Homeschooling in Madison County: Library Materials

The mere thought of homeschooling can be overwhelming. What curriculum do I choose? What if we can’t afford all the books? How do I schedule our time? Will my children become socially awkward recluses? What if I screw up my kids’ education?! Lorilee Lippincott, a seasoned homeschooling mom, shows just how simple homeschooling can be. Full of anecdotes, interviews with other homeschooling families, and wisdom, this is a must-have for any family considering the homeschooling life.

Are there classic books you know you should read but haven’t because they seem overwhelming? Susan Wise Bauer provides a welcome and encouraging antidote. Newly updated and expanded to include essential readings in science (from Aristotle to Stephen Hawking), The Well-Educated Mind offers brief, entertaining histories of six genres—fiction, autobiography, history, drama, poetry, and science—accompanied by detailed instructions on how to read each kind of literature. The annotated lists in each chapter provide the crucial information necessary to read the world’s great texts and encourage readers to make vital connections between ancient traditions and contemporary writing. Learn how to allocate time to your reading on a regular basis, how to master a difficult argument, how to keep a reading journal, how to make personal judgments about what you read, and how to understand literary techniques in a way that makes every book come alive.

Project-based homeschooling combines children’s interests with long-term, deep, complex learning. This is an essential experience for children: to spend time working on something that matters to them, with the support of a dedicated mentor. This book is an introduction and guide to creating the circumstances under which children can teach themselves. The author gives parents concrete tips for helping children do challenging, meaningful, self-chosen work. From setting up a workspace that encourages independence to building a family culture that supports self-directed learning to concrete suggestions for a step-by-step approach to inquiry-based investigation, Project-Based Homeschooling shares techniques for mentoring independent, confident thinkers and learners.

The prospect of homeschooling gifted and advanced learners isn't daunting anymore! Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Students gives parents all of the support and confidence they need to bring their children home to a school that meets every one of their academic, emotional, and social needs.
Written by a veteran homeschooler, this book clearly and concisely teaches parents how to homeschool their advanced learners, focusing on special considerations that often go along with gifted children such as providing challenging curriculum, offering outlets for artistic and creative talents, accelerating students into college courses early, and finding them true intellectual peers. Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Students covers everything from curriculum choices and learning styles, to integrating technology and online courses, to finding social support for both children and parents. From making the decision to homeschool to planning for the transition to college, this book has the answers parents of gifted homeschooled students need to help their children succeed!

Some people believe they must be a certified teacher, a genius, or at least a naturally well-organized person in order to homeschool well. Others believe they can't homeschool because they lack some magical quality or necessary skill that all homeschoolers have. The simple truth is that homeschooling can be done.and done well.by ordinary people. Author Terrie Lynn Bittner takes you by the hand and shows you how. In this revised and updated second edition of her popular book, she breaks the job down into manageable tasks and carefully explains each task, providing you with the confidence you need to get the job done!

An accessible guide for fun and stress-free homeschooling! When you homeschool your children, you can shape their education according to your own standards, values, and ideas. In "The Everything Guide to Homeschooling," homeschooler Sherri Linsenbach provides you with all the information, inspiration, and encouragement you need to easily and successfully homeschool your children from grades K 12. This complete guide contains information on: The Common Core standards and how they impact familiesCreating plans for typical homeschool days, including schedules and activitiesUtilizing curriculum resources, strategies, and methodsManaging specific learning styles and special needsThis guide is packed full of ideas to make homeschooling your child easy, affordable, and, most of all, fun. With ideas for tackling social issues and motivating your child, this is the only reference you'll need to keep home education exciting and ensure your child s success!"

In the past, correct spelling, the multiplication tables, the names of the state capitals and the American presidents were basics that all children were taught in school. Today, many children graduate without this essential knowledge. Most curricula today follow a haphazard sampling of topics with a focus on political correctness instead of teaching students how to study. Leigh Bortins, a leading figure in the homeschooling community, is having none of it. She believes that there are core areas of knowledge that are essential to master. Without knowing the multiplication tables, children can't advance to algebra. Without mastery of grammar, students will have difficulty expressing themselves. Without these essential building blocks of knowledge, students may remember information but they will never possess a broad and deep understanding of how the world works. In The Core, Bortins gives parents the tools and methodology to implement a rigorous, thorough, and broad curriculum based on the classical model, including:

- Rote memorization to cement knowledge
- Systematic learning of geography, historical facts, and timelines
- Reading the great books and seminal historical documents instead of adaptations and abridged editions
- Rigorous training in math and the natural sciences

Parents who are deeply invested in their children's education can be hard on themselves and their kids. When exhausted parents are living the day-to-day grind, it can seem impossible to muster enough energy to make learning fun or interesting. How do parents nurture a love of learning amid childhood chaos, parental self-doubt, the flu, and state academic standards? In this book, Julie Bogart distills decades of experience--homeschooling her five now grown children, developing curricula, and training homeschooling families around the world--to show parents how to make education an exciting, even enchanting, experience for their kids, whether they're in elementary or high school. Enchantment is about ease, not striving. Bogart shows parents how to make room for surprise, mystery, risk, and adventure in their family's routine, so they can create an environment that naturally moves learning forward. If a child wants to pick up a new hobby or explore a subject area that the parent knows little about, it's easy to simply say "no" to end the discussion and the parental discomfort, while dousing their child's curious spark. Bogart gently invites parents to model brave learning for their kids so they, too, can approach life with curiosity, joy, and the courage to take learning risks.

