How to Homeschool Math & Science K-2 – The Easy Way!

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Is math becoming a sore subject in your homeschool day? Make things easy with this grab-n-go math and science curriculum from SPORK Education!

I could practically feel the steam hissing out of my ears. My son put the wrong answer down on his math homework. Again. On purpose.

This was the 4th day this week that our homeschool day had dissolved into a power struggle. I wanted him to sit down, focus, and finish his work.

He didn’t.

Putting the wrong answers down on his worksheet was his current favorite way of trying to get out of doing his school work. It never fails to send my blood pressure skyrocketing.

My frustration aside, I was beyond tired of spending my homeschool days fighting with him. We needed a new homeschool math curriculum and we needed one soon!

I was compensated for my time reviewing SPORK Butterfly Math & Science K-2 and writing this post. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided.

The Hunt for a Math Curriculum My Son Doesn’t Hate

That little scene played out longer than I care to admit. I spent a while searching for a homeschool math program my son would actually sit down and do.

While on the hunt, I got an opportunity to try out SPORK Butterfly Math & Science K-2 and it could not have come at a better time. SPORK is a unique curriculum because it combines math and science into a single program.

SPORK is designed for homeschoolers and covers Kindergarten through 2nd grade. It was adapted from a successful program they use in schools, so you know it’s been tried and tested!

My son uses part B, which is suggested for Grade 1 and students 6-7.

The curriculum is broken down into units, each focusing on a specific theme that ties together math and science concepts. I love how they’ve integrated the two subjects!

Considering how well homeschool math and science mesh as children age, it’s refreshing to see them taught together for younger kids. My son loves science, so it’s helped a lot with helping him engage and focus.

A Multi-Faceted Approach: Worksheets, Games, and Hands-On Learning

Another nice feature of SPORK Butterfly Math & Science K-2 is their multi-faceted approach to learning. Rather than sticking with one type of instruction, the program incorporates a mix of teaching methods.

SPORK uses worksheets, online games, and hands-on activities with manipulatives for each lesson. This way, kids can learn in a way that makes sense to them, whether they’re visual learners, kinesthetic learners, or somewhere in between.

A multi-faceted approach also offers more opportunities for review and practice without the boring repetition you often see with other math programs.

The varied teaching methods help my son reinforce math concepts he’s a little shaky on without a lot of fuss.

Why We’ll Use SPORK From Now On

I’m never afraid to try a new program if we’re not happy with our current one, but after a few months, I already know this will be one we use for a long time. Here are a few reasons it’s been such a hit for our homeschool:

My son likes it

I mean, hands down, this is the number 1 reason I’ll stick with it for a while. My son actually likes the program.

When we start with the practice games at the beginning of our homeschool day, I get zero complaints. He happily stops whatever activity he’s doing and sits at the computer.

This is a huge improvement over the whining, running away, hiding, asking for a snack, or 35 other different ways he used to try to get out of doing schoolwork.

The practice games are a game-changer

Another reason I’m so happy with SPORK is how much my son learns from the games. He can be on the stubborn side and often doesn’t like to sit still or focus for much direct instruction.

The games allow him to work through concepts independently. So even if he gets “squirrel brain” and tunes out half of what I say when teaching the new concepts, he can figure it out on his own through the games.

Which allows me to save my energy for teaching other subjects.

The right amount of repetition

Another feature of SPORK that I appreciate is the repetition. Specifically, how they include a lot of repetition, but not all at once.

Repetition is a huge part of learning math for most kids and my son is no different. SPORK regularly circles back to previously learned concepts throughout a unit to reinforce learning.

This is great because my son gets to practice to mastery without drilling something too much at once and getting bored or frustrated.

3-prong approach to learning

Something else that has made SPORK a win for us is the varied types of teaching methods included in the program. It’s another feature that has gone a long way toward making sure my son doesn’t get bored with the program.

We can regularly switch between computer games, worksheets, and hands-on manipulatives all within the same lesson. This helps mix things up so he stays engaged and reinforces the learning concepts.

Science makes math more fun

The last thing I really like about SPORK is how they combined Math & Science together. Science makes Math waaaay more fun for my son.

He loves Science and is drawn to animals, space, and nature. Math is a somewhat difficult subject for him so he often gets tired and frustrated while working on it.

Having Science lessons and topics sprinkled in with addition and subtraction offers a nice break for his brain. Which means he enjoys learning more and can focus for longer periods.

SPORK At a Glance

Curious about what all is included in my new favorite homeschool Math and Science program? Here are the specifics and details:

What’s Included

Your purchase includes 18-month access to the SPORK platform. Which includes the online lesson plans, instructions, worksheets, and games. You can also purchase the supplementary kit of manipulatives and the paper workbook. However, they aren’t required.

Price

Another reason I’m a fan of SPORK is that the program is very affordable. The E-Course is only $39.00 for the 18-month access to the platform.

The optional manipulatives kit is $45.00 and the workbook is $35.00. The way they allow you to pick and choose which parts of the curriculum you purchase is another huge plus in my book.

It makes the program much more accessible for larger homeschool families who might not need the entire package for each child.

