Living History in your homeschool

This is a guest post by Lisa Shoreland.

History lessons can become dull when they are full of dates, long lines of royal ancestry, and political play-by-plays. There's no need to make homeschool history like that!

Studying how the people of a certain time period lived every day, including what they ate, where they worked, and how they dressed, can help bring history to life, especially for younger children. Going to museums or looking at picture books are great ways to illustrate historical concepts, but hands-on projects make for more exciting learning.

Cosplay for Learning

Short for “costume play,” cosplay is a popular hobby among both comic book and gaming fans and history buffs. War reenactments and Renaissance festivals (RenFaire being the most popular) are perfect examples of cosplay in action. The costumes are created to match the details and styles of the period for which they are trying to emulate.

Of course, creating a full-sized Elizabethan gown with embroidery and bead work, a functioning ruff, corset and all the underpinnings might be a bit more than you can fit into a daily history lesson – and probably far above your skill level, and your child’s. But there are many ways to use costuming in your history lessons, no matter your skill level or your time commitment.

Attend Festivals and Shows

Just seeing all the lavish costumes can be inspiration enough for your children. There are Renaissance Faires held in each state at different times of the year. Of course, the time period covered is the Renaissance era, so you will only find a certain kind of costume at this festival. Other great places to see historical costumes are war reenactments and historical sites, where many of the characters are dressed in historical costume. With reenactments, you can even get a front-row seat to a simulated war scene. Search for what’s local to your area. A final option is to visit a museum when there is a costume display. Many history museums will feature a costume section, though the selection may be limited.

Sew Them Yourself

If you’re up for a challenge, you can create your own historical costumes with your children. You don’t have to start from scratch. If you do want to cut and sew your own costume, you can buy a pattern from a local fabric store. Patterns are available for many different kinds of historic dress. If you do choose to sew your own costume, you can easily combine the lesson with an arts or “home ec” lesson.

If you don’t want to sew the whole costume, you can find used clothing to alter to your needs. An old long-sleeved shirt would be easy enough to convert into a tunic with a slit at the neckline and some string. Likewise, a corset could be worn over a blouse and billowy skirt to create a female costume. Help you children think creatively by looking at ways they can transform objects by adding some elements and taking away others.

If you don’t want to sew any of the costume, there are tools that can help you “sew” without ever having to thread a needle, including fabric glues and fusible fabrics.

The only limit to what you can do is your creativity!

Bio: Lisa Shoreland is currently a resident blogger at Go College, where recently she's been researching scholarships for music students. In her spare time, she enjoys creative writing, taking weekend trips, and practicing martial arts.

Are your kids into cosplay? Have they made any historical costumes?

Photo courtesy of Steven Groves from FlickR under a creative commons license.

Thinkwell Offer Ending

The Homeschool Buyers Co-op has its last offer for Thinkwell courses up - after this the price will be full retail. Discount on most of the classes is running at 45% savings.

What is really nice about this offer is that you have one year to complete the course from the time you start and you have upto one year from now to start.

I've been thoroughly pleased with Thinkwell Algebra I which my son has been doing. And I've checked some of their other courses and we're going to be using more. Courses on offer include:

• all math from 6th grade through college algebra (except for Geometry), including Calculus and Trig
• Biology, Physics, and Chemistry
• American Government, Public Speaking, and Economics (micro and macro)
  

The current price for most of the courses is $68.75 and the offer ends on 08/31/10. If you're looking for high school online homeschool software courses I recommend that you check out Thinkwell Discounts through the Homeschool Buyers Co-op.

Which homeschool software products do YOU recommend?

Finding Fun Books

When it comes to enjoying reading, what you really need are some fun books. Not that everyone's definition of fun is the same! But, who would want to read a boring book?

I've just relaunched one of my own websites with lots of information on how to find great reading suggestions. I learned a lot during the process of writing, especially about which publisher produces which ranges of books, where to find great reading lists, and how to find stuff on Amazon.com (often-times I've been frustrated to mainly see best sellers, most of which I'm not interested in).

You can find all of the information about best books at my site GreatFunBooks.com. I've not written specifically for homeschoolers this time, though I do mention that homeschoolers really value non-fiction kids books. I think that's one of the myriad reasons that homeschooled kids know so much. I also did pretty extensive research on early readers for the page on best books for kids so, if you have a pre-reader or early reader at home be sure to check that page out.

Do let me know what you think and whether there is other information you'd like to see there.

Free Environmental Education Curriculum

The No Impact Project has come out with a free environmental education curriculum suitable for middle and high school kids.

