Sunday 31 May 2015
Friday 29 May 2015
Paper Bag Book Report
Are you looking for a fun and creative literature activity?
Alyssa recently completed her Horizons Reading and Phonics curriculum so we started focusing more on reading comprehension activities. Paper Bag Book Reports were a popular activity in my classroom when I taught public school so I decided to try it with my daughter. This activity is motivating Alyssa to read literature and encouraging her to use her imagination. She is really enjoying it! She started her second paper bag book report this week immediately after presenting the first one.
Any Book or Story (Picture, Chapter, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Biography)
Pencil with Eraser
Crayons, Colored Pencils, or Markers
Book Report Form
Lunch Size Paper Bag
Household Items or Craft Art Supplies
Paper Bag Book Report
First, children select a book based on their interest and independent reading level. You can give younger children three options to choose from to make it a little less intimidating. Then, your child will read the book. You can read the book aloud for non-readers. They can jot down a short 1-2 sentence plot summary, brainstorm a list of relevant story items, or plan their paper bag illustrations with sketches.
Paper bag book reports may appeal to kinesthetic, hands-on learners but will also capture the interest of children with any learning style. It is a wonderful alternative to the standard book report forms your children may start to dislike or consider boring over time. They can be easily differentiated for reading levels and are adaptable for any grade level. Children can work at an individualized pace within the time period you give them to complete the project. Our assignment was very basic so the time spent on the project will vary depending on your expectations.
The paper bag activity is very versatile and can be used in several different ways:
- Focus on one story element or all of them
- Each side of the paper bag can be dedicated to a particular story element
- Show how the character changes from the beginning to the end
- Each side of the bag can be a setting illustration
- The bagged items can represent the main idea, characters, setting, problem, solution, plot, or theme
- Use only illustrations on the bag and retell the story elements verbally using the significant items
- Require the student to type and glue written pieces on the bag
- Create or find a rubric online for grading purposes if desired.
- Utilize this project for EACH chapter in a book or for the entire book
- Add in a vocabulary activity
- Incorporate book evaluations including the likes and dislikes of the story
What We Did
Alyssa (Age 7 1/2) read Jamie O'Rourke and the Pooka written by Tomie DePaola. She drew a picture of both of the main characters on the bag (front and back sides). The title and the author's name was written on the front of the bag. She was required to find 5-10 significant items related to the book and be able to explain how they were relevant to the story. We didn't focus on any story element this time around. My daughter presented her book report to me, but I may limit the presentation to 10-15 minutes next time. Alyssa wanted to tell me all of the story details during her first presentation. She included a book evaluation by telling me how many stars she gave the story and if she would recommend it to a friend.
Alyssa's Paper Bag Story Items
- Dishes
- Eating Utensils
- Food (Chicken)
- Moon (Setting - When the story took place)
- Bed with Pillow (Jamie was lazy and slept a lot)
- Jamie's Red Scarf
- Map of Ireland (Setting - Where the story took place)
- Magnetic Coat (Thank You Gift to Pooka)
- Mirror (Pooka looked at himself in a full length mirror before leaving the dirty house)
- Donkey=Pooka
- Cleaning Cloth, Towel, or Rag
It was a great way for me to check her understanding or comprehension of the main story elements during her retelling. It will help improve her presentation and public speaking skills. I plan on having her present the content to friends and relatives willing to listen.
I will link this post up tomorrow at Share It Saturday.
Wednesday 27 May 2015
Screen Free Summer Fun
Last week, I blogged about a bunch of apps that would be good for kids to use during the summer. I know, and totally respect, that technology and screen time aren't for everyone (you can see that post here). There are too many kids who get sucked into the games and have a hard time pulling themselves away from an iPad so sometimes it's just easier for those kids to not use it at all. I know that there are some kids who just do better with more hands on activities for learning. This post will focus on activities, games and toys that can be used this summer to help kids work on maintaining what they worked on during the school year in therapy and school.
Many of the things I will suggest below are ones that I have written about before but are ones that I think would be great for the summer. I have tried to find things that don't take up a lot of room for those of you who will be traveling and don't want to bring things that are heavy or take up a lot of room. The most important thing is that everything I suggest has been kid tested and approved.
Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics-one of my absolute favorite activities to do with my kids at work. These are also one of the first things I recommend to parents who are looking for an easy but therapeutic art activity to do with their children at home. When I first discovered Sticky Mosaics, there were only a few sets to choose from. Now you can find dozens and dozens to choose from which means there is a set that will be right for whatever your child is interested in. I stumbled upon this awesome Dragon set which was a HUGE hit amongst my older boys more interested in scary and more "boy" like things. The goal of each mosaic is to match the different colored square and gem stickers to the the number associated with it. There are different kinds of sets for younger/toddler kids which require the kids to match larger stickers that are varying colors and shapes. No matter what set your child chooses, this is great for working on developing fine-motor skills, increasing grasp strength, improving bilateral coordination, focus/attention and eye-hand coordination. Each set typically comes with 4 or 5 different pictures to complete and plenty of stickers to complete them. For those of you who will be traveling, take all the pieces and throw them in a ziploc bag. The box it comes in takes up a lot of space and could be annoying to travel with. Take that away and you have a very lightweight activity that won't take up space in a travel bag and will occupy your kids for hours!
Boogie Board-the Boogie Board has been around for a while but it's only been in the last year or so
that it has become a staple not only at my office but in my work and personal bag. This lightweight writing tablet is perfect for keeping kids busy while in the car, plane or at the beach/pool. They can practice writing letters, draw pictures or play games against their friends (Hangman, Tic-Tac-Toe or the Dot game). Like I have already mentioned, the Boogie Board is lightweight and takes up very little room in a bag making it a perfect thing to pack. I encourage parents to use the Boogie Board in conjunction with an iPad if they are working on handwriting apps; first they can practice the letter on the iPad and then practice using the Boogie Board. If you are concerned about how much paper your kids waste when playing games, this is perfect because no paper is required! Some people have mentioned that the stylus that comes with the board is a bit too thin for their kids. If this is the case for your kids, there are a lot of pencil grips that can fit right onto the stylus which will make using it easier for those little hands.
