Hobbie, H. (2000). Toot & Puddle: Puddle's ABC. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 978-0-316-36593-2
Interest Level: Ages 3 to 7
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Pigs, Turtles, ABCs, Learning to Write,
Plot: Puddle the pig teaches Otto the turtle his ABCs so that he can learn to write his name. After learning to write each letter of the alphabet, Otto learns to write his name as well as Toot and Puddle's names. Each letter of the alphabet is introduced in both upper and lower case forms. A picture accompanies the letter with a short phrase or sentence. For example for the letter M there is the phrase "Miss Mud in Moonlight" accompanied by the picture of a muddy pig under a moon.
Personal Thoughts: Another ABC book for young children, though with a little bit more of a background story then most. I like how it connects the process of learning the alphabet with learning to write one's name. The illustrations are well done though Puddle looks a little like a know-it-all. Most of the letter phrases flow well and use only words that start with the letter they are connected with. The only spread that I really had a problem with was for the letter W where the phrase says "wooly bears waltzing" and shows two fuzzy caterpillars dancing. Where does the "bear" come from? It might have been better said using the word wigglers instead. But otherwise the book connects learning letters and learning how to write words really well. The text does run a little long though so I would suggest this ABC book for more advance letter learners.
Series Info: Part of the Toot & Puddle book series
Website: National Geographic's Toot & Puddle Website
Showing posts with label Phonics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phonics. Show all posts
Monday, November 29, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Dear Deer (Book)
Barretta, G. (2007). Dear deer: A book of homophones. New York , NY
Interest Level: Ages 3 to 7
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Homophones, Animals, Phonics, Humor,
Plot: Aunt Ant has just moved to the zoo and is writing a letter to her friend deer about all the different things that the zoo animals are up to. On each page Aunt Ant describes a different animal using homophones (words that sound the same but are spelled differently). The descriptions are funny and sometimes a bit tongue twisting. Also available in Braille.
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Homophones, Animals, Phonics, Humor,
Plot: Aunt Ant has just moved to the zoo and is writing a letter to her friend deer about all the different things that the zoo animals are up to. On each page Aunt Ant describes a different animal using homophones (words that sound the same but are spelled differently). The descriptions are funny and sometimes a bit tongue twisting. Also available in Braille.
Personal Thoughts: The illustrations in this book, done with watercolors, are colorful and detailed. They help to illustrated the humor in the story and explain the homophones that are being used pretty well. For example, "The WHALE was ALLOWED to WAIL ALOUD," shows a whale crying in his tank. The homophones in each sentence are distinguished by an All-Caps typeface for easy recognition. With only one sentence per page, I still find myself slowly enunciating each word due to the presence of homophones in the same sentence. So you might want to practice more than a few times before reading the story aloud. For an extended discussion, try asking the children what homophones they remember from the story or other ones they can think of on their own.
Awards/Recognition:
One of Parenting magazine's "Mom-Tested Books of the Year" (2007)
NCTE Notable Children's Book in Language Arts (2008)
National Braille Press Book of the Month (October 2009)
Author Website: Gene Barretta's Website
Other Books by the Author: Now & Ben: the modern inventions of Benjamin Franklin (2006); Neo Leo: the ageless ideas of Leonardo Da Vinci (2009); Jack the Tripper (2008)
Awards/Recognition:
One of Parenting magazine's "Mom-Tested Books of the Year" (2007)
NCTE Notable Children's Book in Language Arts (2008)
National Braille Press Book of the Month (October 2009)
Author Website: Gene Barretta's Website
Other Books by the Author: Now & Ben: the modern inventions of Benjamin Franklin (2006); Neo Leo: the ageless ideas of Leonardo Da Vinci (2009); Jack the Tripper (2008)
Friday, October 29, 2010
Bee Smart Baby Vocabulary Builder (DVD)
Baby Bumble Bee. (2002). Bee smart baby vocabulary builder: Volume 1 [DVD]. Crystal Beach, FL: Educational Products for Infancy.
