Fascinating Biology {A TOS Review}

     This past month we had the opportunity to use and review Fascinating Biology.  This is one of the middle school/high school courses offered from the online company Fascinating Education. Fascinating Education has three different science curriculum that they offer:  Biology, Chemistry and Physics.  Each course is available with one year access for $79 per course. 

     When I was asked to review this science course with my children, I was very excited.  This course did not look like your typical high school science course.  It appeared to be more then an overview,  diving into the meat of the Biology.  Understanding and grasping the concepts of mitosis, meiosis, and even the ATP cycle in high school, is very important if a student wants to pursue further science courses later on.  This course looked like something that would benefit my science oriented high schooler, as well as my two middle school children.

    Let me just interject my personal experience with you.  This negative experience is something I do not want to see repeated in my own children. Even though I enjoyed science myself in high school and graduated with a 3.9 GPA, ( a very long time ago:); I was not adequately prepared to handle the fast pace of university science classes.

     After my first semester of Biology and Chemistry courses, I was failing miserably.  (Don't worry I didn't drop out of college all together, but it did take me 6 years before I graduated with my BSRN degree!)  This was not a fun, nor inexpensive eye opener for me at the time. It was very discouraging to say the least. I think the reason I did not succeed initially in my university science courses, was because I could not keep up with the pace of the classes. 

 I did not have enough of a grasp of the foundational concepts to master the more advanced science material. 

Should my children choose to enroll in higher level science courses, I do not want them to have this experience and be at a disadvantage like I was.   Because of the experience I had, I feel it is very important to give my younger students a firm foundation in all of the subjects they study.

     So, did this on-line course prove to be the solution?  At this point in my review I can honestly say I think so:) It has a large amount of advanced material.  Combining this course with labs and interactive notebooks will help my kids get a firm grasp on the basic concepts.  That is exactly what I plan to do.   As an additional benefit, I have been learning a ton as well!

     Although Lesson 1 is not from a Biblical creation perspective, it was a good conversation starter to talk about the common scientific view of the origin of life.  We then moved on to lesson 2, chemistry review.

     I thought we would just wiz right through chemistry since we have already completed a middle school chemistry course.  Nope, they failed the chemistry test and were pretty discouraged.  That told me that my students chemistry knowledge was not sufficient.  Really, some of these concepts are very abstract - like molecules and atoms.  I mean you can't even see them, right?!  I really think it is hard for many students to grasp these concepts.  After seeing my kids response to lesson 2, I then contacted Fascinating Education to share my concern with continuing the course.  They were very supportive and didn't want my children to be discouraged because they had failed the test.  They happily offered us the chemistry pre-course to help my children succeed. Can you say, "awesome customer service!"?

     We then preceded to take the "chemistry pre-course for biology".  This course was a perfect review of elements and molecular bonds.  The course is laid out so simply with photos to help them understand the elements on a more day to day basis.  Each element was outlined briefly, showing where we see it in our world around us.  After lesson 1, we took the test (there is a test after each lesson). Their average score was 80% - woo hoo - success.  This boosted their understanding and morale - they were more willing to continue on.:)

     Below is a picture of the Fascinating Chemistry dashboard.  This is exactly what our Chemistry pre-course dashboard looks like.  We have been working our way thorough all of the lessons and have been getting in depth teachings about molecules and bonding.

     Dr. Margulies has a very soothing voice and talks at a slow understandable pace.  Although the lessons are engaging, the visual pictures in the scripted presentation need to move at a much faster pace.  This is only thing I think this program could improve on.   Students in this fast paced technology world are accustomed to being visually stimulated constantly.  If visual images that flashed before the students eyes,  were about 10 seconds apart, I think it would be able to keep the students attention event though the subject is complex.  Overall, I think this a very well thought out and in depth science program.  I don't have a high school AP course outline in front of me, but if I were to guess I would say that the content exceeds the AP level of information.

     If you are interested in these online science courses for your students, be sure to check out what other members of the crew had to say about it.

Thanks for traveling with us:)

Supercharged Science Review and Freebie for you!