Uno Dare-I just found this new version of the classic game Uno the other day. I have loved Uno forever and always have a full set in my bag of tricks for work. Uno is great for working on so many things: color and number recognition, eye-hand coordination, focus, attention, social skills, executive functioning and several other things. One of the things I like most about Uno is that it can easily be adapted to suite the level of different children. For example, when I am just teaching a child how to play, I remove all of the extra cards and focus on mastering the concept of matching the numbers or colors. As kids become more comfortable, I slowly introduce the extra cards. I find that kids, especially those who may have some learning difficulties, end up being more successful when you play it this way. So, back to Uno Dare. The game is essentially the same but they have added a more physical/gross motor aspect to the game. On the wild and choose 2 cards are put down, opponents have the option of taking the number of cards or doing a dare. They get kids up and moving around which I have found really helps with focus and attention. Some of the dares are jumping like a bunny rabbit until your next turn, holding a card against the wall with your nose until your next turn or having to try and blow just one card off the top of the deck. It's fun to watch the kids get into the dares that are provided. I am excited to try this with one of my social skills groups and have them come up with their own dares for their friends!
Thumbs Up-I'm always excited to see new games by Blue Orange Games. I was in an Upper East Fantastic Kids Toys, and one of the employees there suggested I try out Thumbs Up. It's become a fast favorite of mine and every kid that I have used it with at work. Like all the other games/activities I have written about, I have included this on a summer list because of how light and easy it is to travel with. Take it out of the box, throw it in a ziploc bag and you can throw it in a travel bag...it could be a great game for a plane ride or family game nights when on vacation. Thumbs Up is a fast-paced game that works on improving visual skills such as visual motor, visual perceptual, visual tracking and visual attention. It can also work on improving color and number recognition. The game consists of 4 different colored rings and a stack of cards; the cards all have fun pictures with numbers and colors. The point of the game is simple: each player is given 8 rings (2 of each color), the cards are placed in the middle of the group and each player takes a card. The first person to correctly put their rings on their thumb in the order wins that round. The first person to get 5 cards is the winner of the game. For a game to be a true winner for me, it's important that it be easily adaptable for kids of different ages and cognitive levels. Thumbs Up is great because you can sift through the cards and finds one that will be appropriate for younger children.
Discovery Putty-Fun and Function now has 4 different putty sets for you to choose from. I happen to have all four at the gym I work at which makes it fun for the kids as they get to do something new and different every session. Their job is to find all the animals, sweet treats, vehicles or school supplies hidden in the putty. While doing this, they are working on building up their fine motor skills, especially grasping skills and hand strength. Once they have found all of the objects, they can hide them for the next person to try and find them. Unlike regular theraputty, kids are more motivated by the kid-friendly colors and objects hidden inside. I love how much conversation can be had while finding the objects. For children who are also working on language skills, be sure to ask them about each found object, what it does, how it is used, how it tastes, etc.. Like many of the other things already written about, the containers of putty are lightweight and won't take up much room in a bag.
Usborne Activity Books-while I find it is important to rest and relax over the summer, I also think it Lots of Things to Find and Color and it is still my favorite. Each page is filled with a new adventure...it might be a page filled with fairies or an ocean filled with fish. On each page, there are several rules for the kids to follow. For example, on that page of fairies, you have to spot all the fairies with a wand and color them a certain color. Another great one is the Usborne Big Color by Numbers Book. This is better suited for older kids and requires that kids recognize their numbers. There is a lot of coloring to do on each page so it requires attention, focus and coloring endurance. The completed pictures are really fun and the kids truly feel like they have accomplished something once they have completed it. For kids who are struggling to learn how to draw, I have found that the Usborne Big Drawing Book to be really motivating and successful. A child is taught how to draw animals, objects and people step-by-step in a visual and easy to follow way. I will have the kids practice the steps first on a Boogie Board and once they feel confident, have them draw in the book. They are encouraged to add their own details, color them in the way they want to and really make the picture their own.
These are just 3 of the dozens and dozens of activity books by Usborne. Next time you are in Barnes and Noble, or any bookstore for that matter, look through their selection and find the book that's right for your kid. Any of their books are perfect for keeping your kids entertained and learning on long car/plane rides. They will keep meals out from being a dreaded experience for you all! Most import
is important for the kids I work with to spend some time focusing on the skills that we worked on so hard all year long. I don't want kids to be drilled with flash cards or asked to spend time every day doing boring workbooks...that's not what summer should be about. What I would like is for kids to spend some time working on fine motor, handwriting and drawing skills in a fun way. There are so many great activity books out there....spend some time at a local bookstore or a Barnes and Noble and you will easily get lost in all of your options. I discovered the magic of Usborne books a couple of years ago when on the hunt for something new and different to get my kids motivated to color. The first book I discovered was the
Magnetic-Go Hangman-when traveling with older kids, it's important to have lots to entertain them. From my personal experience, no matter how complicated or mature those kids are, it doesn't take a crazy amount of energy to entertain them. Hangman is one of those classic games that can keep even the most high maintenance of kids entertained. I was killing time the other day between clients and found this fantastic magnetic hangman game. I've already played it with a few of my kids and it's great. The kid I happened to play this Hangman game with is someone who has a difficult time with coming up with an idea....she needed a lot of support to come up with words and organize her work in order for us to play this game. If playing this game with a typically developing child, the sky is the limit....you can explain the rules of Hangman and run with it. What I have found to be helpful for the kids I work with is that you (the therapist/grownup) start the game off by being the person to choose the word that the kid has to guess. Give them a clue about what your word is....for example, you say something like "This is something I like to eat" or "this is something you play on in the playground". I have actually used a Boogie Board and have the kids write their word on that so they can refer to it as their opponent is guessing letters so they can easily figure out if a letter is in the word and where it goes. This game is recommended for kids ages 5 and older but really should be for kids who are reading and writing. I have a pretty smart 5 year old but she wouldn't be able to play this game successfully. The best thing about this game is that it's compact, lightweight and won't take up space. It doesn't need to be turned off during takeoff and landing. It's great for problem solving, improving social skills, visual motor/perceptual skills and literacy skills.
