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Member-Recommended Links and Learning Materials

Cross-Discipline Multimedia | Math, Logic and Computer Skills | Learning a New Language | Language Arts | Science | History, Civics and Geography | Art and Art History | Field Trips and Travel Tips | Video Games | Portals | Online Courses and Curriculum | Camps and Residential Programs

Cross-Discipline Multimedia

  • Boomerang -- kind of like NPR's "All Things Considered" for kids. Great for multitasking kids who will work on an art project or build something while listening, or for the car.
  • BrainPOP -- Animated educational site for kids, covers virtually every topic.
  • Digital Theatre broadcasts recordings of a variety of live shows from England, including performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company. You can rent or purchase digital copies of these works for approximately the same cost as purchasing or renting a DVD.
  • Terrific resource: Free e-books available for online viewing or for download in a multitude of subjects - fiction, non-fiction, textbooks, etc.
  • Kidflix Global has available to rent or buy award-winning international films selected for family audiences.
  • Little Mammoth Media -- BIG Adventure series takes children behind the scenes at the Big Auto Plant, the Big Aquarium, the Big Zoo, the Big Plane Trip, the Big Space Shuttle, and more.
  • Netflix -- online video rentals; has HUGE collection of historical, scientific, and other interesting titles.
  • Schlessinger Media -- a subsidiary of LibraryVideo.com, they have *everything* on video! Science, history, social studies, geography... all topics for all levels of ability and interest. Most of these are available at your local library.
  • Schoolhouse Rock — Ah, memories! The same collection of musical videos that you loved when you were a kid is still out there . Your children can sing 'Conjunction Junction' or learn multiplication in song.
  • Standard Deviants --  This highly entertaining video series covering many subjects is geared toward the middle and high school levels
  • TED: Ideas Worth Spreading is a fantastic resource for learners of all ages. This website is full of "inspired talks by the world's greatest thinkers and doers" is easily searchable and will keep you and your children busy for hours, learning from the most brilliant minds of our time. Topics include technology, business, science, art, culture, entertainment, design, and more. 
  • Top Documentary Films lets you watch documentaries onliine for FREE! The selection includes a wide variety of topics and makes an excellent learning resource for all ages.
  • WatchNow -- Well-organized site with educational videos of all kinds!


Math, Logic and Computer Skills

Language Arts

  • Reading and story suggestions (audio & visual)
    • Free audiobooks of all kinds at Books Should Be Free!
    • Calvin and Hobbes — The "instruction manual" for gifted kids.
    • Jim Weiss Storytelling -- Some favorites: Shakespeare for Children, Greek Myths, American Tall Tales. Greathall Productions.
    • Lit2Go is a free, searchable online collection of stories and poems in Mp3 (audiobook) format. Launches directly into iTunes!
    • Muse Magazine — explores science, history, and the arts. With this and other publications from Carus Publishing (Cricket, Ladybug, Spider, Odyssey, Click, etc.), gifted kids are often ready for them at ages younger than recommended. 
    • Open Library has millions of records available to users, including digital books available FREE to the print-disabled.
    • Here’s a list of publications for kids of all ages.
    • The Stuart Brent Childrens' Book Club — Unlike other book clubs that send you a catalog, SBCBC sends children books selected especially for them based on their interests. Offers special club for gifted young adults.
  • Literary Analysis
  • Writing 
    • If You're Trying to Teach Kids to Write, You've Gotta Have This Book! — That pretty much covers it, doesn't it?
    • Skipping Stones is a nonprofit literary magazine for youth that encourages communication, cooperation, creativity and celebration of cultural and environmental richness.
    • Thou shalt not commit logical fallacies! Interactive website for writing and debate.
    • The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill offers resources of all kinds to help with everything you ever wanted to know about writing a paper.
    • Homeschool Writers: Writing Contests and Resources
    • Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly is a readable new book by Gail Carson Levine, prolific author of novels aimed primarily at middle-school aged girls, with lots of practical suggestions for writing fiction.
    • Recommended by our friends at Homefires, here are some Free Writing Resources that may help you and your students:   
      • Fact Monster: Writing Skills - Get simple instructions for how to write everything from a simple sentence to a research paper.   
      •  7 Stages of Writing Assignments - This site provides a textbook description of how to develop your topic, identify your audience, research, organize, write a draft, revise and proofread your work. 
      • WritingFix - This terrific website offers free interactive writing lessons and prompts for all ages and grade levels so that "writing is taught well, not simply assigned." You simply won't believe the variety of engaging lessons and innovative activities to help writers of all ages learn the skills and practice the craft of writing. Bonus! This site offers fun, creative Family Writing Projects that are sure to create heartfelt memories for all. Enjoy
  • Poetry
  • Etymology, Spelling & Grammar

