WebTools - Hot Sites - Archive

12/21/00 - Learn more about Charles Dickens

Dickens's Life Before the Carol
http://humwww.ucsc.edu/dickens/DEA/ACC/dickens.bio.html
How old do you think Dickens was when he wrote "A Christmas Carol"? Find out here, along with information about his money worries and how long it took him to write this classic story.

Dickens Electronic Bookshelf
http://www.classicbookshelf.com/authors/Dickens.htm
Think you might like to read more Dickens, but not sure where to start?  Browse through this electronic bookshelf.

The Victorian Age
http://www.bbc.co.uk/knowledge/historyfix/maproom/victorian.shtml
Here is a nice introduction from the BBC on the Victorian age in history.

Daily Dose of Dickens
http://www.perryweb.com/Dickens/daily.shtml
Learn about the life and works of Charles Dickens. Read the daily quote or try a quiz about "A Christmas Carol."

"A Christmas Carol" (Condensed by Charles Dickens)
http://www.mtroyal.ab.ca/gaslight/carol.htm
The author used his own condensed version for reading tours

12/22/00 - Tis the Season

Holidays of the World: Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa
http://www.maui.net/~mcculc/xmas.htm
Learn how these winter holidays are celebrated around the world.

Winter Festivals from Past and Present
http://www.maui.net/~mcculc/xmas.htm
Celebrations during the mid-winter season were common, even before Christmas was celebrated on December 25. Read about the Festival of the Broken Needles, Night of the Radishes, and La Befana.

Hanukkah
http://www.joi.org/celebrate/hanuk/
Learn about the traditions of this Jewish holiday. Click on Activities for songs to commemorate this historic event.

Christmas Stories and Poems
http://www.night.net/christmas/poems12.html-ssi
This treasury includes The Gift of the Magi, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas in English and Spanish, An Elf Named Freddie, and One Cool Yule.

Ramadan on the Net
http://www.holidays.net/ramadan
This colorful site tells how Islam began and how Muhammad received the Quran (Koran). Read about the fast of Ramadan, the Night of Power, and the Five Pillars of the Muslim Faith.

Ben & Jerry's Winter Holidays
http://www.benjerry.com/yule/
"Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Yuletide Greetings, Happy Winter Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year, Feliz Navidad, Habari Gani? We wish you a happy holiday season."  The Vermont ice cream brothers bring us holiday games and
links.

Blue Mountain Winter Holiday Cards
http://www.bluemountain.com/eng3/wintrdays/
Blue Mountain, the granddaddy of free electronic greeting cards, offers an extensive selection of fun secular and religious holiday cards for all the winter celebrations.

The Gift of the Magi
http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html
Read O. Henry's classic short story about a young couple questioning their gift-giving abilities. Money is tight, but they both want to buy special gifts for their spouse. They each pawn their most prized possession (unbeknownst to the other) to pay for their purchases, but things don't quite turn out as they planned. Click on the hyperlinks for definitions of uncommon words.

Holiday Gift Delivery
 http://128.138.129.27/library/bpl/child/season/chris3.html
In America, Santa Claus brings gifts to nice children and leaves coal for naughty ones. In Italy, it's La Befana, an old woman. In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas brings an assistant named Zwarte Peit who helps him distribute presents. You can find out more about gift bringers in other countries by
visiting this fascinating Web site.

Virtual Dreidel
http://www.torahtots.com/holidays/chanuka/dreidlrn.htm
Celebrate Chanukah with this virtual dreidel where you click instead of spin! Chanukah is celebrated over eight days, symbolizing the eight extra days the oil in the temple burned after the Maccabees victory over the Syrians. Of course, the eight days also represent an opportunity for many days of receiving gifts!

Myrrh
http://ww2.netnitco.net/users/legend01/myrrh.htm
The Three Wise Men were said to have brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh when they visited baby Jesus. Everyone knows what gold is, and frankincense can usually be correctly identified by the "incense" portion of its name. But what is myrrh?

Bonus.com Ho Ho Ho!
http://www.bonus.com/bonus/list/n_making_merry.html
"Ho Ho Ho! Play games while your mom shops! These activities are sure to get you in the holiday spirit!"  Although these twenty-nine pages of games draw on many different Web sites, Bonus.com packages them in their NetScooter browser window so it appears that all the fun is happening in one place. 

Holidays on the Net
http://www.holidays.net/
Beyond its multimedia features on Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, Holidays on the Net also covers the month-long Moslem holiday Ramadan which began on November 27.

World Book Holidays Around the World
http://www.worldbook.com/fun/holidays/html/holidays.htm
"From Christmas and Hanukkah to Our Lady of Guadelupe Day in Mexico, Guy Fawkes Day in the United Kingdom, and New Year's Eve, November and December are full of revelry, celebration, and solemn religious occasions."

1/5/01 - Hot Sites Volume 2

Biography Of The Millennium
http://www.biography.com/features/millennium/
Biography.com features a list of 100 people who have had the most influence.  Check out the list, take a quiz, and post your opinions on who were the most influential people.

New York Times Crossword: People of the Millennium
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/xwords/19991202.html
Play this online crossword puzzle to show what you've learned about the people who have influenced the last 1000 years. 

Millennium Eco-Communities
http://www2.ec.gc.ca/eco/main_e.htm
Now that a new millennium is upon us, how will we live on the planet to ensure that we'll be here for "Y3K"? This site makes a good springboard for units on community and environmental studies.

Sunergy for the New Millennium
http://www.angelfire.com/on2/sunergy
Join a worldwide investigation of solar energy. Build a solar energy collector to evaluate your location's solar potential! Your class will use project data to study relationships between elevation, latitude and solar energy.

Person of the Year
http://www.time.com/time/poy2000/
Time magazine has selected George W. Bush as their person of the year. Read about the next president of the United States. Then re-visit the year 2000 by clicking on Year in Pictures.

Snow Crystals
http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/
"This site is all about snow crystals and snowflakes. Although a common meteorological phenomenon, snow crystal growth is a fascinating and poorly understood process in which remarkably complex and beautifully symmetric structures appear, quite literally, out of thin air."  

Extreme Snow
http://www.discovery.com/news/features/extremesnow/extremesnow.html
Discovery.com presents a fascinating look at extreme snow, including a quiz ("What kind of snow is edible?") and a photo gallery.  An interactive Build Your Own Avalanche exercise (along with more on avalanches) can be found by following the link to Extreme Weather Guide.

Questions & Answers About Snow
http://nsidc.org/NSIDC/EDUCATION/SNOW/snow_FAQ.html
Everything you ever wanted to know about snow (but didn't know who to ask) is answered here by the National Snow and Ice Data Center, affiliated with the University of Colorado. This educational site also includes a Snow Glossary (from "ablation" to "vapor pressure")  and a Snow Fact Sheet.

Teel Family kids snow page
http://www.teelfamily.com/activities/snow/
"You can have a permanent record of your caught snowflakes if you freeze a piece of glass and the hair spray before the next snowfall. When you're ready to collect some snowflakes, spray your chilled glass with the chilled hair spray and go outside and let some snowflakes settle on the glass. When you have enough flakes bring the glass indoors and allow it to thaw at room temperature for about fifteen minutes. Now you have a permanent record of your snowflakes!" The Teel family lives in Alaska, and obviously knows a lot about snow. Their site includes pages on Snow Science, Snow Art, Snow Literature and more.

