Update: The winners were selected and announced and we were given an exclusive 50% off discount for you. Find out more here. Thank you to those who entered!
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We were recenty introduced to something fascinating: active media books, or amBooks. An amBook is an interactive science textbook. Each amBook chapter is downloaded separately to your computer, where your student can work through it independently. amBooks are also frequently used in schools (or homeschool co-ops!) with interactive whiteboard software. Here’s a peek at an amBook:
Our Experience: Our 11 year old son was given a Biology amBook (13 chapters) to review. As I’m writing this, our son is working through his amBook another room, and keeps messaging me with information he is learning about ants. “Did you know ants can…” his IM chats begin. I love happy learning!
Within his amBook chapter, he watched a video, chose from multiple choice, and selected pictures when asked. He finished the chapter in less than an hour, so I would suggest the amBooks are supplemental rather than a full curriculum. We will use them for our 11yo’s student-led learning. I love student-led learning, too!
A Review:
amBooks won a 2011 BESSIE Award from CompuED Gazette . The review includes:
“Science doesn’t always have to be dry and amBook proves it. Nearly every ‘page’ of this software is packed with videos, animations (many of which are interactive) and fun ‘stuff’ for students to do on their own, or for teachers to use in classroom instruction. amBook comprehensively covers each topic with highly engaging content, illustrations and demonstrations.”
Currently, amBooks are available in these sciences: biology, physical science, chemistry, general science, and earth science. The books are created especially for middle school students, but could be used for both upper elementary or high school students.
Cost: While other computer-based curriculum companies charge steep membership fees, amBooks can be purchased for just $3.99 per chapter. They are an excellent supplement to science textbooks.
How to Learn More: Go to Mining Gems LLC to learn more about amBooks. They have many helpful, short videos to view on each subject and on amBooks in general.
The Giveaway!
Each winner will be able to choose up to thirteen single chapter amBooks of his or her choice, out of the 33 available. Each amBook sells for $3.99, so the total value for each winner is over $50.
Additional Entries: You’ll receive an additional entry for any or each of these. Remember to comment separately per entry.
- First, did you just simply comment? That’s the mandatory entry. Do that first. Then, choose any or all of these:
- ‘Like’ the Mining Gems LLC Facebook page. Come back here to let us know you did. (It would be encouraging to them if you left a comment there, too!)
- Watch the one-minute video on the home page of the Mining Gems website
- Blog about this giveaway on your blog or website with a link back to http://FreelyEducate.com, then come back here to leave a link to the blog post so we can visit you.
- Share this giveaway on your Facebook feed. Come back to let us know you did that.
- Tweet about this giveaway. Come back to let us know you tweeted!
6 ways enter! Remember, leave a comment for each entry method.
Entries are open to everyone, everywhere! Random.org will select the ten winners. The winning entries will be verified and the winners notified by me via email.
Entry deadline: Tuesday, October 11th, at noon CST.
I hope you win!
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p.s. Any entry problems? Email me, Lori, at freelyeducate@gmail.com and I’ll do a manual entry for you. No missing out!
Subscribe to FreelyEducate here
This looks fabulous! So here’s my entry #1
Watched the video — entry #2
Liked the FB page — entry #3
My kids would love these! entry #1
Watched the video – entry #2
I would love to win this!
woul love to have this!!!
I would love to have this for my DS.
I watched the 1 minute video 🙂
Would love this! Thanks!
Also just watched the video.
Looks like a great resource!
Science is the one subject that I feel is lacking in good materials.I’m always looking for good supplements.
PS- I also liked them on facebook
This is right up my ds10’s alley! Would love to win this! Thanks for a great giveaway!
i would love these for my scientist daughter!
I think this would be so fun!
I love happy, student led learning too! And I appreciate you for all the freely educating stuff you make known to the home schooling community.
This sounds wonderful
I liked their Facebook page.
WOW! I’m always looking for science projects the boys can work on together-these look perfect!!
Watched the video and love the fact that there is voice over for the text. Trying hard to find science material for my science loving, dyslexic boy to learn with.
I struggled with science and don’t want my apprehension to have an impact on my son.
I love science! 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!
I would love to win this!
Nice!
I liked Mining Gems on FB.
I ‘liked’ on Facebook, left a looooong comment on one of their posts and shared the site with my FB buddies!
Sounds neat! Would love to try it out. Thanks for hosting a giveaway.
This sound great and we would be blessed to win! Thank you.
I watched the video. Interesting! I just came home from a Mom’s Science Retreat where we did some density experiments (plus dissections and much more).