Interest Level: 3 & under
Subjects/Themes: Phonics, Sign Language, Foreign Languages, Vehicles, Animals, Anatomy, Everyday Items
Running Time: 30 minutes + 6 minute Sign Langauge Lesson
Price: $25 (individual DVD) or $130 for the full set with flashcards
Subjects/Themes: Phonics, Sign Language, Foreign Languages, Vehicles, Animals, Anatomy, Everyday Items
Running Time: 30 minutes + 6 minute Sign Langauge Lesson
Price: $25 (individual DVD) or $130 for the full set with flashcards
Plot: Children are introduced to different items through a series of pictures, video, text and sound. Different words that relate items that a baby would come in contact with are introduced such as vehicles, animals, body parts, and everyday items. The same DVD can be played in English, German, Spanish, French, or Japanese. Also included is a 6 minute Sign Langauge lesson that introduces some everyday concepts.
Personal Thoughts: The DVD is meant for use as a digital lapsit tool with the parent or caregiver present during viewing. Explained during the opening credits, this so that children can pick up on a parent's enthusiasm and mimic their actions. One bonus feature includes an animal sound identification game. Well made graphics and video combined with developmentally appropriate concepts make this DVD a good digital learning resource. Unfortunately the DVD set price is extremely high for a family with a new baby. I suggest you make your own flashcards (which is really the extra item your paying for) and borrowing a copy from your local library like I did.
Company Website: Baby Bumble Bee Website
JumpStart Baby (CD-ROM)
JumpStart Baby (Version 1.0) [CD-ROM]. (1998). Glendale , CA
Interest Level: 3 & under
Subjects/Themes: Colors, Animals, Music, Shapes, Clothing, Phonics,
Price: $10 to $25
Game Contents: A cuddly teddy bear sings and explains the different concepts that children explore in the game. The 8 games introduce developmentally appropriate concepts such as colors, shapes, animals, music, and clothing. Tips and hints are provided throughout the game on how parents can expand on these games at home. During game play, children simply click repeatedly on the mouse or keyboard to interact with the game. No real computer skills are needed to play the games which will continuously repeat until the child exits.
Personal Thoughts: Check out your local library for a copy of this DVD because at $25 for only eight games it isn't really the best buy. The games are developmentally appropriate and easy for children to use. The teddy bear and his songs are cute and informational. The hints on how to take the game's concepts off of the computer are practically, such as instructions on how to make your own connect-the-dots handouts. The JumpStart brand name makes a lot of good computer software for children of older ages, so while a good early learning resource, you might want to wait until your child is older before you start buying these computer games for them. Instead check out some of the free websites such as Knee Bouncers that offer similar materials and format.
Series Awards:
The Toy Man Award of Excellence (2008)
National Parenting Seal of Approval Winner (2007 & 2008)
iParenting Media Awards - Outstanding Product (2007 & 2008)
Great Interactive Software for Kids Award (2008)
Mom’s Choice Awards Silver Recipient (2008)
Teacher’s Choice Award for the Family (2007)
Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award (2007)
Company Website: JumpStart Website
Interest Level: 3 & under
Subjects/Themes: Colors, Animals, Music, Shapes, Clothing, Phonics,
Price: $10 to $25
Game Contents: A cuddly teddy bear sings and explains the different concepts that children explore in the game. The 8 games introduce developmentally appropriate concepts such as colors, shapes, animals, music, and clothing. Tips and hints are provided throughout the game on how parents can expand on these games at home. During game play, children simply click repeatedly on the mouse or keyboard to interact with the game. No real computer skills are needed to play the games which will continuously repeat until the child exits.
