Hi! It’s Wednesday, February 24, 2010 and time for Language Arts at ClickSchooling!
Recommended Website:
LessonPathways.com
Age Range: 4-10 (Grades PreK-5)
ClickScholar Heike Reagan recommended this formerly subscription-based website that has just converted to offering complete lesson plans, unit studies, and individual resources for core subjects in grades PreK-5 for free! Instead of charging a fee, the site will now be ad-supported.
When you get to the site you’ll see a menu. Below it is a button that says, “Take a Tour.” Click on that to get an idea of the magnitude of what is archived at this website. You can also bypass the tour and explore the menu items – but in order to see the content, you will have to register (it’s free).
The learning content is divided into three segments and includes:
1) A Guided Journey – This is a complete 36-week lesson package available for Language Arts, Reading and Phonics, as well as Science, History, and Math! Follow the complete lesson plan (or path) for the grade you select, or mix and match to create your own course of study. These lesson plans are made up of individual units called “Pathways”.
2) A Pathway – This option provides a single unit study on a given topic. For example, a guided study of the book Charlotte’s Web or an exploration of “Newton’s Three Laws of Motion.” Each unit is designed for one week of study. Each “Pathway” is composed of individual “Stepping Stones” (see description in #3 below). Click on a unit of interest and a new page opens that includes:
- Description of Learning Unit
- List of Objectives
- Materials List
- Instructions and Directions for Experiential Learning Activities
- Links to Free Online Resources for Further Learning
- Learning Tools (worksheets, drills, printables, online games, tests)
3) A Stepping Stone – This segment is composed of a single resource that, as the website explains, “may be a lesson, video, worksheet, hands-on project, ebook, online game, or other activity (i.e., Create a Spider Life Cycle Poster).”
The idea here is to either follow the recommended learning “pathways” or mix-and-match subjects and grade levels to suit the needs of your students and customize their curriculum. You can keep track of it all in the online Planner.
This site was created with lots of input from homeschool parents, which is probably why it’s so user-friendly. You’ll appreciate the encouragement to customize this to your child’s interests and needs.
This is a traditional “homeschool curriculum queen’s” dream-come-true. Unschoolers can access fun ideas and activities to explore as desired. There’s something for everyone at this website, and it earns a ClickSchooling Award for Excellence!
That said, in reading some of the material about this site, the longevity of the project is uncertain. They weren’t earning enough revenue from subscription sales to support their operating costs, which is why they converted to an ad-supported model. They are hopeful that advertising will sustain them and make the endeavor profitable. That remains to be seen. They need your support to keep this resource available and free. Tell your friends.