Winter Weather Glossary

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wwterms.htm At this USA Today page, you'll learn all the official winter weather terminology, as defined by the National Weather Service. 

PBS Teacherline

http://2kbb2.pbs.org/tk/welcome.cfm
Teacherline provides help in integrating technology into classroom instruction.  This site features famous technology experts in live chats, panels of teachers who use technology, tools for integrating the use of technology in our classrooms, has research links, and even provides on-line professional development.

1/19/01 - Hot Sites Volume 3

National Geographic: Inside the White House
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/96/whitehouse/whhome.html
"First day on the job! You got the nomination, you campaigned, you won. Then you took the oath of office, made the first speech of your administration, and danced the night away. But now it's morning in America -- time to face the Oval Office. It's YOUR chance to be President of the United States. Let's see how you do." Other fun clicks include silly things White House children have done (go to Kids) or the clickable map of the White House neighborhood (choose Mapping.) Teachers will like the grade-level classroom activities found under Learn More.  

The Presidents
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/indexjs.html
"There is much to learn about the presidency by studying the men who occupied the office. All have been immensely different from one another. Woodrow Wilson, the peacemaker; Kennedy, the Cold Warrior; Jimmy Carter, the engineer; 'Silent Cal' Coolidge and the bellicose Theodore Roosevelt. We've had Richard Nixon, the anti-communist and Ronald Reagan, the actor turned politician. All of the characters are complex and all of their stories surprising. Their lives and careers provide us a panoramic view of America." The Presidents Web site draws on the research done for eight PBS television specials portraying the seven aforementioned presidents and Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

Inaugurations in American Memory
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/features/inaug/inaug.html
Each presidential inauguration opens a new chapter in American history. Inauguration time often features great celebrations and festivities, many of which are captured in American Memory historical collections. 

World Book: U.S. Presidents and the Presidency
http://www.worldbook.com/fun/presidents/html/intro.htm
Well-written and nicely presented. What else would you expect from World Book? The site is divided into sections on Office of the President, History of the Presidency, Office of the Vice President, and Portraits of the First Ladies. You'll also find related Web links and multiple-choice quizzes on the presidents, the vice-presidents and the first ladies. "Who was the first president elected by a margin of only one electoral vote?"  You'll have to try the quiz yourself to find the right answer.  The Avalon

Project at the Yale Law School
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/presiden/inaug/inaug.htm
The Avalon Project mounts digital documents relevant to the fields of Law, History, Economics, Politics, Diplomacy and Government. This link will take you directly to their page on the Inaugural address of the Presidents.  You can also find major papers of the Presidents including addresses to congress and proclamations.  

The American President
http://www.americanpresident.org/home6.htm
"Welcome to a new, comprehensive guide to the presidents of the United States. Written as a collaborative project between teachers, leading historians, and political scientists, these biographies are specifically designed to be valuable to students, teachers, and scholars." This site was created to accompany last year's PBS documentary series of the same name. You'll find great stuff for school reports under Presidential History Resources, but don't miss The War Room Campaign Simulation Game (from the front page.) "You're the hottest campaign manager around and you're ready to join an intense battle to elect the leader of the free world!" 

American Presidency
http://gi.grolier.com/presidents/preshome.html
Grolier Online presents " a celebration of the history of the nation's highest office" culled from a number of their encyclopedias. Beginning at a third-grade level (and progressing to high school and beyond), you'll find biographies, quick fact browsers and articles on topics such as unsuccessful presidential hopefuls. Best clicks are the Presidential Gallery of video and sound clips, and the three multiple-choice quizzes. "Who was the last president to be born in a log cabin?" 

Voting for Abraham Lincoln
http://www.uen.org/cgi-bin/websql/lessons/l4.hts?id=7783&core=1103
In this second grade lesson plan, students will read books about Abraham Lincoln (others can be used than the two suggested) and then decide if and why they might vote for Lincoln again, today. They will also create a campaign poster, and use the computer to correct punctuation and grammar in sentences about Lincoln's life.

Kids in the Whitehouse
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/whitehouse/world.html
Students can visit the White House from the perspective of all the children who have lived there.  Have them write or discuss reasons why they might or might not want to live at the White House themselves.

Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/
Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids is brought to the World Wide Web as a service of the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). This site provides learning tools for K-12 students, parents, and teachers. These resources will teach how our government works, the use of the primary source materials of GPO Access, and how one can use GPO Access to carry out their civic responsibilities. And, just as GPO Access provides locator services to U.S. Government sites, Ben's Guide provides a similar service to U.S. Government Web sites developed for kids.

 President's day Activities
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/1stGrade/pageq.html
For early elementary students, find several poems and songs about Lincoln and Washington, with classroom activities for related writing and art exercises.

Laws, Rights and Responsibilities
http://ericir.syr.edu/Virtual/Lessons/Social_St/Civics/CIV0012.html
In this third grade lesson plan, students will consider the meaning of the Constitution, the development of laws, and their place as citizens in their community and country.

Explore the 50 states
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/es
Use this site for students to explore online, get a few basic details about each state, and then choose which one they would like to follow up on.

States and Capitals
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/es
Extensive information is available here for each of the fifty states, as well as recommended links and further resources.

U.S. Maps Library
http://teachervision.com/tv/curriculum/printables/map_library.html
Choose your state map, with or without capital cities or physical landforms. On their blank maps, have students mark their cities, natural resources, products, weather, etc.

Statistics for the United States
http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-2383.html
Find statistics charts for order of entry into the union, population, state capitals, fun facts, as well as U.S. state mottos, state nicknames, etc.  

Postcards from America
http://www.postcardsfrom.com/teach.html
This site chooses one state per week, and then supplies one postcard per day from a different place of interest within that state. (Click on Postcard Gallery, left side.) Teaching activities are included, as well as important state facts, stamps, state flags, maps, travel tips, and more.  

2/02/01 - Hot Sites Volume 4

Worldbook article on Valentine's Day
http://worldbook.bigchalk.com/579360.htm
Valentine's Dayis a special day observed on February 14. On this day, people send greeting cards called valentines to their sweethearts, friends, and members of their families. Many valentines have romantic verses, and others have humorous pictures and sayings. Many say, "Be my valentine."

Ghirardelli Square History
http://www.ghirardellisq.com/gshist.htm
Ghirardelli Square, now a San Francisco landmark, was built at the turn of the century as a expansion of the Ghirardelli chocolate factory. Domingo Ghirardelli, born in Italy in 1817, was lured to California from Peru by tales of the gold rush. After several ill-fated business attempts, Ghirardelli returned to his roots in the chocolate business, and found incredible success.

History Of Valentine's day and its origin
http://theholidayspot.com/valentine/history_of_valentine.htm
As early as the fourth century B.C., the Romans engaged in an annual young man's rite to passage to the God Lupercus. The names of the teenage women were placed in a box and drawn at random by adolescent men; thus, a man was assigned a woman companion for the duration of the year, after which another lottery was staged.

