Starfall.com Review

www.Starfall.com is  an educational website focused on teaching early phonics skills. It features a number of activities to encourage kids who are learning to read. The activities build on each other, starting with learning the alphabet and its associated sounds, and followed by reading simple online books and more advanced reading activities.

What Does it Offer: There are lots of interactive games and a full curriculum to purchase. There are a few free worksheets which go along with the online activities. Additionally, they sell decodable early reader books from $5-$15. 

Educational Impact: Starfall uses a phonics-based learning system that is supported with both online games and activities and a print series. Skills taught include: phonemic awareness, systematic phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. 

My daughter loves this site. She is learning to use a mouse to point and click and she really enjoys the alphabet chants. 

 They have a whole game and a book about growing a plant. I think I will purchase the book, buy a pot and some seeds, and do a project with her  this year.  

Our Library Trip

Last year, mommy and Skye went to the Winter Park Library for a story time. I'm not sure how other libraries are, but this was mediocre compared to what I expected.  Most kids didn't sit, and parents were allowed to stay in the room with their crying babies. It would be helpful to schedule readings by age. This library  has puzzles and blocks but Skye has those at home.  The books were the main attraction for her and this is good since I am trying to encourage her interest in reading. I think next time we'll skip the story time and try to go when it's quiet and we can read together.. UPDATE: Now in Shreveport we have been going to the Broadmore library. We color pictures and every once and a while attend a children's event such as a fancy nancy party heald last month. This was fun and did boost Skye's intrerest in newly published books. Again e story time leave something to be be desired.. My only hope and/or suggestion is to maybe promote American Girls series. These books seem much more classic and true to history.

Link

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Music Improves A Child's Math Understanding

ScienceDaily (Mar. 22, 2012) — Tapping out a beat may help children learn difficult fraction concepts, according to new findings due to be published in the journal Educational Studies in Mathematics. An innovative curriculum uses rhythm to teach fractions at a California school where students in a music-based program scored significantly higher on math tests than their peers who received regular instruction."Academic Music" is a hands-on curriculum that uses music notation, clapping, drumming and chanting to introduce third-grade students to fractions. The program, co-designed by San Francisco State University researchers, addresses one of the most difficult -- and important -- topics in the elementary mathematics curriculum.if student don't understand fractions early on, they often struggle with algebra and mathematical reasoning later in their schooling," said Susan Courey, assistant professor of special education at San Francisco State University. "We have designed a method that uses gestures and symbols to help children understand parts of a whole and learn the academic language of math." The program has shown tangible results at Hoover Elementary School in the San Francisco Bay Area.  By clapping and drumming rhythms and chanting each note's Kodaly names, students learn the time value of musical notes. Students learn to add and subtract fractions by completing work sheets, in which they draw musical notes on sheet music, ensuring the notes add up to four beats in each bar or measure. The program has also proven itself at Allen Elementary School, a San Bruno public school -- not included in the study -- that has been using the Academic Music program since 2007. "Academic Music brings music into the classroom and gets children to learn math in a different way that's symbolic and not dependent on language," said Kit Cosgriff, principal at Allen Elementary School, who introduced the program to help the schools' diverse student body learn math in ways that are not language-based. "We're suggesting that teachers put music in their arsenal of tools for teaching math." Courey said. "It's fun, it doesn't cost a lot, and it keeps music in the classroom." "Academic Music: Music Instruction to Engage Third Grade Students in Learning Basic Fraction Concepts" has been accepted for press in the journal Educational Studies in Mathematics and will be published online next week. Courey co-authored the paper with Endre Balogh, director and lead music teacher at Toones Academic Music, and a graduate of SF State's music education program (B.A. '06). Other co-authors included Jae Paik, associate professor of psychology at SF State, and Jody R. Siker, a graduate student in the SF State-UC, Berkeley joint doctoral program in special education.

Hybrid Classes

A one- to-one computing classroom refers to an "all laptop" "all wireless" computing classroom.  This trendy new classroom prototype has been tested in several schools districts.  Several educational theorists including Robert Marzano have pointed out processes involved in online learning  including creativity, organization skills, and leadership skills.   From this technology based learning, has come several educational technology projects and sponsors.  There are many web based collaborative learning sites "wikis" and "google spaces" and mock businesses where kids can organize, post, and collaborate. the options are limitless, and I haven't even browsed half of the sites on the following list.   Kids twelve and up really would benefit from learning how to access and compile data online and communicate successfully through emails and postings.  For younger kids there are fun competitive sites such as spellingcity.com.  For an older child, one might consider creating an "online class" with posted daily lessons and data entry assignments. The following links are educational technology journals and sites for online collaborative learning.  http://121resources.wikispaces.com/Teaching+with+Technology (click the first link) https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?service=writely&passive=1209600&continue=http://docs.google.com/m&followup=http://docs.google.com/m&btmpl=mobile<mpl=mobilex http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/ http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/02/16/11-programs-only-as-good-as-their-teachers/

