More Free Curriculum Discoveries by Diane Flynn Keith
Just for Fun
Please join us in giving a hearty Co-op "Welcome!" to 493 new families in the last week! Membership now stands at over 57,000 families.
This week we recap MATH MADNESS MONTH at the Co-op, announce some long-awaited Group Buy, unveil a robust pipeline (we need your input!) and more! (Keep reading...)
~~ It's MARCH MADNESS MONTH at the Co-op! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This month we are shining a spotlight on some of the best math products available to homeschoolers featuring, of course, the BEST DEAL ON THE PLANET for each of them.
To make it a bit easier for you to take the plunge, this month only we are also throwing an extra freebie into your shopping cart:
Place an order for the math products listed below before midnight on March 31, and we'll give you a special bonus of
200 SmartPoints!
Note: Your SmartPoints Bonus is per order (not per product) placed on March 1-28 for selected products listed below. The SmartPoints will be awarded automatically within 5 minutes of our receiving your order. Just sign into your Co-op account and click your "My Subscriptions" tab to verify.
So, if you are looking for outstanding math curriculum, we encourage you to take a look at these products available exclusively to Co-op members with signature Co-op value:
We are excited to announce that Thinkwell has just released their Thinkwell 6th Grade Math program, featuring Williams College professor Ed Burger as the presenter.
7th and 8th Grade Math programs are on the way and expected in the next few weeks. We have added all three products to our Thinkwell Group Buy page.
Unique Math brings together comprehensive math skills assessment with differentiated instruction, all administered in an interactive, online learning environment.
Math practice that's FUN??? "Best Software" by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and given "Five Hearts" by Mary Pride of Practical Homeschooling Magazine. It is used in over 1,100 Sylvan Learning Centers.
We're pleased to announcethat our long-awaited Group Buy for Weekly Reader Digital Edition is now LIVE at the Co-op website. A one year subscription to a single Weekly Reader Digital Edition retails for $29.95, but Co-op members can get their first subscription for $19.95 (a 33% savings) and each additional subscription for only $9.95 -- a 67% savings!
Weekly Reader Digital Edition is NOT just a PDF of their perennially popular magazine. It is an online magazine that is enhanced with video, audio, and other interactive features. It has the same content as the print editions, and MORE.
We are pleased to announce that Co-op members can now save 50% on Kaplan ACT Online test prep, just as they have been saving on Kaplan SAT Online for the last couple of years.
We have added Kaplan ACT Online test prep to our Kaplan SAT/ACT order form.
Kaplan ACT Online retails for $99, but as a Co-op member you can now get it for only $49.95.
We have reopened Colonial Williamsburg for LAST TIME THIS YEAR! If you have had your eyes on this, now is the time to jump in. You'll be joining in time to enjoy the last LIVE broadcast, and you'll still have access to all the previous EFTs from earlier in this school year. All subscriptions will active through August, so you've got plenty of time to catch up. But, don't wait on this one. We know that your children will thoroughly enjoy the LIVE presentations and want to call-in while the Historians on waiting eagerly on the other line to receive their questions! event.
This Group Buy offers excellent savings AND a LIFETIME subscription for the latest and greatest program offered by the makers of ClickN READ Phonics.
ClickN SPELL is a research-based spelling program for PreK through 5th grade that teaches the 800 most commonly used words in the English language. The program may also be used as an intervention curriculum for struggling spellers regardless of age or grade level. Many of your fellow Co-op members are already enjoying ClickN SPELL.
Visit this Group Buy page today and take it for a spin --- it may be EXACTLY what you've been looking for!
If you are new to the Co-op, you may not be aware that we have an excellent discount available for members on an award-winning, online, interactive, and FUN Phonics program ---- ClickN READ Phonics! Our discount is so awesome, that we are not allowed to advertise it! Seriously! You'll have to visit the Group Buy page to see just how sweet a deal it is!
We are pleased to announce the BEST DEAL ON THE PLANET for books and software from The Critical Thinking Co.!
In order to fulfill our mission of giving homeschoolers the best curricula for the best price, the Homeschool Buyers Co-op has become a reseller for The Critical Thinking Co. As a reseller, we are not allowed to discount their products, but we do offer the lowest authorized price anywhere, plus FREE shipping, AND 10 SmartPoints for every dollar spent that you can use to purchase other award-winning online curricula through the Co-op. The catch, if it is one, is that you must place an order for at least $100. We're trying to get that changed, but that is currently the policy set by The Critical Thinking Co.
