Schoolhouse Review: Birds of a Feather Unit Study

Are you a bird lover? Are you currently using the unit study method or approach? Have you ever done a unit study? If you aren't sure what a unit study is click here to find out more.

I don't usually teach using a unit study approach but the method has always been of interest to me and the concept is still fairly new to me. The Schoolhouse Review Crew had the opportunity to review Once-a-Week-Units created by Sharon Gibson which are available through Homeschool Legacy. We were able to choose one digital download in e-book format from a list of ten choices. I chose the four-week "Birds of a Feather" unit study. Click on the title to see what concepts will be covered. It was the perfect supplement to our science curricula - it was as if they were meant to be used simultaneously. Not to mention, most children love to learn about animals ... and birds obviously fall in that category. This unit is meant for children in grades 2-12 and costs $15.95. You will not receive an e-book as I did; the physical hard copy of the product will be mailed to you. This comprehensive bird study contains 56 pages and several of those pages are blank spacer pages. The unit begins with an introduction as to why you should do once-a-week unit studies and is divided and organized into four weeks covering broad topics such as bird basics, backyard habitat, bird identification, ornithology, and birds of prey. These topics are broken down further into more specific topics for each week. The author also gives you scheduling tips to help you incorporate the unit into your day. An informative article titled "Getting the Most Out of Your Once-a-Week Unit Study" was found at the back of the unit. I felt this article should have been placed towards the front of the unit so that it would be read before beginning the study. At first, I was wondering how will I know which activities are daily and which are once-a-week? Well, it was clearly labeled in bold print. Each activity was also outlined in bold print and underlined making it easier to find. Alyssa is well below the grade level, but I was curious if the activities could actually be used with younger children. In the end, the unit study was a success and few adaptations were necessary.

Other Products at Homeschool Legacy
Once-a-Week-Unit Studies currently available:

• Birds of a Feather $15.95
• Forest for the Trees $15.95
• Horsing Around $15.95
• Weather on the Move $19.95
• Knights and Nobles $15.95
• Native America $17.95
• Early Settlers $17.95
• Revolutionary Ideas: The Story of the American Revolution $19.95
• We the People: getting to Know Your Constitution $19.95
• Christmas Comes to America $15.95
• Lewis and Clark: From Sea to Shining Sea $19.95

Read Homeschool Legacy's Shipping Policy here.

How We Used It

This unit study was used in conjunction with our science curricula and nature studies. It was used with my daughter who is almost five years old. We involved her father in as many activities as possible. Sunday was devoted to scripture time - this was the start of each week for us. We read the indicated verses from the Bible. We enjoyed the read-alouds and several of the referenced library books throughout the week. We decided to watch the movies on Monday and our main unit day was scheduled on Tuesdays. We aimed at completing as many activities possible on that day and continued the remaining activities throughout the week if necessary. I tried to have a more relaxed teaching approach with this unit study. The plan was to implement this study once-a-week as intended ... to stop all other studies for one whole day. We couldn't always finish all of the activities in one day partly due to my daughter's age, the fact that we were moving, and because I had a hard time eliminating subjects from the day. Younger children will obviously need more time to research and write. I didn't want to rush either process. Many times, I ended up spreading out the activities throughout the week over four or five days, because we were packing for a move. This seemed to work out for the best. Alyssa retained the information better when we did fewer activities in a day. We tried the "once-a-week" approach for two weeks. I do feel that the unit activities could definitely be done "once-a-week" with older students within the grade range. Our field trips were taken on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. I loved the fact that the unit also had a list of read-alouds for non-readers. At times, Alyssa would use the listed books as independent readers. One thing we often neglected or forgot to do was the "Stump Your Dad Trivia." 

Our Experiences
I will do my best at explaining our experiences with this fabulous and thorough unit study. I have so much to say about the unit, so I am warning you this will be a long review with lots of photos. My apologies ... but I wanted to share a few stories, lots of photos, and a weekly blurb. I was extremely pleased and impressed with the activities. First of all, our focus was on specific topics and not on meaningless information. The unit study contains research projects which helps children learn how to locate information independently. We used a variety of resources and tools to research topics including encyclopedias, science dictionaries, books, online galleries, online encyclopedias, and several other informative websites about birds. You will notice that the unit tends to lean on the writing intensive side including compositions, listing, labeling, descriptions, and journaling.

WEEK ONE
The topics we addressed were bird basics and your backyard bird habitat.

We had so much fun this week! What a way to start a unit! My husband did not realize that we were supposed to build the bird feeders and birdbath. When I told him about the bird unit, he surprised us the next day with a concrete birdbath and feeder. We eventually made several of the suggested bird feeding stations. I could see the joy in Alyssa's eyes when creating the pinecone feeder which was her favorite one to make. We immediately set up the bird habitat and the next day we had birds in the backyard. I was thrilled! I was a little worried because it can take weeks for birds to arrive and we were moving soon. I was hoping we wouldn't have to wait two weeks to see a bird. My daughter is not an early riser, but once I told her she was more likely to see them in the morning ... she woke up early on several occasions to observe them during the cool morning hours. Some days we spent the morning observing the birds from the stairs (she often wanted to do this before eating breakfast). Other days, she'd wake up watching them with her binoculars through her bedroom window for an hour. She came running to me one morning in her pajamas and winter boots asking for paper, pencil, and crayons. She drew a picture of the bird feeding station and birds that visited her that day. We have seen cardinals, wrens, pigeons, tufted titmouses, hummingbirds, and doves. I believe we also saw both bluejays and bluebirds, but I am not 100% sure. We have a few others that we can't quite identify yet. The birds are really skittish so they fly away when we try to get closer. We had a blast creating our feeding station scarecrow!

We were unable to obtain many books on the suggested book list. We were able to eventually get the weekly read aloud as an interlibrary loan but we fell behind in reading it. At first, Alyssa was disinterested in the book and was easily distracted. As the story progressed, she became more interested and attentive. She started to enjoy the story questioning aspects and responding to it. I changed certain wordings that we don't like to use in our household as I read aloud such as the word "stupid." We also had a few discussions about character traits and behaviors at the end of each chapter.

Alyssa researched information about our state bird and why it was chosen. She colored our state bird and labeled it on a North American Mockingbird notebooking page we found. She wanted to write a sentence about the bird, but the line was too short. We decided to create a nature study binder or "journal" to organize her completed work.

WEEK TWO
The focus for week two was bird identification.

The book choices were limited again this week. We were unable to obtain the family read aloud book in time. Many more birds gathered around our feeders and bath. It has been a joy seeing Alyssa so full of excitement.