Hershey's Chocolate Tour
http://www.hersheys.com/chocworld/
Hershey's plant in Pennsylvania, with nearly two million square feet of manufacturing space, is the largest chocolate factory in the world. Since opening in 1905, it's hosted millions of visitors. The public tour, however, was discontinued in 1973. But today, without even leaving home, you can take
the tour that made Hershey, PA "one of America's favorite destinations."

Celebrate! Holidays In The U.S.A.  - Valentine's Day
http://www.usis.usemb.se/Holidays/celebrate/valentins.html
St. Valentine's Day has roots in several different legends that have found their way to us through the ages. One of the earliest popular symbols of the day is Cupid, the Roman god of love, who is represented by the image of a young boy with bow and arrow.

Lindt & Sprungli
http://www.lindtchocolate.com:80/ls_shop/netshow/lindtshow.asp
Rodolphe Lindt of Berne, Switzerland invented the chocolate-refining process known as "conching" and was the first to add cocoa butter to chocolate. Online tour of the Lindt & Sprungli factory.

Godiva Chocolate Trivia
http://www.godiva.com/about/chocolate_trivia.asp
How much do you really know about chocolate? Did you know it might make you feel like you’re falling in love? Or how much less caffeine it has than coffee? Next time you’re sharing a ballotin of Godiva with friends (you do share, don’t you?) impress them with your knowledge of this wonderfully
delicious indulgence.

M&M Factory Tour
http://www.m-ms.com/factory/
"Actually, the story of M&M's began thousands of years ago - the Mayan and Aztec civilizations of Central America used to make a drink from the beans of the cacao tree.  After a quick animated tour of the M&M factory and a tongue-in-cheek monorail tour of the M&M studio, this Web site is all
Shockwave fun and games.

Cadbury Learning Zone
http://www.cadburylearningzone.co.uk/
The Learning Zone aims to provide exciting and challenging materials for both school and home learning with on line and download activities, fascinating facts and illustrations.

Wonka Factory
http://www.wonka.com/
This animated playground created by Nestl˜, was inspired by Dahl's Willie Wonka character. In the science lab, you'll learn about the melting points of solids such as chocolate, butter, sugar and ice.  In the Inventonator, you can arrange musical machine parts to create a melody. All the games
require Shockwave, and are designed for the under-ten set.

Valentine's Day Jigsaw
http://www.surfnetkids.com/games/valentine-js.htm
"If I fell in love with you, would you promise to be true?" The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night, 1964
You have two minutes to put the pieces back together. Can you beat the clock?

Valentine's Day Heart Scrambler
http://www.surfnetkids.com/games/valentine-sc.htm

WebBytes

Frank Potter's Science Links: http://www.sciencegems.com/ Great links for teachers and links to lesson plans for grades K-16.  

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Especially for Kindergarten teachers   Make Bird Biscuits
http://kidsdomain.com/craft/birdbisc.html

Pebble Pets
http://kidsdomain.com/craft/pebble.html
Make no fuss pets that you can carry in your pocket.

Name Bugs
http://kidsdomain.com/craft/namebugs.html
Turn your name into a bug!

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Play a game!   Smiley Face
http://jigzone.com/ms/z.php?p=jz/p16/Smiley&z=6_piece_classic&q=it

ABC Hide and Seek
http://www.randomhouse.com/seussville/titles/flapbook/abc.html
See if you can find the letter that matches the picture - letters A-H are used.

Big Dirt Movers
http://www.mattelmedia.com/matchbox/cat/bigdirtmovers/bigdirt.html
Use the Motor Grader, Compactor, and Asphalt Paver to help build a runway for the airport

Build a Snowman With Pooh
http://disney.go.com/mousehousejr/pooh_corner/snowman/snowman.html
Help Pooh build a neat snowman, then make it dance!

Catch the Wubbies
http://www.wubbiesworld.com/playcatchwubbie.html
See if you can click on the Wubbies as they run across the garden.  

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Read a story!   Cinderella
http://www.skazki.com/skazki/s8.htm

Beauty and the Beast
http://www.skazki.com/skazki/s5.htm

The Golden Goose
http://www.skazki.com/skazki/s40.htm  

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Animals of the World!
Baby Elephant http://jigzone.com/ms/z.php?p=jz/aw/Baby_elephant&z=6_piece_classic

Elephant
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/elephant/Elephantcoloring.shtml
There are two types of elephants, the Indian Elephant and the African Elephant.

Cardinal
http://jigzone.com/ms/z.php?p=jz/aw/Cardinal&z=6_piece_classic

Cardinal
http://www.ZoomSchool.com/subjects/birds/printouts/Cardinalprintout.shtml
The Northern Cardinal is a brilliant red bird with a short, wide bill.

Golden Retriever
http://jigzone.com/ms/z.php?p=jz/pdx/Golden_retriever&z=12_piece_zigzag

Toucan
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/printouts/Toucancoloring.shtml
A rainforest bird with a huge, colorful beak.

3/02/01 - Hot Sites Volume 6

http://www.cogcon.com/gamegoo/
This new Web-based educational game site, by Cognitive Concepts, offers interactive games for practicing early language and literacy skills. 

The Great Horn Spoon!
http://library.thinkquest.org/50048/
This site is a teaching resource based on the book By the Great Horn Spoon! by Sid Fleischman. It is available in English and Spanish. Users will need QuickTime 3.0 or 4.0 to load the site, hear the music, and watch the movies. 

ABC Teach
http://www.abcteach.com/
ABC Teach is a collection of resources for teachers, parents, and students to supplement classroom curricula or help parents who want to work with their children at home.  

Book Raps
http://www.rite.ed.qut.edu.au/oz-teachernet/projects/book-rap/index.html
Teacher Cherrol McGhee, Hillview Primary School in Queensland, Australia, manages this project to allow students from around the world to discuss literature selections they have read.

English Grammar 101
http://englishgrammar101.com/
This site provides interactive tutorial instruction in English grammar for language arts, home-school, or ESL students. Have you been looking for new ways to enhance your language arts instruction? Take your students for a trip down English Grammar 101, the highway to a better use of the English language.  

KidBibs
http://www.kidbibs.com/
KidBibs is a resource for improving kids' reading, writing, and learning by bringing kids and books together. The main section is Learning Tips, a large collection of practical articles for helping children become good readers, submitted by practicing teachers. Homework Help features links to homework resources on the Internet. Go to Make Awards to create just the right award for those special achievements. You can also register to receive a free e-newsletter.  

Story Place
http://www.storyplace.org/
StoryPlace is an interactive site from the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County. It offers children online experiences with stories that would usually be available at the physical library. Five themes are currently available in the Pre-school Library: colors, teddy bears, crocodiles, animals, and monkeys. Each section features activities centered on the theme. For instance, in the teddy bear theme, children can choose to view and listen to the story 6 Little Teddy Bears, help Bella Teddy Bear choose the correct clothing for the weather, or print a teddy bear doll to cut out and put together.  