Inspired by the spirit of Henry David Thoreau—”All good things are wild and free”—mother of five Ainsley Arment founded Wild + Free. This growing online community of mothers and families want their children to receive a quality education at home by challenging their intellectual abilities and nurturing their sense of curiosity, joy and awe—the essence of a positive childhood. The homeschool approach of past generations is gone—including the stigma of socially awkward kids, conservative clothes, and a classroom setting replicated in the home. The Wild + Free movement is focused on a love of nature, reading great books, pursuing interests and hobbies, making the entire world a classroom, and prolonging the wonder of childhood, an appealing philosophy that is unpacked in the pages of this book. The Call of the Wild and Free offers advice, information, and positive encouragement for parents considering homeschooling, those currently in the trenches looking for inspiration, as well as parents, educators, and caregivers who want supplementary resources to enhance their kids’ traditional educations.

102 Top Picks makes it easy for home educators to select the right curriculum for each family situation and each child's learning style. Widely-recognized curriculum expert Cathy Duffy walks you through the curriculum selection process: goal setting, figuring out which educational approach to use, developing your own philosophy of education, determining your teaching style, and identifying your children's learning styles. "At-a-glance" charts highlight key features of each Top Pick selection. Scanning through the charts allows you to quickly identify products likely to be of interest. The charts are followed by extensive reviews of each of Cathy's Top Picks. This is an updated and extensively revised edition of 101 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum.

Prepare your child for a lifetime of learning and wonder. Designed for parents to enjoy with children, filled with opportunities for reading aloud and fostering curiosity, this beautifully illustrated read-aloud anthology offers preschoolers the fundamentals they need to prepare for a happy, productive time in school—and for the rest of their lives. Millions of children have benefited from the acclaimed Core Knowledge Series, developed in consultation with parents, educators, and the most distinguished developmental psychologists. In addition to valuable advice to parents, including what it means for a child to be ready for kindergarten, special sidebars throughout the book help parents make reading aloud fun and interactive, suggesting questions to ask, connections to make, and games to play to enrich their preschooler’s learning experience. Discover:

Favorite Poems and Rhymes—all beautifully illustrated. Read and recite together— from Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem “At the Seaside” to limericks by Edward Lear and tongue twisters by Jack Prelutsky, plus fun “clap along!” and “fingerplay” verses that parents and children can act out together.

Beloved Stories and Fables—read aloud from stories like “The Three Little Pigs” and the African folktale “Why Flies Buzz” —and open whole new worlds of learning and discovery.

Visual Arts—help your child appreciate and talk about art. Beautiful full-color reproductions of great works of art will foster early appreciation of art history while igniting discussions about shapes, colors, and different styles and media.

Music—dozens of songs to sing and dance to, including “move around” songs like “Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes” and “The Wheels on the Bus”

History—a delightful introduction to American history—from the first Thanksgiving to Martin Luther King, Jr., —with activities and stories parents and children can enjoy together

Science—from the wonder of animals to exploring physical properties of light, air, and water—fun activities that will let children observe, experience, and enjoy the natural world

Designed for use by parents and teachers, this groundbreaking first volume in the Core Knowledge Series provides kindergartners with the fundamentals they need to prepare them for a lifetime of learning. It sets out the elements a parent or educator should look for in a good kindergarten program and introduces activities that help a child take the first steps in learning to read and write. Featuring a new Introduction and filled with age-appropriate questions and suggestions that stimulate thinking and build vocabulary, this revised and updated edition of What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know also includes

• Favorite poems—read and recite together from Mother Goose, A. A. Milne, Langston Hughes, and more, all beautifully illustrated
• Beloved stories and fables—read aloud from “The Three Little Pigs,” “The Ugly Duckling,” “Cinderella,” Winnie-the-Pooh, “The Velveteen Rabbit,” and many more, including multicultural folktales from African, Japanese, and Native American traditions
• Familiar sayings and phrases—impart traditional wisdom such as “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” and “Better safe than sorry”
• History and geography—a friendly introduction to our world, complete with simple questions and fun activities
• Visual arts—painting, drawing, cutting, and pasting go hand in hand with learning about color and helping a child look at and talk about great works of art
• Music—many musical experiences for parents and children to participate in, along with dozens of songs to sing and dance to
• Math—lively and interesting exposure to concepts and operations that provide a springboard to later mastery
• Science—activities that let children observe, experience, and get their hands dirty while exploring the wonders of nature

What will your child be expected to learn in the first grade? How can you help him or her at home? How can teachers foster active, successful learning in the classroom? This book answers these all-important questions and more, offering the specific shared knowledge that hundreds of parents and teachers across the nation have agreed upon for American first graders. Revised and updated, filled with a wealth of opportunities for reading aloud and fostering discussion, this first-grade volume of the acclaimed Core Knowledge Series presents the sort of knowledge and skills that should be at the core of a challenging first-grade education. Discover:

Favorite Poems, old and new, such as "The Owl and the Pussycat," "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod," and "Thirty Days Hath September"
Beloved Stories from many times and lands, including a selection of Aesop's Fables, "Hansel and Gretel," "All Stories Are Anansi's," "The Tale of Peter Rabbit," and much more
Familiar Sayings and Phrases such as "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and "Practice makes perfect"
World and American History and Geography--take a trip down the Nile with King Tut, and learn about the early days of our country, including the story of Jamestown, the Pilgrims, and the American Revolution
Visual Arts--fun activities plus full-color reproductions of masterworks by Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Georgia O'Keefe, and others
Music--engaging introductions to great composers and music, including classical music, opera, and jazz, as well as a selection of favorite children's songs
Math--a variety of activities to help your child learn to count, add and subtract, solve problems, recognize geometrical shapes and patterns, and learn about telling time
Science--interesting discussions of living things and their habitats, the human body, the states of matter, how we measure things, how electricity works, our solar system, and what's inside the earth, plus stories of famous scientists such as Thomas Edison and Rachel Carson

A supplementary guide to a well-rounded education that helps children gain the fundamentals needed to make progress in school.

