{Mosaic Reviews} Ooka Island

In our home, our kids don't spend a lot of time on the computer yet.  Our oldest boys spend a little time learning keyboarding skills, typing writing assignments, playing educational games, and looking up Lego sets.  There is always a bit of fussing when the older boys get to "play" on the computer and the younger ones don't have a chance. 

 

Well, the tables definitely turned when we were reviewing Ooka Island, a learn to read game adventure.  Isaac (age 7) and Sadie (age 3) had a chance to try out this exciting program.  In fact, as you can see, everyone was quite interested!  Even our cat, Hwin...he, he!

 

 

So, what is Ooka Island?

 

Ooka Island is a guided learn to read adventure geared for children ages 3-7 based on years of literacy research by Dr. Kay MacPhee both from a professional and personal level. 

 

Ooka Island incorporates science based reading methods using the Eye/Ear Reading Method where children use both visual and auditory skills to improve their literacy.  The Eye/Ear Method helps children obtain mastery skills in five important areas: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

 

Ooka Island is an adaptive learn to read program.  Using the READirect algorithm, the program adapts to each child's strengths and weaknesses allowing them to make steady progress forward or repeat skills where they struggle.  When a child is playing Ooka Island, if they master a skill, READirect will move them forward in the game.  If they need more practice in a certain area, READirect will adjust for their needs and give more opportunities to practice those skills moving toward mastery. 

 



 

When we first set up our accounts, Sadie and Isaac were able to create their own character that looked like themselves.  The characters in Ooka Island are colorful, cute, and sometimes funny and surprising!  The character's voices were clear to understand and easy on the ears.

 

Sadie began Ooka Island at the very beginning level of play because she is three and that fit her skill level perfectly.  Because Isaac has growing reading skills, we were able to complete the Ooka Compass Reading Assessment that provided a variety of activities to assess his reading level and place him at a more accurate level of the game.  This is a wonderful aspect of Ooka Island!  Isaac didn't spend any time wading through unnecessary steps to get him to a place where he was actually learning and building new literacy skills.  From the very first time Isaac played the game, he was being challenged!

 

Ooka Island moves players through the Learning Flow Cycle which contains three parts. 

 

In Part 1: Guided Play, children work through skill building activities focused on phonemic awareness and phonics.  Sadie and Isaac loved playing these games.  I think this was their favorite part of the whole Ooka Island adventure.  I'm not sure I would have been able to convince Isaac, my first grader, that he was actually "doing school" while playing the games!  Ooka Island was a great way to reinforce our homeschool phonics lessons in a brand new way!

When children enter Part 2: e-Reader of the Learning Flow Cycle, they are transported to the Popcorn Library where they are presented with a leveled reader, again based on their individual skills.  This part focuses on concept of word, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.  While absolutely necessary, Isaac struggled with keeping a good attitude in this step.  This felt more like "school" to him and he just wanted to play the games.  But I encouraged him along reminding him that once he was finished with this part, he would unlock the next step - free play!  Sadie, on the other hand, really enjoyed this section and I don't think she saw it as anything other than another game to play.

Part 3: Free Play gives players a chance to play just for fun, read books from the Popcorn Library, or play activities that continue with their skill building and mastery.  Both Sadie and Isaac loved visiting the Mist Mart where they could select new costumes and clothing for their game characters.  I definitely heard the most giggling at this stage!

I think it is important to note, too, that no matter where you stop playing your game, Ooka Island remembers that spot and brings you right back to where you ended.  I think this eliminates the frustration of feeling like you're not making progress.

 

I was able to track each child's progress through Ooka Island's online progress reports via The Ooka Lighthouse which included The Report Card (a snapshot of progress), Reading Comprehension Report, Accuracy Analysis, Book Progress, and Red Line/Blue Line Trends (to show a reading break through).

 

On a fun note, I appreciated being able to send each of my children encouraging messages from the CHEEReader each time they logged in to play.  Both Sadie and Isaac would get so excited and say, "Mama, you sent me a message!" 

