A Sunny Collage

Alyssa's art task this week was to create a paper collage of something she could see outside. She decided to focus on the burning hot sun as her subject. First, she cut out the blue sky and green grass background colors. They were attached to thick white cardstock paper. Then, she used two different colors of paper (yellow and orange) to create the sun rays. She drew a bird and a grasshopper. They were cut as whole pieces and glued down in the picture. Finally, she added herself to the collage. She cut out tiny blue eyes, red lips, brown hair, and an orange nose. She's wearing a dress which is conveniently her favorite color right now. I can definitely see her making more of these creations in the future. She already made two more creations related to our current science unit.

Here are a few photos of her working on her collage masterpiece.

Cutting and Applying Glue to Paper Sun Rays

Attaching Sun Rays to Her Masterpiece

Her Masterpiece was titled, "The Sun and Me."

I will link this post up at Virtual Refrigerator hosted by Jennifer at A Glimpse of Our Life.

Schoolhouse Review: Essentials in Writing

Are you looking for a solid and complete writing curriculum to use with your child? I was searching for a different writing curriculum. I wanted one that focused on writing styles or formats. I was creating lessons myself, but I wanted something already prepared and ready to go. Why reinvent the wheel when a perfectly good curriculum is available to home educators? Our previous writing curriculum covered a few basic parts of speech and was mainly copywork lessons containing a few words. Grammar appeared in small spurts and was mostly information my daughter already knew. She was definitely ready to begin compositions and learn about more advanced grammar concepts. We both enjoy writing so I made it my mission to find an effective curriculum. I wanted her to have the writing tools which would equip her to be a better writer. This is where Essentials in Writing comes into play.   

I was recently introduced to a DVD-based writing curriculum. A curriculum that was very different from those that I have seen and used in the past. We have used several DVD-based curriculum before but we have never tried using a DVD-based writing curriculum until now. We received the First Grade Curriculum from Essentials in Writing to review as part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew. I considered the second grade curriculum, but at the time it was not available for us to review. The curricula was developed by the author, Matthew Stephens, who is also the instructor in the video lessons. He was a former public middle school English teacher who has obtained remarkably high credentials in his life and is currently homeschooling his children. This curriculum is suitable for children ages 6-7. However, you can easily use this curriculum with a younger child that has some background knowledge and experience with writing and grammar. The curriculum states that it is important to start children at the first grade level only after the have a strong phonetic-based spelling background. Spelling and phonics has always been one of Alyssa's strengths. I felt she was definitely ready to take on a new challenge - one that Essentials in Writing offered. Please make sure that your child also has strong fine motor skills before beginning a formal writing curriculum.

Product Description
Essentials in Writing states that their curricula is a complete, comprehensive language arts curriculum emphasizing composition for 1st through 12th grade. The curricula products are organized by specific grade levels. The first grade curriculum focuses on grammar and composition. 

First Grade Topics Covered

You can see the scope and sequence for the first grade curriculum in detail if you click on the link provided. You will be able to see the logical sequence of the lessons which are presented in video lecture format. I have included a list below for quick reference. 

• The Definition of Writing
• Letter Formations
• Letter Sounds
• Complete Sentences and Sentence Formation
• Spacing Words
• Capitalization (Beginning of Sentence, Names, )
• Punctuation Marks (Three Types of End Marks)
• Types of Sentences
• Sentence Subjects and Predicates
• Sentence Fragment Identification
• Five Parts of a Friendly Letter (Writing Personal Letters)
• Common Nouns
• Proper Nouns
• Action Verbs
• Paragraph Introduction
• Three Parts of a Paragraph
• Indentation
• Staying on Topic
• Checklists (Variety)
• Descriptive Paragraphs
• Narrative Paragraphs
• Comparing Types of Paragraphs
• List-Making (Types and Features)
• Text Features of Poetry (Comparison to Paragraphs and Rhyme)

What You'll Receive
DVD Video Lessons

You will receive a DVD with 37 short step-by-step video lessons that last approximately 3-7 minutes long. The number of class sessions really depends on your pace and lesson approach. The curriculum indicates that there are 60-70 class sessions for the entire school year. It is possible to complete two curricula levels in one year. Be sure to read the parent letter that you will receive which explains how to use their curricula. The concepts were presented in incremental bite-sized "chunks" in which one concept was thoroughly taught at a time. The instructor, Matthew Stephens, actually teaches the concepts and then models or shows the child how to apply it in their writing. View the sample video below to see how Mr. Stephens teaches Lesson 21 which discusses personal letters - this will give you an idea of how the video lessons are presented. 

PDF Worksheet File

An e-mail that includes a file link to the PDF worksheet assignments will be sent once you have purchased the curriculum. Please read this update with regards to the worksheets. The PDF file contains 76 worksheet assignments with a four-page answer key. The answer key provided work samples and explained the fact that some answers may vary. Most worksheets are black-and-white but several use a minimal amount of color. It is very important that you save the files where you can easily find them because you will refer to the worksheets often. You can print out the entire year's worth of worksheets or you can print them as you go. In the beginning, I chose to print out a week's worth at a time. However, I quickly realized that we would be working at a much faster pace. So, I decided to print out two weeks at a time. If I had known that we were going to finish the entire program during the review period, then I would have printed all the worksheets out in advance and placed them in her three-ring writing binder. You also have the option of purchasing a pre-printed workbook. One thing that I liked about the worksheets was that they summarized the concept taught in the DVD lessons concisely at the top of each page. As long as the children read the information the concept was reiterated. The directions for each group of problems were also noted in bold type print. 

