I can't recommend Khan Academy Enough

I have been singing the praises of Khan Academy for many years. I am going to go ahead and say it again. This site is amazing.  The few problems I had with it before (videos too quiet) software/grading intuitiveness... these things are on point now.

I just used it to help a homeschooler who was math phobic and had not really gotten past Algebra (and some Algebra 2) in one semester, this student has now mastered Geometry and Trig.  It takes time and dedication but this site sets kids up for success... and adults too.

Use it whether your kid is homeschooled or not, daily use in the summer will also keep a student from losing ground when school is not in session.  Oh, and it covers all subjects now... maybe not in full depth, but it can be a good template to follow as you home educate your kids... for free.

Visit Khan Academy



~posted by Andrea from Nearing fifty and having moments

Writing tools for middle school and high school writing

These graphic organizers will take some of the pain out of helping kids map out essays and papers.

This was found at Project Write, a wiki for writing teachers.




~posted by Andrea from Notes from a Homeschooling Mom

Education Lectures on Learners TV

 Learners TV had lectures in every subject plus visual aids for science.  This is great for high school students and those looking for material to help them study for CLEP exams.  It is also great for college students who need a deeper explanation than they got in class.

 Lecture subjects available:  Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Math, Statistics, Accounting, psychology, history, language arts, literature, economics, philosophy, Astronomy, and more.

Animation subjects include Biology, physics, chemistry




~posted by Andrea from Notes from a Homeschooling Mom

ck12 free chemistry curriculum

Here is a video that explains the free chemistry homeschool curriculum at CK-12 initiative: http://www.ck12.org



Also enjoy videos by TheHomeScientist
~posted by Andrea from Notes from a Homeschooling Mom

Virtual Math Lab from West Texas A&M

College Algebra by West Texas A&M has full online math classes for: 

Beginning Algebra 


Intermediate Algebra 

College Algebra    (can be used for passing the College CLEP)

Math for the Sciences

GRE Math

and

Thea and Accuplacer Math

It looks like a great program!







~posted by Andrea from Notes from a Homeschooling Mom

Writing Guidelines: The Elements of Style

The Elements of Style, originally written in 1918 asserts "that one must first know the rules to break them, this classic reference book is a must-have for any student and conscientious writer. Intended for use in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature, it gives in brief space the principal requirements of plain English style and concentrates attention on the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated."

This is an excellent guide to help parents evaluate grammar and writing and also as a self-help guide for high school students. 

You can find a free online version of this book at Bartleby.com

See amazon.com for a current version of this book

~posted by Andrea from Notes from a Homeschooling Mom

Anatomy of the Human Body

Anatomy is a sub set of Biology, but a perfectly acceptable course for a homeschooler.

More specifically, Anatomy is "branch of biology concerned with the study of body structure of various organisms, including humans"

This is an online book provided by Bartelby.com. You could create tests yourself to go along with this text, or have the student write essays to explain what they have learned or to discuss theories.  This online book has excellent illustrations.

^ Here's an anatomy coloring book you can use alongside the free online book.


~posted by Andrea from Notes from a Homeschooling Mom

Free Science Curriculum, Jason.org

Jason.org is a free science curriculum.

Our award winning curricula:The JASON Project connects students with great explorers and great events to inspire and motivate them to learn science.

• Embed cutting-edge research from NASA, NOAA, the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Geographic Society and other leading organizations.

• Allow leading scientists to work side by side with JASON students.

• Challenge students to apply their knowledge to the real-world scenarios scientists face every day. 

They have a:
 Weather Unit - Operation Monster Storms
Geology Unit - Operation Tectonic Fury
Ecology Unit - Operation Resilient Planet
Energy Unit - Operation Infinite Potential.

All four units come with lesson plans, teachers' guides, hands-on activities, and student assignments. Online labs, video and games reinforce the learning experience.

Biology Lab Activities

Here are some more biology lab activities for Biology students. 

There should probably be a couple of hands-on labs done, but having virtual options will save you alot of time, money, and heartache.

The following labs are available.

Lab 1: Diffusion & Osmosis


Lab 2: Enzyme Catalysis

Lab 3: Mitosis & Meiosis

Lab 4: Plant Pigments & Photosynthesis

Lab 5: Cell Respiration

Lab 6: Molecular Biology

Lab 7: Genetics of Organisms

Lab 8: Population Genetics

Lab 9: Transpiration

Lab 10: Circulatory Physiology

Lab 11: Animal Behavior

Lab 12: Dissolved Oxygen

Biology Labs Online

Oklahoma City Community College has posted a series of biology labs online.

This can be a Godsend because I know my kids have been trying to avoid biology because they don't want to dissect anything.

The Labs cover the following:
Scientific Method
Organic Molecules
Cells and Membranes
Respiration
Cell Cycle
Genetics
DNA
Electrophoresis
Plants
Evolution
Animals

Math Vids Free math videos

Mathvids.com provides free math videos for all levels of math from Middle school math through Discrete math. If your student is having trouble learning a concept from their math book, you can help them find the corresponding Mathvid video help them understand better.

You can also use the video as your own online textbook, following the videos and exercises in order. You would need to purchase a workbook or find worksheets to go with it though.

