Cool History Games

September 30, 2026 by 2 Comments

Cool history games - free online

391: Cool History Games

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.

These games are a simple way to reinforce history knowledge, introduce unfamiliar historical topics, and give students an opportunity to interact with history rather than simply read about it.

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group, especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode.

 

Cool history games - free online

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How Homeschool Families Can Use Airtable

September 23, 2026 by Leave a Comment

A podcast episode explaining how homeschool families can use Airtable

390: How Homeschool Families Can Use Airtable

Have you heard of Airtable but aren’t quite sure what it is—or why a homeschool family might want to use it?

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.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • What Airtable is and how it differs from Google Sheets or Excel
  • Why Airtable works well for information you want to sort, filter, and search
  • Using templates to get started quickly
  • What is included in Airtable’s free plan
  • Creating a family reading log or book database
  • Organizing field trip ideas by age, location, price, or time required
  • Keeping records of student projects and attaching photos or written work
  • Creating searchable lists of homeschool resources
  • Tracking LEGO creations and other hands-on projects
  • Organizing activity or storage bins
  • Using Airtable for recipes and other family information
  • Why learning to classify and organize information develops critical-thinking skills
  • How Airtable experience can be useful for teens preparing for college and employment
  • Airtable certifications and the value of building technology skills
  • How quickly beginners can create their first useful Airtable
  • Using Airtable tutorials, YouTube, and AI tools such as ChatGPT or Claude to learn the software

Gina also shares an Airtable Homeschool Starter Guide printable that walks you through creating a simple book list—an easy first Airtable project for your homeschool.

A simple project for your teen

Instead of learning new software without a purpose, give your teen a real project. Ask them to create an Airtable database your family can actually use. They could organize your books, recipes, field trips, homeschool resources, or another collection of information.

They’ll gain practical digital-literacy skills while creating something useful for the whole family.

Resources mentioned

If your homeschool information currently lives in a mixture of spreadsheets, screenshots, notes, papers, and files, Airtable may be worth exploring.

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group, especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode.

A podcast episode explaining how homeschool families can use Airtable

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Alternatives to Google search

September 9, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Alternatives to Google search

388: Alternatives to Google search with Jo Ebisujima

Google Search has changed significantly with the addition of AI-generated summaries at the top of search results. For students especially, this can make it tempting to accept an AI-generated answer without ever visiting the original source or checking whether the information is accurate.

In this episode, I talk with veteran homeschooler and educator, Jo Ebisujima, about alternatives to Google Search and why homeschoolers should teach their children to think more carefully about how they search for information online.

Jo shares a variety of search engines and browsers families can explore, including options that emphasize privacy, reduce tracking and advertising, or allow users to search without automatically receiving AI-generated answers.

We discuss:

  • Why Google’s AI summaries can be problematic for students
  • Why students need to learn to check original sources
  • How different search engines handle privacy, advertising, and AI
  • Alternatives including Startpage, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, UDM14, Mojeek, Dogpile, Brave, Vivaldi, Bing, and Kagi
  • Search tools for deeper research
  • Why students should understand how a free search engine makes money
  • How parents can turn comparing search engines into a media literacy activity
  • How to help teens recognize more reliable online sources
  • Why Reddit, blogs, and other user-generated content should be evaluated carefully rather than automatically trusted

One simple activity Jo recommends is giving your children several questions for which you already know the answers. Have them search for the same information using different search engines and compare what they find.

Ask your children:

  • Which search engine gave the most useful results?
  • Were the results noticeably different?
  • Was AI automatically included?
  • Were there advertisements?
  • Does the search engine track users?
  • How does the company make money?
  • Which sources appeared near the top?
  • Which search engine would they choose for future research, and why?

This is an easy way to introduce discussions about online research, digital privacy, source evaluation, and AI literacy.

Be sure to check out Jo’s blog post on this topic, where you can find links to the sites she mentions.

 

Where to find Jo Ebisujima online

193 Little Adventures Club site – I create geography and culture packs – https://193littleadventures.com/
 

Show sponsor FundaFunda Academy

For online classes for homeschool students, including Computer Applications, AI for Teens, computer science, and other electives, visit the Computer page on FundaFunda Academy.