Spot It Games-I've been a fan of the Spot It games by Blue Orange Games forever. Truth be told, I love any game that can be played quickly, with few rules and guarantees a lot of fun. Added bonus with all of the Spot It games are that they come in a cute little tin and take up almost no room at all in your bag. You can't go wrong with any of the Spot It games. My princess loving 5 year old really loves the Frozen and Princess Sofia editions that came out earlier this year but if have a sports loving kinda kid, there are lots to choose from as well. There are several ways to play Spot It but whatever way you choose to play, you will work on improving visual motor/perceptual skills, eye-hand coordination, focus and attentional skills and social/pragmatic skills. There are several ways to play the game and I tend to encourage the kids I work with to decide on the rules they want to play by before starting play. Great to play in a group of two or as a whole family which makes it perfect to take on summer vacations.
OgoDisc -I include the OgoDisc on my Holiday Gift Guide each year. It's a great outdoor game (and indoor if you have the right space). We use it at The Meeting House and at Head's Up (the therapeutic gym I work at in New York City) with some of our older kids to work on gross motor, sensory motor and executive functioning skills. Additionally, it's great for working on improving social skills, especially being a good sport, playing by the rules and sometimes, being part of a team. OgoSport describes the OgoDisc is a hand trampoline that can be used to throw, catch and bounce balls back and forth. They have several sizes and versions (with or without handles) but the point of the game is very simple: see how many times you can catch and bounce the ball back to one or more people before it hits the ground. One of my favorite things about this set is that it is lightweight and has a great grip for even the littlest of hands to easily grab onto it. I have found that when I introduce this game to some of my kids, it's best to have them practice by themselves and see how many times they can (gently) hit the ball up and down without it falling to the ground; this gives them a sense of what is expected, how hard they need to hit it, the importance of keeping their eyes on the ball, etc.. As they get better and more comfortable, you can have them play with other kids. This is a great family game.....perfect for taking on camping trips and vacations. My daughter loves playing with us and I love watching her confidence grow as she gets better at catching and hitting the ball.
Many of the things I will suggest below are ones that I have written about before but are ones that I think would be great for the summer. I have tried to find things that don't take up a lot of room for those of you who will be traveling and don't want to bring things that are heavy or take up a lot of room. The most important thing is that everything I suggest has been kid tested and approved.
Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics-one of my absolute favorite activities to do with my kids at work. These are also one of the first things I recommend to parents who are looking for an easy but therapeutic art activity to do with their children at home. When I first discovered Sticky Mosaics, there were only a few sets to choose from. Now you can find dozens and dozens to choose from which means there is a set that will be right for whatever your child is interested in. I stumbled upon this awesome Dragon set which was a HUGE hit amongst my older boys more interested in scary and more "boy" like things. The goal of each mosaic is to match the different colored square and gem stickers to the the number associated with it. There are different kinds of sets for younger/toddler kids which require the kids to match larger stickers that are varying colors and shapes. No matter what set your child chooses, this is great for working on developing fine-motor skills, increasing grasp strength, improving bilateral coordination, focus/attention and eye-hand coordination. Each set typically comes with 4 or 5 different pictures to complete and plenty of stickers to complete them. For those of you who will be traveling, take all the pieces and throw them in a ziploc bag. The box it comes in takes up a lot of space and could be annoying to travel with. Take that away and you have a very lightweight activity that won't take up space in a travel bag and will occupy your kids for hours!Boogie Board-the Boogie Board has been around for a while but it's only been in the last year or so
Thumbs Up-I'm always excited to see new games by Blue Orange Games. I was in an Upper East Fantastic Kids Toys, and one of the employees there suggested I try out Thumbs Up. It's become a fast favorite of mine and every kid that I have used it with at work. Like all the other games/activities I have written about, I have included this on a summer list because of how light and easy it is to travel with. Take it out of the box, throw it in a ziploc bag and you can throw it in a travel bag...it could be a great game for a plane ride or family game nights when on vacation. Thumbs Up is a fast-paced game that works on improving visual skills such as visual motor, visual perceptual, visual tracking and visual attention. It can also work on improving color and number recognition. The game consists of 4 different colored rings and a stack of cards; the cards all have fun pictures with numbers and colors. The point of the game is simple: each player is given 8 rings (2 of each color), the cards are placed in the middle of the group and each player takes a card. The first person to correctly put their rings on their thumb in the order wins that round. The first person to get 5 cards is the winner of the game. For a game to be a true winner for me, it's important that it be easily adaptable for kids of different ages and cognitive levels. Thumbs Up is great because you can sift through the cards and finds one that will be appropriate for younger children.
