Freely Educate

3 Days Only: Free $5 Credit for Amazon Instant Video

If you have a Twitter account, you can easily get $5 in Amazon Instant Video credit!

How to Get this Freebie:  Visit this page at Amazon, and click on the "Tweet and Get $5" button

You'll instantly get a $5 credit applied to your credit to use at Amazon Instant Video, where you're sure to find something educational for your kids to watch.  There are over 100,000 movies and TV shows available to watch online or on  your TV.  

The chance to get this offer expires September 2, 2011 at midnight PST

The credit must be redeemed by October 31, 2011 at midnight PST

Not on Twitter yet?  It's free & easy to create an account!  You can find me there as @freelyeducate.

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Keep up with FreelyEducate tweets (Twitter) here: @freelyeducate 

Free Collapsible, Reusable Water Bottle (shipped free and $5 remaining credit!)

I ordered a water bottle tonight that was free and shipped free.  The water bottles are 15oz., portable, collapsible (great for a pocket or a purse when not full) and reusable. They are also dishwasher safe.  Since learning kids need to drink a lot of water, I thought I'd share this great deal with you.  I'm looking forward to using mine at ballet lessons, for our Civil Air Patrol cadet, and in the van.  

Here's How to Get a Water Bottle for Free, including free shipping: 

1. When you become a new member of SaveMore, they give you $10 in credit.  
2. One water bottle, including shipping, is on sale for $5 (normally $10 each). 
3. So, you'll not only get the water bottle free, but you'll also have $5 in remaining credit.  

Be sure that your shopping cart comes to $0.00.  You may need to click "use credits."   SaveMore works like Groupon.  You will receive a voucher with a gift certificate-like code to use at WaterBottle.bz, the makers of these water bottles.  

Expires August 31, 2011 at midnight PST

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Free Paper Structures of World Landmarks

Let's learn while cutting paper today, shall we? PaperToys.com offers paper structures (to cut out and assemble) of several world landmarks.   These structures may be used alongside your history program.
   

For example, below is a screenshot of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (clicking on the photo takes you directly to that drawing):

Or how about the Taj Mahal? (clicking on the photo below takes you directly to that drawing)

The full list of structures includes The White House, Neuschwanstein Castle, Sydney Opera House, Wrigley Field, Big Ben, and the Statue of Liberty among many others.  There are structures simple enough for Kindergartners and structures that will even challenge high schoolers (or you!).

Many more have been added since we last told you about these.  This is a great way to learn and have fun at the same time.

 How to Get this Freebie:  Visit PaperToys.com

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Free Magazine Subscription (no catches!) for Planning School Field Trips

If you plan field trips, you'll enjoy this free magazine subscription to help you choose the best trips.  Student Group Tour Magazine is  a free trade magazine for educators, individuals and organizations in the US and Canada.  No credit card requested, no shipping costs.  100% free.  

   

Here is a description from Student Group Tour Magazine:

Student Group Tour Magazine is a publication for individuals, educators and organizations actively planning trips for student groups.

Every issue contains information focusing on student oriented destinations, itineraries, travel trends, and information covering all aspects of student travel. With the regional breakdown, articles and advertisements are placed within their respective section of the magazine for easy reference.

How to Get this Freebie:  If you'd like the Student Group Tour Magazine to come to your postal - snail mail - box, fill out the mailing information form, here.  There is no credit card required and nothing to cancel - this is a trade magazine,100% free to educators.    

This is a limited time offer.   There is no deadline, but the number of free subscriptions is limited.

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How Do You Encourage Creativity?

I finished a few chores this morning, then moseyed into the kitchen to find this lovely sight:

Coincidentally, right before I walked in on the kids and their spontaneous paint session, I listened to an inspiring talk given by Sir Ken Robinson (a speaker & educator) in which he said, 

"Creativity is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status."

Wow.  That requires some rethinking, doesn't it?  But after the past few years of mulling over what education means to me, I agree with him.  It's good to keep sagging bookshelves around, but it's equally good to leave out paints, paper, scissors and gluesticks for the children to use freely.

Mr. Robinson (Sir Ken, is it?) says, "We don't grow into creativity, we grow out of it...or rather, we are educated out of it.  Many highly talented, brilliant, creative people think they're not.  Because the thing they were good at in school wasn't valued."

Our little gal (5) noticed me taking photos and without looking up from her paints, said, "I'm going to be an artist." 

That door, I hope, will always look as open to her as the doors to mathmetician and aeronautical engineer as a result of a fulleducation: one in which creativity is as important as literacy.

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I'd love to hear your thoughts on creativity and its importance to the children in your life.  How do you encourage creativity?

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Free This Weekend Only: eBook on Numbers for Ages 12 and up

I found an ebook on numbers that is free (normally $4.99) this weekend only.  The ebook covers eight numbers:  pi, Googol , zero, speed of light, Avogadro's number, square root of -1, gravitational constant, & infinity.  It is especially recommended for ages 12 and up.

The book should take only 2-4 days to complete.  Here is a screenshot of one of the book pages:  

How to Get this Freebie:  Download the free My Favorite Number ebook here.  You will not need to provide credit card information, but you may need to register (name/email) at CurrClick. 

Expires by Monday, August 29th 

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Free College Courses!

Carnegie Mellon University's Open Learning Initiative (OLI) is for the adult who wants to learn, for the college student who wants to take an online course, and for the instructor who wants to teach from a ready-made curriculum. 

For Students:  OLI's Open & Free courses are just that -- open and free.  They are open to anyone around the world who wants access to learning and they are 100% free.  Any catch?  You won't receive credit or a diploma from Carnegie Mellon, but you may arrange that with your local school*.  The current  Open & Free courses available at OLI are:

For Teachers: Go to the "Teach an Academic Course using OLI" page for more information on how to set up the courses for students.  NOTE:  The instructor account is free.  The students that you add under an instructor account are free for some courses, but a few courses charge $15-25 maintenance fee per student.  OLI suggests that you contact them if the amount of money suggested will prevent a student from taking the course.  All of the fees (free included) are listed in a blue sidebar box on the instructor's information page. 

Will I receive credit? Students will not receive credit from Carnegie Mellon for courses taken; however, students may convince a school to offer credit or diplomas for the courses taken at OLI.  See the FAQ page for more information on how to get credit for the courses. Many schools are already accepting OLI courses, so check with yours.

Here is another link to the Open Learning Initiative homepage.

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