Word Detective
http://www.word-detective.com/
The site is a companion to The Word Detective newspaper column, by Evan Morris, which answers users' questions about words and language. What does a "pig in a poke" have to do with "letting the cat out of the bag"? Ask the Word Detective. This site explores the world of words in a lighthearted manner. The Word Detective includes current columns as well as archives of past columns. Users will also find a link for subscribing to the newsletter or sending in their own word questions. Fun links include everything from a history of The Word Detective to how to waste time on the Internet.  

Mrs. ABC
http://www.mrsabc.com/
This free, interactive site features lessons in beginning spelling, phonics, and vocabulary skills. This resource was created by veteran teacher Judi Gettel. Created especially for kids seven to nine years of age, Mrs. ABC offers a collection of interactive lessons on ABC order, antonyms, capital letters, rhyming words, verbs, vowels, compound words, and more. Each lesson presents a variety of activities for the word list, and the lessons are progressively more difficult.  

Great Adventure to Scenic Places
http://wneo.org/gasp/
This content-rich curriculum resource takes students on a yearlong bicycle journey to every national park in the contiguous United States. The Last G.A.S.P (Great Adventure to Scenic Places) Bicycle Tour chronicles the one-man, yearlong bicycle tour of Gary Nero as he travels around the United States visiting national and state parks. The Curriculum section offers project and activity ideas with four levels of difficulty: Level 1 (Information Seeking), Level 2 (Information Retrieval and Synthesis), Level 3 (Information Synthesis), and Level 4 (Problem Solving). Each level is designed with increasing difficulty and can stand alone or be used in sequence to build upon new skills.  

Alphabet SuperHighway
http://www.ash.udel.edu/ash/
Student-made exhibits in science, social studies, mathematics, and the language arts. This site can also be used by teachers to find materials and ideas for teaching almost any part of the elementary or secondary curriculum. The sections at this site supply mini-lessons on many subjects, student problems and search capabilities for both the site and the internet. The section called "Knowledge Neighborhoods" contains student-constructed exhibits; cyberzines which have articles, interviews and cartoons written by students; libraries with search tools and links to other Web sites; an Idea Center, and, a Teachers' Lounge with lesson plans, curriculum guides, teaching tips and links to other WWW instructional resources for each specific "neighborhood" topic.  

Early Childhood Technology Literacy Project
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/littlekids/index.html
This valuable resource for early childhood teachers focuses on incorporating technology into a balanced literacy program. The Early Childhood Technology Literacy Project Web site is a product of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools. The resources collected and developed during the course of the project are a great resource for other early childhood teachers. Information on the grant that funded this project is available as well as lesson plans, activities, training materials, suggested software, and early literacy resources.  

3/16/01 - Hot Sites Volume 7

A+ Math
http://www.aplusmath.com/
This site was created by a group of software engineers and an elementary school teacher as an interactive math Web site for kids. Users can view flashcards (where the user supplies a missing component) for basic mathematical functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, as well as reducing fractions, currency calculations, and geometric shapes.

Cool Math
http://www.coolmath.com/home.htm
Whether you need to practice your math skills or just have some fun, Cool Math is the place to go. The interactive games are sure to have the younger set engaged for hours. For example, in Number Monster, children can play against the computer to practice the four operations of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. The player chooses the operation and the level of difficulty, ranging from easy to hard to killer to monster.

Mega Mathematics
http://www.c3.lanl.gov/mega-math/
This is math like you've probably not seen before. This website is an extension of the "This is MegaMathmatics" project which sends speakers to visit classrooms with "Stories and Activities for Mathematical Thinking and Problem Solving" and which also develops new activities. Basically, the authors love math, education and children and have decided to create something to tie all that together -- and this is it. The material here is provided so that students and their teachers can "experience mathematics in ways it is experienced by mathematicians and scientists."

Plane Math
http://www.planemath.com/
PlaneMath was created with assistance from NASA to help break down some of the barriers that many students with physical disabilities experience when learning mathematics. The site succeeds with flying colors, utilizing Internet technology to create a highly accessible environment full of inspiring activities that will appeal to everyone.

Web Math
http://www.webmath.com/
WebMath is not a static mathematics site. It contains a sophisticated math "engine" that can do specific math problems from simple addition through trigonometry. The answers are accompanied by explanations of the steps used to solve the problems, so students can learn as they get their answers.

Useful and Curious Math
http://personal.cfw.com/~clayford/
Did you know there are 293 ways to make change for a dollar? Or do you need some tips and tricks for learning how to quickly know whether one number will divide evenly into another number leaving no remainder? Or perhaps the sections Multiplication Tricks or Squaring Tricks will pique your interests. Curious and Useful Math offers all that and more.

Math Mystery
http://www.mathmastery.com/
Students, teachers, and parents will find this site useful for teaching and learning essential mathematical concepts. The activities could supplement classroom curricula, be used in the home school, or help students who want to improve their math skills. Teachers will appreciate Daily Brains. A new math problem, for reinforcing problem-solving strategies, is presented each day.

FlashCards for Kids
http://www.edu4kids.com/math/
This page was set up to help kids learn basic math skills using the Internet. Because of the simplicity, this site would be appropriate for grades K-12 but would greatly reinforce lower level lesson plans. The user can choose the flash card to provide equations for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and a combination of addition and subtraction.

Funology.com - The Science of having FUN
http://www.funology.com/index.cfm
Have your students ever wondered where sheep get their hair cut or how to make an ice-cream sandwich? Funology.com has the answer. This site offers suggestions for activities that can be done on and off the computer. Kids can have so much fun, they won't even realize they are learning. Youngsters can put their brains to the test -- learn funky facts, solve brainteasers, take a quiz, or visit the laboratory and whip up a ball of ooze.

Math Excercises
http://www.rbbbs.com/math_exercises
The company that sponsors this site, Rainbow Bridge BBS (RBBBS), has provided this site because they believe doing exercises, rather than memorizing formulas, is the best way to learn math! The company also presents information on a separate page about a software product that "provides math drills and SAT/SSAT preparation tests for students from preschool to 12th grade to practice math."

Math in Daily Life
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/dailymath/
This site gives students a reason to learn about probability, exponential growth, and ratios in a practical way that will make sense to them. Whether they choose to buy or lease a car, redecorate a house, save for retirement, cook up a gourmet meal, or place their bets, math will affect the decisions they make.

MathCove
http://www.utc.edu/%7Ecpmawata
Math Cove is the math teacher's dream. Using Java applets, this professor has put together a visual, interactive way of teaching a few of those not-so-easy mathematical concepts. This wealth of teaching resources includes 23 lessons on graph theory and an interactive puzzle, Trominos. The transformations lessons include reflections, rotations, and translations. The high school geometry section teaches everything you need to know about angles from the types of angles to measuring angles to adding angles. If you're up to it, the Instructor's Notes offers tips on using and writing your own Java applets.

3/30/01 - Hot Sites Volume 8

Kidnews.com
http://www.kidnews.com
This site features the writing of kids from all over the world. There is a page for posting pen-pal requests, a parent-teacher connection, and a list of links to cool Web hangouts for kids.

AmphibiaWeb
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/aw/
AmphibiaWeb is an online database of information related to amphibian biology and conservation.