 

Sadie and Isaac really enjoyed playing Ooka Island!  At times, I'm not sure who was logged in as the player and they worked together at the games.  I know Isaac felt a sense of pride that he could help "teach" Sadie her letters and sounds  building his confidence.  In the seven hours Sadie was logged in to play, I have seen improvement in her ability to recognize and correctly name the alphabet and a few sounds that she didn't already know.  Isaac is making leaps and bounds in his reading skills and I'm confident that Ooka Island has helped him move closer toward becoming a fluent reader. 

 

Ooka Island is OOKARIFIC!!!



If you're interested in Ooka Island for your family, be sure to check their website for pricing and a variety of other resources available for you (sing along songs, activity pages, motivational tools, and so on).

And here's a bonus just for you from the good people at Ooka Island...a 30% discount on your purchase!!!  Just follow the link!!!

Homeschooling with the Little-er Ones

I'm thankful for a great start to our sixth year homeschooling.  If our first six weeks is any indication of success, we will be very successful this year!  I just know it!!!

 

I'm very happy with our curriculum choices, our decision to participate in a full day co-op once a week, and the fact that we actually did start school in mid-August.  In fact, as much as I am ready to meet our little man, I'm a little sad that our school routine will be altered because it is working so well for us.

 

 

Sadie takes time most mornings to color, glue, cut, watch her ABC video (a Leapfrog DVD), play play dough, paint, and convince at least one brother to read her a book or two.  When she's not busy doing that, she often can be found on the couch with her favorite toys piled all around her chatting away and singing as if the whole world was listening...

 

A friend had recommended several preschool skills books that she enjoyed using with her daughter.  I hesitated purchasing them online given that they were $8.00 - $14.00 each.  However, when I found them at The Christmas Tree Shop this summer, I snatched them up at $3.50 - $4.50 each.  Sadie loved making pizza this morning though I ended up cutting the pieces out for her.  She cuts but only in straight lines right now!  She said, "I'm too little to cut out pepperoni, but I sure like to glue them...and eat them." 

 

 

 

Isaac is progressing very quickly with his reading skills.  It's "clicking" with him and we are both very excited to work on phonics and spelling every day (The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading, Explode the Code, All About Spelling).  Here he is playing bingo with sight word print outs from Confessions of a Homeschooler .  He also enjoys math as well giggling throughout when I express surprise - some honest, some for fun - at his correct answers (Saxon Math 1).

 

I'm constantly reminded of my need to seek the Lord for help both as a mama and as my children's teacher.  God has been faithful to bless our efforts even when I've failed in my own humanness and sin.  Mike and I are committed to making the best decisions for our family and for each of our children.  I'm so thankful for the opportunity to "do life" with my kids day in and day out.  We are a stronger, tight-knit family because of it.

 

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.

Proverbs 16:3

Giggling Over Gorillas

Isaac has been teaching Sadie how to move the mouse and click on our laptop...and we wonder why children know more about computers than adults. Ha, ha...the 5 yr. old teaching the 2 yr. old. We like to visit Starfall once in a while for reading and phonics review.

They were too cute laying on the couch beside each other giggling over the gorilla strumming his guitar...

I Like To...

...color. A lot. Plus infinity. I really like it. A lot.

Much to Luke's and my left-handed dismay it appears there is another righty in the bunch...we were hoping to even up the sides. Smile.

Shoelaces and Buttons

Little fingers love to play with little things. I picked up two packages of these large buttons (with large button holes!!!) from Joann's for a few dollars each (@ $2.99 each). I found the colorful shoelaces at Target for a few dollars per pair (@ $1.99 each). Both the buttons and the shoelaces came in assorted bright colors. I keep these items in my room and Sadie enjoys stringing the buttons while I get ready in the morning. Fine motor skills practice in it's simplest form!

*a word of caution - buttons, even large ones like these, could potentially be a choking hazard!*

I also gave her a few plastic, white spools from thread I've used up recently!

And by the way, MY DAD ROCKS!!!

Cafeteria Math - Homeschool Style

I'm not a mama that does a lot of hands-on or crafting stuff in our normal school routine. So when the inspiration strikes, I usually go for it! Today was one of those days and the activity was met with great success. The boys LOVED it! I prepared everything while they were getting their late-morning outdoor romp and surprised them when they came in for lunch.

