Listen! Historical Recordings from the Library of Congress

May 21st, 2022 by ClickSchooling No comments »

It’s Saturday, May 21, 2022, and time for Music at ClickSchooling!

Library of Congress: National Jukebox

(www.loc.gov/collections/national-jukebox/about-this-collection/)

All grades, with parental supervision. NOTE: See warning below.

The Library of Congress provides a “National Jukebox” that makes historical sound recordings available to the public free of charge.

This exhibit transforms your computer into a gramophone featuring more than 10,000 78rpm disc recordings issued by the Victor Talking Machine Company between 1900 and 1925. You can listen to a broad range of songs including marching band music, novelty tunes, hits from musical theater productions, dance tunes, and opera arias. You’ll also find spoken recordings.

When you get to the site, you’ll see information about the collection and near the bottom of this page you will see the following information:

WARNING: Historical recordings may contain offensive language.

These music selections are presented as part of the record of the past. They are historical documents which reflect the attitudes, perspectives, and beliefs of people in a very different time period. For that reason, they may contain content that is offensive to users. As always, PARENTS SHOULD PREVIEW THE SITE and supervise all Internet activity.

  • Browse the featured content found here for look at the menu of featured playlists in the left margin which includes:
  • Browse all Recordings – Search by language, target audience, record label, date range, composer, lyricist, performer and genre.
  • Artists – Browse the artists from A-Z. Find recordings by music greats such as opera singer Enrico Caruso, Broadway legends Al Jolson and Fanny Brice, whistling virtuoso Charles Kellogg, composer and band leader John Philip Sousa, and thousands more.
  • Genres – Find a wide selection of genres of music including classical, opera, religious, popular music, blues, ethnic music, humorous songs, etc.

This is an AMAZING musical resource that takes time to explore. Bookmark it to return often.

No comments »

Posted in music

Tags:

Take a Mattress Factory Tour!

May 20th, 2022 by ClickSchooling No comments »

It’s Friday, May 20, 2022, and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

The Original Mattress Factory

(www.originalmattress.com/mattress-factory-tour)

All grades, with parental supervision

Presented by The Original Mattress Factory, take a virtual tour of the factory to learn how mattresses and box springs are made by this company.

When you get to the site, watch the videos (one right after the other):

  • Behind the Scenes at OMF
  • We are a Family
  • The OMF Test Center

When you are done watching the videos, you can scroll down to see pictures and text to learn more. And you may wish to explore this website for even more information about mattresses and sleep. You can learn how to care for your mattress and even sign up for a “Flip Reminder”.

While this is a commercial website, you won’t lose sleep over the educational value of this virtual tour.

No comments »

Posted in Virtual Field Trip

Tags:

The Centennial President

May 19th, 2022 by ClickSchooling No comments »

It’s Thursday, May 19, 2022, and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site

(bhpsite.org/learn/benjamin-harrison/)

Grades 5-12, with parental supervision

Visit today’s website to learn all about our 23rd president, also known as the centennial president because he was inaugurated 100 years after George Washington.

Born August 20, 1833, Benjamin Harrison came from a long line of famous politicians. Great-grandson of founding father and signer of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Harrison V, and grandson of our 9th president, William Henry Harrison, a.k.a. “Old Tippecanoe”, he had big shoes to fill. Using the links on the left hand sidebar, dig into the life and times of Benjamin Harrison and discover:

  • The early years
  • His Civil War service
  • His life as a lawyer
  • His presidency
  • His wives
  • And more

Along with concise articles and interesting image galleries, there is a brief audio recording of the president and a quick virtual tour of his home on Delaware Street in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Add this website to your list for presidential studies.

No comments »

Posted in social sciences

Tags:

No Fear Shakespeare

May 18th, 2022 by ClickSchooling No comments »

It’s Wednesday, May 18, 2022, and time for Language Arts at ClickSchooling!

