Freely Educate

Free Resources for Teachers, Including Standards-Correlated Lessons for K-12

The quality of free educational finds seems to be improving each year.  Today's freebie is definitely one of those high quality resources. 

SMART Exchange offers free downloadable lessons* and lesson plans for teachers (including homeschoolers).  There is a teacher forum on the site, where you can bounce ideas off other teachers.  You may upload content you'd like to share. And, best of all, there is a search feature built into the site where you can find lessons specific to your state's standards and specific to the grade(s) you are teaching.

The free resources are available in a dozen or so subjects, ranging from Citizenship to Math, and from English as a Second Language to Special Education.  Here is a screenshot of the most downloaded subjects (as of March 18, 2010):

03/20/10 Update:  A FreelyEducate.com reader asked how to view the files.  Mark @ SmartTech replied, "If you don't have Notebook software installed, you can use a free web-based viewer at http://express.smarttech.com to open and edit them."~ Thanks, Mark!

Are you from a non-US country?  If so, click on the small flag in the top right corner of the SMART Exchange site to view the site in another language.

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Thank you, Katherine, for sharing this high quality, 100% free educational find with us! Want to share one, too?  Just email me at freelyeducate@gmail.com. ~ Lori

For Preschool through 6th Grade: Free Curriculum in All Subjects

Today we have another one of those vast sites that offer something in many subject areas.  The Learning Site is primarily for preschool through about 6th grade.  You're going to have to visit it yourself to see all there is to offer you!

Here are a few screenshots of random pages within The Learning Site:

At least one area of the site (math) requires registration, including adding the author's name of a Harcourt textbook as a password.  Other than that area, and perhaps another that I haven't yet noticed, the site can be freely used, even without registration.

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Subscribe to FreelyEducate here

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

Thank you, Kathleen, for sharing this high quality, 100% free educational find with us! Do you have a resource to share, too?  Email me at freelyeducate@gmail.com

Here are a few screenshots of random pages within The Learning Site:

At least one area of the site (math) requires registration, including adding the author's name of a Harcourt textbook as a password.  Other than that area, and perhaps another that I haven't yet noticed, the site can be freely used, even without registration.

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Subscribe to FreelyEducate here

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

Thank you, Kathleen, for sharing this high quality, 100% free educational find with us! Do you have a resource to share, too?  Email me at freelyeducate@gmail.com

Free Health & Nutrition Curriculum for Kids from Dr. Katz

When Dr. David Katz was on The Martha Stewart Show last week, he mentioned his Nutrition Detectives CD.  If you'd rather not order the CD, you may access the materials online for free.  Here's how:

Health: Nutrition Detectives

Before the food companies started removing hydrogenated oils from foods, Dr. Katz (from the Yale University School of Medicine) taught us it was something to avoid.  His Nutrition Detectives curriculum (something we completed in a day), convinced our then-six-year-old peanut butter & jelly addict to switch from Jif to an all-natural peanut butter.  Without any nagging on my part!  How's that for easy?

Here is the program description straight from the Nutrition Detectives site:

Drs. David and Catherine Katz are pleased to share their Nutrition Detectives program.

NUTRITION DETECTIVES® "Teaching Kids to Make Healthy Choices"

Nutrition Detectives is an exciting nutrition education program for elementary school children that is "Teaching Kids to Make Healthy Choices." They learn how to read food labels, detect marketing deceptions while simultaneously learning to identify and subsequently choose healthy foods. The program has been taught in schools throughout the country and data are currently being collected in Independence Missouri. There is opportunity to disseminate the program using a 'train-the-trainer' model, in which high school students are trained to teach younger students. The program is novel, creative, engaging, and efficient, imparting crucial information in minimal time.