What should your child learn in the third grade? How can you help him or her at home? This book answers these important questions and more, offering the specific shared knowledge that thousands of parents and teachers across the nation have agreed upon for American third graders. Featuring sixteen pages of full-color illustrations, a bolder, easier-to-follow format, and a thoroughly updated curriculum, What Your Third Grader Needs to Know is designed for parents and teachers to enjoy with children. Hundreds of thousands of children have benefited from the Core Knowledge Series. This edition, featuring a new Introduction, gives today’s generation of third graders the advantage they need to make progress in school and to establish an approach to learning that will last a lifetime. In this book you’ll discover

• Favorite poems—old and new, from the traditional rhyme “For Want of Nail” to Lewis Carroll’s whimsical poem “The Crocodile”
• Literature—including Native American stories, African folktales, European fairy tales, classic myths from ancient Greece, stories from ancient Rome, and more
• Learning about language—the basics of written English, including sentence structure, parts of speech, and a first look at writing a report or letter
• World and American history and geography—journey down the great rivers of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia, visit ancient Rome, and experience the earliest days of America with the Pilgrims and Native Americans
• Visual arts—an introduction to masterworks by Rembrandt, Henri Matisse, Mary Cassatt, and others, with full-color reproductions and fun, do-it-yourself activities
• Music—the fundamentals of appreciating, reading, and making music, plus great composers, instruments, and sing-along lyrics for songs such as “Bicycle Built for Two” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”
• Math—stimulating lessons ranging from counting money to solving division problems, numbers through 100,000, graphs, and the metric system
• Science—fascinating discussions on the natural world, the cycles of life, the human body and its systems, and the environment, with accompanying activities and stories about famous scientists such as Copernicus and Alexander Graham Bell

Give your child a smart start with the revised and updated What Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know How can you help your child at home? This book answers that important question and more, offering the specific shared knowledge that thousands of parents and teachers across the nation have agreed upon for American fourth graders. Featuring sixteen pages of full-color illustrations, a bolder, easier-to-follow format, and a thoroughly updated curriculum, What Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know is designed for parents and teachers to enjoy with children. Hundreds of thousands of students have benefited from the Core Knowledge Series. This edition, featuring a new Introduction, gives today's generation of fourth graders the advantage they need to make progress in school and establish an approach to learning that will last a lifetime. Inside you'll discover Favorite poems--old and new, from the familiar classic "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" to Langston Hughes's "Dream" Literature--from around the world, including African and Chinese folktales, excerpts from beloved novels, and condensed versions of popular classics such as Gulliver's Travels and "Rip Van Winkle" Learning about language--the basics of written English, including grammar, punctuation, parts of speech, synonyms and antonyms, plus an introduction to common English sayings and phrases World and American history and geography--explore world and American history, including creation of a constitutional government and early presidents and politics Visual arts--a broad spectrum of art from around the world, including African masks, Islamic architecture, Chinese calligraphy, and great American painters--featuring full-color reproductions Music--understanding and appreciating music, from the basics of musical notation to the orchestra, plus great composers and sing-along lyrics for such favorites as "Auld Lang Syne" and "Waltzing Matilda" Math--challenging lessons ranging from fractions and decimals to understanding graphs, making change, square roots, and the metric system Science--discover the wonders of the human body and its systems, learn about electricity, atoms, chemistry, geology, and meteorology, plus concise biographies of some of the great scientists of our tim

This unique collection of partner and small group games (requiring only two-four participants) is perfect for teaching and developing physical education skills in the home setting. These learning activities do not require a gymnasium, expensive equipment, or a large playing area--in fact, most can be played in a backyard-size setting or smaller. Written by an experienced physical educator, this user-friendly resource is packed with only small-sided games tested and proven to develop fitness, movement, and sport-specific skills in children of all ages. In addition, these success-oriented games are guaranteed to put fun back into PE participation--an important incentive for children to become more active and physically fit. Each game activity provides everything needed for its successful use. This includes an introduction with a skill purpose, number of players required, suggested age level, equipment needed, illustrations, and easy-to-understand instructions. In addition, you'll find helpful advice on how to use these games most effectively in the home school program, how to introduce games to children, finding the right game to achieve your learning objective, safety guidelines, and much more. In short, The Ultimate Homeschool Physical Education Game Book is the most complete family physical education game resource available today. Now parents have the tool to make a positive difference in the lifestyles of their children, and to set them on the road to a lifetime of movement and health.