Would love to win! Thank you!
My 12 year old son and I would love this! We are struggling with our dry science text this year.
Becky, rebecca121760@aol.com
My kids would love this! What a great giveaway!
Looks like fun!
The most frustrating thing about teaching science is finding fresh, lively, and updated materials. So, here’s entry #1
Have been looking for online Physical Science for Middle School. Would love to try this for free.
I also watched the video.
Sounds intriguing. Thanks!
Hi. I would love to win this prize. It really frustrates me the lack of scientific equipment available for home educators – this would be a great win.
I liked the Mining Gems LLC facebook page
I shared on facebook
Watched the video. Nice interactivity!
I shared on Twitter as @mumoffunkids
https://twitter.com/#!/mumoffunkids/status/122339487027171328
#2 Watched the Movie
I watched the video too.
It would be great to win this.
Want to buy this stuff!
Sounds like a worthy enterprise, I’ll bite.:-D Please enter me, thank you.
My kids would love this!!!!
I love teaching science, but there can be an awful lot of materials to find space for. Thanks for the giveaway!
Watched the video – entry #2
#3 Liked the site on facebook.
#4 Posted giveaway on facebook acct.
Love the idea of interactive science books – allows the information to “come alive”!!!!
Oh, this sounds like something my 7th grader NEEDS. Pick me! Pick me! 🙂
My daughter would love this! Entry#1
Allison
Watched the video! Entry #2
I liked Mining Gems on Facebook
entry #1 comment: Over the last 10 years of HS I have found science the most difficult subject to teach. I would love to win these for my High Schoolers. Thanks Cecile
Sounds like loads of fun learning 🙂
We love science! so would love this, too!
Just so you know…voice over is only for selected text (such as long narrative). We are working on providing voice over for more of the text as well. Please suggest any alteration that you think would be helpful. The great thing about amBook is that it is digital and updates can be made (without you needing to purchase new ones). A feedback button is at the bottom of every page and it sends it directly to the developers.
Cara – a Mom’s Science Retreat? That sounds wonderful. You should try the Measuring Volume, Mass, Density and Volume amBook. I love doing density experiments in my workshops with teachers, parents, or students. I’d love to hear more about the retreat. Is there any place that I can read about it?
This is exactly one reason why amBooks were developed. Dry science textbooks should be used sparingly or, like I did with my students, only as a reference book. Otherwise, we always did hands-on stuff. By the way, a hands-on activity book to go along with the amBooks is being developed. Though there are a handful of hands-on activities (instructions/recipes) included in the amBooks overall.
This sounds wonderful and unique – my son would love this, as well as me 🙂
If there are specific items that you need for science, then end a suggestion to us. I recently found a great deal on handheld weigh balances that measure grams to the hundreth. If there is significant interest in them, then I can order a bunch and make them available on our website. Also, within the amBooks there are plenty of videos and images of actual equipment used in a lab.
Watched the video. Now I’m even more interested.
We watched the video, and the delivery of the topics is fun and educational.
Sounds great!!! My boys would love this.
Always interested in new ways to engage our kids in the sciences. Thank you!
Would love to win this!
We want one! Please. Thank you.
Watched the very informative video.
This looks like fun. My boys would love this.
Those look cool and would solve my problem of shelve space on my bookshelves as well.
I would love to be entered in the drawing!
I liked the Facebook page!
I watched the video!
Blogged! http://3boystolove.blogspot.com/2011/10/giveaway.html
I “Liked” Mining Gems.
Shared it on Facebook.
Thanks for highlighting this…I’m off to check it out. I always need help with science!
“liked” them on facebook. (also commented about how I found them through your site!)
Liked them on Facebook!
My son loves science! He would eat this up!
Hey! My daughter loves self-guided, interactive computer-based learning. Enter us in the giveaway!
My son is into media and would benefit from this type of science program. Regular textbooks don’t hold his interest like this would.
I watched the video.
We would love to win this! Thanks for the opportunity.
I watched the video. I shared it on Twitter and emailed this page to family and friends. This would be great for my kids. Please enter us in the giveaway!
I would love a chance to win this. 🙂
I watched the video. 🙂
Love science that is interactive and visual for our visual spatial learner. Thanks for the giveaway !
I was watching the video and, as if a homing pigeon, my DS appeared because he could hear science . Looks like a great learning tool !
We want to win!!!! my son loves science, he would enjoy it a lot!!! 🙂
I shared it on Twitter
This would be great for my kids. Please enter us in the giveaway!