Yesterday, we were at a lady's house purchasing books. Alyssa couldn't stop talking about our feeding station and her observations. Alyssa saw a feeder in the lady's yard and she made an immediate connection. The lady said, "You are doing a great job teaching her ... her excitement for what she is studying pours out when she speaks. She told me about all of the birds and activities you have completed so far." Isn't it a great feeling to know that your children LOVE what they are studying? I am glad that I chose the right topic to focus on this year. They enjoyed "chit chatting" (as Alyssa would say) about birds.

Alyssa's desire to learn more about birds continues to grow every day. I only hope that our experiences will be the same or better when we move. My husband has been inspired and wants to build a bird sanctuary on our property once the house is built. I can't wait!

Alyssa listened to bird calls as she worked on her writing assignments. She tried her best to describe the bird calls. She can't recognize any specific bird calls yet. We added in nomenclature cards to help her learn the parts of a bird. The readings about John James Audubon encouraged her to focus more on details when drawing birds in her journal. We viewed many of his bird drawings through an online gallery. In the photos below, you will see a picture of her composition about John James Audubon and her nomenclature card work.

WEEK THREE

This week we discussed ornithology topics including characteristics, feathers, eggs, bones, and migration.
The activities this week took more time to complete. We waited weeks for the read aloud book to arrive via interlibrary loan, but it never came. We continued our observations and journaling of the backyard habitat and our visitors. Unfortunately, the backyard habitat was moved to a different location when we moved out of our house. We have noticed that fewer birds are visiting us now. Not to mention, there are fewer types of birds (less variety) - mainly just doves and pigeons. Oh, we have a squirrel visitor stealing birdseed which wasn't a problem at the house. We also saw a hawk swoop down to grab its prey ... another bird ... maybe that's why there aren't many birds hanging around.

Alyssa collected and examined bird feathers during our nature walks. We completed a lift experiment. She also traced and labeled her drawing of a feather. She learned about several other flightless birds and why they couldn't fly. She knew penguins couldn't fly because she recently studied them. We took a field trip to the Bayou Wildlife Park where she saw many birds including ostriches, ducks, geese, swans, peacocks, and emus. We had an engaging conversation about which birds were flightless and which could fly. She saw and held an ostrich egg during our visit. After several egg activities, we used nomenclature cards to help her learn the parts of an egg.

WEEK FOUR
This week our focus was on birds of prey.

She learned about owls, bald eagles, and other birds of prey. I had trouble finding the books from the list yet again, however the hands-on activities made up for the lack of available books. We ended the unit with a BANG! Alyssa absolutely LOVED dissecting owl pellets! Make sure you order them in advance, because they take awhile to arrive. My daughter was fully engaged and thought it was very interesting. Luckily, I still had all my owl pellet resources from when I taught second grade. She constantly asked me, "What is an owl pellet?" We read a few books and she researched the topic in order to answer her own question. One helpful resource we used for bird anatomy and owl pellets was Kidwings. Check out the Teacher Materials that will enable you to further explore owl pellets. There is a bone id chart available and a virtual owl pellet dissection activity. Once she figured out what an owl pellet was, she was very curious and wanted to know which bones were inside her pellet. Alyssa found a rodent skull, hip bone, and may other bones in her owl pellet. She used a bone chart to identify which animal the owl ate and what bones were inside it.

Alyssa has been learning how to use different references. This week, she opened a science dictionary to look up terms for her journal. She also learned how to do a Google search. She researched and read about many extinct birds. She chose the Great Auk to further investigate. Below you will see a picture of the sentences she dictated to me. I created a handwriting or copywork page using her exact words.

Recently, we visited a friend who has a collection of hunted and mounted animals in a trophy room. Alyssa asked them if they had a bald eagle. They told her he would be in jail if he had one mounted. She said, "Oh yeah ... that's right." I know that this conversation started because of our readings and discussions about bald eagles. She also saw a turkey in the room and she told everyone that Benjamin Franklin originally wanted the turkey to be our state bird. They said, "Really? I didn't know that." Alyssa said, "I learned about it in my bird unit."

Can you see the teeth on the rodent skull? So cool!

I know ... she used the word "I" instead of "it."

Our Weekend Field Trips

• San Antonio Zoo
• McKinney Park Bird Hikes (Austin) - Later this year
• Neighborhood Nature Walks
• Moody Gardens: Rainforest Pyramid (Galveston)
• Bayou Wildlife Park Tram Tour (Alvin) - Here are a few bird pictures I took on the tour. We also saw many other endangered and threatened animals during our visit. We rode in a open tram and the animals came right up to us to feed. Click on the pictures to enlarge. It was unbelievable! 

Going downhill on the tram.

Bird Mini Book

After researching information on several bird topics and participating in a few daily activities, my daughter was motivated to create a mini-book about birds. I am absolutely thrilled that this bird unit has motivated her to independently learn and write about the topic. She wrote the entire book by herself while I worked on blog reviews and packed boxes for our move. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when she brought me her book. She would read her book to anyone that would sit still to listen. This is proof for me that she is retaining and learning the information taught during the unit study. I wasn't worried about mistakes or neatness. I was just happy that she was writing on her own. She even made a cover with a title and illustration for her book.

Pros

1. I appreciated the fact that the unit study is Biblically-based beginning with family devotions related to the topic. The unit study is also cross-curricular covering a wide variety of other subjects such as Literature and Language, Math, History and Geography, Science, Research, Art Appreciation, Arts and Crafts, Music Appreciation, Life Skills, and of course Field Trips are suggested. 
2. The whole family, children of all ages, can work together towards the completion of the multi-sensory hands-on activities even though it is intended for 2nd-12th grade. The unit contains fun activities that engage the senses, imagination, and creativity of the child while addressing many learning styles or modalities. This unit study accommodates both large and small families. Children study the topic at their learning level or abilities and activities can be easily adapted. Not to mention, the bonding time builds a better relationship with your children and creates wonderful family memories. 
3. The unit studies can be used as complete core history or science curricula if you combine and choose any 4 or 5 of the units for a year. It can also be used as a unit study supplement to any science or history curriculum. This unit study was easily implemented and used as a supplement in our home.
4. Furthermore, the unit allows for flexibility in scheduling ... you decide how often and when you will use the unit study. You may dedicate one day a week for the main activities or you can spread them out throughout the week over four or five days as we occasionally did. The author does offer helpful suggestions on how you can schedule your unit study time. This allows for schedule flexibility which many home educators see as a benefit.
5. The author offers well-organized, user-friendly, reasonably priced unit studies that give children a break from the regular homeschool schedule.
6. I was pleasantly surprised that the study was literature-based. The book list contains quality classic titles including suggested read-alouds for non-readers. Unfortunately, most of the books were unavailable for us. However, books were arranged by library call numbers (alphabetically and numerically) which saves time when searching for related books. The call numbers lead us to the library area specifically dedicated to that topic.
7. Prep time is limited to gathering books and supplies. The planning aspect is already done. You are given a list of supplies, books, field trips, and suggested media for movie night.

