School is starting--kind of, sort of-- in much of the country, but many families are seeking out alternative or supplementary resources, due to pandemic restrictions. As you likely know, the internet features abundant free or inexpensive materials, and as a quirky hobby, I enjoy exploring the ever-expanding accumulation of freebie online educational resources.
One of my students--I tutor her online through Varsity--recently asked me what I like to do for fun. Naturally, I exclaimed, “I enjoy teaching you!” (She is a bright and interesting young person.) However, I should have included my love for language, also. I recently shared on social media that I am a Wordie—or in other words, a “word nerd.”As I age (hopefully like fine wine, getting better not just older) I seek out ways to continue to exercise my brain, such as taking vocabulary quizzes on Dictionary.com. In addition, I am constantly exploring new fiction and non-fiction books to read. I primarily read ebooks, as I find they take up less space on my overcrowded, sagging bookshelves. In my spare time, I am currently reading novels by Christy Barritt and C.C. Warrens.
Although I’ve spent my fair share on purchasing reading materials, every few months I search for new freebie books at online bookstores such as Amazon.com or Books.Google.com. I periodically submit to a freebie frenzy, downloading dozens of Christian fiction or Classics, sorted by price: low to high. Yes, I start with zero, and usually find more than enough to occupy my wide-ranging reading taste. Generally, I am able to find a mix of several dozen interesting books, which are free as a promotional.
I’ve also found ways to include many free classic, fictional and nonfiction volumes in my teaching and homeschooling. Here is a sampling of some of my recent eclectic downloads: Stevenson’s Treasure Island, The Swiss Family Robinson by Wyss, Strunk’s Elements of Style, Hope’s The Bobbsey Twins series, Heidi by Johanna Spyri, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, Ox-Team Days on the Oregon Trail Kindle Edition by Howard R. (Howard Roscoe) Driggs, Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One's Reason and of Seeking Truth in the Sciences by René Descartes, Thoughts on Art and Life by Leonardo da Vinci, The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci Complete by Leonardo da Vinci. The Art of Getting to YES: How Using Questions Correctly Inspires Action, Agreement, and Connection with Anyone by Lynn Baber, The American Sign Language Alphabet: Letters A-Z, Numbers 0-9 (Finger Alphabet BASIC Reference Guide Book Series 12) by Lassal, CK-12 Middle School Math Grade 6, Volume 1 Of 2 by CK-12 Foundation, Commonsense Composition Kindle Edition by CK-12 Foundation and a set of electronic Open University textbooks. Well, these should keep me busy and out of trouble for awhile!
Keep in mind that many non-fiction books, as in the public domain, and may be considered obsolete. In addition, free fiction books will often be previews or “cliff-hangers”, which leave you hanging at the end with unresolved plot lines. That said, I enjoy reading older books which reveal a window into another time and place. I also do not mind fiction cliff-hangers, as generally the followup volume, while not free, is relatively inexpensive in comparison to the print versions. My hope is that you will find new, inexpensive and interesting reading material for your family by searching for the subject you are interested in, and then sorting by price.
Disclaimer: I cannot fully endorse all resources, as I have not had time to fully evaluate them. Skim the reviews first, as some may not be quite “your cup of tea!” You know your children best, so you are the best person to decide what is right for your family.
Also, please visit my author page on Amazon for more information about inexpensive current and upcoming educational publications, such as ABCs of Survival Skills, from EaglesNestHome.
One of my students--I tutor her online through Varsity--recently asked me what I like to do for fun. Naturally, I exclaimed, “I enjoy teaching you!” (She is a bright and interesting young person.) However, I should have included my love for language, also. I recently shared on social media that I am a Wordie—or in other words, a “word nerd.”As I age (hopefully like fine wine, getting better not just older) I seek out ways to continue to exercise my brain, such as taking vocabulary quizzes on Dictionary.com. In addition, I am constantly exploring new fiction and non-fiction books to read. I primarily read ebooks, as I find they take up less space on my overcrowded, sagging bookshelves. In my spare time, I am currently reading novels by Christy Barritt and C.C. Warrens.
Although I’ve spent my fair share on purchasing reading materials, every few months I search for new freebie books at online bookstores such as Amazon.com or Books.Google.com. I periodically submit to a freebie frenzy, downloading dozens of Christian fiction or Classics, sorted by price: low to high. Yes, I start with zero, and usually find more than enough to occupy my wide-ranging reading taste. Generally, I am able to find a mix of several dozen interesting books, which are free as a promotional.
I’ve also found ways to include many free classic, fictional and nonfiction volumes in my teaching and homeschooling. Here is a sampling of some of my recent eclectic downloads: Stevenson’s Treasure Island, The Swiss Family Robinson by Wyss, Strunk’s Elements of Style, Hope’s The Bobbsey Twins series, Heidi by Johanna Spyri, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, Ox-Team Days on the Oregon Trail Kindle Edition by Howard R. (Howard Roscoe) Driggs, Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One's Reason and of Seeking Truth in the Sciences by René Descartes, Thoughts on Art and Life by Leonardo da Vinci, The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci Complete by Leonardo da Vinci. The Art of Getting to YES: How Using Questions Correctly Inspires Action, Agreement, and Connection with Anyone by Lynn Baber, The American Sign Language Alphabet: Letters A-Z, Numbers 0-9 (Finger Alphabet BASIC Reference Guide Book Series 12) by Lassal, CK-12 Middle School Math Grade 6, Volume 1 Of 2 by CK-12 Foundation, Commonsense Composition Kindle Edition by CK-12 Foundation and a set of electronic Open University textbooks. Well, these should keep me busy and out of trouble for awhile!
Keep in mind that many non-fiction books, as in the public domain, and may be considered obsolete. In addition, free fiction books will often be previews or “cliff-hangers”, which leave you hanging at the end with unresolved plot lines. That said, I enjoy reading older books which reveal a window into another time and place. I also do not mind fiction cliff-hangers, as generally the followup volume, while not free, is relatively inexpensive in comparison to the print versions. My hope is that you will find new, inexpensive and interesting reading material for your family by searching for the subject you are interested in, and then sorting by price.
Disclaimer: I cannot fully endorse all resources, as I have not had time to fully evaluate them. Skim the reviews first, as some may not be quite “your cup of tea!” You know your children best, so you are the best person to decide what is right for your family.
Also, please visit my author page on Amazon for more information about inexpensive current and upcoming educational publications, such as ABCs of Survival Skills, from EaglesNestHome.