I've not registered to download the curriculum so I can't comment on the details. What I can tell you is that I respect the work of Colin Beavan who has lived his no impact experiment with his family. I have every faith that this curriculum has quality content.

According to the website, the environmental education curriculum:

• contains 5 lessons - consumption, energy, food, transportation, water
  
• incorporates internet-based video clips
• is designed to be taught in 50 minute lessons
• is suitable for grades 6-12, but can be adapted for other ages/grades
• the author is "Cari Ladd, M.Ed., is an educational writer with a background in secondary education and media development. Previously, she served as PBS Interactive’s Director of Education, overseeing the development of curricular resources tied to PBS programs..."

You don't need to own the No Impact Man book or DVD in order to use the curriculum. If you want to take it further you can join the No Impact Experiment one week carbon cleanse.

Thinkwell Courses Sale

Periodically the Homeschool Buyer's Co-op provides access to Thinkwell courses on sale. I'm a fan of Thinkwell for high school and college prep homeschooling.

Maybe it's Professor Edward Burger that makes me like Thinkwell - he's a kinda cute, geeky, math guy and he makes me laugh. Or the fact that their course is so thorough - he obviously just loves his subject and knows it inside out. Either way, if you're looking for high school online software it's worth checking out Thinkwell.

Courses on offer this time around:

• middle school, high school, and some college level math (except for Geometry, which I really wish they had), including college algebra, trigonometry and calculus
  
• high school biology, chemistry and physical science
• American government
• macroecomomics and microeconomics
• public speaking

Prices range from $49.95 to $84.95 with bigger discounts when there are more subscribers.

For some reason it's hard to access the deals if you just go to the Homeschool Buyers Co-op home page - go straight to Thinkwell courses on sale if you want to take a look. The current offer expires February 10th at noon (eastern).

The Homeschooler's Guide to the Galaxy has no connection to Homeschool Buyers Co-op or Thinkwell. I also recommend The Teaching Company Save 70%! Great Courses by America's Top Professors and Elementary Algebra (these are affiliate links).

Staples Dollar Deals

I know that some of my readers and friends here get a little foamy mouthed, or is that starry-eyed, over discounted school supplies so I'm escaping from lurkdom to point you to Stapes Dollar Deals, which arrived in my Inbox this morning.

So, what delights are in store for you at Staples Dollar Deals, if you just can't resist checking into shiny, new, $1, office supplies?

• small, college-ruled, spiral-bound notebooks
• mini staplers - so cute!
• clear and colored washable glue sticks
• sheet college-ruled paper
• post-it like Stickies pads
• pens

There are also some $2 deals. That's it! If your school supplies have run out, dried up, or you just need a little of that fresh, new smelling, stuff to get you fired up and get you through to Spring Break, take a look at Staples Dollar Deals.

Regards, Alison

P.S. Can someone tell Staples they should pay me for doing this stuff?

SmartDraw 2009 Homeschool

Homeschool Buyers Co-op have announced that they are offering SmartDraw 2009 Homeschool for the last time, ending December 31st, 2009, early morning. Discount is 60% and the price is $59. You must have been a member for 3 days to take advantage of this offer.

You can find more information about what SmartDraw does and download a free trial at the SmartDraw site. It looks really powerful and useful for all kinds of graphical creations, including slideshows, timelines, family trees, flowcharts, and mind maps. Documents can be exported in a large variety of formats, including .jpg .pdf and to Excel and PowerPoint.

This offer is for an academic license for non-commercial use. Let me know if you've used this - it looks like a great offer.

Bravewriter Black Friday Coupon

Bravewriter are offering a $25-50 rebate on their materials today, as detailed below.

The way it works: You order at full price, send Julie the code in email, and they rebate/refund your purchase within 24 hours.

If you need help with product selection, call Julie: (513) 307-1405, or email: julie@bravewriter.com

Here's how it works:

The Black Friday Rebate Coupon is good for any Brave Writer product. That means you can use it for The Writer's Jungle, or Help for High School, or any of The Writer's Jungle packages; the Gold package which includes the Arrow and Slingshot Evaluation and Planning Tools, or the Platinum package which includes year-long Language Arts Subscriptions (Arrow and Boomerang). You can apply the coupon to Already Published issues of the Arrow, Boomerang or Slingshot. You can use it for any of the writing aids: Fairy Tales, Poetry, Myths and Legends, and so on. You may even apply this coupon to a semester order of the Boomerang Complete (whose price will go up in January). If you purchase the semester now, you lock in the current price.