My 2nd grader (homeschooled) LOVES Science, always has, and he would LOVE these! 🙂
We love science here and are excited about a chance to expand our way of getting info in (entry #1)
This sounds fantastic! Thank you! {FINGERS CROSSED!}
For science all help is welcomed!!
Will definitely have to check this out! Thanks!
My 9 year old boy Evan loves science but I am frustrated with the current science curriculum
Thanks!
Olga
Please enter me in this giveaway
Liked on Facebook!
How exciting, especially since our school does not have science books, yet we have a state science test.. So This is definitely my 1st entry!
This would be an awesome resource for the students in my class.
‘Like’ the Mining Gems LLC Facebook page….done!!
This looks great! Entry #1
Looks great. This is my entry #1.
Watched the video!
Watched the video, now I am even more convinced I need it! Also loved the sax music!
#2. I liked the facebook page.
I’d love one
I love science and I’m always trying to find fun and interesting ways to teach it to my kids. This looks great!
watched the video
Liked their page
I “Liked” the MiningGems FB page.
We watched the video and my kids wanted to see more.
These look awesome! My kids would love them!
I shared this on FaceBook.
I liked Mining Gems on Facebook!
I watched the 1 minute video!
Great giveaway, Lori! Thank you!
I blogged about it at: http://prosperityhomeschool.blogspot.com/2011/10/science-giveaway.html
This looks fantastic! Sign me up to win.
The video is terrific!
‘Like’ the Mining Gems LLC Facebook page… done
This looks really interesting.
Thse sound very intriging way to learn and I am quote interested in them for my 12 year old also my 14 year old who both delight in new ways of learning
Just share on facebook about these book and watched the video as well as commented here
Watch the one-minute video… done
Share this giveaway on your Facebook feed… done
would love to get this
Tweet about this giveaway… done
My son loves science the BEST!!! He would LOVE to have this program!!
I liked Mining Gems on Facebook
I shared the page on Facebook
I have three children and I would def love to have this…thanks
Awesome giveaway!
Cool, looks like fun!
This looks really great!
I watched the video and know my daughter will like the interaction and the colorful way all of it is designed.
Entry #3 – I liked the Facebook page too! : ) Thanks so much for this opportunity!
Looks great! I would love to win this. #1
Liked the Facebook page. #2
I would love this for use with my special needs students.
Watched the video. #3.
Me,me, me!!
Liked the mining for gems facebook page.
These would be so helpful!
Hi! I’d love to be entered to win! Thanks!
I would like to try this for my 11 yo girl, who breezes through the material we have
I liked them, too
I would love to win this!
I liked them on FB!
Shared this on my FB feed!
Thanks!
I would love to have this in our homeschool!:)
My eldest would love the earth science as we have just been to Yosemite and death valley and the geology of it was fascinating!
Video is cool!
Sounds great! Thanks!
we live in Costa Rica, it is so hard to find books in English, we would LOVE LOVE LOVE these books!!!!
Just went on Facebook liked them, and now I will be sharing this with all my Costa Rican Expat Home schoolers that are underground, because it is illegal here to home school…
WOO HOO would love to win this
liked the site on facebook
I’d love to win this.
I ‘Like’ the Mining Gems Facebook page
I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/lesamcmahon/status/122534524520374272
I don’t think I’ve ever clicked a Twitter link as fast as I clicked through this one!
I am very science oriented & science is the passion in our homeschool, so I’m a little surprised I haven’t heard of this company before. Our issue in science is that sometimes I just need something for one child to do while I give individual attention to the other child. This looks like it would be perfect for that. Thanks for the heads up!
I’m following MiningGems on FB now.
Just watched the video, I’m more & more impressed with the idea & execution of this product.
We are a small company that has partnered with Amdon, the maker of amBook, to develop products that place the learning in the hands of the student. We want to empower students to mine those gems within and make this world a better place. amBook is the first step in this process. Amdon is a successful and well known company in Singapore that has been a maker of award winning software and textbooks there. Their tag line is “Rethinking Pedagogy” and ours is “Mining the Gems Within”. If you’d like to get to know us more, then feel free to contact us. We enjoy learning more from teachers, parents, and students.
this would be wonderful to win!!! thanks
WoW, judging from what I’ve seen at the blog & website this could possibly work miracles for my kinaestetic 3rd grader.
This would be a great addition to what we currently use for science. Thanks for offering this!
I never win ANYTHING, so I am not even going to try…oh wait, I guess I just did, lol!
This would be great for my daughter who loves science!
Liked the FB page!
Watched the video!
