The Searchlight® Kids programs on this page are: |
- Designed to be used with particular books -- Each book has a set of activities or lessons designed to reinforce the content of the book using a variety of interactive learning strategies. Therefore, all users are expected to purchase and read the book prior to using the activities or lessons designed for that book.
- Facilitated by an adult -- Children love to sit with a caring adult and read a book. These programs are built upon that model. The adult facilitator -- parent, grandparent, teacher, or another caring adult -- first shares the book with the child, then both go to the computer and work together on the activities.
- Developed for guided learning -- The role of the adult facilitator is not so much one of "teacher" but rather, of "guide." The activities provide on-screen, verbalized instructions. The adult facilitator is there to ensure the child understands what he or she is being asked to do, to assist the child (but not do it for him or her), and to oversee the process. Children are sometimes asked to show a completed activity screen to their adult facilitator who can check to see if it is done correctly.
- Opportunities for dialog -- Both the books and the activities offer endless possibilities for dialog between the adult facilitator and the child regarding a variety of religious teachings, as well as how these religious teachings affect everyday life -- at home, at school, and in the community.
- Developed with Shockwave Technology -- Because they are made with Shockwave technology, a Shockwave Player must be installed on the computer so the internet browser can see and interact with them. This is a free download from http://www.adobe.com/downloads.
- Pre-loaded with a "Pong" game -- This way the child has fun while the activity is downloading in the background.
- Embedded in a separate browser window -- When you click an activity link, your browser will open a new page. If you have the Shockwave Player installed, you should see the "Pong" game start to play in the middle of the page. When the activity is fully downloaded, the game will shut down and the program will start playing. When the activity is finished, simply close the browser window and click the link for the next activity.
- Facilitated through a "Program Hub" -- Each program is facilitated through a "hub" document which contains information for each program and the links to the activities for that program. The program hubs are electronic PDF documents. Each hub is $4.95, purchased online through PayPal, and sent to the purchaser as an attachment to an e-mail. If purchasing a single program use the "Buy Now" button. If purchasing multiple programs, use the "Add to Cart" button. Upon opening the PDF Hub, if it seems larger on the screen than you like, size it down to 75% or less.
- Recommended for ages 6 - 10 -- Each parent knows her or his child best and what is most appropriate for a particular child at a given age.
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