What can a makeable monster do? They motor, inflate, wobble, drool, soar, and one of them can even do push-ups. Add a pair of wings, subtract a tentacle...the best thing about these monsters is that they're part experiment, part imagination, and 100 percent customizable. Author Sam Haynor draws on his experience with the San Francisco Exploratorium, Oakland Toy Lab, Goldieblocks, and designing STEAM curriculum to create projects packed with features. While, on the outside, most appear to be built completely from common craft materials, they contain circuits, levers, projectile-launchers, puzzles, and much more. The projects are safe and fun for younger kids working with adults, and most of them can be tackled by middle-graders with minimal adult help.

Every land is filled with discovery:
The Castle of Clouds features high-flying creatures that soar like airplanes and spin like helicopters.
Dive into the sea and you'll find find fishy monsters illuminating the deep, while others motor across the surface.
The Beastly Big Top is way more exciting than a human circus, with monsters that wobble around the ring (and toss things right back out).
Carefully creep through the haunted caves, past monsters that build webs and lurk in the dark.
This unique project book built for open-ended exploration is perfect for crafternoons, homeschool activities, and parties.

DK Workbooks: Geography: Kindergarten is a great tool to supplement school curriculum help your Kindergarten student learn geography concepts. Level by level, these write-in DK Workbooks: Geography offer at-home practice that kids actually enjoy — making them ideal supplements to schoolwork. Designed to support the Common Core State Standards, this series is developed with leading educational experts to build confidence and understanding. Each leveled workbook, for children ages three through nine, is packed with activities and challenges, offering the beneficial repetition and cumulative learning that lead to mastery. Fact boxes on each page give a simple overview of the topics being covered, helping children get their bearings, review the basics, and often see an example of the task at hand. The exercises themselves reinforce key geography topics, including: map reading, compass directions, continents, countries and states, borders, bodies of water, and more.

DK Workbooks: Geography: First Grade is a great tool to supplement school curriculum help your first grade student learn geography concepts. Level by level, these write-in DK Workbooks: Geography offer at-home practice that kids actually enjoy — making them ideal supplements to schoolwork. Designed to support the Common Core State Standards, this series is developed with leading educational experts to build confidence and understanding. Each leveled workbook, for children ages three through nine, is packed with activities and challenges, offering the beneficial repetition and cumulative learning that lead to mastery. Fact boxes on each page give a simple overview of the topics being covered, helping children get their bearings, review the basics, and often see an example of the task at hand. The exercises themselves reinforce key geography topics, including: map reading, compass directions, continents, countries and states, borders, bodies of water, and more.

DK Workbooks: Geography: Third Grade is a great tool to supplement school curriculum help your third grade student learn geography concepts. Level by level, these write-in DK Workbooks: Geography offer at-home practice that kids actually enjoy — making them ideal supplements to schoolwork. Designed to support the Common Core State Standards, this series is developed with leading educational experts to build confidence and understanding. Each leveled workbook, for children ages three through nine, is packed with activities and challenges, offering the beneficial repetition and cumulative learning that lead to mastery. Fact boxes on each page give a simple overview of the topics being covered, helping children get their bearings, review the basics, and often see an example of the task at hand. The exercises themselves reinforce key geography topics, including: map reading, compass directions, continents, countries and states, borders, bodies of water, and more.

DK Workbooks: Geography, Fourth Grade is a great tool to supplement school curriculum help your fourth-grade student learn geography concepts. Created to help support kids ages 9 and 10, this workbook will features exercise from longitude and latitude to geographical features such as rivers, deserts, and forests that are taught in fourth grade classrooms. Level by level, these write-in DK Workbooks: Geography offer at-home practice that kids actually enjoy - making them ideal supplements to schoolwork. Designed to support the Common Core State Standards, this series is developed with leading educational experts to build confidence and understanding. Each leveled workbook, for children ages 3 - 11, is packed with activities and challenges, offering the beneficial repetition and cumulative learning that lead to mastery. Fact boxes on each page give a simple overview of the topics being covered, helping children get their bearings, review the basics, and often see an example of the task at hand. The exercises themselves reinforce key geography topics, including map reading, compass directions, continents, countries and states, borders, bodies of water, and more.

DK Workbooks: Geography, Sixth Grade is a great tool to supplement school curriculum help your sixth-grade student learn geography concepts. Created to help support kids ages 11 and 12, this workbook will features exercise from different natural resources to political divisions on each continents that are taught in fourth grade classrooms. Level by level, these write-in DK Workbooks: Geography offer at-home practice that kids actually enjoy - making them ideal supplements to schoolwork. Designed to support the Common Core State Standards, this series is developed with leading educational experts to build confidence and understanding. Each leveled workbook, for children ages 3 - 11, is packed with activities and challenges, offering the beneficial repetition and cumulative learning that lead to mastery. Fact boxes on each page give a simple overview of the topics being covered, helping children get their bearings, review the basics, and often see an example of the task at hand. The exercises themselves reinforce key geography topics, including map reading, compass directions, continents, countries and states, borders, bodies of water, and more.

Grades 1-5
What terrible secret was buried in Shi Huangdi's tomb? Did nomads like lizard stew? What happened to Anansi the Spider in the Village of the Plantains? And how did a six-year-old become the last emperor of Rome? Told in a straightforward, engaging style that has become Susan Wise Bauer's trademark, The Story of the World series covers the sweep of human history from ancient times until the present. Africa, China, Europe, the Americas—find out what happened all around the world in long-ago times. This first revised volume begins with the earliest nomads and ends with the last Roman emperor. Newly revised and updated, The Story of the World, Volume 1 includes maps, a new timeline, more illustrations, and additional parental aids. This read-aloud series is designed for parents to share with elementary-school children. Enjoy it together and introduce your child to the marvelous story of the world's civilizations.