Personal Thoughts: Check out your local library for a copy of this DVD because at $25 for only eight games it isn't really the best buy. The games are developmentally appropriate and easy for children to use. The teddy bear and his songs are cute and informational. The hints on how to take the game's concepts off of the computer are practically, such as instructions on how to make your own connect-the-dots handouts. The JumpStart brand name makes a lot of good computer software for children of older ages, so while a good early learning resource, you might want to wait until your child is older before you start buying these computer games for them. Instead check out some of the free websites such as Knee Bouncers that offer similar materials and format.
Series Awards:
The Toy Man Award of Excellence (2008)
National Parenting Seal of Approval Winner (2007 & 2008)
iParenting Media Awards - Outstanding Product (2007 & 2008)
Great Interactive Software for Kids Award (2008)
Mom’s Choice Awards Silver Recipient (2008)
Teacher’s Choice Award for the Family (2007)
Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award (2007)
Company Website: JumpStart Website
Knee Bouncers (Website)
Website: http://www.kneebouncers.com/index.php
Interest Level: Ages 3 & under
Subjects/Themes: Phonics Learning Website, ABCs, Counting, Letter Sounds, Interactive Games, Shapes,
About the Website: The Knee Bouncers Website was founded in 2002 to introduce computer games to the youngest of children. It is meant for use by children who have yet to develop the fine motor skills needed for most normal computer use. Children can interact with games through the use of any of the keys on the keyboard or through the random clicking of the mouse button. A variety of interactive games introduce different basic concepts, such as colors, shapes, and numbers. Some of the games are available as applications for the iPhone or Facebook accounts.
Personal Thoughts: This is a great program for children to use on their own without the help of a parent. The games on the site will keep repeating until the child or parent chooses to exit. The games are centered around developmentally appropriate concepts such as colors and counting. The graphics on the site are bright and colorful with happy animal characters throughout. A great reccomendation for children who want to try out the computer but only know how to smash at the keys.
Baby Einstein Series (DVD)
Walt Disney Home Entertainment. (2007). Baby Einstein: My first signs, see and sign with baby [DVD]. Burbank, CA: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
Interest Level: 5 & under
Subjects/Themes: Word Recognition, Everyday Items, Sign Language, Opposites
Running Time: 30 minutes
Price: $12 to $16
Plot: Join special guest Marlee Matlin and the Baby Einstein puppets as they learn 20 common phrases and words in a combination of American Sign Language (ASL) and Conceptually Accurate Signed English. New signs are introduced in a way that relates to the baby’s everyday surroundings for example signs that relate to family, eating, and playing. The words for each item is both spoken, signed, and written on the screen.
Personal Thoughts: Check out your local library for a copy of this DVD because it is an exceptional digital learning tool for young children. Transitions from one concept to the next is smoothly accomplished. The puppets, people, and graphics in the movie are all happy and entertaining to watch. There is several bonus features that go over the different signs that were introduced in the DVD, such as an opposites feature. A great tool for use by children alone or with a parent.
Awards:
NAPPA Gold Award (2007)
National Parenting Center Seal of Approval Award (2007)
Company Website: Baby Einstein Website
Interest Level: 5 & under
Subjects/Themes: Word Recognition, Everyday Items, Sign Language, Opposites
Running Time: 30 minutes
Price: $12 to $16
Plot: Join special guest Marlee Matlin and the Baby Einstein puppets as they learn 20 common phrases and words in a combination of American Sign Language (ASL) and Conceptually Accurate Signed English. New signs are introduced in a way that relates to the baby’s everyday surroundings for example signs that relate to family, eating, and playing. The words for each item is both spoken, signed, and written on the screen.
Personal Thoughts: Check out your local library for a copy of this DVD because it is an exceptional digital learning tool for young children. Transitions from one concept to the next is smoothly accomplished. The puppets, people, and graphics in the movie are all happy and entertaining to watch. There is several bonus features that go over the different signs that were introduced in the DVD, such as an opposites feature. A great tool for use by children alone or with a parent.
