Review Actual Size Science By Sunflower Education

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Sunflower Education is a Texas based publisher creating who creates educational based materials for teachers, parents and students. Currently they offer a variety of fun science, social studies and language arts materials available.

A moms review:,
We received a digital copy of Actual Size Science thanks to Sunflower Education & Educents to review. They also offered a copy of both Actual Size Science and Social Studies to giveaway on my blog enter here today is the last day!!!

It was raining for about 4 days straight here in GA earlier this week which meant the kids were cooped up indoors. Boredom was starting to set in...but Tuesday the sun finally showed itself so I told the kids to grab our box of chalk and we headed outside for some fun. But we had more than fun we had a blast learning while drawing gigantic pictures using our Actual Size Science eBook. The eBook (PDF) was very easy to load onto my Nexus Tablet using Dropbox and a PDF reader. I pulled up the eBook and read the 36 lesson options the to children so they could pick which ones they wanted to do. They choose to do the Sharks, Condor and Biggest Snakes lessons.

The lessons in the Actual Size Science include:
Life Science
-Dinosaurs
-Blue Whale
-Giant Squid
-Sharks
-Polar Bear
-Bison (American Buffalo)
-Elephant
-Condor
-Tallest Tree
-Giant Kelp
-Termite Mound
-Biggest Snakes
-Biggest Spider

Physical Science
-The Grand Canyon
-Great Barrier Reef
-Mount Everest
-The Matterhorn
-Uhuru (Ayers Rock)
-Victoria Falls
-Deepest Water
-Amazon River
-Clouds
-Eye of a Hurricane
-Solar System

Technology
-First Aircraft
-First Computer
-Sputnik
-Mercury Capsule
-International Space Station
-Hubble Telescope
-Large Hadron Collider
-Tallest Dam
-Deepest Drilling
-Longest Train
-Largest Truck

There are two great Actual Size eBooks available Actual Size Science and Actual Size Social Studies ...and I really hope they make more! As the name suggest these books are all about creating actual size (full scale) drawings or diagrams using sidewalk chalk. Use your playground, driveway or parking lot (in our case) as a giant canvas to learn while having FUN!

These books are a fabulous resource for both parents and teachers. They can be used in classrooms, homeschools, camps, etc. It is a fun learning aid/supplement for children of all ages (and even adults). We had so much fun outside drawing and learning together. There are so many subjects covered in these eBooks including art, math, geography, science and more.

Materials needed:

There are only a few simple materials needed to complete the lessons and we had all the on hand except for a chalk line reel.

-sidewalk chalk
-a meter or yardstick
-a measuring tape and or a measuring wheel (my Lufkin measuring tape came in quite handy)
-a carpenter's square
-chalk line reel
-large concrete area

Lesson breakdown:

Each lesson is broken down the same way. Don't you just love consistency?

The lesson is broken into several sections:
-Introduction - this section tells the lesson topic and gives a brief introduction about what your children will be drawing and learning about.
-Prepare - this section lists the time needed as well as the materials needed for the lesson.
-Focus - this section includes further information about the topic to help get your children excited.
-Present - this section provides step-by-step (approximately 3) instructions for creating the drawing/diagram and leading your children in interacting with it. Important lesson vocab words are also noted in this section.
-Conclude - this section includes ways to wind down the lesson, questions for you and the students to discuss and extension activities.
-Diagram Picture - simple blue prints are provided to help guide your children.

In the beginning of the eBook there is also a great list of vocabulary words as well for quick reference.

Drawing and learning was definitely lots of fun however the most important part of this resource is to  allow your children to have fun and interact with their new creations. My children had a blast comparing their wingspan (I mean arm span) to the Condors. And then they traveled deep into the South American jungle where they had to run from a Giant Anaconda who was still hungry despite just eating a large animal. And then there was the journey deep into the ocean to swim with a Whale Shark. We traveled all over the World, saw amazing creatures and learned amazing facts in one afternoon without ever leaving our parking lot. Now that is education!

I am huge advocate of hand on, fun, engaging learning and Actual Size has accomplished all three!

Lesson plan and blueprint for the Statue of Liberty’s torch.
One of 72 in the two ACTUAL SIZE books

Here are some additional details from the publishers website:

Each of these are teacher resource books that provide blueprints and instructions for creating full-scale, actual-size drawings and diagrams with sidewalk chalk.

There is a huge variety in the 72 science and social studies topics—everything from a Tyrannosaurus Rex to a Viking ship to the Hubble Space Telescope.

Kids can interact with the drawings they help create, using all of their senses as they play, pretend, talk, think, and learn.

KEY FEATURES

• PEDAGOGY - Teacher-created lessons are pedagogically sound and appeal to all learning styles.
• AUTHENTICITY - Blueprints are painstakingly researched and exquisitely accurate.
• SELECTION - Topics are both core knowledge and high-interest.
• VERSATILITY - Endless possibilities for curriculum integration.
• RETENTION - Student recall is much higher with hands-on activities.
• CUTENESS! - Students sit in an actual-size outline of a prairie schooner and talk about what they can fit for their trip West. Kids run the actual length of the Wright Brothers’ flights, arms outstretched. And what could be more fun than looking a life-sized Apatosaurus in the eye, strolling the actual-size deck of the Mayflower, or playing president inside a full-sized Oval Office?

So grab some chalk and get ready for some fun!

Gwyn (6 yrs old) and Rowyns (5 yrs old) review:

This video pretty much says it all.

Links to follow:

-Sunflower Education Website
-Sunflower Education Facebook 
-Sunflower Twitter page

Where to buy:
Both of these books are currently featured on Educents at a 32% discount. But HURRY this deal ends in 7 days!

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