High Quality Homeschool Resources

Free Lesson Material Available on Government Websites

Jan 8, 2008 Linda Banks

The US government has a number of free and high-quality educational resources that homeschooling parents need to know about.

Homeschooling is becoming more and more popular today, with parents choosing to instill religious values into their education, shield children from poorly performing public schools or assist children with special needs. Unfortunately, many resources are costly and can cause financial strife within the family. This is why many homeschooling parents will search out high-quality resources that are free or of little cost. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources available online without cost but also accurate, comprehensive and interesting.

History/Civics/Social Studies

America’s Library is a fun-filled adventure back in time. Not only are there short but interesting lessons on a good number of individuals, the site is eye-catching and humorous. There are questions for children to answer, special segments, including one titled “The Big Sneeze” which is all about how and why Thomas Edison created the silent motion picture. The major sections within this site include:

• Historical Biographies – including inventors, politicians and athletes. Find out more about Buffalo Bill Cody, Martin Luther King Jr.,, King Kamehameha I, or Andrew Carnegie. No matter what era of history you are studying, you will be able to find biographies to help bring the lesson home.
• Historical Eras – starting in 1492 with Colonial America and continuing into the present time, children can learn more about US history. In addition, they can send e-cards to family and friends, find out what happened on their birthdates in history and play the Super Sleuth Game.
• Sing a Song! Yes – that’s right. America’s Library brings popular old-style songs and uses the songs to teach your child history. Discussions about instruments made from material available in the time, such as the misnice made from goat skin, videos of cattle drives and life on the prairie, and an analysis of song lyrics help personalize the past and make it real for students today.

The Sciences

Although many government sites have great scientific lesson plans, one of the most comprehensive is delivered by NASA. Most of the site is geared towards older students, but even pictures of the stars, sun and moon are great for introductory material for the young ones.

• Major topics of study include the Atmosphere, Oceans, Land, Heat and Energy as well as special features.
• Features are special in-depth studies. One such feature is the discussion of the Appalachian Coal Controversy that encourages students to learn more about balancing the need for coal and the destruction caused by the mining.
• Experiments are another part of the site that is extremely useful in learning. Experiments related to Global Warming, identifying botany specimens and Earthquakes are three of the fun filled activities that allow hands-on learning.

The Arts

Any good curriculum needs to expose children to a variety of artistic mediums and reach the child through each of the five senses. This includes looking at more than just a picture or singing more than just a song. The Library of Congress has a site that comes the closest to meeting those needs.

• Visualize American history and feelings by viewing paintings, collections, pictures and more! The American Memory section provides a huge variety of visual art to meet any curriculum.
• Explore music, theater and dance. Learn patriotic melodies, discuss the ragtime era, browse sheet music and study innovative dance techniques through the Library of Congress Presents collection.
• Find local crafts and customs in the Local Legacies section. Make a list of places to visit and plan on some field trips.

No matter the need, many high-quality resources are available online and with no cost to the parent who educates. It may take awhile for the parent to find the resources that fit within their current curriculum, but the outcome is definitely worth the effort.

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