Homeschool Review: Paddington Bear (Branch Out World) #hsreviews #BOWresources #projectfuntolearn #PictureBookExplorers

Way back in college in 1988, I had the opportunity to hang out in Paddington Station when we visited jolly old London as part of a British Studies class.  I was super excited about that particular Underground stop because of my love of a certain friendly bear named Paddington who traveled all the way to England as a stowaway from Peru.   Do you remember reading about him?  I've always loved that bear.  I was excited about pulling out my pictures from my trip and sharing them with my daughter as we toured the pages of  Branch Out World's Lit Study Paddington Bear.  Part of the Picture Book Explorers series, Paddington Bear is a 69-page unit study based on the book Paddington by Michael Bond.  (You will need a copy of this book to accompany your study.)

The PDF file can be viewed directly from the computer or tablet screen or it can be printed and added to a binder for easy access.  Written specifically with students ages 5 - 10 in mind, Paddington Bear offers a wide range of learning opportunities for families and can be easily adapted for use with students of all ages.  The Picture Book Explorers series utilizes a literature-rich approach to study.  Families are encouraged to read their particular book of study together every day for five days and to work through activities that complement the story.  These activities offer greater explorations in the fields of

• history and geography (through the setting of the story)
• literary devices, grammar, and creative writing (through the vocabulary of the story)
• art and illustrations (through the pictures of the story)
• animal studies and hands-on experiments (through the science of the story) and
• math (through crafts and recipes that relate to the story).

For further study, Paddington Bear suggests additional resources that will enhance learning including books and videos.  There are tons of ideas and activities offered for each day of work and parents are encouraged to pick the ones that will be most compelling for YOUR children.  This is perfect for home educating families to cater to the strengths of their students.  There is something for everyone -- even food.  Littles will be enthralled with a toast and marmalade tea party and middle schoolers will like sharing Peruvian snacks of popcorn, raisins, banana chips, and Brazil nuts.  At my house, we are looking for Inca Kola -- a popular drink that supposedly tastes a little like bubble gum or cream soda -- now that we've learned about it.

Because Branch Out World is a British company, they offer a fresh perspective on the study of Paddington Bear.  The map work and fact sheets offer a nice challenge for older students and the discussion of the push and pull factors of migration is an awesome addition to high school geography.  The authentic recipes (ever heard of caster sugar before?) sent us searching for conversion charts.  Coloring is always fun, no matter how old you are, and my animal-loving daughter enjoyed looking up basic facts about the Andean Bear and filling out the guided worksheet.  You already know how much I love a timeline and the way that it helps us all to be more aware of the relationship between different historical events.  It was interesting for us both to place our dear friend, Paddington, in his rightful place in history.  Add some studies on architecture and gardening and you really do have the perfect literature unit for all students.

I know that younger students will enjoy putting the included passport together and making the mini-books that accompany the study.  Of course, the shaving cream art is fun for everyone (me included).  My daughter and I enjoyed looking through travel posters of England and Peru and even pulled out my photo album that included receipts, pictures, and a daily journal of my visit to England.  The unit study allowed us time to explore together as it brought a childhood favorite book to life in the heart of a high school senior.  How fun is that?


You can find out more information about the multitude of resources offered by Branch Out World by visiting the following Social Media sites:

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I was given the opportunity to review the Paddington Bear Lit Study from  Branch Out World's Picture Book Explorers series  as a member of the Homeschool Review Crew.   You can check out the Crew Review and see what other members of the Homeschool Review Crew thought of this topic pack and how they used it (or just click on the banner below).  

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