By registering (email address; zip code) you will have free access to the following:

• Nutrition Detectives Slide Show [PowerPoint]
• Teacher's Manual/Curriculum Guide [45-page PDF]
• Children's Questionnaire [6-page PDF]
• Parent Intro Letter
• Parent Follow-up Letter
• Evaluation form for Nutrition Detectives

We are asking you to register so that we may track how many people/schools/organizations are using this program. It will also allow us to determine how effective the program was at your home, school or organization. If you do not want us to contact you, please check off the "Do not contact me" box below.

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Subscribe to FreelyEducate here  

Have a resource or giveaway to share?  Email me, Lori Seaborg, at freelyeducate@gmail.com

p.s. from Lori :  I haven't gotten the first bit of spam from them, and have used the site for almost four years.

Before the food companies started removing hydrogenated oils from foods, Dr. Katz (from the Yale University School of Medicine) taught us it was something to avoid.  His Nutrition Detectives curriculum (something we completed in a day), convinced our then-six-year-old peanut butter & jelly addict to switch from Jif to an all-natural peanut butter.  Without any nagging on my part!  How's that for easy?

Here is the program description straight from the Nutrition Detectives site:

Drs. David and Catherine Katz are pleased to share their Nutrition Detectives program.

NUTRITION DETECTIVES® "Teaching Kids to Make Healthy Choices"

Nutrition Detectives is an exciting nutrition education program for elementary school children that is "Teaching Kids to Make Healthy Choices." They learn how to read food labels, detect marketing deceptions while simultaneously learning to identify and subsequently choose healthy foods. The program has been taught in schools throughout the country and data are currently being collected in Independence Missouri. There is opportunity to disseminate the program using a 'train-the-trainer' model, in which high school students are trained to teach younger students. The program is novel, creative, engaging, and efficient, imparting crucial information in minimal time.

By registering (email address; zip code) you will have free access to the following:

• Nutrition Detectives Slide Show [PowerPoint]
• Teacher's Manual/Curriculum Guide [45-page PDF]
• Children's Questionnaire [6-page PDF]
• Parent Intro Letter
• Parent Follow-up Letter
• Evaluation form for Nutrition Detectives

We are asking you to register so that we may track how many people/schools/organizations are using this program. It will also allow us to determine how effective the program was at your home, school or organization. If you do not want us to contact you, please check off the "Do not contact me" box below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Subscribe to FreelyEducate here  

Have a resource or giveaway to share?  Email me, Lori Seaborg, at freelyeducate@gmail.com

p.s. from Lori :  I haven't gotten the first bit of spam from them, and have used the site for almost four years.

The BBC Learning Zone: Educational Videos in Many Subjects (UK only?)

(Note: A reader pointed out that these videos seem to be only available to those watching from the UK (I guess they are looking at our IP addresses?).  I wasn't able to view one either ("not available in your area," the screen said), but haven't yet researched how to get around that.  So, for now, this one seems to be just for you in the UK!)

If you like to use videos in your school, you'll probably love frequenting the BBC Learning Zone.  The list of available videos is so long I couldn't possibly justify taking the time to list them, and the subjects?  That's a very long list, too.  Just go to the BBC Learning Zone site and you'll see what I mean:

 
 
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Subscribe to FreelyEducate here

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

(Thank you, Alice, for sharing this high quality, 100% free educational find with us!)

The Learning Site: Free Lessons in Many Subject Areas for Preschool - Elementary

Today we have another one of those vast sites that offer something in many subject areas.  The Learning Site is primarily for preschool through about 6th grade.  You're going to have to visit it yourself to see all there is to offer you!

