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Homeschooling for FREE! e-Newsletter, July 2006
In This Issue A Word from Your Editor Freebie History Resources on the Internet   by Cindy Downes Using the Web to Educate Your Kids   by Diane Flynn Keith Homeschooling while "life comes at you"   by Eleanor Joyce Julie's Picks of the Month! CONTEST FOR THE MONTH!
A Word from Your Editor Well, here we are full swing into the summer. Anyone else continuing to learn? Whether or not you think you're teaching your kids anything, you are. We teach, we learn, we love, we make memories every day! Our family is about to head out the door for a week at family camp in Wisconsin. We'll be right on a lake enjoying the sunshine and relaxation that a week like this brings. It's just the right balance of togetherness and separateness. There's something for everyone to enjoy. The best part? We're making memories. We're forging OUR family's history. This is our third year to go, and it's our annual summer vacation! My mom is even going with us this year! Speaking of history, how about some freebies on the Internet? Cindy Downes has come up with quite a crop of them! Check 'em out! Learn something new! Cindy's even offering one blessed subscriber a copy of her book The Checklist. Then Diane Flynn Keith of ClickSchooling shares the Yahoo group she founded to share all her finds on the Internet. When you subscribe, you'll get freebies every day! And lastly, some free encouragement for you from one of my favorite homeschooling writers -- Eleanor Joyce. I saw this article of hers and just had to share it with you. Ever had that feeling of "What in the world am I doing homeschooling my kids?" or "Man, I feel like I haven't taught them anything in a while"? Be encouraged by Eleanor. Well, the van is all packed and I need to get outta here! Happy summer to you and yours and safe travels for all! Blessings, Julie Nott Editor, Homeschooling for FREE! www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/Julie www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/FreeStuffForHomeschoolers Freebie History Resources on the Internet    By Cindy Downes Who needs textbooks when you have a computer and high-speed Internet? Check out just a sample of FREE resources on the Internet for teaching history: History Reference Resources 1) World Wide Web Virtual Library of History: vlib.iue.it/history/index.html 2) EyeWitness to History, from Ancient World to present day through the eyes of those who lived it:     www.eyewitnesstohistory.com 3) Ancient Civilizations: killeenroos.com/link/anchist.htm Biographies of Historical Persons 1) Famous People Biography: www.indianchild.com/famous_people.htm 2) Need a picture of the person you are studying? Try Utopia's Portrait Gallery: utopia.utexas.edu/project/portraits Primary Sources 1) 100 Milestone Documents: www.ourdocuments.gov/content.php?flash=true&page=milestone 2) AmDocs, Documents for the Study of American History: www.vlib.us/amdocs/ Need a Map, try one of these resources: 1) Historical Maps from Perry-Castaneda Library: www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/map_sites/hist_sites.html 2) Map Machine from National Geographic: plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/index.html 3) National Atlas - 50 printable maps of the US. You choose what you want on your map at: www.nationalatlas.gov/index.html Lesson Plans and Teaching Ideas 1) Teaching Ideas for History: www.teachingideas.co.uk/history/contents.htm 2) Teaching with Historical Places, Lesson Plan Index: www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/state.htm 3) Country Report Notebook Ideas: www.oklahomahomeschool.com/History.html 4) Thinkquest Projects for US History: www.thinkquest.org/library/cat_show.html?cat_id=52 5) Archiving Early America Videos - Watch online if you have Flash and high-speed access. Videos cover the major characters     from Early America: www.earlyamerica.com/series.html 6) Free Unit studies for History:     a. Cindy Downes' page: www.oklahomahomeschool.com/unitstudies.html#free    b. Mr. Donn's Page: members.aol.com/donnandlee/SiteIndex.html How about a recipe? 1) Food Timeline - recipes related to a time period: www.foodtimeline.org Need a coloring page for your younger children? 1) Activity Village: www.activityvillage.co.uk/history_coloring_pages.htm 2) Teacher Helper Bible History coloring pages:     www.teacherhelp.org/color.htm#bible For the crafty ones, here are some history craft resources: 1) History for Kids: www.historyforkids.org/crafts/index.htm 2) Colonial Crafts: falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/colonial.htm#K5 3) Western Crafts: www.makingfriends.com/western_crafts.htm 4) Egyptian Crafts: www.dltk-kids.com/world/egypt/index.htm 5) Roman Crafts:     library.thinkquest.org/CR0210200/ancient_rome/directions.htm 6) Victorian Crafts: www.craftown.com/vic.htm For the Auditory Learner - Music History: 1) Songs for Teaching:     www.songsforteaching.com/socialstudiessongs.htm 2) History in Song: www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/parton/2/history.html 3) Popular Songs in