Thursday, December 13, 2007

Download Help from a Download Manager

I have dial-up which may be the reason that I have trouble downloading book from Google, although I've not had this problem elsewhere. The other day, I stumbled upon a free download manager, and for the first time was able to download books off Google.

If you've had similar problems, you might want to try a download manager. It pauses and saves, which is especially good for dial-up so when you lose your connection you aren't having to begin again. It save the portion you have downloaded before you lost you connection, and resumes after you re-connect.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Speaking and Writing English for the First Eight Grades/Google Books


This book is for the first eight years, and contains assignments and teacher helps by grade level. Click here. I'll be using the fourth grade lessons. I'll review them when I am done.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Who Knews Grammar Could Be Fun!


Introducing Nr. Noun, Dr. Verb, Mr. Adjective and many more grammar friends. What a fun way to learn grammar.

Grammar-land; Or, Grammar in Fun for the Children of Schoolroom-shire

Young People's Story of Music/Google Books

Click here.

St. Nicholas Book of Plays & Operettas/Google Books

Click here.

The Children's Book of Christmas Stories/Google Books

Nicely organized with stories for younger children identified. Click here.

Songs for Catholic Schools/Google Books

Click here. Also includes memory aids for catechism.

First Music Reader/Google Books


Click here.

Christmas: Its Origin and Associations: Together with Its Historical Events/Google Books


Click here.

Hymns for Little Children/Google Books

Hymns for Little Children(Anglican) By Cecil Frances Alexander
Click here.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Good Stories for Great Holidays

Stories organized by holiday. Click here.

A Child's Story Garden/Munseys

Contents:
SIEGFRIED, THE KING'S SON
THE SONG OF THE PINE TREE
A CHRISTMAS STORY
THE MYTH OF ARACHNE
THE BIRDS OF KILLINGWORTH
THE MYTH OF PAN
THE BELL OF ATRI
THE ANXIOUS LEAF
COMING AND GOING
HOW THE DIMPLES CAME
THE PROUD LITTLE APPLE BLOSSOM
THE BRAVE KNIGHT
KING ROBERT OF SICILY
THE GREAT STONE FACE
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE
THE STORY OF ABRAHAM
THE STORY OF MOSES
THE STORY OF DAVID
THE STORY OF JOSEPH
THE COURTESY OF THE SPARTAN BOY
TWENTY-THIRD PSALM.

Click here.

Popular Old-Fashion Christmas Short Stories for Children

And here too.

Christmas Potpourri: Holiday Etexts

Some of the links to Black Mask are not working because Black Mask has been resurrected as Munseys.

Printable Christmas Stories/Baldwin Project

Click on title.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Cavalcade of America - Audio Learning

Cavalcade of America was a weekly radio program featuring dramatized American history during the 1950's. Internet Archives has these shows in public domain for download. I also noticed that McGuffey readers were listed in the audio archive.

Click here.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

A History of the United States and Its People/Google Books

This is the third book in Eggleston's American History series. Click here. Ages 12 and up. A little more about this book at Lost Classics Books. They have republished this book series.

The other book in the series is Stories of Great Americans for Little People.

Thorndike Mathematics/Google Books


A very nice elementary school math book with mostly word problems and drills. Wonderful everyday examples. Click here.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Audio Books/Internet Archive

There are 1,794 audiobooks listed here for download. Unfortunately they are not categorized, so you'll need to use the search engine to find specific books, or browse through all of them.

These are MP3 downoads which can be burned onto a regular CD with Microsoft's Windows Media 11(free). I've downloaded a few to CD, and they played fine on my regular CD player in the car.

I'm working on a collection of vintage old time radio historical MP3's for children. They are wonderful to listen to while in the car.

Friday, November 23, 2007

The Silver-Burdett Arithmetics Series/Google Books


I've linked to the table of contents for each of these books.