Usborne Activity Books-while I find it is important to rest and relax over the summer, I also think it Lots of Things to Find and Color and it is still my favorite. Each page is filled with a new adventure...it might be a page filled with fairies or an ocean filled with fish. On each page, there are several rules for the kids to follow. For example, on that page of fairies, you have to spot all the fairies with a wand and color them a certain color. Another great one is the Usborne Big Color by Numbers Book. This is better suited for older kids and requires that kids recognize their numbers. There is a lot of coloring to do on each page so it requires attention, focus and coloring endurance. The completed pictures are really fun and the kids truly feel like they have accomplished something once they have completed it. For kids who are struggling to learn how to draw, I have found that the Usborne Big Drawing Book to be really motivating and successful. A child is taught how to draw animals, objects and people step-by-step in a visual and easy to follow way. I will have the kids practice the steps first on a Boogie Board and once they feel confident, have them draw in the book. They are encouraged to add their own details, color them in the way they want to and really make the picture their own. These are just 3 of the dozens and dozens of activity books by Usborne. Next time you are in Barnes and Noble, or any bookstore for that matter, look through their selection and find the book that's right for your kid. Any of their books are perfect for keeping your kids entertained and learning on long car/plane rides. They will keep meals out from being a dreaded experience for you all! Most import
is important for the kids I work with to spend some time focusing on the skills that we worked on so hard all year long. I don't want kids to be drilled with flash cards or asked to spend time every day doing boring workbooks...that's not what summer should be about. What I would like is for kids to spend some time working on fine motor, handwriting and drawing skills in a fun way. There are so many great activity books out there....spend some time at a local bookstore or a Barnes and Noble and you will easily get lost in all of your options. I discovered the magic of Usborne books a couple of years ago when on the hunt for something new and different to get my kids motivated to color. The first book I discovered was the
Spot It Games-I've been a fan of the Spot It games by Blue Orange Games forever. Truth be told, I love any game that can be played quickly, with few rules and guarantees a lot of fun. Added bonus with all of the Spot It games are that they come in a cute little tin and take up almost no room at all in your bag. You can't go wrong with any of the Spot It games. My princess loving 5 year old really loves the Frozen and Princess Sofia editions that came out earlier this year but if have a sports loving kinda kid, there are lots to choose from as well. There are several ways to play Spot It but whatever way you choose to play, you will work on improving visual motor/perceptual skills, eye-hand coordination, focus and attentional skills and social/pragmatic skills. There are several ways to play the game and I tend to encourage the kids I work with to decide on the rules they want to play by before starting play. Great to play in a group of two or as a whole family which makes it perfect to take on summer vacations. 
There is a lot here to keep you and your kiddos busy this summer that gets them away from an iPad, video games or any other screen. Everything here has been kid-tested and therapist approved and can be perfect for taking on vacations. I love that they will not only work on improving a ton of occupational therapy skills, but can help with improving social skills and encourage families to play together. While I don't want kids to lose any of the skills that they worked so hard on all year, I also want to make sure that they get a chance to have fun, rest and have fun with their friends and family. I have tried to suggest things that I thought could accomplish all of those things!
Do you have any games/toys that you love using at work or with your family? I would love to hear from you about your family favorites, especially those that are great for traveling and taking on a long car/plane tripe. I am always a click away and love hearing from you all!
Happy Summer to you all! May it be filled with tons of opportunities to create some amazing memories.
Happy Summer to you all! May it be filled with tons of opportunities to create some amazing memories.
Friday 22 May 2015
Wordless Wednesday: Recital Dance Costumes
Busy ... busy ... busy. That's the word that describes this week which is why I forgot to post my Wordless Wednesday post on time.
Alyssa's dance costumes arrived and the teacher scheduled an informal photo shoot at the studio. Here are a few shots I managed to capture of Alyssa (Age 7 1/2) from the session.
Do you like her costumes? I think the white fringe one is my favorite. LOVE her smiles!
Alyssa's dance costumes arrived and the teacher scheduled an informal photo shoot at the studio. Here are a few shots I managed to capture of Alyssa (Age 7 1/2) from the session.
Do you like her costumes? I think the white fringe one is my favorite. LOVE her smiles!
I will link this post up at Life at Rossmont's Wordless Wednesday Link-Up. Come join the fun!
Thank you for visiting A Learning Journey! Please visit us again soon.
Summer hAPPiness
It seems like just yesterday I was writing about the school year beginning. Somehow, this year has
gone by faster than seems real and I am doing summer scheduling and helping families who will be out of the city for the summer come up with activities to keep their kids busy and learning. I have several kids on my caseload who will take the summer off but need to remain a bit focused on what we have been working on in occupational therapy all year so when they come back we don't have to spend too much time reviewing things.
Every year, parents ask me what they can do with their kids over the summer. They don't want to spend too much time focusing on academics but they also want to make sure that their kids don't lose any of the skills that they have worked so hard on acquiring over the course of the year. So many of the families I work with spend a lot of time traveling so I like to give them a list of apps that they can work on while in the car, planes, etc..
It's a proven fact that kids are motivated by an iPad. I can't tell you the number of things I have been able to accomplish and get kids to work on when presented to them in app form first. For those of you who read my blog, you will know that I don't believe that the iPad is the end all and be all of things. When used in conjunction with more hands-on activities, it can be a tremendously motivating tool. There are so many great apps out there that can work on a ton of occupational therapy skills, especially handwriting and visual motor/perceptual skills. I highly recommend setting up a folder on an iPad for each of your kids with the apps that are best for them. I think it is also important to note that using an iPad can not only be good for learning, but can be good for encouraging social skills and language development. Kids should always be supervised when using the iPad...not only to make sure that what they are playing is appropriate for them but also so adults can step in and encourage kids to be social if they are using it together.
Whenever appropriate, I have my kids use a stylus when using the iPad. This helps on working on fine motor skills, especially proper grasping skills when using writing instruments. My two favorites are this crayon stylus by Fred & Friends and this mini stylus pen by Kikkerland. Both are the perfect size for little hands!
Here are a just a few of my favorite apps and a brief description of what they will work on:
LetterSchool-one of my favorite and definitely my go-to app for handwriting. Whether you want to begin working on teaching children how to write their letters or if you want to review what they already know, this is the best app out there. It comes with three options: uppercase, lowercase and numbers. There are two levels of play for lots of practice. For each letter and number, you work through 3 games (tap, trace and write) in order to earn stars. Once you have completed both the silver and gold levels of play, you can then unlock the opportunity to do free-form writing.