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group, especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

Alternative search engines to Google
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Summer Tech Challenge 7: Create a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Story

July 15, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Create a Choose Your Own ADventure story

380: Summer Tech Challenge 7: Create a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Story

In this week’s Summer Tech Challenge, learn how to turn Google Slides into an interactive choose-your-own-adventure story. This activity combines creativity, planning, writing, and technology while giving students a fun way to present what they’ve learned.

In this episode

  • Why choose-your-own-adventure stories are such engaging learning projects
  • How this activity builds research, planning, and creative writing skills
  • Real classroom examples from FundaFunda Academy courses
  • Why Google Slides is an excellent tool for interactive storytelling
  • How to map out your story before building it
  • Creating hyperlinks between slides to allow readers to make choices

Summer Tech Challenge #7

Create a summer-themed choose-your-own-adventure story using Google Slides.

Your story could include:

  • A family vacation
  • A trip to the beach
  • A day at the pool
  • Camping adventures
  • Any original summer adventure you can imagine

Tips for Success

  • Plan the story on paper before opening Google Slides.
  • Create all of your slides first.
  • Use hyperlinks to connect choices to different slides.
  • Add images after the story structure is complete.
  • Remember that not every slide needs to offer a choice—some simply move the story forward.

Resources Mentioned

  • Google Slides
  • YouTube tutorial on creating choose-your-own-adventure stories with Google Slides

 

Entering the Summer Challenge

Share what you did in the challenge on one of the FundaFunda Education Instagram or Facebook posts or in one of these Facebook groups:

If you are not on social media, email your entry to meryl@fundafunda.com, and it can be shared on your behalf.

Each week, one participant will win a FundaFunda Academy unit study of their choice worth $20. Everyone who participates during the summer will also be entered into the grand prize drawing for a $50 gift card.

Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss any episodes!

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Summer Tech Challenge # 4: Create a Summer Tracker

June 24, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Create a summer tracker using Google sheets

377:  Summer Tech Challenge 4: Create a Summer Tracker with Google Sheets

In the fourth installment of the Summer Tech Challenge, Meryl encourages homeschool parents and teens to explore one of the most useful productivity tools available: Google Sheets.

Many students today have limited experience with spreadsheets, yet they are an invaluable tool for organizing information, tracking data, budgeting, planning projects, and creating charts. In this episode, Meryl challenges listeners to learn the basics of Google Sheets and then use it to track something meaningful during the summer.

Whether you’re completely new to spreadsheets or already have some experience, this challenge can be adapted to your skill level.

In This Episode

  • Why spreadsheet skills are valuable for homeschoolers and parents
  • How Google Sheets can be used beyond calculations and formulas
  • Easy ways to organize information using spreadsheets
  • Ideas for summer tracking projects
  • Using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude to learn spreadsheet skills
  • How to participate in the Summer Tech Challenge

Summer Tracker Ideas

Create a Google Sheet to track:

  • Books read during the summer
  • Family reading challenges
  • Travel expenses and vacation budgets
  • Summer activities and outings
  • Homeschool planning for the coming year
  • Savings goals
  • Gift and holiday spending
  • Personal projects and goals

Helpful Resources

 

 

=> The high school activity tracker mentioned in this episode – it will force you to make a copy you can then edit and fill out.

This Week’s Challenge

Complete the challenge and share your project for a chance to win prizes. You can:

  • Share a description of your spreadsheet
  • Post a screenshot
  • Share a template you’ve created

Entering the Summer Challenge

Share what you did in the challenge on one of the FundaFunda Education Instagram or Facebook posts or in one of these Facebook groups:

If you are not on social media, email your entry to meryl@fundafunda.com and it can be shared on your behalf.

Each week, one participant will win a FundaFunda Academy unit study of their choice worth $20. Everyone who participates during the summer will also be entered into the grand prize drawing for a $50 gift card.

Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss any episodes!

Create a summer tracker using Google sheets

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Exploring Space: Interactive Tools for Your Homeschool

April 8, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Exploring Space - Interactive Resources for your Homeschool

367: Exploring Space: Interactive Tools for Your Homeschool

The Artemis 2 mission has four astronauts circling the moon right now, and it’s a perfect time to bring space exploration into your homeschool. In this episode, learn about free (and nearly free) tools organized into four categories: learn and explore, games and interactives, simulations, and citizen science.