Possible Cons and Improvements

1. There were a couple of items that we did not have around the house as we gathered supplies, so we needed to purchase or borrow them from friends and family.
2. Many of the bird books listed in the suggested book list were unavailable through our local libraries. We ended up using the "search topic" on the library's homepage and the Dewey Decimal System to locate related and appropriate books we could use. We also had to wait on several interlibrary loan books which usually were the read aloud books. We usually fell behind with read aloud books because they didn't arrive in time so we were constantly catching up, however, we had plenty of books to read from the non-reader list and other book treasures we found.
3. There may be too many activities to complete in one day for younger children ... at least that is was the case for Alyssa. She is a perfectionist and takes her time on everything. She did far better remembering and retaining more information when I spread the unit study daily activities throughout the week. Keep in mind this unit is recommended for grades 2-12, but it can be used as a family unit with adaptations for all ages including the little ones. Many families use the unit studies with older children and simply expose the younger ones to the same concepts.
4. One of the recommended movies "Fly Away Home" does contain a few objectionable swear words.  My daughter did not notice most of them as there were only a few and they weren't emphasized. There was one word that stood out. We were siting on the couch all bunched up close together watching the movie while eating popcorn. Two men were out hunting geese. The goose airplane flew over their heads and one of the men yelled "Oh Sh_ _!" We both almost choked on our popcorn. My husband and I maintained our composure to see if Alyssa even heard the word. Unfortunately, my baby girl, said her first swear word. She repeated it yelling out the same phrase as she laughed. She didn't realize it was a bad word. We had a short discussion on appropriate language and ... no she was not in trouble. In the end, the movie was GREAT! It was our favorite movie mentioned in the unit and one of the few interesting ones which leads me to my next point.
5. Several of the documentary movies listed in the curriculum were not very interesting and were complete disappointments for our family. They didn't capture our attention and we turned them off immediately.
6. I wish there were student lapbooking or notebooking pages included in this study. I found many free lapbooking and notebooking resources, but it would have been more convenient to have it in one place. 

Recommendations and Results
I highly recommend Homeschool Legacy's Once-a-Week Unit Studies to ALL homeschooling families especially home educators implementing a unit study approach. The units available can be used for one child or multiple children. I would also recommend their unit studies to any family interested in incorporating a new style or technique to their homeschooling day for added flair and fun. The topics and units of study are wonderful for all children, at any age, no matter their learning style or their abilities. Every child in the family can have fun exploring and discovering topics of interest with hands-on activities in an immersed environment. Additionally, Homeschool Legacy's units enable children to earn merit badges and fulfill requirements for Boy Scouts of America, America Heritage Girls, and 4H if involved in those extracurricular activities.

Those of you using an eclectic approach, like myself, will find their units endearing ... a breath of fresh air. I can definitely say this brought our family closer together at just the right time and is worth looking into. As many of you know, moving is stressful. The activities brought us enjoyment and relieved some of the stress on our shoulders and minds ... bringing us together instead of apart in separate rooms packing. The "Birds of a Feather" unit involved Alyssa's daddy in the homeschool day. I actually saw a spark of interest in my hubby's eyes.  He said he learned more from this unit experience than he did in his science studies at a private school. He is a hands-on learner who loves to build things, so it worked out perfectly especially in the beginning when we created bird feeders, baths, and houses. Homeschool Legacy's Once-a-Week Unit Studies will hopefully be used in our home throughout the year. I would like to eventually purchase the Native American, Early Settlers in America, and the Christmas Comes to America units.

Wanna to try and earn a free Once-a-Week Unit Study from Homeschool Legacy? Read about their Student-of-the-Month Club on their website by clicking the child's photo in the top right corner to find out how. This looks like a lot of fun.

Are you ready to start shopping at Homeschool Legacy's website? Do Homeschool Legacy's Once-a-Week Unit Studies seem like the perfect history or science curriculum or supplement for the start of a new school year? It was for us. Why not give them a try? I am sure you won't be disappointed. Your shopping cart is ready and waiting for you here. They offer free shipping on all orders over $50.00. Remember you will receive the physical product and not an e-book.

If you have any questions about Sharon's Once-a-Week Unit Studies, please contact the company at Sharon@HomeschoolLegacy.com. They can also be reached at 828-685-7215. Don't forget to read through the company's FAQ section to read frequently asked questions you may also have about their unit studies.

Thank you Sharon at Homeschool Legacy for introducing me to a new type of learning and for giving our family some unforgettable memories! I am more open to trying unit studies, because of my experience with this unit. I also want to thank the Schoolhouse crew leaders for giving me the chance to review this unit regardless of Alyssa's age. It was perfect! My daughter couldn't have been more ecstatic and I couldn't have been any happier than I was with the study.

Please visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog here to read about the experiences and other reviews for Homeschool Legacy's Once-a-Week Unit Studies. There were a variety of units or topics reviewed - there might be one that you could utilize in your studies this year.  Go check out their reviews!

Disclaimer: As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received "Birds of Feather" from Homeschool Legacy, at no cost to me, in exchange for an honest, professional review on my blog.  All opinions expressed are my mine and were not influenced in any way by the product or company.

Schoolhouse Review: Marshal Publishing "Lots and Lots of Penguins" DVD Set

Do you or your children love penguins?  What types of penguin species exists?  Have you ever wondered how penguins care for their young? Do you know which penguins are endangered? If these questions are of interest to you or you don't know the answer then please read on.

I had the chance to review the award-winning DVD set titled "Lots and Lots of Penguins and Their Happy Feet" published by Marshall Publishing and Promotions, Inc as part of The Schoolhouse Review Crew. It is one of their many DVD's in their As Seen on TV Series. Please know that this DVD set is not yet available in stores. Marshall Publishing is a company that produces a variety of educational and entertaining family-oriented media and products including DVD's, audio CD's, and books. This DVD set states that it is appropriate for children and adults ages 3-93. I am not sure how teenagers would react to this product. They might not find it of interest or may think it is too childish; therefore this set may be more suitable for penguin loving adults and children ages 10 and younger. This set contains two DVD's chocked full of informative facts and trivia to help learners bring penguins to life. We were so excited when this product arrived! The award-winning family recording artist and musician, James Coffey, sings and plays his music on one of the DVD's. The catchy tunes immediately appealed to Alyssa's liking! Several of the songs we heard were "P-E-N-G-U-I-N," "10 Little Penguins," "A Penguin's Life," "Waddle Like a Penguin," and "Party Like a Penguin." I provided penguin props to be used for the 10 Little Penguin song. Her favorite songs were "Party Like a Penguin" and "Waddle Like a Penguin." She really did get down and boogie! I couldn't stop laughing when she waddled around the living room like a penguin making silly faces. The penguin song lyrics are available on their website.

