Homeschool Resources


Looking for resources for homeschooling? 

These are some of my favorites. Many of them are online and free! I have tried to list when there is cost involved and when the link is to a resource that is for purchase and NOT online.

Read Up on Methods and Philosophies of Homeschooling!
Charlotte Mason
Classical Conversations 
Classical Education - The Well Trained Mind
Project Based Homeschooling
Unschooling - John Holt and Growing Without Schooling
Waldorf - Christopherus Homeschool Resources

Purchase Used Curriculum:

Homeschool Classifieds
Second Harvest

Resources by Subject Area:

Arts and Crafts
Art for Small Hands - Self-contained complete art lessons in each post!
Classics for Kids - Podcasts, games & information on classic composers
Recycled Crafts - A blog containing craft project ideas using recycled materials 

Audio Resources
Books Should Be Free - audio and eBooks
Faith Comes by Hearing - audio Bibles
Kiddie Records Weekly: Classics From the Golden Age - listen to classic children's records online
Story Nory - Free audio stories for kids

Language Arts, Reading, Spelling
Learn That Word -  This is NOT a free program. Learn That Word offers auto-generated or create-your-own word list options. Quizzes and practice are customized to the learner. The program uses spaced/timed repetition to maximize learning. The users purchases tokens, which are subtracted from the account once a new word is learned. Words that are correct on the first try to do not subtract tokens.
Logic of English - This is NOT an online/free curriculum. LOE offers handwriting instruction materials, phonics/reading, and grammar. They have a book of reading/phonics/grammar games that you can purchase and download (or get a paper copy snail mail).Hands-down, I believe this is the best language arts curriculum on the market - good for typical and struggling readers.
Painless Grammar - This is NOT an online/free curriculum. This is an excellent grammar reference book. Some kids could learn most of what they need to know just reading through that book and "practicing" with the examples.
Progressive Phonics all-in-one reading program
Spelling City - Spelling and vocabulary lessons and games - Parents can set up a Teacher account to create assignments and monitor progress. Use spelling lists that are on the site OR create your own lists. Select the definitions you want to use for vocabulary. Mobile app available.
Starfall: Where children have fun learning to read!

Logic/Critical Thinking/Brain Games
An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments
Center for Philosophy for Children
Creativity Games
Mensa For Kids
Printable Logic Puzzles
Teaching Children Philosophy

Math
Beast Academy - NOT a free/online curriculum. Great for challenging, think-outside-the-box math questions and learning for grades 2-5. 
Centre for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching - Free Printable Math Curriculum
IXL Math - Online Math Curriculum
Life of Fred - This is NOT an online/free curriculum. "Each text is written in the style of a novel with a humorous story line."
Math U See - This is NOT an online/free curriculum. Great for hands-on learners and those who like to have DVD lessons along with their curriculum. We used this for 1st-3rd grades.
Monkeying Around Dot to Dot Blog - Free dot to dot puzzles and projects
Multiplication Stories and Rhymes
Reflex Math - NOT free. This is a program that employs games to teach math facts and build math fluency. Students are rewarded with tokens, which they can spend on accessories for their avatar. 
Saxon - This is NOT an online/free curriculum. We started Saxon in 4th grade and plan to continue through high school.
XtraMath - Short practice drills for mastering math facts. Program starts the student at the appropriate lesson and tells them when practice time is over. Progress reports are sent to parent/teacher email and log the number of days the student has practiced, their over all mastery score (related to speed), and their over all accuracy.

Multidisciplinary Resources:
BrainPOP - a paid resource with games, video, quizzes, animations, activities & mobile apps for just about everything!
Kids Know It Network - Educational Activities, Products, Movies, Music, Games, Articles, Text Books, Learning Programs, Lesson Plans, Worksheets
National Geographic Education
PBS Learning Media - audio, video, games, lesson plans
Sheppard Software: Free fun online learning games - primarily elementary science and geography
Smithsonian Kids 
Super Teacher Worksheets - worksheets on EVERYTHING
Teachers Pay Teachers -  An open marketplace where educators buy, sell & share resources. Frequently there are specials offering unit studies, lessons or worksheets for free!

Online Curriculum
Ambleside Online - Charlotte Mason based curriculum for K-12
Easy Peasy - All In One Homeschool - Complete, free, online curriculum for pre-K-8th grade
Guest Hollow - Free history, science and math curriculum and schedules
Lesson Pathways: K-5 Curriculum and Teaching Resources

Planning and Organizing
Homeschool Skedtrack - an online planner and assignment manager
Stickers and Charts - free printables

Science
Biomes of the World
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education
Chemistry - Free Middle School Curriculum by the American Chemical Society 
Earthquakes for Kids
Earth Science 3D Paper Models
eNature - information about wild animals and plants of the U.S.
Geological Society of America 
Geoscience  News and Information
Journey North: A Global Study of Wildlife Migration and Seasonal Change
Kids Do Ecology

Social Studies, History and Current Events:
Great Lakes and Seaway System Website 
Little City Kids - history curriculum for kids up to 2nd grade
Official Site of the Iditarod 
Story of the World -  This is NOT an online/free curriculum. Activity books and audio CD's sold separately.
Time For Kids - Time Magazine Kid's Edition

Typing/Keyboarding
Typing Web -  Free online typing tutorials and games to improve typing skills. Parents can use the teacher portal to monitor student progress. Upgraded memberships are available for using the program ad-free and for additional lessons.

Unit Studies
Five in a Row - A Unit Study Based Curriculum
Wee Folk Art - Preschool-K unit studies following the seasons (three 12-week units)

Video Resources
NOVA programs online
YouTube - a great resource for short explanations, documentaries, language learning, cultural studies, current events, history, etc...

Writing/Literature
Brave Writer - This is the Brave Writer "lifestyle" page, filled with ideas for making writing part of your child's life. 
C.S. Lewis Writing Workshops - grades 5-10
Study Guides to works of C.S. Lewis
thesaurus.com - This is the same as dictionary.com, just the thesaurus part of the website. Both are great resources. The home page has a vocabulary word of the day, fun facts on word origins, crossword puzzles & games.
Write With The Best - This is NOT an online/free curriculum. 

Educational Apps for Mobile Devices:
30 of the Best Android Apps for Kids - primarily for preschoolers and young children
Apps Gone Free - a place to find apps that are being offered for free temporarily
Top Android Apps for the Brain - suitable for older children and adults

2 comments:

Tesha said...

This is fantastic! Thanks for putting this all in one place.

JanisMcKayBabcock said...

amazing list. thanks!

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