Track the Artemis Mission (timely links)

Learn & Explore

Games & Interactives

  • NASA Interactives — includes Name That Nebula, NASA Kids Club, Hooray for SLS (read-aloud book for younger kids), and more

Simulations

Citizen Science

  • Zooniverse — help real scientists classify data; space projects include:
    • Magnetosphere Sheath Classifications
    • Cold Ion Population
    • Sunspot counting (historic photos)
    • Gravity Wave Zoo, Redshift Wrangler, Active Asteroids, Planet Hunters, Disk Detective, and more

Sponsor: FundaFunda Academy Astronomy Bundle

  • Searching the Solar System — overview of astronomy, space math, the sun & moon, inner and outer planets; videos, games, interactives, and a final project per module
  • Searching the Night Sky — astronomical history, stargazing tools, constellations, deep sky objects
  • Individual units $20 each; bundle $34
  • Limited-time offer: $10 (no code needed) through the end of the Artemis 2 mission (April 10)
  • Aimed at grades 4–8

If you use any of these resources, come join the conversation in the Homeschooling with Technology Community on Facebook and let us know which ones your family enjoyed most!

Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss any episodes!

 

Exploring Space - Interactive Resources for your Homeschool

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Gems: Your Custom Homeschool Co-Teacher

March 11, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Gems - Your custom homeschool co-teacher

363: Gems – Your Custom Homeschool Co-Teacher

 

Google’s Gemini platform now includes a powerful feature called Gems. In this episode, we explore how Gems allow you to create customized AI assistants that can help with homeschooling tasks again and again without rewriting prompts each time.

Meryl explains what Gems are, how they compare to custom GPTs in ChatGPT, and how homeschool parents can use them to create interactive lessons, quizzes, games, and study guides.

She also shares an example she created — an interactive Oregon Trail adventure built using primary sources. In this activity, students pack their wagon, make decisions along the trail, and encounter historically accurate situations while learning key vocabulary and concepts.

Another helpful feature of Gems is the ability to upload documents and resources. This means you can add textbook pages, standards, or other materials and have the AI generate review questions, activities, or learning games based directly on those resources.

The episode also introduces Gem Labs, an experimental feature from Google Labs that allows you to create multi-step workflows.

AI tools are changing rapidly, and Gems provide another way for homeschool parents to turn AI into a creative co-teacher that enhances learning rather than replacing it.

In This Episode

  • What Gemini Gems are and why they’re useful

  • How Gems compare to custom GPTs in ChatGPT

  • Examples of built-in Gems provided by Google

  • How to create your own Gem

  • Using uploaded documents to guide AI responses

  • An example Oregon Trail interactive history game  (you need to be logged in to Google/Gemini to try it)

  • A brief introduction to Gem Labs experimental workflows

If you use any of these resources, join the conversation in the Homeschooling with Technology Community on Facebook and let us know which ones your family enjoyed most!

Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss any episodes!

Gems - Your custom homeschool co-teacher

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Hour of AI: A Free Intro to Artificial Intelligence for Kids

December 3, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Hour of AI activities reviewed

352: The Hour of AI

Code.org has transformed its annual Hour of Code into the Hour of AI, offering a wide variety of free, interactive activities that help students understand artificial intelligence—not just coding. Some of the resources we tried out are:

1. AI Quests

An interactive, story-driven adventure that teaches real-world Artificial Intelligence applications. Meryl tested the natural-disaster quest on flooding and found it highly engaging and educational.

2. Design a Custom Product (Adobe Express)

Students use text prompts inside Adobe Express to design a custom product. A great introduction to generative AI tools—and perfect for creative learners.

3. Two Truths and an AI

A game where students identify real vs. generated images. Available in versions for younger and older students, with multiple difficulty levels.

4. Coding + AI Activities

For students who love programming, the Hour of AI still includes options that blend artificial intelligence concepts with familiar platforms such as:

  • Minecraft

  • Roblox

  • Python

  • And more

5. AI Quest Bot (by Magic School)

From the team behind Magic School AI, this quest-style activity lets students answer questions, earn points, and deepen AI understanding.

6. Multiplayer Puzzle Game Creator

A standout for puzzle-lovers and game designers: students can build a multiplayer puzzle game in under an hour.

7. BrainPOP – AI Dilemma: Helper or Hero

Includes a video plus downloadable teacher resources. Some materials note limited-time free educator access.

8. Vibe Coding

Several activities highlight “vibe coding.” Meryl will cover this in depth next week, so stay tuned for a full explanation!

9. Mastering Prompt Engineering

A short activity designed to help students learn how to prompt Artificial Intelligence tools more effectively.