Classical Net
http://classical.efront.com/
This site offers a multitude of information regarding classical music, composers, periods in music, and how to appreciate and learn about classical works.

Predators and Prey
http://bulldog2.berwick-academy.so-berwick.pvt.k12.me.us/projects/predator/predator_intro.htm
Students will enjoy the easy-to-read text, colorful digital pictures, photos, and information they will find at this site. After reading about the animals and their prey, students can take the predator quiz and follow the directions for creating their own predator project. Included are links to other sites for more information about each animal.

The Degree Confluence Project
http://confluence.org/
Did you know that there is a confluence within 49 miles of you? This site could help engage students in the study of latitude and longitude. Visitors are encouraged to locate a confluence near them, take pictures, write narratives about the experience, and submit them for publication.

The Audrey Wood Clubhouse
http://www.AudreyWood.com/
This site is great for anyone who enjoys the books created by the author-illustrator team of Audrey and Don Wood. Visitors will find
biographical information about the pair, information about and illustrations from their books, and an online interview Scholastic
conducted in October 2000.

I Can Do That!
http://www.eurekascience.com/ICanDoThat/
This site provides students with an entertaining and interesting way to learn some complicated material. Each page offers a fun fact, called neuron food, to spark curiosity. The simple drawings explain the content fairly well. In addition to the four main characters, students will meet others, such as Rudy (the root cell) and BeeGee (the blue-green algae).

EverythingESL.net
http://www.everythingesl.net/
ESL teachers will find a wealth of resources at this site. Lesson plans geared to TESOL ESL standards for Pre-K through 12 students include such topics as Amazing Animals, Thirteen Original Colonies, Pumpkin Science, and more.

The Official Berenstain Bears Website
http://www.berenstainbears.com
Links lead readers into games such as Dress Up the Berenstain Bears and Sister Bear's New Mystery Message. Students will find numerous activities for getting to know the characters and following up on prior knowledge of Berenstain Bears books.

Ideas4EarlyYears
http://www.ideas4earlyyears.com
This is a fairly comprehensive listing of early childhood activities. Users can search or view listings by goal or subject. Members are asked to submit activities to add to the database.

Schoolscience.co.uk
http://www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/index.asp
These science resources were created by teachers in the United Kingdom and relate to the work of the sponsoring company. Biology, chemistry, and physics teachers everywhere will find these "e-sources" (electronic resources) a great supplement to their instruction. All the resources use interactive diagrams, glossaries, quizzes, and a find feature.

Building a School Web Site
http://www.wigglebits.com/
Learn about topics such as basic HTML, using a Web editor, animation, search engine placement, and bandwidth. Wanda Wigglebits has put it all together in an informative and interesting tutorial that is ideal for students and teachers who are in the beginning stages of Web development.

Bartleby.com: Great Books Online
http://www.bartleby.com
Bartleby.com offers complete electronic texts of classic books that are out of copyright as well as such current reference sources as the Columbia Encyclopedia, sixth edition; The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, third edition; Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, third edition; Simpson's Contemporary Quotations; and The American Heritage Book of English Usage.

Hello Friend
http://www.hellofriend.org
The information here is for parents, teachers, and other professionals interested in variations in learning styles. Teachers will find a hyperlinked list of ten things teachers can do to help students with learning differences. Each suggestions is linked to ideas for implementing the suggestion in the classroom.

The Bullying Project
http://www.bullying.org
Bullying.org encourages young people who are dealing with the issue of bullying to understand that they are not alone, that being bullied and teased is not their fault, and that they can do something about it. Help provides a long list of resources, such as articles, films, books, Web sites, and media coverage, that offer help and support to educators, guidance counselors, parents, or anyone interested in the welfare of children.

4/13/01 - Hot Sites Volume 9

Butterflies 2000: On the Wings of Freedom
http://library.thinkquest.org/C002251/index2.shtml
Anyone interested in these beautiful creatures will find almost everything at Butterflies 2000. Butterflies for Kids offers information about the butterfly body, detailed photos taken with a scanning electron microscope, a trick film, information about metamorphosis, games and puzzles, a quiz, art projects, and an opportunity for students to share their butterfly stories and poems.

Internet For Kids
http://www.internet4kids.com/ifk.htm
This site is the companion guide to a book "Internet for Kids" by Sybex, but the site itself certainly stands well on its own. Its purpose is to give kids the knowledge and ideas so that they can go out on the internet and learn, interact, participate.

Freevibe
http://www.freevibe.com/index.shtml
Teenagers will find Freevibe a place to get information on drugs, find out what other teens are saying about drugs and violence, express their opinions in the polls, and get the latest celebrity news. Freevibe is the site where teens will find positive peer reinforcement and learn the benefits of a drug-free lifestyle.

Internet Headquarters for Student Governments
http://www.umr.edu/~ihsg/
This Web site is a place for student governments to meet and exchange ideas. Student governments register at the site. Users can search the database to locate participating schools. The site also has a page that highlights issues important to students such as student apathy and the funding of religious organizations.

Brainevent.com
http://www.brainevent.com/be
At Brainevent.com, kids can connect with their peers to talk, keep up with the latest news, have their writing and art published, seek the help of experts, read an online novel, and find information about becoming involved in social organizations.

EducatingJane.com
http://www.educatingjane.com/
This site changes his-tory to her-story! It is a place for girls to learn about women's role in history, explore career options, learn to stay fit, and have their articles published.

Teen Central.Net
http://www.teencentral.org/
This is an excellent site for teens by teens. It was developed by experts in teen counseling and psychology and offers a safe, anonymous space for teens to work out their problems.

Teenage Health Interactive Network
http://www.teenhealthnet.com
The Teenage Health Interactive Network (THINK) is a site designed to give teenagers a place to explore health issues and discuss what they think about a variety of health-related topics.

KidsBank.Com
http://www.kidsbank.com/
This site is divided into five sequential parts. Each section is hosted by a cartoon character, such as Penny, Dollar Bill, or Checks, ready to take users on the tour. The concepts of saving, checking, interest, and other banking terms are presented in language that young children will understand. The Professor is available in each section for a more in-depth look at the concepts for older students.

The Kids Ark
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/conker/contents.htm
Kids Ark is a safe cyber space station for youngsters to explore on their own. Captain Zeb, the friendly host, gathers information from around the world to post here. The content varies from Pond Dipping to Conkers and Ghosts to Fossils and Weird Beasts. Children are encouraged to contribute their own artwork and reports.

4/27/01 - Hot Sites Volume 10

RocksForKids.com
http://www.rocksforkids.com
This site provides simple information, and offers links to more-substantial information, about rocks, minerals, fossils, natural disasters, and careers in geology and Earth science.

The Whole World Is My Neighbor
http://www.inghamisd.org/~world/
The Whole World Is My Neighbor is a collaborative project that seeks to bring about a better understanding of the differences in children's lives around the world.

Adolescent and School Health
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/index.htm
Adolescent and School Health, a division of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, provides this site to help "prevent the most serious health risk behaviors among children, adolescents and young adults."

ExploreDC.org
http://www.exploredc.org/index.php
ExploreDC.org takes visitors on a tour of the "history, heritage and culture" of the nation's capital.