What is Included in the "Lots and Lots of Penguins and Their Happy Feet" Set?
The DVD's can be purchased separately if needed. However, the combo pack below is the best value for your money. Click on the separate links below if you wish to buy the individual DVD's or click here for the set.

1. "Lots and Lots of Penguins and Their Toe Tappin' Happy Feet" - This 75 minute thorough DVD covers everything you ever wanted to know about penguins and the many species around the world. The DVD menu was divided into sections by penguin species making it easy to research a particular penguin. It also contained a bonus section featuring several animals living in cold environments. You'll also find out which penguins are on the endangered species list and hear many penguin calls. We loved learning about the physical features of each penguin species and how to tell them apart. Alyssa's favorites were the Rockhopper and Chinstrap penguins.
2. "Penguins in the Wild" - A personal 30 minute adventure introducing your child to the wondrous natural habitats of penguins. You'll see penguins live in action! This DVD does not have narration, music, or sound effects. You'll see outstanding footage of penguins playing, waddling, nesting, and feeding.
3. "Party Like a Penguin" - This animated music video is sure to get your family dancing. Alyssa could not resist the temptation! The song and video is also found on the first DVD. Alyssa and I had a ball goofing around dancing like penguins! I won't embarrass myself by posting pictures of my dance but here a few of Alyssa dancing in her pajamas to the "Party Like a Penguin" song.

Pricing

The retail price for this set is usually $39.90. The Penguin DVD set is currently on sale for the affordable and reasonable price of $19.95. They usually ship items the next day, which means you should receive the product quickly. My blog readers can also save $7.95 using the FREE first class shipping promo code TOS27. Apply the code at checkout and update your cart to receive this discount. These items are also available as individual purchases. Click here to find out more information about Marshall Publishing products including but not limited to their As Seen On TV videos such as:

• Lots and Lots of Fire Trucks
• Lots and Lots of Monster Trucks
• Lots and Lots of Trains

Pros

• I love the fact that the company offers a 60-day money back 100% guarantee.
• Marshall Publishing shipped this product out quickly. 
• This was an informative and educational DVD set containing real facts about the different penguins around the world while exposing children to the natural habitats and lifestyle of penguins. They offer high quality programming - there's no fluff or inappropriate content.
• The music was upbeat, lively, and entertaining.  The songs were very memorable. Be careful you may find yourself singing the songs at random moments throughout the day.
• I was happy to see that authentic "real" photos and footage of penguins was used in addition to animated characters that grasp the child's attention. P.J. Penguin was the media host introducing the different penguin species while sharing trivia tidbits of information throughout the video.

Possible Cons and Improvements

• The "Lots and Lots of Penguins in the Wild" DVD was not as captivating as the first one due to lack of narration, music, and sound effects. It was meant to be that way so that children and adults can experience the natural habitat as if you were present in the environment. However, active children may not sit still for this video unless they have a keen interest in penguins. Alyssa paid attention to most of the DVD, however, she was easily distracted during this video. I found that if I gave her several penguin related activities to complete during the viewing time ... she was more likely to remain engaged and maintained attention.
• The company may want to consider adding penguin science experiments such as the blubber experiment as a bonus feature for future videos. I think parents and educators would love this addition.
• I was also hoping that the company would have provided a printed study guide as an accompaniment to the DVD. They do have information posted here as possible study guide material when using the programs but I found the format and length difficult to read online.

How We Used It
I used this combo pack with my 4 1/2 year old daughter. We used the DVD's as a complementary resource in conjunction with our science curricula and as an extension to our bird unit study. We also started an in-depth penguin themed unit to enrich the learning process. We watched both of the DVD's during family movie night the same week they arrived. We completed penguin related activities for the duration of the review. We also planned two field trips to reinforce the learning. We wanted to go to Sea World to see the penguin exhibits, but we ran out of time due to the recent move. Alyssa was also allowed to watch the videos upon request as a ticket item during her free time. She watched the first DVD three times just in the first week (not including the Bonus section). She would occasionally ask to view a particular video in the bonus section. She liked the polar bear video, the penguin cartoon, and the wild bird videos in the bonus section the most.

Penguin Activities
KWL Graphic Organizer
We completed a free penguin KWL chart to access Alyssa's prior knowledge and help her make new connections. I asked my daughter what she knew about penguins before viewing the DVD's, what she wanted to learn, and what she learned about penguins after watching them. She answered the questions while I acted as a scribe writing her responses under the correct column. The DVD's sparked her curiosity even more and generated many more questions with regards to penguins. Her desire to know the answers to those questions motivated her to do some penguin research.

Penguin Research

We used a Penguin Webquest, encyclopedias, and non-fiction books to research more facts about specific penguins.

Penguin Writing 

Alyssa jotted down factual penguin sentences on scrap paper during the showing of the first DVD. She wrote amazing sentences for being only 4 1/2 years old. I know ... I am biased because I am her mommy and I love her so much. She did this writing activity without prompting or assistance. She used the back of the DVD when spelling the penguin names and she changed cannot to can't. Later, she transferred her work onto penguin lined paper after editing and revising her sentences.

Penguin Drawing
She also decided that she was going to draw a picture of a penguin eating a fish while watching the DVD. I didn't even know she could draw a penguin! I think it is adorable!

Penguin Species ABC Order
I gave Alyssa penguin species trade cards from a free penguin unit online. She placed the cards in alphabetical order, wrote them on paper, and then read about several species from the video. We later placed them in a small photo album that she carries as we travel.

Penguin Lapbook
We found a free penguin lapbook online to extend the learning. We discussed the penguin life cycle, penguin anatomy, penguin food chain, and reviewed facts about many penguin species mentioned in the DVD's.

I'll stop there before I get too carried away. As you can see there are so many activities that can be done before, during, or after viewing the "Lots and Lots of Penguins and Their Happy Feet" set.

