A Stable Beginning: hands-on learning

Showing posts with label hands-on learning. Show all posts

Thursday, August 4, 2022

STEAM Projects for Kids with STEAM4KIDZ ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family and I pray you, the reader, find them helpful on your homeschooling journey. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations.

Morning friends! It’s a beautiful, hot day in our part of the country. It’s actually been quite hot for the last several weeks, the perfect weather to hang out inside the house and work on indoor learning activities. We did just that by using the Galactic Adventures Kit from STEAM4KIDZ. STEAM {Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math} and STEM {same as STEAM, just without the Art component} learning is really popular in education today. My kids love STEAM/STEM educational opportunities, so I was really excited to be able to use the Galactic Adventures Kit with Micah, my 3rd grader over the summer.

STEAM4KIDZ was founded by Dr. Onolee Zwicke to provide kids high-quality STEAM educational kits for kids aged 6-12. Currently there are five kits to choose from which include: ~ Mini-Theatre Kit ~ Ocean Ventures Kit ~ Starry Night Kit ~ Galactic Adventures Kit ~ Fantasy Aliens on Planet Kepzoo Kit Each of the kits have between 5-7 different projects to engage all five aspects of STEAM education and get the kiddos learning. Prices for the kits range from $99.00 to $129.00 US Dollars. The kits can be purchased separately or through a 3- or 6-month monthly subscription.

We have been so blessed to review the STEAM4KIDZ Galactic Adventures Kit! It arrived at the perfect time as we had just finished our Astronomy lessons on the solar system and Micah was still interested in learning more. The Kit provided much needed new learning activities that engaged Micah with video instruction and hands-on learning lessons.

The full kit came with everything needed, and I mean everything! Down to tacky glue and a cute mini stapler we had everything we needed to do each lesson in individual-colored bags that are also labeled. The Galactic Adventures Kit includes the following projects:

~ Clay model of the solar system

~ Galaxy in a Jar

~ Star Seekers

~ Geoboard Constellations

~ Solar Rover

~ Spaceship Diorama

~ Baking Galaxy Cookies

The video lessons are hosted on Vimeo and were just the right amount in length to keep Micah, who is 8, engaged and learning. Dr. Zwicke guides your child through the entire process, so I was only needed if Micah had a question. With the videos you can also rewind if you need to see a step explained in a bit more detail.

So far, Micah has completed 2 of the learning activities, the Galaxy in a Jar and putting together the Star Finder. He’s especially looking forward to completing the Solar Rover with Dad this weekend, a project that had to be put off while dad was on temporary orders out state.

We also chose to save the Clay model of the solar system project, because we had just made one in his Co-op class that ended in May. We will come back around to the clay model when we cycle back through General Science in 6th grade. His older sister, Madison who is heading into her Senior year of her Astrophysics major, is going to help him make the Galaxy Cookies before she heads back to university next week. A great bonding activity for them both since he especially misses her during the school year.

Overall, our experience with STEAM4KIDZ has been great! Micah has learned more about the Galaxy and space. We have a few more activities to complete to wrap up his learning this school year and he is looking forward to the different projects. I definitely think you should look into the STEAM4KIDZ kits if you are looking for activity based, hands-on learning for your children. Any of these kits would make a fabulous birthday or Christmas gift for your little scientist!

Be sure to click the banner below and read the thoughts of nine of my CrewMates who reviewed one of the kits as well.

Company ~ STEAM4KIDZ

Product ~ Galactic Adventures Kit

Format ~ Hands-on Activity kit with Video Streaming

Price ~$109.00

Ages ~ 6–12-year-olds, younger kids may need adult help

Find STEAMKIDZ on these Social Media sites:

Facebook~ Twitter~ Instagram ~ YouTube

https://astablebeginning.com

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Ancient Rome: Project Passport World History Studies ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Hello friends! Are you gearing up for your new school year? We are finishing up our summer revision studies before we take a little break before beginning our 13th year of homeschooling! What time period are you studying in history? Will you be learning about the Ancient Romans? Do your children like hands-on learning? If so, the products like the Project Passport World History Studies: Ancient Rome from Homeschool in the Woods makes it easy to provide fun, hands-on learning opportunities and make history come alive!

You probably already know that history is a favorite subject of mine. I love to teach and re-learn with my children. I grew up learning history from a boring textbook so I am so happy that now I can teach my children history with awesome hands-on, project based learning. Amy Pak, a talented graphic designer and experienced homeschooler, has created this fun history product along with many other homeschool curriculum including timeline figures, mapping, lapbooking and more.

We have used the Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Middle Ages, and the Renaissance & Reformation Project Passport so I was so excited to complete our set and work through the Ancient Rome Study.

As I said, we received the Ancient Rome set from the Project Passport World History Studies series as a ZIP download. Getting the files downloaded was really simple, even for me who sometimes struggles with technology. With the ZIP download the files are separated into different folder categories instead of one large PDF in order of usage. Since the Digital edition is browser based you can click on the “Start.html” file and it will pull up the entire program on a webpage if you prefer to view the program that way. Navigation from here is simpler and more like the Project Passports that I have physical CDs for. It’s very visual, which I like for ease of use. You can also just work through the individual folders that you saved if you don’t want a webpage look.