NetSurfLearning
http://www.netsurflearning.com
The site provides a collection of interactive work sheets. Students at all levels use materials from the Web to learn English.

Mathletics
http://www.richmond.edu/~ed344/webunits/math/sport.html
Math + athletics = a winning equation. Mathletics relates math to real-world problems that occur in athletics.

The Wild Ones
http://www.thewildones.org/
The Wild Ones provides a place where students and teachers around the world can share information about endangered species and habitats and develop a positive attitude about helping to preserve them.

Young Composers
http://www.youngcomposers.com/
Young Composers is a collection of musical pieces by aspiring composers.

BLS Career Information
http://stats.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_over.htm
This site is an introduction to career guidance information for elementary students from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Cybercitizenship.org
http://www.cybercitizenship.org
This program strives to educate young people to be good citizens in cyberspace.

5/11/01 - Hot Sites Volume 11

Dear Parents
http://www.dearparents.com/
Dear Parents is a subsection of the larger, commercial Edmark site. Although some of the answers do include reference to Edmark products, there is plenty of useful information here for parents seeking answers to their
learning and technology questions.

Schoolscience.co.uk
http://www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/index.asp
This site, hosted by Industry Supports Education, a UK organization, was created to show the application of science learned in school to industry and research. Included are such topics as Exploring for Oils, The chemistry of steelmaking, The science of audio systems, and much more.

The Digital Divide Network
http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org
The gap between those who have access to technology and those who don't seems to be growing. The Digital Divide Network is trying to do something about it by providing a network for industry partners, private foundations, nonprofit organizations, and governments to share ideas and solutions for bridging the gap.

Listen & Write
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/listenandwrite/home.htm
Listen & Write lets students listen to different types of poetry and then write their own. Students will enjoy creative writing with such characters as Beattie B and the Saurus to help them out. The Rap Realm, The World of Wonderwords, and The Simile Satellite include writing activities, audio poems, and writing tips for students.

Newton's Window
http://www.newtonswindow.com/
According to Newton's Window, "This site tackles the problem of learning math and offers real help." The purpose of the site is to "bring you into mathematics and make you want to stay."

ROVer Ranch
http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/ROV/
Anyone with even the slightest interest in robots and robotics should enjoy this page. ROVer Ranch provides background information in Robots 101 to familiarize users with important aspects of robotics. The teacher's guide correlates the lessons with national science and math standards and links to other educational resources.

The Centennial Exhibition
http://libwww.library.phila.gov/CenCol/index.htm
It's interesting to see and read about an exhibition that took place more than 175 years ago. Students can compare the wonders of that age to the present. Exhibition Facts details the facts and the participating
countries, provides a timeline, and examines the Music of the period. Through Tours, users can make a virtual visit to each area of the exhibition by clicking on an interactive map.

The Reconstructors
http://reconstructors.rice.edu/
With these interactive online games, students can learn about drugs and how to make informed decisions about avoiding drugs. Students take on the roles of scientists, historians, geographers, and detectives to solve the medicinal mysteries of drugs in these learning adventures.

The Skyscraper Page
http://www.skyscraperpage.com/
Skyscrapers hold a fascination for kids that could provide the basis for a thematic unit. Students can use the site to view the skylines of different cities and learn some basic information about the buildings. Cross-curricular lessons could include geography (locating the skyscrapers on a map), art (drawing the skyline of their own city), and math (graphing the heights).

CodeRedRover.org
http://www.CodeRedRover.org
Let Rover the Home Safety Hound teach your students to make safe, smart choices in and around the home through games, activities, online contests, crafts, and do-it-yourself projects. Visit the Safety Zone to print a home safety checklist and template for creating your escape plan, to read about other kids who are home safety heroes, or to submit a story or artwork. Users will also find family projects and an online safety encyclopedia for answering your safety questions.

WhatIs?com
http://www.whatis.com
WhatIs is the place to find answers to all your IT questions. In addition to the search tool for finding IT definitions, users will find quick access to references such as Every File Format in the World, The RAM Guide, Chat acronyms, and a DSL Guide. There is a category list for quick access to phone numbers, maps, dictionaries, demographic data, and other frequently needed information. Whether you are a newbie or an experienced technology user, this site has something for you.

Computers for Learning
http://www.computers.fed.gov/School/user.asp
The site is designed "to streamline the transfer of excess federal computer equipment to schools and educational non-profit organizations, giving special consideration to those with the greatest need."

   

5/25/01 - Hot Sites Volume 12

Dino Dictionary
http://www.dinodictionary.com/

Find out statistics of more than 300 dinosaurs! The Dino Dictionary offers profiles of more than 300 dinosaurs. Users can hear the pronunciations of the names by clicking on the phonetic spellings. Each profile includes description, order, suborder, infraorder, family, height, length, weight, period, and other notes. included in each profile is a graph showing the relative size of the dinosaur to a person. This is a good place for students to find quick facts about dinosaurs.

Maths Year 2000
http://www.mathsyear2000.org/
Supplement your math curriculum with these activities! This is a great online resource for elementary math classes. Numberland features a giant magic square that reveals number poems, limericks, facts, and pictures that encourage students to learn about numbers. Top Jobs gives readers information on how math is used in everyday work. The Games section is filled with interactive Java games and links to other math games on the
Internet.

Reading Village
http://www.readingvillage.com/index_flash.html
This fun site will help develop prereading and early reading skills. This site was created with prereaders and early readers in mind. Children, parents, and teachers will enjoy exploring the games and activities. By registering, free, teachers and parents can create accounts for their children that will control e-mail and Internet access as well as allow adults to monitor student use. Even the youngest children will benefit from the stories and learning games. Children can choose to read the stories or have them read to them as the words are highlighted.

Musically Inclined
http://library.thinkquest.org/C001468F/
Enjoy the "ultimate music resource." This site will be of interest to anyone who is "musically inclined." The
virtual library has articles dealing with music history, people who have influenced music, orchestral instruments, music theory, and interviews with a few members of the music profession. The Concert Hall has a host of MIDI
files for your listening enjoyment.

TeenGOV
http://www.teengov.com
Teens will learn about the four branches of the U.S. government. TeenGOV will help students understand the workings of the government and develop an understanding of how they can be involved in the process. The
White House section explains some of the duties of the president and how the Electoral College works. The Capitol Building section discusses the two houses of Congress, its purpose, and how citizens can help make laws. The Supreme Court section explores how justices are chosen, how they review cases, and their terms. The section on State Government takes a look at government at the state and local levels and discusses ways to become involved.

Under the Sea
http://www.geocities.com/sseagraves/underthesea.htm
Treat your students to this complete marine biology unit! This site, created by teacher Susan Seagraves, has everything you will need to teach a unit on marine biology. The Teacher's Guide includes background information on marine animals and oceanography as well as activities for the classroom. In Fishy Fun, students will enjoy online games, puzzles, and word searches. Appropriate books for teaching about marine life are listed in the Fishy Tales section, and links to other Web resources can be found in the Fishy Links section.

