GETTING STARTED HOMESCHOOLING

"When we started homeschooling, I felt as though I had tucked a child under each arm
and jumped off a cliff. Imagine my surprise to discover we have wings." ~Maura Seger

FPEA

Florida Parent Educators Association (FPEA)
Check here to find all the basic information you need to know about homeschooling in Florida, including contact information for groups in District 11 and what is expected of you by the law.

FPEA Starting Point Guide

Lee County School Board - Home Educator Contact
Ms. Roberta Henderson
Home School Educator
Department of Student Welfare & Assignment
The School District of Lee County
2855 Colonial Blvd.
Ft. Myers, FL  33966-1021
(239) 337-8259

Beginning Homeschooling:

http://eho.org/default.asp - Eclectic Homeschool Organization website. A great place to get started.


Homeschooling in Florida:

http://eho.org/support/state.asp?stateid=9 - statewide homeschool support organizations.

Learning is 4 Everyone:

http://www.learningis4everyone.org -- Learning is For Everyone, an education resource organization empowering families and learners with information and networking opportunities encompassing all aspects of education.

Curriculum Choices recommended by some of our members:

http://www.oakmeadow.com/ Curriculum provider. Secular. Online and printed.

www.cosmeo.com/ Requires high speed connection. Aligned to state standards. Considered a homework helper, but could be used to help define homemade curriculum or as a bridge until new curriculum is established. Fee based.

www.brainpop.com/ Online, animated videos by subject. Has handy online reviews and printable tests for your portfolio. Has general and advanced subjects and levels. Fee Based.

www.amblesideonline.org/ - A favorite FREE curriculum site

http://www.schoolofabraham.com/readinglists.htm -- Lots of Book lists

www.redshift.com/~bonajo/ -- Can't do without Paula…

www.starfall.com. Great stuff for pre-reading and early reading.

Classical

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/activeboards.php - The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer message boards

http://www.bradenbryce.com/homeschool/ - Reviews and Quizzes for Story Of The World by Susan Wise Bauer

http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/shakespeare/playhouse.html# - fun with Shakespeare


History

http://utopia.utexas.edu/project/portraits/ - A selection of portraits of historical figures from the Perry-Castañeda Library, University of Texas at Austin. The images in this collection are in the public domain. You do not need to ask for permission to use these images.

http://www.homeschoolinthewoods.com/ - excellent resource for timeline figures and more!

http://www.homeschoolinthewoods.com/HTTA/TimelineHelps/ - teaching with timelines


Homeschool Resources

http://donnayoung.org/index.htm - Printables and Resources for Homeschooling


Legal

http://www.nhen.org/leginfo/default.asp?id=241 - National Home Education Network -Legal and Legislative Information Network

http://www.flhef.org/laws2001.html#240.116 – Florida homeschool laws


Language Arts

http://www.dailygrammar.com/ - Improve your writing with free grammar lessons. By signing up for this free email service, you will receive a short, fun grammar lesson Monday-Friday. There will also be a quiz each Saturday.

http://www.bookadventure.com/ - popular reading incentive program


Music

http://www.stevenestrella.com/composers/index.html?styletimeline.html - Stylistic Timeline of Music History


Science

http://www.hometrainingtools.com/ - good place to order science tools and supplies

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/kids.shtml - hurricane preparedness for kids

http://www.wildwildweather.com/ - wild weather info. For kids


Testing

http://www.firn.edu/doe/sas/fcat/fcatsmpl.htm - Sample FCAT items for practice


Unschooling

http://home.earthlink.net/~fetteroll/rejoycing/unschooling/unschoolingphilosophy.html - Unschooling clearinghouse!