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This month, we have a sale on our fun theater class, a giveaway from our podcast network, the Google Slides contest, 5 fun free online economics games your children will love, and our usual mix of tips and information.
Don't forget to take the poll! The polls help us know what to include in the newsletter and podcasts, and even what new products to create!
And to start with - here is a huge list of fall-themed freebies from many homeschool vendors
Disclosure: This newsletter may feature affiliate links, which means we will earn a small commission if you purchase through the links provided.
JUST FOR YOU:
October Special
30% Off Intro to Theater
Does your teen love theater—or want to find out what goes on behind the scenes? Our Intro to Theater Self-Paced Online Class covers acting along with set and prop design, costumes and makeup, script writing, stage management, and more.
The course is designed for grades 7–12, is self-paced and parent-graded, and earns ½ high school credit upon completion.
For the month of October, save 30%: $56 instead of $80. (no coupon needed)
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A Birthday Celebration!
The Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network which hosts our podcast, Homeschooling with Technology, turns 13 this month!
To celebrate, the hosts are giving away more than $1,500 in prizes (including an $80 Photography class from us).
Drawings will be held on October 23 and 30. Great news--if you enter today, you are automatically entered for both drawings! Entries close October 29. No purchase necessary to enter.
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| What Is Your Biggest Challenge with Homeschooling Right Now? |
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What Students Are Saying About Intro to Theater
"This class covered pretty much every aspect of theater, from techniques actors use onstage to the complicated and fascinating system going on backstage. I really enjoyed how each time a new concept was introduced, there was always an opportunity not only to see an example of it, but also to try it myself.
What I overall liked the best about this class was in how much detail it explored theater and not only the part that the audience sees."
~ Alex R
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Contest of the Month
Project Yellow Light
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Project Yellow Light is a scholarship competition where students create a video ad, a radio spot, or a design for a billboard ad to encourage safe driving.
High school juniors or seniors (ages 14-20) and full-time undergraduate college, trade school, or technical school students (ages 15-25) may apply.
Submissions are due March 1 or April 1, based on the category entered, and scholarships are awarded in $2,000 or $8,000 amounts based on the category entered.
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AI Tip of the Month
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Want better answers from ChatGPT or another AI chatbot? Instead of having it respond immediately, add this sentence to the end of your prompt: "Before answering, ask me one clarifying question that will help you give me a better response." This encourages the AI to identify missing information rather than make assumptions. That one question can lead to a much more useful, relevant, and personalized answer. |
FundaFunda Events
Google Slides Contest
Students in grades 6th-12th are invited to create a 10-slide presentation in Google Slides on the topic of How Everyday Objects Were Invented. Any object can be selected. More details will be provided in the contest classroom.
There is a $5 contest registration fee, but included in the price is the Google Drive Unit Study priced at $20. Students will learn how to use Google Slides – and then have the opportunity to win a prize!
The contest runs until October 31, 2026.
There will Amazon gift card prizes for the top 3 presentations:
1st place – $20
2nd place – $10
3rd place – $5
Congratulations to Our Winners
Great Trivia Challenge
1st place--Ethan T ($15 Amazon Gift Card)
2nd place--Milo R ($10 Amazon Gift Card)
3rd place--Evie T ($5 Amazon Gift Card)
Coming in November!
Homeschool students ages 13 – 18 can participate in our fall teen photography contest!
- Photo must be taken by the teen during November 2026
- Theme: The photo should capture the spirit of fall or Thanksgiving — this could include nature, family traditions (without showing faces), seasonal colors, gratitude, harvest, etc.
- FREE to enter
- Amazon gift cards awarded to our top three winners
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Our contests are national contests, so placing in them is something you can add to your scholarship and college applications. They also offer a good chance for students to win Amazon gift cards. Take a look at all the different ones we run!