Book 1
Book 2
Book 3

Complete Book - looks like a review(remedial?) with consumer math.

First Arithmetic(Mathematics) Book/Google Book Search


First arithmetic book covers counting, addition, subtraction, simple multiplication, measurements, simple factions and more. Click here. I've linked to the table of contents. There are some nice illustrations as well, and simple word problems.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Early Elementary Science and Nature Studies/Google Book Search

This is a science text with comprehension questions for early elementary. There are even some poems. I really like this text for young children - easy to understand and thorough. Here is a sample for the first page:

LAND AND WATER. When we go out of the house, upon what do we walk ? Do we always walk upon the ground ? How does the ground feel under our feet? Why do we not sink into it? Do we ever come to something on the ground which is not hard or solid, and upon which we cannot walk? What makes these puddles of water on the ground? We often call the ground land. Wherever we go we shall be either upon the land or upon the water. We can walk upon the land because it is solid. If we should try to walk upon the water, we would sink down into it. Then, if we could not swim, we might be drowned. Copy the following sentences, and fill the blank spaces ....

Click here.

Our American Neighbors, Studies of North and South America/Google Book Search


This elementary level social studies text explores Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Click here.



Our American Neighbors: Canada

Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans/Google Book Search

Click on title.

American History for Elementary/Google Book Search

Hero Stories of American History. According to the appendix, this book is to be read first or along with a formal history text. Here's a nice one by Channing: A Short History of the United States.

A few recommended in the appendix: The Beginner's American History, McMaster's Primary History of the United States , Tappan's Our Country's Story, Eggleston's First Book in American History and Thorpe's Junior History of the United States.

I liked a First Book in American History so much that I bought a vintage edition online. I'll post my reviews after we've completed this book. This book has been reprinted by Lost Classics Books.

Free Downloads: Homeschool Living Books for the Ears

Click on title.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Google Books Download Helps and Google Library

Google Books has improved their free online book service. You can now switch to plain text to copy and paste, or highlight all(select all) in order to copy and save text to your computer. I'm fairly certain the plain text option was not available during the summer. You can also switch to HTML(bottom right margin) which means you can save the pages and pictures to your computer, copy pages, and see hyper-links on the table of contents.

Once you switch to HTML mode, just right click on the image of the page in order to save or print. Most of the links I post here are already in HTML mode. The default mode at Google Books is standard mode which does not allow right clicks on the images of the page.

Another new option is the Google Library. This is so helpful! I have added over a hundred books from Google Books to my library for later viewing. Click here to take a peak. I'll being reviewing these books, and adding them here if they are helpful to homeschooling.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Halleck's New English Literature/Project Gutenberg

"The book furnishes a concise account of the history and
growth of English literature from the earliest times to the present day. It lays special emphasis on literary movements, on the essential qualities that differentiate one period from another, and on the spirit that animates each age. Above all, the constant purpose has been to arouse in the student an enthusiastic desire to read the works of the authors discussed. Because of the author's belief in the guide-book function of a history of literature, he has spent much time and thought in preparing the unusually detailed Suggested Readings that follow each chapter."

Click here.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

What Great Men Have to Say About Women/Project Gutenberg

Click on title.

The Child's Day/Project Gutenburg


A very nice wholesome health studies book for early elementary from 1912. Teaches basic hygiene and good health practices. Also includes some basic anatomy. Book has comprehension questions for each unit.

Click here.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Woodside or, Look, Listen, and Learn/Project Gutenberg


"Now for the dear, dear country,
Its trees and meadows fair,
Its roses, cowslips, violets,
Whose sweetness fills the air.
"'Tis there we hear the music
Of lark's and blackbird's song,
And merry little finches,
Singing the whole day long."—C. H.

Very sweet story book about children who visit their grandfather at the farm. Along the way they learn about nature. A very wholesome science type reader for the warmer months with references to scripture as well.

Click here.

Haydn/Project Gutenburg

An easy read for advanced middle school-high school. Click here.