For a limited time (until January) they're offering The Writer's Jungle and Help for High School together for $124.99 in a package they call the BW Home Study Package. Don't miss this chance to get them for the lowest price possible.

The coupon is not applicable to online classes (registration for those is on Tuesday, December 1, 2009).

The coupon has two possible rebate amounts.

Spend $120.00 or more - $25.00 rebate.

Spend $200.00 or more - $50.00 rebate.

Simply place your order and put the following code on your Paypal order (if a note option is provided) or send it in an email: julie@bravewriter.com. If you send the code in an email, please include the name and email address of your Paypal order.

The code is: BLKFRIBW09

The coupon only works with online orders. They will not accept the coupon for check orders. If you have difficulties with Paypal, contact Julie at: julie@bravewriter.com.

You may share the Black Friday Rebate Coupon code on homeschooling forums, email lists and with your friends. When a friend uses it, they'll be added to the email list in order to activate the code. If you share the code with a friend who makes a purchase, send an email with her name and order and Julie will send you a FREE issue of the Arrow or Boomerang as a thank you.

Black Friday orders are not refundable so be sure you know what you want when you make your order.

P.S. Check out the new class schedule. Registration opens Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at noon EST

Use the Black Friday Rebate Coupon to order Brave Writer Products on Friday, November 27 and Saturday November 28 for $25.00 or $50.00 off of your total purchase! See above for details.

Thinkwell Announces Classhive for Homeschool Students

On Friday the folks at Thinkwell announced a new feature in their computer-based, online math and science programs specifically for homeschool students called Classhive.

Within the next week Classhive will be released. It will enable interaction with other students taking the same Thinkwell math or science course. Things you'll be able to do include:

• ask questions
• upload notes
• connect with other students
• post web links
• create exam reviews
• organize study groups

It's no secret that I already like Thinkwell courses. This seems like a great addition.

Thinkwell Math Online

In my Inbox today was a 30% discount notice from Thinkwell for their online math courses. It seems they would like to increase their take-up amongst the homeschool community.

First let me say that Homeschool Buyers Co-op has the best price for Thinkwell Online Math products.

Both offers expire Monday, October 26th, 2009. You can save 30% direct through Thinkwell and 39-48% through Homeschool Buyers Co-op. Most of the courses at the co-op are currenly just 2 subscriptions short of getting a 44% discount.

Do you like cake? I've been using the Thinkwell Algebra I online course this term and for me it's the most enjoyable Algebra course I've seen. Professor Burger is a really high-thinking mathematician who makes the course fun and just covers math at a deeper level than other courses I've seen. His fun props such a cake and bologne also get his points across.

I don't recommend Thinkwell Online Math courses for every student though. There are a couple of other online math courses I recommend. Take a look at Thinkwell if your kid/student:

• Likes variety - there is a fair bit going on within the multi-screen format.
• Wants to work excusively online.
  
• Asks questions and wants to understand math in its wider context.
• Doesn't need things broken down to tiny steps with lots of repetition.

And if you're already using Thinkwell, or decide to, you might be interested in:

• Thinkwell YouTube Channel
• Thinkwell Blog
• Thinkwell on Facebook
  

Homeschool Parent Teacher Conference?

Schools in my area are doing parent teacher conferences next week. As a homeschooler do you to a parent teacher conference?

This might sound a rather stupid question, but when you think about it, conference is not just about a teacher communicating with a parent what a child is doing in school, it's about taking the time to review progress and a child's strengths.

For a homeschooler, conference is a time to look at what you've been doing together. Reviewing can bring back some of the joy of things you've been learning. It can highlight things you want to do more of and things to do differently.

You've been working hard. Acknowledge that, praise yourself, praise your kid/s. Share some more of what you've been doing with a parent who is not working with your child/children every day.

Celebrate and eat a cookie, or a pizza. You'll enjoy the change of pace. All teachers and children need the reward of thinking about good things.

Free Online Math, Science, Finance

Khan Academy is a non-profit website site where you can access free online math, science and finance lectures. When you visit you'll see subjects under group headings like Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, SAT Preparation, and Arithmetic.

Under each subject, such as Arithmetic, are listed all the topics, such as Dividing Decimal Numbers. Click on the link and you'll be taken to a YouTube video, such as this one here.

