Good morning, It’s Wednesday, and time for us to share Homeschool Resources for Language Arts. Please check out the Recommended Websites: If you have used these resources in the past leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of them and why.
SparkNotes.com: No Fear Shakespeare
Age Range: 14 and up (Grades 9 and up approximately; with parental supervision) This ad-supported website, created by SparkNotes whose mission is “to help you make sense of confusing schoolwork,” offers a free translation of Shakespeare’s works into modern day language. You can actually see Shakespeare’s works side-by-side with a translation into the kind of English people actually speak today.
When you get to the website, you’ll see a list of Shakespeare’s works including:
- As You Like It
- Hamlet
- King Lear
- Macbeth
- The Merchant of Venice
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Much Ado About Nothing
- Romeo and Juliet
- The Taming of the Shrew
- And much more!
Click on any title and a new page opens with the table of contents of that particular work. Click on any Act/Scene and a new page opens displaying the original text and the modern text.
This is a terrific resource tool that promotes understanding and makes this literature more accessible.
Recommended Website: LearnEnglish Kids
Age Range: 5-12 (Grades 1-8, with parental supervision) This nonprofit site originates from England, so you will notice a few spelling, vocabulary, and pronunciation differences, but that only adds to the fun. While this site is designed for non-native speakers of English, the online games are educational for native speakers as well.
There is something for everyone here! For example, you will learn that what we call a “shopping cart” in the US is called a “trolley” in the UK. When you get to the site, the large section in the middle of the page contains the current featured topics; the menu across the top leads to many of the best goodies on this site. On the menu you’ll discover:
- Listen & Watch – Songs, short stories, poems, and more
- Read and Write
- Speak and Spell
- Grammar and Vocabulary
- Fun and Games
- Print and Make – Flashcards, crafts, worksheets and coloring
- Parents – Courses, tips and resources
Note that some of the tunes are contemporary (rock) — and at least the Zoo and Goldilocks stories/songs contain some visual effects that parents should preview for suitability.
And if you are looking for a particular topic, you can search in the A-Z list of topics on the right sidebar. Older children can find activities to help with their grammar and vocabulary on the LearnEnglish Teen site and adults can go to the main LearnEnglish site.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