Barnes & Noble: SparkNotes.com: No Fear Shakespeare

(www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/)

Grades 9 & up approximately, with parental supervision

This ad-supported website, created by SparkNotes whose mission is “to help you make sense of confusing schoolwork,” offers a free translation of Shakespeare’s works into modern-day language. You can actually see Shakespeare’s works side-by-side with a translation into the kind of English people actually speak today.

When you get to the website, you’ll see a list of Shakespeare’s works including:

  • As You Like It
  • Hamlet
  • King Lear
  • Macbeth
  • The Merchant of Venice
  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream
  • Much Ado About Nothing
  • Romeo and Juliet
  • The Taming of the Shrew
  • And much more!

Click on any title and a new page opens with the table of contents of that particular work. Click on any Act/Scene and a new page opens displaying the original text and the modern text.

This is a terrific resource tool that promotes understanding and makes this literature more accessible.

No comments »

Posted in language arts

Tags:

Examine Bugs with the Bugscope!

May 17th, 2022 by ClickSchooling No comments »

It’s Tuesday, May 17, 2022, and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

Bugscope

(bugscope.beckman.illinois.edu/)

Grades K-12, with parental supervision

This website, sponsored by the Imaging Technology Group at the University of Illinois, was conceived to allow K–12 students to interactively view bugs under a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) over the web for free.

Students collect some bugs and mail them to the scientists at Bugscope who prepare the insect specimens for viewing through the electron microscope. Then, a session is scheduled for students to view their specimens and discuss what they see with the Bugscope scientists — all from a regular web browser over a standard broadband internet connection.

You can schedule a session, or simply follow along as a guest whenever a group is having a session. (In that case, simply login as a guest, no password is required.)

When you get to the website, you’ll see information about Bugscope along with a list of “Upcoming Sessions.” At the time we reviewed this review, there was a Homeschool Group scheduled. So, homeschool groups are definitely welcome to participate.

To better understand this website and what it provides, it’s helpful to “Take the Tour” – you’ll find a link for it at the bottom of the home page. Use the menu at the top of the page to sign up to participate, access a microscope tutorial, read the F.A.Q.s., and browse the Archives: Every session is archived at the site and includes a transcription of the presentation and still images of student-submitted bugs as seen through the electron microscope. When you go to this page, just click on one of the markers on the map, and a new page opens with the full session that was provided to a classroom or other group of students.

This is a remarkable resource and would make a great Homeschool Support Group science project.

No comments »

Posted in science

Tags:

Interactive Pre-Algebra & Algebra Tutorials

May 16th, 2022 by ClickSchooling No comments »

It’s Monday, May 16, 2022, and time for Math at ClickSchooling!

Visual Math Learning

(www.visualmathlearning.com/Lessons/lessons.html)

Grades 5-10, with parental supervision

This archived website provides free, interactive tutorials with diagrams, illustrations, animations and practice games and exercises for learning pre-algebra and algebra level mathematics.

When you get to the site you’ll see that the lessons are divided into two sections:

I. Pre-Algebra: Numbers and Arithmetic

  • Natural Numbers
  • Counting
  • Number Bases
  • Addition
  • Subtraction
  • Integers
  • Multiplication
  • Factors
  • Division
  • Fractions
  • Fraction Arithmetic
  • Inverses
  • Equivalence
  • Common Denominators
  • Decimals

II. Elementary Algebra

  • Basics of Sets
  • Relations
  • Functions
  • Equations
  • Substitution

Click on any lesson and enjoy a tutorial that includes narration, illustrations, interactive diagrams, and visual manipulatives to encourage active learning.

On the menu, you’ll also find a section titled “links” which will provide you with a list of other math resources.

No comments »

Posted in math

Tags:

Examine the Artwork of M.C. Escher

May 14th, 2022 by ClickSchooling No comments »

It’s Saturday, May 14, 2022, and time for Art at ClickSchooling!

National Gallery of Art: M.C. Escher – Life and Work

(www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/mc-escher-life-and-work.html)

All grades; children with parental supervision

The National Gallery of Art sponsors this site that offers a virtual tour of the artwork of M.C. Escher.