Our Experience
This DVD set was an absolute lifesaver for us this month! We are finally in the apartment and Alyssa thankfully asked to watch the DVD's, particularly the "Lots and Lots of Playful Penguins and their Toe Tappin' Feet" numerous times throughout the move. Alyssa liked them so much that she watched them multiple times without any complaints. She described each penguin call by comparing it to a familiar sound in her environment as we learned about 17 penguin species. She is definitely learning and retaining the information from the DVD's. She has been telling her family and friends about specific penguins and how they live. The DVD has sparked an undeniable interest that will be explored further with enrichment activities. The entire family enjoyed watching the DVD's together. The high quality programs offered by Marshall Publishing will be used as accompaniments in our home for future studies. Alyssa said, "I love it!  This is my favorite DVD. Can I watch it now?" when I asked her what she thought about the product. I wonder how she'll feel about the product in a couple of weeks. I am already considering the purchase of the "Lots and Lots of Fire Trucks" set since my husband is a firefighter. Have you seen the videos that will be coming soon? I know one little girl who will for sure want the "Lots and Lots of Dancing Dolphins" when it becomes available.

Recommendations
I highly recommend this DVD combo pack!!! It would make a great birthday or Christmas gift for children or individuals that have a love for penguins. This set would be a great investment especially for visual and/or auditory learners. All classroom teachers and homeschooling families planning a penguin, bird, or possibly even a habitat thematic unit study will want this DVD set as a supplement to their studies.

You can become a fan or follower of Marshall Publishing on Facebook and/or Twitter. Check out their DVD television ad videos on You Tube. You can also sign-up for their newsletter here and visit their blog when you get a chance. Please contact Marshall Publishing if you have any questions about the products available on their website. They can also be reached at 888-300-3455. Check out the customer service FAQ's to read answers to commonly asked questions. 

Please visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog here to read more reviews about the following titles sent from Marshall Publishing in addition to the penguins combo value pack.

   

Disclaimer: As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received the "Lots and Lots of Penguins and Their Happy Feet" DVD set from Marshal Publishing, at no cost to me, in exchange for an honest, professional review on my blog.  All opinions expressed are mine and have not been influenced by the company.

Books Should Be Free!!!!

We love reading "real" books in this household but Alyssa and I have a new addiction! We began listening to audio books to change things up a bit around here especially during our recent move. Our busy and hectic life was begging for a change. We started integrating audio books into our homeschool day to complement our studies while improving a variety of literacy skills. Audio books will never replace actual reading in our home. However, audio book resources are constructive ways to make use of time when you and your child can't sit still to read aloud for whatever reason at the time. My hope is that audio books will occupy Alyssa in a fun and engaging way. Alyssa listened to audio books as I packed for our upcoming move which unfortunately was very time-consuming.

Interest in audiobooks will depend on your child's age, abilities, and needs. Audio books are great resources for all ages and all types of readers regardless of their levels. I love choosing longer chapter books for Alyssa to hear. Chapter books allow for multiple read aloud sittings where she can anticipate what will happen during the next listening session. She needs little assistance with this activity ... she can control which books she hears and how long she listens to it. She knows that I must approve ALL books before she is allowed to hear them. I am usually in the room with her working as she listens attentively.

You can find audio books available at your local library, but I came across a wonderful website last week that we have been enjoying tremendously. It was called Books Should Be Free. Wouldn't that be awesome! There are a ton of free audio books including many children's books. Alyssa and I listened to several audio books during her free play as I packed for the upcoming move. We also listen to them as I unpack. We haven't listen to all of the books listed below, but we have plans to do so this year. There are some great stories out there ... we love the classic children's books! If we have the actual book at the house, then I give it to Alyssa to follow along (if she chooses).

Our most current read aloud before bedtime is Black Beauty. The whole family gathers on Alyssa's bed as I read a chapter or two aloud. The next day, Alyssa and I listen to the audio version of the book. We are a few audio chapters behind since I just found this website, but we'll catch up real soon at the rate we are using it. Erica, at Confessions of a Homeschooler, has a classic literature pack that I will be utilizing this year in conjunction with Alyssa's literature studies. She is currently having a Literature Unit Mega Pack Giveaway if you are interested in participating - click on the above giveaway link. The ideal situation would be to give Alyssa activities from this pack as she listens to the audio book. We will implement this plan in the near future.

Audio Book Benefits

• Increase Attention Span
• Improve Active Listening Comprehension
• Encourage Critical Thinking Skills
• Promote a Love of Good Quality Literature
• Develop and Build Vocabulary
• Hear Proper, Fluent Reading Emphasizing Correct Pronunciation, Punctuation, and Intonation
• Modeling of Appropriate Read Aloud Strategies
• Expose Children to Unfamiliar Genres
• Opportunity to Discover Classics and More
• Raise Cultural Awareness
• Repetitive Read Aloud Opportunity
• Chance to Hear Books Above Reading Level
• Motivate All Types of Readers

What She Can Do After Listening to an Audio Book
There are so many activities you can do after reading a book ... this is a short list to get you started:

• Make Mini Books
• Respond to Literature Creatively
• Narrate the Story
• Illustrate Favorite Part or Story Element
• Complete Related Copy Work Pages
• Notebook Chapters or Entire Book
• Make Connections: Text to Text, Text to World, Text to Self

Alyssa's Top Ten Audio Books From This Website (Ok ... Top 11 Favorites)

1. Heidi by Johanna Spyri
2. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
3. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
4. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
5. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
6. The Little Princess by Francess Hodgson Burnett
7. Just So Stories Rudyard Kipling
8. Aesop's Fables by Aesop or Milo Winters
9. Andersen's Fairy Tales or Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale Collection by Hans Christian Andersen
10. The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Thorton Burgess
11. The Great Big Treasury of Beatrice Potter by Beatrix Potter

Many audio books are also available on this website for the following FREE literature curriculums:

• Tanglewood Curriculum
• Ambleside Curriculum
• Old Fashion Education

What's your favorite audio story or book? Do you have any audio book resource recommendations? 

What I Have Been Listening To
Stepping Heavenward
             and
Anne of Green Gables

Other FREE Audio Book Resources

Gutenberg Project - This is the audio book project.

Free Audio Books - Website containing free children's audio books.

Audio Books for Free - This is the link to many children's classics. There are several other genres to download.

Storynory - Storyteller, Natasha, publishes a new audio story every week.

LibriVox - A website containing more FREE audio books from the public domain.
Wired for Kids - This website contains audio books for Beatrix Potter, Brothers Grimm, and a few other classics.
Lit2Go - I didn't have time to explore this website but the audio books were divided by genre.
iTune Apps - There are a variety of free audio apps available here. I haven't checked this one out either.

Do you know of another FREE audio book resource? If so, please comment below.

I also heard about Audible.com which is not free. They do offer a free trial and audio book to attract new customers to the website.

NOTE: Please make sure you listen to ALL stories first before allowing your children to hear them. I can't possibly guarantee all material is age or content appropriate for your children. We all differ in what we allow our children to hear and see.  

Now, I just need to figure out how to burn the audio books on a CD ... if that is even possible and legal! Then, we could bring the CD's in the car while traveling.

