Kindle Based HomeSchool Resources
As a homeschool mom of six, I know how important it is to be able to make copies. Usually, I will copy a work book page multiple times so that my child can have some busy work or extra practice. Often, I fall in love with a resource and want to use it for the younger children. I have learned to keep these books and copy them because publishers simply stop producing the materials as State and National requirements change. Sometimes, I make copies because from a budget consideration it is too expensive to buy three or four of the same workbook.
- But, happily, I was wrong. There are three known ways to make copies from your Kindle Device of any homeschool resource you may purchase.
- The first of these is old school! Take your device to a copier, lay it down on the platten. Press copy! Whallah! I chuckled at this as I would not have thought of it... well maybe if I became desparate.
- You can also take a screenshot on the page you are viewing on your device. Simply press Alt and Shift and G all at once. Screenshots are actually pictures files (.gif type) and are stored in the "documents" folder. Once your image is in the folder, you can access them via your PCs image processing software. MS Paint is standard on any PC. But I recommend you get something like GIMP. It is as powerful as Photoshop BUT it is FREE! Who doesn't love a great Free product?
- The third way is to simply leverage the convenience of the "My Notes and Marks" capability of the device. Highlight the text you want and it will be stored in the documents folder as editable text. These documents can be opened in any wordprocessing software like Word, WordPerfect, OpenOffice Writer (another powerful freebie. Better than Word in my opinion), WordPad and NotePad (these last two are standard on any PC).
- The final idea is to download the Kindle For PC Software
from Amazon. It is free and allows you to view all your Kindle purchases on you laptop or desktop. This is actually what I have. My daughter has a first generation Kindle that she borrowed from her friend. The application is a great tool if at this time you cannot afford the device. And if you do have the device it lets you easily manipulate your files as you do not need to connect to another machine. So basically, having the software makes it easier for you to take screen shots of open pages.
None of the above mentioned ideas is an ideal replacement for a real book; especially if the document you are reading has a lot of pictures or other graphics. Still, the Kindle and its eBooks can be a fantastic resource to you as the teacher if you are willing to go with a little imperfection to save a lot of money long term. And do not forget how many books you can fit on the Kindle.
Here is a list of free and low cost Unit Studies By Pattie Dickinson for the Kindle
Tips to Improve Your Child's Reading
Submitted by Cherew on Mon, 02/07/2011 - 13:18Anita Silvey writes in 100 Best Books for Children, "Nothing in a child's intellectual development offers more pleasure or excitement than a good book. Nothing lasts longer in memory than childhood reading experiences. And nothing ensures the success of a child more in society than being read to from infancy through adulthood."
Be careful as you try to keep warm!
Submitted by Cherew on Sun, 02/06/2011 - 14:48What a sad day for students in CISD. A fire, started by a heat lamps killed 17 of their hogs and caused them not to be able to enter a scholarhip competition.
Please be careful.
I know many of us, especially in the more rural areas keep animals both as livestock and food and also pets. Think safety first!! Parents make sure you double check what your teen or child might be doing. Sometimes it is not obvious to them where danger may lurk!
You can read the full store here:
**ALERT** Harris County Daytime Curfew **ALERT**
Submitted by Cherew on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 18:36THSC was informed that the issue of daytime curfews was discussed recently at a Harris County committee meeting. This proposition has been voted down in the past, but support for daytime curfews has increased amongst certain community members; and the issue was brought to the committee's attention once again. Home schoolers in Harris County need to be aware of how daytime curfews can negatively impact their daily routine and lifestyle. For more information about daytime curfews, please visit the THSC website.
TEA Audits Public Schools on Dropout Issue
Submitted by Cherew on Tue, 08/17/2010 - 12:55This was received in an email from the Texas HomeSchool Coalition. We post it here for informational purposes only. HSINH is in no way affiliated with THSC. Except that we think they do a fine job!
Compulsory Attendance
Submitted by GenOneStudios on Fri, 06/11/2010 - 11:28At what age MUST I start homeschooling?
Summer Safety Tips For Kids
Submitted by Cherew on Thu, 06/10/2010 - 11:35With summer just around the corner kids will be spending even more time at home and playing outside. For parents who can't be there during the day (we don't all have a summer vacation!) there are several precautions we can take to ensure the safety of our kids:
Contests: 2nd Annual Art Contest
Submitted by Cherew on Sun, 05/30/2010 - 12:11We are so excited to announce our 2nd annual SETHSA Art Contest coming this June at our 2010 SETHSA Conference. Last year's contest was a great success. Around 20 students submitted their art work for exhibit at the conference. We want to encourage students of all ages to take part in this year's contest. With homeschool students the possibilities are endless as they will have the opportunity to exercise their individuality and creativity. Begin brainstorming and planning for your student's art entry. Please watch future newsletters for all the details.
