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OLCs and How to Use them
OLCs (Online Learning Centers) are websites that are intended to be paired with textbooks. These are actually of immense value to homeschoolers (especially gifted students) even if you DON'T have the textbook. So how do you use them?
Well....if you have the textbook, you have an entire college course at your fingertips, including quizzes and activities. You can buy the textbooks (expensive!) or check them out from the library. If your public library doesn't have them, you might be able to get them through interlibrary loan.
Check the OLC website carefully--some of them include an online or .pdf version of the text (or a previous edition).
If you don't have the textbook, however, and don't want to use it, you can still make use of these resources--especially if your child is ready for college-level materials but doesn't have ready access (like if she is only 10 years old). Most OLCs include an outline of the book with summaries of each chapter. This is a ready-made lesson plan for you that is both more logical and more thorough than you'll get in most K-12 curricula. Additionally, while the text is missing, usually all the animated aids are there and some of the best online resources are linked to the OLCs. How do you do this? Taking the chapter outlines and summaries as a guide, look up the information on the web. If the chapter is on Newton's first law, for example, search for resources on Newton's first law online (google it, check our index, etc). Wikipedia is an excellent resource here. Liberally use the interactives, animations, crossword puzzles, etc. that are included in the OLC. You can also use the quizzes either as quizzes or as starting points in research. Test your student's knowledge or springboard from the quiz question into online research to find the answers.
Also, many of the OLCs in the sciences have detailed instructions for the science labs. This can be invaluable for homeschoolers (although you might have to track down the supplies for the labs!)
Many of the OLCs are simply lists of the top weblinks for the topic. Use these. They are usually FANTASTIC.
For easy access to the resources, click "site map" up at the top right whenever it's available.
By Subject:
Practical, Study and Research Skills (including career exploration)
Misc
College Textbook Online Learning Centers: http://learninglynx.blogspot.com/2009/11/great-resource-for-homeschoolers.html
K-12 OLCs: http://learninglynx.blogspot.com/2009/11/resources-online-learning-components.html
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