It's nothing new around here how important reading a great book is and our latest review is a wonderful tool to utilize great books to your students' learning even more! Since both of my big kids have taken off in the reading department, it is so easy to just give them books to read and leave it at that. While independent reading is very important, not following up with questions or activities can cut the learning a little short. For today's review we are looking at one of our favorite vendors again, Memoria Press! Miss Z and I explored some great books with the help of StoryTime Treasures Student Guide and Answer Key and More StoryTime Treasures Student Guide and Answer Key
A few years ago, we reviewed part of this product with my oldest son and this time we're getting a chance to use the entire set with my daughter! Since that time they have release a 2nd edition of the set which includes a few changes to the book selections, converted to spiral-bound student books and separated the Teacher's Guides into two separate books rather than one combined.
How It Works:
Both StoryTime and More StoryTime are layed out the same way with a series of lessons that correspond with the reading selections. The teacher and child are to read through selections together, allowing for the student to have ample time reading aloud. Each lesson highlights different types of language elements like vocabulary, capitalization, parts of speech, comprehension and includes different activities such as word scrambles, drawing/coloring, fill in the blank, and even some math equations! Both Teacher Guides provide answers to questions and activities, but also a layout of procedures or activities that go along with that day and/or section of the book. The Teacher Guides recommend a possible 5 day schedule, but ultimately recommends the teacher/parent to use their best judgement for each circumstance.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/memoriapress/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MemoriaPress
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/memoriapress/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/memoriapress
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memoriapress/
Memoria offers so much and the Review Crew got to review a variety of their Literature Guides. If you have different grade level needs, click the link below to read other product reviews from Memoria!
What We Received:
We received StoryTime Treasures Student Study Guide with its Teacher Guide and More StoryTime Student Study Guide with its Teacher Guide totaling 4 books in all. The target grade level for these books is 1st grade.
A few years ago, we reviewed part of this product with my oldest son and this time we're getting a chance to use the entire set with my daughter! Since that time they have release a 2nd edition of the set which includes a few changes to the book selections, converted to spiral-bound student books and separated the Teacher's Guides into two separate books rather than one combined.
Both StoryTime and More StoryTime are layed out the same way with a series of lessons that correspond with the reading selections. The teacher and child are to read through selections together, allowing for the student to have ample time reading aloud. Each lesson highlights different types of language elements like vocabulary, capitalization, parts of speech, comprehension and includes different activities such as word scrambles, drawing/coloring, fill in the blank, and even some math equations! Both Teacher Guides provide answers to questions and activities, but also a layout of procedures or activities that go along with that day and/or section of the book. The Teacher Guides recommend a possible 5 day schedule, but ultimately recommends the teacher/parent to use their best judgement for each circumstance.
How We Used It:
While it makes sense to work through the pieces of literature in the order they appear in the workbook, the Teacher's Guide never explicitly says that you must and little, if any, of the information taught really builds on the previous stories' activities. Since we didn't have access to all of the books in order right away, we decided to skip around with what we had. Miss Z is quite the reader and loves all things school so she had no problem jumping from Little Bear to Caps For Sale and then to Billy and Blaze. In all cases she had already read the book before we sat down to work through the Student Guide so our initial reading was always her secondary at least. Caps for Sale is a book we have owned since she was a baby so in some of it she could even quote it. Still, breaking down vocabulary words and testing for comprehension was useful and important in sharpening her skills. Not to mention it highlighted how much we need to work on her handwriting! ;)
What We Thought:
As to be expected, miss Z and I enjoyed our enhanced Story Time and it was perfectly suited for her grade level. She didn't need a ton of help, but when she did we had really good conversations about aspects of the story or definitions of words. While a teacher could get by without the Teacher Guide because the Student Guide's directions are self-explanatory, the Teacher Guide really allows you to get the most out of the activities and maximize your student's learning. That is especially true if you are working with a struggling or new reader. The focus on their phonics skills is extremely beneficial in the reading process. If you have an early reader that you are wanting to begin literature activities with, I would even recommend getting this and stretching out stories and activities further to slowly but surely build momentum in the area.
Follow Memoria Press on Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MemoriaPress
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/memoriapress/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/memoriapress
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memoriapress/
Memoria offers so much and the Review Crew got to review a variety of their Literature Guides. If you have different grade level needs, click the link below to read other product reviews from Memoria!
No comments:
Post a Comment