Here are a few screenshots of random pages within The Learning Site:

At least one area of the site (math) requires registration, including adding the author's name of a Harcourt textbook as a password.  Other than that area, and perhaps another, the site can be freely used, even without registration.

~~~~

Subscribe to FreelyEducate here

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

Thank you, Kathleen, for sharing this high quality, 100% free educational find with us! Do you have a resource to share, too?  Email me at freelyeducate@gmail.com

Subway is Offering to Mail You a Free Health Kit for Kids!

Subway will mail a free health kit to teachers (including homeschooling teachers), while supplies last.  The kit includes the items pictured:

Subway writes, "This program is [our] way of helping educators and parents teach kids a lifetime of healthy habits. Educators receive a FREE Get Fit for the Fun of It kit, complete with the tools they need to bring fitness and nutrition education into the classroom."

Subscribe to FreelyEducate here

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

Free Educational Coloring Pages

Did you know the United States government has a site full of coloring pages?  But these aren't just any coloring pages, these pages are full of educational facts and provide a student an introduction into many different subjects.

Go to the coloring pages menu for a full listing of all that is offered.  Below is just a sample:

• Agriculture, U.S. Department (USDA): farming, George Washington Carver, wildflowers of America, and many other subjects
• Commerce, U.S. Department :  weather, sea turtles, and the Pacific coral reef are among the available subjects
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): endangered species and other environmental topics
• Health and Human Services, Department of (HHS): health topics
• Interior, Department of the (DOI) : salmon and Yellowstone are two of the available topics
• Local/State governments :  Ohio, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, North Carolina, Maine, Connecticut, and Louisiana are topics available
• from Marine Resources :  Mobile Bay, Salish Sea, Coastal North Carolina, and Chesapeake Bay
• from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) :  space topics, of course!

Get out the Crayons (yes, some for you, too...we are never too old to color!), and enjoy coloring education!

Subscribe to FreelyEducate here  or keep up with FreelyEducate tweets (Twitter) here: @freelyeducate

Did you know the United States government has a site full of coloring pages?  But these aren't just any coloring pages, these pages are full of educational facts and provide a student an introduction into many different subjects.

Go to the coloring pages menu for a full listing of all that is offered.  Below is just a sample:

• Agriculture, U.S. Department (USDA): farming, George Washington Carver, wildflowers of America, and many other subjects
• Commerce, U.S. Department :  weather, sea turtles, and the Pacific coral reef are among the available subjects
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): endangered species and other environmental topics
• Health and Human Services, Department of (HHS): health topics
• Interior, Department of the (DOI) : salmon and Yellowstone are two of the available topics
• Local/State governments :  Ohio, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, North Carolina, Maine, Connecticut, and Louisiana are topics available
• from Marine Resources :  Mobile Bay, Salish Sea, Coastal North Carolina, and Chesapeake Bay
• from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) :  space topics, of course!

Get out the Crayons (yes, some for you, too...we are never too old to color!), and enjoy coloring education!

Subscribe to FreelyEducate here  or keep up with FreelyEducate tweets (Twitter) here: @freelyeducate

Coloring Pages (educational ones!) from the US Government

Did you know the United States government has a site full of coloring pages?  But these aren't just any coloring pages, these pages are full of educational facts and provide a student an introduction into many different subjects.

Go to the coloring pages menu for a full listing of all that is offered.  Below is just a sample:

• Agriculture, U.S. Department (USDA): farming, George Washington Carver, wildflowers of America, and many other subjects
• Commerce, U.S. Department :  weather, sea turtles, and the Pacific coral reef are among the available subjects
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): endangered species and other environmental topics
• Health and Human Services, Department of (HHS): health topics
• Interior, Department of the (DOI) : salmon and Yellowstone are two of the available topics