American History: www.contemplator.com/america History Worksheets 1) School History: www.schoolhistory.co.uk/resourcesprimary.html 2) Worksheets 4 Teachers:     www.worksheets4teachers.com/socialstudiesheets.php 3) Teach-nology: www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/soc_studies 4) Homeschool Forms: www.oklahomahomeschool.com/forms.html Field Trips 1) Links to Living History Museums: www.alhfam.org/alhfam.links.html Don't forget the free quizzes: 1) Quiz on Early American Heritage: www.earlyamerica.com/games/index.html 2) Who's Who and What's What?     www.nytimes.com/learning/students/quiz/index.html 3) World History Quizzes:     www.funtrivia.com/quizzes/history/world_history_31.html US Subscriptions: 19 FREE GIFTS Whether you are new to our magazine or a long-time subscriber, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine has an incredible offer that you won't want to pass up! In the past, we couldn't offer the renewing subscribers the 19 free gifts - those were only for new customers. But for a limited time only, RENEWING subscribers get all 19 gifts (over $200 value), too! I'm a new subscriber…what do I get? With your paid two-year subscription to TOS you'll receive: •A 2-year/3-year subscription to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine •19 FREE gifts for you All this for ONLY $39 for 2 years and ONLY $59 for 3 years Click Here to Purchase Online Or, call 1-888-718-HOME Already a subscriber? Renew now and receive: • Two or Three more years of your favorite homeschool magazine and 19 FREE gifts (valued at over $200)! All this for ONLY $39 for 2 years and ONLY $59 for 3 years Click Here to Purchase! Or, call 1-888-718-HOME The first 3,000 two-year or three-year new subscriber or renewing your two or three year subscription, you will receive (by USPS mail) NINETEEN free homeschooling gifts. But you don't get four gifts - you get 19! And yes, even the shipping is paid for - and you are not required to buy anything again - EVER. Hurry! Promotion will sell out fast! (US Residents Only) Click Here to View the FREE Gifts Cindy Downes is the author of "The Checklist", the creator of the Oklahoma Homeschool website, and a veteran homeschool mom who began teaching her own children in 1981. She homeschooled in Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma; administrated three support groups; and taught homeschool seminars at both the state and local levels. She currently resides in Oklahoma with her husband, Bill, and two cats. Now that her children are grown, she enjoys being a hospice volunteer, a grandmother, cooking, reading, writing, bicycling, and helping others to homeschool. Websites: www.oklahomahomeschool.com & www.cindydownes.com - Email Address: mail@cindydownes.com Using the Web to Educate Your Kids    By Diane Flynn Keith How many times have you logged on to the Internet to find fun and educational websites for your kids--only to spend hours clicking through layers of links in pursuit of something that will measure up to your standards and appeal to your child's interests? Are you harboring thoughts of "computercide" by unplugging your PC's lifeline once and for all? Don't go no-tech. There is a solution. It's called ClickSchooling--and it's free! I developed ClickSchooling because after years of countless hours surfing the Net for resources to use with my own kids, I wanted to share my "finds" with other homeschool families. Subscribe to ClickSchooling and you will receive one free e-mail message every day (Monday through Saturday) with a recommendation for an educational website as follows: Monday = Math, Tuesday = Science, Wednesday = Language Arts, Thursday = History/Social Studies, Friday = A Virtual Field Trip, and Saturday = Electives (Art, Music, & Foreign Languages). The recommendations include a description and review of the website with information on what age or grade range the site targets. Look what some of our subscribers have said: "Thank you for all the work you have done as well as the complete descriptions you post. We get a lot of use from the sites you mention." --Annette G., Florida "You are doing a terrific job, and you have enriched our homeschooling tremendously." --Trece, Phoenix, AZ "I just wanted to thank you for all the wonderful 'school' sites you send out through Clickschooling everyday. I have pretty much rearranged my lesson plans around the site of the day you send, it has really been helpful in getting me on a more regular schedule. I don't know how you do it, I don't know how you find the time, but I truly and deeply thank you." --Lora See? Lots of homeschooling families have discovered ClickSchooling and use it to enhance their curriculum. Here, for your enjoyment, are some of the top websites that our subscribers have enjoyed at ClickSchooling. If you like these sites, subscribe to ClickSchooling and turn your kids into Web scholars. To subscribe please visit www.homefires.com/free.asp and click on the Yahoo Groups button. International Subscriptions: 19 FREE GIFTS Whether you view your subscription as a gift for yourself, a homeschool conference delivered to your