Subtitled "Beginner's Drill in Letters, Numbers, Phonics, and Math," the Hearts and Hands second edition worktext replaces the first edition with more advanced learning activities and a full-color format. The 124-page book has large fonts and many illustrations. While some pages appear a little crowded, in general the layout is visually appealing.
Kindergarten curriculum has become more advanced over the years since the first edition was published, and this totally-rewritten second edition reflects that reality. While the first edition taught number and letter recognition and writing along with the sounds for kindergarten level, the second edition is significantly more challenging, reflecting the more challenging content of Christian Liberty Press's other kindergarten resources, Liberty Mathematics K and Adventures in Phonics A. While the first edition of Hearts and Hands worked well as a stand alone item, the second edition is meant to be used as a reinforcement for lessons in the math and phonics books.At the top of each page it tells you which pages in the other two books are to be completed before using the Hearts and Hands page. Because the program teaches the various phonograms that produce the same sound simultaneously—it might be challenging to coordinate with other reading programs unless the methodology is similar.
Some lessons have review for both phonics and math, while some are dedicated to only one or the other. Initial lesson cover the letters of the alphabet one by one. But each lesson introduces both upper- and lower-case letters, blends them with other letters, uses them in three- or four-letter words, and has children practice printing the letters. This is much too quick a pace for a child just being introduces to letters and sounds, but it is a good pace for review.
The first 33 pages include math practice at the bottom of the page—writing numerals, counting, and simple addition and subtraction. Again, these concepts are not being taught, just reviewed. From that point on lesson are frequently dedicated to either phonics or math, speedily moving through all of the basic phonograms to the point where children are reading two-syllable words and completing addition and subtraction problems up through sums of 10 and their companion subtraction facts.
Teaching instructions are on each page as needed so no teacher's manual is needed. Answers are obvious so there is no answer key.
Children will be able to do many activities without parental help but will require assistance on some.