The Life of Abraham Lincoln: An Illustrated Timeline for Young Readers
http://www.berwickacademy.org/lincoln/lincoln.htm
An informative site on the 16th president by and for young students. Young students will enjoy learning the facts about the life our 16th president through easy-to-read text and pictures. The illustrated time line is a biographical sketch that covers his boyhood years, childhood, early political years, and the years as president. Visitors are encouraged to send in their writing and drawings to be published in the Lincoln Gallery and can view several contributions by students from around the country. Included at the site are Tips for Teachers and Abraham Lincoln on the Web, a list of Web resources.

Antimatter: Mirror of the Universe
http://livefromcern.web.cern.ch/livefromcern/antimatter/index.html
An introduction to antimatter anyone can understand. Students of all ages will find this introduction to matter and antimatter both informative and interesting. The text and illustrations make the topic easy to understand. Features include background information, the history of antimatter, reports on experiments using CERN's Antiproton Decelerator (AD), and antimatter in fact and fiction. In the Kid's Corner, young readers will find explanations of matter and antimatter and an art gallery of drawings by students depicting a "collision between matter and antimatter." An archive of Webcasts is available, and CERN experts answer questions about antimatter.

ArtMagick
http://www.artmagick.com/index.asp
A site featuring lesser-known artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. Anyone interested in art will find this site a "source of visual intoxication." Artists who represent the art movements of the 19th and 20th centuries are featured here. The extensive collection of paintings is offered as thumbnails that link to larger images. Users will find short biographies and recommended readings for each featured artist as well as a collection of poetry that can be sent as free e-mail PoemCards. Also available are a video collection, a message board, a mailing list, and some very cool free screensavers. This site is useful for students doing research projects on artists of this period.

18th Century History
http://www.history1700s.com/
Information about 18th-century U.S. and world history. This site provides an informative time line of the 18th century as well as articles on various aspects of the era. Also included are a list of recommended books, links to the best of the Net, a direct link to state historical societies, reference pages for the French Revolution and
European history, and a guide for using historical documents. Contributions to the site's article archive are encouraged.

6/08/01 - Hot Sites Volume 13

ALFY
http://www.alfy.com
ALFY is a dynamic environment that offers kids stimulating activities that develop literacy and numerical and reasoning skills. Links from this site are hand-selected by a group of educators to ensure a safe place for young surfers. Kids are going to love visiting the activities centers, where they can practice their ABCs or 123s. Other activities include listening to interactive stories, playing a musical instrument and listening to the tune, adopting a pet and watching it grow, sending animated greeting cards, and designing a homepage. Every kid will want to check out ALFy's Arcade with nine categories of games. If that isn't enough, there is a Teaching and Learning Center for teachers.


Arty the Part Time Astronaut
http://www.artyastro.com/start.htm
Have your students hurtling through space at warp speed with this exciting educational site for young astronomers. Students can select the Travel option to learn about comets, the speed of light, and the Hubble Telescope or take a trip to each of the nine planets to learn some facts. In Activities, kids can select Gravatron. The user enters his or her weight and selects a planet to see how much he or she would weigh on that planet. The Time Machine calculates the user's age on any planet.

AskAsia
http://www.askasia.org/
The resources on this site are outstanding. Teachers will find a long list of instructional resources for Asian studies, a school-to-school bulletin board for making contacts, and access to information about professional development grants. Students will quickly find the Adult-Free Zone, where they can find E-pals, play Asian games and learn Asian words in the Activity Corner, visit the Virtual Gallery to download images and maps, or satisfy their curiosity about Asia at Kids Ask AskAsia. You will also find the most current information and related sites in the Information/News and Gateway to Asia sections.

Butterflies 2000: On the Wings of Freedom
http://library.thinkquest.org/C002251/index2.shtml
Anyone interested in these beautiful creatures will find almost everything at Butterflies 2000. Butterflies for Kids offers information about the butterfly body, detailed photos taken with a scanning electron microscope, a trick film, information about metamorphosis, games and puzzles, a quiz, art projects, and an opportunity for students to share their butterfly stories and poems. Other areas of the site include information on where to find butterflies in arts and literature, butterfly gardening, endangerment and conservation, keeping butterflies at school, and much more.

The Cave of Lascaux
http://www.culture.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/
Take a virtual tour of the Cave of Lascaux and see the Paleolithic wall paintings as well as the major features of the cave. Art students can learn how perspective was created on the rock surface, techniques used to interpret the paintings and engravings, the materials used by artists of the time, how to date a cave painting, and more. The Cave of Lascaux is believed to be around 15,000 years old and can be compared to other caves in the Magdalenien era as well as other eras in the Time and Space section. This Web site is available in English, French, Spanish, and German. There is even a Test Your Knowledge quiz and three puzzles for a little added interactivity.

Cool Math
http://www.coolmath.com/home.htm
Whether you need to practice your math skills or just have some fun, Cool Math is the place to go. The interactive games are sure to have the younger set engaged for hours. For example, in Number Monster, children can play against the computer to practice the four operations of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. The player chooses the operation and the level of difficulty, ranging from easy to hard to killer to monster. The game displays a problem, and the player types in the answer. Kids 13+ will find lessons on geometry, trigonometry, calculus, and algebra, an interactive area with puzzles and number games, and articles on "How to Succeed in Math" and "Careers in Math." Included are a Fractal Gallery that kids of all ages will enjoy and a Fractal of the Day. Youngsters not only will improve their math skills but also will have fun doing it.

Environmental News Network
http://www.enn.com/
This site offers both teachers and students ideas, lessons, and information galore. For easy access, this wealth of information is organized by topics in the Channels section. Diary of the Planet, in the Features section provides current news stories about what has happened to the environment in the past week. Users can find informative articles, by top environmentalists, on hot topics and important issues or join in the forums, chats, and polls at ENN Interactive. Photo essays and press releases about environmental concerns are also available.

Funology.com -- The Science of Having Fun
http://www.funology.com/index.cfm
Have your students ever wondered where sheep get their hair cut or how to make an ice-cream sandwich? Funology.com has the answer. This site offers suggestions for activities that can be done on and off the computer. Kids can have so much fun, they won't even realize they are learning. Youngsters can put their brains to the test -- learn funky facts, solve brainteasers, take a quiz, or visit the laboratory and whip up a ball of ooze.


Genetic Science Learning Center
http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/
This fascinating site was created for students, teachers, and families; anyone interested in genetics will find this site worthwhile. Of particular interest to teachers are the introductory materials in the Basic Genetics section and the curriculum materials in the Teachers and Thematic Units sections. All the activities comply with National Science Standards and provide hands-on as well as online experiences.

National Gallery of Art Kids' Page
http://www.nga.gov/kids/
This collection of activities for elementary students is sure to capture their interest. Students have the opportunity to experience art in a unique format. Users can not only view the individual paintings but also interact with them, enhancing understanding and appreciation of the artworks. Students can make the art of John Singleton Copley's Watson and the Shark come alive with virtual reality.

   

6/23/01 - Hot Sites Volume 14

The Jigsaw Classroom
http://www.jigsaw.org/
The Jigsaw Classroom -- a cooperative learning technique -- is an efficient way to teach material that also encourages "listening, engagement, and empathy by giving each member of the group an essential part to play in the academic activity." Teachers wanting to implement or learn more about the technique will find lots of useful information here by the creator, Elliot Aronson, professor emeritus at the University of California in Santa Cruz. The technique is described in detail with tips and a ten-step plan for implementation. Included also is the first chapter of Professor Aronson's book, Nobody Left to Hate: Teaching Compassion After Columbine.

