1st Grade, Curriculum, Early Math Skills, Hands on Math, Homeschool, Online Math, Science

SPORK Butterfly Math & Science 1st Grade: A Perfect Blend for Young Learners

We received SPORK Butterfly Math & Science 1st Grade for our honest Review!

Why Combining Math & Science Makes Learning Fun and Engaging!

As a long-time homeschool mom, I’ve explored many different curricula over the years, and SPORK Butterfly Math & Science 1st Grade has caught my attention for its innovative and hands-on approach. This curriculum seamlessly combines math and science into a unified program, which is not only practical but also exciting for young learners. I can’t help but wish this program was around when my science-loving son was in 1st grade!

Who Would Benefit from SPORK Butterfly Math & Science 1st Grade?

SPORK is an ideal choice for any homeschool family with a child who:

  • Thrives with hands-on learning and loves experimenting with real-world concepts.
  • Is naturally curious about science and how things work.
  • Needs a curriculum that integrates different subjects, reducing the need for separate lessons.
  • Enjoys a mixture of online interactive components and physical, tangible manipulatives.

SPORK combines these subjects in a way that feels natural and fluid, allowing children to develop a solid foundation in both math and science while fostering a love for learning.

A Science-Loving Child’s Dream

Looking back, I know this would have been a great fit for my son when he was in 1st grade. He was always drawn to science, and having math lessons woven into his favorite subject would have been a perfect match for his interests. SPORK Butterfly Math & Science 1st Grade provides opportunities for students to engage in hands-on experiments and investigations, which would have captivated his attention and made learning math concepts feel relevant and fun.

Why the Integration of Math and Science Works

Combining math and science into one curriculum is a brilliant concept. Children naturally encounter math during science experiments (think counting, measuring, comparing), so this integration helps them understand the connection between the two. Rather than treating them as separate subjects, SPORK brings them together in a way that builds a holistic understanding. This approach also reduces the need for separate lesson planning, which is always a win in a busy homeschool day!

Hands-On Manipulatives and Interactive Learning

One of the highlights of the SPORK curriculum is the hands-on manipulatives that come with the homeschool bundle. These materials allow children to physically interact with math and science concepts, helping to solidify their understanding. Whether it’s measuring tools, counting objects, or science experiment kits, SPORK offers tactile learning that suits kids who need to “learn by doing.”

On the online side, SPORK has developed interactive lessons and activities that further enhance learning. These components include:

  • Virtual labs where children can simulate scientific experiments.
  • Interactive math problems that adjust to your child’s learning pace.
  • Engaging videos that explain scientific concepts in a kid-friendly way.

The blend of online learning with physical manipulatives makes SPORK a versatile curriculum that appeals to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners.

What’s Included in the SPORK Butterfly Math & Science 1st Grade Homeschool Bundle?

The homeschool bundle is packed with all the essentials you’ll need for a successful year:

  • Purchase includes 18 month license
  • A comprehensive teacher’s guide that walks you through daily lessons and activities.
  • Access to the online platform with interactive math and science lessons.
  • Physical manipulatives like counting blocks, measuring tools, science experiment kits, and more.
  • A student workbook that includes engaging activities, practice problems, and space for journaling scientific discoveries.
  • Printable worksheets and extra resources to further support each unit.

Learning Styles Supported by SPORK

SPORK Math & Science is an excellent fit for several learning styles:

  • Visual learners will appreciate the colorful, interactive online lessons and videos.
  • Kinesthetic learners will thrive with the hands-on activities and experiments.
  • Auditory learners will benefit from the narrated lessons and verbal instructions provided in both the online component and teacher’s guide.

SPORK Butterfly Math & Science 1st Grade is a standout curriculum that brings the best of both subjects into one cohesive package. With its engaging, hands-on approach and seamless integration of math and science, it offers a rich learning experience that would benefit any child. If you have a little one who’s curious about the world, loves to explore, or simply needs a dynamic, well-rounded program, SPORK might just be the perfect fit for your homeschool!

1st Grade, 2nd Grade Curriculum, 3rd Grade Curriculum, Curriculum, Education, spelling, Writing

Reading Kingdom: Spelling Ninja Review !

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

We were sent a 1 year subscription to Reading Kingdom Spelling Ninja for us to review as a supplement for some interactive spelling fun!

Spelling Ninja is an online spelling program that encourages students to use their phonics skills to help them decode words to spell. The program is for children ages 5-10 years and the program does have a prerequisite that students need to have completed Level 2 in Reading Kingdom or be able to read. There is a parent dashboard so you can make changes to your students settings. From the parent dashboard you can also print diplomas, progress reports and track your students progress.

How Spelling Ninja Works

Spelling Ninja gives students a sentence and picture for them to copy. The system reads the sentence to your student and then the students have to copy it. The sentence or parts of the sentence is still visible to the student as they type. Students have to make sure they are adding capital letters where needed and spaces between words and correct punctuation. The words, spaces and punctuation are colored coded as a helpful alert to the student that they are missing a letter or space as they type. The pictures matching the sentences feature diverse graphics, the screen isn’t very busy so it is not distracting to those students who are easily distracted. Before students start playing they can choose between and on screen or off screen keyboard.

Now my son wasn’t not really eager about Spelling Ninja because he didn’t like the timed response time and how it would ding him. He became quite discourage by this and didn’t want to continue the program. I was able to slow that timer down, but personally I wish it could have been turned off. Spelling Ninja also requires that your student has some knowledge of keyboard typing. I found this a little odd especially for a program targeted at students as young as 5yrs. Without a student having some basic knowledge of typing your student will be discourage.

The overall concept of using decoding and phonics is a great way strengthening spelling skills. We will use this program as a way to supplement spelling and give him some typing practice. The cost of Reading Kingdom Spelling Ninja at the time of this review is $19.99 for a years access. Be sure to check out the other crew’s of Reading Kingdom programs by clicking the banner below.

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