Showing posts with label TOS REVIEWS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TOS REVIEWS. Show all posts

Thursday, May 1, 2014

TOS Review: ARTistic Pursuits


ARTistic Pursuits is a comprehensive homeschool art curriculum that was developed for students in preschool through 12th grade.  The curriculum was designed to teach both expressive and technical aspects of art, while encouraging student involvement in the creative process.  Each grade level consists of a variety of art lessons that promotes creativity, art history, art appreciation, and art techniques by using real art materials and tools. 

We had the opportunity to review one of the three Early Elementary K-3 level books.  


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Recommended for ages 5 and up.

$47.95

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Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture introduces the student to modern art, explains why it is different from earlier art, and explores how to create meaningful art. 

There are 36 lessons with a total of 92 single-sided pages.  Each lesson is intended to be completed in one week.  

Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture-Contents

There is a detailed materials page, which uses color codes for specific art materials.  It was very convenient to have the color code on each project page with a specific list of materials needed.  


Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture-Materials

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Each of the 36 lessons consists of three mini-lessons.

The first page of each lesson introduces an artist or a movement and explains how the ideas of the artist or movement are different from earlier artists or movements. 

In Lesson 5, Claude Monet is introduced and the girls learned that he wanted to study how light affected the colors of objects.  Therefore, he painted the same object at different times of the day and in different weather conditions.  This new way of paining became the Impressionist's Method.  

Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture-Lesson 5


The second page of each lesson includes a work of art by the featured artist or movement along with a brief explanation.  In addition, there are several questions to help encourage the student to observe the artwork more closely and to discuss the details of the artwork.

In Lesson 5, the girls viewed three different artworks of the Rouen Catherdral by Claude Monet.  Each artwork was painted at a different time of the day.

Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture-Lesson 5

The third page of each lesson is the project page, where the student creates an original piece of art.  At the top of the page, there is a color-coded list of materials needed and detailed instructions.

Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture-Lesson 5

In Lesson 5, the girls were encouraged to paint an outside object during different seasons.  Izzie, 7, painted a tree in the spring and Mac, 5, painted a tree in the fall.


Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture-Lesson 5


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The girls really enjoyed completing numerous art projects during the review period!

In Lesson 1, they were introduced to the Impressionist Art Movement.  During this movement, artists began painting ordinary people and everyday life.  They were encouraged to paint a person that they knew.  This was their first time painting with Gouache paint!  

Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture-Lesson 1



In Lesson 8, they learned more about Claude Monet and his interest in the surface of water and reflections.  During the project, Izzie learned how to create reflections in the water by using a technique called resist.

Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture-Lesson 8

Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture-Lesson 8

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What did I like about Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture?

1.  I can successfully teach my girls art at home with very little knowledge of art and without hours of preparation.  It was extremely easy to add this art curriculum into our homeschooling schedule. 

2.  It's non-consumable, which saves me money!  I can reuse the art curriculum in the future.  The consumable materials were easily purchased at a local craft store.  
3.  The soft-bound comb manual is neatly organized with detailed instructions for each project. 

4.  My girls are being exposed to modern art in brief lessons, which is the perfect amount of information for their ages, followed by age-appropriate discussion questions.  In addition, each lesson introduces an artist or movement with a colorful piece of art created by the specific artist or movement.

5.  The girls are creating meaningful art, using a variety of art techniques, while learning about art history. 

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In conclusion, I would recommend Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture from ARTistic Pursuits for children in kindergarten through third grade.

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If you are wanting to purchase the consumable materials from ARTistic Pursuits, there are Art Supply Packs for each book.

Early Elementary K-3, Book 3: Modern Painting and Sculpture-Art Supply Pack

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Connect with ARTistic Pursuits via...

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtisticPursuitsInc

Be sure to check out what other Crew Mates had to say about their experience with ARTistic Pursuits.

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Sunday, March 30, 2014

TOS Review: Spelling You See


Spelling You See uses an innovative approach to teach children how to spell with no word lists, no spelling tests, and no memorization of spelling rules.  Instead, children are exposed to brief daily activities that integrate writing, reading, speaking, and listening.     

There are currently 5 levels available in the Spelling You See program.  Age and grade level should not be the determining factor when deciding which level to begin; instead, it is more appropriate to choose a level based on spelling skills.  Placement guidelines are available to help determine which level is best suited for your child.  In addition, there are samples from each level. 


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I was curious to see how the Spelling You See approach would work with Izzie, 7 years old.  I'm guilty of giving her a weekly spelling word list to memorize throughout the week.  She perfectly retains the information for her weekly spelling test, but then the words magically disappear.  I'm always surprised when she's writing and asks me to spell a word that she just spelled correctly on last week's spelling test!  
 
After reviewing the placement guidelines and samples from each level, I decided that Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C) would be the best fit for Izzie.  


We received the following:
 
Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), Instructor's Handbook, $14
 
Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), Student Pack, $30

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What's included in the Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), Instructor's Handbook?
 


The Introduction includes the Spelling You See program's philosophy, a summary of the five developmental stages of spelling, and placement guidelines.   
 
