Posts Tagged ‘writing’

Free Japanese Language Video Lessons & Worksheets!

June 8th, 2013

Hi!  It’s Saturday, June 8, 2013 and time for Foreign Languages at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:

Irasshai

Age Range: 13 and up (approximately, with parental supervision)

A Maryland ClickScholar suggested this website sponsored by Georgia Public Broadcasting that offers free Japanese language lessons and cultural skills delivered through video tutorials, worksheets (with answer keys), and some activities.

This particular language program is called Irasshai, and was the nation’s number one Japanese language and culture distance learning course from 1996 through 2009. The language program is geared for high school and college students, as well as adults.  However, younger children may enjoy aspects of this program with adult assistance.

When you get to the site, you’ll see a brief introduction.  Use the menu to access the lessons divided into:

*Japanese 1 – This section covers introductions, names, apologizing, numbers, school and work affiliations, identifying objects,  asking for permission, refusing a request, colors, expressing approval or disapproval, family members, using the telephone, food and mealtime etiquette, dates and events, calendar, leisure activities, customs, school subjects, sports, likes and dislikes, music, weather, clothing, shopping, community, and transportation.  There are lessons in reading and writing Japanese throughout the course.

*Japanese 2 – This section includes a review of Japanese 1 and new lessons in grammar and parts of speech, culture, family, pets, casual and formal speech, geography, location, hobbies, seasons and weather, trips/vacations, socializing, supermarket and prices, post office, numeric order, buying a gift, fruits and vegetables, cylindrical objects, expressing needs, health, anatomy, describing physical conditions, medicine, people’s personalities and physical characteristics, major life events, work occupations,  plans for the future, travel destinations and more.

Again, all of these lessons include video tutorials and worksheets (with answers).

 

English Games, Activities, & Worksheets!

June 5th, 2013

Hi!  It’s Wednesday,  June 5, 2013, and time for Language Arts at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:

FunEnglishGames.com

Age Range:  5-10 (grades K-5 approximately, with parental supervision)

This ad-supported website offers free English language games, activities, worksheets, quizzes and more! Designed for classroom and ESL teachers, you’ll find learning activities and resources that can easily be used for home learning.

When you get to the website, you’ll see a brief introduciton and some highlighted features.  Use the menu at the top of the page to access:

Games – Play interactive games that help kids learn and improve upon reading, writing (including debate!), grammar, vocabulary, and spelling skills.

Activities – Enjoy a line-up of fun online language arts games based on familiar board games and television game shows.

Worksheets – Get printable worksheets and activity pages that reinforce language arts skills.

Quizzes – Test your knowledge on grammar, parts of speech, spelling, and more.

You’ll also find videos that  include songs, nursery rhymes, and short instructional clips for learning English.

Because this website contains randomly generated advertisements, parents (as always) should preview the site and supervise all Internet activity.

 

Explorer Hernando DeSoto – Videos & Activity Book

May 30th, 2013

Hi!  It’s Thursday, May 30, 2013 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:

University of South Florida: Hernando DeSoto in America Movies

Age Range: 6-14 (approximately, with parental supervision)

The University of South Florida and the Florida Center for Instructional Technology offer a free series of QuickTime movies that are reenactments of Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto’s exploration of Florida, which he claimed for Spain in 1539.  The seven Quick/Time movies add up to twenty minutes of engaging information, presented in documentary style, that brings to life the story of the Spanish exploration of the Southeast United States from 1539 to 1542.

When you’re through watching the movies you can explore the rest of the site that contains more information on the history of Florida by clicking on the menu at the top of the page.

Then, be sure to check out the DeSoto National Memorial website (courtesy of the National Park Service). It not only offers additional information on DeSoto and the history of Florida, but it offers a free Junior Ranger Activity Book on DeSoto with challenging activities in math, writing, reading, and science. It was designed for students 6-12 years old, but may be of interest to your entire family.

To download the free DeSoto Activity Book (pdf), CLICK HERE. Note: This is a big file and may take a minute or two to download. If it doesn’t work for some reason, click on the link to the DeSoto National Memorial website in the paragraph above. When you get to the site, click on “For Teachers” on the menu. A new page opens. Scroll down near the bottom of the page and click on the words “click here” to download the Activity Book.

 

Mnemonic Times Tables Poems & Math Worksheets!

May 20th, 2013

Hi!  It’s Monday, May 20, 2013 and time for Math at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:

SuperTeacherWorksheets: Multiplication Poems

Age Range: 6-14 (about grades 1-8, with parental supervision)

A Maryland ClickScholar suggested this website that offers some silly poems as mnemonic devices to help kids memorize multiplication times tables. You’ll see the display of math poems when you get to the site. It inspired her children to write their own math poetry and she graciously provided some samples:

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  • Kevin got sick and turned horribly blue. 7×6=42
  • My sister’s late for a date. 6×8=48
  • Heaven oh heaven is for the divine. 7×7=49

And my personal favorite…

  • Kevin hates these nifty tricks. 7×8=56

Obviously, somebody in her family has a sassy sense of humor! LOL!

