Free Never-ending Card Butterfly Lifecycle

A butterfly life-cycle is continual, and is often represented in circular fashion, so it makes perfect sense to create a never-ending card to display the connected stages.

Here’s video to demonstrate how the never-ending card works ~

(Please excuse the poor quality of printouts of all these examples, but this was my trial version 😉 )

Although the never-ending card seems very complicated, it is essentially made from  2 base cards glued together at the top and bottom corners. The cuts and folds on these base cards allow the card to open horizontally or vertically providing 4 different page templates.  Cut and paste all the images for each layout on to the base cards. Viola!  The never-ending card is ready!

I have created a free download of the never-ending card of the butterfly lifecycle for your nature study lessons.

The download contains the instructions, how to connect the 2 base cards, the templates and the images for each layout in both black & white or full color formats.

Never-ending cards are great for kinesthetic learners because the images and notes pasted on the card provide excellent narration and revision prompts.  This activity is ideal for busy hands!

Click here for your free download ~ Never-ending card butterfly lifecycle

Blessings, Nadene

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Minibook Master Template Download

Here are my favourite minibook templates all in 1 download.

To download your MS Word version ~ click here ~ Minibook Master Template MS Word

To download your pdf version ~ click here ~ Minibook Master Template pdf

Accordion minibooks

Flap minibooks

Cross, circle petal and arrow flap minibooks

Matchbook and pocket minibooks

Flap minibooks

Flag minibooks with brad, circle and pentagon petal minibook

Square petal minibook & triangle flap minibook

5 Tab Minibook

NEW! Step minibook

circle Accordion minibooks

Lapbook Planner Sheet

There are several ways you can use this download:

• Print and use the minibooks:

Print it out on card stock. Use them as a template to draw and cut out on coloured paper. Store these folded and ready in ziplock bags (Check out Jimmie’s Collage – where I first saw this idea.)

Minibooks cut and ready

• How to use this download to create your own lapbook:

Save the Minibook Master Template file on to your computer.  Open it and open a new Word document. Copy a suitable template from the Master Template and paste it on the new document.  Make it larger or smaller or rotate it.  I add a text box, paste it near the minibook and type my instructions or information in this.  Then I copy and paste clip art or pictures to suit my theme.  I add this information to my lapbook planner (on page 12) and add web site links, book page or chapter number.  As I develop the lapbook I consider different style minibooks for variety and for use, (eg.:a 4 Flaps Minibook or a 4 Tab Minibook for 4 pieces of information.)

• Make a Lapbook Folder to store all the minibook templates:

When I started making minibooks, I needed to see the minibook in “real life” so I printed the templates and stuck them into a cardboard folder.  I grouped them in styles.  As I planned my lapbook, I browsed through my folder and chose the style minibook. I wrote this on my lapbook planner and then created the lapbook on the computer.  The girls still prefer to choose the minibook they want by browsing through this folder.

Examples in my folder page 1

More Examples page 2

Even more examples page 3

• Here are the many helpful web sites, free downloads and templates I found:

homeschoolshare.com ~ excellent lists of EVERY template by divisions with hyperlinks  – all organized!

Squidoo Minibook Gallery ~Jimmie has created the most comprehensive gallery of photos and info on minibooks.

notebookingpages.com ~simple, clear and classic photo layout with free downloads

Did you spot the newest, simplest minibook called a STEP MINIBOOK? Look on page 11 of the download and go on ~ try it! I found it at makingbooks.com.