Technology-Friend or Foe? Using it to your advantage in homeschooling

Technology- Friend or Foe?
How can we use it to our advantage in our homeschool?
By Martha Artyomenko
Safety- We all need to have  some safety protocols to keep children safe, filters….time limits, having computers in a public place. Those guidelines are not what you should depend on. Communicate with them and be open and honest about why you have these rules
The unknown is often more desired and can make them want to go looking,
Use balance-  There are many ways technology can be helpful, radios, computers, TV, cars,  all of them are helpful, but sometimes it is best to use balance when using any piece of technology. They can be used for good or for bad.
We need to find ways to limit our time spent on electronics, yet be able to use them when we need them!
Now that we talked about safety, we can go on to the fun stuff!!
Here is just a few websites that can be really helpful in your homeschooling journey.
Kindergarten- First grade
http://www.starfall.com
http://more.starfall.com These are free!
http://readingeggs.com This one often has some free trials to try it out. If you email me, I can send you an invite for a free 2 weeks!
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games_menu.htm
Assorted Grades-
SOTW and Netflix list- https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en_US&key=0AumgWD14ZCPSdGNRQVVjeVotbjcwVlByV3pPS2xJRlE&gid=0
This is a list of movies that you were on Netflix that go along with Story of the World
Some FB groups for using movies that go with your school from Netflix, Hulu, Roku, Amazon etc.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianhomeschoolstreaming/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/153434258146309/
Magic School Bus with your science curriculum-  There are links for lap books, unit studies, worksheets etc. http://www.crossandquillmedia.com/2013/08/25/using-magic-school-bus-science-curriculum/
 

http://www.crossandquillmedia.com- This site talks a lot about using media to your advantage in your homeschool. It gives you resources to be able to use it.
San Diego Zoo Website has some good resources.
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/
http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/games
National Geographic Kids
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/
Math Games-
http://www.multiplication.com/games/play/cone-crazy
http://www.optionsanimal.com/elementary-education-animal-math-for-kids/
 

Audio Books–
If you have children that struggle with reading all the wonderful literature we have accumulated for them, it is easy to get discouraged…so audio books are a valuable resource.
There are places like Library and Ed Services to purchase them at a discounted price. (As a homeschooler, you are able to purchase from them)
https://www.libraryanded.com
But also, there are many places to download free or cheap audio books as well.
This has many classics listed on here for various audio sources.
http://librivox.org
Since I am moving on to eReader’s next, I will mention that there are audio versions of many eBooks for cheaper, if you own the eBook already on your Kindle. This even applies to some of the classics that you can get for free.
There are also many other types of eReader’s.
The library is also a valuable place to get audio books! The more you ask for, the more they buy!
eReader’s are somewhat hard for those of us that love to collect books as homeschoolers, but in another way, it is a way to collect books and take our library with us when we go somewhere. We now have it all there at the touch of a button!
Here are some ideas on using your eReader, without spending too much:
You can use the library to borrow the eBooks!
Library- http://montanalibrary2go.org/4E65CEEF-880E-4109-9439-E5D5695ADE2D/10/50/en/Default.htm
You only get to keep them for two weeks, but if you need longer, just don’t turn the wireless on when it is due until you are done reading it.  (I double-checked with the librarian and it goes back to them still, so it is fine ethically.
Some links for cheap or free eBooks, always check the price and publisher of the book before buying!
http://christianfictionebooks.blogspot.com
http://www.inspiredreads.com
http://ereadergirl.com
There are even companies that are offering eTextbooks as well.
BJU- http://www.mybjupress.com/eTextbooks.php
Apologia has most of their high school science textbooks on Mp3 audio
EasyPeasyHomeschool is not exactly textbooks, but free and online.
http://allinonehomeschool.com
There are also tons of website to print worksheets, and plenty of work, even so you could skip buying some subjects even.
http://www.homeschoolmath.net
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com
http://www.mathworksheetsland.com
http://themathworksheetsite.com
Cooking lessons
http://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/kids-cooking-lessons-cit-intro.html
This is a foreign language site that costs, but in many states they can get it free through the library. Often if you request it, we could possibly get it here.
http://www.mangolanguages.com
The Great Courses are audio and DVD- and many are available through the local library.
http://www.thegreatcourses.com
Flathead County Library has some homework resources, and other links on their home page that you can find.  The Teen page you would need to check out the links before letting your kids go on it, but you should do that with anything on the Internet.
http://www.flatheadcountylibrary.org/kids.htm
Homework help page- with great info.
http://www.flatheadcountylibrary.org/homework.htm
There are also book lists as well on there.
We also have available to us now…. many online classes from high tech, expensive ones to free.
http://landryacademy.com
http://www.memoriapress.com/onlineschool
http://montanadigitalacademy.org
Pinterest can be a time sucking machine…. but also helpful.
Type homeschool combined with planet studies, anatomy etc. and you will get tons of resources.

If you like to follow homeschool Pinterest Boards…
http://pinterest.com/mattie89/homeschool/
http://pinterest.com/source/simplehomeschool.net/
http://pinterest.com/triciagoyer/homeschool-geography/
http://pinterest.com/triciagoyer/homeschool-literature-writing-studies/
http://pinterest.com/JustJamerrill/ultimate-homeschool-board/
http://pinterest.com/JustJamerrill/inspiring-homeschool-moms/
These are just a few ways to use technology to your advantage!