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Educational DVDs in Homeschooling ~ Our List

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8:52 PM

A list for us, as a record.

A list for you, recommendations.

It's a topic that I've posted about before, http://totustuusfamily.blogspot.com/2009/03/homeschooling-with-dvds-and-netflix.html . Besides the Math-U-See and Saxon Teacher and Teaching Textbooks media we watch to learn, we make other DVDs a part of our homeschooling. What I haven't captured in the lists below are all the shorter "films" we watch and use from YouTube and educational websites. I am going to post those in the future.

On Fridays, our lighter days, we watch a movie relating to current studies. Sometimes, the 2 youngest watch a movie while I am working with the older boys.

Watching documentaries can be like a lecture, homeschool students can practice taking notes and narrate back what they've learned.

The following are movies we use in our homeschooling. (comprises 5 years)

From NETFLIX:

Othello / Macbeth / King Lear -8th grade MODG
Rocketbook: The Odyssey - 10th grade MODG
Biology - 10th grade
Geometry: Vol. 1: The Standard Deviants - 10 grade
The Vikings: Nova - 4th grade MODG
Kaboom!: Disc 2: Fireworks! (and disc 1) science, interest of #2 son
Inspiring Animated Heroes: Helen Keller after reading her biography
Secondhand Lions - recommended family movie, masculinity
Greeks: Crucible of Civilization - 7th and 10th grade MODG
The Maldonado Miracle - family film, Catholic tones
Uncle Nino - recommended family film
The Solar System: A New Look -interest of my 4th grader
Eyewitness: The Pacific War: Road to War interest of my 8th grader
Winnie the Pooh: Wonderful Word Adventure - K/1st grader
Getting Ahead: U.S. History: Disc 1 - 4th grader
Ewe Know: Who Do Ewe Follow? - 1st grader
From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima -8th grader's interest
Learn to Read with Phonics: Vol. 3 -k/1st
Getting Ahead: Primary Science: Disc 4 (and earlier) 1st and 4th graders
To Hell and Back -true story of Audie Murphy, kids luved this!
Rock 'n Learn: Phonics -K/1st
Getting Ahead: Primary Science: Disc 3 (and earlier) 1st and 4th grades
Learn to Read with Phonics: Vol. 1 -1st grader
Between the Lions: Season 1: Disc 5 (and earlier) 1st grader
Julius Caesar 7th grade MODG
Astronomy Adventure: Vol. 2 (and earlier) 4th grader interest
Look and Learn: It's a Plus: Learn to Add 1st grader
The Children's Bible: Old Testament -1st and 4th grader
Adventures in Honesty 1st and 4th grader
The Magic School Bus: Human Body 1st and 4th grader
Adventures in Faith 1st and 4th grader
My House -spanish words, 1st grader
Little People: Good Manners 1st grader
The Return of Don Camillo HUGE favorite, Catholic for the whole family
Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 and More -1st grader
Don Camillo - highly recommend this!
This Is America, Charlie Brown: Disc 1 (+2) 4th and 1st grader
Barney's Best Manners K
America's Explorers and Pioneers 3rd grader
Look Mom: I Have Good Manners K
Tell Me Why: Americana & Beginnings 3rd grader
The American Revolution: Disc 5 and earlier - those studying that period
Liberty! The American Revolution: Disc 3
Ocean - all
Captain Jon Explores the Ocean - all
Leif Ericson - 4th grader
Physical Geography: Volcanoes of the US 9th grade MODG and younger
Physical Geography: Earthquakes 9th grade MODG and younger
SDS: Geology: Program 4: Rocks 9th grade MODG
SDS: Geology: Program 2: Minerals
SDS: Geology: Program 1: The Basics
SDS: Geology: 3: Volcanoes and Erosion
LeapFrog: Letter Factory k
Rome: Power & Glory: Disc 1 -those studying time period
Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire: Disc 1 -those studying time period
Pre-Algebra: Program 4: Basic Algebra
They Might Be Giants: Here Come the ABCs K
Thomas Jefferson those studying time period
Becket 8th grade MODG
The Roman Empire in the First Century -those studying time period
Pre-Algebra: Program 2: Vital Concepts
Hooked on Phonics: FUNdamentals K
Tinkerbell: Learn Ballet Step-by-Step K
Drive Thru History: Greece and the Word great for this time period!
Pre-Algebra: Program 1: The Basics
Roving Mars - based on interests
Mystery of the Nile: IMAX 7th grade MODG
The Mysteries of Egypt: The Pharaohs 7th grade MODG
National Geographic: Egypt: Pharaohs 7th grade MODG
Shakespeare Tragedies: Macbeth -8th grade MODG
Paul: Contending for Faith - all
Amazing Grace -9th grade MODG
Akeelah and the Bee - great family film
The Father Damien Story - all
The Song of Bernadette -all
Where the Red Fern Grows after reading book
National Geographic: Jamestown - those studying time period
The Ultimate Gift - study of virtues
Swiss Family Robinson - after reading the book
Saint Anthony - all
Saint John Bosco: Mission to Love -all
The Miracle of Our Lady Fatima -all
The Bells of St. Mary's -all
Lord Stanley's Cup: Hockey's Ultimate - relating to PE
Oliver Twist classic
Prehistoric Planet those interested
NHL History of the Philadelphia Flyers relating to PE
Facing the Giants family film
The Best of The Electric Company: Disc 1 1st grade
Young People's Concerts: Disc 1 all
The Railway Children after reading book
Camelot 8th grade MODG
I Am David - interested in Holocaust
Tom Sawyer - after reading the best book ever
Henry V 8th grade MODG
Saint Therese of the Child Jesus all
Cosmic Voyage: IMAX those interested
Mother Teresa all
100 Greatest Discoveries: Disc 5 EXCELLENT FOR SCIENCE, Bill Nye hosts
Egypt's Golden Empire - 7th grade MODG
The Best of Beakman's World - Science
Lewis and Clark: The Journey: Disc 2 - those studying time period
His Holiness Pope John Paul II: Mass all
Jesus and the Shroud of Turin all
Quest for the True Cross all
Pope John Paul II: Celebration of Jubilee all
Wide Awake self biographical of M. Night Shaymylan and Catholic
Jesus Christ Superstar: 2000 all
Joshua all