door, a professional journal, or simply a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with other homeschool families around the world, subscribe now to insure that you are in the first 2,000 and receive this incredible International Subscription Homeschool Gift Pack! One-Year International Subscription: Receive four issues of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine delivered directly to your door and 19 FREE gifts from our generous sponsors. Subscribe now! Only $38! And we have an additional gift for two-year and three-year subscribers! Two-Year or Three-Year International Subscription: Receive eight issues of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, the 19 free gifts, AND our Secrets of Successful Homeschooling e-book! Subscribe now! Only $69 for 2 years and $83 for 3 years! These special offers will expire soon, though. Subscribe or renew today so you don't miss out on this opportunity! We have three easy ways to subscribe! Subscribe online Call 1-888-718-HOME Mail your order to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC PO Box 10 White Pine, TN 37890 Hurry! Promotion will sell out fast! (International Residents Only) Click Here to View the FREE Gifts MATH   with CoolMath.com www.coolmath.com Here's an award-winning math website that ages 3-100 can use. It is animated, fun, and academic! When you get to the site click on "Kids" for those 12 and under--or click on "Ages 13-100." Either way you are treated to a menu of possibilities. The "Kids" section offers interactive math games, brain benders, jigsaw puzzles, geometry, fractals, an online calculator, a coloring book--all of which reinforce typical math strands taught during the elementary school years. There is also a special activities section for little mathematicians ages 3-5. The "13-100" section offers interactive math games based on higher math usually taught at the high school level and up. There are spectacular activities called "Too Cool To Miss", online calculators, a graphing calculator, message boards, and--if you scroll down a little--you will see math lessons in algebraic functions, geometric tessellations, trigonometry, and calculus. You can also find suggestions for how to succeed in math and how to find a career in mathematics. Be prepared to spend some time at this site--the games and brain teasers are great fun and an interesting way to practice known facts or to introduce new concepts. There are plenty of links to other math sites and lots of help and suggestions for parents and teachers. SCIENCE   with Fun Science Gallery www.funsci.com/texts/index_en.htm This site offers hands-on, investigative science at its best. Here is a partial list of what you will find instructions for: How to build a microscope How to build a telescope How to build a stereoscope How to project the outside world onto a panorama on your wall How to make an herbarium How to build simple folk toys How to make lemon or tomato batteries How to align the atoms of a salt grain How to investigate protists -- those little critters that live in pond scum The instructions and illustrations are clear and simple to understand. Once you build the tool, the site provides experiments and activities to use with that tool. It also provides scientific explanations for why certain reactions/results occur with any given experiment. Students in junior high and up will have no trouble negotiating this site and doing the projects on their own. Younger elementary-age students will enjoy these projects with parental assistance--and if building the tools is frustrating for younger hands, then the children will enjoy the experiments after older siblings or parents build the tools first. LANGUAGE ARTS   with Grammar Gorillas www.funbrain.com/grammar/index.html This website offers a grammar game to help students learn to identify parts of speech. Choose the level of play--beginning or intermediate. You are presented with a sentence that contains highlighted words. You are asked to click on the word that is a noun, or a verb, or an adjective, etc. If you click on the correct answer, the gorilla guide gets a banana. If your answer is incorrect, you are advised of the correct answer and invited to try again. This is really a computerized version of ditto drill sheets, but the computer animation and interactive design makes it a whole lot more fun to learn grammar. HISTORY   with Ancient Egypt Webquest www.iwebquest.com/egypt/ancientegypt.htm Here's one of the best sites designed to help elementary and middle school students learn about Ancient Egypt. Kids accept a Quest to travel back in time to Ancient Egypt, circa 1250 BC. The student can accept one or all of several missions to find clues that will eventually allow him or her to find the burial mask of King Tut that contains a secret message on the inside. The student uses a hieroglyphics decoder to decipher the message. During the course of these missions students learn about ancient Egyptian daily life, especially the lives of children, Egyptian mummies, Egyptian hieroglyphics, King Tut, Egyptian games, and archeology. Parents/Educators will appreciate