Welcome to the Champaign County HOUSE Resource Page
The Homeschool Diner is a website containing answers to many homeschooling questions. The site also provides additional links as a starting place for further inquiry. Topics covered include: Why to homeschool, Homeschooling basics (socialization, law, transition from school to homeschool, learning and teaching styles, along with homeschooling approaches and curriculum), Web resources by traditional subject areas, Educational games, Special needs, Gifted students, and much more.
http://www.homeschooldiner.com/index.html
Library Resources
Champaign-Urbana has two terrific libraries that are a part of the larger Lincoln Trails Library System (LTLS). LTLS is one of nine multitype Library Systems in Illinois. LTLS serves 119 in Champaign, Clark, Coles, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Piatt, and Vermilion counties. If you live in Central Illinois, it is likely you can gain access to a library card from your local library and that library will be a member in the LTLS. What this means to you is books not available at your local library can be loaned from other member libraries and delivered to your home library for pick up for free. Many other libraries will also provide their patrons interlibrary loan privileges outside the LTLS for free as well, giving you access to a vast collection of books and other materials.
Both CU Libraries provide quality special events for children and adults and can be found via their on-line so calendars. Both libraries have rooms that can be reserved for patron use along with offering online study aids, and homework help, and the Champaign Library has a very good homeschooling webpage.
Urbana Free Library
Main Web Site
Teacher and Parent Resources
http://www.urbanafreelibrary.org/children/resources.php
Children’s Calendar Link
http://www.urbanafreelibrary.org/children/calendar.php
Champaign Library
Main Web Site
Homeschool Resource Page
http://www.champaign.org/parents/homeschools.html
Calendar
http://www.champaign.org/events/month.php
My Media Mall
My Media Mall is a service provided by the Lincoln Trail Library System to its patrons (people with local library cards). Through My Media Mall a sizable digital library is available, patrons can browse, checkout, and download digital audiobooks, evideos, and ebooks anytime of day from anywhere in the world. Further information can be found: http://www.lincolntrail.info/mediamall.html The site may be accessed at http://www.mymediamall.net
University of Illinois
The University of Illinois (UIUC) has library collections for the support of their schools of education and library science, as well as a rare book collection that includes children’s books. While some of these resources do not circulate, many do and they may be useful to homeschoolers. The Champaign and Urbana Libraries will assist patrons in getting interlibrary loans from UIUC. However, as a resident of Illinois you may get a courtesy card by contacting the Main Library 333-2290. You may check out books directly from UIUC online and have them sent to a preferred pick up location.
UIUC Library Courtesy Card Policy
http://www.library.illinois.edu/circ/policies/borrowers/ll.html
UIUC Library Locations
http://www.library.illinois.edu/services/hours.php
UIUC Online Catalog
http://www.library.illinois.edu/
A Youtube video regarding the S-Collection (children’s) at UIUC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJXrKuzv8u0
The UIUC S-collection is housed:
http://www.library.illinois.edu/edx/index.html
Other Resources
Freshwater Fred's Lending Free Lending Library includes approximately 1,100 educational videos, software programs and curriculum - and the collection is always growing. Explore topics such as biology, zoology, anatomy, physics, math, history, geography, the arts and environmental science.
http://www.hepn.com/freshwaterfreds.asp
Online Resources Educational Videos
Annenberg Media
Offers free educational videos that may be viewed on your computer in the subjects of arts, foreign language, language arts and literature, mathematics, science and social studies and history. http://www.learner.org/index.html
TeacherTube
Youtube for teachers http://www.teachertube.com/
Teachers’ Domain
Teachers’ Domain is an online library of more than 1,000 free media resources from the best in public television including programs such as NOVA, Frontline, Design Squad, American Experience. The site also contains lesson plans and student-oriented activities. http://www.teachersdomain.org/
Online Resources for Books and Audiobooks
Many materials books etc…exist for free use (public domain)
Project Gutenberg is the first and largest single collection of free electronic books, or eBooks. This site contains both ebooks and audiobooks.
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
Google Books is a good source of both public domain books and magazines but also excerpts for nonpublic domain material. Google Books is also very user friendly.
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en
LibriVox volunteers record chapters of books in the public domain and release the audio files back onto the net. Its goal is to make all public domain books available as free audio books. http://librivox.org/
The Baldwin Online Children’s Literature Project seeks to make available online a comprehensive collection of resources for parents and teachers of children. Their focus, initially, is on literature for children that is in the public domain in the United States. This is a user friendly site.
http://www.mainlesson.com/main/displayarticle.php?article=feature
International Children’s Digital Library is building a library of children’s books from around the world. This is also a user friendly site. http://en.childrenslibrary.org/
Local Museums and Other Cultural Resource
Museums with Homeschool Programming
Forest Preserve Champaign County http://www.ccfpd.org/
Early American Museum http://www.champaignmuseum.org/
Homeschool link for the Forest Preserve Champaign County and Early American Museum http://www.ccfpd.org/education/homeschool.html
Most local museums, as part of their educational outreach, offer educational resources, programs and/or tours.