Famous Men of the Middle Ages by John H. Haaren and A.B. Poland

The introduction mentions that this book is written for elementary school. It covers European history years 476-1492.

Click here.

Homeschool review


Also available at The Baldwin Project, and as an audiobook here. Google books has a copy here.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Geographical Twins Series by Lucy Fitch Perkins/Project Gutenberg





Geographical Series

THE DUTCH TWINS PRIMER. Grade I.

The Eskimo Twins . Grade II.

The Dutch Twins . Grade III.

The Japanese Twins . Grade IV.

The Swiss Twins . Grade IV.

THE FILIPINO TWINS. Grade V.

THE IRISH TWINS. Grade V.

THE ITALIAN TWINS. Grade V.

THE MEXICAN TWINS
. Grade V.

The Scotch Twins. Grade VI.

The Belgian Twins Grade VII.

The French Twins . Grade VII.

Historical Series

THE CAVE TWINS
. Grade IV.

The Spartan Twins . Grade V.

THE COLONIAL TWINS OF VIRGINIA. Grade VI.(CurrClick has it for sale as a download)

THE AMERICAN TWINS OF 1812. Grade VI.

THE PIONEER TWINS. Grade VI.

THE AMERICAN TWINS OF THE REVOLUTION. Grade VII.(CurrClick has it for sale as a download)

The Puritan Twins . Grade VII.

Supplemental:

Original 1922 Lucy Perkins The Twins Series paper dolls 


Paper dolls of Friends Around the World

Catholic Home Education: Papal Documents of Interest

Click on title.

The Story of Mankind/Project Gutenberg

History for later elementary. Click here. Skip the first section if you would rather avoid the evolution theory. HT to Love2Learn who mentioned that they were using this book as a complement to Hillyers History of the World.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Free Writing and Grammar Workbooks Grades One - Six

Click on title.

HT to Betsy.

English Literature For Boys And Girls, H.E. Marshall/Munseys

Grades seven - ten. Click here.

Character Education Books/Project Gutenberg


Very cute books for early childhood.

The Goop Directory Audio version here.

More Goops and How Not to Be Them Audio version here.

HT to Creative Frugality.

A Child's Story Garden/Munseys

Wonderful short stories with a high moral tone, a few stories based on Bible heroes. These would be wonderful to read to younger children, and fairly easy to read for a fourth or fifth grade reader. Click here.

The United States' Spelling Book, With Appropriate Reading Lessons/19th Century Books


After a quick scan of this book, I'm quessing this spelling book would cover spelling for early elementary through about sixth grade. Click here.

The Scripture Guide : Being a Familiar Introduction to the Study of the Bible/19th Century Books

Friendly well written introduction to reading the Bible in story form - Uncle Austin teaches his nephews. Click here.

Word-primer : a Beginner's Book in Oral and Written Spelling by William Swinton/19th Century Books

Click here.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Free Easy to Read Online Picture Books

Beautifully illustrated and written by Marilyn Scott Waters of the Toymaker.com, a folded paper toy store. Click here.

She is also offering some free paper toys.

HT to In Beauty and In Grace.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Reading List: Books Sorted by Level

This book list is based upon the Robinson Homeschool Program which is homeschooling with quality vintage books on CD. Many of these books are available at Project Gutenberg, or at the links for free books on the sidebar. As a bonus, there are a few free tests/quizzes for some of these books.

This list is a nice guide, just another tool for organizing and sorting your collection of free homeschool curricula.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

50 Famous People A Book of Short Stories/Project Gutenberg

"Every boy and girl should remember the name of Benjamin Franklin. He was a great thinker and a great doer, and with Washington he helped to make our country free. His life was such that no man could eversay, 'Ben Franklin has wronged me.' "

Click here.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

The American Class Book/19th Century School Books

The American class book, or, A collection of instructive reading lessons : adapted to the use of schools : selected from Blair's class book, etc. by Thomas Kimber.

