A few weeks ago, Rachel at Sun Scholars offered me the chance to review her 2012 Sun Scholars program. Man, was I impressed! It is a flexible 12 week program that is fun, but educational at the same it. Weekly, the program encompasses all major subjects – reading, writing, math, art, social studies, science, health, and life skills – with each week focusing on a different theme. Each day includes four 15-minute lessons to complete. One day’s lessons takes no more than 1-1.5 hours. Then if your child is interested in the subject, you can take the time to explore more. Each activity for the day is listed on a printable 1/2 sheet of paper, detailing directions, materials needed, extensions, and adaptations for younger and older children.
The weekly themes are:
- Getting started
- Mail Mania
- Animal Fun
- Mice, Cookies, and More
- The Great Outdoors
- Beach Party
- Secret Agents in Training
- Fun with Fairytales
- Space Explorers
- Back to School
- Hocus Pocus
- Incredible Me
I love how the program incorporates writing using a journal, calendar skills, and creating an address book – all great practical life activities that are then applied. For instance, in week 1, you build an address book. In week 2, the child writes a letter to someone. Later, in week 6, the child creates a letter in a bottle, and uses the address book to write the address on the outside of the bottle.
This same idea of creating a useful finished product that is repeatedly used throughout the program – for the journal, calendar skills, and other aspects of the program. Plus, an illustration of the final product as well as any printables needed are included within each task card!
We decided to explore week 9 – Space Explorers. There were so many great activities in it. I loved that it incorporated math, science, writing, and art all together in the unit!
Here’s a sample of what one of the 4 daily task cards looks like:
…. and here’s our finished result of it! (Complements of my cute 4 year old nephew, who participated with us one day!)
Buy it:
You can purchase the full 12 week program on sale now for $30! Believe me, it is WELL worth this value. I am already planning on going back and starting at week 2, Mail Mania, and continuing through the rest of the summer, because Aikman has enjoyed this program so much!
Win in:
Wanna win a copy for FREE?
Leave me a comment below stating why you would be interested in this program. Make sure you include your email address. I will select a winner on May 31 via random.org. This giveaway is open internationally.
45 comments:
Hi Leann! This looks like a fabulous {and simple to implement} program to try out with my girls. I'd love to win! Thanks for offering the giveaway.
This would be an awesome program for summer and still be in touch with academics! Thanks!
This sounds like a fun way to spend summer and learn at the same time. Thanks!!
My daughter loves continuing our learning during the summer...I usually need a little encouragement to do that extra planning after a year of schoolwork. This looks engaging without being heavy handed and it is all laid out (less prep for me!). I'm sold, Thanks!
This sounds like something my daughter would love! Perfect for the summer 'break'!
jkdemeyere@yahoo.com
I would like to win because I think the activities would be a wonderful addition to our summer camp program. It seems like a quality program.
Stephanie sconrad@carlow.edu
Leann, thanks for the great review of the Sun Scholars Summer Program, and THANK YOU for hosting this giveaway!!! :) You rock!
I love this!! My daughter attended a Montessori pre-k and K. Unfortunately, the school does not progress to 1st grade and so we enrolled her in public school. While the public school was good, it does not compare to the Montessori education and thus I have made the daunting decision to homeschool her next year! I also have a 3 y.o. as well as a new baby which will make it challenging. This compilation would go a long way toward establishing a Montessori curriculum/ lifestyle in our home. allee78@me.com
I love this!! My daughter attended a Montessori pre-k and K. Unfortunately, the school does not progress to 1st grade and so we enrolled her in public school. While the public school was good, it does not compare to the Montessori education and thus I have made the daunting decision to homeschool her next year! I also have a 3 y.o. as well as a new baby which will make it challenging. This compilation would go a long way toward establishing a Montessori curriculum/ lifestyle in our home. allee78@me.com
I love this!! My daughter attended a Montessori pre-k and K. Unfortunately, the school does not progress to 1st grade and so we enrolled her in public school. While the public school was good, it does not compare to the Montessori education and thus I have made the daunting decision to homeschool her next year! I also have a 3 y.o. as well as a new baby which will make it challenging. This compilation would go a long way toward establishing a Montessori curriculum/ lifestyle in our home. allee78@me.com
I have read such wonderful things about Montessori education but unfortunately there are no Montessori centres anywhere near where we live. I would love this program to be able to use this with my daughters. smmort@bigpond.net.au
Wow! This sounds amazing and something you could use again and again. My daughters would love this!