Grades 1-6
Now more than ever, other cultures are affecting our everyday lives and our children need to learn about the other countries of the world and their history. Susan Wise Bauer has provided a captivating guide to the history of other lands. Written in an engaging, straightforward manner, this revised edition of The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child, Volume 2: The Middle Ages weaves world history into a story book format. Who discovered chocolate? What happened to the giant Fovor of the Mighty Blows? Why did the Ottoman Turks drag their war ships across dry land?

Grades 3-8
Now more than ever, other cultures are affecting our everyday lives—and our children need to learn about the other countries of the world and their history. Susan Wise Bauer has provided a captivating guide to the history of other lands. Written in an engaging,
straightforward manner, The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child; Volume 3: Early Modern Times weaves world history into a story book format. Who was the Sun King? Why did the Luddites go around England smashing machines? And how did samurai become sumo wrestlers?

Grades 3-8
Where was the Crystal Palace? Who was the Sick Man of Europe? And how did cow fat start a revolution? Now more than ever, other countries and customs affect our everyday lives—and our children need to learn about the people who live all around the world. Susan Wise Bauer has provided a captivating guide to the history of modern nations all around the world. Written in an engaging, straightforward manner, the final volume of the popular Story of the World series weaves world history into a storybook format, covering major historical events in the years 1850-2000. From the Middle East and China to Africa and the Americas—find out what happened all around the world in the last century and a half. Designed as a read-aloud project for parents and children to share together, The Story of the World includes the stories of each continent and people group.

Grades 1-5
*Workbook*
This comprehensive, 8.5" x 11" curriculum guide and activity book contains map activities, coloring pages, games, projects, review questions, cross-references to illustrated encyclopedias, and extensive book lists. Children and parents love the activities, ranging from cooking projects to crafts, board games to science experiments, and puzzles to projects.

It’s the revolutionary American history study guide just for middle school students from the brains behind Brain Quest. Everything You Need to Ace American History . . . covers Native Americans to the war in Iraq. There are units on Colonial America; the Revolutionary War and the founding of a new nation; Jefferson and the expansion west; the Civil War and Reconstruction; and all of the notable events of the 20th century—World Wars, the Depression, the Civil Rights movement, and much more. The BIG FAT NOTEBOOK™ series is built on a simple and irresistible conceit—borrowing the notes from the smartest kid in class. There are five books in all, and each is the only book you need for each main subject taught in middle school: Math, Science, American History, English Language Arts, and World History. Inside the reader will find every subject’s key concepts, easily digested and summarized: Critical ideas highlighted in neon colors. Definitions explained. Doodles that illuminate tricky concepts in marker. Mnemonics for memorable shortcuts. And quizzes to recap it all. The BIG FAT NOTEBOOKS meet Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and state history standards, and are vetted by National and State Teacher of the Year Award–winning teachers. They make learning fun, and are the perfect next step for every kid who grew up on Brain Quest.

It’s the revolutionary world history study guide just for middle school students from the brains behind Brain Quest. Everything You Need to Ace World History . . . kicks off with the Paleolithic Era and transports the reader to ancient civilizations—from Africa and beyond; the middle ages across the world; the Renaissance; the age of exploration and colonialism, revolutions, and the modern world and the wars and movements that shaped it. The BIG FAT NOTEBOOK™ series is built on a simple and irresistible conceit—borrowing the notes from the smartest kid in class. There are five books in all, and each is the only one book you need for each main subject taught in middle school: Math, Science, American History, English, and World History. Inside the reader will find every subject’s key concepts, easily digested and summarized: Critical ideas highlighted in marker colors. Definitions explained. Doodles that illuminate tricky concepts. Mnemonics for a memorable shortcut. And quizzes to recap it all. The BIG FAT NOTEBOOKS meet Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and state history standards, and are vetted by National and State Teacher of the Year Award–winning teachers. They make learning fun, and are the perfect next step for every kid who grew up on Brain Quest.

It’s the revolutionary English language arts study guide just for middle school students from the brains behind Brain Quest. Everything You Need to Ace English Language Arts . . .takes students from grammar to reading comprehension to writing with ease, including parts of speech, active and passive verbs, Greek and Latin roots and affixes; nuances in word meanings; textual analysis, authorship, structure, and other skills for reading fiction and nonfiction; and writing arguments, informative texts, and narratives. The BIG FAT NOTEBOOK™ series is built on a simple and irresistible conceit—borrowing the notes from the smartest kid in class. There are five books in all, and each is the only book you need for each main subject taught in middle school: Math, Science, American History, English Language Arts, and World History. Inside the reader will find every subject’s key concepts, easily digested and summarized: Critical ideas highlighted in neon colors. Definitions explained. Doodles that illuminate tricky concepts in marker. Mnemonics for memorable shortcuts. And quizzes to recap it all. The BIG FAT NOTEBOOKS meet Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and state history standards, and are vetted by National and State Teacher of the Year Award–winning teachers. They make learning fun, and are the perfect next step for every kid who grew up on Brain Quest.

