Homeschooling research guide

This guide lists print and online resources of particular interest to homeschooling educators and parents, and children in grade levels K-12. Books and magazines referenced are available at Worthington Libraries, and most web links are linked from the Worthington Libraries web site.

Evaluating sources on the Web

Unlike books and magazines, the contents of many web pages are not evaluated or approved by publishers and editors. Any person with the right skills and a computer may place whatever they wish on the Web. This means there is no quality control regarding information on the Web. You should always be critical in regard to the information you encounter online.

If possible, ascertain the credentials of the person or group responsible for a web site. For instance, if a web site offers medical information or advice, see if it is produced by a physician, a medical school, a hospital or other health agency¡Xor by someone who simply claims to have knowledge relating to health. Other questions you might use to judge the quality of a web site's information include: Does the site have any vested interest in the information it offers (is it trying to sell something or advocate a particular point of view)? How recently has it been updated? How reputable is the organization or institution (if any) responsible for the web site?

Here are some other sites that outline criteria and provide information on evaluating web pages:

  • American Library Association Parents' Page
    Go to the Great Web Sites for Kids button, located above the subject categories for recommended web sites grouped by subject and intended audiences. A link to web sites specifically for parents, caregivers, teachers and others is located at the bottom right of this web page.
  • Checklist for Evaluating Web Resources (University of Southern Maine)
    An excellent checklist covering quality, scope, format and presentation, cost and accessibility and other aspects of web sites.
  • Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators: Critical Evaluation Surveys and Resources (Discovery.com)
    This exhaustive web guide includes detailed critical evaluation surveys for elementary, middle and high school levels. It also provides articles and links to other resources on assessing web site quality and on teaching critical evaluation skills.
  • The Virtual Chase: Evaluating the Quality of Information on the Internet
    This exhaustive checklist by a law firm gives you all the tools you need to thoroughly check out the accuracy and authority of web sites.
  • Web Search Tools, Evaluation
    This page includes lists of search tools for the Web and links to evaluation tools. It is maintained by Information Age Consultants, a firm that educates librarians and teachers about electronic resources.

Resources on Teaching Your Child to Read

  • The Between the Lions Book for Parents: Everything You Need to Know to Help Your Child Learn to Read by Linda K. Rath. 2004. [372.41 RAT]
  • How to Get Your Child to Love Reading by Esme Raji Codell. 2003. [028.55 COD]
  • Reading Rockets Launching Young Readers
    This web site has all kinds of articles about reading, monthly booklists and interviews with popular children's authors.
  • Ready for Reading: A Handbook for Parents of Preschoolers by Ashley Bishop. 2000. [J 372.4 BIS]

Print Sources

The Library offers reference and circulating books to assist with curricula in all areas. Here is a small sample of titles of interest.

Books & Reading

  • A to Zoo, seventh edition by Carolyn Lima. 2006. [RJ 011.62 LIM]
  • Best Books for Children Preschool through Grade 6, eighth edition. 2006. [RJ 028.162 BES]
  • Great Books for Boys: More than 600 Books for Boys 2 to 14 by Kathleen Odean. 1998. [RJ 028.5 ODE]
  • Great Books for Girls: More than 600 Recommended Books for Girls Ages 3 to 14 by Kathleen Odean. 2002. [J 028.162 ODE]

Ohio

  • Ohio Almanac. 2004. [J 977.1 OHI]
  • Ohio History by Marcia Schonberg. 2003. [J 977.1 SCH]
  • Ohio Native Peoples by Marcia Schonberg. 2003. [J 977.1 SCH]
  • People of Ohio by Marcia Schonberg. 2003. [J 977.1 SCH]
  • Uniquely Ohio by Marcia Schonberg. 2003. [J 977.1 SCH]

Science

  • Science Experiments Index for Young People, fourth edition by Mary Anne Pilger. 2005. [J 507.8 PIL]

Society & Culture

  • Multicultural Projects Index, fourth edition by Mary Anne Pilger. 2005. [RJ 016.37 PIL]

Print Magazines

These magazines from the library's collection are of particular interest in planning educational activities.

  • Cobblestone, American history. (NWL)
  • Faces, "People, Places and Cultures." (NWL)
  • Pack-o-fun, arts and crafts projects. (OWL)
  • School Library Journal, articles and reviews of children's books, media and technology.

Educational Games & Leisure Reading

  • FunBrain
    FunBrain, a project of the Family Education Network, includes dozens of interactive educational games to develop math and language skills, learn about science and culture and more. Games are organized by age level, from "6 & under" to "17 & up." Sections for parents and teachers include helpful tools for finding appropriate games and links to other useful sites.

Resources for Homeschoolers

  • American Library Association's Sites for Parents, Caregivers, Teachers & Others
    Go to Great Web Sites for Kids and scroll down the page to the link, Sites for Parents, Caregivers, Teachers and Others for recommended sites that support educators, parents and homeschoolers. Topics include child health and safety, educational games, history, children's literature and storytelling and homeschool curriculum. ALA's criteria for selecting sites is also available.
  • OPLIN Resources on Home Schooling
    The Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) offers a list of web sites for homeschooling in Ohio. This is an excellent set of resources and a good starting point for information. To bypass the awkward web address, go to the OPLIN home page, click on "OH! Teach," select "Ohio Education" and then "Ohio Home Schoolers."
  • Homeschool World
    Homeschool World is the web site of Home Life, Inc., which publishes Practical Homeschooling Magazine. The site emphasizes commercial resources available for sale, but also includes archived homeschooling articles and a forum for interacting with other homeschoolers.
  • Homeschooling In Ohio
    This well-maintained personal web site includes links to organizations, mailing lists, a directory of homeschooling families and other resources for home education in Ohio.
  • Easy Homeschooling Techniques, third edition by Lorraine Curry. 2004. [649.68 CUR (OWL)]
  • Fundamentals of home-schooling by Ann Lahrson-Fisher. 2003. [649.68 LAH]
  • The Home School Manual, seventh edition by Theodore Wade. 1998. [649.68 WAD]
  • Homeschooling: a research-based how-to manual by Andrea Clements. 2004. [649.68 CLE]
  • Homeschooling Handbook: From Preschool to High School, second edition by Mary Griffith. 1999. [649.68 GRI (OWL)]
  • Homeschooling Step-By-Step by Laura Maery Gold and Joan Zielinski. 2002. [649.68 GOL (OWL)]
  • The Librarian's Guide to Homeschooling Resources by Susan Scheps. 1998. [RJ 649.68 SCH]
  • Mary Pride's Complete Guide to Getting Started in Homeschooling by Mary Pride. 2004. [649.68 PRI]
  • School Starts At Home: Simple Ways to Make Learning Fun by Cheri Fuller. 2004. [370.1523 FUL]

Other print library resources on homeschooling can be found in call number 649.68.

revised 12/06