StoryTime Treasures REVIEW

No matter how you slice it you just can't go wrong with Memoria Press.  I have so enjoyed doing reviews for them and using their awesome products.  Our newest review of StoryTime Treasures Student Guide and Answer Key and More StoryTime Treasures Student Guide and Answer Key is no different.  A wonderful, engaging curriculum that Little Bug has been enjoying.  She just LOVES to read!!  I received a full year curriculum that includes both sets listed.  I did NOT receive the reading books that you would normally get when you purchase this classical curriculum.  We just used the library to get our books.  Thank heavens for interlibrary loans!

We covered Little Bear first and I forgot to take a picture!

All manuals are softcover with a nice quality heavy duty glossy paper covers.  I really like that the student guide is spiral bound which makes it easier for Little Bug to write in and complete her assignments.  StoryTime Treasures consists of 14 weeks of lessons that cover 4 books.  Each lesson is geared to be done in a week and there is a guide that has assignments for 5 days.  You can, of course, adjust the schedule to fit your individual needs, but the 5-day schedule worked just fine for us.  As I stated before, when you purchase this curriculum set online, it includes the reading books you need.  In More StoryTime Treasures you read 7 books over a 15 week period (15 total lessons).  The books included and lessons to complete are listed below:

StoryTime Treasures

• Little Bear - 4 lessons
• Frog and Toad are Friends - 5 lessons
• Caps for Sale - 2 lessons
• Make Way for Ducklings - 3 lessons

More StoryTime Treasures

• Billy and Blaze- 2 lessons
• Blaze and the Forest Fire - 2 lessons
• Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie - 2 lessons
• Stone Soup - 2 lessons
• The Little House - 3 lessons
• Miss Rumphius - 2 lessons
• The Story About Ping - 2 lessons

She is really enjoying reading Little Bear

I really like the classical education approach to this reading curriculum. It incorporates many aspects of language arts including vocabulary, phonics, spelling, composition, capitalization, punctuation, handwriting, sentence structure, comprehension, and probably a few more!  Their idea of actual books "as opposed to controlled vocabulary readers" lends to the Charlotte Mason style teaching I like so much.  Little Bug is being exposed to much more complicated words and sentencing that is stretching her reading ability and I can see her growing in leaps and bounds.  I am continually fascinated by her current reading ability.

Our daily lessons consist of the suggested course per the teacher guide. There are pre-reading assignments to complete that include phonics.  I still have not purchased the phonic card set (must do that as soon as funds are available!) so I just review the sounds listed without them for now. The general structure of the lesson plan is as follows:

• Pre-reading Activities
• Preparing to Read
• Syllabication
• Reading
• Post-reading Activities
• Comprehension Questions
• Other Activities (new and old phonograms)
• Word Study/Say Each Word
• Read each sentence and define the bold word
• Comprehension Questions/Fill-in-the-blank
• Language Lesson (Let's Talk, Let's Learn, Something to Do)
• Just for Fun

Weekly Model Lesson Plan

Sample Daily Lesson with Answer Key from Teacher's Guide

The Model Lesson Plan is what we are following.  It works for us.  You can modify it as necessary to fit your needs.  We generally complete a lesson in 20 minutes or less. I have also been doing more oral work when the assignment calls for complete sentence answers because she is just not ready for this yet.  She will be soon and I look forward to her continued growth in this area.  Samples of some of our daily lessons follow.

"How to Use" from the Student Guide

Part of Day 1 Lesson from Little Bear

Fill-In-The-Blanks assignment

Let's Talk/Let's Learn (Day 4 lesson)

Just for Fun (Day 5)

There are sections from the Teacher Guide that ask you to write on the board (classroom or coop situation) and we just use a write-on/wipe-off board for those sections.  Little Bug is like her older brother and really doesn't like the writing parts so much, but she is generally enjoying this program.  She really likes the diversity (things change up from day to day and keeps her engaged) and especially the art/coloring parts!  The one thing I really didn't like was the choice of font for the copy words.  I really don't like the style of "a" and that she won't listen to me a write a traditional "a" despite my constant corrections.

I do NOT like the font for the letter "a"

I can't end this without sharing one of the assignments that tickled me to no end.  If you know my daughter, you know she LOVES Chinese food.  One of the assignments asked about where she wanted to go.  She said, "China" which I found interesting considering my heritage is part Chinese (my grandmother is full-blooded Chinese).  When I asked her why she started to talk about the food and I realized after she drew her picture that she was talking about a Chinese buffet restaurant we go to every so often (not the actual country!  LOL).  I couldn't stop chuckling about it.

China, LOL!!!

While we, of course, have not used More StoryTime Treasures (we are still on Frog and Toad are Friends) it has much the same structure with more advanced books and a little more complex assignments.  While it is helpful if you completed their First Start series prior to this curriculum (you can check out my review on that here), it is not necessary.  I do suggest you get the phonics cards which I plan to get as soon as I can. You can connect with Memoria Press on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, YOUTUBE, and INSTAGRAM.