I have a huge Netflix Queue we are hoping to watch through this year, Netflix is an unending source of films, documentaries and tutorials that can truly be an added feature to home educating media.

Other rental sources we've liked...

PiusMedia - Catholic

Faith and Family Flix - wholesome and family friendly, Christian


The above both have excellent libraries, wish we had more money and more time! We take advantage of the free library systems in 2 states, as we are on a border. We've always looked up videos/DVDs for free library rental and the Eyewitness and Schlessinger series come to mind. When I see them at yard sales I snatch them up!

What we own and find helpful in homeschooling:

Rembrandt - other artists and composers are at the library
Maxillian Kolbe
13th Day
The Little Prince
Richard Scary Learning Videos
Veggie Tales
Treasure Island
Max Lucados
Demographic Winter
Robinson Crusoe
Davy Crocket
Bible Cartoons
Prince of Egypt
Daniel
Man For All Seasons
St. Joseph, man closest to Christ
Signing Times videos
Planet Earth
SchoolHouseRock
Saints CCC videos
LHLA EWTN shows on Chastity, Contraception, Guadalupe, Spiritual Battle
Oceans of Mercy
Therese
Donald Calloway's Conversion
Jesus of Nazareth
Shoes of the Fisherman
Joan of Arc
John Paul II movies
Francis of Assissi

PLEASE fill up the com box with your homeschool dvd recommendations, as you can see we'll probably watch them!

Tags :

9 comments:

Kathleen's Catholic said...

Awesome list, Allison! I'm going to highlight and print for future reference.

We also watched and liked the Schlessinger series, particularly the DVDs on biomes. Terrific series. Our boys got a lot out of them.

Thanks again, Catholic homeschooling friend. :-)

October 20, 2010 at 9:33 PM
Renee said...

Wow, what a huge list! Great list! Did you know Netflix just came to Canada? Now to try and figure out what I'm supposed to do with this disk to go inside of our Wii machine.??