I will link this post up at Blogging Through the Alphabet at Marcy's Ben and Me blog. Come join us!  This week we are covering the Letter B. Choose any topic that starts with this letter and blog about it. It is so much fun and I would love to read what you posted, please let me know if you participate so that I can visit your blog.

A is for America First

Have you subscribed to Heritage History's free e-mail newsletter? Heritage History will send you information on updates, featured products, and special discount offers. I am an e-mail subscriber and today I received a message containing a FREE Classical History E-book offer. This specific e-book, written by Evans, is titled America First and is available as an e-book download in PDF format. Here is a link to the Table of Contents for the book so that you can view what will be covered. Heritage History specializes in children's traditional narrative history stories. This is a great collection of interesting stories, biographies, and accounts of America's past which discusses early American heroes and heroines. This living book will make a wonderful supplement to our American History curriculum this year.  I am always keeping an eye out for products that will complement our studies. I love the fact that American Heritage color codes their products by reading levels! The color green indicates that a particular book is at a beginner's level for elementary readers. America First is meant for beginning elementary readers. I have several of their products on my wish list this year including the Young Readers Classical Curriculum Collection and the Early America Classic History Library. I hope to make purchases in the near future.

Oh ... before I forget ... have you heard about what they are doing tomorrow? They are hosting the Homeschool-a-Palooza event on Tuesday, September 4th - that's this Tuesday ... tomorrow night! Make sure you like their Facebook fan page and RSVP attendance to their Homeschool-a-Palooza event taking place tomorrow at 8:00 Eastern time. There will be several awesome giveaways for Heritage History, Apologia, and Bright Ideas Press curriculum. I hope to take a break from packing so that I can join the event. Will you be able to attend the event?

I will link this post at Blogging Through the Alphabet. Will you be joining us? We are focusing on the letter A this week. 

Schoolhouse Review: Reading Kingdom

Is your child struggling with reading or literacy skills?  Do you want a supplemental reading program to use in conjunction with your current curriculum?  Would you be interested in an online subscription that claims children will be reading at a third grade level upon completion?

Reading is a priority in our homeschool and key to all knowledge. It is, by far, the MOST important subject to teach your child ... but that's just my opinion. The ability to read is vital in today's literate society and necessary for success in our world. Children must value the importance of reading in their personal daily life and have positive experiences and attitudes while learning how to read. Everything we do revolves around reading whether it be reading advertisements, labels, and lists while grocery shopping, understanding road signs as we travel, or just reading a book for pure entertainment. Reading will enable a child to be successful in ALL other subjects.

I have been searching for a reading curriculum or even a supplement that would help challenge my daughter in this area. Reading Kingdom came highly recommended by others, because it customizes to a child's needs. I was given the opportunity to review Reading Kingdom through the Schoolhouse Review Crew. I was thrilled and hoped for the best! I truly desire to have a reading program or curriculum that will meet my daughter's needs.  

Product Description

Reading Kingdom is an interactive, online reading and writing subscription suitable for children in preschool through third grade between the ages of 4-10. The company claims to have a child reading and writing up to 3rd grade level. It is an award-winning reading and writing system developed by the renowned literacy expert, Dr. Marion Blank. She is the Director of the Light on Learning Program at Columbia University. Click on the link to read about Reading Kingdom's approach and beliefs with regards to learning how to read and write. This article should be read in order to familiarize yourself with their approach. Although, my perspectives and approaches about reading and writing differ from this program ... I still strongly believe that the program has a lot to offer all readers. This program can be used as a standalone curriculum for some individuals, but I personally would use it strictly as a supplement to complement our reading and phonics curricula. Six essential skills are targeted throughout the Reading Kingdom program. They are sequencing, motor skills, sounds, meaning, grammar, and comprehension. Here is a helpful article that explains the patented six skills covered in depth. Additionally, typing is a strong skill needed and practiced throughout the use of this program.

While using Reading Kingdom, your child will be taught the following Language Arts skills or subjects:

• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• Punctuation and Grammar
• Comprehension

Reading Kingdom consists of five reading levels and each level contains six books. That's 30 books your child will read independently by the end of this program! The child graduates from very simple books and words to more advanced books and words over time. Each level teaches the child to recognize, type, spell, understand, and read 100-150 plus words and their variants using a minimum of four "game" formats. Please take the time to read their wonderfully detailed explanations for the different reading levels of the Reading Kingdom program and to view "game" format samples on their website. This article was extremely helpful and informative! It is definitely a must read if you are considering this program. What are the requirements to use Reading Kingdom?  Click here to read an article discussing the requirements necessary for using Reading Kingdom and how to get started. 

Lingo, the animated colorful owl, will guide your child through the leveled program. The colorful game animations, graphics, and sound effect engage a child in the learning process. Alyssa adored him and knew that when he was on the screen it was time to focus on her reading and writing lessons for the day.

Pricing

A subscription to Reading Kingdom costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 for a 12-month subscription. If you would like to add multiple children to your subscription, then the cost would be an additional $9.99 a month or $99.99 for a yearly subscription. Check out the Reading Kingdom Store for more products related to the program including leveled books, a handwriting program, a phonics kit, and Dr. Marion's Reading remedy book. Sign-up for a 30-Day Free Trial to see whether this program will meet the needs of your child. You can also sign-up for Reading Kingdom Subscription Scholarship Here after the 30-Day trial. Please be sure to read the stipulations here first.

How We Used It 

I read through several of the informative and helpful tutorial articles to familiarize myself with the program before getting Alyssa started. I used our online subscription to Reading Kingdom with Alyssa, my 4 1/2 year old daughter, as a summer reading curriculum supplement to complement her reading and phonics curriculum. Alyssa also completed keyboarding lessons throughout the duration of this review in order to gain more efficient touch typing skills. Alyssa used Reading Kingdom 4-5 times per week and she "played" on the website for a minimum of 15-30 minutes which often was equivalent to two or three sessions. You'll be able to decide which keyboard option fits your child best. You can choose to use either the on screen keyboard or the actual keyboard. We chose the on screen keyboard in which the mouse is required for clicking on letters.  

Our Initial Reaction and Experiences

One thing that I always appreciate in reading programs is when it contains assessments prior to teaching lessons. The Reading Kingdom's Skills Survey or pre-assessment is meant determined where any child would be placed in the program. The program claims to evaluate and place the child at the correct reading level. I was curious where the assessment would place Alyssa since she is an avid, fluent reader of chapter books. Here are a few screenshots for a few of the game formats used during the skill survey assessments she took on the very first day.

Seeing Sequences: The child clicks on the letters underneath to spell the word "go" in left to right order.

This was a bit confusing at first. It looked like the letter "l" was already there and the directions were vague.  The child was supposed to type the missing letter in the blank space. The directions were "Type this one."