• Local/State governments :  Ohio, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, North Carolina, Maine, Connecticut, and Louisiana are topics available
• from Marine Resources :  Mobile Bay, Salish Sea, Coastal North Carolina, and Chesapeake Bay
• from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) :  space topics, of course!

Get out the Crayons (yes, some for you, too...we are never too old to color!), and enjoy coloring education!

OpenUW: Free Courses from the University of Washington

Oh, good, more courses from a university!  This time the free knowledge is courtesy of the University of Washington through their program, OpenUW.  They write, "The OpenUW Courses are designed to spark your interest in lifelong learning and familiarize you with online education. The OpenUW Courses are accessible free-of-charge."

Explore a variety of learning in these free online courses from the University of Washington.

• The American Civil War
• Energy, Diet and Weight
• Greek Mythology
• Gulliver's Travels
• Hamlet
• HTML Basics
• History of Jazz: New Orleans
• The American Revolution
• Shakespeare's Comedies
• Heroic Fantasy: Tolkien
• World War II

Please Note:  The University of Washington wants you to register before accessing the information.  The registration is through a simple name/address form.  They promise to not spam you or share your information.

Johns Hopkins: College Level Health Courses

Johns Hopkins University is another university that believes knowledge should be free.  They write, "Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's (JHSPH) goals are to provide free, searchable, access to JHSPH's course materials for educators, students, and self-learners around the world. "   This is great news for us! 

The courses contain everything you would need to complete these college-level courses:

• syllabus
• schedule
• lecture materials
• readings
• materials list (if additional texts are needed)

More information about the courses:

• JHSPH does not require that participants register
• JHSPH does not grant degrees or certificates for these courses
• The courses do not provide access to JHSPH faculty

The available areas of study include:

• Adolescent Health

• Aging

• Behavior and Health

• Biostatistics

• Chronic Diseases

• Environment

• General Public Health

• Genetics

• Global Health

• Health Policy

• HIV/AIDS

• Infectious Disease

• Injury Prevention

• Maternal and Child Health

• Mental Health

• Nutrition

• Population Science

• Presentations

• Public Health Preparedness

• Refugee Health

Johns Hopkins' new image library is also worth a look.  Through the image library, you may view hundreds of images from the above courses.

Enjoy this high quality, 100% free, educational find from FreelyEducate.com!

Online Courses and Three-Week Instructor-Led Online Classes

GCF Learn Free.org offers self-taught courses and online classes for continuing education.  Some of their courses may be useful to you, especially for your middle school or high school students (or for yourself!).  Available courses include:

Computer Training (from internet skills to specific software learning, such as Access 2007)

Everyday Life ~ learn about work, money, food and more. 

Math & Money

The above courses are for you to take on your own, self taught, but the site also offers free instructor-led, three-week online classes.  Upcoming Classes include Math Basics, Powerpoint, Excel, Word and more.  Go here for the schedule and to sign up for a three-week class (these classes earn a Certificate of Completion and CEUs). 

Registration is required to access the site, but it was as simple as filling out a user name, password, city, state, and then checking a box to opt out of emails and to agree to the terms of service.  Quite simple, and very quick. 

GCF Learn Free .org writes the following about their site:

We believe that quality, innovative education helps people improve the quality of their lives. Through our computer, technology, and life skills training, our learners acquire the skills they need to do this.

p.s.  The site is also available in Spanish:  http://www.gcfaprendagratis.org/

Thank you, Tina, for recommending this 100% free, high quality educational find!

Learn to be Healthy

Sometimes I shake my head in wonder at the things that people have (obviously) worked very hard on, then offer for free to us.  Learn to Be Healthy is one of those sites.  Learn to Be Healthy is a site full of lesson plans, interactive games and much more to teach children about health.  It is full of information, great graphics, and plenty of fun for the kids. 

Learn to Be Healthy is set up for all ages, from K-12 and is well-organized.  The following links will take you to each section, where you may view lesson samples before registering (free) to view the entire site.

Teen's Kits:

• Nutrition and Fitness:  Fuel Your Performance (grades 7-9)