10. How Does AI Work? (Girls Who Code)

A mini-course that goes deeper than a typical one-hour activity—perfect for students wanting more detail on AI fundamentals.

Want to Go Beyond the Hour of AI?

 

Intro to AI Unit Study (Grades 6–12) — $20

A complete, self-paced unit study covering:

  • What AI is

  • Ethical concerns

  • Responsible use

  • How AI systems are trained

  • Hands-on activities

  • Built-in answer keys

Purchase once—use with the whole family.

Full-Semester AI Class (Grades 7–12)

A 16-week, asynchronous, half-credit high school course with:

  • Weekly deadlines

  • Virtual discussions

  • Tool-based exploration starting around Week 5

  • Graded assignments

  • A deep dive into how AI works, how to use it responsibly, and how to evaluate tools

Links Mentioned

 

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

Hour of AI activities reviewed

 

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AI and Critical Thinking

October 22, 2025 by Leave a Comment

AI and Critical Thinking

346: AI and Critical Thinking


In this episode, Meryl is joined once again by Critical Thinking in the Digital Age instructor Stephanie Simoes to explore how AI is impacting students’ ability to think deeply and critically. The two discuss an MIT study that sparked widespread concern, the concept of cognitive offloading, and how parents can teach their teens to use AI responsibly without losing their own reasoning skills.

Listen to get  insights on:

  • What the “Your Brain on ChatGPT” study actually found—and why it’s been misunderstood

  • What cognitive offloading means and when it’s useful vs. harmful

  •  The critical thinking and fact-checking skills students need before using AI tools

  • How expertise and intellectual humility affect our ability to evaluate AI responses

  •  Recognizing bias—both in AI training data and in our own prompts

  •  Strategies to overcome confirmation bias when using ChatGPT

  • How to use AI to strengthen critical thinking through debate and challenge-based prompts

Mentioned Resources:

Where to find Stephanie  (@critikid)

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

AI and Critical Thinking

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Listener Favorites: Our Top 5 Most-Downloaded Episodes Revisited

October 15, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Listener Favorites Revisited

345: Listener Favorites: Our Top 5 Most-Downloaded Episodes Revisited

In this special birthday edition of Homeschooling with Technology, Meryl Van der Merwe looks back at the five most downloaded episodes of all time! This episode is part of the 12 Days of Homeschool Gold celebration for the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network’s birthday — complete with giveaways, bonus mini-episodes, a treasure hunt, and a basket full of freebies and discounts. Visit UltimateRadioShow.com/birthday before October 18th to join in!

#5 – How to Use Movies in Your Homeschool (Ep. 187)
Originally co-hosted with Meryl’s oldest daughter, this episode explores how films can enhance homeschool learning.
🎬 New additions:

  • Shackleton – History, leadership, and perseverance

  • March of the Penguins – Ecology and Antarctica

  • October Sky – Inspiration and STEM

  • Hidden Figures – Math, science, and history

  • The Hundred-Foot Journey – Geography and cultural studies

#4 – Apps for High School Students (Ep. 189)
Guest: Natalie Vaughn, former homeschooler and FundaFunda student.
She shared the apps that helped her succeed in high school and win scholarships.
💡 Meryl’s AI-era updates:

  • ChatGPT & Gemini – Guided learning and concept explanations

  • NotebookLM – AI-assisted study aid and self-quizzing tool

#3 – Creating an AI Policy for Your Homeschool (Ep. 334)
A recent favorite
🎓 Learn how to:

  • Create clear rules for AI use in your homeschool

  • Teach students ethical and productive AI use

  • Balance learning with technology

#2 – Online Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Games (Ep. 185)
Explore educational interactive fiction and decision-based learning tools.
🎮 New ideas:

  • Mission US Series – Immersive American history games

  • ChatGPT Interactive Adventures – Create your own story-based learning games!
    Example: A “Dolphin Adventure” story that unfolds through 10 interactive choices.

#1 – Free Online Vocabulary Games (Ep. 70)
The all-time favorite! Fun and free vocabulary-building tools for all ages.
🧠 Updated links and recommendations:

🎉 Join the Celebration

Don’t miss the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network’s 12th Birthday Celebration!
Visit 👉 UltimateRadioShow.com/birthday
Ends October 18th — grab your freebies and prizes while they last!

 

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

Listener Favorites Revisited

 

 

 

 

 

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