I think StoryTime Treasures Student Guide and Answer Key and More StoryTime Treasures Student Guide and Answer Key are wonderful classical education language arts resources and I highly recommend them.  Visit Memoria  Press on their website to view and download sample pages.  Please also check out the reviews from my fellow Crew members by clicking on the graphic link below.  We reviewed several of their products so there may be some others you may want to check out. Happy reading!

Simply Classical Writing REVIEW

Memoria Press comes through again with a curriculum written for special needs learners (slower-paced and more repetition).  Simply Classical Writing Book One: Step-by-Step Sentences (Bible Story Edition) and Simply Classical Writing Book Two: Step-by-Step Sentences (Bible Story Edition) with Teacher Key.  They are recommended for 1st-3rd grade.  I received physical copies of these softcover books.  I received a copy of Book One, Book Two, and the Teacher Key for Book Two. Book One referenced a teacher key but I do not see one available on their site.  It does not seem to need a key since it is pretty self-explanatory as you go through the lessons and follow the suggestions at the beginning of the book.  When I reviewed the information in order to decide on doing this review I COMPLETELY missed that this was written for special needs students.  That being said, it has NOT been too easy for Little Bug.  It has been a good challenge for her especially as she slowly learns to follow directions!

Book One has 118 pages and consists of 34 weeks of lessons (an entire year of curriculum). There is a nice Certificate of Completion and a template at the end of the book (that can be photocopied) that has a blank outline for the weekly lessons for extra practice.  Book One includes Teacher Notes and Rules About Sentences at the beginning of the book.  The Rules about Sentences include things like the basics, types of sentences, essentials ("I" is always capitalized), spacing, sentence structure, special rules (i.e. contractions), etc.  The Teacher Notes include suggested supplies, about and how to teach the curriculum, day by day suggested schedules and special instructions on how to adapt the program if it is too easy or difficult.  There are suggestions for One, Two, Three, or Four-day schedules.  The schedule we chose was to use the program 4 days per week which allowed me to break the lessons down into VERY short lessons.

Teacher Notes

Sample Rules about Sentences

This is the "Bible Story Edition" so the recommended bible to use for Book One is "A Child's Garden of Bible Stories."  but the instructions mention that you can also use any child's bible you would like that would cover the topics that are assigned.  We used "The Child's Story Bible" by Catherine F. Vos.  The bible is simply used to read the current Bible story being covered.

A typical week that consists of 4 days for us included Little Bug writing the date and her name at the top of the page.  There is a title (the Bible story to read) and a small picture for her to color if she wants.  Then there is a list of directions to follow every day:

• Learn the Rules (from the Rules about Sentences pages)
• Apply the Rules (use colored pencils/crayons to mark examples of the rules)
• Write the Rules (includes decodable and read-aloud sentences, creating a sentence, and a challenge sentence)

Weekly lesson samples

For Day 1 we would complete the first page that included writing the date and her name, reading the bible story, and then the daily directions.  Then we would do the Decodable Sentence that included copying the sentence exactly as she saw it on the page.  There is also a scripture at the bottom of each week that you can use as memorization for the week.

Reading passages from our Bible

For Day 2 we would review the rules and read and copy the Read-a-loud sentence.

For Day 3 we would complete the Create a Sentence which entailed using the rules to capitalize the beginning of the sentence and remembering to use the proper end mark.  Then she would use crayons to circle the rules.  Some example of the rules:

• Green for Go - circle capital letters in green
• Red for stop - circle end marks in red
• Blue for special - circle names of people, places, and things in blue

For Day 4 we would not do the Challenge Sentence because she is just not ready for that right now (she just completed kindergarten) but we did discuss the story.  She did Illustrate the story (by drawing a picture) but again, I did not have her describe her picture in writing, just verbally.  We will work on the more intense writing in the fall.

Because I don't want her to miss out on the extra writing exercises we are going to table this curriculum to be used in the fall.  I am excited to know we will have this part of her curriculum covered!

Book Two TOC

I also received Book Two Student Guide with the Teacher Key. Book Two Teacher Key has 155 pages consisting of a Table of Contents, Teacher Notes (same as Book One), and Rules About Sentences (same as Book One).  It also covers 34 weeks of lessons for a full year of curriculum.  The recommended Bible to use for Book Two is "The Story Bible" (2011, Concordia Publishing House).  In Book Two you will cover Sentences, Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Agreement, Commas & Apostrophes, Synonyms & Antonyms, Describing, and Organizing.  There are reviews built in throughout the year.

Book Two Student Guide and Teacher Key

A typical week in Book Two consists of:

• Lesson A: Apply te Rules
• Lesson B: Build Your Skills
• Lesson C: Choose Descriptive Words
• Lesson D: Draw and Describe

Book Two Week 1 Sample lesson

The lessons are much the same format as in Book One but at a more advanced level.  You are still writing and copying sentences but again, at a more advanced level with more inferences for your sentence structure.  For example, sometimes you are answering a question to form the sentences you are writing.  There are also fill-in-the-blank sections.  At the end of the book, there is an Appendix that includes a listing of the weekly lessons with a coordinating scripture and pages to read from "The Story Bible."  The lessons are simple and short just as in Book One. Unless we accelerate through Book One, Book Two will be perfect for her 2nd-grade curriculum.