How We Used It

I used the Essentials in Writing First Grade Curriculum with my five-year-old daughter. She is already capable of writing complete sentences and has been exposed to grammar at an early age. I consistently used this curriculum on a daily basis (Monday through Friday). It took us 15-45 minutes to complete the recommended lessons for the day. Obviously, it would depend on whether your child was working on a grammar worksheet or a composition. In my past teaching experience, children always take longer to formulate their own sentences when writing about a particular topic. Many people recommend spending 15-20 minutes on writing lessons with younger children. She worked for an average of 30 minutes. Please understand that children may need more time to finish their compositions so a project may take several days to complete. Every lesson will depend on your child's writing abilities. My daughter would often complete more than one worksheet per day. Lessons became longer when she began writing her own paragraphs. In the beginning we alternated grammar and composition lessons so that we could get a definite feel for what the entire curriculum had to offer. We started with Lesson 5 which reviewed spacing between words and sentences. Then, we jumped ahead to the friendly letter lessons beginning on Lesson 14. However, eventually the lessons for the two components (grammar and composition) met in the middle; that's when we continued working with composition lessons until we hit Lessons 22-25 where additional grammar concepts were taught. We had the opportunity to experience all parts of the curriculum by learning grammar simultaneously with composition. Alyssa was able to make connections and apply the knowledge gained during grammar lessons in her composition assignments and every day writing. 

I modeled the "think aloud" method for my daughter before beginning her first lesson. I didn't really have to remind her to "think aloud" because she did it naturally. She had background knowledge with how to "think aloud" because we utilized the method frequently in her morning message and family journal. The company suggests that the student "think aloud" as they work through the worksheets and lessons. This proved to be a helpful method for keeping my daughter on track. It was also a great way to assess her knowledge and correct any misunderstandings. I believe the "think aloud" method must be modeled and practiced to solidify learning. Mr. Stephens did a good job of preparing students with this method or thought process. Be sure to read over the expectations of how to use Essentials in Writing. We started out using this method but felt the pace was too slow for my daughter. We decided to combine lesson assignments as long as Alyssa could explain or narrate what she learned from the previous lessons clearly.

The company clearly explains how you should use Essentials in Writing. Here is the run down for a daily lesson.
1.) Look at the worksheet assignment ahead of time to view and prepare for lesson concept(s).

2.) Watch the DVD video lesson presentation on your computer screen or television.

Parts of the Friendly Letter:
Each Part Taught Separately

3.) Complete the lesson's writing assignment which is essential to the program. 

4.) The child explains what they have learned from the lesson by using the "think aloud" method when working through their assignment or following the completion of the assignment.

5.) Be sure to view tomorrow's worksheet to increase awareness of what will be taught.

Another Lesson in Action

Watching Lesson 5 (Spacing) on portable DVD player

Completing Worksheet 5A

Trying to get a better shot and different angle for you to see.

One Composition Lesson
I wanted to share with you the narrative writing assignment that Alyssa completed over several days. First, she watched a video lesson on narrative paragraphs (Lesson 34). Next, she completed the boxed graphic organizer as seen below. Then, she wrote out her final draft on the lined paper provided. She checked (self-evaluated) her work using the student checklist which can also be used by the parent as a rubric if necessary.

Boxed Graphic Organizer

Final Draft: I forgot to take a photograph of her drawing.

Checklist: She marked that she needed help putting events in order.
She said she couldn't remember the order each event happened.
I thought she did a great job!

What Does it Cost?

The First Grade Essentials in Writing Curriculum will cost you $40 which is reasonable when compared to other several other writing curriculums on the market. I have seen several writing curriculums that are more expensive and a few that are less expensive. These curriculums do not always include both grammar and composition lessons. Some may be very complex making it difficult to figure out. This simple curriculum falls somewhere in the middle range and is affordable depending on your homeschool budget. If you would like to purchase the optional printed workbook, then it is available for an additional $20. Remember that you receive a link to the PDF files as part of the curriculum. 

