I was asked a few weeks back if I'd like to review some Oaka Books curriculum based topic packs with Marianna. You can all guess my answer!
Oaka Books specialise in fantastic revision packs for school pupils of all ages, with resources ranging from KS1 (ages 5-7) right through to KS4 (ages 14-16) and covering both STEM and humanities based subjects. There are small group and classroom packs available, but most parents will probably want to go for the individual packs designed for one child.
Retailing for £7.97, each individual topic pack contains a topic booklet, a write your own notes booklet, an active learning map or game, and a set of question and answer flashcards. The games come with playing pieces and a dice so all you'll need to get started with the pack is your own pen or pencil.
I was really impressed with the high quality print of the packs. Everything is crisp and colourful, and the paper is nice and thick to avoid the annoyance of written answers bleeding through to the other side of the page. I also really like the continuity in presentation - there is a big focus on visual learning at all levels, not just for younger children.
The first pack we tried was KS2 History: The Stone Age. Marianna is the kind of kid who likes learning new things - but absolutely rebels at being expected to write any of it down. For that reason we principally used the included game to go through the topic book information, using the Q&A cards as starting points for reading a particular page. I really liked that the books didn't absolutely have to be used sequentially and allowed us to jump about the topic a bit.
The end result was actual written work, completed with the bare minimum of complaining! I know it's not a big deal for some, but for us that is a big achievement. We're now taking on animals and their habitats. :)
You can check the range out for yourself at https://www.oakabooks.co.uk/. Or you can enter our giveaway for two KS1/2 topic packs via the Gleam widget below.