There are ads on these videos, but you can pay a reasonable subscription fee for an ad-less version. I don't mind looking at ipad commercials though. The paid subscription includes the ability to download videos for later use and the ability to make the videos full screen.

Subjects included:

Basic math
Pre-Algebra
Algebra
Geometry
Advanced Algebra (II)
Trig/Precalc
Statistics
Calculus (1,2,3)
Beyond Calculus
College statistics
Linear Algebra
Differential Equations
Discrete Math

You will have to become a member (free) to use the site. Great for middle school, high school, and college.

Elementary Statistics

This is an introduction to data analysis using graphical and numerical techniques to study atterns and departures from patterns.  From the site:

It’s all about the students, declare Professors of Applied Mathematics Susan Dean and Barbara Illowsky. Their journey into the world of distance learning began with students learning in televisions’ glow as they absorbed the intricacies of a class often referred to as “Sadistics.”

Geometry for the artistic type

For students leaning toward the fine arts and architecture industries, why not teach Geometry according to their interests?

From the site:  Welcome to Geometry in Art & Architecture. We'll be taking a long journey together, starting in Egypt, like the travellers in this picture. There, the story goes, geometry got its start when rope stretchers were sent out to put back the boundary markers washed away by the Nile.

In addition to looking at art and architecture, we'll cover any mathematics-related topics as we go along. 

Paradigm Online Writing Assistant

Get free help in teaching highschool students to write at a collegiate level.

You may use Paradigm Online Writing Assistant (HTML) free of charge for any educational or nonprofit purpose. Please give appropriate acknowledgment. For other permissions contact the author directly.

From the author: Actually, Paradigm is a distillation and collage of numerous writings, talks, and activities that I've developed over the years and tried out on students, colleagues, and mentors with varying degrees of success.

If you don't want to use the website, the information is also available in a  paperback book.

Grammar Girl, free grammar tips

Grammar girl recordings is available through  the Quick and Dirty Tips website.  It is entertaining, and informational.  I recommened it for high school and college students looking to get the last few bad grammar habits ironed out. 



Titles include Is "Ain't" a Word?
Do you know when to use Affect versus Effect?
Lay Versus Lie... and
Alternate versus Alternative. 

Enjoy

ps.  If you like the website... you'll love the book

Middle School Grammar resources and quizzes

The Guide to Grammar and Writing is sponsored by the Capital Community College Foundation, a nonprofit 501 c-3 organization that supports scholarships, faculty development, and curriculum innovation. If you feel we have provided something of value and wish to show your appreciation, you can assist the College and its students with a tax-deductible contribution.

This website teaches parts of a sentence, writing paragraphs and essays,parts of speech, spelling and much more. These resources are for middle and high school students.

Free Online Tech books Books

Get access to free computer programming books at techbooksforfree.com. Titles include:

Essential Skills for Agile Development

P6Platform C++ Framework

Practical PHP Programming

and many more.

This web site and the content are provided "AS IS" without warranty or condition of any kind. Use of either of our web sites or any content is at your own risk. We do not make any representations, warranties or conditions about the quality, accuracy, reliability, completeness, currency, or timelines of our web sites or the content.
Our web sites may contain links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible or liable for the accuracy, reliability, and the timeliness of the content found on these sites. You access these sites entirely at your own risk.

FREE high school science and math books

Learn physics, chemistry, and high school math with FHSST. These free texts are designed for students in South Africa, but homeschoolers should still be able to make good used of them. The math is organized differently, but it looks just like American High School math.

What is FHSST?

FHSST (Free High School Science Texts) is a project that aims to provide free science and mathematics textbooks for Grades 10 to 12 science learners in South Africa.

In the interests of openness in all ways we've written a how-to with all our learnings for you to download. It complements the great case study of FHSST completed by the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME).

Illustrated Textbook Answers for Algebra 1

If you are having trouble understanding how to work out your Algebra 1 problems, you should check out this Illustrated Textbook Answers: Algebra 1.
Combine this free online resource with an inexpensive algebra workbook and you will have a complete program to allow your Algebra student to self-teach
More about the program:
Illustrated Textbook Answers is following a standard Algebra 1 outline based on current textbooks. The textbook provides six illustrated answers for every algebra concept in contrast to the usual one explanation found in a typical algebra textbook.

The answers are based on hundreds of thousands of online sessions with students that have shown that step-by-step instructions with “motion lines” are extremely useful in understanding algebra. The motions lines are similar to a teacher’s hand gestures which have also proven to be effective in increasing understanding.

The step-by-step explanations can be distributed freely to students. Any teacher or educator can use illustrated answers to augment their current textbooks and day-to-day classroom teaching. However, the content is copyright protected and may not be incorporated into websites, textbooks, or other materials without express written permission.

College Algebra Book Online

If you are studying for an Algebra Clep or math AP exam, you may purchase an expensive college math textbook or you can download this free online college algebra book.

The Online Textbook Was Written By:

We are two college mathematics professors who grew weary of forcing our students to purchase expensive college algebra textbooks whose mathematical content has slowly degraded over the years. Our solution? Write our own. The twist? We made our college algebra book free and we distribute it as a .pdf file under the Creative Commons License.

If you need further study consider buying College Algebra Demystified