We've been practicing adding three addends together. Eli and Luke "get it" but it's always good to keep practicing! When the older boys were little I would set up a snack shop (pretzels, carrot sticks, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, etc.) and they could purchase items for 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, etc. One the note cards below, you'll see prices for foods. The blue prices are obviously for the older boys. Isaac's prices are in orange.

Making its debut appearance is cafeteria math - homeschool style. I'm still working on a catchy title. "Cafeteria Math: Yummy, Healthy, and Expensive!" or "Cafeteria Math: The Place to be Nickel and Dimed for Everything!" or "Cafeteria Math: Outrageous Price and Flavor!" (Can you hear me crackin' myself up?! Yes. I am a dork.)

When it was time to pay their bill, I got out my wad of hundreds...er...our Monopoly money for the paper money and real coins. After they added up their items (I had them add the cost of 3 items at a time), they had to give me the correct bills and coins. We also wrote out their total amounts in word form and filled out play checks. Luke's meal cost $1,826.29. Elijah's meal cost $1,148.40. Isaac's meal cost $0.28. He, he!

I totally rocked this one...he, he! Isaac handed me coins every time he went back for more. I think he was intentionally taking one thing at time so he could keep buying more! Sadie just loves eating...especially red peppers. Luke said it was tons of fun and asked to do it again. Elijah, while admitting that he enjoyed it, thought that next time I ought to price things "a little more sensibly..." Oh my, so characteristically them!!!

Sewing Basket for Little Hands

If you've been reading along with me recently, you know that I've really been enjoying giving handmade gifts...mostly in the form of projects I've sewn. A friend directed me to a really neat gift idea for little ones - a sewing basket using many items that you might already own if you're a crafty person. I put these sewing baskets together for two sweet girl's birthdays.

I gathered a bunch of items - scraps of ric-rac, lace, & ribbon, chenille stems, embroidery hoops, chenille yarn (thrifted $0.79), spools of thread (thrifted $0.99), plastic containers, pretty doilies, flower sequins, rubber gripper shelf liner (purchased $1 each), cute baskets (thrifted $0.49 each), miniature fabric bags, felt, and buttons. I purchased a few more items not pictured - bag of colorful shaped buttons ($4.99), embroidery floss ($2.00 for 6 skeins), plastic blunt needles ($0.99 for 6), and I added a vintage hankie to each basket as well.

I sewed little tags for their sewing baskets. A 3x5 index card folded in half with a fabric heart sewn on the front. I put a teeny bit of glue on the fabric to hold it in place for sewing.

Some of the items rolled, gathered, contained in the fabric bags, and plastic container before squeezing it all into the sewing basket.

All packaged up and ready to go!

A great way to use scraps and novelties and inspire creativity!!! In all, I spent about $14 for supplies some of which I still have leftovers for the next sewing basket! I know some parents and kids might not appreciate a gift like this with some of it being thrifted and leftovers, but I'm sure the little girls getting these baskets will thoroughly enjoy them. I would be thrilled if Sadie received a gift like this from a dear friend! Gee, I think I would enjoy getting a basket like this!!!

In Your Face Cow

Time for an art project!!! I loved this project when I first saw it here... I've always had an odd affection for cows...maybe because I love milk or maybe because I grew up surrounded by dairy farms or maybe just because I'm weird. I still don't mind their nose tickling stench...smells like home. Not literally, but it reminds me of Independence and Hallsport, old neighbors, bike hikes with friends (Annie), the General Store where we bought penny candy and 10 cent popsicles, the crick where we swam and explored, and the church where my faith began to grow. I no longer own all the cow figurines and paraphernalia I had as a child, but now I've got something better! Great cow art by my boys!

Elijah, 8 years

Luke, 6 years

Isaac's UGLY cow (with a little assistance with drawing), 4 years

Watercolor Christmas Trees

We spent some time this afternoon creating these Christmas trees. All you need is watercolor paper, watercolors, white tempera paint, and a sharpie! I might have to hang these up in place of our usual Christmas tree. A real Christmas tree with all its falling needles is not the best option for helping to keep the house clean during this selling season. Although, I do think we might take up a friend's offer of an artificial tree this year! Can't NOT have a tree...