Toonia Differences-I blogged about this awesome app by Toonia a couple of weeks ago here. This app is similar to those Spot the Differences games you have may have played at some point. You have two pictures side by side that are almost exactly the same and you have to find the 8 things that are different about the picture. This is a great app for working on improving visual perceptual skills, especially visual scanning and visual attention. You can read more about this app here.
Toonia Storymaker-another great app by Toonia. This one is a fun and educational app that encourages children to be the author of their own story. They are allowed to choose their own characters and scenes to tell their own story. They can change colors, shapes, size, posture and emotions while creating their story. This app encourages creative thinking, sequencing, organization and focus and attention.
Dexteria Jr.-I've had this app on my list of favorites for a long time. This occupational therapist created app is a set of hand and finger exercises that help develop fine motor skills and work on getting kids reading for handwriting. It's great for children as young as 2 years old and can be motivating enough for those as old as 8-10. There are 3 games with multiple levels of play in each game. Squish the Squash works on pointing skills; I am pretty strict with the kids about using their pointer finger during this game. Pinch the pepper works on developing in-hand manipulation skills, specifically pinching using the thumb and pointer finger. The last is game is Trace & Erase and kids work on graphomotor skills by tracing lots of different lines and shapes. Once they are done tracing, they have to erase the lines and then the built-in camera will take a silly picture of the kids. It's a simple game that works on visual motor and visual perceptual skills as well as improving focus, attention and concentration.
Pepi Play-it's hard to choose just one of the apps by Pepi Play. I have all of their apps and they are big favorites with the kids I work with. They are incredibly interactive and within each app, there are several games for them to play with. Right now, my kids are really loving Pepi Bath 2 and Pepi Doctor. Pepi Bath 2 has 6 different bathroom or cleaning situations. It's the kid's job to help their character (3 to choose from) get all cleaned up: they may help them go to the bathroom, get cleaned in the bathtub or get their clothes cleaned after some dirty play! In Pepi Doctor, the kids help their character "get better"; they may need to help them get better from a cold, after falling off their bike or scooter (I ask the kids to tell me what they think happened to the kid and how they got hurt) and getting lots of scrapes and dealing with an aching tooth. These apps are just two of the several that you and your kids will love playing together!
Tiggly-Tiggly has created two interactive games and several apps that work on fine motor, visual motor/perceptual, eye-hand coordination, early literacy and math skills. Tiggly Shapes are rubberized shapes (circle, square, triangle and star) that children can use for learning and play with three different Tiggly apps. The shapes have a soft plastic cover and silicon touch points that interact with the iPad screen. They are incredibly durable and can withstand crazy toddlers but gentle enough that they are safe for the iPad screen. Read more about Tiggly Shapes here and find out all therapeutic fun your kid will have with them. You can read more about TigglyMath in an early blog post here. Rumor has it that Tiggly will be releasing a third learning system next week....just in time for the summer! I can't wait to see what they have in store for all of us. It's sure to be both educational and fun!
Endless Alphabet/Endless Numbers-Originator Kids is another wonderful studio creating fabulous apps for kids. My two favorite are Endless Alphabet and Endless Numbers. Endless Alphabet is a fun way for kids to get ready for early reading by being introduced to new words. Kids have to match the letters of the word and then get to watch a short little video with some really cute monsters once the letters are all placed in the right spot. Endless Numbers is a really fun way for kids to learn numbers, sequences and quantity. It is incredibly interactive and fun so the kids don't even realize that there is a tremendous amount of learning going on at the same time. These are just two of the great apps by Originator. Be sure to check out all the others, especially the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head Create and Play apps!
Bugs and Buttons /Bugs and Bubbles/Bugs and Numbers-Little Bit Studios may be one of my favorite app designers for children. First of all, the games are fun and educational at the same time. Each app comes with 18 different games which means that your kids can be entertained for a really long time. The likelihood of them getting bored quickly is pretty slim which leads to lots of learning as the explore all the mini games. Check out this blog post here that talks about just how amazing Bugs and Buttons (original and Bugs and Buttons 2). If you want a real bang for your buck, then I highly recommend any and all of the apps by Little Bit Studios!
Avokiddo Apps-I wrote about this amazing company extensively in this post from March 27th. So far, there are 5 different apps to choose from and they work on a variety of skills ranging from learning the letters of the alphabet to recognizing emotions to problem solving and several executive functioning skills. The graphics are just amazing, the music is soothing and because of that, the kids I work with are totally motivated to play, explore and learn when using them. I know when apps are really amazing when the kids I work with constantly ask for them and that is what happens with all of the apps by Avokiddo!
So, these are just a handful of the many apps I would recommend for summer learning. As I was going through my iPad that is chock full of wonderful apps, I had a hard time choosing which ones to share with you all. I ended up picking ones that kids are most likely to be independent with....they won't have to ask their grownups for too much help. I also chose ones that I thought would be good for kids to play together in order to promote important social skills like turn-taking, compromise and conversation skills.
I would love to hear from any of you with some of your favorite apps. If you have specific questions about apps that would be good for your children or ones that would work on specific goals, I would be more than happy to help you find the perfect ones. I am always a click away and love helping parents and professionals identity apps that are better than others. It can be a daunting experience going through the thousands and thousands of apps out there and since I have done so much research, let me be the one to help you as you figure out what would be best for your child.
gone by faster than seems real and I am doing summer scheduling and helping families who will be out of the city for the summer come up with activities to keep their kids busy and learning. I have several kids on my caseload who will take the summer off but need to remain a bit focused on what we have been working on in occupational therapy all year so when they come back we don't have to spend too much time reviewing things.