COMING SOON! At the present time, we are offering single titles only. We are also considering offering book bundles and software bundles. Bundled titles typically cost 10%-20% less than they do when purchased separately, so this is a really good deal if you want all the titles in each bundle. We can make the deal even better by offering you SmartPoints for bundles, but we can't afford to ship them for free. If you are interested in purchasing bundles through the Co-op, please let us know.
If you've been neglecting your email over the last week, you may have missed that Digital Frog has returned to the Co-op for a spring Group Buy. Here's the great news --- we have UP TO 60% OFF! Savings like that may make you feel like "hopping" around for sure! Lots to choose from here for all ages. Check out these natural sciences and see if it's what the doctor ordered to make your Science class more interesting!
As announced last week, the Co-op is now offering a LIFETIME subscription to the award-winning Rusty & Rosy Learning With Me early learning solution from Waterford for $330. That's a $120 savings! Rusty & Rosy can be used by up to 5 students.
If you will be using Rusty & Rosy for at least two years, this is BY FAR the best value on the planet.
But we have also added two new purchase options: an Upgrade to a Lifetime Subscription and a 1 Year Subscription Renewal.
Rusty & Rosy is a complete, computer-based core curriculum for reading, math and science, Pre-K through Grade 2. Until recently it was sold exclusively by Pearson Education to school systems only under the name "Waterford Early Learning System." As such, it has been used by millions of students in the United States and around the world. We are delighted to make Rusty & Rosy available to homeschoolers now at the best prices on the planet.
All the same, we realize that Rusty & Rosy is unknown to most homeschoolers, so we recently solicited comments from the first group of members to have purchased subscriptions. The response was gratifying. Please read their testimonials. We suspect this is one of the best products on the market for this age group. The Waterford company has been terrific to work with, and is deeply committed to product quality and customer support.
We have extended our 22nd Group Buy for this hugely popular video curriculum in order to give members a chance to earn deeper savings. We are only 2 orders shy of hitting our 48% discount tier!
What makes this Group Buy special is that it is members' first chance to get Thinkwell's new 6th Grade Math program!
Great teaching begins with great teachers, but, unfortunately, not everyone has access to the best teachers. Thinkwell changes that by using the latest technology to bring these great teachers into your homeschool via the Internet. Instead of reading a textbook, students watch a series of dynamic 10-minute video lectures and then complete interactive online exercises that reinforce concepts and demonstrate mastery of the topics.
LAST CALL for Round 5 for this hugely popular online science curriculum for kids in Middle School and High School grade levels.
It was about one year ago today that we said "Farewell" to CyberEd -- our most popular Science program of 2008. The parent company, PLATO, had decided to close the CyberEd business division, and we had no idea whether we would be able to offer this science curriculum again.
But Co-op staffers were determined to bring this program back to homeschoolers, so we went to bat and, after six months, finally succeeded in once again gaining permission to offer this award-winning science curriculum to homeschoolers.
Sign up by March 21, and we'll have you up and running by the end of March.
Did you know that we have an exclusive discount for a very entertaining, creative, learning program - KidzClix.net? This program arrived at the Co-op over the holidays, so it may have slipped right by your radar. Members receive 55% off of a family membership price of $60. We pay only $26.95! This price is EVEN LOWER THAN the traditional school teacher's access!
WOW! We LOVE to see organizations offer our members preferential treatment. This program boasts the 2009 Parent's Choice Silver Honor Award, as well as the Educator's Award. KidzClix.net includes fun interactive online Science labs, Math Mania, Artz Studio, Kids Kitchen, Games, Puzzles, and MORE! This is an excellent resource to use for reward AND keep them learning while they play!
We would like to remind members that the Co-op has the BEST DEAL ON THE PLANET for the world's #1 selling foreign language curriculum!
Rosetta Stone is regarded by many homeschoolers as the finest foreign language curriculum on the market. The latest version, Homeschool Version 3 with Audio Companion, provides students with a rich, interactive, and engaging language learning experience. Now, and exclusively through the Co-op, members get the BEST DEAL ON THE PLANET for this hugely popular foreign language curriculum. Not only do we give you the lowest price anywhere AND free shipping, but we throw in a pile of SmartPoints to boot.
~~ Group Buy Summary ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
View our summary of ALL the Group Buys by subject matter, with a new column showing recommend grade levels.
