Title: Big IQ Kids Website
Vendor: Synergy1 Group, Inc.
Target Ages: Grade K - 8
Format: on-line
Price: free or fee-based based on programs options
You can learn about the options here.
From the Big IQ website:
The Queen's Assessment:
Price: free or fee-based based on programs options
You can learn about the options here.
From the Big IQ website:
BigIQkids Programs
Spelling: With a over 30,000 word dictionary, SpellingTime comes pre-loaded with 40 lessons for K-8th grade appropriate word lists. Or, as a parent or teacher, you can easily enter your own word lists and SpellingTime will automatically create a week’s worth of lessons, quizzes and tests around your own list with the goal of achieving 100% on the Friday spelling test.
Math: You can set up a child's lesson to mirror what they are doing in their current curriculum. For example, if the child is on double digit addition and single digit multiplication, the program can focus on just these two areas providing invaluable practice and reinforcement that is certain to provide them with the tools to ace their next test. Or, BigMathTime can automatically generate grade specific and subject specific lessons as per your requirements.
Vocabulary: With an extensive library of elementary through SAT prep words, BigVocabTime comes pre-loaded with word lists OR, as a parent or teacher, you can easily enter your own word lists and the program will automatically create a week’s worth of lessons, quizzes and tests around your own list with the goal of achieving 100% on the week’s vocabulary test.
U.S. States: Every elementary student will be confronted with the need to know their US State facts to mastery. BigStatesTime is the ultimate tool in learning the state's location, capital, spelling, abbreviations and general state facts. The program allows parents/teachers to add additional facts which will be included in the child's lessons and the program culminates in a “State Mastery Exam” that, if passed with 100% mastery, awards the child a State Master Certificate.
The Queen's Assessment:
We used the Math, Spelling, and U.S. States portions of this site as a supplement to our regular curriculum.
In the math section, I was able to customize the worksheets. I determined which percentage of each operation, which fact family to work on, and how many problems were on each sheet. While doing the online worksheet, the student is given an immediate feedback as to whether the answer is correct. If incorrect, the correct answer is given. The prince liked doing these worksheets. He liked to watch the "thumbs up" signs to indicate a correct answer. I liked that the ability to customize the sheets. I would have liked to be able to work on more than one fact family at a time. The prince would even groan if he had what appeared to be all of one fact family.
The spelling section was great. Again, it was customizable. As the teacher, I was able to delete the built-in words and add words that were in our spelling plan for the week. The prince really liked the spelling. He liked the little cartoon characters that popped up between each question. I thought it was really interesting that no matter which words I chose to enter, BigIQKids had example sentences at-the-ready to use with the lessons.
The U.S. States was another part that the prince liked. Our history lesson has been an overview of U.S. history including trivia about each state. This gave a review of what we were learning already and an intro to what we have yet to learn.
Another area that is customizable is the rewards section. For each lesson completed, the student can be rewarded with coins to play the available games. I say "can be rewarded" because this can also be turned to a "weekend only" option or turned off all together. I found this as a great motivator for the prince to finish his lessons. He actually had some days where it was all we could do to stay focused to get through the lessons. (He is a 7-year-old boy, after all.) Imagine his surprise to come back and find that he had 9 coins saved!!! I found some of the games hard to understand, a few were just weird, and one had a naked guy on a bicycle. Granted, ""Naked Guy" was a cartoon and you couldn't tell if he was anatomically correct. BUUUUT: he was still there, and I thought you should know.
Other Homeschool Crew Members reviewed this product. Be sure to find out what they thought at The Homeschool Crew Blog.
In the math section, I was able to customize the worksheets. I determined which percentage of each operation, which fact family to work on, and how many problems were on each sheet. While doing the online worksheet, the student is given an immediate feedback as to whether the answer is correct. If incorrect, the correct answer is given. The prince liked doing these worksheets. He liked to watch the "thumbs up" signs to indicate a correct answer. I liked that the ability to customize the sheets. I would have liked to be able to work on more than one fact family at a time. The prince would even groan if he had what appeared to be all of one fact family.
The spelling section was great. Again, it was customizable. As the teacher, I was able to delete the built-in words and add words that were in our spelling plan for the week. The prince really liked the spelling. He liked the little cartoon characters that popped up between each question. I thought it was really interesting that no matter which words I chose to enter, BigIQKids had example sentences at-the-ready to use with the lessons.
The U.S. States was another part that the prince liked. Our history lesson has been an overview of U.S. history including trivia about each state. This gave a review of what we were learning already and an intro to what we have yet to learn.
Another area that is customizable is the rewards section. For each lesson completed, the student can be rewarded with coins to play the available games. I say "can be rewarded" because this can also be turned to a "weekend only" option or turned off all together. I found this as a great motivator for the prince to finish his lessons. He actually had some days where it was all we could do to stay focused to get through the lessons. (He is a 7-year-old boy, after all.) Imagine his surprise to come back and find that he had 9 coins saved!!! I found some of the games hard to understand, a few were just weird, and one had a naked guy on a bicycle. Granted, ""Naked Guy" was a cartoon and you couldn't tell if he was anatomically correct. BUUUUT: he was still there, and I thought you should know.
Other Homeschool Crew Members reviewed this product. Be sure to find out what they thought at The Homeschool Crew Blog.
Disclaimer: This was a review of my experience with the product described. I tried to give a complete and honest assessment. In order to review the product, I received a free trial of the program with no additional compensation. This in no way influenced my review of the product. The opinions expressed are my own and were not affected or edited by anyone prior to publishing.
The grass is green. It’s good to be
Friday, March 25, 2011