Every year, parents ask me what they can do with their kids over the summer. They don't want to spend too much time focusing on academics but they also want to make sure that their kids don't lose any of the skills that they have worked so hard on acquiring over the course of the year. So many of the families I work with spend a lot of time traveling so I like to give them a list of apps that they can work on while in the car, planes, etc.. It's a proven fact that kids are motivated by an iPad. I can't tell you the number of things I have been able to accomplish and get kids to work on when presented to them in app form first. For those of you who read my blog, you will know that I don't believe that the iPad is the end all and be all of things. When used in conjunction with more hands-on activities, it can be a tremendously motivating tool. There are so many great apps out there that can work on a ton of occupational therapy skills, especially handwriting and visual motor/perceptual skills. I highly recommend setting up a folder on an iPad for each of your kids with the apps that are best for them. I think it is also important to note that using an iPad can not only be good for learning, but can be good for encouraging social skills and language development. Kids should always be supervised when using the iPad...not only to make sure that what they are playing is appropriate for them but also so adults can step in and encourage kids to be social if they are using it together.
Whenever appropriate, I have my kids use a stylus when using the iPad. This helps on working on fine motor skills, especially proper grasping skills when using writing instruments. My two favorites are this crayon stylus by Fred & Friends and this mini stylus pen by Kikkerland. Both are the perfect size for little hands!
Here are a just a few of my favorite apps and a brief description of what they will work on:
LetterSchool-one of my favorite and definitely my go-to app for handwriting. Whether you want to begin working on teaching children how to write their letters or if you want to review what they already know, this is the best app out there. It comes with three options: uppercase, lowercase and numbers. There are two levels of play for lots of practice. For each letter and number, you work through 3 games (tap, trace and write) in order to earn stars. Once you have completed both the silver and gold levels of play, you can then unlock the opportunity to do free-form writing. 
Toonia Differences-I blogged about this awesome app by Toonia a couple of weeks ago here. This app is similar to those Spot the Differences games you have may have played at some point. You have two pictures side by side that are almost exactly the same and you have to find the 8 things that are different about the picture. This is a great app for working on improving visual perceptual skills, especially visual scanning and visual attention. You can read more about this app here.
Toonia Storymaker-another great app by Toonia. This one is a fun and educational app that encourages children to be the author of their own story. They are allowed to choose their own characters and scenes to tell their own story. They can change colors, shapes, size, posture and emotions while creating their story. This app encourages creative thinking, sequencing, organization and focus and attention. 
Pepi Play-it's hard to choose just one of the apps by Pepi Play. I have all of their apps and they are big favorites with the kids I work with. They are incredibly interactive and within each app, there are several games for them to play with. Right now, my kids are really loving Pepi Bath 2 and Pepi Doctor. Pepi Bath 2 has 6 different bathroom or cleaning situations. It's the kid's job to help their character (3 to choose from) get all cleaned up: they may help them go to the bathroom, get cleaned in the bathtub or get their clothes cleaned after some dirty play! In Pepi Doctor, the kids help their character "get better"; they may need to help them get better from a cold, after falling off their bike or scooter (I ask the kids to tell me what they think happened to the kid and how they got hurt) and getting lots of scrapes and dealing with an aching tooth. These apps are just two of the several that you and your kids will love playing together! 
Tiggly-Tiggly has created two interactive games and several apps that work on fine motor, visual motor/perceptual, eye-hand coordination, early literacy and math skills. Tiggly Shapes are rubberized shapes (circle, square, triangle and star) that children can use for learning and play with three different Tiggly apps. The shapes have a soft plastic cover and silicon touch points that interact with the iPad screen. They are incredibly durable and can withstand crazy toddlers but gentle enough that they are safe for the iPad screen. Read more about Tiggly Shapes here and find out all therapeutic fun your kid will have with them. You can read more about TigglyMath in an early blog post here. Rumor has it that Tiggly will be releasing a third learning system next week....just in time for the summer! I can't wait to see what they have in store for all of us. It's sure to be both educational and fun!
Endless Alphabet/Endless Numbers-Originator Kids is another wonderful studio creating fabulous apps for kids. My two favorite are Endless Alphabet and Endless Numbers. Endless Alphabet is a fun way for kids to get ready for early reading by being introduced to new words. Kids have to match the letters of the word and then get to watch a short little video with some really cute monsters once the letters are all placed in the right spot. Endless Numbers is a really fun way for kids to learn numbers, sequences and quantity. It is incredibly interactive and fun so the kids don't even realize that there is a tremendous amount of learning going on at the same time. These are just two of the great apps by Originator. Be sure to check out all the others, especially the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head Create and Play apps!
Bugs and Buttons /Bugs and Bubbles/Bugs and Numbers-Little Bit Studios may be one of my favorite app designers for children. First of all, the games are fun and educational at the same time. Each app comes with 18 different games which means that your kids can be entertained for a really long time. The likelihood of them getting bored quickly is pretty slim which leads to lots of learning as the explore all the mini games. Check out this blog post here that talks about just how amazing Bugs and Buttons (original and Bugs and Buttons 2). If you want a real bang for your buck, then I highly recommend any and all of the apps by Little Bit Studios!
Avokiddo Apps-I wrote about this amazing company extensively in this post from March 27th. So far, there are 5 different apps to choose from and they work on a variety of skills ranging from learning the letters of the alphabet to recognizing emotions to problem solving and several executive functioning skills. The graphics are just amazing, the music is soothing and because of that, the kids I work with are totally motivated to play, explore and learn when using them. I know when apps are really amazing when the kids I work with constantly ask for them and that is what happens with all of the apps by Avokiddo!So, these are just a handful of the many apps I would recommend for summer learning. As I was going through my iPad that is chock full of wonderful apps, I had a hard time choosing which ones to share with you all. I ended up picking ones that kids are most likely to be independent with....they won't have to ask their grownups for too much help. I also chose ones that I thought would be good for kids to play together in order to promote important social skills like turn-taking, compromise and conversation skills.