~~ In the Pipeline ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's your sneak-peek into our Group Buy pipeline.
COMING SOON
These Group Buys are "in the bag", but there are a few more details to be worked out before we can go live. We hope to take these Group Buys live very soon. Stay tuned!
IT'S OFFICIAL! We are pleased to officially announce that we have sealed the deal for an upcoming Group Buy program for Progeny Press literature guides!
IT'S OFFICIAL! We have a deal for more programs from K12. We don't have an expected arrival date, as there are TONS of details to be hammered out, but, we can say with confidence that we've sealed the deal.
If you are interested and/or would like to be notified when we get this going, take a look and let us know: What do you think?
IT'S OFFICIAL! We have decided to move ahead and offer the entire Weaver curriculum from Alpha Omega.
The Co-op currently has the BEST DEAL ON THE PLANET for Alpha Omega's Switched-on Schoolhouse, LIFEPAC, and Horizons curriculum. Look for a similar offer for Weaver sometime in early April, 2011.
Negotiating and sponsoring a Group Buy is an expensive and time-consuming proposition, but we love doing it, especially when there is strong member interest. This section of the newsletter is really important to us: it is your opportunity to see -- and influence -- what's on our radar screen. Please take a look, and let us hear from you. What do you think?
Here's something that is unique and potentially very special.
We received a call last week from Naomi Kinsman, the author of the award-winning Spilled Ink and founder of The Young Inklings Society. Naomi's great passion is helping young aspiring writers find their voice. She founded the Young Inklings Society to give kids tools they need to develop as authors. Spilled Ink is her award-winning workbook. She is also active in various writers guilds and knows tons of authors.
We have been talking with Naomi about the possibility of a Group Buy for Spilled Ink, but her latest idea really caught our imagination. "Do you think," she asked, "homeschooled kids would be interested in interacting with award-winning, published authors?"Her idea is to put together a speaker teleconference series that would give aspiring young authors an opportunity to interact with published authors in a virtual classroom. The writers would talk about their craft rather than trying to sell books. Students would be encouraged to submit questions in advance as well as during the talks. She also has a really cool idea for an "Ask An Author"program where students can submit questions about writing, and get answers from well-known authors. The Young Inkling Society would ensure that every day there would be at least one answer every day to a student's question.
Do you have an aspiring author in your household? Would she or he be interested in interacting with published authors?
If you are interested and/or would like to be notified when we get this going, let us know: What do you think?
Rose Publishing is the leading Christian publisher of bible maps, charts, and timelines. We had a great conversation with the President of that company this week and received strong indication that we could get members a great Group Buy for Rose Publishing's most popular products if there is sufficient interest.
If you are interested and/or would like to be notified when we get this going, take a look and let us know: What do you think?
It's still Math Madness Month at the Co-op and we received a call from a unique online delivery of interactive Math programs -- Tablet Math -- offering online learning for Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 , Geometry, Algebra 2, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, GED Math. Tablet Class Math is considering a visit to the Co-op and wants to know if you're interested enough for a Group Buy? There is a FREE 2 day trial for you to take it for a spin.
If you are interested and/or would like to be notified when we get this going, take a look and let us know: What do you think?
Audible.com, a subsidiary of Amazon.com, is a leading proivder of premium digital books and music. Content from Audible is downloaded adn played back on personal computers, CDs, and various mobile devices.
If we did a Group Buy, it would be specific titles at reduced prices, rather than for a membership.
If you are interested and/or would like to be notified when we get this going, take a look and let us know: What do you think?
We are working on a new agreement with Music Wizard Group for their preferred program - Piano Wizard. Some Co-op'ers are already enjoying this program in their homeschool classrooms right now. We will once again be bringing this program to Co-op'ers. Please remain on standby for this one.
If you are interested and/or would like to be notified when we get this going, take a look and let us know: What do you think?
The Co-op is considering broadening our selection of products for members (including us) who have kids with special needs. As you may know, we currently have the BEST DEAL ON THE PLANET for Reading Assistant and StudyDog, both of which were designed for struggling readers. But we realize this is just the tip of the iceberg of products designed for kids with special challenges.
For example, we had a great chat this week with the management team at PCI Education, a leading provider of resources for students with special needs. The company carries a full range of products for K-12 students that blend academics and life skills. They support students in all major curriculum areas with real world applications. Many materials are fully-scripted and easy to implement for teachers, para-professionals and, we're told, homeschool teachers. Here are some pages for you to check out:
An Update: This deal is moving ahead slowly, but we are still hopeful. We haven't signed on the dotted line yet, but everything is positive. Please continue to tell your friends that we are considering Speech & Debate and are still receiving your input for this subject.
