Add great websites useful for homeschooling parents and give ideas on how to implement these resources in their lesson plans
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Calling All Authors! Write your own children’s book and read more than 600 free online books!
I’m always looking for that “perfect” reading book - the one that is just challenging enough for my child, but not too overwhelming. Maybe I’m a little too picky, but there always seems to be something I would change or write differently. And because every child is different, I can’t always find what I’m looking for.
In the past I have sometimes resorted to writing my own books for my children - containing words that they need to practice, information on advanced subjects written at a level they can comprehend, or even books that reinforce a certain life lesson they are struggling with. I used to create these little books by either entering the text into a Word document (the results were rather boring) or entering into a PowerPoint presentation so they can flip through the pages. I knew there had to be a better way. So I searched for one…
The Big Universe author tool lets you “Bring out your creativity, improving your writing skills, or just have fun writing a book together with your child or as a classroom project. You can even publish your creation to share with friends and family! The Big Universe Author™ tool (found in the ‘Create’ section) is a highly sophisticated yet simple and fun tool that enables users to create their own picture books. You can then publish your book on BigUniverse.com.”
- Full Review along with homeschooling uses
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Enjoy Learning History! Make This and Other Subjects More Engaging with Digital Timelines.
Name of Product: XtimelineLink to Product/website: http://www.xtimeline.com
Description of Product: “Create a timeline! xtimeline is a free web-based timeline. Easily create and share timelines with pictures and videos.”
Description of Product: Xtimeline is a free, web-based tool that makes it easy to create simple timelines and has a built-in feature allowing you to research, embed photos or videos, edit, collaborate and more. There are four ways to explore the Xtimeline site. The Explore page includes featured timelines, most viewed timelines, most recent timelines, most discussed timelines, and the most liked timelines. Under categories, users can choose a timeline based on a particular topic, like Arts entertainment, Biography, History, etc. There is also a search box where you can type in exactly what you’re looking for. Additionally, if you’re looking for a particular group, there is a Groups page available.
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Link to Product/website: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
Description of Product: From National Geographic magazine—“We make it fun for kids to explore their world.” National Geographic Kids “features different people, animals, and places each month with facts, games, activities, and related links.”
Description of Product: The National Geographic Kids website provides everything you’ve come to expect from National Geographic magazine—lots of educational facts and information overlapping with breathtaking photographs. In addition, this kid-friendly environment engages children with educational games and activities. The site is designed specifically with kids in mind, grades K-12. It’s easy to navigate and free to use. There’s no sign up required unless your kids want to have their own “my page,” which allows them to personalize their screens on National geographic servers, bookmark favorite NG kids sites, and send electronic postcards to their friends. The site does require Adobe Flash Player for videos as well as some of the games.
- You wrote on Jul. 20, 2009 at 2:12 PM
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Blast Off to an Engaging Scientific Universe–with Interactive Games, Activities, Lessons and More!
Planet Science provides creative teaching ideas, educational resources, and news for primary and secondary grade levels. In addition, the site contains games, interactive activities, and newsletters that portray science in an interesting and engaging manner. Planet Science also includes content for younger children to experience science-related activities.
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Nikki Phipps is
a freelance writer of numerous articles and other publications,
including the premiere issue of Perspectives Magazine. She also
maintains a gardening site, GardenCrypt in
her spare time. Drawing inspiration from family and past experiences,
Nikki believes everyone has something to say that can benefit others,
which is why she turned to writing. “There’s no better tool for
learning than that of personal experience.” Nikki resides in NC with
her children.
Name of Product: Planet ScienceLink to Product/website: http://www.planet-science.com/home.html
Description of Product: “Science and technology to stimulate and inspire… Welcome to Our World! Free & fun Science resources for children, young people, teachers and parents.”
Nikki’s Description of Product: This site is for all children who study science, as well as the teachers and parents that instruct them. Planet Science provides creative teaching ideas, educational resources, and news for primary and secondary grade levels. In addition, the site contains games, interactive activities, and newsletters that portray science in an interesting and engaging manner. Planet Science also includes content for younger children to experience science-related activities. This site also offers three different newsletters aimed at various subscribers that contain useful information, freebies, jokes, ideas, reader feedback, experiments, and features. Best of all, like the rest of Planet Science, these are free.
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A Blast from the Past–Allow Your Child’s Imagination to Soar (and Improve Reading Skills) with Classic Audio Recorded Stories.
August 10th, 2009 | posted by ChoosyHomeschooler
Kiddie Records is a free to use site, that has compiled hundreds of recorded stories for parents to choose from to enrich their children’s language arts skills. What makes this site unique is that the stories are all from the mid 1940’s through the early 1950’s. Many of these recordings were extravagant Hollywood productions on major record labels and featured big time celebrities and composers from the Golden Era
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Challenge Your Younger Child’s Mapping Skills with This Free, Easy-to-Use Interactive.
August 17th, 2009 | posted by ChoosyHomeschooler
The Reach the World GeoGames website features two games: Build Planet Earth, which challenges players to place major geographic features in their correct locations on a blank globe, and Map Countries and Cities, which tests your child’s knowledge of geography by locating countries and their capitals.This can be a good tool for children to practice their mapping and geography skills.
UK Science Museum Visit Online, Where You Can Browse Various Objects, Play Games, and Learn More About an Array of Topics.
The Science Museum can be an excellent resource for science–related curriculum, especially for those who are homeschooling. Of course, not everyone can simply pick up and go all the way to London to take part in all the neat things that the Science Museum has to offer. So why not visit their Online Stuff instead, where you can learn more about various subjects. You can also browse the museum’s objects, play science games, or stay up to date on all the latest science news.
Travel Back in Time and Explore History Through the Eyes of Your Immigrant Ancestors.
August 31st, 2009 | posted by ChoosyHomeschooler
The Tenement Museum site allows you to travel back in time and see what life was like for immigrants coming to the United States during the late 1800s/early 1900s. Many of these immigrants made their first American homes in tenements. With engaging interactives and lesson plans, you’ll quickly learn just how important a part of history this is–you may even get in touch with your own immigrant ancestor’s experiences by developing a feel for what they may have went through in their quest to a better life.
Learn How to Make Our Environment a Better One, While Teaching Your Kids the Importance of Living Green.
September 7th, 2009 | posted by ChoosyHomeschooler
Learn all about recycling at the Recycling-Guide website. Here you’ll find everything from how-to guides to recycling etiquette. You’ll also learn about the important reasons why we should recycle, which includes numerous facts and figures. They even have a page that helps you learn where to recycle. As if all this weren’t enough, they also include valuable educational activities for teaching your kids all about recycling, with lots of fun recycling crafts and projects that are easy to do.
Get in Touch with Your Creative Side While Making Learning More Fun. Simply Let Your Imagination Lead the Way!
September 7th, 2009 | posted by ChoosyHomeschooler
At Fodey.com, your imagination can bring fun and learning together. Be creative with pictures you upload, and the text you enter, with a list of features including Newspaper Clippings, Wanted Posters, Movie Clapper Boards, and Animated Characters and Text. Their collection of Photo Effects and Frames is just another great part of this easy-to-use resource.
mammoth math
- Choosy
on Aug. 24, 2009 at 4:24 PM