The New York Public Library announced this month that out-of-copyright materials in NYPL Digital Collections are now available as high-resolution downloads, and its lab team has provided wonderful tools to help use these items — even creating a Minecraft world from an 1860 map of Manhattan! The collection includes historic photographs, works of art, original […]
Here’s a great freebie that kids can get through the mail to learn about scientists. The National Inquirer, a children’s publication through the USDA Forest Service, is offering “Bee a Scientist” coloring books for free. The coloring books can be printed as a PDF file or you can request one or more copies through the […]
Fireflies offer the perfect blend of science, nature, fun and magic. This is the perfect time of year to study them, too, and do some firefly crafts with the kids. Here are all sorts of ways to study these fascinating little insects and have some fun. Firefly.org is the perfect spot to start your firefly […]
When the peonies bloom in early summer, it’s a great opportunity to do some summer science with the kids. Here are some fantastic ways to do nature studies and learn all sorts of science concepts with these beautiful flowers. Keep them from blooming in the refrigerator for over a month! There are lots of sites […]
Researchers have designed a mobile app to help fossil hunters identify their finds, and it’s available for free on iTunes. The app was funded by the National Science Foundation and currently features digitized details on around 800 ancient species. Researchers say they will continue to add 15 to 20 new species to the database each […]
In today’s society, it’s not viewed as a good thing for children to be too active. They’re supposed to sit still, pay attention, be quiet. School can be nightmarish for energetic, excitable kids. It’s easy to debate whether children should be diagnosed as ADHD or if we’re simply not giving modern kids enough time to […]
Do you have a Lego lover in your house? Legos are great for learning when they’re used as building tools, but there are also all sorts of great lesson plans on the web to use them in even more educational ways. From chemistry models to creative writing prompts to symmetry challenges, there are fabulous lesson […]
Here’s a fantastic world history resource for kids who like pop music and music videos. The Music for History Lovers channel on you-tube uses modern top 40 hit songs to teach about important people and periods in world history, from the French Revolution (set to a remix of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”) to The Crusades […]
Are you looking for fun resources to teach your kids about the Vikings? There are all sorts of wonderful crafts, printables, lesson plans and more — free for the taking! Crafts and costumes: Bug, Boo and Bean has instructions to make your own cardboard Viking helmets and swords and shields. Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational has […]
Do your kids love the Magic School Bus? Here’s a great way to use the series in your homeschool. The Homeschool Belle is offering Primary Science Lesson Plans for Magic School Bus DVD’s for free on Teachers Pay Teachers. UPDATE: This resource is not currently on TPT because the author, The Homeschool Belle, is updating […]
Looking for some ways to make history really come alive in your homeschool? There are oodles of fun ways to teach history besides dry textbooks or boring curricula. Here are ten fabulous ways to bring history to life for your kids. Do a weekly “meet and greet” with historic characters. This can be a fun […]
It can be hard being a homeschooling parent. Kids bicker, messes seem never-ending, and the combination of isolation and the pressure to nearly single-handedly educate our children can make the days seem even longer. Here in Minnesota, that can be compounded by long winters and cabin fever. This is one of those times when it’s […]
Do you have a homeschooled child who loves to create art? Here’s a fun opportunity for kids to share their artwork and get some exposure! Project Home Educated Artist is asking homeschooled artists to submit their art to be featured online, along with their thoughts about art. The project was designed by Lauri Jean Crowe, […]
The National Gallery of Art now provides a phenomenal lending library of art materials that any homeschooler can borrow through the mail for free, including teaching packets, DVDs, art reproductions and more. Individuals, educational institutions and other groups throughout the United States can borrow their teaching packets and DVDs for up to nine months at […]
If you haven’t been to the KIDS DISCOVER site for free educational materials, you’re missing out on some wonderful resources. The magazine publisher offers full-color downloads, posters, activity packs and printables on a variety of subjects, absolutely free. Some of the topics covered include: Metamorphosis Ancient Empires Rock Cycle Louisiana Purchase Simple Machines Bill of […]
Here’s a wonderful resource for your nature studies. Hobby Farms is offering free, colorful animal track ID cards that you can print out to use for all sorts of educational fun. The sixteen cards include: Deer Mountain Lion Wolf Wild Turkey Skunk Beaver Bobcat Squirrel Fox Opossum Mole Mouse Raccoon Rabbit Coyote Bear The cards […]
If your teenager will be taking the SAT, ACT, PSAT or other important standardized tests soon, you may both be starting to worry about how well he or she will do on the exams. Homeschoolers often have less experience with standardized tests and may have test anxiety. There can also be extra pressure to perform […]
Is your homeschooled high schooler looking for great electives that count towards graduation, look good on a transcript and are also interesting? There are hundreds of great ones to choose from. Here are 50 great electives for homeschooled teens to consider. psychology photography PE art agriculture/botany astronomy creative writing sociology women’s studies art history music/band/orchestra […]
Here’s a fantastic resource for high school students who are interested in criminology and forensic sciences. Forensics Illustrated is an eleven-unit forensics course for high school students that is offered in its entirely online, free. The author explains: Forensics Illustrated is comprehensive collection of all the resources collected, manufactured, and utilized by Brennon Sapp during […]
Hobby Farms Magazine offers wonderful wildflower ID cards that can be used in all sorts of ways for nature study fun in your homeschool. The full-color cards offer photos and descriptions of fourteen wildflowers that can be found throughout the United States. These can be used in a myriad of ways for games, nature studies […]
There are a wide variety of free homeschool lesson planners available Alicia Bayer Lesson planning forms can be great tools for homeschoolers and even unschoolers. They’re a great way to organize goals, resources and activities. They can also be invaluable for record keeping, especially for relaxed homeschoolers and unschoolers who need to document their homeschooling. […]
Here’s a wonderful high school level history resource for homeschoolers. Annenberg Learner offers PBS’s 52-week video course, The Western Tradition, online — absolutely free. The course starts with “the dawn of history” and ancient Egypt and extends into the technological revolution. Each episode is approximately a half hour and is presented by UCLA history professor […]
Recently, a fellow homeschooling mom asked for good resources to teach social studies. She particularly wanted fun, hands-on ideas. She wrote: We’re looking for something that will lighten things up. History is so full of wars, disease, power struggles and such that my kids are amazed that humans ever made it past the Renaissance. Here’s […]
The internet is filled with fabulous educational videos, but finding them can be tricky. Enter WatchKnowLearn, which gathers these videos from the internet and puts them in one organized, searchable place. The site currently offers about 50,000 videos on everything from osmosis to table manners to sign language to the philosophy of numbers. The website, […]
Have you been to A Book in Time? This wonderful free resource for homeschoolers helps history come alive through great book recommendations, games, crafts and more. The site’s founder, homeschooling mother Carol Henderson, says, “A Book In Time first began years ago when I wanted my students to read some good history books along with […]
There are many ways to show kids how fun writing can be. It doesn’t have to be a struggle, and it doesn’t have to involve standard curricula or dry writing assignments. Indeed, kids will become the best writers if they think of writing as fun and open-ended. One great way to help kids love writing […]
Here’s a wonderful way to encourage kids to read and to really give them a challenge. Mensa for Kids has developed the Excellence in Reading Award that gives children and teens a certificate of achievement and t-shirt if they successfully read all of the books on their age-appropriate recommended book lists. Kids can even listen […]
There are more and more magazines that feature writing and art by kids and teens, both online and in print. This is a great way to encourage reluctant writers and to give enthusiastic writers and artists a place to spotlight their creativity. Here are 18 magazines that publish children’s writing and art: Creative Kids magazine […]