I would love to hear from any of you with some of your favorite apps. If you have specific questions about apps that would be good for your children or ones that would work on specific goals, I would be more than happy to help you find the perfect ones. I am always a click away and love helping parents and professionals identity apps that are better than others. It can be a daunting experience going through the thousands and thousands of apps out there and since I have done so much research, let me be the one to help you as you figure out what would be best for your child.
Saturday 16 May 2015
TOS Review - Homeschool Legacy: Revolutionary Ideas
Academic Subjects Addressed
- Bible
- History
- Geography and Mapping
- Math
- Public Speaking
- Drama
- Language Arts: Literature and Writing
- Research
- Science
- Arts and Crafts
- Music Appreciation
- Life Skills
- Field Trips
- Family Movie Night Suggestions
- Family Games and Trivia Questions
Topics Covered
One of the following topics were taught each week.
- Significant Pre-Revolution World Events
*French and Indian War
*Magna Charta
*Age of Explorations and Discovery
*The Great Awakening
- The Life and Times of Colonial Americans and their Taxing King
- The Firebrands
- Early Battles and the Shot Heard Around the World
- American Declared Her Independence
- The Turning Point
- March to Victory
How We Used It
Revolutionary Ideas was used with my daughter, Alyssa (Age 7 1/2) at least 3-5 times a week. The idea is to set aside one day a week to complete unit study activities. The company suggests taking a break from current studies. I felt like there was a lot to complete in one sitting so we divided the unit study activities up into several sessions throughout the week. We continued using our core curricula and just added this unit study to our day. We did take a break from using our World History curriculum as we focused our attention on the American Revolution.
We also didn't complete all of the activities mentioned in the unit study. I chose activities based on my daughter's interest and abilities. Many research projects and writing assignments were completed verbally and discussed rather than in written format since she is already writing several times a day in other subjects.
We read from a family read aloud book every day and Alyssa spent at least 20-30 minutes independently reading about the weekly topics on a daily basis. Larger chapter books often took longer to read aloud than expected. If we didn't finish the activities in the amount of time scheduled, then we dedicated Thursday as a completion day. We tried to read the family devotionals at the beginning of each week on Mondays preferably in the morning.
Fridays were reserved for Field Trips, but unfortunately we didn't take any related to the study because there weren't any locations nearby (Texas). We ended up watching related movies on Mondays and Fridays. Felicity is an outstanding movie to watch. It helps children understand and bring meaning to the concepts addressed in this study.
Our Experiences
This history unit study begins with a brief overview discussing significant pre-revolutionary concepts and events. Alyssa created a timeline in her notebook binder to document relevant battles, important people, profound acts, and other major events in history. She decorated the cover page of her timeline. She participated more in the timeline activities since she was involved in the process of setting up the timeline notebook. The timeline gave her a visual, chronological view of the historical events.
We probably should have drawn or found smaller pictures for the timeline, because the pages dedicated to the 1700's were crowded since that was the time period we were studying. Each mark on our timeline represented ten years. We could space these marks out to represent 2 or 5 years instead of 10.
My daughter learned about King George III and how the colonial people lived. The discussion deepened when we were introduced to major firebrands including Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Paine. These well-known men utilized their talents to ignite a fire in the hearts and minds of the people towards revolution against the King and Britain. The unit study addresses the desire to be united and free. It emphasized the fact that the patriots and colonists needed to fight for their God-given rights.
The unit study weeks begin with a booklist with Dewey decimal numbers included. Required book titles have an asterick next to them and are needed to complete the study. Suggested classic history books include a variety of genres including but not limited to biographies, nonfiction, and historical fiction. There are recommended picture and chapter books listed. For the most part, we found those specific titles through our interlibrary loan system or we used several replacement titles that covered the topics. In the past when reviewing Homeschool Legacy Once-a-Week unit studies I had access to two libraries to gather the necessary books. This year was different. I needed to use only our local library and the interlibrary loan system to find books which means I needed to wait longer for the arrival of some book titles. We read books late in the game or needed to substitute titles. However, I used the alphabetical Dewey decimal call numbers to locate replacements.
We found several of the documentaries and movies on either gMovies, Amazon Prime, Discovery Education, or You Tube. There were great substitute titles available online. We also owned and watched Felicity and a handful of related Liberty Kids DVD videos. We added in Pups of Liberty and Colonial Chaos (PE) to our list of supplements.
This particular unit study is writing and research intensive. Alyssa researched the five parts of the Declaration of Independence using a variety of resources including books, encyclopedias, and online websites. She found out the relevance for each part and implications of signing the actual document. She researched several topics from the first week using an encyclopedia and wrote a few short paragraphs about them (seen in the photos below).
I made adaptations to several writing assignments. Instead of having Alyssa write part two of the Declaration of Independence in a different voice. I kept things simple and asked her to write a short paragraph about the Declaration of Independence (as seen below) using the information attained through this unit study and techniques from her current writing curriculum. She did verbally read aloud part two of it using a Chipmunk's voice. There are many creative writing assignments included in this study. I hope to go back and complete a few more as summer approaches as a way to solidify her learning.
She was introduced to new vocabulary words and searched dictionaries for the meanings of words such as tyranny, tyrant, tax, intolerable, firebrands, and so forth. It is important for children to understand the words they are reading in order to comprehend what they are learning. I appreciate the exposure and inclusion of vocabulary activities.
The popular, "Yankee Doodle," song lyrics and tune were heard quite often echoing in my home. She had a blast creating a lyrical song about Paul Revere to the tune of "Yankee Doodle." She researched information about him and read many books prior to writing the song. She did a magnificent job singing facts and choosing key points! I LOVED my daughter's dramatization of Patrick Henry's speech "Give me liberty or give me death!" She cracked me up because she sounded like a pirate.
