Many useful resources, such as magazines, can become inexpensive home school curriculum. To the home educator, numerous magazines become useful tools in unit studies and lesson plans. Whether you are homeschooling full time or you home school part time after you child returns home from public or private school, consider the benefits of using magazine to teach, and educate your child(ren).
PRESCHOOL
High Five magazine, published by Highlights, is geared toward children age 2-6. Contents of this magazine include read aloud stories, age appropriate activities such as puzzles to learn, be creative and explore. Activities that help preschoolers to develop their minds are packed into 40 pages. Hidden pictures puzzles, stories that introduce a foreign language, and simple puzzles to develop their brain that use letters and numbers help a child grow and learn. Hand dexterity and ability to follow directions are learned through step-by step age appropriate activities or recipes. Also included are fun games that your child can play continuously.
PRESCHOOL / ELEMENTARY / MIDDLE SCHOOL
Kid Zone Magazine is geared toward children ages 4-12. A favorite magazine in our house, this magazine invites children
with the fun cartoon characters used throughout it. Geography, Cultures, and coordinating recipes can be used to teach until studies on different countries, or included in geography or world cultures lesson plans. Older children can explore other countries by reading the fact filled pages in each publication, followed by a recipe of that country. Brainteasers, such as word searches, word puzzles, and crossword puzzles, help develop the mind, through discovering. Kid Zone also promotes creativity in children with crafts and activities that are included. Non-fiction stories help children learn and discover even further and can be added to lesson plans, unit studies or by itself. Science is not left out of this magazine either. Poetry can be coordinated with language and creative writing lesson plans or unit studies also. In the November/December 2008 issue of Kid Zone, the section Kid Zone included published hand drawn pictures that children sent into the magazine, Info Zone contained facts about Christmas Trees, Chomp Zone included information about different kinds of sugar, followed by a recipe to make your own pancake syrup. Other topics in this issue were, Critter Zone, a non-fiction story about Spirit Bears, Discovery Zone included a non-fiction history of sailing, sailors, and was followed up by a craft project on how to build models of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. Even more, Fun Zone included information on Holiday Gifts, followed by homemade crafts to make for gifts. This issue also included Poetry Zone, where kids can read other children's poetry that children can write and illustrate and mail into the magazine for possible publication. Story Zone contained a fiction story to read, followed by a Holiday Rhyme Trail game. Culture Zone's topic was exploring Canada which included a recipe for Canadian Hot Apple Cider. The magazine ended with answers to all games and puzzles in that particular issue. Although you may not find this magazine in your library, you can subscribe to it through Scott Publications.
National Geographic Little Kids, for ages 3-6, provides detailed non-fiction information as well as creative and discovery activities. National Geographic Kids Magazine, often found in libraries, contains very useful topics, lessons, and information to assist and teach. Geared toward ages 6-14, it contains many subjects can be used in Unit Studies, for additional fun, and coordinated with lesson plans. Kids can read and write book reviews and mail them in for possible publication. This is useful in teaching reading and/or writing. It encourages them in these subjects through the incentive of possibly being published. Kids National Geographic was awarded the "Parents Choice Recommended Winner" in 2008. Although National Geographic uses a lot of advertising in these magazines, the games, stories, and useful information can be used to invite children to learn in a more creative way. They become interested easily and therefore learn and expand their minds in many directions.
HIGH SCHOOL
As children reach their teenage years, they begin to discover the elements of their interests. There are several magazines that pertain to certain sports for students excelling in a specific sport, such as Sports Illustrated for Kids. Visit your library to see what magazines they carry. Sit down with your high schooler(s) and read over the titles that interest them, and investigate possible ones that will educate and challenge your child(ren). A child who is pursuing a career in Interactive Media, may benefit from any gaming or graphic and Web design magazines.
MISCELLANEOUS MAGAZINES
Memberships with your nearby or local zoo, historical center or other activity, may supply a free magazine. Use those magazine to teach and educate your child. A zoo magazine that highlights a new baby at the zoo, can be used to teach a study unit, involving a field trip to the zoo, followed by an interview with that particular animal's caregiver. You can coordinate journalism, writing, public speaking skills, animal care, and science into one unit study by using one magazine.
RESOURCES:
High Five, by Highlights, http://www.highlights.com/shopping/product/detail2ma in.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=2116&iP&KickerID=761&KICKER
Kid Zone Magazine, http://scottpublications.com/kz/
National Geographic, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazines/index.ht ml?source=sem_G1550&s_kwcid=kids%20national%20geographic|2962401917&kwid=kids%20national%20geographic|2962401917&gclid=CJKTqpPSsZgCFQIwxwodI33ASw