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Once you’re through giggling at the poetry, use the menu on the left side of the screen to find the worksheets. While there are numerous worksheets, there are about 1-3 FREE, printable worksheets for most of the subject categories including:

  • Addition
  • Algebra
  • Counting Money
  • Decimals
  • Division
  • Fractions
  • Geometry
  • Graphing
  • Measurement
  • Multiplication
  • Place Value
  • Percents
  • Subtraction
  • Telling Time
  • Word Problems

Just click on a menu item and a new page opens displaying a menu of worksheets on that topic.  Look for the word “Free” highlighted in yellow to find the worksheets that are available without membership/registration.

When you’re done with math, you can explore the assortment of reading, spelling, grammar, writing, and social sciences worksheets as well. Again, look for the word “Free” (highlighted in yellow) to print/download worksheets free of charge.

 

Free Tips for Young Writers!

May 1st, 2013

Hi!  It’s Wednesday, May 1, 2013 and time for Language Arts at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:

Blue Zoo Writers: Young Writers Tips

Age Range: 10 and up (approximately, with parental supervision)

This website is a free online learning center to help writers of all ages learn to write better without taking up a lot of your time. As explained at the site:

“As W. Somerset Maugham said: ‘There are three rules for writing. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.’ This is not a place for rules. On the other hand, it’s not a place for endless advice. …My promise here: no fluff. Just help.”

When you click on the link above it will take you to the “Young Writers – Tips” page. While the entire site offers helpful information for writers of all ages, this particular page is a good jumping off point – with lots of short writing tips especially useful for young writers.  You’ll see a menu of articles that include guidelines and suggestions for writing:

  • Poetry
  • Brainstorming Ideas for Stories
  • The Difference Between an Idea and a Story
  • Good First Lines to Start a Great Story
  • How to Make a Story Map of Your Neighborhood
  • Are you a Rock or a Feather (writing exercise)
  • A Zillion Story Starters

The articles include advice and examples from well-known writers such as Barbara Kingsolver, Sid Fleischman, Jan Yolen, Dr. Seuss, and more. You’ll find links to resources within the articles as well.

When you’re through exploring the “Young Writers Tips,” click on “Core Advice for Your Writing Craft and Career” on the menu. There, you’ll find more articles on becoming a better writer, including the “Blue Zoo Curriculum – An Outline.” It’s a set of core articles on 10 skills “a professional writer would do well to master” and are grouped into three categories:

*Being a Writer – Get advice on becoming a better writer along with some motivational techniques.

*The Craft of Writing – Find out how to spin an appealing story and  how to create a sense of place.

*Career Development – Discover how to build your writer’s brand.

This site is a work in progress and new material is continuously added. You can sign up to receive an email notifying you whenever new content is posted to the site.

Science with Leonardo da Vinci!

April 30th, 2013

Hi!  It’s Tuesday, April 30, 2013, and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:

Boston Museum of Science: Exploring Leonardo

Age Range: 9-14 (Desined with grades 4-9 in mind, with parental supervision. Students of all ages will enjoy aspects of this site)

Leonardo da Vinci died on May 2, 1519. Born in 1452, he painted the Mona Lisa, invented the diving bell, and designed the airplane, helicopter and parachute. The Boston Museum of Science offers this free online exhibit with activities to explore the life, times, and scientific inventions of DaVinci.

When you get to the site you’ll see an introduction and a menu that includes:

*Inventor’s Workshop – Explore Leonardo’s fascination with machines and how they work including:

  • Wheel and Axles
  • Pulley System
  • Screw
  • Lever
  • Gears

You’ll also learn about Leonardo’s interest in gadgets. Use your imagination to sketch a gadget and invent a useful machine. Take a quiz to see if you can identify Leonardo’s machines from his sketches.

*Leonardo’s Perspective – Discover painting in the Middle Ages and learn about techniques of linear perspective. Become Leonardo’s virtual apprentice to play with size and distance and investigate aerial perspective.

*Leonardo: Right to Left – Find out how to do “mirror writing” and generate a hypotheses about da Vinci’s reasons for writing backwards.

*What, Where, When? – Take a virtual tour of Italy in the 15th century and find out what life was like in Rome, Florence, Milan, and Venice.

This is an engaging online presentation that demonstrates how Leonardo da Vinci creatively applied the scientific method in every aspect of life.