Manage Free Printable Worksheets

Find and Create Printable Lessons for Free at Educational Websites

Mar 7, 2008 Lisa Russell

Guide to finding, using and accessing free educational websites; learn how to find free worksheets online and how to keep them organized in your computer.

One great thing about teaching in the information age is easy access to so many resources for free curriculum. You can find free printable worksheets, coloring pages, puzzles and games. Finding the resources is easy, remembering where everything is when you need it is a challenge that's easy to overcome. Free worksheets can be used to supplement a traditional curriculum or for homeschoolers who are building their own course of study.

Searching for Free Printables

Using Google, Yahoo or any other search engine, a search for free printable worksheets will reveal several million web pages. Try to use specific terms, each in quotation marks. For example, if you were looking to help your kindergartener learn how to tell time to the hour, your search would be in two sets of quotation marks "free printable worksheets" and "tell time." This tells the search engine to show you only sites that have both sets of words, in each quoted order. Simply searching for free printable worksheets tell time would reveal every webpage that happens to have those 5 words in it, in no particular order.

Accessing Printable Worksheets

Most of the websites that offer free printables have arranged them in categories corresponding with different areas of study. You can browse through mathematics, language arts, science, social studies and foreign languages. Other websites categorize their worksheets in grade levels.

If, for example, you're not finding what you're looking for in the kindergarten section, be sure to check both pre-school and first grade. Some websites require you to register before you download or print any of their worksheets. Look for a site index, print it and keep it with your school lesson planning books to remind you that these worksheets are available when you're planning your daily lessons.

Printing Free Worksheets

Printable worksheets are available in several different formats. The Adobe .pdf document is one form, users can't edit these documents and so publishers can be sure their work isn't being changed, given away or sold elsewhere. To access these, all you need to do is download the free Adobe Acrobat reader.

Some websites have their worksheets stored as .jpg picture files. Printing these can be as easy as printing anything else from your internet browser. Still others give away worksheets with a Microsoft Word .doc file. These are easy to print as well. If you're having trouble printing a worksheet you've found online always check the website's faq's (frequently asked questions) to figure it out.

Rules Regarding the Use of Free Printable Worksheets

Pay attention to the many differing preferences of these websites. Some grant users full and complete access to do whatever they want with the worksheets and others are more strict, giving permission for a one-time print, specifying they are for home use only, or requesting they not be modified in any way.

Smart Bookmarking of Lesson Plans and Free Printables

Smart bookmarking is the key to getting the most from free worksheets. In your internet browser, you have a "favorites" or "bookmark" menu at the top of the screen. Saving each website into a specific folder marked "Free Printables" is a good start. To make your custom folder, click on the bookmark menu (or favorites) and then select "add this site" (or your program's equivalent text), then select the option to create a new folder and title it "free printable worksheets." You can use the same technique to create subfolders for colors, shapes, phonics, and other specific topics if you choose.

Start Printing Free Worksheets for Your Lesson Plans

When you're doing your lesson plans for the week or for the month, make sure to print what you need ahead of time. Being stalked for worksheets by an eager 5 year old can take the fun out of teaching.

Using free printable worksheets is a great way to supplement your homeschool curriculum. Some families use free internet printables to build their own curriculum. You can find a comprehensive list and description of several popular websites that offer free printables.

The copyright of the article Manage Free Printable Worksheets in Homeschooling is owned by Lisa Russell. Permission to republish Manage Free Printable Worksheets in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Print Free Worksheets For Any Lesson Plan