The author points out ways in which recognizing sound and letter patterns makes spelling easier. Also important are recognition of diphthongs, silent letters, compound and abbreviated words, contractions, homophones, homographs, prefixes, suffixes, and base words. "Brain tickler" problems challenge students' imaginations and test their learning progress. Barron's popular "Painless Series " of study guides for middle school and high school students offer a lighthearted, often humorous approach to their subjects, transforming details that might once have seemed boring or difficult into a series of interesting and mentally challenging ideas. Most titles in the series feature many fun-to-solve "Brain Tickler" problems with answers at the end of each chapter.

This very approachable text combines instruction in parts of speech and sentence structure with down-to-earth examples, funny illustrations, and examination of some of the more amusing and peculiar words in the English language. A chapter on clear e-mail communication and etiquette is brand new in this edition, as are many of the author’s challenging “Brain Ticklers.” Her helpful chapter on how to edit a school paper has also been heavily revised and updated.

Mastering the ability to spell English words correctly can be a difficult and frustrating task for young students. DK's new Spell Check gives kids a fun way to practice spelling. From homophones and contractions to how to use a dictionary, Spell Check covers all the spelling rules and exceptions your child needs to know, with loads of tips and tricks to help them spell correctly. Learn the tough words like "elephant" and "telephone," and remember which words have tricky plural endings. Spell Check is so much more than "i before e!" With high-frequency sight words that help with both reading and writing, as well as engaging activities including word searches, crosswords, and jumbles, Spell Check is perfect for reluctant learners who will respond to humor and fun on the bright, colorful pages.

In this enchanting book, readers discover how prefixes and suffixes can change the meanings of words before their eyes! Guided by the Word Wizard, readers learn to create new words by combining root words with prefixes and suffixes.

In this fun-filled book, the Word Wizard helps readers understand synonyms and antonyms. From exploring shades of meaning and making comparisons to using a thesaurus, readers learn how to use synonyms and antonyms to enrich their writing.

The Word Wizard guides readers through the world of homonyms, homophones, and homographs. Readers learn how to use context clues to help distinguish between words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Supportive definitions make word meanings accessible and memorable.

Support the expanding communication skills of children ages 6 and 7 in DK Workbooks: Language Arts: Grade 1. Topics include long and short vowels, consonants, pronouns, past, present, and future tense, and other areas of language arts taught in a first-grade classroom. Developed in consultation with leading educational experts to support curriculum learning, DK Workbooks: Language Arts is an innovative series of home-learning language arts workbooks that is closely linked to school curriculum, and helps make learning easy and fun! Each title is packed with exercises and activities to strengthen what children learn in school. With clear questions and supportive illustrations to help children to understand each topic, the books reinforce key concepts such as phonics, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. A parents' section contains answers, tips, and guidance to provide support, and a certificate of achievement will reinforce confidence in kids by rewarding their accomplishments. Supports the Common Core State Standards.

Reduce the stress of studying English and help your child with their homework! The perfect guide for parents who want to assist their children with schoolwork, Help Your Kids with Language Arts is designed to make all facets of studying the English language easy and interesting. Presenting the ins and outs of English in a clear, visual, and accessible style, Help Your Kids with Language Arts covers everything from the basic concepts of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and communication skills to some of the more challenging ideas that face students today.

Fun, fresh, and focused learning. Helps develop strong English skills. Boost your child's word power and lay the groundwork for academic success with this new addition to the acclaimed 10 Minutes A Day series of workbooks. In 10 Minutes A Day: Vocabulary 4th Grade imaginative, bite-size exercises, in line with current curricula, familiarize your child with hundreds of words and word types including homophones, adverbs, and contractions, plus key terms in science, math, geography, art, music and more, allowing kids to boost their word skills across the board. 10 Minutes a Day is a series of home-learning workbooks, closely linked to school curricula, that helps make learning easy… and so much fun. It provides quick exercises in math (fractions, decimals, and problem solving) and language and writing skills (spelling, vocabulary, and phonics) for children aged 3-11 years. Using the attached 10-minute timer, these workbooks are ideal for children during "time-to-fill" moments at home and are based on the effective little-and-often learning strategy.

DK Workbooks: Problem Solving: Third Grade will get your third grader thinking critically and building math skills to help solve word problems. Level by level, these write-in DK Workbooks: Problem Solving offer at-home practice that kids actually enjoy - making them ideal supplements to schoolwork. Designed to support the Common Core State Standards, this series is developed with leading educational experts to build confidence and understanding. Each leveled workbook, for children ages 3 - 9, is packed with activities and challenges, offering the beneficial repetition and cumulative learning that lead to mastery. Fact boxes on each page give a simple overview of the topics being covered, helping children get their bearings, review the basics, and often see an example of the task at hand.

The complete home-study program to help children practice the essential math skills they learn in school. Matches the math curriculum so your children will reach their full potential in school -- and on important standardized tests! The successful way to improve your child's math. These workbooks have been compiled and tested by a team of math experts to increase your child's confidence, enjoyment, and success at school. Third grade: Provides practice at all the major topics for Grade 3 with emphasis on basic multiplication and division facts. Includes a review of Grade 2 topics and a preview of topics in Grade 4. Includes Times Tables practice.

The complete home-study program to help children practice the essential math skills they learn in school. Matches the math curriculum so your children will reach their full potential in school -- and on important standardized tests! The successful way to improve your child's math. These workbooks have been compiled and tested by a team of math experts to increase your child's confidence, enjoyment, and success at school. Fourth Grade: Provides practice at all the major topics for Grade 4 with emphasis on multiplication and division of larger numbers. Includes a review of Grade 3 topics and a preview of topics in Grade 5. Includes Times Tables practice.