What I Like

• I love the sequential order of the company's first grade writing approach. The instructor teaches children that letters are symbols that make sounds. The child learns how to write or form letters which gently progresses into a lesson on how those letters can form words. The child's next step is to learn that words can be used to construct sentences or complete thoughts. They'll learn that these sentences can be written as an organized and structured paragraph that stays on topic. I think that it is equally important that children start writing personal letters and then move into lessons about descriptive and narrative paragraphs. More in-depth paragraphs such as expository, business, and persuasive are taught at higher grade levels. This is the same approach I would prefer using when teaching writing to first graders in the classroom and to my daughter. 
• As much as I love teaching writing, this program is taught by Matthew Stephens. Alyssa seemed interested in the concepts that he presented. I noticed that she was trying to interact with him when he asked questions. She would raise her hand, answer his questions aloud, and point to items on the screen. This shows that she was truly attentive and learning the material during the lessons. I can see this curriculum benefiting visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. My job was to provide guided support if necessary during the assignments. I was able to quickly assess what concepts Alyssa had mastered and which ones she could further review or practice a bit more. 
• All the content within lessons are definitely age appropriate. The lessons are prepared for the home educator and the teaching is done for you. There is seriously absolutely no prep for the parent unless you count printing assignments as prep work. 
• The format or structure of the program is extremely easy to follow with a manageable approach to lessons. The DVD lesson number and title are stated visibility on the screen. The menu is easy to navigate as well. You have the option of playing the lessons from the very beginning or going to the "Lesson Index."
• Customer service was outstanding! I contacted the company (Matthew Stephens) with regards to a scratched DVD. They immediately contacted me via e-mail and addressed my concern promptly. 
• I know that we could easily complete two grade levels in one year since we homeschool year round. This of course depends on my daughter's comprehension of the concepts. We can thoroughly cover the concepts yet continue to work at her individualized pace. If you use this curricula, then you can chose the pace that works best for your children. There is a lot of flexibility in this curriculum. I was thrilled to find out that Alyssa (no matter how old she is) could complete lessons based on her abilities, strengths, and weaknesses with this curriculum. It met her needs. It can be difficult at times finding curricula that will take her learning up a notch yet still be age appropriate while moving at her pace. 
• Grammar lessons are taught in isolation at first yet they are also reviewed during composition lessons. They are eventually interwoven into the curriculum. The instructor reminds the student that the first word in every sentence is capitalized and that proper nouns must also be capitalized. He also threw in a lesson on ellipses and their purpose in writing. 
• He wrote the topic and closing sentences in different colors (green and blue) so that the child can see clearly where the topic sentence began and where the closing sentence ended the paragraph. 
• There were student checklists that served as self-evaluations. Alyssa would complete the checklist and I would conference with her to discuss her progress. We also talked about her goals for the future and things to watch out for when writing. 
• You have the option of repeating lessons easily or you could recreate more lessons by changing the topics especially with regards to the writing assignment. As we progressed through the course, I was able to assess which concepts she might need to practice. I did a quick google search and supplemented with online free resources for additional practice. I also created a few hands-on activities that reiterated the lesson concepts. This was so much easier than having to create an entire writing curriculum for the year. 
• The curriculum doesn't focus on just one writing format; several different writing styles are taught in the short lecture presentations. The worksheet assignments are numbered; they are not indicated by days which helps the home educator that doesn't always follow the Monday-Friday daily lesson plan schedule.
• This curriculum can be used with multiple children. You can reprint worksheets on the DVD from your computer whenever you want. This works well if you have younger children than the grade level being used or several children working at the same grade level. Multiple copies can also be made if a child must repeat a lesson. However, they may get bored doing the same worksheet over and over again.   
• Mr. Stephens teaches the lesson at a whiteboard as if speaking to a group of children. However, I don't remember ever hearing much from the children (if anything) in the videos. This was a positive for us because it enabled the child to focus on the lesson and eliminated any interferences or distractions that might occur if the class was seen on site. This was not the case during Essentials in Writing.
• You can adapt the lessons. Alyssa was given a list of sentence out of order as part of her assignment one day. I thought it would be easier for her to rearrange the sentences if I cut them into strips. She moved the sentences around reading each paragraph until she was happy with the final results. You can then have the child glue the pieces in order. I asked Alyssa to write the entire paragraph in sequential order on lined paper them using correct capitalization, spacing, and indentations. 

Rearranging Sentence Strips I Cut

Paragraph in Sequential Order

Possible Cons

• I skipped all of the letter formation videos. My daughter has been writing her letters for a long time and she has had ample opportunities to practice writing them on numerous occasions. The company encourages you to skip these lessons if your child is familiar with the concepts. I did notice that a few of the letters were taught using a technique that differed from ours. For example, the capital letter "A" was written starting at the bottom of the line. We always start the capital "A" at the top. My daughter kept trying to "correct" his formation. I made the immediate decision to skip those lessons. I would have used the video lessons with her as review had our methods meshed 100%. There are a variety of ways to teach handwriting. However, I did not want to confuse my daughter nor did I want her to question her letter formations after all our hard work. I did watch the rest of the lessons. The letter "A" was the only letter that seemed a little off to me. This was the first time I had seen the capital letter "A" written in this manner. The instructor progressed through the alphabet forming letters on the board and used "air writing" to practice formations. He even told children that the "W" and "M" could be written differently and that it okay to write them either way. I taught Alyssa how to write the "W" all the way to the top and that the "M" touches the bottom line. I liked that he explained the difference and verified that it was also a correct way to write the letter. As he taught the lessons, he told children where to start their letters and which ones hang below the line. 
• Before I decided to skip the letter sound lessons, we started watching the video lesson together. She immediately noticed that certain vowel letter sounds were not mentioned. This is when I turned off the lesson to view it later. He mentions that letters a, o, u, i, y, and s have only one or two sounds. My daughter has learned that several letters have multiple sounds. She is very aware of the letter sounds and has thoroughly studied them during her spelling lessons. Mr. Stephens only covers the long and short vowel sounds and mentions the long sounds first. This is a common teaching practice and is not incorrect by any means. However, it is possible that a child that has been taught multiple letter sounds for certain letters will think that the teacher is incorrect or forgot them. I did not want my daughter to not take him seriously so I used my better judgment and skipped the letter sound lessons. There were a few other letters that were pronounced a little differently (with slight variations) from how Alyssa was taught.  
• I would not consider this a complete language arts curriculum, because reading, phonics, and spelling fall under that umbrella for me. It really depends on what you consider language arts. This curriculum is heavy on grammar and composition, therefore I would consider it a complete writing and grammar curriculum specific to this grade level. Although the instructor begins the lessons with a very quick review of letters and sounds. Other vowel and consonant letter sounds are not covered and the curriculum doesn't discuss digraphs, blends, and so forth. He does introduce the concept of rhyme during the poetry lesson. I believe that a phonetically-based program may be necessary for children still learning how to read in order for this to be considered a complete language arts curriculum. There are a variety of reading methods and approaches. Choose one that agrees with your philosophy. You will still need to purchase a spelling curriculum in conjunction with Essentials in Writing. There are some spelling programs available that are phonetically-based that will further your study and help incorporate reading instruction into your day.
• There are no quizzes or tests. This is definitely not a problem for us, however I know many home educators that need or will want some way to assess their child's writing skills and knowledge. Other than the student checklists provided, you will need to assess your child's knowledge on your own. 
• I was hoping that the writing process would have been covered in more depth at this grade level. When I taught in the classroom, I knew several first grade teachers that actually taught the writing process step-by-step. I feel that the writing process lessons could have been developed more and broken down further into beginning steps for first graders. The first grade curriculum uses a simple graphic organizers to organize the child's thoughts. I would have preferred a variety of graphic organizers to choose from, but those are easy to find online if needed. The graphic organizer provided with the curriculum works well with the topics and no other organizer is necessary. This is just my preference. The first grade child will write their first draft. Then, the child will revise and edit their work using the checklist the next day. There are not several different drafts. A final draft is not rewritten if errors are made if that makes any sense. The first draft is considered the graphic organizer. I would use the checklist after this lesson and then again once the paragraph was rewritten. You may or may not want your child to rewrite their work after using the checklist for errors. Reminders are given to the child before writing.
• We had a few issues with the sound and camera shake. This occurred mainly when the camera zoomed in on Mr. Stephens. These were very minor problems and might not be noticeable to others.  
• I came across a few minor errors on the answer key pages. My daughter also noted several errors on the whiteboard during video lessons. I actually don't see a problem with the mistakes on the whiteboard as long as the instructor acknowledges the mistakes during the lesson and teaches the children how to fix the problem. The instructor did note the mistakes and changed them on the board. It teaches children that when we write not everything will turn out perfectly the first time. It was imperative that my daughter with perfectionistic tendencies see that people make mistakes when writing and they can be fixed. This issue didn't pose a problem for us. However, I do know some educators and home educators that look down upon or simply refuse to use products containing errors. They might see it as unprofessional even though that may not be the case.   