Khan Academy looks like a really amazing resource. Not only are there all the video lectures, but there is also a curriculum, with exercises to work, for some of the math topics, including Arithmetic and Algebra 1. Here is the link to the Khan adaptive math program. I didn't go in and look to see how the exercises are presented because you have to register for that part, but I recommend you check it out if you're looking for a new way to do math.

Now I'm wondering if I could have avoided some of the $$$ I've spent on math curricula over the last 6 years of homeschooling...

Homeschool Math Examination

I've spent the last couple of days absorbed in an examination of homeschool math options for the middle school and high school years. This is most certainly not a new area of research for me, but each time I take a look at homeschool math options I learn something new. Rather than let this research go to waste, here are a few things I've discovered. Today I'll cover online instruction options.

Computer Based Math Instruction
There are several math instruction methods suitable for middle school, high school, and college level math which are entirely computer based. I'm going to write a few notes on things that seem to me unique about each different program.

• iPASS - designed to catch up a student who may have gaps in their learning. Covers math through pre-Algebra - math taught in grades 4-8 in most states. This is a comprehensive program which breaks down math into all it's component parts. The student is not aware of which grade level they are working - levels are simply labeled with letters from A-V and moving from one grade to the next is seamless. For each topic the student completes a timed assessment and they can test out of a lesson if they reach the pass rate. Questions are not multiple choice so a student must actually know how to calculate the answer to get it right. Once a student has mastered the topic they pass on to the next topic. If needed the student will be given more questions from a large pool of questions to provide adequate practice. Students who need additional time for tests can be accomodated. Review is incorporated throughout the program so that the student continues to practice concepts they've mastered. iPASS does not have a free trial - I was quoted a cost of $20 per month and you can sign up for one month and see if it works for you. Find out more about iPASS. You need to talk with a sales representative to sign up. The person I spoke with was Kim and she is very helpful.
• Thinkwell Math begins with their Pre-Algebra course. Their courses cover Algebra from Pre-Algebra to College Algebra, Pre-Calculus and Calculus, and Trigonometry. They don't list a Geometry course - I'm not aware of whether geometry is integrated into their other courses perhaps. Each course must be purchased separately. You can save 39-48% by purchasing through the Homeschool Buyers Co-op. The current offering ends on August 21st. I've looked at this course before and I really like the way the teacher covers the work. The software workspace is divided up with the teacher on one side explaining the concept and working the problem, a place to show the math problem being worked on and a key ideas area. It does make for quite a busy screen. You can see the demos at Thinkwell's site and take a look at what the Thinkwell Homeschool Buyers Co-op offering. There is no free trial, but watching the demos should give you and your children a pretty good feel for this program.
• PLATO Learning Math has courses covering everything from Pre-Algebra to Geometry, Calculus 2 and Trigonometry. They do not appear to cover Statistics. This year is the first time these courses have been available to homeschoolers. Homeschool Buyers Co-op is able to make them available through the Kentucky Virtual Campus. While I am not familiar with the PLATO math options I've used some of their science courses in homeschooling my teens and we've liked them a lot. The offering for these courses involves signing up to get access to a very wide range of middle school and high school level courses. At a cost of $299 for the year it would be a really good deal if you can take advantage of several of the courses. The courses cover math, science, social studies, language arts, and job and life skills. The Homeschool Buyers Co-op deal ends on the morning of August 23rd. If you're interested take a look at PLATO demos and Kentucky Virtual Campus then sign up through Homeschool Buyers Co-op. There is no trial period for this software.
• ALEKS Math cover everything from Grade 3 math to college math courses in Algebra, Trigonometry, AP Calculus and Statistics, and Business Math. I'm not very familiar with ALEKS but I've heard good things and they do have a free trial. At the ALEKS site you can see all of their offerings, take a tour and sign up for a free trial. One thing I like about what they are offering is that you have access to all their courses for the one subscription of $19.95 per student.
• Indian Math Online is an online math program I just discovered. It is based on the teaching method used in India. Given that India is now producing some of the leading math and science majors I think it's worth a look. You can sign up for a free trial and then the subscription costs $15-20 per month. Indian Math Online covers grades 1-10 math.

If you are looking for a math curriculum I hope these comments will be of help to you. I also have plenty to say about textbook math, but I'll save that for another day.

Horse Therapy for Kids

I just have to share this video from a local, Kansas City, horse therapy for kids camp. I've seen this therapy in action and it's amazing what they do for kids on the autism spectrum.



The horses are used to help children on the autism spectrum to recognize first the feelings of the horse and then their own feelings. The children also learn to follow directions so that they can do the things they want to do on the horse. All of the riding is done without stirrups and the children learn balance and co-ordination too. They are actually taught how to fall off safely.

