Anyone use Netflix for homeschool?

Discussion in 'Homeschooling' started by mom4girls, Jul 7, 2010.

  1. mom4girls

    mom4girls Member

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    Just wondering if netflix has very many educational movies available (science and history documentaries)? I looked at the site but am wondering if they have more stuff available if you sign up??
     
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  3. Actressdancer

    Actressdancer New Member

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    There are a lot of History Channel specials available (even on 'watch instantly'). I haven't used it yet, since we just signed up two weeks ago, but I have tons of stuff in my cue that I plan to use this year.

    I haven't dug very deep yet, but I also know there are a lot of other documentaries (even Food, Inc!). If there's anything in particular you'd like me to check on, I'd be happy to look it up for you.
     
  4. jenndun

    jenndun New Member

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    I used it with DS when we studied Alaska. Had some good documentaries on instant play. We use it a lot for family night movies.
     
  5. Marty

    Marty New Member

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    Our 2 biggest video resources are Netflix and the library. Netflix helps a lot. Try typing in the name of a specific documentary or subject. Sometimes they will have other suggestions based on what you typed in.
     
  6. BrandyBJ

    BrandyBJ New Member

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    I have used some of their religious videos-they have alot of history, and they have seriously been adding to their collections. They have 2 major deals to sign on some major non-fiction producers in the very near future-so I'd think it's something to consider.
     
  7. JosieB

    JosieB Active Member

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    YES! We're homeschooling for free and I count netflix as free cause it's our only form of TV, we'd be paying for it if we were homeschooling or not.

    Once you sign up you see way, way, way, way, way, way more movies than the few they show you for each genre before you sign up.

    They have a ton of educational stuff from rock 'n learn, leap frog, liberty kids, to lots of PBS and national geographic stuff, they have an algebra series, a geometry series, an ASL series, and just a TON of documentaries on everything imaginable.

    I see 24 movies per page-
    For science and nature documentaries I have 36 pages
    historical documentaries 60 pages
    political documentaries 24 pages

    And that's just a couple of the categories for documentaries for DVDS
    Under watch instantly ...
    historical has 11 pages
    science and nature has 6 pages
    political has 8 pages

    I also highly suggest a roku box.

    I have a few posts on my blog about netflix/roku and how much I love them both. If you have any questions about either feel free to contact me. http://theskinnywallet.wordpress.com/?s=netflix
     
  8. kbabe1968

    kbabe1968 New Member

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    Yes. :) If you plan on watching - using Liberty Kids for American History - google it. THere's a viewing guide with all sorts of add on material and portfolio fodder. :)
     
  9. Actressdancer

    Actressdancer New Member

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    I had no idea! We were going to start that series next week!!! Now I have to print like crazy this weekend. lol.
     
  10. Ava Rose

    Ava Rose New Member

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    We watch it through the Wii but so far it has been for entertainment. When our school year begins, I will look to see what's on there for them. I have a few documentaries saved in my queue.

    I know Crazymama loves using it for school.
     
  11. JosieB

    JosieB Active Member

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    Thanks for the tip, I did not know that.
     
  12. JosieB

    JosieB Active Member

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    My oldest son learns soooo much from TV. He loves documentaries. It's not the reason I got netflix, I got it to save money. I don't even think we had decided to homeschool when we got it. But most of what my kids watch is educational to different degrees, but me and the 6 year old, we love us some documentaries. LOL He's weird :p

    But, if your kids absorb what they see on TV, Netflix is an invaluable source. Plus, we've decided to take a mostly unschooling route so it's great to have so much to choose from, without additional costs, for him to learn about stuff.

    I started watching the Jane Eyre miniseries and he's been watching it with me, cause he saw it as he was headed to bed one night and it caught his attention and he was like "can I sit up and watch this with you" The next morning he got up and said "now mom, we have to watch that movie again tonight" It lead us on a nice discussion about orphans and fostering and adoption (something hubby and I hope to do one day) and about how people lived and social norms of the past. He asked a ton of questions.

    He's 6 and likes the adult documentaries, but sometimes I don't know what I should and shouldn't' let him watch, like I'm currently contemplating if I should let him watch one on Nazi Medicine or not. He asked to watch it, but I just don't know.

    Lots of nights if he can't sleep, I turn on a documentaries. Sometimes I think he fakes not being able to sleep to watch one with me ;) (I don't mind-in fact, he JUST got up LOL it's my birthday and he had cake right before bed LOL so I'm off to watch a documentary with my baby)
     
  13. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    Very cool, Sonita!

    I've been considering getting Netflix for the dvds to use at school. Watch Instantly won't help there because I don't have internet in the school, but we can set up a dvd player easily. What do you think? Worth it that way?
     
  14. crazymama

    crazymama Active Member

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    We use netflix ALL THE TIME!!! They have sooooooo much to use for school that it's crazy to crack a book ;)
     
  15. JosieB

    JosieB Active Member

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    Most def! They have way more DVDs than instant, we just use the instant more cause it's our only form of tv.

    And you know-if you really won't use the instant streaming-All of their plans come with unlimited streaming except for one-you can get one DVD out at a time for only $4.99/mo (it's $8.99/mo for one DVD out at a time with unlimited streaming)
     
  16. crazymama

    crazymama Active Member

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    The only catch with the Netflix, is their searching isn't really geared towards us homeschoolers, so what I do is google and look for dvd ideas, then I hit netflix to find them.
     
  17. TeacherMom

    TeacherMom New Member

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    yep I have my comming year on the list had to tell dh to not letit come forward , we got a Standard Devients in early but turned out hubby ordered it!
    We like it, and we use the videos that go with so many things , movies that go with books we studeid, time period movies etc, but the lesson ones for science and history are really helpful
    You tube too!
     
  18. JosieB

    JosieB Active Member

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    We should all write them! LOL

    Yeah, don't look in the 'educational' genre-it's all Barney and Thomas videos! LOL

    But-if you know where to look, it is full of a LOT of great educational stuff.
     
  19. mom4girls

    mom4girls Member

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    Thanks so much everyone. I am slow at responding sorry! I am chewing on using it to supplement our curriculum. We don't have a TV so I was thinking it would work on the computer. I just am not sure if it would be a bad thing... Like end up watching stuff that is not educational. That is the reason we don't have a TV. Too bad you can't just search for say... Alligators and come up with documentaries for them. hmmmmm......
    Thanks again everyone!
     
  20. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    I'm thinking you won't get anything you didn't request, and if you look at it and find it's not suitable, you just send it back?? If I understand correctly, it's just not set up to make it easier on homeschoolers, so we might have to sort of search around for, say, documentaries on animals, or movies about the Revolutionary War??
     
  21. becky

    becky New Member

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    TM, Youtube is loaded with good things for school!! Last year, we used YT for music. We learned music genres that way.
     

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