Educational & Lesson Planning

The following sites overflow with ideas for planning lessons for individualized instruction,
units of special interest, and enrichment for the gifted. Most are free or very reasonable in
cost considering the value. Content is not screened specifically for Christian values, but
all these linked sites focus on filtering and selecting materials suitable for children.
Parental wisdom is always required in selecting lesson material.

http://education-portal.com -- Education Portal: A directory of colleges, career schools,
and universities independently researched and categorized. The site is useful for
prospective students who are trying to decide which school they should attend.

http://www.dailygrammar.com -- A library of lesson plans for teaching grammar.
Permission is given to teachers to copy. There are more than 400 English grammar
lessons. This site is most suitable for students over third grade due to reading level. The
layout is not the easiest to use for student work. Answers and explanations are provided.

http://bestwebquests.com -- Guidelines for incorporating Webquests into individual and
group projects and assignments. "A well-designed WebQuest uses the power of the
Internet and a scaffolded learning process to turn research-based theories into
dependable learning-centered practices."

http://www.allkindsofminds.org -- This site, referred to recently on a special education list
serve, has high professional quality articles coupled with the strongly parent-friendly
quality. There is a great deal of research-backed information about the nature of learning
differences. The articles give solid advice on helping children deal with their disabilities.
Parents who are interested in learning styles will find much here to complement that
perspective. All Kinds of Minds provides programs, tools, and a common language for
parents, educators, and clinicians to help students with differences in learning achieve
success in the classroom and in life. The site is a resource and community for parents
and educators who want to learn more about differences in learning. The monthly "In the
Spotlight" topic highlights one area of importance to students with learning differences.
The Learning Base provides a closer look at skills that must be mastered, the
neuro-developmental factors that may influence students' success, and common
obstacles that students may encounter on the road to mastery. The site also offers hints
and suggested activities that may help students build their strengths and work on areas
in need of improvement.

http://www.quia.com -- This site is loaded with features that will be very helpful for parents
who teach their children as well as for professional educators. There are wonderful
"field-trip" links, on-line activities, information on all subjects through high school, foreign
languages, and tools for making online quizzes. In addition, there is an option for teachers
to make their own free web pages, administer quizzes and more. There is a great deal of
excellent material free for a registered user, and there are premium options, such as
copying sheets and activities for payment of a fee. The home page provides excellent
directions and illustrated help for first time users.

http://www.schoolexpress.com -- There are lesson planning helps, online activities
organized by subject areas, and worksheet printers and printable activities. As with all
sites, parental wisdom and discretion are the key to finding good material. There are
some intriguing links to other teacher-friendly materials as well.

http://specialchildren.about.com/parenting/specialchildren -- This secular site has current
links to almost every area of special needs except home schooling. There is a great deal
of current research and educational helps here.

http://www.theeducatorsnetwork.com -- Rich database of lesson planning, organized by
grade and subject matter.

http://www.schoolhousetech.com -- A very reasonably priced site for endless possibilities
of teacher-customizable worksheets in math (including high school topics). Vocabulary
and Maps are other products. There is a free trial period to experiment with the material
before purchase.

http://www.bigchalk.com -- A treasure chest of lessons and units in every topic and grade
level. This site is a gold mine of lesson planning help, resources listed subject by subject,
and some truly amazing links to virtual field trips. You need to "register" but it does not
appear to be a pay-for-use site. It has safety controls for your child to control content and
includes material that can help you meet state standards. Can be visited regularly or
parents can get weekly notices of the best site finds. Publisher does not share e-mail
addresses.

http://www.e-tutor.com/homeschool/index.htm -- Here is another small goldmine of lesson
planning tools, ways to link to multiple topics and resources. You have to explore to find
how much there is for your specific concerns. It offers links to on-line magazines and
other resources, and there is a special needs link that takes you to many valuable
sources of information.

http://www.lone-eagles.com/projects.htm -- Here's a one-stop shop for multiple sites
using the Internet to teach and provide learning activities. You will want to pre-screen
each one.

http://www.funbrain.com/ -- Parents should pre-screen any on-line activities before
allowing their children to work on them. A good option for reluctant students who struggle
with written work -- they won't mind the practice here.

http://www.mathfactcafe.com -- Free printable math fact sheets for drill and practice are
available at this site.

http://www.k12.com -- Dr. William Bennett's newest commercial program to promote
values-friendly educational programs and curricula. Many materials recommended come
from existing publications collected into grade levels.

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn -- Another collection of unique and interesting
lesson-related websites that are suitable for students. Interested parents can also
subscribe (free) for weekly update newsletter. Publisher does not share e-mail
addresses.

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