Free Math Text Books

If you are looking for some new resources for your math instruction, you may want to head over to How to Homeschool for Free where you can download 5 different math texts from the 1920's.  There are five different levels including:

 First Year In Numbers (grade 2) 

 Everyday Arithmetic Book 1 (grades 3 & 4) 

 Everyday Arithmetic Book 2 (grades 5 & 6)

 Everyday Arithmetic Book 3 (grades 7 & 8) 

Valentines Hidden Pictures Page Freebies

There is something motivational about coloring in a hidden picture!  Your kiddos will love this free division hidden number picture from MathWorksheets Land that is perfect for Valentine's Day.  Anytime you can get them to practice their math facts without whining is worth a million bucks to me!

Division Hidden Pictures Freebie


And for your little ones who are just learning their numbers, you can print out this freebie from the Busy Class On Teachers Pay Teachers.

Color by Number

Measurement Practice Freebie!

Many kiddos struggle with measurement.  That is why I am loving this Freebie from Squarehead Teachers.

I Can Read Free Downloadables

I am sure you have seen the I Can Read books before.  They are relatively affordable and available just about everywhere from books stores to grocery stores. They also have levels on the top to help you choose books that are at an appropriate reading level for your child.  Well, did you know that they have free downloadables available to go with the books?

Simply go to their website icanread.com to find these and other great resources!

On-Line Games for Reading Practice

 Here are some fun games for helping your child to increase their reading skills:
  

Word Search

URL: abcya.com/word_search_jr.htm
Levels: Grades 1-3
Skills: Vocabulary, Spelling
Description: This is a unique spin on the classic word search puzzle. It's a good idea for the teacher to set each game up as the user is prompted to decide how the game is played (on a printable, or on the computer) and which words will be featured in each puzzle. Once the game destination is selected and the words entered, students are presented with what appears to be a random set of letters. Somewhere in that set is a word, however, and the player must find it. Finding the most words wins the game.

ABC Bingo

URL: abcya.com/kindergarten_alphabet_bingo.htm
Levels: Grades K-1
Skills: Letters, Spelling
Description: In this version of bingo, students get to choose the size of their game grids, whether they'll be asked to identify letters based on the sound they make or their name, and whether they will be working with upper or lower-case characters. After all the choices have been made, the player will hear either a letter's name or the sound it makes. S/he must then identify that letter on the game grid. If s/he correctly identifies enough letters so that a straight or diagonal line is formed across the whole game grid, the player wins.

Alphabet Action

URL: learningplanet.com/act/fl/aact/index.asp
Levels: Grades K-1
Skills: Letters, Spelling
Description: This game is terrific for early learners. The entire alphabet is laid out, with each letter serving as a clickable link. Clicking a letter will activate an animation that both says the name of the letter out loud, and displays a picture of an object whose name begins or ends with that letter.

ABC Finder

URL: learningplanet.com/act/abcorder.asp
Levels: Grades K-1
Skills: Letters, Spelling
Description: Students encounter a section of the alphabet. Flatbed train cars roll onto the screen, with two letters placed in alphabetical order. Players are asked to decide which letter, from the alphabet section below, comes next. A correct answer results in an animated celebration on the flatbed car. Ten correct answers win the game.

Missing Letter / Busy Letter

URL: meddybemps.com/MissingBusy/Index.html
Levels: Grades 1-3
Skills: Letters, Spelling
Description: One of the letters of the alphabet is missing because it is busy being used in words. Students identify the missing letter, then must identify that letter in a writing sample. Once all the letters have been correctly identified, the player wins.

Fun Games To Teach Math Concepts

Looking for some fun math related games for your kiddos?  Here are a few:

  

Percent Shopping

URL mathplayground.com/percent_shopping.html
Levels
Grades 4-6
Skills
Percentage, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction.
Description
Description: Learn and practice real-life calculations while shopping. Add up the total cost, apply the percentage discount and calculate the amount saved.

Spiro Math Art

URL mathplayground.com/Spiromath.html
Levels
Grades K-6
Skills
Reflection, Angle, Symmetry, Spiro graph
Description
Explore angles, symmetry and art. Experiment by changing the radius of different parts, and separate them using colors to design your own Spiro graph. Predict different shapes and then try making them using only the radius knowledge.

Part Part Whole

URL mathplayground.com/PartPartWhole.html
Levels
Grades 3-6
Skills
Creating whole numbers from fractions and decimals.
Description
Test your math skills and race against the clock by aiming at the number that completes the "whole" number in the air. This game requires knowledge of addition, subtraction, decimals and fractions.