Second Hand Lions - I would love to fish their way! Favorite here! :)

You have my cogs rolling, will see about compiling a list to add soon. I can add the epics for history purposes; Cleopatra, The fall of the Roman Empire, El Cid, Ben Hur, and so many others that are well loved family classics over here.

October 20, 2010 at 9:38 PM
Nadja said...

What an exhaustive list! thank you so much. I think this will really help me make much better use of Netflix!

October 20, 2010 at 9:54 PM
Anonymous said...

This list is wonderful! We've just started to look into using DVD's, so I'm printing this off to discuss with my husband. Thanks!

October 20, 2010 at 10:05 PM
Suzie L. said...

Thank you for compiling such a great list. We use MODG, too, so the detail you added is quite helpful. Definitely a 'starred' post in my reader!

October 21, 2010 at 6:24 AM
Jamie Jo said...

Wow, now that is alot of linking!!! We all appreciate your hard work on this!

Great reference list!

October 21, 2010 at 9:35 AM
Charlotte said...

Alison,
If you had a 3 year old son like me, what would you have him watch? Especially in terms of Christian education. Anything? Nothing? (Note, he's a TV addict - bad mommy - but you already know that.)

October 22, 2010 at 10:56 PM
Allison said...

Thanks everyone!

Char, in thinking of my youngest, who was 3 three years ago, I think she watched and liked the Signing Times dvds with sign language. http://www.signingtime.com/. She LUVed the HOLY BABY series. http://www.therosaryproject.com/Holy_Baby_DVD_s_C2.cfm and I introduced her to alphabet and number dvds, the ones by Preschool Prep linked above. But they were something I resorted to when I needed to remove her from the classroom as she has 3 older siblings. If I got an hour or so out of that I moved on to Playdo. Man, they ALL luv playdo and I kept her in the kitchen with it. We even made playdo together and colored separate batches with food dye and, for great smell, different KoolAid powder packs. Purple smelled grape and yellow smelled lemony...etc...
Playdo was luved so much it became a bargaining chip...stay in your bed all night and you can play Playdo in the morning.

You know those books where it rings a bell when it's time to turn a page? She luved them too. They seem to luv anything that empowers them.

She would also luv to paint. I buy huge art poster size paper so it takes longer to paint.:) She also liked stamping little stamps, Lite Brite and building with Legos, ALL great for small motor skills.

At some point she always came back into the schoolroom, but she wanted to play school and so she would sit and pretend to write. Leapfrog makes those great alphabet letter magnet games and we also had tracing letters and wipeboards for her to write letters on if she wanted to. Even sorting was fun for her. I'd give her an empty egg carton and with tongs have her place and sort small colored blocks into the separations....or coins...or dried beans.

I remember when my oldest son was little that he used to, like my daughter, like to wash dishes! So I had a set of plastic cups and plates that he could use, added some funnels, a pitcher and that would keep him busy a while, pouring back and forth.

My boys luved all the videos on jobs. Videos about firemen were huge hits, how to build roads, construction, there was one where a building exploded that they luved. They liked to watch men working and then go out and imitate it, especially contruction. We made perhaps a 4 ft diameter circle of gravel in a corner of the backyard and put shovels and huge tonka trucks out there and it became a work station. Give him a spot to dig and a hard hat. :)

Yeah, a lot of it requires clean up...get him involved.

If he is interested in any show that has action figures, get them! I'd go to ebay and get lots of Winnie the Pooh characters and Thomas the Tank and all but one of my 4 luved to be quiet and reinact scenes in their imagination. I'd really encourage that, that imagining and building things. Legos, duplo, blocks, Lincoln Logs...We have a set of foam blocks that they use in a myriad of ways still today. http://www.amazon.com/Giant-Foam-Block-Set-pcs/dp/B00000ITKM

At the libraries we had this video series called Preschool Power and it taught skills to little people, like how to put on your own coat and montessori type stuff. Try to rent them and google montessori ideas, they are so creative and have educational value and often can be done with things around the house...cotton balls...salad tongs...