It’s the revolutionary math study guide just for middle school students from the brains behind Brain Quest. Everything You Need to Ace Math . . . covers everything to get a student over any math hump: fractions, decimals, and how to multiply and divide them; ratios, proportions, and percentages; geometry; statistics and probability; expressions and equations; and the coordinate plane and functions. The BIG FAT NOTEBOOK™ series is built on a simple and irresistible conceit—borrowing the notes from the smartest kid in class. There are five books in all, and each is the only book you need for each main subject taught in middle school: Math, Science, American History, English Language Arts, and World History. Inside the reader will find every subject’s key concepts, easily digested and summarized: Critical ideas highlighted in neon colors. Definitions explained. Doodles that illuminate tricky concepts in marker. Mnemonics for memorable shortcuts. And quizzes to recap it all. The BIG FAT NOTEBOOKS meet Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and state history standards, and are vetted by National and State Teacher of the Year Award–winning teachers. They make learning fun and are the perfect next step for every kid who grew up on Brain Quest.

Teaches basic algebra, exponents and roots, equations and inequalities, and polynomials. Titles in Barron s extensive Painless Series cover a wide range of subjects, as they are taught at middle school and high school levels. Perfect for supporting Common Core Standards, these books are written for students who find the subjects somewhat confusing, or just need a little extra help. Most of these books take a lighthearted, humorous approach to their subjects, and offer fun exercises including puzzles, games, and challenging Brain Tickler problems to solve.
Bonus Online Component: includes additional games to challenge students, including Beat the Clock, a line match game, and a word scramble.

Join Mr. Mouse and Ms. Squirrel and experience an entirely new way of memorizing multiplication facts. Using colorful stories, silly rhymes, and more, Danica McKellar helps to break down the rules of multiplication and to translate many of the (often confusing!) multiplication and division methods taught in today's classrooms. This lively "times" travel adventure is a lifesaver for frustrated kids and parents everywhere and a great way to "zero out" worries about homework and tests.

Defines algebraic terms, shows how to avoid pitfalls in calculation, presents painless methods for understanding and graphing equations, and makes problem-solving fun. Titles in Barron s extensive Painless Series cover a wide range of subjects, as they are taught at middle school and high school levels. Perfect for supporting Common Core Standards, these books are written for students who find the subjects somewhat confusing, or just need a little extra help. Most of these books take a lighthearted, humorous approach to their subjects, and offer fun exercises including puzzles, games, and challenging Brain Tickler problems to solve. Bonus Online Component: includes additional games to challenge students, including Beat the Clock, a line match game, and a word scramble.

As the math education crisis in this country continues to make headlines, research continues to prove that it is in middle school when math scores begin to drop—especially for girls—in large part due to the relentless social conditioning that tells girls they “can't do” math, and that math is “uncool.” Young girls today need strong female role models to embrace the idea that it's okay to be smart—in fact, it's sexy to be smart! It's Danica McKellar's mission to be this role model, and demonstrate on a large scale that math doesn't suck. In this fun and accessible guide, McKellar—dubbed a “math superstar” by The New York Times—gives girls and their parents the tools they need to master the math concepts that confuse middle-schoolers most, including fractions, percentages, pre-algebra, and more. The book features hip, real-world examples, step-by-step instruction, and engaging stories of Danica's own childhood struggles in math (and stardom). In addition, borrowing from the style of today's teen magazines, it even includes a Math Horoscope section, Math Personality Quizzes, and Real-Life Testimonials—ultimately revealing why math is easier and cooler than readers think.

In her New York Times bestselling books, actress and math genius Danica McKellar shatters the "math nerd" stereotype and gives girls the tools to ace middle-school math in her unique, just- us-girls style. Now, in her second book, Kiss My Math, McKellar empowers a new crop of girls-seventh to ninth graders-to tackle the next level of mathematics: pre-algebra. Stepping up not only the math but the sass and style, McKellar helps math-phobic teenagers moving up into high school chill out and finally "get" negative numbers, variables, absolute values, exponents, and more. As she did so effectively in Math Doesn't Suck, McKellar uses personality quizzes, reader polls, real-life testimonials, and stories from her own life-in addition to clear instruction, helpful tips, and practice problems-revealing why pre-algebra is easier, more relevant, and more glamorous than girls think. McKellar is clearly reaching her audience: parents, teachers, and especially girls are asking for more.

Sizzling with Danica's trademark sass and style, Hot X: Algebra Exposed tackles algebra: the most feared of all math classes and the most common roadblock to high school graduation. McKellar instantly puts her readers at ease, showing teenage girls-and anyone taking algebra-how to feel confident, get in the driver's seat, and master topics like square roots, polynomials, quadratic equations, word problems and more . . . without breaking a sweat (or a nail). Danica provides illuminating, step-by-step math lessons combined with reader favorites like personality quizzes, popular doodles, real-life testimonials, and stories from her own life, so girls feel like she's sitting right next to them. As hundreds of thousands of girls already know, Danica's irreverent, light-hearted approach opens the door to higher grades and higher test scores. Now, with Hot X: Algebra Exposed, the scary veil of algebra is finally lifted, making it understandable, relevant and maybe even a little (gasp!) fun for girls.