After completing both of the skill assessment surveys, Alyssa was placed at Reading and Writing Level 1. I am not sure if she was placed accurately or not, because I felt strongly that she was penalized for not typing quick enough. Letter Land and Seeing Sequences were not required for her to complete based on her performance, therefore I can't tell you much about those aspects of the program. Be sure to read the articles mentioned above for more information regarding levels. Most likely, there are also several individuals that reviewed Reading Kingdom and will be able to share their experiences with Letter Land and Seeing Sequences. Alyssa also breezed through the first level in less than a week when each level takes approximately 10-15 weeks; this of course depends on your child's progress through the lessons, how long the session will be, and how often the child will work at the computer. I read on the Reading Kingdom's website, that the entire program could take a child 12-15 months to complete depending on a child's reading ability and comprehension. If a child already has proficient reading skills, then they may complete the program in less than 3-6 months with consistent and frequent use. Here are several screen shots of the "game" formats Alyssa worked on after incorrectly typing and missing one of the words during the Reading and Writing Level 1 activities.

This game format works on word recognition skills. The computer says the word "girl." Alyssa needs to click on the word "girl." Notice most of the word is given on the coat hanger. 

A picture of the girls appears and then she must type the word "girls" without seeing it.

Click on the word that can become"girls."

I am thankful that the program assesses each word prior to teaching all words using a minimum of four game formats. Alyssa was able to skip over certain word lessons and move to the next word eliminating the need for her to work on mastered skills and preventing boredom or frustration in the long run. However, I did notice on several different occasions that she spelled a word correctly and the program still required her to practice the word. I couldn't figure out why this was the case, except that there must be a glitch in the program. There is always the possibility that she didn't type fast enough. Alyssa said, "I spelled that word correctly mom ... why do I have to practice it." This let me know that she also figured out that she only needed to work on misspelled words while using the program. She worked harder spelling the word correctly during the first presentation. Below you will see a few action shots of her working in the very beginning.

In this activity she was supposed to click on the letters in order to make the word "bag."

Applauding her efforts and obviously enjoying the program! There was more excitement in the beginning. I did notice her attention span and interest decreased over time due to the slow pace.

Here is a screenshot of her completing a more advanced activity in which she must click on the word first and then type the missing letters of the word in the paragraph. 

Alyssa enjoyed Reading Kingdom and it captured her attention most of the time even though there are a few flaws to be mentioned in my possible con list. Setting up our account was extremely easy and quick. I did download the recommended FireFox browser and noticed that it loaded a little faster when using this browser, however we still came across slow loading issues at times even though we have one of the fastest internet connection speeds available. We were able to access all other online programs that day quickly so it must not be related to our speed connections. She did get a bit frustrated at first having to wait before moving on to the next activity. She said it was "Slow and she had to wait." She asked me "Why won't it move on" ... her words ... and I agreed wholeheartedly with her reaction.

Pros

1. The child's level is determined based on the results of a thorough skills survey. You may need to break up the session during the assessment. Give the child a short break in between assessment sessions if needed. When you click on the pause button, you can pause a session for a maximum of 12 minutes before you will be required to resume use of the program. Otherwise, the skills survey may be too frustrating and long for some children. The length of the skills survey did not seem to bother Alyssa nor did she need a break. I read in one of Reading Kingdom's articles that the length of the skills survey depends on your child's abilities and needs. It could take 5-10 minutes for a child not yet reading, however it could take up to 40 minutes for an advanced child to complete the skills surveys.
2. The program customizes or adapts to your child's specific needs and abilities creating a successful learning environment unique to that child.
3. The teaching sessions are short with the ability to pause or stop a session if necessary. 
4. The child plays fun, well developed, entertaining games while learning the reading and writing process. The games are lead by an adorable animated owl character named Lingo as seen above. 
5. Any information that is collected remains private and secure.
6. There were no distracting ads interrupting the child's use of the program.
7. The program teaches six patented skills necessary for a successful reading and writing program.
8. The company graciously offers a 30-Day Free Trial.  I would create an account and take advantage of this offer if I were you. See if it works for your child and if you can afford the subscription, then continue using it afterwards. Subscription is RISK FREE - You can cancel subscriptions at any time!
9. Children can work on this program independently after only a few monitored sessions. They ask that parents do NOT assist the child during the lessons. I would always look over Alyssa's shoulder for the sake of the review; no assistance was ever given. This is clearly noted in the program. Click to enlarge photo. 
10. This program can be used with any other existing reading and phonics curricula as a standalone or as an ideal supplement to your existing curricula.
11. The website was organized and easy to navigate in order to find information about the program features. 
12. I loved the progress checks after each level! The child completes a variety of activities to see if they have mastered the appropriate content and can move on to the next level. If not, the child must complete review activities for several weeks. After completing her first progress check, Alyssa moved on to the next level (Level 2) and did not need to review any material. 
13. Parents have the ability to track their child's progress using simplified picture icons that even a child can understand. Alyssa brought me to the computer, checked her progress, and explained her progress to me on several occasions. The picture icons indicate a child's progress and performance level.  The summarized and convenient session reports and results are also e-mailed to the parent on a regular basis. Click on the screenshot below to enlarge.  You can see the picture icons at the bottom of the screen. Each section opens up further and further until you can view which game formats were used for each word in a leveled book. 