Learning a New Language

Science

  • Anatomy
    • Anatomy Arcade offers games and interactives.
    • Anatomy HQ: Comprehensive anatomy resource.
    • Build-A-Body allows students to build the human body using interactive elements system by system.
  • Lawrence Hall of Science offers 24/7 Science, with activities and ideas around the clock!
  • Interesting anatomy videos: American 3B Scientific
  • Animal Diversity Web is a site put up by the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology that will answer all (most? many?) of your child's questions.
  • Anatomy Arcade is a collection of games and puzzles about human body systems.
  • Bill Nye the Science Guy — humorous and informative science web site, videos, and other educational materials.
  • BioDigital Human offers interactive 3D models of human anatomy. You can turn on and off different views according to which body systems you want to view.
  • Biodigital’s Systems YouTube Channel has a variety of 3D animated videos on anatomy and surgery.Bill Nye
  • Bite-Size Physics offers a fun way to learn about physics "one bite at a time"
  • The Blobz Guide to Electric Circuits looks like a fun place to learn.
  • Sponge Lab Biology's Build a Body allows students to construct a human body system-by-system. by dragging and dropping into place the organs and bones of a human body.
  • For chemistry supplies, try Edmund Scientific for some very cool stuff! Alternatively, you can purchase UC-approved curriculum and lab equipment from the Laurel Springs distance high school without enrolling in their classes (unless you choose to); try Fry's Electronics (their stores have an entire aisle of lab equipment); or peruse the SKElementary online catalog for chemistry, math and reading supplies for all ages.
  • Brainy Kids - The Dana Foundation’s online science & neuroscience resources for students, teachers and parents.
  • Rader’s Chem4Kids has information on matter, atoms, elements, the periodic table, reactions, and biochemistry.
  • ComPADRE Digital Library is a network of free online resource collections supporting faculty, students, and teachers in Physics and Astronomy Education.
  • Concept Demonstration: Global Climate Data — This website allows you to plot climate data and temperatures going back over 300 years!
  • EdHeads has all sorts of interesting educational activities, including cell phone design, virtual hip replacement, weather and simple machines.
  • The eSkeletons Project has multidimensional skeletons of both human and non-human primates ranging from the gorilla to the tiny mouse lemur, all of which can be seen in full color, with animations and supplemental information. All of the large apes are represented as well as other species from different parts of the world, including many endangered species.
  • Smithsonian’s Evolve or Perish is a great way to learn biology.
  • The Exploratorium in San Francisco has information, activities and educational materials on just about any scientific subject that interests you.
  • Flash animations for Physics is a database of links to Flash illustrations of physics principles. Don't understand the words? Try looking at the demonstrations, which are available in Catalan, Spanish and Basque, as well.
  • Free online science games for elementary aged students.
  • Genetic Science Learning Center has some interesting material, including this amazing sliding scale that lets you see relative cell sizes. Check it out!
  • Geology.com: Everything you ever wanted to know about geology - and more. News, basics, careers, photos, explanations - it's all there.
  • Geography Matters is a tremendous resource for geography and all the ways in which it can be applied.
  • Free educational tools for cognitive neuroscience at GoCognitive.net
  • Healthline Body Maps provides interactive three dimensional models for learning about human anatomy.
  • Home School Astronomy provides resources for when you want to teach astronomy but don't know where to start.
  • How to Teach Science -- website with a variety of fun and interesting materials (some are free).
  • Instructables: step-by-step collaboration -- The home page of this searchable site says it all: "share what you make and how others can make it."  Directions for anything you ever wanted to know how to make plus many things you didn't know you wanted to create (such as smoke bombs, a marshmallow shooter, or a chocolate printer)!