For the past month we have been using the e-Science Premium Membership from Supercharged Science in anticipation for this review.   You can find Supercharged science at their website:  http://www.sciencelearningspace.com/.  This e-science curriculum has a wide range of subjects to pick from.  Topics include; mechanics, motion, matter, energy, sound, astrophysics, chemistry, light, electricity, magnetism, alternative energy, thermodynamics, electronics, life science, earth science, biology, and more.  It is organized by topics or you can also view the topics by grade level.  One of my favorite things about this curriculum is that it is very kid  friendly.

We have been using this for our homeschool science.   I have allowed the kids to just go to the website and pick whatever subject they are interested in.  Each unit starts with a simple introduction and video.





As a homeschool science curriculum it can be used as is or planned out by you the teacher.  The website includes lesson plans so you can be as organized or as flexible as you would like.  This last month, I chose to go with a student delight-directed approach.  That means that they got to pick whatever their little hearts desired for science from the  e-science website:)

The first science experiment I chose as an introduction to the website was the  "soap in the microwave" experiment.  It was fun to see the kids get excited about the changes in the soap after they put it in the microwave.  All the kids participated with "ooos and awes" as the soap changed before their eyes.  We learned that the soap contains air and water vapor.  When the soap was heated up in the microwave it expanded and looked like cotton.  After we were done with our science experiment I printed out the student worksheet and exercises.  This gave the kids some more ideas to try to see if their results would vary.  It also allowed me to assess how much each child retained and understood about the experiment.

   Our science experiment above is exactly what the makers of supercharged science boast of regarding their science curriculum.  It captures the kids attention first with the science experiments as it is modeled on video and then the kids get to try it out for themselves.  Once the kids try out the science experiments, they then start asking the "why" questions while engaging in the scientific method.  They are also challenged to try different variations to see if the results change.  It really does engage the students.  What is really awesome though, is that it also provides the answers!  No need to go searching for the answers on the Internet - it is all there for you in the textbook PDF download.

The next set of experiments the kids wanted to explore was in the light unit.   This particular unit has 25 different lessons/experiments for the kids to try.  We didn't have time to do them all but the few that we did do were very engaging.   One favorite was learning about light waves and how to make their own telescopes and microscopes.  We didn't have two magnifying glasses readily available so we used a pair of reading glasses and a magnifying glass.  We learned about the con-vexed shape of the glass by feeling the glass itself. If you line up the thickest part of the glass (the center) it becomes a microscope.  If you look at something in the distance it then acts as a telescope but the image will be upside down.

Another favorite was examining money.  It was an "I spy" money activity.  We didn't know there were so many hidden things in American money.  The kids really got a kick out of seeing President Lincoln inside the Lincoln memorial on a penny.

Although this program is multi-sensory, most of the learners in our family are visual.  Therefore our favorite part of this curriculum has been watching the videos.  Aurora, the teacher in the videos, is very energetic and excited about the topics she teaches making each video not only entertaining but interesting.  For example in the light unit Aurora talks about the different wavelengths of light and as she does the camera changes the images of her in the video to red light, green light, x-ray, etc.  The kids loved it and were very engaged in learning and watching the videos about the different wavelengths of light.

 Product Summary

Cost for membership:  K-12 level plan is $57 per month and  K-8 level plan is $37 per month.

Hands-on e-Science Curriculum:  This curriculum is designed to excite kids to learn science by engaging them in interesting content before getting into the textbook answers.

1000's of videos:   The videos are kid-friendly, short, and precise.  They guide the students through step-by-step hands-on activities, projects, and experiments.   All videos are taught by a real science teacher.

Over 350 lessons:  The  experiment lessons are easy enough for kids to do on their own.  Teachers have access to lesson plans, objectives, and assessment tools.

Incorporates all 4 learning styles:  Kinesthetic, visual, auditory, and digital.

Unlimited support:  Comments and questions are directly below each lesson.  Responses are given on a daily basis.

e-Science exceeds most state K-8 science standards:  Complete e-Science curriculum covering K-8 science standards and then some.   

