A week of classic homeschool resources
April Boyer
Number Stories of Long Ago by David Eugene Smith (PDF ebook)
Back by popular demand! "The history of mathematics is in no small
part the history of civilization," the author points out in his
introduction to this classic book that tells the story of man's
early attempts to count, write numerals, and do mathematical
computations. But instead of being a "ho hum" dry, boring "history"
of numbers, this is a GREAT "Living Book" of stories set in
different historical eras (ancient China & Egypt, among others),
showing how different mathematical concepts were developed and
became a part of civilization. It is wonderful blend of history,
economics, and mathematics that will really be enjoyed by upper
elementary and high school students who are curious about the
origins of the civilization we take for granted today.
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Tuesday, Oct 19:
Easy Steps in Housekeeping, or
Mary Frances' Adventures Among the Doll People by Jane Eayre Fryer
(PDF ebook)
In this classic volume in the wonderful Mary Frances series,
Mary Frances learns some very practical lessons about housekeeping
while setting up a household for her own homeless family of dolls.
This volume includes paper dolls and furniture to cut out and put
together as you go through the story. If you've never read any of
the Mary Frances books, you are in for a treat - check out this
delightfully written and beautifully illustrated story AND lesson book!
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Wednesday, Oct 20:
George Washington's Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour
In Company and Conversation (PDF ebook)
These rules of good behavior were copied by young George Washington
when he was a 12 year old schoolboy. They are quite fun (some are
VERY funny), interesting and rewarding to read even today. Some of
these rules seem quite picky and silly in this day and time, but
the spirit behind these rules demonstrates a respect for others
and humility in one's own behavior, both of which are often sorely
lacking today. Several of these are very good advice to take to
heart for boys (and grownups) today. We've retained Washington's
original spellings in this edition, which can be used as a copybook
or just to show your kids that even the father of our country was
a little kid once too. Enjoy!
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Thursday, Oct 21:
Little Wanderers by Margaret Warner Morley (PDF ebook)
In this great book from the early 1900s, we learn how plants
propogate and "travel" by scattering their seeds in a multitude
of ways: Some are wind borne, some travel by animals, and others
travel in even more ingenious ways. Great illustrations and a
concise, easily-read text make this a great "read aloud" for
younger students.
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Friday, Oct 22:
"If I Could Do It Over Again..." Thoughts and Advice from
Homeschool Families (PDF ebook)
We surveyed over 800 homeschooling families about what
has worked well and not-so-well for them in their homeschooling
activities. We got some remarkable answers from this survey.
One of the most intriguing questions we asked was this:
"If you could do it over again, what would you change about
how you have homeschooled in the past?" We got some great
responses to this question, with some tips and suggestions
that are well worth considering by both newbie and veteran
homeschoolers alike. This ebook is an edited collection of the
best of these.
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You can find all of these resources on their respective days this week at:
http://www.homeschoolfreebieoftheday.com