Curriculum and Resources
Other favorites online
NASA eClips are free online science videos:
https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/nasaeclips/index.html
The Exploratorium has lots of good science education resources on their website:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/
Monterey Bay Aquarium also has plenty of science resources:
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/
Free Rice: Take online quizzes in many subject areas. For each correct answer, they will donate 10 grains of rice through the United Nations World Food Program.
http://freerice.com/category
National Geographic: loads of videos and articles
www.nationalgeographic.com
Khan Academy: excellent videos to help with math, coding, history, and science concepts.
https://www.khanacademy.org
Starfall: phonics games for students in Kindergarten, first and second grades
www.starfall.com
Read, Write, Think: Resources for teaching reading and writing
www.readwritethink.org
Newsela: Real news, written with young readers in mind.
www.newsela.com
Periodic Table: The University of Nottingham has created a video for each element in the periodic table.
http://www.periodicvideos.com/
Yummy Math: Math activities that will show you and your students how relevant math is to our lives.
http://www.yummymath.com/
Howtoons: provides engaging content that teaches kids how to build things, combining instructions with storytelling in a comic book format.
https://howtoons.com/
Instructables: Instructions for science projects, crafts, home-made toys, etc.
https://www.instructables.com/
Scratch: Program your own interactive stories, games, and animations.
https://scratch.mit.edu/
Bedtime Math: Fun, daily math problems.
http://bedtimemath.org/
Citizen science: Offers various neat ways to help with real-world science research.
https://www.zooniverse.org/
DuoLingo: A great, free foreign language program. They have over a dozen languages to choose from.
https://www.duolingo.com/
Community Service Opportunities
Berkeley Animal Shelter: Ages 8 and up (must have a parent along)
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/City_Manager/Animal_Shelter/Volunteer_Services.aspx
Oakland SPCA: Ages 10 and up (must have a parent along)
https://www.eastbayspca.org/volunteer/children-young-adults
Oakland Zoo: teen volunteer program for ages 13 and up
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/Teen_Wild_Guides.php
East Bay Regional Parks have one-time and ongoing volunteer opportunities.
http://www.ebparks.org/getinvolved/volunteer
Friends of Five Creeks is an all-volunteer group working hands-on for clean water and healthy watersheds. All ages are welcome to participate.
http://www.fivecreeks.org/
Volunteer Center of the East Bay lists volunteer jobs for numerous organizations.
http://www.volunteereastbay.org/
Aspire Education Project: Community Reading Buddies program for middle schoolers to read to younger children (summer)
http://aspireeducation.org/community-reading-buddies/
Homeschooling/Support Groups
These groups have weekly gatherings at various East Bay parks. Members organize classes, field trips, potlucks, and other social events.
Alameda Oakland Home Learners (AOHL): Park days on Thursdays
http://www.aohl.net/
Home Grown Kids: Park days on Mondays
http://www.homegrownkids.org/home
Berkeley Parents Network (BPN): Contains recommendations and advice contributed by parents in the San Francisco Bay Area.
http://parents.berkeley.edu/
Free Typing Programs
BBC Dance Mat Typing
Geared for kids ages 7 to 11
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr#z34thyc
Typing Web
You can start at various levels. No bells and whistles–just a straightforward typing practice program.
http://www.typingweb.com/
Burning Cargo
More of a game than a typing program, but it claims to be good for increasing typing speed. Better for older kids.Z
www.burningcargo.com
Typing Club:
typingclub.com
Typing games, lessons & tests:
FreeTypingGame.net
Typing.com
https://www.typing.com/
Fee-Based Typing Programs
Handwriting without Tears typing program for grades K-5
Includes practice with punctuation, grammar, general computer skills; designed to help with test prep
http://www.hwtears.com/kwt
Mavis Beacon Teaches typing for kids
http://www.broderbund.com/p-121-mavis-beacon-keyboarding-kidz.aspx
Typing Instructor for Kids.
http://www.typinginstructor.com/
Knowledge Adventure’s typing game:
http://www.knowledgeadventure.com/school/jumpstart/Typing.aspx