The Spell By Color spelling course by Andrea Scurlock (for grades 3 and up) uses color-coding to reinforce organized instruction in the rules of spelling. The course is unique in that it actually teaches spelling rules clearly and explicitly to ensure that a child has the tools they need for figuring out how to spell any word, not just the ones they see on their spelling lists.
Andrea has made the complete first year of this 3 year course available as a freebie. “Year One” is geared toward 3rd grade but can be used with older children who either need extra practice or who have not yet use a rules-based spelling program. There are a total of 31 weeks in Spell By Color Year One, averaging 4 lessons per week. This leaves you a few weeks remaining in the school year to focus on age-appropriate sight words that don’t fit well into any spelling rule.
For more information, and the download link for the full “Year One” course, you can email Andrea at jetted4@gmail.com and request a copy. Tell her HomeschoolFreebie.com sent you!
Here’s a very well done guide from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to all those common insects you find in your back yard, with lessons and activities for kids ages 7 – 10. Learn insect anatomy, solve puzzles, and much more. Lots of great pictures too.
Here’s a link to over two dozen classic cartoon puzzles & brain-teasers, from a fellow named Samuel Loyd (January 31, 1841 – April 10, 1911), perhaps Americas greatest ever puzzle maker, who invented and refined thousands of puzzles in his lifetime.This batch of puzzles from the 
Young Davy Crockett (MP3 audio & PDF study guide) – Today’s resource is this excellent, quite moving half hour audio dramatization of the early life of the legendary frontier hero and teller of tall tales, Davy Crockett, and his experiences growing up on the American frontier. This dramatization of Crockett’s own remembrances of his early life on the frontier was adapted for radio by Earl Hamner, who later went on to create the TV program “The Waltons”. Great stuff!
To Download the Listening Guide to “The Story of Young Davy Crockett” (PDF ebook, 2 pgs.) 
SENteacher (SEN stands for “Special Education Needs”) offers dozens of downloadable resources for teachers working with children with special needs, including severe learning difficulties and autism. Resources are categorized in Language, Math, Science, Sensory Arts, and Communication and cover most basic skills. An extensive collection of printables as well as software, links, etc.