Science Worksheets & Experiments:  Printable textbook, quizzes, and exercises that go along with each lesson.

Review Summary

Pros:   Child friendly, teacher friendly, many teaching options and subjects available.

Cons: Some supplies are not readily available but with some planning they can probably be easily ordered on-line.  This curriculum does not present any religious views but calls itself  "creation neutral".

Supercharged science has a complete mini-program they would like to give my readers for free!  It’s a small sample of science activities and projects taken from their e-science program. This will give you a chance to try out some activities for free to see how they work for your kids.  I hope you enjoy it! 

There is also a special that is being offered if you are interested.  You can sign up for a whole month of full access to e-science for just $1.

     

You can find Supercharged Science at the following sites: 

Twitter 

Pinterest 

Facebook

G+
YouTube
Blog

What have you used for your Science Curriculum?  Please comment below. I look forward to hearing from you:)

My Tooth Book - Mi librito de dientes - having fun learning about teeth!

"Say Ah", ..that is one of my first memories of the dentist.   That and falling asleep in the dentist chair.  It probably had something to do with all the cavities I had.  Needless to say I do not want my children spending as much time as I did at the dentist office.  So it was time to learn about teeth.  To be more exact "Dental Health" or "Salud Dental" as we would say here in Panama.

We made this little toothbrush craft which worked well as a pointer to use reading our little book as well as using it to pretend to brush the teeth of our little tooth friend. "Brush up & down.  On top and on the bottom.  Make sure you brush real good.  Now show me your teeth".  That is how I got the two cute poses for the above pictures:)

To make the little toothbrush craft all you need are 3 items:  plastic eyes, Popsicle sticks, and Styrofoam.  Just cut out the Styrofoam to your liking and glue it on along with the eyes.  We added a smile to the blue toothbrush...he was brushing  his teeth well.

¿Si, necisitas en Español?  Aqui es..

If you looking for something fun to teach your kiddos about brushing their teeth and a little bit more - this is it.  Feel free to hop on over to my store for more info. by clicking on any of the pictures.

What is your first dentist memory?

Don't forget to brush:)

Science4Us.com (Schoolhouse Review)

Our two youngest kids really enjoyed using  Science4Us.com this last month.  As I was preparing to write this review I was thinking about what a blessing it has been for us to have this program.  You see my kids have really been sucked into the computer game craze that is all around us.   Everyone plays computer games and they seem to be constantly asking to play.   I don't really approve of many games for various reasons.  I was really wanting to fill that desire to play computer games with something "good for them" or educational.  With Science4Us.com Online Subscription I found just what I needed.  Something fun but educational.  They were asking to "play" science:)

This program is intended for grades K-2, but children in grades 3-5 can use it as a review of earlier science material.  Although it can be used as a review,  my older kids felt that they were too mature for it.  My two younger children, ages 5 and 7, were able to use it completely with their own log in and user ids.   Below is what their initial page looks like after they log in:

Science4Us.com is an complete online interactive science program.  All the lessons are animated, with their own simulations, songs, and games.  I was really impressed with the extensive lesson plans and  professional development videos that are available for the teacher.  Science4US.com covers main topics like Science Inquiry, Earth/Space Science, Life Science, and Physical Science and others.

Below is a sample of what the teacher page looks like after log in:


The curriculum is broken down into books, units, modules, and activities.  It allows the teacher to set the pace and assignments for each student.  This is a sample page from the Book: Physics, Unit: Matter, Module:  States of Matter, with the activity "Contain It".

As you can see the graphics are very fun and engaging.  My 5 year old was walking around talking about solids, liquids, and gases after this module.  I love how the kids are having fun "playing" science while really learning some important facts.  Here is another screen shot of the Activity: Take a note, from the same Module "States of Matter".


As I was typing this, I gave my daughter a quick quiz (She completed this particular module 3 weeks ago).  She aced it with flying colors and was able to explain the 3 states of matter. This kindergarten science curriculum passed the test.  It is teaching my kids for me.  I Love it:)

Product Summary

Cost for membership:  $7.95 per child per month

Teacher/Parent Dashboard:  A private area for lesson planning and professional development.  There is also an area where you can keep track of your student's progress and make assignments.