the curriculum suggestions here, designed by a teacher to enhance the study of Ancient Egypt. You will also find lesson plans, unit studies, and even ideas for having an ancient Egyptian party. VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS   with www.JellyBelly.com jellybelly.com/Cultures/en-US/NewsEvents/Stores/Virtual+Tour.htm Gather the family around the computer to find out how Jelly Bellies are made. The Jelly Belly Factory Virtual Tour explains through photos and text how the scrumptious, sweet jellybeans are made from scratch, then packaged and distributed to stores everywhere. ELECTIVES, MUSIC, ART, FOREIGN LANGUAGES   with A. Pintura: Art Detective www.eduweb.com/pintura/ This wonderful site provides kids with an introduction to fine art. As the website explains, "A. Pintura: Art Detective is an online game about art history and art composition. In the game, you play a 1940's noir detective with a degree in art history. A distraught woman asks you to identify the artist who made a painting she found in her grandfather's attic. To do so, you must examine paintings by famous artists from Gauguin to Van Gogh. Each example highlights an art concept such as composition, style, or subject. The story concludes with an appropriate noirish twist, as the woman's true identity and motives become apparent." The game is fun and interesting, and it fascinates players of all ages. Click Schooling is a Federally Registered Trademark. Copyright 2006, All Rights Reserved, Diane Flynn Keith Homeschooling While "Life Comes at You"    By Eleanor Joyce www.TheHomeCast.com Likely we all agree that there really isn't any right or wrong way to homeschool. But how about those times when homeschooling just doesn't seem to be happening at all? Day after harried day rattles past as you juggle appointments, obligations, sickness, problems, and deadlines, and then you drop into bed on the ragged edge of exhaustion each night. The best-laid plans are shredded in ways that you least expect. Then the guilt starts. "What am I doing to my kids?" "What EVER made me think that I could homeschool?!" Recently my family has been going through such a season. Our approach to homeschooling is more relaxed than some, but we do live in a highly regulated state. Records have to be kept. Portfolios need to be submitted. Evaluations need to happen. Each of my girls has a colorful hard-backed notebook. Every morning I write their assignments or tasks for that day on a fresh page. They work their way down the page, in whatever order they choose, checking off things as they are done. It's a system that works well for us ... usually! Earlier this week I sat down and opened my oldest daughter's notebook. It had been exactly one month since my last entry! As I looked at it wearily, the idea occurred to me to just start writing some of the things we had done in the past month on that blank page! Well, let's see ... geography fair, science fair, a trip to family in Michigan, two trips to family in Canada, preparing for and entertaining houseguests, a Bible conference that included missionary reports from Mexico, Japan, Korea, and Sri Lanka, dentist appointments, doctor appointments, standardized testing, rollerblading, bowling, environmental field trip, digging garden beds, shopping, softball, a bridal shower, cooking for church, riding and caring for horses, helping to socialize and care for new puppies .... Wow! That page filled up fast. My 13-year-old daughter looked over my shoulder and said, "Cool, Mom! All that stuff was learning, you know!" She's right. As I looked at the page I asked myself, "Are my girls better prepared for a balanced adult life than they were a month ago? Have they learned anything about responsibility, or compassion, or planning, or sharing simple pleasures during the past month? Most definitely! That's why I prefer the term "home learning" to "homeschooling." While the academics ARE important, I am so prone to letting the bookwork overshadow what is of real significance. Writing my little list just brought things into focus and realigned my vision. Could I encourage you to do the same? Don't focus on what hasn't been accomplished. Instead, make a conscious decision to think about what your children HAVE experienced and learned. Your list will be different from mine, but I can almost guarantee that it will surprise and encourage you! Commit your days and your ways to God. He is your children's ultimate teacher (and yours too!). "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5 and 6 (ESV). Bright Ideas Press In 1992, Maggie Hogan started Bright Ideas Press. Soon, she and her husband Bob began having way too much fun writing, creating, and finding practical, fun, and affordable homeschool resources. Visit them at www.BrightIdeasPress.com - home of the award winning series: The Mystery of History and the Christian Kids Explore science books. Homeschooling the Highschooler... E-Book packed with answers, encouragement, and resources, this e-book will equip you to homeschool through high school with confidence! Order your copy for $12.45 at The Old Schoolhouse Store!! Eleanor