Television Shows Mean Endless Resources for Home School Teachers
Many regions now have cable channels specifically in a particular subject, such as The History Channel or The Science Channel. These stations are great resources for home school teachers. You can often go online and see the week or month’s lineup to decide which programs to choose for the age of the home schooled child. Many shows of interest are on in the evenings so you may want to incorporate some nighttime academics into your schedule.
On the History Channel teachers will find shows like History’s Mysteries, which delves into some of the unsolved mysteries in the history of America and the world, and tries to resolve some of the issues surrounding the subject. Modern Marvels takes a look at some things that were invented in previous years but are still being used to this day, such as bridges or historical buildings. It’s a very informative show that teachers will find helpful. Ancient Discoveries is an intriguing program that showcases certain archaeological finds and how they were used back in their day. You’ll be astonished at some of the inventions from Roman or Greek times that are similar to things we use in present day.
A&E is another nationwide channel that offers lots of resources for home school teachers. Biography is an hour-long program that offers an insight into the lives of many different famous people. Each episode showcases a different Hollywood star, inventor, statesman, famous Egyptian or other personality.
The Travel Channel takes students to faraway places in a way that makes it seem as though you’ve actually been. Home school teachers can take advantage of the geography lessons associated with the programs on The Travel Channel, myths of the area, showcasing of the historical landmarks, discussions of the surrounding seas and mammals, and historical facts of the region. The channel offers programs for all ages, ranging from an overview of the Grand Canyon for younger kids to a guide of the most famous cities in Japan, for older students.
The Discovery Channel not only has a fabulous lineup of programs for students of all ages but they also offer home school teachers a lesson plan library where they can find facts and info about many subjects to incorporate into lesson plans in areas like science and health. Some of their best shows include Animal Planet, Discovery Health, and Discovery Kids. Teachers will even find Discovery in Espanol for those that are learning Spanish.
There’s no end to the shows that can help home school teachers with lesson plans and teaching. When kids have visual aids like documentaries or movies they retain much more information about the subject. And, when kids have a break from regular school work to watch a tv show, they think they’re getting a treat! Check your tv listings in your local paper or magazine, or go online to check the lineup for some of the above-mentioned tv shows to see what programs you can incorporate into your own home school curriculum.