Student Digital Notebook:  This is a notebook that your students can add to as they progress through each lesson. Students can add their own notes, charts, and diagrams to their personal notebook.

Over 350 lessons: Covering Inquiry (science tools), Earth/Space Science, Life Science, and Physical Science.

Uses 5E Inquiry-Based Instruction Module:  Uses Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate throughout each module.

Literacy and Math Integration: Each module integrates these core subjects through poetry, songs, figurative language, charts, and graphs.

Common Core Aligned:  Complete Science curriculum with integrated language arts and math skills.

Science Worksheets & Experiments:  Printable activities and online experiments that go along with each module.

Review Summary

Pros:   Child friendly, Teacher friendly, many teaching options and subjects available.

Cons:  Kindergarten, first, and second grade earth science is approached from a millions of years world view instead of from a Biblical world view of thousands of years.

You can find Science4Us at the following sites: 

Twitter 

Pinterest 

Facebook

G+

I hope you found this review helpful...What are you using for your Science Curriculum?  Please share in the comments below. I would love to hear from you:)

Thanks for traveling with us,

Let's Get Acquainted Linky Party - Tic Tac Toe!

It is time to get Acquainted with your fellow teacher bloggers!!!

Today I am linking up with Latoya !  If you linked up too, please say so in the comments below!  ( I would love to get to know you a little better :)

Topic- Tic Tac Toe

How it Works:  Look at the graphic below.  It is a Tic Tac Toe board filled with different categories.  You will post about three of these categories but they have to make Tic Tac Toe.  For example, you can choose to write about 3 topics that go vertical, or 3 topics that go horizontal, or three topics that go diagonal. 

I am choosing 3 topics that are vertical in the left hand column:

I went to Biola University 

 (I graduated B.S.R.N; it was hard to choose between that and a teaching degree:)

My favorite memory was dorm life in Sigma  and all the social Betty meets Bob activities!!

My First Year Teaching (homeschooling) was when my first two children were 4 and 2, it was time to get down to business!

We put our alphabet & calendar on the wall and sang our songs everyday.  It was amazing when they started learning how to read!  It was so exciting to be the one to teach them !   To see their excitement when they "got it" and they learned how to read was the most exhilarating experience ever!  We used this curriculum and loved it:)

My Father's World First Grade a Complete Bible-based Curriculum
We also went on ALOT of field trips (nature hunts, pet stores, libraries, pumpkin patch, etc.)  We had ant farms, butterfly farms....oh, the memories! 

 Here's a great story for you....when we ordered the ant farm.  Live ants came in the mail.  HUGE LIVE ANTS!  We were supposed to put them into their new gel ant farm habitat.  THEN, they escaped!  They were crawling everywhere!  Where was the teacher (mom, me)?  Standing on the couch, screaming:)  My lovely little guys were not afraid at all. They ( then 5 & 3 years old) gentle picked them up and got them all contained in their little habitat!  Phew, that was a close call:)  Those were the best days ever!  We have some great memories:)

My Favorite Grade to Teach & Why:

I LOVE teaching pre-k through 1st!  I guess you could say I am kind of an

expert at it now because I have been teaching that specific grade for 12 years!  I love the hands on, arts & crafts, and the simplicity of learning:)  (Not to mention their cute little accents before they learn how to pronounce their words correctly:)  I attached a little widget with all my favorites...we still use them.  I absolutely love these teaching materials and highly recommend them!

Thanks for stopping by and traveling with us:)

Calming the Chaos

Welcome to the Calming the Chaos Blog Hop hosted by 2peasandadog.

All of us bloggers have come together to share our top tips for making the last month of
school run smoothly.

Visit each of our blogs to learn something new and catch a freebie or two!

Happy Hopping

To keep my kids engaged in learning I try to make it fun!

