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Free 180-Page Digital Homeschool Magazine

For a limited time, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, the most popular homeschooling magazine, is allowing everyone to receive their 180-page Summer 2011 digital edition free (value $5.95).  The magazine will open in a program where you may flip through as you would one in your hands, you may choose articles from the table of contents, and you may click on links.  Although I like holding a magazine in my hands, I do like the convenience of digital editions!

Here is a screenshot from the digital edition:

How to Get this Freebie:  Visit this page to read more and to get the magazine. There are no catches, no registration.  You'll be able to click and read.  Note:  The Old Schoolhouse is a faith-based magazine.

Limited Time Offer (my assumption)

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Guest Post: 10 Money-Saving Tips for Summer Fun

Now that it's Summer, and the kids are off school, your budget can easily be stretched trying to keep them entertained.

However, entertaining the whole family doesn't have to break the bank. Below are ten tips for keeping the kids happy on a shoestring.

For more money-saving advice for all the family, have a look on this website. You might find the 'Money guides' particularly useful.

1. Why not go on a family camping trip?
If you haven't already got a tent, you could borrow one from friends or family, and there's no need to spend a huge amount on petrol either - you could even camp out in your back garden!

2. You could go 'exploring'…
Rather than spending money on expensive tickets for things like theme parks, consider taking the kids out to the countryside to explore nature. It's healthy, and, what's more, will hardly cost you a thing - just a bit of energy and imagination.

3. A cheaper alternative to buying expensive ice creams and treats when taking your kids on days out?
Think about taking a freezer bag with you full of ice lollies and drinks - so your kids can still have a treat at a fraction of the cost.

4. Consider having 'baking days'
By combining the two things most kids love most - getting messy and eating cake (!) - you could save a fair bit of money on buying ready-made cakes, and spend some valuable time together.

5. Think about getting membership for your local attractions
You could save a substantial amount of money at your local museum or zoo by getting a year-long family membership. It's educational, and if you regularly take your kids, the membership fee could pay for itself in just a few months.

6. Organise 'playdates' for your kids and their friends
You could make a 'jungle' in the living room out of chairs and duvets, or let them raid the dressing-up box. And, what's more, you could get a free afternoon yourself when it's the other parents' turn.

7. On rainy afternoons, why not have a board game tournament? It's mentally stimulating and good fun, and could keep your kids occupied for hours.

8. Perhaps you could take your kids to the local library
Many kids love delving into the exciting new worlds opened up to them through reading, so let them satisfy their curiosity and search out new interests.

9. You could arrange a toy/clothes swap…
Arrange a big clothes and toy exchange with neighbours and other kids and parents, which could save you a substantial amount on buying items brand new.

10. Why not rent a film and have a movie night?
A big bag of popcorn, plus a children's classic = happy kids!

 

What are your ideas for inexpensive Summer fun?

Giveaway! Two Winners! Computer Programming Courses for Kids & Teens (CLOSED)

Do you have a computer enthusiast in the house, but just thinking about teaching him or her makes your head ache and your typing fingers hurt?  If so, you'll be happy to know that some very smart people created computer programming courses for kids & teens, specifically for homeschoolers and - best of all - without you needed to help teach.

And guess what?  They want to give a full curriculum to two Freely Educate readers! I'll tell you how to enter the giveaway in a bit. First, here is more about TeenCoder and KidCoder: 

Using KidCoder and TeenCoder, students in grades 4th-12th learn Windows and Game Programming using industry-standard Visual Basic and C# languages.  The self-study courses may be completed by your student at his/her pace.  All courses come with fully coded activity solutions; no teacher expertise required. Each course includes a perfect-bound 8.5 x 11" textbook and enclosed CD with professional setup program. 

Here is the KidCoder Series:

KidCoder: Windows Programming
The first semester course teaches kids the fundamentals of Visual Basic and creating Windows applications. Students learn about computers and logical thinking skills.

KidCoder: Game Programming
Learn to write Visual Basic games using graphics, sound effects, collision detection, animation, artificial intelligence, file I/O, simple game physics, and more!