The Getting Started section includes an overview of the program, items needed, organization for the 36 lessons, and tips for success.  Followed by detailed instructions for the first seven lessons with a general summary of each activity.     
 
Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), Instructor's Guide

In the back, there is more information about guided reading, chunking, copywork, “no rule day”, and dictation. Furthermore, there are answers to frequently asked questions and a collection of helpful resources including passages for dictation.
 
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What's included in the Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), Student Pack?
 


The Student Pack includes two student workbooks and a pack of erasable colored pencils.  There are a total of 36 weekly lessons divided into the two student workbooks.  Each weekly lesson is divided into five parts, A through E.  In addition, each weekly lesson is designed to be completed over a five day period, one part per day, lasting only 10-15 minutes each day. 
 
The first 7 weekly lessons use Nursery Rhymes to help build confidence of the beginning reader.  Weekly lessons 8-36 are nonfiction passages about animals.  Both provide opportunities for vocabulary development, as well as, learning to spell words in an interesting context. 

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How did we incorporate Spelling You See into our daily schedule?

Each day, Izzie spent a maximum of 15 minutes completing the daily activities.  Each weekly lesson took five days to complete and consisted of five parts, A through E.   Each part has two worksheets, Section 1 and Section 2.  Section 1 presents the passage (Nursery Rhyme or Nonficition Animal Story), then the passage is read and chunked.  Section 2 varies among Copywork, "No Rule Day" and Dictation.
 
Days 1, 2 and 3 covering Parts A, B, and C
 
The first three days (Parts A, B, and C), the passage is read daily to the child by the parent.  The same passage is used all week to encourage familiarity and development of visual memory. 
 
In the weekly lessons 1-7, after the parent reads the Nursery Rhyme to the student, they will read it together, while clapping the rhythm, then the passage is read again, this time having the student point to each word.  
 
Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), Lesson 1A
 
Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), Lesson 6B
 
In the weekly lessons 8-36, after the nonfiction passage is read by the parent, the child and parent will read it together, while the child is pointing to each word.  

Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), Lesson 8A
 
Afterward, the child is introduced to the "chunking" process, where a specific letter pattern is located and marked within the passage.  The same specific letter pattern is reinforced throughout the week.
 
Spelling You See: Wild Tales (C), Vowel Chunking
 
Lastly, the child copies a section from the passage and then will chunk his/her work. 

Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), Copywork

Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), Copywork with Chunking

Day 4, Part D
 
Day four (Part D) is referred to as the "No Rule Day".  However, the passage is read and the child will chunk the passage, just like days 1-3.  Afterward, the child has an opportunity to be creative with illustrating and writing about the current passage.    
 
Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), No Rule Day
 
Day 5, Part E
 
On day five, the passage is read and the child will chunk the passage, just like the previous days.  Afterward, the passage is dictated to the child. 
 
Spelling You See: Wild Tales (Level C), Dictation
 
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What did I like about Spelling You See?

1.  The lessons are easy and short, only 10-15 minutes a day.  This is beneficial if you have a child that needs short, focused lessons. 

2.  The beginning Nursery Rhymes, weekly lessons 1-7, were a great way to transition Izzie into this program.  Since she was familiar with the passages, it greatly helped with her confidence.  The following lessons about animals are interesting and keeps Izzie's attention.

3.  The lessons are colorful and engaging.  I really liked the chunking process, which encouraged Izzie to focus on individual words.

4.   The incorporation of copywork and dictation within the lessons made it extremely convenient.

5.  Izzie doesn't have to spend time each day memorizing a word list for a spelling test.  Instead, she is learning how to spell words in context. 

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Be sure to check out what other Crew Mates had to say about their experience with Spelling You See.

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Thursday, February 27, 2014

TOS Review: Science4Us.com


As a former science teacher, I'm always interested in new science curriculum, so I was beyond thrilled when offered to review Science4Us.com.  Science4Us.com is an interactive standards-based science curriculum that includes hands on projects, investigations, and printable worksheets for children in kindergarten through second grade.  In addition, the curriculum can be used as a review for older students, grades third through fifth.  My family received a 6-month Science4Us.com Online Subscription.
 
There are 4 main Science Books with a total of 28 modules and 350+ activities.  
 
1.  Physical Science
 
2.  Inquiry Science
 
3.  Life Science
 
4.  Earth/Space Science
 
The site index provides a comprehensive list of each science book and the modules included in each book.  Each module takes approximately 2 weeks to complete.  I would highly recommend checking out the demos for each module. 

Cost: $7.95 per month per student

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I decided to use Science4Us.com as a semi-independent curriculum for my daughter, Izzie, 7 years old.  After looking over the scope and sequence, I decided to start her in the Physical Science book with the Matter Unit, beginning with the Observing Matter module. 

What's included on the Student's Launch Pad? 

Once logged in, your student will have his or her own Launch Pad with many different options.  The Pinky video is very beneficial in learning about the various areas.  The main areas include the four books of science, my assignments, and my tools. 

Science4Us.com, Student Launch Pad

Once your student chooses a specific science book, unit, and module, he or she will have a similar screen shown below.  There are a number of activities listed; however, it's extremely important to complete the first three assignments in order. The other activities can be completed in any sequence and repeated, if desired.  Once the activity has been completed, a gold star will appear.  The evaluation should be completed last.