Possible Improvements or Suggestions for the Vendor

1. I would provide different sized lined writing pages to differentiate learning. Not all children can write on such small lines and it depends largely on their abilities and fine motor skills. There were no dotted guidelines on the writing assignments and not all children will find it easy to "visualize" the dotted lines to assist them when writing. I recommend adding a variety of sizes for lined paper as options so that all students working at this grade level can participate in the lessons. Lined paper of different sizes can be found easily online for individuals pursuing this route, but it would be more convenient to have it available in one place as part of the PDF download or as a FREE resource online. I would encourage parents to slowly decrease the size of the paper when their children are successfully writing using one size. I remember having to do this for several children in my second grade classroom. By the end of the year, they were able to write on smaller lines and their confidence level improved. This was not a problem for us. My daughter was able to write on the lines, but when I review I think about all the children that could possibly use this curriculum. Different line options would benefit children needing this adaptation.
2. You could also offer additional graphic organizers not used in any of the curricula as a free resource online.
3. Additional writing prompts can be provided for this grade level as a free resource. This would give the parent options should they disagree or not like a writing prompt. It would also provide additional practice for lessons that are repeated. 
4. Have you thought about developing a writing contest for children that use your curriculum? This would be a great way for your company to display writing samples at different grade levels. Prizes could be awarded which will motivate children to participate. This is just a thought that popped in my head as I was typing.  

Our Overall Thoughts

This curriculum met my expectations. Essentials in Writing was a perfect fit for my daughter and eliminated the time I spend creating lessons. It provided my daughter with a quick review of concepts previously taught yet still introduced her to several new writing formats not yet discovered. It was extremely easy to implement and provided us with solid writing and grammar lessons. I knew that the video lessons would be promptly accepted, because she finds DVD-based curricula appealing and enjoyable. I believe it adds a bit of variety to our day and gives her a different instructor to learn from rather than being taught by her mother all day. Essentials in Writing was a blessing to our homeschool day. I am excited about the writing journey that we are beginning. I only wish that the second grade curriculum was ready and available at the time of this review. The curriculum proved to be a great review for my daughter. I have a feeling that the second grade curriculum will challenge my eager writer even more when the time comes. She has definitely gained a ton of confidence since beginning this program. 

I thought she loved writing before but now she's even more engaged in writing every single day. There are days that I find her writing in her journal immediately upon waking up. The skills she learned through the DVD lessons and worksheets were also applied and seen in our family journal when we share the pen. 

She is applying the skills learned in every subject. My daughter loves to research different topics (mainly animals). The lessons on the DVD helped her organize her thoughts better which in turn created a more unified composition. As I worked on a review earlier this week, I looked down only to find my daughter writing a descriptive paragraph about snakes. She read a book about them and wanted to tell me what she learned. She titled her writing composition "Poisonous Snakes." I am super impressed with how well she applies the information learned into everyday writing situations. 

After viewing the lesson on creating lists, my daughter overheard a telephone conversation I was having with my husband about grocery shopping needs. As her father and I discussed our needs on speakerphone, she wrote down a list for us. I walked in the room and thankfully my camera was close by so that I could photograph part of her list. Thank you Alyssa! We are so forgetful and can't ever find a writing tool when we actually need one. She knows exactly where her school pencils and clipboards are stored. Yes, you did read it correctly "Life" is on the grocery list . . . that's Cinnamon Life cereal (one of our favorite cereals). We didn't actually say we needed Life cereal, but Alyssa noticed that the box was low.   

The lessons on writing friendly letters were most useful. She applied the concepts learned in her personal writing to family and friends. I am still working on thank you notes for birthday and Christmas gifts. I have actually put this responsibility in the Alyssa's hands. She is slowly writing thank you notes for the gifts she received. We started this project way before Essentials in Writing arrived in our hands. I have seen definite improvement in her writing. Most people would say forget about the thank you notes . . . it was so long ago, but I see it as a opportunity to write and apply what she has learned from her lessons. I also wanted her to start writing MORE letters (using the friendly letter format) to my family in New York and to friends; the lessons have in fact encouraged and motivated her to write frequently. Writing letters is also one of the activities she can do during her free time. 

