free
Math Live, online animated math tutorials from LearnAlberta.CA
This free site features 23 different interactive tutorials on a range of math concepts. The focus is on understanding concepts, not drill. The tutorials are "taught" by friendly animated characters-- it's not as fun as Cyberchase, but it's not too dry either.
The topics covered are: decimals, fractions, basic geometry, plotting points on an XY coordinate system, and probability. If there's a topic that your child isn't getting or is resistant to being taught, this could be a helpful site.
Scholastic Lesson Plans: a searchable, free collection of plans and projects
Looking for ideas to support a new interest, or a whole unit study? There's lots to choose from here! There are hands-on science projects, multimedia-supported lessons, book club ideas... Most are designed for classroom use, but all the lessons I've looked at are very well-suited to homeschooling.
There is the most available for elementary students, but pre-k through 12th grade are represented. Interesting to just browse if you're feeling uninspired.
National Park Week - Free Entrance to All US National Parks
To celebrate National Park Week, the Department of the Interior has suspended Entrance fees for all National Parks from April 17th-April 25th.
To find a National Park near you: http://www.nps.gov/npweek/
The complete press release:
Easter Science Activities!
Natural egg-dying! Homemade colored chalk! Peep and chocolate science!
Too fun not to share!
International Children's Digital Library
An online collection of scanned picture books and children's chapter books, available for free browsing and reading. Includes books in many languages (Farsi, Arabic, Spanish, , and has some "exhibitions" with themes and lesson plans. The books are beautifully scanned copies and a mix of old favorites and books that are new to me. The collection can be searched by the age range for which it is most appropriate, theme, book length, character-type (i.e. kids, animals, fantasy characters...).
KidsGardening.com: Ideas for using gardening as a tool for learning
This website is focused primarily on school gardens, but there's little here that couldn't be done as easily by homeschoolers. The "Classroom projects" section includes a wide variety of gardening related projects-- from poetry and photography to meteorology to cooking and food preservation and more. "Thematic explorations" has information to help you plan your learning garden, including ideas for families without much space to devote to the project. If you want even more, check out the "pollinator curriculum", a free complete curriculum for upper elementary, which seems i
National Geographic Kids website - games, geography & more
There's a lot of quality content on this free site. There are:
Robinsunne Multiplication Clock- a gorgeous alternative to drilling math facts
This is a BEAUTIFUL project idea to help kids visualize patterns in the multiplication table, and to let them review their multiplication facts without necessarily realizing that theiy're reviewing their math facts. A great alternative to the standard multiplication table for the artistic/ aesthetically driven child. Probably best for kids in upper elementary or older, because the project call for good fine motor skills.
If you have a big piece of paper in the house and colored pencils, you probably have everything you need.
Free, Creative Math Lesson Plans from the Math Project Journal
Includes lessons for Pre-algebra, Algebra, and Geometry. Some relate to popular culture, others mythology, all involve a hands-on component. Could be a way to add some fun or at least novelty to a topic review.
Art-to-Go from the Baltimore Museum of Art (for all ages)
Every month in the school year the Baltimore Museum of Art picks a piece of art in their collection, writes up an art theory lesson for that piece, including an art project, and makes the lesson and a high quality photograph of the piece available for free download. This is the third school year they've done it, and the archives are freely available. The art they've chosen is stunning, and the projects tend to be managable at home, assuming you have or are willing to purchase materials when necessary. The collection includes art from a wide range of locations and time peri