Wonderful short writings covering various topics. All have a high moral tone. I plan to use some of these when my son gets a little older.


Click here.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

The Story of the Pony Express/Project Gutenberg

"This little volume has but one purpose - to give an authentic, useful,
and readable account of the Pony Express. This wonderful enterprise
played an important part in history, and demonstrated what American
spirit can accomplish. It showed that the "heroes of sixty-one" were not
all south of Mason and Dixon's line fighting each other. And, strange to
say, little of a formal nature has been written concerning it."

Click here.

Friday, September 7, 2007

Fun and Nonsense/Project Gutenberg

"Fun and Nonsense are a pair
Of merry little twins,
And when they come to visit us
They bring their friends, the Grins.
They're coming now to visit you.
This page we'll call the door.
To open wide, just turn the leaf.
Why, we have met before!"

Click here.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

History of the United States by Beard/Project Gutenberg


Topical approach, interesting big picture wide swath coverage of history from Migration and American Colonization to Progressive Democracy and the World War. Comprehension questions at the end of sections. Click here.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Round-about Rambles in Lands of Fact and Fancy


"There will be considerable variety in our rambles. We shall walk about familiar places, and we shall explore streets and houses that have been buried for centuries. We shall go down deep into the earth, and we shall float in a balloon, high up into the air. We shall see many beasts of the forest; some that are bloody and cruel, and others that are gentle and wise. We will meet with birds, fishes, grand old buildings, fleas, vast woods, bugs, mummies, snakes, tight-rope dancers, gorillas, will-o'-the-wisps, beautiful blossoms, boomerangs, oceans, birds' nests, and I cannot tell you what all besides. We will also have some adventures, hear some stories, and have a peep at a fairy or two before we are done."

Click here.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Sketches of Japanese Manners and Customs/Project Gutenberg


Click here. For older high school children, skim it first as there is some mild talk about execution and bathing customs which might need censoring by some families. Interesting study on old Japanese customs. Nice colorful illustrations.

Friday, August 10, 2007

R.M.Ballantyne's Adventure Classics

Some are listed twice on Project Gutenberg as plain text and HTML versions.

Away in the Wilderness
The Battery and the BoilerAdventures in Laying of Submarine Electric Cables
Battles with the Sea
The Big Otter
Black Ivory
Blown to Bitsor, The Lonely Man of Rakata
Blue LightsHot Work in the Soudan
The Butterfly's BallThe Grasshopper's Feast
The Butterfly's BallThe Grasshopper's Feast
Charlie to the Rescue
The Coral Island
The Coral IslandA Tale of the Pacific Ocean
The Coral Island A Tale of the Pacific Ocean
The Coxswain's Bridealso, Jack Frost and Sons; and, A Double Rescue
The Crew of the Water Wagtail
Deep Down, a Tale of the Cornish Mines
Digging for GoldAdventures in California
The Dog Crusoe and his Master
The Dog Crusoe and His MasterA Story of Adventure in the Western Prairies
Dusty Diamonds Cut and PolishedA Tale of City Arab Life and Adventure
Erling the Bold
Fighting the Whales
Fighting the Whales
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands
Fort DesolationRed Indians and Fur Traders of Rupert's Land
The Garret and the Garden
Gascoyne, The Sandal Wood TraderA Tale of the Pacific
The Giant of the NorthPokings Round the Pole
The Golden DreamAdventures in the Far West
The Gorilla Hunters
The Hot Swamp
Hudson Bay
Hunted and Harried
Hunting the Lions
In the Track of the Troops
The Iron Horse
The Island Queen
Jarwin and Cuffy
Jeff Benson, or the Young Coastguardsman
The Lifeboat
Life in the Red BrigadeLondon Fire Brigade
The Life of a Ship
The Lighthouse
The Lighthouse
The Lonely IslandThe Refuge of the Mutineers
The Madman and the Pirate
Man on the OceanA Book about Boats and Ships
Martin Rattler
Martin Rattler
The Middy and the MoorsAn Algerine Story
My Doggie and I
The Norsemen in the West
The Ocean and its Wonders
Personal Reminiscences in Book Makingand Some Short Stories
Philosopher Jack
The Pioneers
The Pirate CityAn Algerine Tale
Post Haste
The Prairie Chief
The Red Eric
The Red Man's RevengeA Tale of The Red River Flood
Red RooneyThe Last of the Crew
Rivers of Ice
The Rover of the AndesA Tale of Adventure on South America
The Settler and the Savage
Shifting WindsA Tough Yarn
Silver Lake
Six Months at the Cape
Twice Bought
Ungava
Up in the CloudsBalloon Voyages
The Walrus HuntersA Romance of the Realms of Ice
The World of Ice
The World of Ice
The Young Fur Traders
The Young Fur Traders
The Young Trawler