Joyce has four children and two dogs. They are adapting to subdivision life since leaving their rural homestead a few years ago. Eleanor considers herself blessed to have learned that "The Good Life" can be found almost anywhere, and in spite of changing circumstances. In addition to homeschooling three of the children, Eleanor enjoys writing, cooking, gardening, cheap and cheerful decorating, "treasure hunting" at garage sales and flea markets, and driving the back roads of Pennsylvania's rolling countryside. Email Eleanor at Eleanor@TheHomeCast.com. Julie's Picks of the Month! • CRAZY 4 MATH CONTEST CRAZY 4 MATH! is an online math contest for children to keep up math skills during the summer. Kids! To enter, tell us how you use math in an activity you enjoy. There are prizes for everyone and many learning ideas for families! Help create the largest FREE list of "Crazy 4 Math" ideas created by kids, for kids. The entry deadline is in July 30th. Winners are announced August 20th. Visit www.crazy4math.com. • www.aamhomeschool.org/niftyfifty -- Free interactive online lesson unit on the fifty states by the Adventure of the American Mind Homeschool Program. Large list of free lessons available on the main website: www.aamhomeschool.org • www.JamestownJourney.org -- The official education website of the 400th anniversary commemoration of the founding of Jamestown, VA. The site includes 88 free Jamestown-related lesson plans, activities, and other resources. • www.freebies.about.com/od/patrioticfreebies -- Patriotic Freebies • www.qfold.com -- an entirely new look at find-it picture puzzles. The puzzler is charged with finding the "outs" in these original, abstract, 4-fold mirrored designs, determine the out "types," and solve Qism. They are challenging, strange, fun, and kid friendly. NO sordid content will ever be allowed on a Qfold. Qfolds are free PDF files and are meant to be printed and solved. Adobe Reader (a free download) is required to view the puzzle files, but most people already have the software. They are probably best suited for teens because of their difficulty. In fact, they will challenge the teacher as well. But the younger kids are also intrigued by the designs and tend to see things in them that most others do not. Take a look at the sample Qfold for some guidance in solving these puzzles: qfold.com/files/qfoldsample.pdf. This simplified and solved version of a Qfold is a popular download. CONTEST FOR THE MONTH Cindy Downes is giving away her book "The Checklist" to one blessed subscriber! To enter just send an email to me at Julie@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com with "homeschooling freebie" in your subject line. Tell me about the BEST freebie you've found on the Internet for history. I'll draw one name from a hat to win this book! Deadline: August 11, 2006 Disclaimer and Legal Notice: The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC ("Company") is sponsoring the July Homeschooling for Free Contest, running from July 12, 2006, to August 11, 2006. You must be 18 years of age or older and follow all rules to participate. Entering the contest constitutes full and complete acceptance of, and a warranty that the entrant has read, understands and agrees to, all contest terms and conditions, including without limitation all of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC Contest Rules ("Official Rules") at http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/TOS_Extras/Contests.php and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Writer Guidelines and Terms and Conditions for Submitting Queries (as published on the Internet at http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Resources/writersguidlines.php) All Official Rules apply. Entry also constitutes full consent and unlimited permission for Company to print, publish, broadcast and use all intellectual property and personal information submitted as part of the Contest entry on the Internet and in any and all Company publications in accordance with the Rules. Entries become the sole property of Company and will not be returned. Employees and independent contractors of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC, Contest sponsors, individuals or entities furnishing Contest prizes and their family members may not participate in this contest. Company reserves the sole, discretionary right to determine contest winners and to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the contest or the Rules at any time with or without notice or cause, subject to applicable law. See Official Rules for details. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. For a full copy of the Official Rules, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine: Official Rules Request, PO Box 10, White Pine, TN 37890. Thank you for reading the TOS Homeschooling for FREE! e-Newsletter this month. You may forward this e-Newsletter to your friends in its entirety. If you have any comments, email me at FreeHomeschool@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com with your feedback.

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