Awards:
NAPPA Gold Award (2007)
National Parenting Center Seal of Approval Award (2007)
Company Website: Baby Einstein Website
Baby Road Trip Series (DVD)
Blue Mountain Arts. (2006). Baby road trip: Circus [DVD]. New York, NY: Baby Road Trip.
Interest Level: 3 & under
Subjects/Themes: Word Recognition, Shapes, Colors, Circus,
Running Time: 30 minutes
Price: $8 to $15
Plot: Children join Scout the Dog and Road Trip Ryan as they learn about the circus. Children are introduced to the different people, animals, and things that children would see at the circus. Shapes, with the names written on the screen, are introduced to with circues animals. The images are composed of a stream of graphics, clay animation, and live videos that all relate to the circus theme. A portion of the profits from DVD sales are donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Personal Thoughts: I borrowed this DVD from my local library (always a good resource for learning DVDs). The strength of this DVD is the live video representations of the circus concepts, such as acrobats and trapeze artists, which can be hard for children to understand using picture books. A good alternative to taking a child to the circus or in preparation to go to one. The weakness of this DVD is the lack of audio pronunciation accompanying the shapes names which would go a long way to helping children with word recognition. There is a bonus feature that shows a picture of each concept with its name written and spoken which almost serves as a better learning device then the movie itself. Not one of my favorite learning DVDs but still useful as a circus learning tool.
Awards:
Parenting Magazine's Pick of the Month (July 2004)
Dr. Toy Award
NAPPA Award
iParenting Media Award
Creative Child Award
Interest Level: 3 & under
Subjects/Themes: Word Recognition, Shapes, Colors, Circus,
Running Time: 30 minutes
Price: $8 to $15
Plot: Children join Scout the Dog and Road Trip Ryan as they learn about the circus. Children are introduced to the different people, animals, and things that children would see at the circus. Shapes, with the names written on the screen, are introduced to with circues animals. The images are composed of a stream of graphics, clay animation, and live videos that all relate to the circus theme. A portion of the profits from DVD sales are donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Personal Thoughts: I borrowed this DVD from my local library (always a good resource for learning DVDs). The strength of this DVD is the live video representations of the circus concepts, such as acrobats and trapeze artists, which can be hard for children to understand using picture books. A good alternative to taking a child to the circus or in preparation to go to one. The weakness of this DVD is the lack of audio pronunciation accompanying the shapes names which would go a long way to helping children with word recognition. There is a bonus feature that shows a picture of each concept with its name written and spoken which almost serves as a better learning device then the movie itself. Not one of my favorite learning DVDs but still useful as a circus learning tool.
Awards:
Parenting Magazine's Pick of the Month (July 2004)
Dr. Toy Award
NAPPA Award
iParenting Media Award
Creative Child Award
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Sounds Like Reading (Book Series)
This review is based off of three books in the Sounds Like Reading Series:
Cleary, B. (2009). The frail snail on the trail: Long vowel sounds with consonant blends. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press.
Cleary, B. (2009). The peaches on the beaches: A book about inflectional endings. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press.
Cleary, B. (2009). The thing on the wing can sing: Short vowel sounds & consonant digraphs. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press.
Interest Level: 7 & under
Subjects/Themes: Rhyming, Phonics, Humor
Plot: The format of all three books is the same. In each two page spread, there is a column on the left hand side which contains three rhyming words and their pictures. On the bottom there is a silly sentence with each of the rhyming words in bold type face. The rest of the page contains a humorous picture that goes along with the silly sentence. A little mouse challenges the reader to find the rhyming words. The book starts off easy, with three rhyming words, and then slowly grows harder, with five rhyming words, in each sentence.
Personal Thoughts: All three titles are brightly illustrated and humorous. The funny rhymes and their corresponding pictures will have children smiling. Such as "the witch threw the switch in the ditch" has a bright halloween type of witch throwing light switches into a small ditch. With only one sentence per page, the book is a little short. Simple and straightforward this series is an okay addition to a library’s beginning reader section.
