Free or Frugal Homeschool Friday

Here we are at Friday, again.  I have some more free or frugal links to share.  Some of these we have used in our homeschooling, some are new and I have not yet tried them.  You look and decide if you would like to try them. 

This is a brand new Math video for multiplication.  My daughter has been trying to get a grasp on the concept of repeated addition, or multiplication.  I am hoping this Youtube video will explain it to her in a way she will understand better.  https://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=c1EJYhWos1o

Tenmarks offers a Summer Math program for free.  I considered doing this, but I already have our Math planned for the Summer, so I opted to not do the Tenmarks.  Check it out if you are interested https://www.tenmarks.com/consumer/signup

Do you and your kids like to bake?  Then check out the Holiday Baking for homeschooling at free Homeschool deals http://www.freehomeschooldeals.com/holiday-baking-as-homeschool-curriculum/

Want something fun to do over the Summer?  How about a fun camp from home, it is free and fun.  We did this last year, and it looks even more awesome this year.  Early registration for Camp Wonderopalis is open now http://wonderopolis.org/camp-early-registration/


I collect tons of cool, usually free, links and resources to my Pinterest account.  Then each Friday, I share some here on my blog.  Be sure to check back each Friday to see new ones.

We Are Testing These Next Two Weeks

This year, I am taking a different approach to the end of the school year, by testing.  We don't normally test.  DJ is working his way through his for 8th grade, and he has a 9th grade Language Arts test.  Plus he has two 4H project books to finish up some odds and ends.  He painted the cover for his 4H Marine Biology book last night.  I will finish putting it together for him, today, I hope. 

We had a couple of unexpected tangles to work through, but thank goodness they did not effect our homeschool day.  Caitlin will begin her testing next week.  She is working on an end of year writing assignment.  She is trying her very best to have good content, capitalization, and spelling.  Those are her three focal points for her end of year writing assignment.  Her spelling has improved so much this year, I am so pleased with that. 

We were supposed to go to the Springs for an end of year picnic for our Run group.  But, they are all flooded and the tangles I mentioned above interfered with all that. 

I look forward to our Summer adventures.  We have family visiting at the end of June, both my sisters, then DJ heads off to Summer camp the very next week.  Vacation Bible school will be after that, and then our homeschool evaluations.  June and July is looking pretty busy.  Plus, we are doing Geography, Math, DJ will be finishing up Forensics, and he wants to do a computer class.  The last one might get put off until the new school year.  No full days of school, and not every day either. 

How do you end out your school year?  Do you school over the Summer?  Share your thoughts.  I love to hear from fellow homeschoolers. 

Free or Frugal Friday Homeschool Lessons

This week I am sharing some Language Arts websites that are free, or frugal to use.  The first one, Coursera, is free, but not just Language Arts.  These are college level courses, that anyone can take.  My 8th grader just started his first week of lessons in the course Introduction to Forensics.  He loves it so far.  If it works out well, and is not too awful difficult he will do other courses.  You can get a certificate at completion, for a fee of 40 dollars. 

Help Teaching, offers both free and paid services, for all courses offered in a school.  So far, I have only used this website for Grammar and Language Arts.  It is a nice quality site.

Cengage offers free online grammar quizzes.  I have not actually used this site yet, but will be being used in the very near future. 

At one point, I had typed into my search browser, fun ways to learn Language Arts.  I mean lets face it, it is pretty boring, unless you love Grammar rules, bleh.  Well one of the websites that came up was, Many Things. org.  I have not tried this website yet, but my 4th grader will begin using it here at the end of the year to review. 

My Time 4 Learning Review

My free 30 day trial ended on Wednesday.  So, now I will give my honest review, as promised, for the online curriculum website called, Time 4 Learning.

First of all let me just say right off the bat, Caitlin loves it.  I mean loves it!  She just turned 10, and since we are at the end of fourth grade, I signed up for her to do 4th grade work.  When we first signed on, and I looked at it, I was not sure if it was going to be enough work  I still would supplement, but it appears to be a complete curriculum and they keep track of all the grading and stuff I hate to do. Why would I supplement?  Because, all online work, and no textbook or offline work, is not optimal in my opinion.  Having some of both modalities is the best way in my opinion.  She did Science, History and Language Arts.  I did not use their Math.  Math is something I don't want to mess with, when she is progressing with what we are currently using.  They also offer Art, which will be available soon, for just a little bit of extra money above the regular tuition price.  At 20 dollars per month, it is affordable, and more importantly, enjoyable. 

I myself, learned some very important things over the last 30 days.  For example, Caitlin is not used to testing and definitely not multiple choice tests.  She really had no clue what she was doing at first.  She didn't understand the concept of pick one answer, or some had all of the above, none of the above or just this one and that one.  Now I know she needs to improve in this area.  I also think she recalls well what she reads, but that does not necessarily mean she is comprehending what she is reading.  Another area of need that Time 4 Learning has helped me to see. 

If I had to make a negative observation, it would be that I thought my 30 days were up the 22nd, and they removed me immediately on the 21st.  Why does that matter?  Because I wanted to print off what she did for her homeschool portfolio.  I think sending me a reminder letter would have been awesome, but that would be the only thing I could nit pick about.  Since, she already completed a whole year of fourth grade, it is not a huge issue.  We will be using Time 4 Learning in the Fall, for the 5th grade.  We will not use their Math, or Art, I have both of those set already.  My 13 yr old did not try Time 4 Learning at all.  He has his hands full with completing his homeschool curriculum, and didn't need anything else. 

Time 4 Learning is not just for homeschoolers.  It can be used for after school work, preschools and day cares and cover Pre K through grade 12.