Here is the TeenCoder Series:

TeenCoder: Windows Programming
The introductory course teaches teens the Microsoft C# language, Windows programming, object-oriented programming and important computer science concepts.

TeenCoder: Game Programming
Use C# and the XNA Game Studio to write games with animated sprites, music, realistic physics, multiplayer support, mazes, Xbox360 support and more!

Visit Homeschool Programming for demos videos, a peek at the textbook, the FAQ and more.  

Live Chat: Tonight! (Wednesday) from 8-9pm CST

You know that community I've been working on for Random House? Well, tonight we're having a live chat and I hope to see some friendly Freely Educate faces there!  If you need to be bribed, we're prepared for that, too.  We'll be giving away 5 books and 5 $20 ice cream coupons!  To enter, you only need to be present.  10 winners will be randomly chosen from the chat participants.

Books include: Little Blue and Little Yellow; Cars Coloring Book; Polka Dot Penguin Pottery; Gossip From the Girls' Room; Cars Sticker Book.

Our theme tonight is Making the Most of Summer.  We would love your input on Summer crafts, recipes, and preserving Summer memories. 

Here are the Details:  Visit this page to view the location of tonight's live chat.  That page will become a "chat box" at 8pm Central Time on Wednesday (tonight!).  You may log in with your BlogFrog name or with your Facebook account (they won't spam you). 

p.s. Speaking of giveaways!  We have a BIG one planned here at FreelyEducate.com this week!

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Free Full High School Curriculum

Homeschool College USA is free, and, according to their description,

"designed for homeschooling high school students who would like to tailor their courses toward using college-level exams to earn college credits while completing their high school studies."

The site includes a free full curriculum with links to free course material.  The student's entire high school courses are free. 

Amanda shared this with us, and said, "Many of the subjects line up for CLEP exams.  We just started using it and really like it.  It is put together very well."  

Warning:  You will want to screen the art curriculum before letting your kids loose on the site, as there may be some nudity in the art courses. 

How to Get this Freebie:  Visit Homeschool College USA.  Amanda suggests you click on High School Studies in the right sidebar for a breakdown of subjects by year.

For High School, grades 9-12

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Thank you, Amanda, for sharing this high quality, 100% free educational find on our Facebook community page!

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Free Assessment Testing

The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills ( TAKS) is online for free!  These tests will give you a good idea of how your homeschooled children are doing compared to the national (or, Texas?) average student (if you care to know - this is a subjective concern).

I'll add a screenshot of the available exams, below.  It's a bit blurry, but gives you an idea of what to look for when you arrive at the TAKS site:

How to Get This Freebie:   Visit  Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)  Scroll down, down, down to the bottom of the home page until you see a graph that looks like the screenshot above.

For:  High School students

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FREE DVDs on Current Events (free shipping, too, to your snail mail!)

Want something in your snail mail again?  We've mentioned this offer before, but are running it again for the new readers (hi!) and those who missed it the first time around:  John Stossel, formerly of ABC News and now of Fox Business News, will mail you two free DVDs on current events topics, shipped free!   We've received several DVDs from him over the past two years.  Our teens and preteens really enjoy them!

The DVDs contain "segments from John Stossel's television programs—specially selected by John for your classroom—to spark thoughtful, engaging, curriculum-driven class discussions."  They cover current events such as food irradiation, border patrol, endangered species and other controversial topics. 

There are also free downloadable and printable teacher guides at the Stossel in the Classroom site, "with  suggested discussion topics and activities for your classroom." 

Learn more about Stossel in the Classroom.

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How to Get This Freebie: Visit Stossel in the Classroom to order the Stossel in the Classroom:  2011 Edition (38 minutes; 6 segments)  and/or the Best of Stossel in the Classroom  (70 minutes long; 12 segments).   They will be shipped free (US only?  I'm not sure about that.)

View the free teacher guides here.

Especially for Advanced Middle School, High School, and College Students

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