Sounds Like Reading Website: http://www.soundslikereading.com/
Cleary, B. (2009). The frail snail on the trail: Long vowel sounds with consonant blends. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press.
Cleary, B. (2009). The peaches on the beaches: A book about inflectional endings. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press.
Cleary, B. (2009). The thing on the wing can sing: Short vowel sounds & consonant digraphs. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press.
Interest Level: 7 & under
Subjects/Themes: Rhyming, Phonics, Humor
Plot: The format of all three books is the same. In each two page spread, there is a column on the left hand side which contains three rhyming words and their pictures. On the bottom there is a silly sentence with each of the rhyming words in bold type face. The rest of the page contains a humorous picture that goes along with the silly sentence. A little mouse challenges the reader to find the rhyming words. The book starts off easy, with three rhyming words, and then slowly grows harder, with five rhyming words, in each sentence.
Personal Thoughts: All three titles are brightly illustrated and humorous. The funny rhymes and their corresponding pictures will have children smiling. Such as "the witch threw the switch in the ditch" has a bright halloween type of witch throwing light switches into a small ditch. With only one sentence per page, the book is a little short. Simple and straightforward this series is an okay addition to a library’s beginning reader section.
Sounds Like Reading Website: http://www.soundslikereading.com/
Winnie the Pooh's ABCs: Discovering letters and words (DVD)
Walt Disney Home Entertainment. (2004). Winnie the Pooh, ABC's: Discovering letters and words [DVD]. Burbank, CA: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
Interest Level: 5 & under
Subjects/Themes: Rhyming Sounds, Word Recognition, Upper & Lowercase Letter Writing
Running Time: 30 minutes
Price: $15
Plot: Winnie the Pooh learns that a song can be the same a rhymes. Christopher Robin teaches Pooh what rhymes are while Pooh picks out the different rhyming sounds. Pooh wants to share Christopher Robin's book of rhymes with the rest of his friends but the pages accidentally get scattered in the wind. Follow Winnie the Pooh and friends as they put the book of rhymes back together.
Personal Thoughts: For those children who love Disney characters and those parents who would like them to have a little education with their entertainment. I would say this DVD is about 60% entertainment and only 40% educational. Children learn about rhyming sounds, are encouraged to write things down so that they can be shared or remembered later, and how to write certain letters. A nice feature which help strengthen word recognition is when Christopher Robin's finger going from word to word as the book of rhymes is being read as well as rhyming words being highlighted as Pooh identifies them. There is a bonus feature available that teaches children how to write each letter of the alphabet in both upper and lower case forms. The animation is of the high quality typical of Disney animation.
Interest Level: 5 & under
Subjects/Themes: Rhyming Sounds, Word Recognition, Upper & Lowercase Letter Writing
Running Time: 30 minutes
Price: $15
Plot: Winnie the Pooh learns that a song can be the same a rhymes. Christopher Robin teaches Pooh what rhymes are while Pooh picks out the different rhyming sounds. Pooh wants to share Christopher Robin's book of rhymes with the rest of his friends but the pages accidentally get scattered in the wind. Follow Winnie the Pooh and friends as they put the book of rhymes back together.
Personal Thoughts: For those children who love Disney characters and those parents who would like them to have a little education with their entertainment. I would say this DVD is about 60% entertainment and only 40% educational. Children learn about rhyming sounds, are encouraged to write things down so that they can be shared or remembered later, and how to write certain letters. A nice feature which help strengthen word recognition is when Christopher Robin's finger going from word to word as the book of rhymes is being read as well as rhyming words being highlighted as Pooh identifies them. There is a bonus feature available that teaches children how to write each letter of the alphabet in both upper and lower case forms. The animation is of the high quality typical of Disney animation.