If you'd like to be notified if and when this has been launched, let us know: What do you think?
LAST CALL! We're still on the fence for this and looking for more member feedback.
It looks like a great resource for moms that wish to make their own handwriting worksheets and copywork exercises. This one will require a lot of backend work, so we need to know specifically WHAT handwriting font is your heart's desire? We may or may not be able to get it added to our package, but without your requests, we're not sure which ones to ask for!
KEEP 'EM COMING! We have had a positive member response, but it's going to be a HUGE project for the Co-op to bring you the Pearson product line, so we'd like to get some more encouragement before we move this to the "COMING SOON" category. Even when we commit, it will probably be late April before we can go live, as they are making some engineering changes on their side that we need in order to make this a reality for Co-op members.
Pearson Education is one of the GIANTS in educational publishing with brands such as Prentice Hall, Longman, Scott Foresman, Addison Wesley, SuccessMaker, Family Education Network and many more.
Until now, as best we can tell, their titles have been available to homeschoolers through outlets such as Amazon at retail prices, while public and private schools have been able to purchase their titles at a discount.
THAT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE! If we get sufficient member encouragement, we have some indication that we may be able to make the vast Pearson library of titles available to homeschoolers at prices equal to or even better than those paid by traditional schools.
How about you? Are you interested in Pearson Education books and software? What products, specifically? Take a lookthrough their online store and let us know: What do you think?
NOTE: Please understand that Group Buys work best for software or online curriculum with retail values over $100. We would love to do Group Buys for books or computers, as many of you have requested, but our experience is that in most cases these companies can't offer significant discounts.
~~ Field Trips Update ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For those of you have contributed reviews - THANKS! Your immortal prose has now been published for the world to see. Go to field trip you reviewed and take a look! If you'd like to see how the reviews appear when published, here's an example:
If you are wondering why we're making such a fuss about this here's why:
We're 25% of the way towards our goal of 2,000 member reviews of their favorite field trips. When we hit that, goal, but no later than June 30, we'll have a drawing to select some winners from those who have contributed reviews. Here's what's at stake:
WIN 50,000 SmartPoints - Grand Prize
WIN 5,000 SmartPoints - 2nd Place Prizes
EARN up to 1,000 SmartPoints
by writing up to 10 field trip reviews
Why are we doing this?
We're pleased to have the world's most useful field trip finder for homeschoolers, and we want to make it even more useful for homeschooling families. The key is for members to write reviews of their favorite field trips, which we are now publishing for any homeschooler to read and consider when planning their field trips.
To encourage you to take the plunge, we will give you 100 SmartPoints for each review you write about a favorite field trip, up to 1,000 SmartPoints.
As soon as we have reached 2,000 field trip reviews or June 30, whichever comes first, we'll put all the reviews in one big digital "hat", shake it up, and draw 11 reviews. The author of the first review drawn will get 50,000 SmartPoints, and the others will get 5,000 SmartPoints. So, the more reviews you write, the greater your chance to win.
50,000 SmartPoints is a LOT of SmartPoints -- enough to get much, if not all, of next year's curriculum for your home school.
5,000 SmartPoints is enough to buy almost any curriculum offered by the Co-op.
1,000 SmartPoints is enough to buy some curriculums at the Co-op, and a nice beginning towards a more expensive curriculum.
What's more, you are welcome to write more than 10 reviews, provided they qualify as favorite field trips (4 or 5 stars). You won't get SmartPoints for writing more than 10 reviews, but your reviews will go into our digital "hat" and thereby increase your chances of winning!
Click the state of one of your favorite field trips.
Click the field trip you want to review.
Click the button to write your review.
Note: We have a had a few members report they don't see this button. If you have this problem, it's because a browser plug-in is blocking it; we don't know why. It's just a simple image. All the same, if you have this problem, try using a different browser or disable your plug-in.
Repeat Steps 1-4 to write additional reviews, up to 10 for 100 SmartPoints each, and more for a greater chance to win.
Your review will not only earn you SmartPoints, but help other homeschoolers find the gems in your state!
BTW, if it turns out that we don't have one of your favorite field trip destinations in our database, you can earn 100 SmartPoints just by adding it to our database!
button to write your review. 