 (Some of the activities I share are a part of a product that I sell in my stores. If you are interested in them, please click on the picture to go to the store link)

Here are some ideas that work wonderfully:)

1. Games:

Flyswatter-

for math facts, alphabet facts, sight words, foreign language facts, etc.

Players lay a fact card down, say the correct answer and swat it!  The first to swat it wins the fact (works with any flash card or manipulative...letters, shapes, etc.)!   Winner with the most facts in the end wins!


Manipulative Eggs: 

1-3 player game. First player takes an egg, reads the fact on the egg, and uses the manipulatives in the egg to find the answer. Second player checks the answer. (In the picture below the game is used for multiplication facts and a calculator is used to check the answers)



Each player gets their own set of eggs with manipulatives inside all held together in their own (soap) dish! (All from the dollar store!!!)



Manipulative Game in a bag of gelle:

Choose any manipulative facts your kids need to learn and add it to a bag of gelle (cheap hair gelle from the dollar store!) Each player takes a turn finding their fact and records it on a recording sheet (paper, dry erase board, etc.). In the picture below there is dice in the bag along with addition math fact families. The player rolls the dice answer(5) and finds the math fact numbers that can make the answer(4+1=5). This is a great tactile activity to reinforce any fact your kiddos need to learn!



Go fish or Matching game using spoons or cards:

Use facts of your choice and have the players take turns asking for the match that they need. Use either as a go fish or matching game.

In the picture below each player takes turns matching the uppercase letter to the lowercase letter. Use any color spoons along with clear spoons.



Another example is using facts to match to the correct answer on a mat or chart. Below the students take turns with two different letters to blend a word. They can then record their answers on a recording sheet.



The example below is a matching game with cards. The students take turns matching the correct Spanish Word to the Correct English word. The cards are also color coded.


or matching the number card to the number on the mat. (This can be done in any language to practice vocabulary or number order)

2. Art projects & hands on activities:
Use play-doe to make words, numbers, letters, shapes, etc.



Singing to learn a lesson



Reenacting stories or facts from a lesson using masks (learning about rain forest toucans)



puppets (retelling a story)



Making edible models of different concepts:


Below the kids used cheese balls and tooth picks to show the parts and sizes of each part of an atom.



and then made a model of each...when they were done they could eat it if they wanted!



Chemical reactions and Color Wheel lessons: Use colored vinegar with an eyedropper to drop different colors into baking soda.



Art: 

 Use art when teaching concepts and you need your students to sit quietly and listen. When children use the right side of their brain (creativity) it has a calming and quieting effect. I allow my students to work on art while we are discussing or learning something new. It keeps them quietly busy and engaged.


The art below is a mixed media using oil pastels and water colors. They were specifically drawn using oil pastels crayons and then filled in using old markers dipped in water(watercolor.



This is a drawing with a 3D effect, using straight lines and curved lines. To do this have your students trace their hand or draw any object on a piece of paper. Then draw straigh lines across the paper using a curved line over their drawing (the fingers and hand).




Finding Secret codes:

Use hidden codes to teach subjects your students need to learn. I taught my students about the Egyptian alphabet using the activity below.


The students were given a name code in Egyptian hieroglyphics along with the code. They had to decipher the code to find whose name card they had. If you would like to do this with your students you can find everything you need here.



Here is a freebie that teaches the ancient Hebrew letters through their pictorial meaning. The students have to find the hidden ancient Hebrew letter in the picture! This is included in my Ancient Hebrew Civilizations, Root Words, Acrostic Poems Unit- common core unit.  I hope that you found something in my examples to inspire you to make learning fun for your students. If you did please leave a comment I would love to hear what your ideas and thoughts are!

Here is a little freebie (ribbon calendar numbers) and another little freebie (more ribbon calendar numbers) and another little freebie ( a sneak peak into abc 123 100 party on TPT) for you that I hope you will find useful! There is also a giveaway you can enter below!


Don't forget to visit the other blogs to get more ideas and FREEBIES!


Remember keep it fun!


Thank you for stopping by!

Calming the Chaos Participants

I am also linking up with:
  
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