Leap Frog (DVD) - Talking Words Factory 2. Code word caper
Johnson, B., Gleason, T., Ross, M. (Producers), Smith, R. (Director), & Young, M. (Writer). (2004). Talking Words Factory 2. Code word caper [DVD]. Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video.
Interest Level: 5 & under
Subjects/Themes: Word Building, Silent 'E', Letter & Word Sounds, Emergent Reading
Running Time: 35 minutes
Price: $12 to $15
Plot: Follow three frog/child-like characters as they explore the “complex word complex” and solve word puzzles in order to get Mr. Weberly his voice back. Children learn how to use a silent ‘E,’ how to recognize long vowel sounds, how to blend consonants, and how to blend vowels. Children also learn to build words using the sounds as well as to read words by sounding them out.
Personal Thoughts: Leap Frog has become a popular name brand for educational children's toys, but this is my first experience with any of their items. I checked out the Leap Frog DVDs for free at my local library. If yours doesn't have them, then definitely suggest it to them as it will make an educational and entertaining addition to the collection. The animation is bright and of high quality. Short songs can be found throughout the cartoon that help children learn word building rules. My favorite was “when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking” to help children remember that you use long E when sounding out the word “team” while the ‘A’ stays silent. I recommend this DVD as a tool to help children develop their early literacy skills.
Company Website: http://shop.leapfrog.com/leapfrog/
Interest Level: 5 & under
Subjects/Themes: Word Building, Silent 'E', Letter & Word Sounds, Emergent Reading
Running Time: 35 minutes
Price: $12 to $15
Plot: Follow three frog/child-like characters as they explore the “complex word complex” and solve word puzzles in order to get Mr. Weberly his voice back. Children learn how to use a silent ‘E,’ how to recognize long vowel sounds, how to blend consonants, and how to blend vowels. Children also learn to build words using the sounds as well as to read words by sounding them out.
Personal Thoughts: Leap Frog has become a popular name brand for educational children's toys, but this is my first experience with any of their items. I checked out the Leap Frog DVDs for free at my local library. If yours doesn't have them, then definitely suggest it to them as it will make an educational and entertaining addition to the collection. The animation is bright and of high quality. Short songs can be found throughout the cartoon that help children learn word building rules. My favorite was “when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking” to help children remember that you use long E when sounding out the word “team” while the ‘A’ stays silent. I recommend this DVD as a tool to help children develop their early literacy skills.
Company Website: http://shop.leapfrog.com/leapfrog/
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Zooper Phonics (DVD)
Babyscapes. (2004). ZOOper phonics: Teaching your child letter sounds [DVD]. Las Vegas, NV.
Interest Level: Ages 3 & under
Genre: DVD
Subjects/Themes: Letter Sounds, Animal Names, Word Recognition, Phonics
DVD Content: Children go through the letters of the alphabet one at a time learning their sounds. For each letter an animal is presented that can be associated with the letter, such as 'a' and 'alligator.' Each letter and animal pair is present for a minute each where the letter, sound and animal name is being repeated.
Personal Thoughts: This is a very very simple DVD. The packaging says for 2 to 5 years olds, but I would suggest the material is more appropriate for children ages 3 and under. The DVD runs more like a screensaver and could probably do well playing in the background as a child is playing with other toys. On its own the repeatativeness and animation do not do much to hold a child's attention. The 3D computer generated animals are cute and tend to wander about without direction or purpose. Not one of my favorite children's DVDs for learning letters, I would suggest taking a look at Disney's Learning Adventures series or the Leap Frog DVD series 3 to 5 year olds instead.
Interest Level: Ages 3 & under
Genre: DVD
Subjects/Themes: Letter Sounds, Animal Names, Word Recognition, Phonics
DVD Content: Children go through the letters of the alphabet one at a time learning their sounds. For each letter an animal is presented that can be associated with the letter, such as 'a' and 'alligator.' Each letter and animal pair is present for a minute each where the letter, sound and animal name is being repeated.
