fourth grade suggestions needed.

[MelissaM]

I am pulling my 4th grader out tomorrow and need curriculum on an almost zero dollar budget. I already have math and grammar. What can I use for science and "social studies"/geography/history that is free or REALLY inexpensive. I really could use lesson plans since I'm not that good at planning. So, ladies, can anyone give me some suggestions?

[Pongo]

I am pulling my 4th grader out tomorrow and need curriculum on an almost zero dollar budget. I already have math and grammar. What can I use for science and "social studies"/geography/history that is free or REALLY inexpensive. I really could use lesson plans since I'm not that good at planning. So, ladies, can anyone give me some suggestions?

Geography can dovetail with history. You can try to get SOTW from the library as well as science readers on anything she is interested in.
If you don't have access to s decent library, I have known several families ask and get the books the kids were using in school when they pulled them out to finish up the year.

[Angela in TN]

Here is a free curriculum you can print out the free resources to use:
http://oldfashionededucation.com/fullcurriculum.htm

Also another practically free/use the library curriculum can be found here:
http://higherupandfurtherin.blogspot.com/2006/01/our-curriculum.html

Also Ambleside online (also free and most resources through the library or printed off on-line)
http://www.amblesideonline.org/

Hope that helps some :)

[Sue G in PA]

Ours is required by law to loan out the curriculum. IF you have a good library, you could easily do science using books from there. History could be accomplished this way as well. Keep in mind though that your dc will need some time to adjust so don't try to do everything at once. Do core subjects first until dc gets used to hsing. In fact...I might not add in anything more this year. Take the summer to prepare for next year. Perhaps do some fun science experiments from libary books or do a lapbook or so for History (one topic like Ancient Egypt or Anc. Rome or Amer. Revolution, etc.). Take it slow. Good luck!

[godpoetry]

I found one for science that looks neat. I am going to check it out for my 4th grader.

msnucleus.org/curriculum/curriculum.html

[karensk]

For geography:
National Geographic has free geography lesson plans (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/matrix.html ). You can also print out blank maps (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/atlas/).

For history:
You might first assess what topics or countries/cultures your child has covered so far in school. Then consider what countries/cultures or time periods or historical figures you'd like to cover this year. So, for example, if you'd like to do middle ages or renaissance, you could select a few historical figures from those periods to read about; read some stuff aloud and assign some as independent reading. Or, you may want to focus on a few countries/cultures. Then you'd get library books about that people group, plus some fairy tales, legends, etc. from that culture. For book recommendations, use WTM's lists; some other places to find great history/biography books are Beautiful Feet, Greenleaf Press and Sonlight Curriculum.

HTH!

[Chris in VA]

I highly encourage you to use the internet--incredible, free resources for EVERYTHING.
Make a list of what science and history topics you want to continue.
Share it here, and we'll help guide you.
I'd say stick with the two things you have, and just do science and history as exposure. Make sure you do some writing, go places, and use your library.

[hsm]

these are what I would have said, too. Dont' forget to just see what is free at mainlesson (one of my favorite places), guttenburg, and libravox. It's ok just to read and do narrations!!!

another free history book with questions, map,work etc
http://books.google.com/books?id=mMMXAAAAIAAJ&dq=inauthor:Edward+inauthor:Eggleston

free curri you can do mostly online or with library card.
http://www.ourlosbanos.com/homeschool/index.html

[Alana in Canada]

From time to time, homeschool vendors will offer neat things for free. I signed up for the homeschool e-store e-mail, for example and they sent me an e-mail to tell me they have a notebook available this week on American History.

http://www.homeschoolestore.com/catalog/index.php

You may be able to get something out of that.

As well, I believe Knowledge Quest has some materials available for free, including a geography course you can do completely on-line. Here's a link to her articles page where she lists some geography sites available for free
http://knowledgequestmaps.com/articles.htm

Using sample pages from vendors' sites is also a great way to find materials to use. I have used some of the materials from the Logos school, (again, sample pages) for example, to help us get a handle on writing.
http://www.logosschool.com/materials/shop/category.asp?catid=19

And there's a ton of stuff at enchanted learning: some of their labelling materials are quite advanced--and they have a whole section devoted to Early Explorer's which looks like fun. You can save the images by right clicking and saving to the computer. Use paint or another program to re-size them if you want. And then print.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html

For Bible study, I like Calvary Chapel (http://children.calvarychapel.com/site/curriculum.htm). They have NT as well.

If it's too juvenile for you, you could try the Discovery series from Explorer's Bible study (http://www.explorerbiblestudy.org/study.php). They have many different levels of curriculum. Just sign up and you can download a lesson from ANY level that week. They have about 30 weeks of lessons available.

It really is amazing how much "free" stuff is out there once you start looking.

hth.