The Morals of Chess, by Benjamin Franklin (MP3 Audio) – Ever wonder if there’s more to learn from the game of chess than just strategies and defeating your opponent? This excellent essay written by Benjamin Franklin in 1786, focuses on the game of chess and its many application to life. Franklin’s essay is read in this MP3 audio by Alex Wilson, a writer and stage/film actor from northern Ohio and now based in Carrboro, North Carolina. A tip of the hat to Alex and his TellTaleWeekly site for making this file freely available.

And, as long as we’re talking about chess today, let’s also rerun this extra Resource:

LEARN TO PLAY CHESS (PDF ebook) – Chess is a wonderful board game, invented thousands of years ago. Throughout its long history, it has been considered to be the ‘king’ of board games. Nowadays, it stills attracts people from all over the world, regardless of their age. Chess is not only fun, but it also improves analytical thinking, creativeness and judgment. This concise course is a complete illustrated introduction to all the rules, strategies and tactics of playing chess. If you want your kids to learn to think analytically as well has have great competitive fun, chess is your game.

Click here for today’s resources!

Sew Modest Tips, by Amy Ringger (PDF ebook) – Today’s resource is this excellent little collection of sewing tips compiled from her newsletter, along with a few new articles especially for this compilation. Included: How to find time to sew, Do you need a serger?, buying patterns & material, summer modesty, pleats and hems.

If you enjoy this compilation, you’ll definitely want to join the Ringger family’s newsletter and check out their custom made clothing website, www.ringgerclothing.com

Click here to download today’s freebie!

What to Do When Your Daughter Hates Being In The Kitchen, by Kathy Brodock (PDF ebook) – Do you have trouble getting your daughter(s) to help with kitchen and housework duties? If so, you’ll love this neat little e-book by Kathy Brodock that gets right to the point of purpose and attitude. It is filled with hands-on ideas to encourage daughters to enjoy working in the kitchen, as well as helping them realize the impact of serving others with their time and skills. Normally $4.95 on the Teaching Good Things website, this ebook is free today only, right here!

The Brodock family’s website, TEACHING GOOD THINGS, is dedicated to “equip our children with the skills and tools to one day be productive, well rounded adults. Children need to be exposed to many different areas of work. Not only should they know how to work, but they should want to work.” To visit their site, click here.

Click here for today’s resource!

Emergency Prep for YOUR Family: A Planning Guide for Your Family When Disaster Strikes (PDF ebook) – Emergencies can happen at any place, at any time. Does your family know what to do in the event of a natural or man-made disaster? This simple, concise guide offers practical advice for putting together an emergency plan of action for your family during times of crisis.

Given the events of the past week with Hurricane Ike cutting a 1600 mile long, 200 mile wide path of damage from the Gulf through the Ohio Valley, we should all keep in mind that an emergency situation can develop anytime, anywhere. Are You truly prepared? How would a full-blown emergency situation in YOUR community affect YOUR family? Now’s the time to think that through. Download, print out, read, talk about, and keep this handy “just in case”.

Click here for today’s important family resource.

WERE YOU AFFECTED BY HURRICANE IKE LAST WEEK?

We know many, many of our readers were affected by last week’s hurricane & resulting widespread power outages. If you were offline last week due to Hurricane Ike, click here. You’re welcome.

The Beginner’s Guide to Coin Collecting AND The Beginner’s Guide to Stamp Collecting (PDF ebooks) - Today, we have not one, but TWO fine hobby guides for kids who would like to get started either in the hobbies of stamp collecting and coin collecting. Both offer excellent advice and tips for newbies on topics such as: How to start collecting, where to acquire and trade, how to organize and display your collections, and how to get the most enjoyment from them. Both of these time-honored hobbies are an excellent way to learn more about history and culture, and provide a great educational opportunity for homeschoolers. If your kids are interested at all in these fields, be sure to check these guides out!

Click here for these two resource guides

Classic Poems to Memorize (PDF ebook) – Originally titled “Required Poems for Third and Fourth Grades”, this wonderful collection of poems was meant to be a “one stop” guide for teachers in the early 1900s to provide all the poems that their elementary students were required to read and occasionally memorize. Now, most school teachers of today can’t even quote more than a couple poems from memory, so we have definitely lost a good deal of our ability to appreciate these poetic gems over time. More’s the pity.

Here are over 100 time-honored, beloved verses & poems, organized by Author (including the works of Stevenson, Longfellow, Wordsworth, Kingley, Shakespeare and others )for your children to read, listen to and remember. Have them memorize a few of these and you just may encourage an appreciation of poetry they will retain their whole lives.

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The Absurd ABC by Walter Crane (PDF ebook) – Today’s resource is this delightfully illustrated ABC book, created by the 19th century illustrator, Walter Crane, who illustrated many early picture books for children. Beautifully crafted, with fun nonsense rhymes for each letter. Check it out!

Click here for today’s resource

Stories to Tell to Children (& How to Tell Them) by Sarah Cone Bryant (PDF ebook) – This classic collection of stories to be told to children includes some great introductory chapters on “Suggestions for Storytellers” and “How to Teach English Using Stories”, and then offers up dozens of classic stories for children, including fairy tales, true life stories, poems, folk tales, fables and much more. Great material here that will entertain and enthrall young listeners!

Click here for today’s resource!

Easy Homeschooling Curriculum CHRISTIAN Edition by Lorraine Curry (PDF ebook) – What is really worth learning? This great collection from Lorraine Curry and 16 noted homeschooling authorities provides insight into that sometimes puzzling question with clear directives and definite answers.
* How do I reach my spiritual and educational goals?
* How do I identify classic books?
* How do I make the most of the “decade of impressibility” (ages 6-16)?
* How exactly does the literary method work, why is it effective?
* How long do we spend on a topic?
* Should we read excerpts or entire books?
* How do I best combine works?
* What exactly are the most important, and secondary subjects?
* How can I stimulate interest in a subject or topic?
* What is apperception and why is it important?
* How do I teach so that learning becomes permanent?
* How does knowing and feeling contribute to will training?
* What titles and genres should we use for each grade?
* What else should my child be doing at each grade level?
* Why are these particular books best for these ages?
* What is a type study in geography and why should I use it?
* What is meant by “home outward” and why is it important?
* Are there exceptions to chronological studies?
* How can nature study be combined with our reading topics?
* How can grids be helpful in teaching accurate drawing skills?
* Is fantasy really appropriate for children, and if so, why?
* What is the best narration-notebook system?
* At what grade do I begin historical study?
* Where do I begin historical study?

“Lorraine Curry guides the reader through rich literature selections that will challenge you and your children. In our culture of slang language and decadent amoral lifestyles, these selections are refreshing and challenging, reminding us that things were not always this way. . . . The subject chapters offer helpful guidance when putting together literature-based studies. . . . a valuable and well-used resource; inspiring as well as challenging to all who read it. “-Christy Herbert

Click here to view the complete description page for Easy Homeschooling Curriculum

Normally this is sold on the publisher’s site for $18.99, but you can get it free today only right here at Homeschool Freebie Of The Day! Click here to download this ebook!