Elijah

Luke

Isaac's - I took a different approach with him because he tends to get mostly water and little color when painting. I drew the shapes on construction paper for him to cut out and he glued them in place. The hole punch made great little snowflakes!

Isaac's Art

A sampling of Isaac's art from this fall...

Pumpkins

Ninja Turtle Fighting Bad Ninjas

??? - He says it's Mary and Joseph Riding to Bethlehem...
but I think that's because he's watching that video right now!

Mouse

Thomas Numbers

I'm always trying to find ways to draw Isaac into learning. He is not a sit-and-do-worksheets kind of boy like Elijah and sometimes Luke were at this age. So we play games and do lots of hands-on activities.

A little imagination on mama's part, Thomas number cards, color tiles, and some good old quality time made today's activity super fun!!!

Preschool Week Four - Being Intentional

Being intentional. That's my goal for preschool with Isaac. It's so easy to let him run off and play contentedly by himself while I am working with the big(ger) boys. Last school year, I really took a hands off approach with Isaac and honestly, I had my hands full with a newborn and learning how to teach two other children at home. Maybe that was right, maybe that was wrong. Over the years, though, I've realized that play is more important than drilling ABCs and such when a child is three years old (unless they show a natural interest).


This year, though, I knew that I needed to be more intentional. This decision, in part, was due to the fact that Isaac needed to learn how to sit quietly doing something that someone else wanted him to do. He joins in with the older boys as much as he desires and often times I photo copy their worksheets for him to "do school." I started transcribing stories that he dictates to me...all about cowboys, superheros, war, and the good guys winning. So far, though, his favorite activity is reading time. Elijah, Luke, and I take turns reading to him. I love that he still wants to snuggle in close when I'm reading to him.

a few of this week's books

The other major reason I need to be intentional with Isaac is to help him with his speech. He, very much like Luke as a three and four year old, struggles with some sounds. When we isolate each sound, there are only a couple that he cannot say correctly and I believe that is age appropriate. But when certain sounds are in a word, he either drops them completely or substitutes them with another letter. A big accomplishment for him this month is saying, "Izzzzzick" instead of "Igick." I go back and forth about feeling guilty that I didn't help him more last year with his speech, but instead of worrying that I dropped the ball, I'm choosing to be intentional and stay positive. Plus I have the blessing of a sister-in-law who is a speech therapist and I can bounce all my questions off her!!!

I really appreciate the activities and ideas in the books above. Teach Me How to Say it Right:Helping Your Child with Articulation Problems by Dorothy P. Doughtery is highly readable and practical for the average parent with no background in speech therapy. The author lays out timelines for when certain speech sounds should be achieved, exercises to help learn troublesome sounds, potential causes of speech problems, and advice for when to seek professional help. This book would be useful to parents even if their children did not struggle with developmental speech delays.

The Three R's by Ruth Beechick is a new book I picked up this summer. I've only read one third of the book called "A Home Start in Reading." The other two sections are called "A Strong Start in Language" and "An Easy Start in Arithmatic." Beechick guides parents through five steps to helping your child learn how to read. I am finding new ideas and activities to use with Isaac from the Prereading and Beginning steps. This is definitely a book that will stay on my shelves until all our children are grown.

I am thankful that this particular week has gone well after a rough first three weeks. We're more familiar with our new curriculum and learning how to get each assignment done quickly and carefully. The boys have worked hard to get all their independent work done without too many reminders from me. I've chosen to stay home because it was the best decision for the day even though the other activities could have been good options as well. Chores and meals have been done with excellence. All the children's summer clothing was swapped out for fall/winter clothing and stored properly. And I've even used my time wisely in the evenings for creative interests. I'm thankful that the Lord is blessing my efforts to keep my priorities in line with what brings Him glory and honor, developing diligence in my work ethic and helping me to find joy in the mundane and unavoidable.