Where to get affordable materials:
===========================
- Download them from the internet.
- Discount bookshops - great for things like kids' encyclopaedias, penguin kids' classics etc
- Ebay - good for series of books eg Horrible Histories/Geog/Sci, Spotlight Science

Reference Materials For Kids:
========================

- The Internet. It IS safe for kids to use it, so long as it is supervised, and they very quickly learn how to use search engines.

Good virus checking software has been essential here (eg McAfee, Norton AntiVirus, Kaspersky), as is anti spyware software.
Though my kids have not downloaded any viruses yet, it is relatively easy to inadvertendly download 'spyware'. I check the browser
history to keep an eye on the kind of sites we're using, and we could also use NetNanny, though I don't actually do so as I find
that it screens out perfectly innocuous sites. For broadband users, a firewall is strongly advised. A good free one is ZoneAlarm.

- Humourous verse. The Sheldon Book of Verse is a good broad anthology of poetry. Ted Hughes has written various volumes of
poetry for kids. TS Elliott's Old Possums cat poetry is also very funny!

- BBC Bitesize Books - *excellent* series of books on National Curriculum subjects. Their book on KS3 English is particularly impressive (|MO)

- National Curriculum subject books eg Letts.....

- Spotlight Science series

- Kids' encyclopaedias and non-fiction books.....discount bookshops (eg World Books, Just Books) often offer excellent books that are a lot cheaper than the 'mainstream' book stores

Comparing Different Forms of Media:
=============================

- Horrible Histories/Science/Geography - fantastic series of books for kids! Very readable, humourous and a great introduction
to the subjects. There are also threatrical Horrible History productions, and a series of Horrible Hist/Geog/Sci magazines.

- Dr Seuss - great books for 'theatrical reading' to pre school kids....nonsense rhymes that get plenty of giggles! 'The Cat |n The Hat'
and 'When Grinch Stole Christmas' are available as films too.

- Narnia - available as a film, books and theatrical productions. 'Challenge' older kids by introducing them to the religious allegory.

- Gulliver's Travels - available as a book, and possibly as a film. Can be appreciated on various levels - ranging from a simple,
fun, child's story to a sophisticated political allegory.

- Dr Doolittle - available as films, books and theatrical productions.

- The Wizard of Oz (and related titles) - available as films, books and theatrical productions.

- Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy - available as films and books.

- Harry Potter - books and films

Links
====

Giftedness and General Curriculum Resources:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The National Association for Gifted Children: http://www.nagcbritain.org.uk/

The National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth: http://www.nagty.ac.uk/ *** Excellent on line activities for kids, as well as summer schools and weekend activities.

The University of The First Age: http://www.aoy.org.uk/main.php

GIFT (Essex): http://www.giftltd.co.uk/

National Grid For Learning: http://www.ngfl.gov.uk/

Curriculum Resources Site produced by the National Grid For Learning in Wales: http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/4-0-0-0_learning_country/4-3-0-0_curric.htm

BBC Bitesize: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/

National Curriculum For England: http://www.nc.uk.net/webdav/servlet/XRM?Page/@id=6016


Home Education:
------------------------
I don't home educate my boys, but have found these sites often have useful lists of resources:

Education Otherwise: http://www.education-otherwise.org/

World Wide Education Service: http://www.weshome.demon.co.uk/

Home Education UK: http://www.home-education.org.uk/

National Extension College: http://www.nec.ac.uk/

Museums And Visits:
------------------------------

Museums in the UK: http://www.museums.co.uk/
Worth checking with indivdiual museums to see if they do activities during the school holidays.

The National Trust: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/
Family membership is well worth having!

The Science Museum: http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/learning/families/index.asp

The Thackray Museum, Leeds (great day out for gore loving sprogs!):
http://www.thackraymuseum.org/

The Deep (Hull, but sea life centres are available nationwide):
http://www.thedeep.co.uk/index0.php?cc=learning/keystage1-2&cl;=submenu&cr;=research-contentside&nav;=4 <http://www.thedeep.co.uk/index0.php?cc=learning/keystage1-2&cl=submenu&cr=research-contentside&nav=4>

Otters and Owls: http://www.ottersandowls.co.uk/

Geography:
----------------

Local water companies often have considerable amounts of educational information available:

The Environment Agency's Flood Website: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/826674/882909/483624/?version=1⟨=_e <http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/826674/882909/483624/?version=1&lang=_e>

Yorkshire Water: http://www.yorkshirewater.com/?OBH=1637

Scottish Water: http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/education/html/aboutWater/aboutWater2.html

The Met Office: http://www.metoffice.com/education/

National Geographic: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

Maths and Science:
----------------------------

Electricity: http://www.electricityineducation.co.uk/

Lego Mindstorms: http://mindstorms.lego.com/

BBC Rough Science: http://www.open2.net/roughscience/

Look Inside A Comet! http://deepimpact.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html

NASA Education: http://education.nasa.gov/home/index.html

Maths Enrichment: http://www.nrich.maths.org/public/index.php

Millenium Maths Project (Leeds): http://mmp.maths.org/events/eventlist.php

Astronomy.com: http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx

Astronomy For Kids: http://www.dustbunny.com/afk/

Healthy Eating:
---------------------

Kids' Health: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/

My Pyramid food pyramids for kids: http://www.mypyramid.gov/kids/index.html

Rainbow Foods! http://www.5aday.com/html/kids/kids_home.php