Get him outside too, my guys always needed to wrestle and exhaust themselves to sleep well. When the leaves are turning like they are now I remember many big wheel rides around the neighborhood.(Wish they made one my size.) They still need a sweat a day or they're ornery! Nothing like hard work too that they'll feel proud of, moving things, pulling weeds, busy labor. Get him a little broom and dustpan for sweeping the kitchen...especially after playdo! :)

Write down a bunch of ideas for yourself to go to. A good day for me always meant that they cycled through a few of these and had quiet time too.

You're probably already doing a lot of these, you just got me thinking of those days and the memories spilled...maybe a blog post is coming on...

October 23, 2010 at 10:39 AM
Allison said...

Thanks everyone!

Char, in thinking of my youngest, who was 3 three years ago, I think she watched and liked the Signing Times dvds with sign language. http://www.signingtime.com/. She LUVed the HOLY BABY series. http://www.therosaryproject.com/Holy_Baby_DVD_s_C2.cfm and I introduced her to alphabet and number dvds, the ones by Preschool Prep linked above. But they were something I resorted to when I needed to remove her from the classroom as she has 3 older siblings. If I got an hour or so out of that I moved on to Playdo. Man, they ALL luv playdo and I kept her in the kitchen with it. We even made playdo together and colored separate batches with food dye and, for great smell, different KoolAid powder packs. Purple smelled grape and yellow smelled lemony...etc...
Playdo was luved so much it became a bargaining chip...stay in your bed all night and you can play Playdo in the morning.

You know those books where it rings a bell when it's time to turn a page? She luved them too. They seem to luv anything that empowers them.

She would also luv to paint. I buy huge art poster size paper so it takes longer to paint.:) She also liked stamping little stamps, Lite Brite and building with Legos, ALL great for small motor skills.

At some point she always came back into the schoolroom, but she wanted to play school and so she would sit and pretend to write. Leapfrog makes those great alphabet letter magnet games and we also had tracing letters and wipeboards for her to write letters on if she wanted to. Even sorting was fun for her. I'd give her an empty egg carton and with tongs have her place and sort small colored blocks into the separations....or coins...or dried beans.

I remember when my oldest son was little that he used to, like my daughter, like to wash dishes! So I had a set of plastic cups and plates that he could use, added some funnels, a pitcher and that would keep him busy a while, pouring back and forth.

My boys luved all the videos on jobs. Videos about firemen were huge hits, how to build roads, construction, there was one where a building exploded that they luved. They liked to watch men working and then go out and imitate it, especially contruction. We made perhaps a 4 ft diameter circle of gravel in a corner of the backyard and put shovels and huge tonka trucks out there and it became a work station. Give him a spot to dig and a hard hat. :)

Yeah, a lot of it requires clean up...get him involved.

If he is interested in any show that has action figures, get them! I'd go to ebay and get lots of Winnie the Pooh characters and Thomas the Tank and all but one of my 4 luved to be quiet and reinact scenes in their imagination. I'd really encourage that, that imagining and building things. Legos, duplo, blocks, Lincoln Logs...We have a set of foam blocks that they use in a myriad of ways still today. http://www.amazon.com/Giant-Foam-Block-Set-pcs/dp/B00000ITKM

At the libraries we had this video series called Preschool Power and it taught skills to little people, like how to put on your own coat and montessori type stuff. Try to rent them and google montessori ideas, they are so creative and have educational value and often can be done with things around the house...cotton balls...salad tongs...

Get him outside too, my guys always needed to wrestle and exhaust themselves to sleep well. When the leaves are turning like they are now I remember many big wheel rides around the neighborhood.(Wish they made one my size.) They still need a sweat a day or they're ornery! Nothing like hard work too that they'll feel proud of, moving things, pulling weeds, busy labor. Get him a little broom and dustpan for sweeping the kitchen...especially after playdo! :)

Write down a bunch of ideas for yourself to go to. A good day for me always meant that they cycled through a few of these and had quiet time too.

You're probably already doing a lot of these, you just got me thinking of those days and the memories spilled...maybe a blog post is coming on...

October 23, 2010 at 10:39 AM

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