Is it just me, or are there other homeschoolers out there who are totally loving the ever expanding universe of websites that provide free access to all manner of quality, educational resources. My goodness, you can find lessons, videos, games, interactives, virtual tours, virtual labs, digital textbooks, unit studies, tests, teaching ideas, and on and on, for any subject, and for any grade. All for free. Check out these links, for example:
There are even sites that provide full courses. These are just some of the ones I'm aware of, and the list continues to grow.
I'm truly amazed by how much things have changed as compared to when I first began the "homeschool journey" some 12 years ago. The idea of locking into a single, expensive boxed curriculum, (which I once did), seems ill-advised to me now. Homeschooling is all about mixing and matching resources to meet individual learning needs, so why on earth try to squeeze everyone into the same "scope and sequence?" Especially today with all the choices. With an Internet connection, a person can definitely put together a personalized, free, or low-cost curriculum. The problem now is, there's so much to look at, and it takes so much time to sift through everything that creating your own curriculum is no simple task.
For myself, I tend to go to the same sites I like over and over again. So maybe one way to avoid getting lost in the digital vortex is to pick several proven (for you) sites and stick with'em. (Yah, right, who am I kidding?)
Happy New Year folks. Hope you all find what you're searching for.
As a Christmas gift, here are the 20th century's 50 great cartoon shorts, determined by "somebody." Gertie the dinosaur, Mickey Mouse, Betty Boop, Popeye, Felix the Cat, Daffy Duck, Superman, Johnny Appleseed, Bugs Bunny, Donald Duck, Porky Pig, the Silly Symphonies, are all part of this collection.
I have also taken upon myself to add just a bit to the "50 great."
I have enjoyed collecting them and admiring the great creativity and historic importance of each one. I hope you might, too.
Why look at Internet videos or read PDF files or play interactive games on your computer when there are FREE MATERIALS available for you to touch and to hold and to keep?
Save the UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE!
Explore the offerings available on the Internet and order them online. Soon your mailbox will be as full as Santa's sock, and you and your students will have free CDs, DVDs, books, study guides, videos, etc. mailed to you free of charge.
These Christmas gifts are available all year long. Enjoy. Bill