The First Grade Essentials in Writing curriculum has helped my daughter develop into a confident and eager writer. She is developing more organized compositions in less time and willingly writes compositions for writing prompts given to her and on topics independently chosen. I am looking forward to using the second grade curriculum. I hope to begin using it before the next school year typically begins in August or September, but we'll possibly have to wait until after our house is built.  

Alyssa's Thoughts

This is what she said when I ask her a few questions about the curriculum. She said, "I love the making list lesson the most. We make lists all the time and now I can help. I had fun making a grocery list for our trip to the store. I made a list of work I had to do for school - that was really helpful. I liked crossing off the lessons. I don't like how he formed his letters. It is not how we write our letters. I had a hard time writing the poem. The teacher was a pretty cool teacher. I learned a lot." 

Other Store Products
First Grade Pre-Printed Workbook

What's that you say? You don't want to print out each and every worksheet because that would use up a lot of ink and paper. As mentioned before, the first grade level workbook is also available separately for $20. You will be offered the option at checkout should you decide not to print all the written activities as digital worksheets in PDF format. The content is the same exact materials that you will find in your download worksheet link.

Essentials in Writing (Varies Grade Levels)

Essentials in Writing has curricula available for all grades from first through twelfth grade. Please visit the company website for more information on the level you are interested in for your child. All curricula levels cost only $40.00! I was looking forward to the release of the Grade 2 Curriculum. It was in the process of revision during this review period, but it looks like it might be available for purchase now. I think that Alyssa will be ready to work through this curriculum VERY SOON since we completed the entire first grade program early. I will give Alyssa several assignments similar to the format taught in hopes to further practice the concepts. I feel that the second grade program may challenge and offer her more learning opportunities in the future. 

  

Recommended
Yes, I do recommend this curriculum to home educators looking for a traditional, comprehensive writing and grammar curriculum to use with their children. This curriculum can also be easily used in a small group or co-op setting. I would contact the company to grant permission for co-op or group use. Teachers could also use this curriculum for after school tutoring. 

Do you have any questions about this product? Please visit the FAQ section on their website which is chocked full of additional insightful information about their curricula. You can also contact the company or e-mail Matthew Stephens at info@essentialsinwriting.com. Feel free to call them at 417-256-4191. 

Please visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog to read other Essentials in Writing curricula reviews for Grade 1 and Grades 3-12.

Z is for Zenith: Stacking Survival Game

Zenith is a logical thinking strategy game intended for children ages 8 and up. Please don't let the age range keep you from reading the rest of this post. I firmly believe that younger children can be taught how to play this game. We have been playing this game for almost two years with Alyssa. She just turned five in November. We were patient and taught her the rules slowly. She is a quick learner especially if we model the rules and game plays.

Two to four players can participate in this game. If two individuals play the game, then each person gets 58 wooden game pieces. If three or four individuals participate, then each player takes 29 pieces. The object or purpose of the game is to be the LAST person to play a game piece as you stack your way to the top where eventually no plays will be possible. You do not have to play the highest piece on the board - you just need to have the last play. Once a players can't think of or find a move, then they are out of the game for good. The eliminated person is not allowed back in the game after another player moves.

My pile of game pieces

Box Contents
116 Double-Sided Triangular Game Pieces in Four Colors: Orange, Green, Blue, and Purple 
Directions in Three Languages: English, French, and Spanish.
2 Double-Sided Colorful Game Boards Each Representing a Different Mountain Around the World

Blue on one side
Orange on the other side

Main Rules

• You must play your game piece on a white space or on three supporting pieces.
• One of the supporting pieces must be your color.
• The pieces must form a triangular shape as seen in the bottom photo. 

NO! Incorrect Way to Play.

YES! That is Correct.

How To Play

1. Choose a Game Board
2. Players Choose Colors
3. First Player Will Play on Any White Space
4. Follow the Rules Mentioned Above and Have Fun!
5. Don't Forget to Read the Facts Around the Game Board

This is one of the facts you can read around the edge of the game board. 

Here are a few shots of Alyssa and I playing the game. We played our first game on the Krakatoa board. She chose purple as her color (no surprise) and I decided to use the blue pieces since I am not a fan of the color orange.

You can see all the white spaces that haven't been played

She can get a little crazy when we play.

The game isn't over yet but mama won this time!

I realized that I was using blue game pieces on a game board with a blue background so we played another round just for you. Well, not exactly . . . we actually LOVE playing this game and it has been sitting in the closet untouched for several months so we decided it would be fun to play another round before bedtime.

Don't ask 'cause I am not sure what she's doing

Check out the thickness of the game pieces

Game Over! Alyssa Won! That's my girl!
I don't give her any leeway.  

I was impressed with the durability of the game pieces, the colorful game boards, and the simplicity of the rules. I loved the fact that each game board is played with the exact same rules. The games differ each time you play and become more complex as you add more players (at least that's what we thought). You have to focus more when additional players join. We think that both children and adults will enjoy playing this game.

I hope that I shared something new and interesting with you today. I haven't heard a lot about this game on the Internet. Have you? I might have posted photographs on my blog of us playing it in the past. I highly recommend this game for family game night. If you purchase this game and use it with your children, please come back and tell me about your experiences. You can purchase Zenith through MindWare or on Amazon. I am not an affiliate for either company. For some reason, this game was on extreme clearance when I purchased it, so I was able to pick it up for A LOT less than what you will be paying. I won't even tell you because it was that low.