Anita Purves Nature Center http://www.urbanaparks.org/facilities/4.html
(provides educational loan kits)
Champaign County Historical Museum http://www.champaignmuseum.org/
Krannert Art Museum www.kam.uiuc.edu/
(provides Giertz Education Center, which has posters, videos books etc..free for use by educators)
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
http://www.krannertcenter.com/parentsandeducators.aspx
(home of the popular Youth Series)
Chanute Air Museum http://www.aeromuseum.org/
The Sousa Archives/Center for American Music http://www.library.illinois.edu/sousa/
Orpheum Children’s Science Museum http://www.orpheumkids.com/
Spurlock Museum http://www.spurlock.uiuc.edu/
(home of the popular Around the World Wednesdays)
Parkland Art Gallery http://www2.parkland.edu/gallery/
William M. Staerkel Planetarium http://www2.parkland.edu/planetarium/
Youth Programming at the University of Illinois
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers a variety of educational and exciting activities for youth of all ages. Information about camps and activities being offered this year is organized by college or unit. Although this list is not conclusive, it does give the reader a sense of the breadth and depth of opportunities available for youth. http://engagement.illinois.edu/youth/youth.html
Also, many local businesses are willing to work with homeschool and include:
IPowergymnastics http://www.ipowergymnastics.com/programs.html
Savoy Recreation Center http://www.savoyrecreationcenter.com/
Champaign YMCA http://www.ccymca.net/default.asp?ID=2
HMD and Newberry Taekwondo http://www.hmdacademy.com/index.cfm
http://www.newberrystkdusa.com/site/view/48799_Home.pml
The Champaign Park District http://www.champaignparkdistrict.com/
Needleworks http://www.cu-needleworks.com/default.htm
Field Trips
The flexibility of the homeschool schedule also allows for field trips. Over the years, local homeschoolers have had informative sessions with area potters, blacksmiths, ostrich farmers, bakers, museum curators, bookbinders, paramedics, inventors, glass blowers, sheep farmers, martial arts experts, fire fighters, meteorologists, plant biologists, police officers, nature conservationists, artists, politicians, authors, astronomers, physicists, and musicians. Please feel free to organize field trips yourself or contact the HOUSE Field Trip Coordinator with your ideas.
Typing virtual field trips or virtual tour into an internet browser will produce a multitude of possible at home field trips for snowy day. What follows are some samples:
Famous Places
Hershey’s Factory Tour
http://www.hersheys.com/discover/tour_video.asp
Getting Organized
Many parents find that undertaking homeschooling provides another layer of complexity to organization, household management and budgeting. These are a few related sites:
Donna Young a site that offers homeschool planning materials and much more.
http://donnayoung.org/index.htm
Frugal for Life. Collection of frugality tips.
http://frugalforlife.blogspot.com/2008/11/updated-25-ways-i-save-money.html
Tightwad the site’s author has retired but this is still a great site.
http://www.tightwad.com Interview with sites author:
The FlyLady. Household organization.
Delicious a site for access and organization of your web bookmarks
Librarything a site of book collection organization and social networking
http://www.librarything.com/forlibraries
HOUSE Member Favorite Curriculum Sites
The AIMS Education Foundation publishes materials for math and science education with a fun approach. Through attention-getting anecdotes and hands-on activities, students are exposed to a wide variety of experiences. http://www.aimsedu.org/
Blue Stocking Press publishes books for students in subject areas that are generally considered beyond them and that encourage intelligent discussion. Bluestocking Press’ founder, Jane Williams, believes younger students are very capable of acquiring knowledge in the areas of business, economics, finance, and history sooner than conventionally thought if the subjects are explained clearly. http://www.bluestockingpress.com/
The Critical Thinking Company offers books and software to develop critical thinking skills of children in preschool through grade 12.http://www.criticalthinking.com/index.jsp
Fun-Books wants to appeal to parents who understand that the traditional school model of learning is very limiting. If you're homeschooling, you don't have to stay in the school zone anymore. Don't be afraid to get out there and explore the possibilities!
Home Training Tools sells science curriculum, kits and supplies for pre-k through high school. From magnets to dissection kits, you will find what you’re looking for here.
http://www.hometrainingtools.com/
Jackdaw puts together kits with reproductions of historical documents and study guides for educators. Transcripts and translations of difficult to read documents help provide better understanding. http://www.jackdaw.com/
Rainbow Resource Center is an Illinois-based online store for homeschoolers, and offers a free catalog. It’s huge and filled with detailed review of every product. They often have better prices on homeschool materials than Amazon. http://www.rainbowresource.com
Life of Fred at Polka Dot Publishing offers a refreshingly fun approach to math, in textbooks, beginning with fractions and going through algebra. It’s worth checking out for the offbeat sensibility but sound math.