Places like this need volunteers to help - often they need 2-3 adults working with each child at a time. It's a great learning opportunity for a teen who might be interested either in working with horses or with special needs kids.

Bravewriter Online Classes

Remember that sign-up for Bravewriter's online classes opened today. Some of the classes have very limited space - the one I signed my daughter up for takes just 20 kids. If you're thinking of signing up and haven't yet you'll need to make a decision today to ensure a place.

Here is the list of Fall Bravewriter Classes.
Here is more information about Bravewriter Online Classes.

Everyone I know who's taken these classes praises them. See my previous article for more about Bravewriter including a conference audio presentation by Julie who started Bravewriter.

Locker Stories

As soon as August approaches I see all these ads related to lockers. There's locker magnets, locker wallpaper, locker whiteboards, locker shelves...

I don't get it! You're going to have to help me out here. What is this whole thing about lockers? I never had a locker in school in Scotland.

So, tell me your locker stories, good or bad. Do you have fond memories of school lockers, or bad locker stories to share? Fill me in. I need educated!

Costco Back to School

Below are my picks from the Costco back to school offers, taken from the Costco Connections magazine August 2009 edition. Interestingly Costco this time dedicated one page to homeschooling with articles highlighting two homeschooling moms and their families.

Back to School Books
Books on sale at Costco in August which my family has enjoyed:

• Ripley's Believe It or Not: Seeing is Believing - I can't think of a book more suitable for intriguing and entertaining a preteen boy. Ripley's is a firm favorite in my home. What a great conversation starter! It's not just parent-grossing - it gets kids thinking about science and human behavior and it's the kind of book grasped by many a reluctant reader.
• Dorling Kindersley Hardback Titles - every home with school age kids needs a collection of fact-filled encyclopedia style books and Dorling Kindersley make some of the best. Pictured in Costco Connections are the titles Bird, Flight, Earth, Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life, Encyclopedia of Space, and Encyclopedia of Animals. I'm not familiar with any of these specific titles. What I can say is I remember a whole host of library trips where I carted home DK titles for my son to pore over. DK make great books - they're perhaps Usborne's biggest rival in non-fiction children's books.

Worth a Look

• Inkheart, Inkspell and Inkdeath by Cornelia Funk - a great trilogy collection recommended for read-aloud dad and daughter time.
• Casio fx-300ES Scientific Calculator and Texas Instruments TI Plus 84 Silver Edition Graphing Calculator - Costco price and quality can't usually be beaten so if you have a teen who needs to move up in calculators this year check these ones out and compare to what you can get from Amazon.com and office supply stores like Staples.
• The Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook - slow cooking can be such a help when you have a busy home schedule, whether you homeschool or not. Costco describe the Fix it and Forget It Cookbook as follows "offers more than 800 tried-and-true slow cooker recipes for any occasion." There is also the Fix It and Forget It: 5-Ingredient Favorites cookbook. Sounds to me like recipes a homeschooler would want to have to hand to 1) keep the day on-track and 2) teach the kids simple, everyday cooking.
• Olympus VN-5200 PC audio recording device. Writing can be hard work for kids, especially so when they have dysgraphia. A recording device could really have a lot of uses in homeschooling - think interviews, recording personal thoughts, taking lecture notes in co-op or in community colllege classes. I don't know how the Olympus VN-5200 PC compares but it's worth a look if this a need you have.
  

If You Like It
The two homeschool moms interviewed for Costco Connection talked about using the craft supplies, office supplies, workbooks, CDs, and computers available from Costco in their homeschooling. I'm not a personal fan of most of these items but your mileage may vary. If you have needs in these areas do check out Costco's offerings.

Two Costco office supply offerings which have stood the test of time in my home are: the multi-packs of white view ring binders and the Avery sheet protectors. I purchased these years ago and they circulate around my home finding new uses and lasting really well.

Where do you like to shop for your homeschool books, materials and supplies? Have you seen any great deals?

Brave Writer Writing Classes

Today Julie at Brave Writer announced release of her first online FREE workshop audio session. If you are searching for either an online writing class for your homeschooler or a full language arts curriculum I highly recommend that you take a look at the offerings from Brave Writer. The audio session should be a good way to introduce yourself to what is on offer. Every single person I've heard of who has worked with one of the Brave Writer programs has loved them.