Possible Cons

1. The progress reports were greatly appreciated, however I noticed that the reports offer no suggestions for parents on how to help the struggling reader nor do they give hands-on activities to do at home to reinforce the learning concepts from the program. It might be helpful if suggested activities were also included in the report enabling the parent to improve skills or help children become better readers. 
2. I feel that my child may have been penalized for not typing fast enough during the skills and assessment surveys. I do not believe she was placed at the appropriate level. The work has been extremely easy from the very beginning. I have not requested an adjustment, because Alyssa is still learning some writing and grammar skills she hasn't been taught yet. I also figure there is a reason why she was placed at that level, so there must be something she must work on before moving forward. I will keep her at the current level. The simple activities are bringing up her confidence level and she doesn't seem to be completely bored with the program yet. If her opinion changes in a couple months or less, then I will ask for an adjustment if needed. 
3. Occasionally, we had issues loading the website regardless of the browser used. It would take forever to bring up the website.  I am not sure if this was due to Internet connections (although we have high speed Internet) or the fact that many children around the world were using it at the time we wanted to use it. 
4. I had a hard time seeing this as a complete core reading curriculum. It definitely seems more like a spelling and typing program at this time rather than a reading curriculum. The program does cover other skills in addition to reading and writing in order to lead the child to success. Phonics is barely covered in the program and I prefer a philosophy that includes a balance between phonics and whole language approaches. I have taught many children with different needs using a balanced approach with phonics as a base only to witness successful results. After reading the articles posted on their website, I noticed that their approach doesn't necessarily support phonics as an effective way to teach reading.
5. The program may not be affordable for all families especially those with multiple children. I would not be able to afford the cost myself if using it as supplemental item and I only have one child. If you decide that you find this program useful after the free trial yet can't afford the monthly or yearly cost, then you can always apply for a scholarship.
6. There was an extremely long delay in response or wait time between activities. Alyssa would answer a question correctly and couldn't move on to the next activity until the arrow showed up. She would say, "Come on hurry up! It's taking forever." This was quite annoying for both Alyssa and myself. She also said, "I answered the question correctly ... why isn't it moving on quicker?" During that time Alyssa would get distracted and disinterested for a brief moment... her eyes would leave the screen while waiting. In the beginning, I had to remind her to pay attention to the program. She kept asking me why it didn't move on faster but I couldn't respond. She eventually learned to wait patiently for the next screen, but I could tell it still bothered her. It is important to keep children engaged and actively learning at all times while sitting at the computer, because they can be easily distracted in a short amount of time.
7. The motivational aspect of the program did not appeal to my daughter. She earned points for each activity completed and a certain number of points would open her Reading Kingdom Passport. Once the Passport opened there was an interactive reward waiting for the child. Many points were needed to open each level of the Passport and the interactive rewards were boring. For example, balloons popped one at a time. 
8. The repetitiveness and lack of game variety may bore some children. I wish there were more "game" formats offered for each level of the program to increase variety when practicing elements.  At times, Alyssa would say "I thought I already typed that word." This indicates that the repetitiveness of the activities are beginning to bother her and may possible be unnecessary for completion of activities.  
9. We came across a couple glitches in the program. There were several times that Alyssa answered correctly and the program counted it wrong. Her answers were not accepted. On another occasion, it froze and we needed to log out and log back into the program. She was trying to find and click the word that says "the" several times in a paragraph from left to right. She tried on several occasions before asking me why it wasn't working. I watched her attempt the activity once and we noticed that the stars were not going in the box as she clicked the word "the" and the sun to move on to the next activity would not show on the screen.  We needed to end the session in order to continue. It must have been a glitch because it worked as soon as we restarted the program.   
10. I do wish that there was a back button to utilize during the skills survey. Alyssa recognized that she made several mistakes and tried to fix them, but she was unable to correct her errors. Therefore, there is no room for mistakes nor is there an option for correcting errors when being assessed. I had to tell her to move on but I knew that it would be counted against her and have an impact on her level. She was so frustrated that she couldn't fix the error, she incorrectly responded to the activity immediately following.
11. Lessons were not taught about commas and capitalization; the program assumed the child has background knowledge of these concepts and their applications.  As Alyssa completed lessons, she would get parts wrong, because they expected her to add a comma to the sentence. They program never taught her how and when to use commas. It was assumed that she would either learn it after repetitive practice or that she already knew the material. I gave Alyssa a quick mini lesson on comma use after her reading session ended.  It is also assumed that the child knows how to capitalize the first work in a sentence. Luckily, Alyssa was taught this concept prior to Reading Kingdom. However, not all 4 year old children know about capitalization rules and comma use.    

A sentence is read aloud and Alyssa must type it out. This is her least favorite activity. She doesn't understand "Why she has to type EVERYTHING." She forgot to add a comma after the word "kids" (assumed an understanding of comma applications) and when distracted she forgot to add a space after word "the." She said, " I know I need a space."

Possible Improvements

• Find out why computer glitches and slow loading issues are occurring. 
• Have a setting that allows parents to adjust the response time or wait time for answers so that children can immediately move on to the next activity without having to wait on the computer program for soooo long. 
• Add in lessons that actually teach about commas and capitalization before expecting children to apply the skills in their typed responses. 
• Clarify vague directions throughout the program especially if you are requiring a child to independently work through the program without assistance.  
• A back button would be of great value to children that quickly recognize their mistakes and want to fix the errors before having it counted against them.

Results and Recommendations
We will continue to use Reading Kingdom as a supplement to our current reading and phonics curricula. Alyssa is making progress with this program. The effective techniques have been used successfully in our home while building her confidence level as she learns increasingly more difficult words. I have noticed improvements and witnessed learning taking place as she interacts with the "game" formats. Alyssa was working on a writing assignment one day and she asked me how to spell the word "girl." She immediately yelled back, "Never mind, I learned how to spell "girl" on Reading Kingdom. The "i" comes before the "r." I wish we had more time to use this program before having to post this review. I wanted to review more about our experiences with the comprehension aspect of the program which I believe will occur in Level 3. I can see that as children are exposed to the meanings of words in this program, their comprehension increases if the meanings were unfamiliar from the beginning. Alyssa and I will target comprehension skills and strategies this year. I hope to see more advanced concepts covered in the program this year with regards to reading comprehension and grammar in the next few months. I recommend this program for older pre-readers (ages 5-6), struggling readers, on-level readers, and advance readers. This program can be used for both homeschooled children and those in the classroom. I would also recommend Reading Kingdom for children with special needs; this program may be beneficial for children that participate in a school's Title program. I am still learning about this program and haven't quite decided how I feel about it yet ... I have mixed feelings and hope to reach a final conclusion soon. We will need more time to review and use this product. I do feel that many 4 year old children may find this program too challenging and a bit frustrating at first, but I would still recommend it to advanced preschool aged children to maintain and reinforce their learning. The activities can be very beneficial to all learners especially once they are at ease with the keyboarding layout.

Is Reading Kingdom right for your child? Find out here. Are you ready to help your child become a better reader? Check out Reading Kingdom and give it a whirl! Sign up for the FREE 30 Day Trial.  After trying the program, should you decide that you can't financially fund it - you have the option of signing up for the scholarship program. If you have any questions about Reading Kingdom, please contact the company. Don't forget to read through the company's FAQ section to read about frequently asked questions you may also have about the program. 

You can become a fan or follower of Reading Kingdom on Facebook and/or Twitter. You can also sign-up to receive their Reading Kingdom newsletter. Be sure to check out their blog for articles and reading tips. I do find their newsletter and blog articles interesting and beneficial.

Please visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog Here to read about the unique experiences and other reviews for Reading Kingdom. Remember every child learns differently and at their own pace. Your child's experiences with this program most likely will not be the same as mine and will vary depending on your situation.

Disclaimer: As a member of the Schoolhouse review crew, I received a one-year online subscription for one child to Reading Kingdom, at no cost to me, in exchange for an honest, professional review on my blog.  All opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by the company.