If your students have studied math tessellations they may have been introduced to some of Escher’s work already — as he used patterns of interlocking forms and architectural mazes in his artwork. He also created unusual spatial effects by drawing a picture from different perspectives, for instance, looking up and down at the same time. Escher really contributed to the idea of metamorphosis drawing where one shape or object turns into something completely different. This tour offers examples of all of these aspects of his work and most kids will find the “morph” prints and drawings especially fascinating.

When you get to the site you can read the “Overview” for a biography and explanation of Escher’s work. Then click on the right arrow to view all of the many works in this virtual gallery. Each piece of art comes with a text explanation that helps the viewer to appreciate what they are looking at.

No comments »

Posted in math

Tags:

Virtually Tour Globally Inspired Gardens

May 13th, 2022 by ClickSchooling No comments »

It’s Friday, May 13, 2022, and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

The Butchart Gardens

(www.butchartgardens.com/a-virtual-visit/)

All grades; children with parental supervision

Visit the incredible Butchart Gardens in British Columbia, Canada with this website that offers a free virtual tour! To really appreciate the gardens it’s helpful to know some history about them.

In 1888, Robert Butchart manufactured cement near limestone deposits on Vancouver Island where he and his family lived. As his business exhausted the limestone in the quarry near their home, Mrs. Butchart came up with the idea of transforming the abandoned quarry into a spectacular “Sunken Garden.” She had topsoil hauled in and began the renovation.

The Butcharts were world travelers and it influenced the design of their gardens. They created a Japanese Garden with Koi pond, transformed a tennis court into an Italian Garden, and planted a spectacular Rose Garden. Mr. Butchart collected birds from all over the world and had elaborate bird houses constructed throughout the gardens. They decorated their garden with artifacts including bronze castings.

The renown of the Butchart Gardens spread. Today, close to a million people visit annually, enjoying the year-round display of floral beauty created from over 900 varieties of plants.

From the menu, choose:

  • Sunken Garden
  • Rose Garden
  • Japanese Garden
  • Italian Garden
  • Mediterranean Garden
  • and more

So much color and beauty in one place!

No comments »

Posted in Virtual Field Trip

Tags:

Chow Down on Food History

May 12th, 2022 by ClickSchooling No comments »

It’s Thursday, May 12, 2022, and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

The Kitchen Project – Food History

(kitchenproject.com/history/)

Grades 5-12, with parental supervision

With today’s ad-supported website visitors can uncover the history of some of their favorite foods. Created by Chefs Stephen Block and Stephen Holloway, this website explores the origins of certain foods, how they got their names, and other interesting facts about them.

Some delightful dishes to choose from are:

  • carrot cake
  • hoagie
  • French toast
  • Reuben
  • cake
  • dumplings
  • buffalo wings
  • the hamburger
  • pizza
  • And so much more.

There is even a free food history course (if you sign up using your email address)! This site is easy to navigate, loaded with interesting information, and yummy recipes. The history of food makes an interesting topic to explore and a great addition to a home economics course.

No comments »

Posted in economics

Tags:

Favorite Science Activities & Lesssons!

May 10th, 2022 by ClickSchooling No comments »

It’s Tuesday, May 10, 2022, and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

The Science Spot

(www.sciencespot.net/)

Grades 6-8, with parental supervision

A clever and innovative science teacher developed this free website where she shares her favorite science activities, lessons, and printables.

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

  • Science Classroom – Get an abundance of free lesson plans, activities, printable worksheets, and links to other resources on general science, ecology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, earth science, biology, insects, eagles, the metric system, forensic science, archaeology, and more.

  • Reference Desk – An archive of links to educational science websites, lesson plans, clip art resources and much more. We didn’t follow all of these links — so parent supervision, as always, is advised.

  • Puzzle Corner – This is a cool resource! Print out free word search and crossword puzzles on cells, invertebrates, the skeletal and muscular system, genetics, rocks and minerals, constellations and much, much more! Great material for DIY science activity books!

There is much more material for classroom teachers provided at this site. Much of it can be tweaked to suit homeschoolers.

No comments »

Posted in art

Tags:

css.php