What are your favorite logical thinking or strategy games?

Please leave us a comment below. We would love to read your suggestions!

I have several more that I would like to share with you this year. 

Disclaimer: I purchased this game on my own and wanted to share this information with my readers. This is not a review nor was this game given to me. 

I will link this post to Blogging Through the Alphabet, Montessori Monday, Math Monday Blog Hop, Homeschooling on the Cheap (3 Boys and a Dog), Teach Beside Me (Share it Saturday), and I Can Teach My Child (Show-and-Share Saturday). Click on the links to join this week. Thank you for visiting!

 

God bless, 

Tracey

Mathematical Play: A Look at Toys, Games and Puzzles

In case you didn't know the 5 days of Teaching Creatively Blog Hop hosted by the Schoolhouse Review Crew has begun and I am thrilled to participate and write about today's topic.

The topic for today is toys, games, and puzzles. Learning needs to be fun! We make learning fun in our house by using games, puzzles, and educational toys. I love sharing ideas or ways to make learning more active and hands-on. I have written about games in the past. Please check out those posts after reading this one. I will provide a link at the bottom. I have some new and exciting things to share with you all. Let's get started with one of my favorite topics math games. We have been playing a few brand new math games that I am dying to tell you about, so let me begin!

Math Games

Speed!
Alyssa's interest in multiplication has grown over the last two months. I have been searching for a multiplication game that would be appealing to a five -year-old. Julie at Highhill Homeschool sent me her math game to called Speed! about a month ago. Have you heard about it? She created it to use with her daughter. It is now available for purchase on Amazon. I was a little nervous at first because because I wasn't sure how my five-year-old (Alyssa) would react to the game once I brought it out to play. She was automatically attracted to the box which contained 8 decks of sturdy, brightly colored cards. The game contains card decks for Two Speed through Nine Speed enabling your child to practice skip counting by 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's, 6's, 7's, 8's, and 9's. Each set of cards (number) is a different color which helps keep us organized.

The purpose of the game is to familiarize and teach your child the multiples of a given number (2-9). This is an awesome game that teaches several mathematical concepts and helps children master their multiplication facts. Children not only familiarize themselves with those concepts, but they are also learning how to skip count the multiples of a certain number both forward and backwards. The object of the game is to get rid of all your cards. This is a two-person, fast-paced card game and it can be played in 5-10 minutes which means you can play several rounds throughout the day. The speed aspect of the game makes it very addictive and fun! Alyssa was thoroughly engaged when playing the game. Her goal each time we played was to beat me. The first two decks that we opened were the 2 and 5 speed. I plan on practicing the decks that are easiest for her first (2, 3, 4, and 5). Then, we will play the higher decks (6, 7, 8, and 9) until those are mastered.

I wish there was a 10 speed. It looks like another deck of cards would possibly fit in the box. Oh . . . and before I get started with how to play the game. The cards also show Montessori bead chains on them which is an added bonus to individuals that teach using the Montessori method. The card decks do not match the colors of the Montessori bead chains yet it still reinforces the concept.

Set-up

1. Make sure you shuffle the cards well the first time you play. Each player gets half of the deck.
2. Each player will lay four cards face-up (from their stack) in front of them. These cards must be played first. You must replace the four cards as you play them with new cards from your half of the deck.
3. Each player places a card in the middle. The two cards between the players are the starter playing cards.
4. Both players begin playing using their stack of cards at the same time with the goal of trying to get rid of ALL their cards. Remember to play quickly hence the name of the game Speed!
5. When the two cards in the middle are the exact same number - you MUST shout Speed! No . . . seriously shout it out! It makes the game more fun! The player that does NOT shout speed gathers ALL the cards from the center and adds them to his or her stack of cards.
6. Rule: You may not play the same number on top of a card. For example, if there is a 4 on top of one of the playing piles you may not play a four. You can place a 2 or a 6 on top of the card. 

These photos are NOT all from the same round. It was a little difficult playing while photographing.

The cards are shuffled and each player gets half of the deck.

Alyssa is laying down her four cards (face-up)

She is now adding one card to the center

Let the game begin!

SPEED!!!!

This is how she looks before winning.
She had a "16" card left.
She was waiting for me to play my "14" so that she would win the game.

I highly recommend that as a parent you play the game with a spouse or friend first so that you learn the rules and can understand the rush your child will feel when playing. My daughter and husband partnered up against me the first time she played. He modeled plays and she slowly joined in on the fun. If your child gets frustrated with fast-paced games that are competitive . . . then this may not be the game for you. However, if you are playing with your child then you can adjust your speed in the beginning so that they can be more successful and gain speed over time. Now that Alyssa has learned the rules for the game, we play without slowing the pace down. Once a new deck is introduced we may slow things down a bit again. She caught on pretty quick so the slow pace didn't last long.

Check out the creator's blog at HighHill Homeschool to see ways she used the game as a teaching tool to cover several other math concepts. I highly recommend this game to any home educator or classroom teacher.

Julie and her husband recently released the Speed! Lite Version iPad App which is free. The lite version only has the 2 speed deck but you can play all speed levels to see if you are interested in purchasing the full version. Alyssa worked hard at playing the 2 speed deck using this app and literally begged me to purchase the Speed! Full Version iPad App with all the decks. Each set of cards can be played at five different increasing speed levels from Trainee to Legend. She uses the app to practice in preparation for family game night. It definitely helps! I have seen improvement in her skip counting abilities which in turn helps a child with multiplication. We absolutely love the game! I always try to purchase good quality educational apps and this is definitely one I will not regret purchasing. The Speed! app was a no brainer especially since it was extremely affordable. It currently costs ONLY  $0.99. That's a great deal!