http://www.stanleyschmidt.com/FredGauss/index2.html
Handwriting Without Tears offers a simpler approach to handwriting. Program begins with preschool through fifth grade and uses manipulatives, music and fun. This handwriting style does not use as many serifs or flourishes, which can make it easier. Upper level has handbooks for improving print or cursive. http://www.hwtears.com/
HOUSE Member Favorite Homeschool Authors
The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to a Classical Education at Home by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer (books, curriculum etc..) http://www.welltrainedmind.com/
The Homeschooling Book of Answers, Homeschooling for Excellence and What about College?by Linda Dobson. The author also has a website for social networking and advice, Linda Dobson’s Homeschool Crone Café where the wisdom of experience is passed to today’s homeschooling families. http://homeschoolcronescafe.ning.com/
John Holt and John Taylor Gotto are two must read authors for parents who homeschool because they don’t believe traditional school works.
John Holt suggested reading How Children Learn http://www.holtgws.com/johnholtpage.html
John Taylor Gotto
http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/
Core Knowledge products ofE.D. Hirsch author of the What Your XXX Grader Needs to Know series. http://coreknowledge.org/CK/about/index.htm
Rebecca Rupp, Ph.D., has homeschooled her three sons for more than 10 years and has written The Complete Home Learning Sourcebook, Getting Started on Home Learning, Committed to Memory: How We Remember and Why We Forget and Home Learning Year by Year.
HOUSE Member Favorite Websites
Arcademia Games: Interactive, flash-based math and language arts game. You can play kids all over the country. The site is great for timed math games.
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/
Living Math This site is a different approach to math using history, science and literature to approach math. http://livingmath.net/
Colonial Williamsburg’s http://www.history.org. Visiting is best, but if you can’t the site has a wealth of information about colonial times. Lots of games, online interactive exhibits and actual documents to explore. Colonial Williamsburg has virtual field trips once a month, which are videos and live streaming video of experts answering kids’ questions. Homeschoolers can get a discount on these via http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org
VegSource This site includes active homeschool discussion boards and classifieds.
http://www.vegsource.com/homeschool/
Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators A well-organized site for science links.
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/sci-tech/scigs.html
SpellingCity This site provides a fun online spelling program. Imagine yourself playing spelling games online the day before your spelling test.
ClickSchooling brings you daily recommendations by email for entertaining websites that help your kids learn. The site has a searchable collection of previous site recommendations. http://clickschooling.com/
Homeschool Freebie of the Day M-F, they post a new homeschooling “freebie”. Freebies like: Unit Studies, Ebooks, Audio Programs, Games, Samples, Lesson Plans, and Classic Books etc...http://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/
The Learning Network, the educational blog, from the New York Times provides for free lesson and activity ideas, quizzes and games, vocabulary builders, discussion questions for students all based on the current events content of the newspaper.
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/
Illinois Homeschool Freedom Watch is a blog for notification of political and governmental issues impacting Illinois homeschoolers.
http://ilhomeschool.wordpress.com/
Illinois State Broad of Education’s webpage regarding homeschooling.
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/homeschool/default.htm
Everything Homeschooling is a site that provides free materials as well as a comparatively inexpensive subscription service that provides an online learning site with weekly lessons, hands-on projects, writing ideas, unit studies, weekly challenges, reading suggestions as well as many planning materials.
http://www.everythinghomeschooling.com/default.aspx
National Geographic Kids provides: Information about animals, people and places, Games, Videos, Stories, Activities and Photos. http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
HOUSE Member Favorite Articles
Why Homeschool? An interesting article from 2010 on the Utah Home Education Association site that collects the latest research on why homeschooling is a good idea. http://www.uhea.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=1
How Spelling Supports Reading by Louisa Moats. Provides information on why spelling is important and takes spelling instruction beyond memorizing lists.
http://www.ldonline.org/article/How_Spelling_Supports_Reading
Better Test Performance the Navy SEALs Way. Useful non-traditional test preparation advice.
http://studyprof.com/blog/2008/11/25/better-test-performance-the-navy-seals-way/
Other Homeschool Groups in the CU area
Christian Homeschool Connection (CHC)
CHC is a Christian organization run by volunteers and guided by Christian principles. Many Christian denominations are represented in the group and when doctrinal differences exist, they strive not to let this hinder the mutual support of their community. https://www.homeschool-life.com/sysfiles/member/index_public.cfm?memberid=83
American Liberty Academy is based on the American style of Leadership Education, recently described in the book "A Thomas Jefferson Education" by Oliver DeMille.
Classical Conversations: A Classical Christian Community. Their purpose is to lead the home-centered education movement by equipping parents and students with the classical tools of learning needed to discover the order and beauty of God’s creation and to inspire others to do the same. National Website with links to local contacts: http://classicalconversations.com/
Champaign-Urbana Area Homeschoolers is a Yahoo group for internet sharing of homeschool information. This group is open to all area homeschool families no matter your educational philosophy, curriculum, religious background or affiliation with other groups. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Champaign-UrbanaAreaHomeschoolers/