What you can expect from Brave Writer
Brave Writer instructors are top notch. When you sign up for an online writing class with them you can expect help in finding your own natural writing voice. These are not classes where you are taught to write to a formula. Instead they help you find the writer within you. How they do that I don't really know, but I can tell you that the results are good, even for reluctant writers.

The range of writing products
I don't have personal experience of the full range of products from Bravewriter.com, but they have offering which go right up to college prep. Here's a quick guide to what they have:

• Online Classes - Kidswrite Basic is the foundation class which is suitable for ages 9-18 years and actually involves training you, the homeschool mom, on how to develop writing abilities in your children. If you'd rather your child work directly with the instructors take a look at Just So Stories for 9-12 year olds or Kidswrite Intermediate for 12-17 year olds. Kids and teens who've not taken an online class before will likely need some support on the home side of scheduling to get their assignments done. If they are familiar with forums they'll likely be able to handle the other aspects independently.
• Home Study Courses - while I highly recommend the online classes, they are pricey and need the commitment of a fairly intense 4-6 week period of work. This fall I will be trying out one of the home study courses from Bravewriter.com. Home study courses come in the form of a printed manual and access to an online support forum. They are designed to allow the homeschooling parent to learn and apply the skills to nurture writing in their kids. You can read all about the main home study course The Writer's Jungle at BraveWriter.com.
• Full Language Arts Program - if you need a full language arts program which includes spelling, dictation, copywork, grammar and punctuation take a look at Bravewriter.com Language Arts Programs. I have no experience of these particular products, but I can only imagine that they are top notch like the other offerings from BraveWriter.com.

Do you have a stack of discarded language arts and writing curricula? Have you found one you'd love to share about? Leave me a comment, pretty please :-)

Homeschool Buyers Co-op Picks

Here are my picks from the current Homeschool Buyers Co-op offerings. Most of these deals run out at the end of July or in early August so go on over there and check them out NOW!

Thinkwell Online Video Courses
After 6 years of homeschooling I've been through evaluating a large number or products. Thinkwell products are some of the ones that have impressed me the most. If I were to choose math or high school science for myself I'd go with the Thinkwell online video courses. I love the format, the teachers are engaging, and the price through Homeschool Buyers Co-op is very reasonable. My own kids chose to go with CyberEd instead because they found it distracting to watch the teacher - for me that's half the fun! If you need a high school math, science, or social studies program check out Thinkwell at Homeschool Buyers Co-op.

PLATO Learning Online Science (formerly CyberEd)
After evaluating a variety of science courses last year my kids chose to go with learning online science through PLATO learning (CyberEd). I was pleased with how thorough the PLATO courses are. They are just plain learning with no unnecessary frills or games. I particularly recommend them for kids who get easily distracted. PLATO courses make good use of your homeschool efforts and leave plenty of time to supplement with experiments, field trips, and supplementary reading. Check out PLATO Learning online science at Homeschool Buyer's Co-op for Middle School Science and High School Science.

For Kids who need to know how stuff works
Here are a couple of cool homeschool things my son would have loved when he was younger.

• BrainPop is just full of fun learning stuff about how things work. It's a bit pricey, but just remember that kids learn when they're having fun. Maybe you'd rather they had fun on BrainPop than on video games or in front of the TV. Check out what Homeschool Buyers Co-op is offering then sign up for the trial at BrainPop. Basically you can get a CyberEd course for free when you register at Homeschool Buyers Co-op before signing up for BrainPop.
• Lego Education Kits - again these are pricey. If you just happen to have a little lego maniac on your hands this looks like a great way to do some math and science learning at home. I'm guessing these would have good resale value, if only you can keep the parts from disappearing off into the big lego black hole, otherwise known as the disorganized lego collection in the child's bedroom!
  

Even if you don't see something of interest right now it's worth signing up for the Homeschool Buyers Co-op mailing list so that you can be kept informed.

Free E-Books at the World E-Book Fair

Between now and August 4th you can download a selection of free E-books at the World E-Book Fair. Here are some links to check out:

• World E-Book Fair - the whole list of books.
• Children's Literature Collection - includes A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain, A History of Animals published in 1843, A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne, and Abducted to Oz by Chris Dulabone.
• Classic Literature Collection - includes Heidi, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Treasure Island, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dracula, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Frankenstein, The Time Machine, Beowulf, The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Art of War, Robin Hood and Hamlet Prince of Denmark.

There's nothing beats a good read, unless it's a good read for FREE! I just read A History of Animals. What is particularly interesting is the definition of TOYS - take a look at the back page of this book to see what I'm talking about.