Using the same formula that made the middle school series so successful, these new high school titles tackle difficult subjects in a lively, memorable, intuitive way. Critical ideas are broken down and clearly explained. Doodles illuminate tricky concepts. There are mnemonics for memorable shortcuts, and quizzes to recap it all. Geometry, written by high school math teacher extraordinaire Christy Needham, follows along with a year of geometry class, starting with the basics, like points, lines, planes, and angles, and progressing to the beginning of trigonometry. Big Fat Notebooks are already helping millions of middle school students. Now high schoolers will enjoy and benefit from this kind of brilliant help—a set of notes, as if from the smartest kid in class, to help them study throughout the year, get ready for challenging exams, and know they have a source to turn to when they need to catch up on missed problems or understand the most difficult or confusing concepts.

In her three previous bestselling books Math Doesn't Suck, Kiss My Math, and Hot X: Algebra Exposed!, actress and math genius Danica McKellar shattered the “math nerd” stereotype by showing girls how to ace their math classes and feel cool while doing it. Sizzling with Danica's trademark sass and style, her fourth book, Girls Get Curves, shows her readers how to feel confident, get in the driver's seat, and master the core concepts of high school geometry, including congruent triangles, quadrilaterals, circles, proofs, theorems, and more! Combining reader favorites like personality quizzes, fun doodles, real-life testimonials from successful women, and stories about her own experiences with illuminating step-by-step math lessons, Girls Get Curves will make girls feel like Danica is their own personal tutor. As hundreds of thousands of girls already know, Danica's irreverent, lighthearted approach opens the door to math success and higher scores, while also boosting their self-esteem in all areas of life. Girls Get Curves makes geometry understandable, relevant, and maybe even a little (gasp!) fun for girls.

Support the expanding science skills of children ages 6 and 7 in "DK Workbooks: Science: Grade 1." Topics include differences between day and night, animal homes, types of soil, and other areas of science taught in a first grade classroom. Help your child move to the head of the class! "DK Workbooks: Science" is an innovative series of workbooks aligned to school curriculum that helps make learning easy and fun. Each title is packed with exercises and activities to strengthen knowledge from the science lessons taught in school. Developed in consultation with curriculum experts, these science workbooks reinforce learning and understanding of key concepts such as force and motion, materials, and ecosystems. A parents' section contains answers, tips, and guidance to provide support, and a certificate of achievement will reinforce confidence in kids by rewarding their accomplishments. Supports the Common Core State Standards.

In DK Workbooks: Science: Grade 2, second graders can practice what they learn in school with exercises on liquids, solids and gases, global weather patterns, life cycles of living creatures like frogs, jellyfish, and locusts, and more. Help your child move to the head of the class! DK Workbooks: Science is an innovative series of workbooks aligned to school curriculum that helps make learning easy and fun. Each title is packed with exercises and activities to strengthen knowledge from the science lessons taught in school. Developed in consultation with curriculum experts, these science workbooks reinforce learning and understanding of key concepts such as force and motion, materials, and ecosystems. A parents' section contains answers, tips, and guidance to provide support, and a certificate of achievement will reinforce confidence in kids by rewarding their accomplishments. Supports the Common Core State Standards.

Third-grade science can be tricky, but DK Workbooks: Science: Grade 3 will sharpen the science skills of 8 and 9 year olds. With lessons to help understand speed, force, mass and volume, energy, the solar system, land and sea features, anatomy, and plant reproduction, third graders will boost their confidence and knowledge in these areas. Help your child move to the head of the class! DK Workbooks: Science is an innovative series of workbooks aligned to school curriculum that helps make learning easy and fun. Each title is packed with exercises and activities to strengthen knowledge from the science lessons taught in school. Developed in consultation with curriculum experts, these science workbooks reinforce learning and understanding of key concepts such as force and motion, materials, and ecosystems. A parents' section contains answers, tips, and guidance to provide support, and a certificate of achievement will reinforce confidence in kids by rewarding their accomplishments. Supports the Common Core State Standards.

It’s the revolutionary science study guide just for middle school students from the brains behind Brain Quest. Everything You Need to Ace Science . . . takes readers from scientific investigation and the engineering design process to the Periodic Table; forces and motion; forms of energy; outer space and the solar system; to earth sciences, biology, body systems, ecology, and more. The BIG FAT NOTEBOOK™ series is built on a simple and irresistible conceit—borrowing the notes from the smartest kid in class. There are five books in all, and each is the only book you need for each main subject taught in middle school: Math, Science, American History, English Language Arts, and World History. Inside the reader will find every subject’s key concepts, easily digested and summarized: Critical ideas highlighted in neon colors. Definitions explained. Doodles that illuminate tricky concepts in marker. Mnemonics for memorable shortcuts. And quizzes to recap it all. The BIG FAT NOTEBOOKS meet Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and state history standards, and are vetted by National and State Teacher of the Year Award–winning teachers. They make learning fun, and are the perfect next step for every kid who grew up on Brain Quest.

Chemistry is one of the most feared subjects in high school, but fortunately National Science Teacher Award-winner Jennifer Swanson is here to break down this daunting subject into accessible and memorable units, from how to conduct an experiment to the Laws of Thermodynamics. Big Fat Notebooks are already helping millions of middle school students. Now high schoolers will enjoy and benefit from this kind of brilliant help—a set of notes, as if from the smartest kid in class, to help them study throughout the year, get ready for challenging exams, and know they have a source to turn to when they need to catch up on missed problems or understand the most difficult or confusing concepts.