Looks like a great tool for learning
I have several children who would enjoy this!
Liked the Mining Gems FB page–
I’m trying to homeschool and go to law school, so I’m always on the lookout for the best curriculum I can find!! Books that teach well = more time for me to study!! These look wonderful!
Entry #1 🙂
Liked the facebook page. Entry #2
Watched the minute video–
Posted about the giveaway on FB–
Okay, as a teacher that beleives in subject intergration,who says you can only use the am books in science. I smell some awesome Economics Lessons brewing. You can utilize these books in many areas. As much as i like the sciences, I always tell my students: Scienists can think it, they can beleive it. But, without the economist, they can’t achieve it…you control the money :). Ambooks, Great products for use in all areas!
Just “LIKE” in Facebook
Very well presented one-minute video.
Shared the giveaway information on Facebook
This looks cool. Here is my entry #1.
I “liked” the Mining Gems LLC Facebook page for my entry #2.
I watched the one minute video for my entry #3.
These sound great. Thanks for the giveaway!
This sounds great, would love to have it.
Just watched the video, entry #2
Wow! What an awesome give-away. My daughters will love this! Science is their favourite subject!
I think these look very interesting especially for my daughter.
These sound ver interesting!
I just like them on facebook
I watched the video! By the way. I could not see the first entry show up in the comments and I think I have done the Entry #1 twice. Sorry!
I would really love to win this. I hs 5 kids in grades 11 to kindergarten. This would be perfect for my 7th grader!
#1: Please enter me!
#2: Liked Mining Gems on FB.
#3: Watched the video.
ALways interested in new ways to teach/learn science.
watched video on Mining Gems. Very interesting.
I’m always looking for a new way to teach science!
Would love to win this! Thank you!
Watched the video!
Would appreciate these for my kids!
Commented on the Mining Gems LLC FB page.
Watched the video. It looks awesome.
I facebook’ed about the giveaway.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/SWMO-Educational-Resources/165075890192232
AND, I blogged about the giveaway on my web site…
http://swmohomeschool.weebly.com/2/post/2011/10/giveaway.html
I even tweeted! I never do that. I really would like to win this one though, it looks awesome! 🙂
http://twitter.com/MBrawdy
Thank you for the possibilities.
Watched the video–looks good!
It sounds really interesting!
I would love one of these.
Thanks for the opportunity! I would love to have this!!
I watched the one-minute video. Wow, seems very informative and interesting.
My son would LOVE this!
Liked on facebook; entry #2
Video watched! Entry #3 🙂
Looks great. My 1st entry!
Liked mining on FB!
Just watched the video and my 11yo came in and said “Wow! That looks cool!”
Shared the link! Great programs I’d love to have for my 11yo.
Thank you for the opportunity to few your program. Unfortunately I don’t have a blog or Tweet.
I would love to have this. My sons LOVE science and this will allow them to dig in even more!
I just liked them on FB too – and left a comment!
I would love to win this!
Thank-you!
I would love to win this!
I would love to win!
I’m very happy to find your material which brings science to life. Textbooks can be great but the expense of purchasing equipment makes science education in homeschooling difficult, especially for people living overseas or in remote areas. The experiment videos and the interactive work are educational, entertaining and time-saving. Kudos.
I did a “Like” on Facebook. I hope I can pass the word well.
We watched your video on the website yesterday and went over most of your website. We are looking for material for our junior high school-aged daughter. It would be a pleasant surprise to win. We live far from major cities and have to find educational content on the internet. Thanks for the chance.
BTW, I put you on my Facebook page and I will tell our friends who are homeschooling about this.
We love science! This looks great! Entry 1
Watched the video!
I’d love to try this out with my kiddos, especially now that I’ve seen the video. 🙂
Finally got back to this – liked it on Facebook – entry #2
Also went and watched the video – entry #3
I’d love to win!
shared on my fb page
watched the video
This sounds like something my homeschoolers would enjoy! Comment 1.
I tweeted about this giveaway. Comment #2.
This giveaway is posted on my blog: delawareschool.tumblr.com.
I would love to win this. Thanks.
My son would so love this!
Hey! Thanks for the giveaway op!
Would love to win! 🙂
I really need this. I am lost as what to do for science.
I would love to try this with my 2 children with learning disabilities.
I watched the video 🙂
I love science, and love to teach science to my kids. However, it’s nice to have additional resources to help out. And I can speak from personal experience in my own college-level science courses that interactive lessons can really help drive a subject home.
I just watched the video at mininggems.org . This looks like a wonderful product!