Science4Us.com, Observing Matter Module

The "My Assignments" section contains activities that are assigned by the parent and need to be completed by the student.  I really liked being able to schedule the assignments for specific dates.  I didn't want Izzie to have full access to all the information and activities at one time or her trying to figure out how to get to the correct book, unit, and module.  Instead, when she logged into her Launch Pad, she would see the assignments that she needed to complete for the day.  The cross-curricular activities are fun and educational!

Science4Us.com, Observing Matter Module Activity

The "My Tools" section contains several different options.  First, there is a Digital Notebook, which can be used throughout the lessons.  Parents have access to the notebook and can make comments and/or suggestions.  In addition, the pages within the digital notebook can be printed, which is beneficial for records.

Science4Us.com, Observing Matter Digital Notebook

 Second, there is an Assignment Details section, which is a listed schedule for assignments.  Next, there is a Mini-Explain section, which lists Science Skill Lessons and gives a detailed description and/or explanation of each.

Science4Us.com, Mini-Explain

The explanations are very clear and easy for an elementary student to understand.  I love that the examples are child-friendly!  This Science Skill Lesson is explaining how to use a Venn Diagram by comparing and contrasting a dog and a turtle. 

Science4Us.com, Science Skill Lesson

There is a Reports section that tracks the student's progress.  Lastly, there is a Glossary for each science book.  The definitions are very simple and child-friendly.  I really like that there is an option to "hear" the pronunciation of each word.

Science4Us.com, Glossary

Izzie really enjoyed being able to work independently on the computer and loved all the animations throughout the lessons!  The student's Launch Pad is extremely child-friendly, easy to navigate, and encourages the student to actively participate in the lessons! 
 
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What's included on the Parent's Launch Pad?

Once logged in, the parent will have his or her own "Launch Pad" with many different options.  The Pinky video is very beneficial in learning about the various areas.  The main areas include the Account Tools and Teaching Tools. 
 
Science4Us.com, Parent Launch Pad

Within the "Account Tools" section, the parent will have access to student information and account information.  The bulk of information is located under the "Teaching Tools" section.  It is here where the parent will find a central location for the lessons plans for all 28 modules. 

Science4Us.com, Lesson Plan Overview

There are detailed lessons plans for each module.  Each module has 8 daily lessons.  For each lesson, there is a Module Description, Core Concept, Essential Vocabulary, and Professional Development.  For the Professional Development, the parent can watch videos or read about background information regarding the core concept, learn about common student misconceptions, and discover the best practices used for teaching the particular concept.  This is an excellent resource for parents, who may not feel comfortable teaching science.

Science4Us.com, Detailed Lesson Plan

My favorite feature of the detailed lesson plan is being able to preview the material that the student is going to complete.  It was so easy to quickly click on the icon and watch exactly what was going to be presented to the student.  This allowed me to know what was being presented without having to sit and watch with my daughter!

In addition, the detailed lesson plans provide downloadable teacher support and offline materials.  The online content is all the same, regardless of grade level.  However, the parent can easily differentiate instruction by using the different level Teacher Guides and Offline Materials, which makes it super easy to use Science4Us.com as a whole family!

Science4Us.com, Teacher Guide

  Izzie enjoyed completing the activities from the downloadable Offline Materials.

 

The "Teaching Tools" section also contains Teaching Strategies, Student Reports, Assignments, and access to each student's Digital Notebook.

Below is Izzie's Student Report from the Observing Matter module. 

Science4Us.com. Student Report
 
  I really liked the visual of the Student Report.  I can quickly see which assignments have been completed.  If an assignment was "graded", the percentage score is included.  You can see from the report that Izzie received a 90% on an assignment.  If you're curious to know what your student answered incorrectly, you can simply click the percentage, which shows you the details! 

Science4US.com

I also like having the ability to see where Izzie used her Digital Notebook throughout the lesson.  There is a small notebook icon that indicates it was used.  From the above report, she used her Digital Notebook during the "Engage" section of the lesson.  I can simply click on the icon to see exactly how she used her digital notebook!  I can also print the pages from her Digital Notebook, which is very beneficial for record-keeping.

Science4Us.com

Once I figured out the logistics of the parent's Launch Pad, I loved it! 
 
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What did I like about Science4Us.com?

1.  User friendly and easy to navigate for both parent and student. 

2.  The program is extremely interactive and encourages the student to actively participate.

3.  The animations kept Izzie's attention, while she learned some pretty tough and complex concepts!

4.  The examples and explanations were child-friendly and presented in a way that children can grasp and understand the concepts.
 
5.  The implementation of a variety of cross-curricular activities was a nice bonus.

6.  Can be used by the whole family, even with different grade levels, by using the differentiated teaching materials.   

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In conclusion, I would highly recommend Science4Us.com for elementary students!

Connect with Science4Us.com via...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Science4UsSays
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/science4us/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Science4Us
G+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/112259351657747584252/

Be sure to check out what other Crew Mates had to say about their experience with Science4Us.com
 
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