Potty Training

Potty training-Oh the embarrassment! I feel like I should be a master of potty training and yet it has been a struggle.  Schuyler is not allowed to go to the Awana club cubbies group until she is trained, so this has kicked the potting into full gear .  I am now constantly on her. "let's try to go" "let's wear underwear for the afternoon" "lets read Once upon a Potty" . The process has definitely been harder on me than for her. Catching her when she wakes up and right after she drinks has been our most successful points in time. I now think there should be a mommy award for successfully making it through potty training stage! 

Preschool Learning

The word “Curriculum aka: course of study” refers to an organized set of objectives or courses for learning based on a particular grade level.  These standards are designed in a way to maximize and document learning. A simple way to teach preschool curriculum to a toddler is to pick one of these objectives and make a point to talk about and teach at least one of these skills every day. I am going to blog about a lesson I am teaching for each of these skills.

 

Typical Course of Study Preschool Curriculum Guide

Size

* Understands big and little.
* Understands long and short.
* Matches shapes or objects based on size.

Colors and Shapes

* Recognizes and names primary colors.
* Recognizes circles.
* Recognizes rectangles.
* Matches shapes or objects based on shape.
* Copies shapes.

Numbers

* Counts orally through 10.
* Counts objects in one-to-one correspondence.
* Understands empty and full.
* Understands more and less.

Reading Readiness

* Remembers objects from a given picture.
* Knows what a letter is.
* Has been read to frequently.
* Has been read to daily.
* Looks at books and magazines.
* Recognizes some nursery rhymes.
* Identifies parts of the body.
* Identifies objects that have a functional use.
* Knows common farm and zoo animals.
* Pronounces own first name.
* Pronounces own last name.
* Expresses self verbally.
* Identifies other children by name
* Tells the meaning of simple words.
* Repeats a sentence of 6-8 words.
* Completes incomplete sentence with proper word.
* Has own books.
* Understands that print carries a message.
* Pretends to read.
* Uses left-to-right progression.
* Answers questions about a short story.
* Tells the meaning of words heard in story.
* Looks at pictures and tells a story.
* Identifies own first name in manuscript.
* Prints own first name.

Position and Direction

* Understands up and down.
* Understands in and out.
* Understands front and back.
* Understands over (on) and under.
* Understands top, bottom, middle.
* Understands beside and next to.
* Understands hot and cold.
* Understands fast and slow.

Time

* Understands day and night.
* Knows age and birthday.

Listening and Sequencing

* Follows simple directions.
* Listens to a short story.
* Listens carefully.
* Recognizes common sounds. 
* Repeats a sequence of sounds.
* Repeats a sequence of orally given numbers.
* Retells simple stories in sequence.

Motor Skills

* Is able to run.
* Is able to walk a straight line.
* Is able to jump.
* Is able to hop.
* Is able to alternate feet walking down stairs.
* Is able to march.
* Is able to stand on one foot for 5-10 seconds.
* Is able to walk backwards for five feet.
* Is able to throw a ball.
* Pastes objects.
* Claps hands. 
* Matches simple objects.
* Touches fingers.
* Able to button a garment.
* Builds with blocks.
* Completes simple puzzles
(5 pieces or less).
* Draws and colors beyond
* a simple scribble.
* Able to zip a zipper.
* Controls pencil and crayon well.
* Cuts simple shapes.
* Handles scissors well.
* Able to copy simple shapes.

Social-Emotional Development

* Can be away from parents or primary care givers for 2-3 hours
without being upset.
* Takes care of toilet needs independently.
* Feels good about self.
* Is not afraid to go to school.
* Cares for own belongings.
* Knows full name.
* Dresses self.
* Knows how to use handkerchief
or tissue.
* Knows own sex.
* Brushes teeth.
* Crosses residential street safely.
* Asks to go to school.
* Knows parents' names.
* Knows home address.
* Knows home phone number.
* Enters into casual conversation.
* Carries a plate of food.
* Maintains self-control.
* Gets along well with other children.
* Plays with other children.
* Recognizes authority.
* Shares with others.
* Talks easily.
* Likes teachers.
* Meets visitors without shyness.
* Puts away toys.
* Able to stay on task.
* Able to work independently.
* Helps family with chores.

Gathered from http://www.freehomeschooling101.com/