• Nutrition and Fitness: What's Your Balance? (grades 10-12)
• nrg Powered by Choice (grades 7-12)

Kid's Kits:

• Nutrition and Physical Activity (grades 4-6)
• The Five Senses (grades 1-3)
• Tobacco and Inhalants (grades 4-5)
• Adolescence (grades 5-6)
• Dental Health (grades 1-3)
• Eating Healthy (grades 2-4)

Also be sure to check out the site's Health Log, for tracking with the What I Ate Tool and the Exercise Tracker.. 

Please note:  Registration (free) is required if you want to see more than just samples.  Before highlighting Learn to Be Healthy on FreelyEducate.com, I asked them if all educators are welcome to register on the site, including homeschoolers and all parents.  The response was, "Thank you so much for offering to highlight LearntobeHealthy.org. Our resource is free to not only teachers, but parents, cyber schoolers, and community members as well."  Well, cool for us, then!

Health: Nutrition Detectives

Before the food companies started removing hydrogenated oils from foods, Dr. Katz (from the Yale University School of Medicine) taught us it was something to avoid.  His Nutrition Detectives curriculum (something we completed in a day), convinced our then-six-year-old peanut butter & jelly addict to switch from Jif to an all-natural peanut butter.  Without any nagging on my part!  How's that for easy?

Here is the program description straight from the Nutrition Detectives site:

Drs. David and Catherine Katz are pleased to share their Nutrition Detectives program.

NUTRITION DETECTIVES® "Teaching Kids to Make Healthy Choices"

Nutrition Detectives is an exciting nutrition education program for elementary school children that is "Teaching Kids to Make Healthy Choices." They learn how to read food labels, detect marketing deceptions while simultaneously learning to identify and subsequently choose healthy foods. The program has been taught in schools throughout the country and data are currently being collected in Independence Missouri. There is opportunity to disseminate the program using a 'train-the-trainer' model, in which high school students are trained to teach younger students. The program is novel, creative, engaging, and efficient, imparting crucial information in minimal time.

By registering you will have free access to the following:

• Nutrition Detectives Slide Show [PowerPoint]
• Teacher's Manual/Curriculum Guide [45-page PDF]
• Children's Questionnaire [6-page PDF]
• Parent Intro Letter
• Parent Follow-up Letter
• Evaluation form for Nutrition Detectives

We are asking you to register so that we may track how many people/schools/organizations are using this program. It will also allow us to determine how effective the program was at your home, school or organization. If you do not want us to contact you, please check off the "Do not contact me" box below.

p.s. from Lori :  I haven't gotten the first bit of spam from them, and have used the site over the past two years.

Want to perform virtual surgery or investigate a crash scene? Edheads.org

Do you have any students who are budding surgeons, future crash scene investigators, or just curious kids?  Of course you do.  All kids are curious.

We discovered Edheads a couple of years ago when my mom was having knee surgery.  I Googled to get more information for the kids (why not learn from real life?), and found Edheads, where our kids could be the surgeon and perform knee surgery on (virtual) Nana!  (she was just a little horrified by the idea)

Edheads is kind enough to offer the surgery in cartoonish-graphics so that anyone can perform the surgery or investigate the crash scene, but there is a separate link in each section where the non-squeamish can view real surgery photos or crash scene photos. 

Edheads offers the following interactive learning experiences (the following descriptions are taken from their site):

• Virtual Knee Surgery (this is the one I mentioned above):  Take on the role of the Surgeon throughout a total knee replacement surgery.
• Virtual Hip Replacement: Take on the role of the Surgeon throughout a hip replacement surgery.
• The Compound Machine: Learn how forces and simple machines can work together to create The Compound Machine.
• Simple Machines:  Learn about simple and compound machines while you explore the House and Tool Shed.
• Weather:  Learn how to report and predict the weather at the underground W.H.E.D. weather caves.
• Crash Scene Investigation:  Help the highway patrol recreate a deadly crash by examining the evidence and calculating the forces.

Many of the topics also include in-class lesson plans.

Edheads is another high quality and 100% free educational find from FreelyEducate.com.  Do you have something to share, too?  Email me (loriseaborg @ gmail.com - smoosh that all together)!  If it qualifies as high quality, educational, and 100% free, I'll post it!