Like the other Project Passport programs you will be fully immersed into your selected time period and explore a wide variety of “stops”. Through games, projects, recipes, lessons and more your child will be transported back in time and discover just what the Roman time period was all about. This is a print heavy program but that is no problem for me! In fact I like that feature so that I can print as many files and activities as I choose on the type of media I choose, whether that be colored card stock or plain white paper. Make a mistake cutting or coloring, just print another copy!

A detailed itinerary is included for each of the 25 stops on this trip through Rome. The whole program can be spread out over 6-12 weeks. Each stop has several activities or projects to complete to aide in learning. These include:

~ Scrapbook of Sights

~ Lap Book

~ Snapshot moments

~ Postcard

~ Audio tour

~ Newspaper

~ games

~ Edible projects

~ 3- dimensional projects

McKenzie and I have been using this curriculum during our summer revision with great success! I really have enjoyed this time with her as we review about Rome before heading into the Middle Ages period. We will be using the Project Passport: Middle Ages study starting in August as we start our new year.

Be sure to click the banner below to check out the variety of other items that are being reviewed including:

Individual Timeline Set (Grades K-12)

• Timeline Set: Creation to Christ (Beginning - 100 AD)

• Timeline Set: Resurrection to Revolution (0 -1799 AD)

• Timeline Set: Napoleon to Now (1750 AD - Modern Day)

• Timeline Set: America's History (Explorers to 21st Century)

Project Passport World History Studies (Grades 3-8)

• Ancient Egypt

• Ancient Greece

• The Middle Ages

• Renaissance & Reformation

Time Travelers U.S. History Studies (Grades 3- 8 )

• New World Explorers

• Colonial Life

• The American Revolution

• The Early 19th Century

• The Civil War

• The Industrial Revolution through the Great Depression

• World War II

Maps Combo-Pak (US & World Maps)

Lap-Pak: Wonders of the World

Activity-Pak: The Old Testament

Activity-Pak: The New Testament

Hands On History with Homeschool in the Woods

Company ~ Home School in the Woods

Product ~ Project Passport World History Studies: Ancient Rome

Format ~ ZIP download

Price ~ $33.95

Ages ~ 3rd – 8th grade

Find Home School in the Woods on these Social Media Sites:

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ YouTube

http://astablebeginning.com

Friday, April 30, 2021

Learning history through play with articulated paper dolls from Figures in Motion ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations.

Another week is in the books friends! Today I am eager to share with you an awesome product that I have had my eye on for a few years. Over the last few weeks, I have been creating articulated paper dolls from Famous Figures of the Middles Ages & Renaissance with McKenzie and Micah to correlate with our history studies. Let me tell you more about it!

I first heard of the Figures in Motion company about 5-6 years ago when the author Cathy Diez-Luckie came to our state homeschool convention. That year I was able to purchase the Early Modern Era book. This year, we have been blessed to receive the Famous Figures of the Middle Ages & Renaissance along with a 1/8 in hole punch, and mini brads to review.

Many of you know that my kids love hands-on learning opportunities and these historical puppets for kids fit the bill! The sturdy paper dolls are perfect for ages 6-12 year olds to help bring history to life. The Middle Ages & Renaissance book covers the fascinating age of castles and conquests through the life of William the Conqueror to Queen Elizabeth I reign, and the great works of William Shakespeare.

Assembling each historical figure is simple. Just cut out the shapes, hole punch with a 1/8 in hand punch, and attach the pieces with a tiny brad.

There are 6 historical era’s to choose from and each one comes full of twenty-one colorful historical figures. There are also black-and-white copies of each figure in case your budding artist wants to decorate on their own. Each figure is printed on heavy card stock that you cut out and connect. To make the figure come alive, simply hole punch in the correct spot and attach the pieces together with tiny brads.

I am always on the lookout for historical reading lists so I am glad that a full page reading list for Read-Alouds and Independent readers is included on the same heavy cardstock paper. And because this book just keeps on giving you also receive mini-biographies for each of the historical figures complete with dates and important key facts.

McKenzie and Micah have loved these articulated paper dolls and so have I! Having access to a resource like this makes history so much more enjoyable in my opinion! They both love that they can move the figures about and play with them during our history read-alouds. So much so, that I ended up purchasing the Famous Figures of Ancient Times Printable Ebook so that we could finish out the last few famous people of our current school year. This book includes 28 famous figures from Ancient times including Jesus.

I recommend you get your hands on a copy of one of these books for your upcoming history study and watch as history becomes the favorite subject of the day. I know it has in our house and that makes this history loving Mama happy! I can’t wait to complete our collection of figures! But don’t just take my word for it, click on the link below and read what 24 of my CrewMates thought of this product and the other four books, Famous Figures of Ancient Times, Famous Figures of the Early Modern Era, Famous Figures of the American Revolution, Famous Figures of the Civil War.