Alien Angles

URL mathplayground.com/alienangles.html
Levels
Grades 4-6
Skills
Solving estimating angles.
Description
Friendly aliens are traveling to a new space colony on Planet Geometry. Sadly, some aliens have lost their way. Students have been put in charge of the rescue mission and must set the correct angle on the rescue launcher. The computer will generate the launch angle, but the students must estimate the angle on the launcher to within 5 degrees.

Making Change

URL mathplayground.com/making_change.html
Levels
Grades 2-5
Skills
Money and making change.
Description
Harvey has been hired to work as a cashier at Perfect Pets. Sadly, he's not very good at his job. The students' task is to show Harvey how to make change. They are given the total cost of the customers' purchases and the amount the customers pay. Drag the fewest possible coins and bills to the counter to make the change.

Escape From Fraction Manor

URL
mathplayground.com/HauntedFractions/HFGameLoader.html
Levels
Grades 3-5
Skills
Solving basic math and fraction problems.
Description
Cleo the Cat has wandered into Fraction Manor, and the resident scientist, Dr. Fractionstein, sees this as an opportunity to test his new puzzles. Cleo is trapped, and students must use their fraction skills to solve the puzzles and help free her. Encounter obstacles, villains and plenty of math problems.

Fun Games to Teach Science Concepts

 

 

The Food Chain Game

URL:  sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/foodchaingame.swf

Levels:  Grades 2-6
Description:  In this fun science activity, students learn about food chains and the circle of life. Presented with several elements of a particular food chain, players must put them in the proper order. When correctly placed, the food chain comes to life.

A Touch of Class

URL:  sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/class.html

Levels:  Grades K-6
Description: Faced with a selection of uncategorized plants and animals, students must decide how to classify each one. Points are awarded for correct classifications, with the highest scorer being named the winner.

Squish the Fish

URL: sea.sheddaquarium.org/sea/squish/flash.html

Levels:  Grades K-3
Description:  Students must help hide Squish the Fish from his natural enemy. In the process they will learn about various marine life and how an ecosystem works. Students win the game by successfully hiding Squish in each of the levels.

Solar Energy Defenders

URL:  Wonderville.ca/asset/solarenergydefenders
Levels:  Grades 3-6
Description:  Use what you learn about solar energy to save the school dance from vampires in this super-cool solar energy game. Last time a dance was held, the vampires came in and busted a move on the dance floor. We won’t let that happen again! Collect energy during the day to ward off the vampires at night. Consider sun angle, tilt, shadows and time of year to maximize your energy collection.

Wild Weather Adventure

URL:  spaceplace.nasa.gov/wild-weather-adventure/
Levels:  Grades 3-6
Description: Play the Wild Weather Adventure game and your weather research blimp will explore Earth and its weather. With luck, skill, and strategy, you will race other weather research blimps to be first to travel all the way around the world and win the game. You can play with your friends or by yourself with a computer opponent.

Multiplying Decimals Practice Using Dice

Is your kiddo struggling to master multiplication with decimals?  I love this idea from The Mailbox to use a pair of dice to practice. Essentially, you take a pair of dice, roll them, and then use those numbers to write a decimal putting the digits wherever you would like.  Then you multiply the two numbers.  Easy, and super motivating.  I don't know about your kiddos, but mine love just about anything to do with rolling dice - it makes it a game.

You could modify this idea in so many different ways for different ages and skill levels!  Here are a few I thought of:

1. Add the digits
2. Multiply the digits
3. Divide the digits
4. Add, subtract, or divide decimals
5. Use each digit to make a fraction, roll again for a second fraction then add, subtract, multiply, or divide.

Can you think of any other ways to use this idea?

Creature Features - Learn About Animals

Do you have a kiddo who loves everything and anything about animals?  Well, now you can get them to practice their non-fiction reading skills learning about the animals that interest them the most at National Geographic Kids.  You can see the picture from the honeybees section above, but your child can choose to read about other animals including: penguins, elephants, and bullfrogs.  Not only can they read facts and look at photos, but some of the animals include videos and sound clips as well!

You can also use them for lesson planning as well.