I'd love to win this program because it covers so many areas! I've been following Sun Scholars for awhile and it sounds like a blast!
nodoubtlearning(at)gmail(dot)com
This program sounds like something I could adapt across all 3 of my girls! And, I love the flexibility it provides.
kris (at) tmcneese (dot) con
This would be a great resource for me to use with my kids as well to use in the classroom. It really looks wonderful. My email is kateriley11@gmail.com
I love the look of this program. Seems like a very fun way to approach learning and it would be awesome to win it for my 4 kids. :-)
lamairs81@yahoo.com
What a fun program. would love to win it for my kiddos.
mcschlansker at gmail dot com
I would LOVE to try this with my kids! They are so spread out in age, but this looks like I could tie them all together.
carriecolby@yahoo.com
this kit looks amazing! with 4 kids, I'm always looking for new ways to keep them entertained - and secretly learning over the summer, too! I would love to win this great kit!
this program looks like it encompasses enough fun and educational items to keep both my son and daughter happy over the summer break! Would love to win this kit!! uimw81@gmail.com
I love this! My niece and son are both three years old. They would really benefit from this program. Better yet, they would really enjoy spending time together 'working' on these activities. As an elementary level special education teacher, I could also incorporate this into my teaching. My email address is:
sharon_school@yahoo.com
This looks AMAZING! I love to do things like this with the neighborhood kids. I have been unemployed for nearly two years--so this would be wonderful to win!
heathereteacher@gmail.com
This looks like a great program, and a wonderful answer to what will we do today :) I have a playgroup in the summer where this would be great!! Thank you! amanda_shepard@hotmail.com
Living in NV, it is SO HOT during the summer! We don't have the luxury of playing outside again until September. This kit would be a great way to spend part of our days.
uaxostacy @ hotmail dot com
What a fun way to learn :) my kids would enjoy this
Thanks for the chance to win the program.
Meghardie@yahoo.ca
This looks like a fun casual way to use for summer time or any time. Thanks for the chance to win.
For me, I'm just planning on starting homeschool and feel overwhelmed but I know I want to do SOMETHING homeschool related this summer to get into the swing of things. This seems like the perfect avenue to take.
suz_morales@yahoo.com
I wasblooking for something to do this summer with my daughter and this looks so fun. Additionally my oldest daughter is looking into Montesorri methods with possible plans of teaching. This would give us a great indicator of what a Monte. Education might look like. Thank you!
We are always looking for a place to stay focused during play!!!
Akobrien@mac.com
I've got three boys and I've been trying to figure out how to keep them busy for the summer...this would be great! johnandkara(at)gmail(dot)com
WOWZA! I am a homeschooling mama who is indeed ready for the break that SUMMER offers! I think this looks like a fantastic way to have fun, and secretly squeeze in some education as well!!! Thanks for offering this!!
leahkjones@yahoo.com
Wow, this sounds like a ton of fun! I am sure my daughter would enjoy it!
I would love to win this because I run a daycare and want to do "screen-free" activities with the kids! Thanks for offering this opportunity! lrmouw@gmail.com.
This would be an amazing win for my girls to use this summer! Thanks for sharing.
This sounds great!!! I am sure my dd would love it! Its so easy to do nothing during the summer, but I would really like to have a program that is fun and planned by somebody else :)
lol
I think this would be a wonderful addition to our summer camp program. We're always looking for activities which can be tied to learning in a fun and engaging way. maney.gale(at)garrettcollege.edu
Would be great way to combine fun and learning with my grandchildren this summer, thanks!!! machilliard@verizon.net
This sounds like so much fun! I'm always looking for Montessori-inspired projects and things to do with my little one.
Thank you for giving the review. We love learning and need a new program for the summer. We homeschool year-round and my spunky boy thought this looked like a lot of fun for the coming weeks. He says he would start right away if we won it. Again thank you for giving the review and letting us get a look at such a fun time of learning.
Gretchen
gretchen_morrison@hotmail.com
This sounds great! I'm looking for something for my two kids so I can avoid hearing the dreaded... "I'm bored" this summer. This looks like a lot of fun and will be a springboard for them to find things to keep learning all summer too!
Michelle
michelle.levesque@gmail.com
Looks like a great way to keep the kids busy and engaged in fun activities.
Laura
lmcabral@gmail.com
This looks like a fun way to keep my kids occupied for the summer but still learning! Thanks for the review Rachel
rach@yahoo.com
What an exciting thing to do this summer to get Cohen ready for starting homeschool this Fall!!! We are new to the homeschool world and would love any advise, direction, feedback on curriculum and manipulatives, and what works for others...and does not work. I know that we would truly enjoy this!!!
Thanks...
Karla Taylor (karlamtaylor@hotmail.com)
My kids would enjoy this over the summer. ginger@gallatin.net
I would love to try this program out. This would be perfect for my kiddos to cover all subjects. What a blessing this would be to our homeschooling family. Thanks for the opportunity. Connie
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