  • K-2 Young Explorer Magazine
  • The LiveScience site has articles, images and videos on a broad range of topics. Well worth a look!
  • LivingScience is an email list for discussions about secular living science books for homeschoolers and children of all ages. Topics include "Secular, living science books, websites and documentaries. Secular, living textbooks or curriculum. Free science curriculum. How to secularize non-secular materials. Cool science experiments. Science kit reviews. Kid-friendly, parent-tested science websites. Science fiction. Science resources that overlap with nature study, nature journaling, art, music, math, history, language, poetry, etc."
  • Make: Technology on Your Time has a blog, magazine, podcasts, videos, and numerous projects for the gifted young scientist.
  • MinutePhysics video clips: “Simply put: cool physics and other sweet science.”
  • Musically Aligned — Science songs and more; CDs for kids.
  • NASA has many educational programs and online activities for kids of all ages. This site has user-friendly information and interactive opportunities to explore many branches of science. NASA's SpacePlace, includes such fun projects as Edible Rocks, an introduction to understanding meteorites.
  • National Geographic — web site, videos, magazine... for kids of all ages.
  • Nature Education Channel provides information, discussions and current events from around the world of science.
  • Check out Neuroscience for Kids, a website with experiments, activities and resources of all kinds relating to the nervous system.
  • NobelPrize.org games and simulations are based on Nobel Prize-awarded achievements.
  • The American Museum of Natural History Ology site has tons of great science information and activities for kids!
  • The University of Nottingham's Periodic Table of Videos is a must see.
  • Phun: the 2D Physics Sandbox - you have to see this to believe it!
  • Phylo: The Trading Cards game http://phylogame.org/cards/
  • Physclips has some fantastic physics animations, film clips, interactive tutorials, and supporting pages.
  • The Physics Front provides resources for teaching physics and physical sciences at the K-12  levels.
  • Physics to Go is a searchable collection of websites where you can have tons of fun learning physics in the way that suits you best.
  • Science News for Kids -- website with articles about the latest in scientific research, written for kids of all ages!
  • There are some fun and interesting resources listed on the Science Sparks site.
  • Serendip’s interactive links have everything you ever wanted to know about chemistry.
  • The Smithsonian National Zoological Park (aka the National Zoo) has a Just for Kids section with games, puzzles, and other educational "goodies."
  • Lots of virtual surgery and dissection links at Toad Haven.
  • TryEngineering is a portal that allows anyone to "try out" being an engineer through lesson plans, games, and more.
  • Want to learn to build a search engine? Or program a robotic car? Udacity offers university-level science and technology courses online.
  • Boom! For even more chemistry supplies (not to mention jet engines, radiation protection, caffeine soap, experiment kits and "fun science stuff"!) don't miss United Nuclear Scientific Supplies. While you're there, take a look at their stunning Periodic Table poster.
  • QGIS is a free, open-source GIS platform.
  • Sixty Symbols has curious and quirky videos about the symbols used in physics and astronomy.
  • The UPenn Animation Library provides nearly 200 video animations and explanations of injuries, diseases, and body systems.
  • The Way Things Work — Wonderful animated video series exploring various topics based on the best-selling book of the same name. Teacher's guides available.
  • The Young Scientist Club — Provides fun, inexpensive science kits aimed at children ages 4–8
  • Visible Body: Animation and Illustration
  • Windows to the Universe is a terrific site by the National Earth Science Teachers Association with tons of games, links, and the latest science news.
  • Weather Underground's interactive WunderMap enables users to “go back and forth in time” to study all kinds of weather information, including temperatures, radar, webcams, ski reports, dedicated services for fires, tornadoes, hurricanes and more.
  • Check it out! This is a group of science sites 4kids: Cosmos4kids, Biology4kids, Chem4kids, Geography4kids, and Physics4kids