The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It/Project Gutenberg

These newspapers for children were published between 1897 and 1898, and are wonderful for studying this era. The articles make you feel as if you are there in the 19th century.

There was no way to link to these other than a search because the authors are listed under "various". Click here.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Historic girls; stories of girls who have influenced the history of their times/University of Virginia Library

Contents:

ZENOBIA OF PALMYRA: THE GIRL OF THE SYRIAN DESERT 1

HELENA OF BRITAIN: THE GIRL OF THE ESSEX FELLS 22

PULCHERIA OF CONSTANTINOPLE: THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN HORN 45

CLOTILDA OF BURGUNDY: THE GIRL OF THE FRENCH VINEYARDS 61

WOO OF HWANG-HO: THE GIRL OF THE YELLOW RIVER 79

EDITH OF SCOTLAND: THE GIRL OF THE NORTHERN ABBEY 98

JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND THE GIRL OF THE LAND OF FOGS 114

CATARINA OF VENICE: THE GIRL OF THE GRAND CANAL 134

THERESA OF AVILA: THE GIRL OF THE SPANISH SIERRAS 151

ELIZABETH OF TUDOR: THE GIRL OF THE HERTFORD MANOR 174

CHRISTINA OF SWEDEN: THE GIRL OF THE NORTHERN FIORDS 192

MA-TA-OKA OF POW-HA-TAN: THE GIRL OF THE VIRGINIA FORESTS 208


Click here.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Arm Chair Traveller


Here are some fun old travel books.

This one for Corsica, Itinerary through Corsica by its Rail, Carriage & Forest Roads is from 1888. Step back in time and do the Grand Tour.


Familar Spanish Travels, 1911. Needs the zip file download to view pictures.

Europe—Whither Bound? Being Letters of Travel from the Capitals of Europe in the Year 1921


A Traveller in War-Time, Winston Churchill, very direct writer, easy to speed read. Interesting!

English Travellers of the Renaissance, a history of traveling for culture and education.

The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain

Sunny Memories of a Foreign Land, Volume I and II by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Normandy Picturesque, 1870, travels in France. Very Grand Tourish and interesting, and much is still the same.

How to Enjoy Paris in 1842
Intended to Serve as a Companion and Monitor, Containing
Historical, Political, Commercial, Artistical, Theatrical
And Statistical Information


John Locke, author of Concerning Humane Understanding(books 1 and 2), and (books three and four) popularized the idea of didactic travel for young people. The Grand Tour was a European travel itinerary that flourished from about 1660 until the arrival of mass rail transit in the 1820s. It was popular amongst young British upper-class men and served as an educational rite of passage for the wealthy. Similar trips were made by the wealthy of other Northern European nations. Its primary value lay in the exposure both to the cultural artifacts of antiquity and the Renaissance and to the aristocratic and fashionable society of the European continent. A grand tour could last from several months to several years.