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Cool Links for Economics
Make economics more engaging with these online games and simulations that let students put economic concepts into practice. Most of these activities are used in our online Economics class (1 semester course which runs only in the spring)
- Lemonade Stand – Run your own virtual lemonade stand, deciding how much to spend on supplies, what prices to charge, and how to respond to changing customer demand.
- How the Market Works – Practice investing with virtual money in a stock market simulation where you can build a portfolio and track your investments.
- Money, Banking, and the Federal Reserve Digital Breakout – Solve puzzles and clues while learning about money, banking, and the Federal Reserve.
- Fiscal Ship – Make decisions about government spending and taxes while trying to keep the federal budget on track.
- People's Pie – Manage the federal budget, set taxes, and decide how to fund government programs while keeping citizens happy.
- Spent – Experience the challenge of making ends meet on a limited income as you navigate real-life financial decisions.
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FREE ACT Webinar: Ask an Admissions Counselor--Extracurriculars and College Applications
This FREE ACT Webinar is happening November 4, 2026, at 6:30 pm CST.
What will be covered:
✔ How colleges evaluate extracurricular involvement (and what impresses them most).
✔ Tips for balancing depth, breadth, and genuine passion.
✔ Examples of activities that demonstrate leadership and impact.
✔ How to tell your story authentically through your activities.
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Latest Podcast Episodes
In our Homeschooling with Technology podcast, we explore new and different ways of using technology in homeschooling. There is an episode released every week!
You can start listening at any time. Just click on a link to listen in a browser, or find the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Email me if you need help! We have a tab on our website to browse through all our past podcast episodes easily. Check it out!
Looking for free, ready-to-use educational resources for your homeschool? Canva Learn Grid offers worksheets, presentations, infographics, and interactive activities that can save you time and make learning more engaging.
Completing the FAFSA can feel intimidating, but the process has become much simpler than it used to be. In this episode, Meryl talks with Robert Farrington, founder of The College Investor, about what families need to know when completing the FAFSA.
Robert explains why almost every college-bound student should complete the FAFSA—even families who assume they won’t qualify for federal aid. The FAFSA can also be required for state aid, college scholarships, and other financial aid opportunities.
Robert also shares how the FAFSA has changed. Much of the information is now imported directly from your tax return, and the form uses smart logic to ask only the questions relevant to your family. The average completion time is now around 12 minutes.
Meryl shares a free website that makes practicing history quick and fun: Cool History Games.
The site includes several daily history games that work well as a short family activity, a homeschool warm-up, or a transition between subjects. Everything can be played directly in the browser, with no login required.
Meryl highlights five daily games:
- Chronology – Put six historical events in the correct chronological order.
- Plot Twist – A history-themed version of Two Truths and a Lie. Choose which statement is historically inaccurate, then read the explanation.
- Speech Match – Match historical quotations with the people who said them.
- Threads – A Connections-style game where you group historical people, places, and terms that belong together.
- Portrait – Identify a historical figure as clues are gradually revealed.
She also explores Time Trek, a longer choose-your-own-adventure-style history game. Players travel through different historical eras, make decisions, and earn attributes such as health, gold, knowledge, and fame along the way.
In this episode, Gina Steffy from the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network explains how Airtable can help homeschool families organize information, keep records, and create searchable collections of resources.
Gina explains that Airtable is essentially a database with a user-friendly interface. Unlike a traditional spreadsheet, it allows you to organize the same information in different ways, attach files and images, create forms, filter records, and easily find what you need later.
We also brainstorm plenty of practical ways homeschool families could use Airtable.
College applications can feel overwhelming, especially once senior year arrives. In this episode, I share several useful websites that can help homeschool families choose colleges, understand the application process, work through essays and recommendations, and make sense of what happens after applications are submitted.
These resources are useful for seniors, but many are worth exploring much earlier. Starting in middle or early high school gives students more time to think about what they want in a college and helps reduce stress later.
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Free Resource Library for Subscribers
Access the Free Resources Library HERE. Password: edufun
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