Starfall

Starfall

Bibliographic Information

www.starfall.com

Starfall . Starfall: Homepage. n.d. 9 May 2014.

Description

Starfall was created by the Polis-Schutz family in 2002.

Starfall.com opened in September of 2002 as a free public service to teach children to read with phonics. Our systematic phonics approach, in conjunction with phonemic awareness practice, is perfect for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, special education, homeschool, and English language development (ELD, ELL, ESL). Starfall is an educational alternative to other entertainment choices for children. (Starfall )

Starfall contains many free options. However there is also a store where users can purchase items like books. Also available is the Starfall Kindergarten Curriculum for under $1000 or a Home school kit for under $350.00 as well a Preschool option at $395.00 for the Classroom Kit and $185.00 for the Homeschool Kit.

Children can have fun while learning. Some of the thing that are available are ABC lessons, counting lesson, read to me books, learn to read books and holiday themed activities just to name a few.  There is also a section on 1^st grade Common Core reading and math. The games and videos are simple and range from letter sounds, to sounding out words, to matching.Parents will like the section which explains the most beneficial way to use the website. 

Quantitative Reading Level-Website Information for parents

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 7.8

Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease: 62.9

ATOS Level: 7.8

Qualitative Reading Level-Website Navigation

Purpose: Low. The purpose is explicitly stated.  

Structure: Low. The organization is simple, there are explicit connections between ideas and conforms to the conventions of the genre. 

Language: Low. The language used is contemporary and conversational. It is clear and explicit and easy-to-understand. 

Knowledge Demands:  Low.  Requires only everyday practical knowledge and familiarity with the conventions of the genre.

Content Area

English, Math

Subject Area Tag

English, Math, Media Item

Content Area Standard
*I chose to use grade 1 because that is the highest level of information provided by Starfall.
NYS Reading Standards for Literature Grade 1

1. Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

2. Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

3. Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

4. Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.

5. Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types.

6. Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.

7. Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

9. Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.

 a. With prompting and support, students will make cultural connections to text and self.

10. With prompting and support, read prose and poetry of appropriate complexity for grade 1.

11.  Make connections between self, text, and the world around them (text, media, social interaction).

NYS Math for Grade 1:

Operations and Algebraic Thinking

·   Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.

·   Understand and apply properties of operations and the relationship between addition and subtraction.

·   Add and subtract within 20.

·   Work with addition and subtraction equations.

Number and Operations in Base Ten

·   Extend the counting sequence.

·   Understand place value.

·   Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract

Measurement and Data

·   Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units.

Curriculum Suggestions

• Use in computer lab
• Allow students to use in-turn class, while the teacher is working with other students

Links to Supporting Digital Content

ABC Mouse-similar website, but there is a fee

www.abcmouse.com

Reading Bear

http://www.readingbear.org/

Optional:

I chose this because this is something that my son uses in school in computer lab or library. Because his teacher knows that my son LOVES the computer, she will let him use the classroom computer if he missed computer time because he was in OT, PT or speech.