The Oklahoma Folklore Collection is the result of an effort by the Metropolitan Library System in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s to collect and preserve the stories, memories, and songs that make up Oklahoma’s rich folk tradition. Inside you will find stories, songs letters, interviews, poems, sheet music, brochures, and much more that brings to light Oklahoma History as it was being created. Along with the transcibed documents you will find an image of the original documents.

For anyone studying American history, you’ll enjoy exploring this site.

Oklahoma Folklore Collection

If your child treats money like it grows on trees, or magically falls from the sky, let GiveMe20.com be your resource for teaching them the true meaning of money.

Whether he’s age 12, or she’s 22 and off at college, with a little help from you they can develop the self-confidence and personal skills needed to successfully manage their money (and yours).

Yeah, you’ve heard it thousands of times.
“I need gas money, give me $20!”…
“Mom, give me $20 for the mall!”
That’s why GiveMe20.com is for you.

Keep that $20, Mom and Dad!

Give me 20.com

• Advanced Placement Calculus AB
• Advanced Placement Calculus BC
• Advanced Placement Environmental Science
• Advanced Placement Physics B
• Advanced Placement Physics C
• Advanced Placement United States Government Advanced Placement United StatesHistory

–Mary Nix

Literacy Connections

Here is part of the description from the publisher:

Debt Information For Teens explains the economic fundamentals that govern the use of debt as a financial tool. It talks about the uses and abuses of credit and describes how everyday transactions serve to create a person’s credit history. Different types of loans, including vehicle loans, loans for education, business loans, and mortgages are described. A special section on credit and debit cards outlines the advantages and disadvantages of using plastic. Another section on predatory and problematic lending practices focuses on the types of credit often associated with exceptionally high interest rates and other abuses, including payday and title loans, refund anticipation loans, and advance-fee loan scams. Information on preventing and resolving debt-related problems is also included, and the book concludes with a directory of resources for additional help and information.

Debt Information For Teens

Free curriculum that spell out the process and make themselves readily accessible are the kinds I like.  There are no gags, gimmicks or enrollment. The instruction information is right there.

• Ambleside Online (Charlotte Mason curriculum)
• Annenberg Media (variety of videos for various grades and subjects)
• BBC Languages (online language instruction)
• BBC Schools (courses and reviews of material)
• Grade Skill Help Pages  (K – 8 curriculum)
• Handwriting
• Hoagies Gifted Free Online Text Materials  (links to free materials)
• Hoagies Gifted, High School Courses & Curriculum Materials  (links to free materials)
• MIT Open Courseware  (free college courses)
• Open University (free college courses)
• Project Gutenberg (free books)
• Wikiversity (free courses)
• World Book Typical Course of Study  (typical North American P – 12 curriculum description)

The curriculum offered as “free,” though, is not readily available.  As the website itself says, there is a “catch.”  That catch is your personal information.

• response to questions, surveys and offers
• evaluation of courses
• consider a donation
• acceptance of email and/or postal offers, which may be in developmental phases and must be held in confidence
• agree to consider participating in online discussions of products

Participation is limited each year.  People who apply to participate in the program may be denied.  Changes may be made without notice.  Higher demand that availability is expected.

Criteria for acceptance, if spaces are still available:

• U.S. citizens; parents and children must live in same household
• Completion of enrollment form, and payment of any “incidental” or “elective” fees using a debit or credit card.  Payment card is used to “help with identification.”
• Family may not have previously used any other private online education provider.  Only people with a “fresh” perspective, and apparently no experience with which to compare against, are eligible.
• Applicants may not have any immediate family members employed by any competitor in the K-12 curriculum business.
• Applicants must supply a telephone number, an email address that is regularly checked, a valid street address, credit or debit card number that is billed to the same street address.
• No negative comments about the program may be made in public.
• Applicants who do not qualify, and who try to enroll anyhow will be expelled and be “subject to legal remedies as allowed by law.”

Of course, this kind of structure will appeal to some people because they enjoy making a contribution to research, and the provision of the curriculum is compensation for their participation.  But for families looking for freely available materials without strings, other resources may be more to their liking.

posted by Valerie