YouthLearn
http://www.youthlearn.org/index.html
Anyone who is starting or planning to implement an out-of-school program that integrates technology will benefit from the information found here. The Technologies section gives step-by-step directions for setting up and maintaining an out-of-school technology learning center. Teachers looking for new ideas and practical techniques will find them in Teaching Techniques, Planning Guides, Activities and Projects in the Learning section. Kids' Creations features examples of kids' pictures, poetry, and projects created in the community learning center programs.

Joe Chemo
http://www.joechemo.org/
Joe Chemo, a takeoff on the Joe Camel advertisements, encourages teens not to smoke. As users test their Tobacco IQ, they learn the facts about smoking. The answers are supported with research, and all sources of info are given. Joe Chemo can predict your future with a personalized Smoke-o-Scope and offers free anti-smoking E-cards. Visitors can also find tips on quitting smoking; access links to more information on teen smoking, research organizations, and reports; or read Joe's biography in the More About Joe section.

Water Works! El Agua Trabaja!
http://www.chias.org/ipsd/2001/index.html
This project, winner of the Unisys Award for online science education, was a joint effort between first- and second-grade students at Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez Elementary School, the Chicago Academy of Sciences, and Friends of the Chicago River.

ScienceMaster
http://www.ScienceMaster.com
ScienceMaster has a wealth of information for science teachers, students, or hobbyists. The site devotes an entire section to each of the five areas of science: Earth, Space, Life, Physical, and Technology. The pages include links to researched sites, lesson plans, activities, and project ideas. In addition to the main areas of the site, visitors will find JumpStart Science Topics, one-page fact sheets of concise information on a topic, and Learning Galleries, a collection of images relating to one science or nature topic. The site also Includes Homework Helper, Columns and Articles, archived Newsletters, and Free Stuff to download.


Civics Online
http://civics-online.org/
This site is a cooperative effort between K-12 teachers and the faculty of Michigan State University to provide a digitized collection of government documents that can be used by teachers, students, and parents to address Michigan curriculum standards. Visitors to the site have access to such primary sources as treaties, photos, inaugural addresses, court decisions, maps, and paintings. The Teachers section includes general classroom activities for using primary sources as well as specific activities by grade level, resources and case studies that might be used to explore various approaches to teaching civics. The Students section includes a Timeline and a Glossary as well as Civic Explorations. The current exploration includes age-appropriate studies of the Elian Gonzalez case. The area for Parents offers advice and strategies for helping children with civics, a guide for using the site, and related links.


Geniusfind
http://www.geniusfind.com
If you are looking for information on a specific topic, this site should significantly cut down on your search time. Geniusfind has arranged a collection of search engines, archives, and databases into categories and sub-categories that will limit your searches to information that is specific to your topic. The search sites have been reviewed for useful information in each category before being added to the Geniusfind site. For instance, if you are looking for information of an educational nature, Geniusfind will give you a list of search engines that are most likely to return educational information on the topic. Below the list of search engines, a list of pages that contain information is also displayed.


Replicators: Evolutionary Powerhouses
http://library.thinkquest.org/C004367/home.shtml
Replicators: Evolutionary Powerhouses explores evolution from a biological, cultural, linguistic and philosophical standpoint. It draws heavily on the works of evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and explores a complicated subject in an understandable way. For instance, the section Biological Evolution discusses such topics as genetics, immune systems, and genetic engineering. The section History of Evolution covers Pre-Darwinian Theory, Social Darwinism, and biographies of various theorists. Included is a Frequently Asked Questions area, Interactivities, and a Replicators Forum.


The Open Door Web Site
http://www.knockonthedoor.com/
This resource for students and teachers is loaded with background material and is still growing. The Biology, Physics, and History sections are complete, and sections on Technology and Chemistry are in the works. The Practical Work section offers lab experiments and hands-on activities to further understanding of the concepts. The site also presents a section of plays written by students. Students need to be aware of the British spellings, but this is a great resource for homework help or busy teachers looking for activities to supplement the curriculum.


Youthealth
http://www.youthealth.com/data/default.asp
Have you ever wondered what a cough might look like from the inside out? Let the Inner Explorers show you as they tour the inside of the body. This site presents health content in a way that students will not only understand but also find entertaining. Activity Street provides Games, such as Attack of the Killer Blood Cells; an Art Studio where visitors can download pictures for coloring; E-cards; and Desktop HQ, where kids can download Screensavers and Wallpaper. Health Beats, the real educational meat of the site, offers information on Body Parts, Keeping Healthy, Conditions & Diseases, Growing & Developing, and First Aid. Most of the site is free, but there is a section offering a subscription service to the Child Health Monitor.

7/06/01 - Hot Sites Volume 15

Amelia Earhart was born July 24, 1897, in Atchison, Kansas. She began flying at the age of 24 and went on to become one of the best-known aviators in history. Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and the first person to fly from Honolulu to California. Her status evolved from hero to legend after she and her plane mysteriously disappeared, in 1937, while she was attempting to fly around the world.

Naval Historical Center Amelia Earhart FAQ
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq3-1.htm
For a complete, concise, introductory biographical sketch of Amelia Earhart, check out this page from the Web site of the Naval Historical Center, the official history program of the Department of the Navy.

Amelia Earhart: 1897-1937
http://www.ionet.net/~jellenc/ae_intro.html
This Web site, available in either English or Spanish, is nicely laid-out and easy to navigate. A detailed biographical essay illustrated with photographs, it is divided into three sections: The Early Years, The Celebrity, and The Last Flight. There are lists of filmed biographies, suggested books for further study, and links to related sites.

Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum
http://www.ameliaearhartmuseum.org/index2.html
Amelia Earhart was born at 223 North Terrace, Atchison, Kansas, to Amy Otis Earhart and Edwin Stanton Earhart, a lawyer whose later position as a railroad claims agent required extensive travel. Consequently, Amelia and her younger sister, Muriel, spent a good part of their early years in the home of their maternal grandparents, Amelia Otis and Judge Alfred Otis. The house is now the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, a non-profit entity. The excellent Web site includes information about the history of the house itself, a photo tour of the rooms, detailed biographical information on Earhart, news articles, and links to related sites.

Two Legends of Aviation: Amelia Earhart
http://www.worldbook.com/fun/aviator/html/av3.htm
This Web page is from the World Book Web site. Included are a various World Book articles, including a biography of Amelia Earhart, a description of Earhart's final flight, an account of Earhart's 1928 Friendship flight across the Atlantic Ocean, and a description of her 1932 solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Earhart Project
http://www.tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/AEdescr.html
For those curious about Earhart's final flight, this Web site has a great deal of information not readily found elsewhere. Visitors can view photographs, a map showing the planned flight path, and a motion picture of the July 2, 1937, departure from New Guinea --the last time Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were seen alive. This Web site is maintained by TIGHAR (The International Group for Historic Aircraf