Personal Thoughts: This is a very very simple DVD. The packaging says for 2 to 5 years olds, but I would suggest the material is more appropriate for children ages 3 and under. The DVD runs more like a screensaver and could probably do well playing in the background as a child is playing with other toys. On its own the repeatativeness and animation do not do much to hold a child's attention. The 3D computer generated animals are cute and tend to wander about without direction or purpose. Not one of my favorite children's DVDs for learning letters, I would suggest taking a look at Disney's Learning Adventures series or the Leap Frog DVD series 3 to 5 year olds instead.
Starfall.com (Website)
Website: http://www.starfall.com/
Interest Level: Ages 5 & under
Subjects/Themes: Phonics Learning Website, Digital Stories, ABCs, Counting, Letter Sounds, Games
About the Website: Starfall is a free website that focuses on teaching children to read using a systematic phonics approach. Both educational and entertaining, the website stresses phonemic awareness when beginning to teach children to read. The website uses a mixture of audio and video to teach children the phonemic sounds of letters and words. The website is divided into four levels of reading from easiest to mor difficult: 1) ABCs 2) Learn to Read 3) It’s Fun to Read and 4) I’m Reading. The lessons in the different reading levels are comprised of a mix of animation and real photos. Short games are sometimes included with a lesson. The words or sentences in each lesson are written on the bottom of the page and are highlighted in sync with the sounds.
Personal Thoughts: I highly suggest this website as a useful tool to help emergent readers develop necessary reading skills. There is no outside advertisments on the website. The website does offer low cost books and phonics journals with activities similar to those found on the website. The website while easy to use, may still require an adult's supervision to help a child navigate the site the first few times until they are comfortable going from lesson to lesson. Some great features on the site include a lesson on sign language, the highlighting of words as they're being read aloud, and vocabulary lists.
Additional Notes: The website was founded in 2002 by the the Polis-Schutz family who created Blue Mountain Arts publishing company and the e-card company Bluemountain.com.
Awards & Recognition:
Listed as one of The Reading Teacher's "Five Internet sites too good to miss" (May 2006).
Listed as one of Homeschool.com's "Top Five Educational Websites" (2005 & 2008).
Highest rated product in Children's Software & New Media Review's Early Elementary category (Spring 2004).
Interest Level: Ages 5 & under
Subjects/Themes: Phonics Learning Website, Digital Stories, ABCs, Counting, Letter Sounds, Games
About the Website: Starfall is a free website that focuses on teaching children to read using a systematic phonics approach. Both educational and entertaining, the website stresses phonemic awareness when beginning to teach children to read. The website uses a mixture of audio and video to teach children the phonemic sounds of letters and words. The website is divided into four levels of reading from easiest to mor difficult: 1) ABCs 2) Learn to Read 3) It’s Fun to Read and 4) I’m Reading. The lessons in the different reading levels are comprised of a mix of animation and real photos. Short games are sometimes included with a lesson. The words or sentences in each lesson are written on the bottom of the page and are highlighted in sync with the sounds.
Personal Thoughts: I highly suggest this website as a useful tool to help emergent readers develop necessary reading skills. There is no outside advertisments on the website. The website does offer low cost books and phonics journals with activities similar to those found on the website. The website while easy to use, may still require an adult's supervision to help a child navigate the site the first few times until they are comfortable going from lesson to lesson. Some great features on the site include a lesson on sign language, the highlighting of words as they're being read aloud, and vocabulary lists.
Additional Notes: The website was founded in 2002 by the the Polis-Schutz family who created Blue Mountain Arts publishing company and the e-card company Bluemountain.com.
Awards & Recognition:
Listed as one of The Reading Teacher's "Five Internet sites too good to miss" (May 2006).
Listed as one of Homeschool.com's "Top Five Educational Websites" (2005 & 2008).
Highest rated product in Children's Software & New Media Review's Early Elementary category (Spring 2004).
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