    November 1, 2009 at 8:56 pm

    Jimmie, you and Sprite always create the most beautiful journals and lapbooks.

    Reply
  10. Tracy says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:20 am

    What a wonderful notebook. Sprite did a GREAT job! I wish my kids were brainwashed. I’ll have to work on that more. 🙂
    .-= Tracy´s last blog ..TOS Review Virginia Soaps and Scents =-.

    Reply
  11. Maria says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:29 am

    Two thumbs up! I love brainwashing… he he, at least the kids’ brains get clean 😉 Joking aside, you’ve done a marvelous job, Sprite. Kudos to the mom.
    .-= Maria´s last blog ..H20 Connection =-.

    Reply
  12. Deedee says

    November 2, 2009 at 5:19 pm

    Glad I’m not the only one whose husband complains (teases) about every trip becoming a field trip for educational purposes! LOL! I love the ‘brainwashing’ comment!

    We just did London for the embassy and passports but we managed a whole morning at the National Gallery searching out our favourite artists works and a trip to Handel’s house to learn about his composing. We did manage lots of fun along the way, but the kids kept asking to be ‘taught’ about the things we were seeing! I guess we are on our way to true ‘brainwashing’ here too! :o)

    Reply
  13. Rhonda says

    November 2, 2009 at 9:30 pm

    Sprite’s notebook is FABULOUS!! I absolutely love that she did this project on her own-because she wanted to. Love that!!
    .-= Rhonda@LivingWater´s last blog ..Weekly Report: Week 10 =-.

    Reply
  14. Dana says

    November 4, 2009 at 11:49 am

    May all of our children be so “brain washed!” 🙂

    I do love your dd’s notebook. Hmmm… I might have to work on something like that. Maybe for our next trip? Or… we just got back from NYC and maybe we can make an “arts” notebook for the artwork we saw?
    .-= Dana´s last blog ..Stop Motion Animation =-.

    Reply
  15. Melissa Telling says

    November 4, 2009 at 9:11 pm

    She’s well on her way to being a lifelong learner. What else could one expect when her mom sets such a good example?
    .-= Melissa Telling´s last blog ..History of Art Co-Op: Ancient Art =-.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome!

jimmie lanley
So glad you clicked over. You are welcome here. I'm Jimmie, a single, work from home mom of one teen.

Get This One FREE!

My books

Notebooking Success eBook

Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in