History, Civics and Geography

  • Go back in time and view the Bradshaw Foundation's Journey of Mankind genetic map, exploring the peopling of the world over the last 160,000 years. Links on this site include rock art and other ancient-ancient-ancient history.
  • "A world of primary resources" can be found at the University of California's Calisphere
  • Childhood of Famous Americans (series) — series of books exploring the childhood of a variety of figures in American history. A related series is called Childhood of World Figures.
  • CIVIO is an engaging strategy card game that explores the relationship of issues, freedoms, laws, and Supreme Court cases that impacted civil liberties throughout U.S. history.
  • Congress 101: How it actually works explains the complex rules and traditions of Washington, DC.
  • Biographical stories of creative people in history — from Devine Entertainment. Galileo, Einstein, Edison, Bach, Handel, Monet, Degas, Cassatt, and more. Each story is true to the historical facts of the figure's life, and imagines an encounter and mentorship with a young person (age 10–12) at a critical junction in each of their lives.
  • EyeWitness to History provides a ringside seat to history - from the Ancient World to the present - through the eyes of those who lived it
  • For more resources on history and social studies, look at Field Trips and Travel Tips or see our multimedia suggestions!
  • Games for Change — Catalyzing social impact through digital games.
  • Have Fun with History A resource for students, educators and all lovers of American History
  • Some kids learn best from interactive games... Here's one for the younger set: IKnowThat.com has a plethora of subjects, including some fun social studies activities. There are even more USA Games available at Sheppard Software.
  • Kulture International — offers a fantastic selection of performing arts videos and DVDs from around the world.
  • Resources for Learning History through your own Family Tree
  • Mission US: A revolutionary way to learn history through free interactive games.
  • Maps, maps, maps! National Geographic has a huge selection.
  • Get some historical perspective: Look up events in the New York Times archives, from 1851-present.
  • Old Maps Online — This database is has both a timeline to specify a time period and a map to search particular regions.   
  • If you're studying Ancient Rome, don't miss Orbis, the Stanford Geospatial Network Model of the Roman World
  • Our Courts Interactive civics resources on this FREE site envisioned and guided by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
  • The Picture Book Biography series by David Adler is a good introduction to history for younger children.
  • The Smithsonian has created Our Story: American History Stories and Activities You Can Do Together!
  • Storytelling with Maps: Use ArcGIS and Web maps to tell your story.
  • Teach History is a blog dedicated to educators of Colonial American history that provides information about resources, products and useful multisensory teaching methods.
  • TeachSpatial: Resources for spatial teaching and learning.
  • The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer is a series of four books available as books or audio that cover history from "the earliest nomads" through "the fall of the Soviet Union." Each book becomes increasingly more complex, as the author describes the situations and dynamics that impact people and countries around the world and through time.
  • Test your knowledge of topography and geography in these maps of the world games.
  • Trailblazing: Three and a half centuries of Royal Society Publishing is a user-friendly, ‘explore-at-your-own-pace’, virtual journey through science. It showcases sixty fascinating and inspiring articles selected from an archive of more than 60,000 published by the Royal Society between 1665 and 2010. Searchable by historical events or scientific articles.
  • Learn about the U.S. Supreme Court and listen to them in action: The audio recordings of all oral arguments heard by the Supreme Court of the United States are available to the public at the end of each argument week.
  • National Geographic has a terrific interactive Underground Railroad site!
  • Worldology has interactive maps of the people, nations and events that have shaped our world.


Art and Art History

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