I had a difficult time getting her to continue the rest of her studies after she played on her "glass armonica." She listened to the different sounds and pitches when lightly tapping glasses with varying levels of water. I should have planned this one for an end-of-the-day activity! She watched a few videos online about Ben Franklin's invention and read a few books prior to this hands-on activity.
She was intrigued with the art activities. Alyssa enjoyed learning about Copley, who was an American artist, during the Revolutionary time period. Viewing his Revolutionary portraits inspired Alyssa to research more paintings similar to his work. Trumbull's Signing of the Declaration of Independence masterpiece was the perfect, complementary tie-in to the study. Alyssa eventually found a $2 bill so she spent a few minutes examining the painting on the back several days after researching Trumbull's biography. I love how these unit studies integrate art into the day making it more fun for us. My daughter identified many more of the signers after visiting the website links provided.
Teaching history has never been my cup of tea, but using Homeschool Legacy's Once-a-Week Revolutionary Ideas Unit Study has enabled me to gain confidence when teaching about the American Revolution and has created some fun-filled memories in my home. I am learning information about the Revolution that was NEVER taught the schools I attended.
This resource definitely sparked an interest in learning about the American Revolution. My favorite features of this study are the recommended reading lists and the embedded educational links. I love having access to high quality living books that help bring history concepts to life. The Dewey decimal call numbers enabled me to find related material for all topics addressed. Having links already embedded within the study saved me a lot of prep and planning time.
The wide variety of educational activities included makes it easy to quickly and thoroughly study the American Revolution. It also gave me the flexibility I desired in a unit study enabling me to pick and choose activities that suit my daughter's interest and abilities. We enjoyed many of the activities! We skipped a few and took a few rabbit trails. I really liked beginning our weekly study on a positive note with a family devotional geared towards the topic. We are really looking forward to the "Revolutionary War" party planning activity at the end of the study where Alyssa can present her projects once again.
My daughter's absolute favorite art project in the entire unit study was painting an American flag on a pillowcase. We read many books about the American flag and how it changed over the years. She learned that America started with 13 original colonies and about the growth of our country.
The unit study was used as a way to expose Alyssa to the American Revolution. She ended up diving deeper into the subject than I expected and she remembered more than I ever imagined she would. I was impressed by the amount of information she retained. Her interests expanded and she fascinated me with factoids she learned. We are almost done with the unit, but I plan on going back to complete a few skipped activities when we have more time and can add in more writing assignments.
Homeschool Legacy's Once-a-Week Revolutionary Ideas Unit Study is jam packed with hands-on, multi-sensory activities and research projects. This well-organized unit is sure to bring history alive. It can be used as a stand alone unit or as a supplement to any history curriculum.
American Heritage Girls and Boy Scouts of America merit badges can be earned upon completion of particular unit studies. Furthermore, if you complete four units studies then you'll cover a full year of history or science.
What We Liked
- Embedded Educational Links
- Literature Rich Study
- Print What You Need
- Flexibility
- Integrated Subjects
- Hands-On, Interactive Activities
- Biblically-Centered
- Whole Family
- Limited Amount of Prep Work
- Available in Digital or Hard Copy (Print) Format
- Geography Incorporated
- The 13 Colonies Map seemed fuzzy or blurry. We had a difficult time seeing distinct border lines between each colony when utilizing this map. I suggest finding a clearer and larger copy of this map to include in the study. I loved the idea of starring the colony location to indicate where battles took place.
- The embedded educational links provided were wonderful and we absolutely loved this feature, but we would appreciate more age-appropriate links included in the study especially for all research topics. There weren't as many as I expected and it would make research easier for younger children.
- Integrate more science, math, and recipes into the study.
- Add research forms and artist notebooking pages
- Organize all book titles by age groups and indicate movie ratings.
- I would add timeline figures for younger children or for children who dislike drawing. This was the one thing I wished we had during this study.
Recommendations
I highly recommend Revolutionary Ideas for all homeschool families. Obviously, if you homeschool using a Unit Study or an Eclectic approach you'll appreciate their unit studies. The Homeschool Legacy Once-a-Week Unit Studies may also appeal to individuals utilizing a Charlotte Mason or Literature-Based approach.
Honestly, if you are a homeschool family looking for a break in the routine and want to focus on a particular topic while integrating other subjects . . . take a few moments to visit Homeschool Legacy and browse their unit study options. Anyone can benefit from using these hands-on unit studies!
Visit the website to view a Sample Week and see a suggested schedule. We would like to eventually purchase the Native American Unit Study.
Price
Grab-N-Go $17.00
Paperback $21.95
Check out the available unit studies in their shop! I hope to see more Science titles available in the future.
Social Media
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Head on over to The Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog to read about many other Homeschool Legacy Once-a-Week Unit Studies reviewed by my friends on the Crew. I am headed that way to read about the Native America and Knight and Nobles reviews.
I highly recommend Revolutionary Ideas for all homeschool families. Obviously, if you homeschool using a Unit Study or an Eclectic approach you'll appreciate their unit studies. The Homeschool Legacy Once-a-Week Unit Studies may also appeal to individuals utilizing a Charlotte Mason or Literature-Based approach.
Honestly, if you are a homeschool family looking for a break in the routine and want to focus on a particular topic while integrating other subjects . . . take a few moments to visit Homeschool Legacy and browse their unit study options. Anyone can benefit from using these hands-on unit studies!
Visit the website to view a Sample Week and see a suggested schedule. We would like to eventually purchase the Native American Unit Study.
Price
Grab-N-Go $17.00
Paperback $21.95
Check out the available unit studies in their shop! I hope to see more Science titles available in the future.
As previously stated, I reviewed Birds of a Feather and Christmas Comes to America. Visit the links for more information and to read my reviews.
Social Media
Head on over to The Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog to read about many other Homeschool Legacy Once-a-Week Unit Studies reviewed by my friends on the Crew. I am headed that way to read about the Native America and Knight and Nobles reviews.
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