Warning: This app game can be very addicting! We have shown the app game to several other friends and relatives. They end up not wanting to give us the iPad back because they like the game so much and want to keep playing it.

Disclaimer: This is not a review. We enjoyed using this product so much that I wanted to share the game with my readers. However, I was sent the game, Speed, in exchange for a brief mention or blurb on my blog. I was not required to write any positive comments nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the FTC regulations. I am not sure if this is needed or not but I just wanted to include it to be on the safe side. 

Rolling in the Money
I bought Rolling in the Money during a ding and dent sale at a very low price. It was given to Alyssa in her Easter basket last year. We finally had the time to play it this year. This game reinforces coin identification, addition, and finding the sum or value of a group of coins. Alyssa counts change every day so I thought it was the perfect time to give the game a try. I so wish I took it off the shelf earlier. The idea is to get the closest to $1.00 after three rolls. If an "X" is on the die, then you can't roll it again. The child adds up the amount of money using the dice. For younger learners, I suggest adapting the game by adding real coins. I wanted Alyssa to feel and see "real" coins when counting sets of coins. You play five rounds. The winner is the person that won the most rounds. This game also provides directions for a challenge game. The Amazon reviews are low because users state that the numbers on the dice rub off. The dice could be easily recreated by using free resources online if that were to occur. Although . . . I hope it doesn't happen because we enjoy playing this game and my time is limited right now.

The game includes the directions, shaker cup, dice, and a score paper pad in a box.

As she shakes the cup we chant "Big Money."

Organizing the Dice

She would occasionally place the coins under the dice
(Close-Up Shot of Dice)

Identifying and Counting Coins

Counting the Value for All of Her Coins (After Last Roll)

Recording Our Totals for Each Round

Scoresheet: She Circled the Greatest Total For Each Round
Mom Won (Indicated With a Star)!

Fraction Formula
Fraction Formula would be more fun if you play it with 3-4 players instead of just two players. This is a great way to expose your child to fractional parts and equivalent fractions. The player that gets the closest to 1 (whole) gets the most points. Points earned depend on how close you are compared to the other players. The players take turns flipping over fraction cards. Alyssa reads her card aloud, identifies the fraction piece, and drops the part in her cylinder. If a player goes over 1, then they are out of that round and zero points are earned. The child is constantly reading fractions, recognizing fractions, and comparing fractions. Alyssa constantly compared cylinders letting me know who was closer to one (whole). At the end of the game, I asked Alyssa to add up everyone's scores so that she could also practice her addition skills. She was in charge of announcing who the winner was in the end. The winner was the person with the highest score after five rounds. This game is intended for third grade and up and includes directions for a challenge version of the game. However, I feel you could easily adapt the game for younger children. You could also use the game as a math manipulative giving your child time to explore the pieces until you feel they are ready to play the game. Alyssa spent time exploring the pieces long before we actually played the game. Be sure to point out that you do not win if you reach the tippy top of the cylinder. You win when you reach the marked line near the top of the cylinder.

Flipping over her card and reading it aloud

Fraction Formula Playing Cards

Adding her fraction piece to the cylinder

She is such a ham! She lost this round. 

Comparing cylinders as we play to see who might win

These are the point cards earned after each round.

Did she win? Did she reach the line? YES!

Skip Counting to Find My Total

Another Activity: Place 1/2 fractional piece in cylinder.
Ask your child to show ways to make it whole.

Showing ways to make equivalent fractions
Comparing the cylinders

So goofy!

My Other Math Game Posts
Making Math Memorable With Games
Math Games in a Bag
Math-U-See Race to One Hundred Game

Toys

Cash Register

My daughter plays with her Learning Resources Cash Register all the time. I bought it as a Christmas present one year. She uses is to set up a grocery store or restaurant activities. She practices counting money. There are also operation games on the cash register.

She takes money out of the cash register and counts it. 

She then indicates the amount of money on her cash register. 

I was trying to give her 3 quarters for a dollar.
She was not going to exchange amounts with me.  

Melissa and Doug Clock

The Melissa and Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Clock is a wonderful toy that reinforces shape recognition, numerical order, colors, and telling time. I knew when I saw this toy at the store that I had to have it for Alyssa. I wanted to slowly expose her to the clock and the concept of telling time. We have had this toy for years and it was a smart investment because it covers a variety of concepts. She learned her colors in English and Spanish. She would put the numbers in numerical order before placing them in the correct spot. I remember the days when she was trying to figure out which shape would fit. Her little thinker cap was smoking! I am a huge fan of Melissa and Doug products and I own many of their products. We still use Alyssa's toy clock in Spanish and Math lessons. She will show me times on her clock.

Finding the correct place for each shape

She is telling me the Spanish names for the numbers and shapes known 

Show and Tell Time (English and Spanish)

Fraction Tray
This is a toy that teaches fractional parts including 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 when compared to the whole piece. This could possibly be considered a mini puzzle. I can't find it on Amazon. It states that it is meant for ages 3 and up. It can be used with younger children but there are small pieces so supervision is required. We do not use this that often anymore, but I remember it being a gentle way to introduce fractions to Alyssa at an early age through play. She'll take it out occasionally when we are learning about fractions during her free time.   

Stacking Number Blocks

I am sure that you probably had or have a set of similar stacking blocks in your household at one point or another. If not, you have most likely seen them somewhere in person or on the Internet. We bought ours for less than a dollar at a thrift store when Alyssa was a wee little thing. We still use them during Spanish lessons when discussing numbers. My daughter modeled how to use them for this photo . . . she was counting in Spanish when I took the photo. I would also ask her to sort the blocks based on whether the numbers are odd or even. These are great toys for young children. She still likes the stacking blocks and will take them out every once in awhile. 

