Q: I'm really glad I stumbled across your blog! Can you post a blog entry about first grade homeschooling websites? This is my first year of homeschooling, and I need some recommendations. Thanks.
Angel

A: Sure! Here are a few of my favorite sites that are perfect for pre-school through third grade students. Several of them have links in my favorite sites section on the right.

1. An AWESOME reading website is www.starfall.com; there's a link provided for you in my list of favorites to the right. You will find amazing interactive reading programs as well as free printables including activities and phonics readers. Quite frankly, you could use this website exclusively to teach pre-k through first grade reading with a few extra library books thrown in for good measure.

2. I love the School Bell website; there's a link provided for you in my list of favorites on the right. This is a site developed by a classroom teacher. My two favorite things about this site include the Dolch Word Kit and the Number Families Kit. The Dolch Word Kit is a comprehensive FREE reproducible program to help your child learn the most frequently used words needed for reading; it is activity based and great for all learning styles. The Number Families Kit is a complete FREE reproducible program that uses both hands-on and worksheet methods to teach children addition and subtraction facts through +/- 10.

3. Try www.childcareland.com. This is an incredible storehouse of themed activities for toddlers, pre-schoolers and early elementary students. If you need to occupy younger siblings while you attend to older home school students, this is the perfect place to find fun and meaningful activities. Prepare to replace your ink cartridge!

4. Visit www.bookadventure.com. Seriously, I thought this was too good to be true! Sylvan offers free prizes (some require shipping/handling charge) to students who read books then take comprehension quizzes from this site. You can even organize a competitive home school co-op to challenge your readers. How fun is that?? Honestly, you could use this site as your literature-based reading curriculum plan for elementary or early middle school students! Free and easy is always good. My first grade son is completely motivated to read and visit this site to earn points!

5. You'll find fun at www.funbrain.com. This site features on-line learning games for students pre-k and up. This is a fun way to reward kids when they get their work done, and won't rot their teeth like candy.

6. Resources abound at www.eichild.com. While this site is geared toward early childhood classroom teachers, you can still find some great stuff here. Take a look at the printable early childhood theme units (thematic guides) and the free printable labels for your learning environment.

7. You also might try www.ourschoolfamily.com. I discovered this site when looking for a way to label our bookshelves and help my kids return books to a place where they can find them again. I'm always up for free organizational tools that I don't have to design myself.

Happy Surfing!