Little Bug is enjoying the lessons and the shortness of the lessons makes it even better and doable for her.  We give Simply Classical Writing Book One: Step-by-Step Sentences (Bible Story Edition) and Simply Classical Writing Book Two: Step-by-Step Sentences (Bible Story Edition) with Teacher Key a thumbs up and will add it to our scheduled curriculum in the fall.





You can connect with Memoria Press on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, YOUTUBE or INSTAGRAM.

Please be sure to check out the other reviews on this and a few of their other curriculum by selecting the graphic link below.

Classical Phonics and First Start Reading REVIEW

I just love curriculum from Memoria Press and their classical education products so when given a chance to review Classical Phonics with the First Start Reading Program I said yes!  Little Bug just loves reading now and she definitely could always use help and reinforcement with her phonics and writing. I received physical copies of the books.  They are geared for kindergarten to first and second grade (kindergarten and first grade but the classical phonics could be used through 2nd grade if necessary).

The First Start Reading Program consists of the main Teacher Guide, Books A-D, Teacher Guide for Book E, and Book E.  Books A-D are for kindergarten and Book E is for 1st grade.  The Classical Phonics book is a stand-alone book but best used in conjunction with any phonics program.  The Phonics book is a recreation of a book from 1913 from author Florence Akin.  It has been reworked to be more organized and flow better with specific word groupings.

Book E and Teacher Guide for Book E (1st grade)

She loves to color

Classical Phonics is a 139-page soft cover book that contains phonetically arranged word lists and includes almost all of the English phonograms and sounds taught through the second grade.  You can use it as a supplement to any phonics program.  We used it in conjunction with Little Bug's lessons in the First Start Reading Book A that we are currently working on.  It is important that you read the "Suggestions to Teachers" in the appendix of the phonics book to learn how to properly use the book to teach your emergent readers.

Sample pages from Phonics book

The general topics of the Classical Phonics book are as follows:

• Part One: Short-Vowel Words
• Unit 1: Alphabet, CVC words, Plurals, and Possessives
• Unit 2: CVCC words with consonant teams
• Unit 3: CVCC words with consonant blends
• Part Two: Long-Vowel Words
• Unit 4: Silent e words, Long i & o in CVCC words, Soft c and g, and Three sounds of y
• Unit 5: Long-vowel teams
• Part Three: Ten More Vowel Sounds
• Unit6: Vowel teams for five special vowel sounds
• Unit 7: Vowel teams for r-controlled vowels
• Part Four: Advanced Phonics
• Unit 8: Phonograms for short vowels, Advanced phonograms, Suffixes and prefixes/spelling rules, Syllables, and Variable endings

Working on blending

I like the flow of the book and think it will be helpful as we progress in her phonics work. I also like the idea that it does not ask or require the children to memorize the rules but rather learn them through repetition and application of the actual rules.  The phonics and spelling rules are listed in the appendix if needed.

Sample lesson from Book A

Little Bug is REALLY enjoying the First Start Reading Program.  I really like that it lays everything out for you.  It is a full year curriculum with Book E geared for the first half of 1st grade (can also be completed at end of kindergarten year or during the summer before 1st grade).  Books A-D cover printing, the alphabet, short and long vowels, silent e, consonant blends, and four h-diagraphs.  Book E covers long-vowel teams, three sounds of y, and soft c/g.  The Teacher's Guide walks you through each lesson and even gives you scripts you can use in teaching the material.  It goes into much more depth than what you see on the workbook pages. You work through phonics recitation, letter name and sounds, tongue training and ear training.  You continue the lessons with letter formation for writing practice.  The Phonics book explains to you about the importance of ear and tongue training and walks you through how to work with your child on both skills.  The writing aspect is an absolute bonus!  Your child will learn proper letter formation and have ample practice with copywork and learning to use lined paper for good penmanship.  Dictation is also practiced in the review lessons.

Tongue and Ear Training

Since she is already working on a reading program and can already read, we are using the Phonics and the First Start Reading as supplements and she completes about 3 lessons per week right now.  I will probably increase to daily over the summer with hopes that we can maybe double up on some lessons and get her ready for Book E when she starts 1st grade next school year.  Even though she knows the material we are working on, it has been a good review for her and she really loves working on it (she's all about workbook pages!!).  Plus I feel that as we progress it will help her to have a more complete foundation in her phonics work.  It is such a good foundation for being a better speller in the future and able to decipher words she doesn't know.  First Start Reading has your child reading their first sentence as soon as lesson 5!  Because of the teaching method, your child will not be overwhelmed and have confidence in reading.  By lesson 23 they read their first short story.

First Short Story with comprehension and critical thinking questions

I am glad we had a chance to review Classical Phonics with the First Start Reading Program from Memoria Press.  I recommend it especially if you have not started a phonics program yet.  Even if you are currently working on a phonics program I urge you to check this one out.  It might be a better fit or even good as a supplement like we are doing right now.

You can connect with Memoria Press on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, and YOUTUBE.  Please be sure to also check out the other reviews on this curriculum and others on Latin and Poetry by clicking on the link below.