Besides textbooks, novels, etc.....

[nutmeg]

...what other resources do you use for your lessons?

Sometimes I find myself focused entirely on the books, and I forget there are other things out there to enhance our studies.

Such as:

Free loans (DVDs, prints, slides) from the National Gallery of Art:
http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/loanfinder/index.mhtm

Lectures from The Teaching Company:
http://www.teach12.com/teach12.asp?ai=16281

PBS's American Experience documentaries:
(check your local listings, library, Netflix, etc)

Audiobooks:
library, http://librivox.org/



Can you think of other types of items to add to my meager list?

[Mekanamom]

We love Cosmeo (http://www.cosmeo.com/welcome/index.html?CFID=18357465&CFTOKEN=10145802). $9.95/month subscription... I think it's worth it. :)

[RoughCollie]

We subscribe to history and science magazines, play educational games, put together educational puzzles, do science experiments, and use kits (Knex, woodworking, Visible Man or Woman), and use some educational software.

[Deece in MN]

Educational games, project kits from Hands & Hearts, magazine/newspaper articles, YouTube videos, documentaries and other movies from Netflix, coloring books and oh, there may be some other things I am not thinking of.

It is hard sometimes to remember to add these things into our days. We sometimes go for weeks without doing one of the above because it is all we can do to get our "book work" done. With the exception of coloring, my dd draws or colors everyday during read-a-loud time. I get her the nice coloring books that coordinate with our studies and she loves them.

Anyway, I just do the best I can and try to remember to add in the "fun" stuff as often as possible. :)

[nutmeg]

Thank you for these suggestions!

[pmegan]

There are some very good podcasts out there, though they are usually for an adult audience so they might be a bit dry for younger children. If you go to the iTunes store, look at what the BBC has to offer in particular: I listen to "In Our Time" every week and I learn SO MUCH. There are also many podcasts which are updated daily, or a few times a week, for people learning foreign languages.

[klmama]

We purchased a membership in Homeschool Buyers Co-op and got the discounted price. It's been well worth it.

[LibraryLover]

Are you kidding me about this: http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/loanfinder/index.mhtm ?

I mean I read it, and I know you're not, but that's a new one on me. That's wonderful. Thank you.

[LibraryLover]

We love to borrow PBS videos, and even films through ILL, which are free. We are always on the the look- out for local concerts, ballets, high school plays, Arts in the Park events etc. These all tend to be very low cost, plus it's amazing how many versions of A Mid Summer Nght's Dream one can see in a short period of time. lol And once a few years ago, when we were beginning Ancients, I considered a local performance of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat part of our studies.

One website my youngest (who is reading over my shoulder) wants me to tell you all about is www.shepardsoftware.com (http://www.shepardsoftware.com). She especially loves the map work.

[Just a Jen in Mississippi]

I use the internet a lot to google places, pictures, etc. of things we are studying. I also use it to find pictures for our time line.

[nutmeg]

One website my youngest (who is reading over my shoulder) wants me to tell you all about is www.shepardsoftware.com (http://www.shepardsoftware.com). She especially loves the map work.

My girls love that site, too. :)

Thank you all for the ideas!

[Sandra314]

We love to borrow PBS videos, and even films through ILL, which are free. We are always on the the look- out for local concerts, ballets, high school plays, Arts in the Park events etc.

We do the same. We look for tours (field trips), museum exhibits are are related to what wear studying.

Once we were studying the history of the American Railroad, we went to the Texas Transportation Museum for a tour. DS #1 loves train and the history of them. Last year, he did an oral presentation of the history of the 1947 Freedom train. (http://www.northeast.railfan.net/1947freedom.html)

[linders]

Netflix. We have just about every BBC, Nova, IMAX, and Discovery Channel documentary either in our queue or already-viewed.

The local and regional history and science museums. Honestly, my DS learned more about physics at the Pacific Science Center than from me. And we can't seem to get enough of Fort Walla Walla.

Friends. We have friends who are scientists, historians, etc. They lend us their expertise and their stuff. We currently have 2 large boxes of rocks (what else?) from a geologist.

Games. Never underestimate the power of Professor Noggins to teach history and science and make you DS5 smarter than you.

Outdoor exploration stuff. Magnifying glasses, bug catchers, bird feeders, etc. And lots of camping.

Calendars. In January, I buy sale calendars that feature different artists.

Farm Expos, Safety Expos, IT Expos, Family Expos, etc. Every month there seems to be some sort of (free) expo at our convention center. We usually find some exhibits that we learn from (not to mention collecting all that candy from each vendor...)

I have boys, so hands-on learning just works well. And we spend a bunch of time with books, too.

[Jennifer in NH]

Feild trips
audio books
dvds
games (Element-O for Chemistry, math games with dominoes or dice etc... "Hail to the Chief" for US Presidents and on and on)
science and history magazines
computer software
concerts

I know I am being vague and forgetting tons...but my mind is now going a bit blank...oh yeah, crafts...I know there is more..