Placing Blocks In Numerical Order

Spanish Number Counting

Stacking in Numerical Order (Greatest to Smallest)

Puzzles

I remember a time when Alyssa would do nothing but puzzles most of the day. We have a variety of puzzles in our house for different subjects. Today I will only focus on a few math puzzles.

Tangram Puzzles (Travel Tangoes Ages 5+)
This puzzle is based on the ancient Chinese puzzle called the Seven Piece Wisdom Board. The legend states that Tan dropped a tile on the floor and it broke into seven pieces. As he tried to recreate the square, he quickly realized that a variety of shapes could be designed. A tangram begins as a square. When I taught in the classroom, we gave each student a square copied on colored paper. They cut the pieces or tans and created designs using the seven pieces. The idea is that all seven pieces have to touch and can't overlap. We use this travel activity in conjunction with a variety of free resources found online and with the book titled, Grandfather Tang's Story: A Tale Told with Tangram by Ann Tompert.

I purchased the magnetic animal tangram puzzles at Target. There are seven magnetic tangram pieces and 24 black and white puzzle cards in flip book format included in a travel sized compact folder. Solutions are found on the back side of the puzzle card. You can easily recreate your own tangram set by googling a Tangrams template and by using magnetic paper or strips. We made them our of foam one year. These puzzles practice problem-solving skills, shape recognition, and pattern designs.. They encourage creativity and logical thinking which challenges the child's mind. Travel Tangoes also has people and object puzzle cases available to purchase.

She is using the answer key to recreate the design.

You are so close. You just need to shift them around a bit.  

Free Tangram Resources
Activity Village
MathWire
ABC Teach Tangram Template and Cards
Arvindguptatoys Alphabet Tangrams
ABC-Ya Tangram Puzzles Online
Tangram Paper Folding and Cutting Directions
PBS Mathline

The Learning Journey Match-It! Numbers Puzzle
This box contains 20 self-correcting puzzle sets suitable for ages 36 months and up. You can definitely use it with younger children with adaptations. When Alyssa was much younger, I would give her two or three number puzzle sets at a time. Once she could easily create those puzzles, I increased the number of puzzle sets or pieces. It wasn't long before she was able to do the entire box in one sitting. She was able to complete this puzzle at a very young age using this method. In the photo, you can see that she first sorted the puzzle pieces by pictures, number words, and numbers. Then, she started counting the random objects in order to figure out the correct number and number word for each set. As she completed the puzzle sets, she placed them in numerical order. There's a lot of learning going on when she uses this puzzle. I didn't have the time to go through my zillion photos of when she was younger so I asked her to play with the puzzles. You can also use these to play a matching or concentration game eliminating either the number words or numbers if desired. I found this puzzle at Ross and spent either $4.99 or $5.99 on it. I felt like I hit the jackpot. They had so many sets available to purchase. I left the store with a variety of puzzles that covered different concepts.

Sorted Piles

Placing Completed Puzzle Set in Numerical Order

The Learning Journey Match-It Counting Puzzle
This box contains 30 self-correcting puzzle sets that teach children how to count from 1-20. This puzzle set is also suitable for ages 3 and up. Please keep in mind if used correctly, you can use them with a child before the intended age. This puzzle was used the same way when she as younger. I gave her several at a time until she was able to complete the entire box in one sitting. I believe when she was younger I also gave her manipulatives or objects to place on top of the pictures when counting aloud.

Sorting into Two Piles
Alyssa was obsessed with sorting everything when she was little. 

She leaves spaces to indicate that she is missing one or more number puzzles.
These puzzles can be used to play a "What's Missing" game too?

Pattern Blocks
My daughter never gets tired of her pattern block cards and pattern blocks. My Father's World sells wooden pattern blocks and a resource book titled, Pattern Animals: Puzzles for Pattern Blocks. We have several different types of pattern block cards including the colorful ones with lines as seen below, black-and-white designs, and shadow figures (no lines). We also found a few free helpful sets online that were especially useful when Alyssa was younger. Pattern blocks are great tools to have around. There are so many activities that you can do with them. Pattern block card designs are similar to puzzles for children. You can also find the Melissa and Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards on Amazon. I often purchase this set as part of the child's birthday gift. We also own the Melissa and Doug Beginner Pattern Blocks.

Identifying Correct Shapes to Cover the Design

Completed Design

Copying the Design

Free Pattern Block Resources

If you make your own pattern blocks using paper or foam, please remember that not all linked websites with designs will be be compatible with each other. The size of the printable blocks may vary.

Prekinders - Awesome Pattern Block Designs

Kelly's Kindergarten - Printable Pattern Block Pictures

Confessions of a Homeschooler - Alphabet Pattern Block Cards and Patterning Cards

Utah Education Network - Pattern Block Activities and Templates

Hundred Board Puzzles
I created a couple sets of hundred board puzzles on colored paper. They are stored in Ziplock bags but unfortunately after the last move . . . I can't find them. You will find resources below that will help you create your own set of puzzles.  

MathWire

Who's on First

I hope you have found a few new toys, games, and puzzles to incorporate into your day. I have so many suggestions but I should only list a few and stop. 

Do you have any math toys, games, or puzzles to recommend? 

Feel free to comment below. I love reading your suggestions! 

I will also link this post up at Montessori Monday, Share It Saturday, and Math Monday Blog Hop.

 

Please visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog for additional posts on teaching creatively with toys, games, and puzzles. This is a blog hop so now that you are done reading my post, click on the next participating blogger's link to read more about this topic from another perspective. Thank you for visiting! God bless!