Suggested Age Range/Grade

SPORK Butterfly Math & Science K-2 comes with 3 different courses to choose from.

• Butterfly Math & Science A: Recommended for Kindergarten, ages 5-6
• Butterfly Math & Science B: Recommended for Grade 1, ages 6-7
• Butterfly Math & Science C: Recommended for Grade 2, ages 7-8

We’ve been using Butterfly Math & Science B and it’s been pretty spot on for where my son is at.

How to Use SPORK Butterfly Math & Science

Here’s a quick breakdown of how the SPORK program works:

1.) Set up your child’s account:

After your purchase, you’ll need to set up your child’s account. You’ll get a separate login for you and your child.

This allows you to see the instructions, answer keys, and lesson plans while your child only sees the practice games.

If you have more than one child using SPORK all of their profiles will be in the parent dashboard.

2.) Navigate to today’s lesson:

From the parent dashboard, click on “View Lesson.”

From there you’ll be taken to a page which includes everything you’ll need for the day. The “Preparation” tab has a list of steps to do before you start teaching your child.

It includes any review worksheets and answer keys. If you purchase the Workbook available for each grade, however, you can skip this part.

The “Instructions” tab lists all the steps for the lesson. It covers homework review, explanations of the concepts being taught, and practice worksheets and homework.

It’s pretty much everything you’ll need to teach the lesson to your child.

3.) Dive in!

The suggested flow of a lesson goes like this:

1. Print off all needed worksheets for the day.
2. Review homework from the previous lesson.
3. Complete the review and task worksheets for this lesson.
4. Introduce and teach new concepts.
5. Allow your child to play the practice games.
6. Complete the homework.

The recommended schedule is to spend about a week on each lesson. However, the program is structured so you can work through each lesson at whatever pace works for your child.

That’s always a huge win for me and one of the things I like about this program.

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How We Use SPORK

In true homeschooler style, we’ve flipped the script on how we use SPORK. And honestly, the fact that I could easily adapt this curriculum to a schedule that works for my son is one of its better features.

Here’s what an average week using SPORK looks like for us:

Day 1:

I have him go through 1-2 lesson’s worth of games. I like to start our week off on a good note, and he’s always excited about the games.

Before he jumps on, I’ll do a quick overview of the instructions section so if he comes across any games that he can’t figure out on his own I can help him out.

Day 2:

The next day is worksheet day. We go through 1 lesson worth of worksheets. This will typically include some review of previous lessons, new/recent lessons, and some homework.

Day 3:

Back to the games. Once again I’ll have him do at least 2 lessons worth of games. Sometimes he’ll ask to do more and I let him. I’m ok with him working as far ahead in the games as he likes.

Day 4:

On day 4, we go back to worksheets. We’re still working quite a bit on handwriting and fine motor skills, so we typically do 5-6 worksheets on this day. Toward the end of the week, we’re all feeling less than motivated, so I don’t push too hard.

That’s it. I keep it to a 4-day homeschool week for all of our subjects.

As you can see, our schedule differs quite a bit from the suggested one, but it works well for him. I let him work ahead on the games because he enjoys them and they serve as a fun way to introduce the Math and Science concepts.

Then, at a slower pace, we work through the worksheets so he gets the practice he needs, we can reinforce what he learned through the games, and I can fill in any gaps with a more thorough explanation as needed.

Another reason this schedule works well for us is my son can work independently 2 days a week. Which makes for way less stress for everyone.

FAQs About SPORK Butterfly Math & Science K-2

Still have a few questions about SPORK Butterfly Math & Science K-2? Here are some FAQs:

Is SPORK Butterfly aligned with any specific educational standards or curriculum frameworks?

The SPORK curriculum uses a spiral method for teaching math. This means they regularly revisit topics previously taught to help reinforce learning. This is great for really cementing what the children have learned so they retain it long-term.

How much time commitment is required for SPORK Butterfly each day/week?

They have a recommended schedule of about an hour and a half per week. However, with 18 months of access to the platform, you can move at whatever pace works for your child.

Does SPORK Butterfly provide lesson plans, or do parents need to create their own?

The lesson plans are provided. All you need to do is log in to the lesson for the day, see what worksheets are needed, and you’re good to go.

What is the cost of SPORK Butterfly Math & Science K-2?

For access to the platform, the only thing you absolutely NEED, it’s $39.00. If you would like to add the Manipulatives kit, which is great for hands-on learners, it’s an additional $45.00.

The workbook is optional, but is an additional $35.00. If you choose not to get the workbook, all of the worksheets are available to print from the parent dashboard.

Can SPORK Butterfly be purchased digitally or only in physical format?

SPORK is a digital curriculum with worksheets designed to accompany each lesson.

Final Thoughts on SPORK Butterfly Math & Science K-2

Currently, SPORK only has this program available for grades K-2, so I know it won’t last forever. But, my blood pressure and I are grateful to have finally found something that works and we can leave our schoolwork battles behind for the time being.

If you want a grab-n-go math curriculum that’s engaging, has plenty of repetition without being boring, and lets you and your child work at your own pace, definitely give SPORK a try.

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