National Geographic Kids

Free Cursive Handwriting Book

I know that there has been quite the controversy about our handwriting skills going away with the computer age, but I believe that it is important for kiddos to be able to read and write in cursive.  If you agree, and have a kiddo or two working on their handwriting, you will definitely want to check out this free cursive handwriting book.  It is a complete workbook with 80 pages of cursive handwriting practice.  It starts with a manuscript review, and then goes into instruction and practice of cursive letters.

 

You can download the handwriting book here.

Practicing and Remembering Multiplication Facts

If your kiddos are working on mastering their multiplication facts, then Multiplication.com
might be the site for you.  At the site, your child can choose a specific fact that they are struggling with, and they can listen to an audio and video story that will help them remember the fact.  Students can also take pre-tests on the facts, view tips and tricks for remembering the facts, play games, and much more!

National Geographic For Kids - Freebies!

I just found this amazing website from National Geographic where students can listen to copies/issues of National Geographic's Young Explorers books. There are also great teaching resources as well.  This would be a great way to add more non-fiction to your young reader's life!

National Geographic

Free Keyboarding Games for Your Kiddos

In this day and age - keyboarding is such an essential skill!  I hate going to a business and watching someone painfully hunt and peck at the keyboard!  To insure that your kiddos can type with ease, you might want to have them try some of these fun keyboarding games.  They won't even know they are learning!

Keyboarding Games for Kids

Chinese New Year Lesson Plan Ideas

February 10th marks the new Chinese year - the year of the Snake.

The Chinese New Year is always in the month of January or the month of February.


Each year is named after an animal.

Snake - February 10, 2013

Horse -January 31, 2014

Goat - February 19, 2015

Monkey - February 8, 2016

Rooster - January 28, 2017

Dog - February 16, 2018

Pig - February 5, 2019

Here are some activities to learn more about the Chinese New Year:

Reading:

Here is a great book about the holiday.  You can view it on Youtube here.

Writing

When children in China wake up on New Year's Day, they find red envelopes with money inside.  What would you spend your lucky money to buy? Why?

For more Chinese New Year Resources visit these links:
For grades 4 and up

For grades K-3

Free Classic Ebooks - Treasure Island and More

If you have a Kobo or the FREE Kobo app there are a TON of awesome classic ebooks for FREE!! Just head over to the Kobo website and look for the “FREE EBOOKS” section at the top (or the FREE APPS section to download the Kobo app) Here is a list of just a few of the classics and other ebooks that I spotted:



Anne of Green Gables (3 Book set)

Star Wars Books 1-6

The Count of Monte Cristo

The Hound of the Baskervilles

On the Origin of Species (Darwin)

The Communist Manifesto

Persuasion (Jane Austen)

Peter Pan

Sense and Sensibility

Jane Eyre

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Oliver Twist

Don Quixote

Emma

Frankenstein

Grimms Fairy Tales

A Christmas Carol

Aesops Fables

Beowulf

Around the World in 80 Days

The Invisible Man

The Jungle Book

The Last of the Mohicans

The Phantom of the Opera

The Prince and the Pauper

The Scarlet Pimpernel

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

A Journey to the Interior of the Earth

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

War and Peace

The Secret Garden

Pride and Prejudice

Dracula

Little Women

Anna Karenina

Three Musketeers

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Treasure Island

The Odyssey of Homer



I also spotted The Mouse and the Motorcycle and the 1st Lemony Snicket book for just $1.99 each! So head over to see what KOBO has to offer and fill up your digital library!

Highlights Hidden Pictures December Freebie

Highlights hidden pictures are a great way for your child to develop concentration and a greater attention to detail. You can download December's hidden picture for free by clicking here.

Fun Alien Writing Prompt

Here is a fun writing prompt for your kiddos:

Write a story about a young space alien who is separated from the mother ship when he wanders off in search of earthling friends.



What does he do?

Who does he meet?

How does he feel about being away from his family?

How does he adjust?

Long Vowel E Lesson Plan

Tell your child, "We are going to work with some long-vowel e patterns. The way we’ll do it is we’ll learn a set of clue words, and we’ll use those words to read other words. Your clue words today are eat, bee, and thief. (Write underlined words on a board or print them out on cards). They all use patterns to spell the long e. In the word eat, the letters ea represent the long e. In the word bee, the letters ee represent the long e.In the word  thief, the letters ie represent the long e."

Say: "I am going to show you a new word. I want you to point to the clue word with the same pattern and then say

“I know                                    . This must be                                                   .”

Show your child various words with these patterns, either written on the board or on index cards.  Have your child practice reading them several times.

Then have your child read the Bee and The Flea which you can print out for free here.