Starfall
Description
Starfall is a website and an app that focuses on teaching students phonics skills and how to read through exploration, play and positive reinforcement. Starfall has games, read alongs, songs and much more to keep students engaged in their learning!
Cost: Free, Classroom membership is $150/year
Click on the app icon to check it out!
Details
Starfall is a website and app that lets children learn about reading and math through exploration. Starfall teaches students through positive reinforcement so students stay motivated and captivated by this experience. With many different games students are going to gain reading and phonics skills.
- 4 reading levels- learning ABC's, early beginning reading, intermediate beginning reading and advanced beginning reading
- Games that help teach the ABC's
- Books come to life before and while reading.
- Songs included on the website and app
- More of a variety of books to choose from the higher the level you reach.
- Free resources for teachers
- Complete curriculum guide for kindergarten
Available on: IOS, Google Play, Chromebooks and computers
Student Use
Students get so much use out of this app because the premise of it just looks like a bunch of fun games and activities. Students will hardly even know or remember they are learning from these games and activities.
- Used most often with pre-school, kindergarten and sometimes first grade students
- Early kindergarteners gravitate toward ABC's and counting activities
- More advanced students will love finding and reading their favorite storybooks.
- Students love listening and singing along to the songs.
- Students will be practicing vocabulary, high frequency words, comprehension and more.
Blending Traditional with Technology
Starfall provides complete units for kindergarten incorporating the app, manipulatives, whole group, small group and individual practice. On the website in the parent-teacher resources section there are places to create custom ELA and math worksheets, custom printables, books that you can project using a smartboard or similar device and printable downloads. Below is their unit 1 plan for kindergarten and the first week of lessons to check out.
Education, S. (2013, October 18). Starfall FREE. Retrieved from https://apps.apple.com/us/app/starfall-free/id707189889
Starfall. (2002). Retrieved from https://www.starfall.com/h/
Starfall Free & Member - Apps on Google Play. (2017). Retrieved from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.starfall.more&hl=en_US