MarcoPolo The MarcoPolo program provides no-cost, standards-based Internet content for the K-12 teacher and classroom, developed by the nation's content experts. Online resources include panel-reviewed links to top sites in many disciplines, professionally developed lesson plans, classroom activities, materials to help with daily classroom planning, and powerful search engines!
Teachers@WorkTeachers@Work, created by Mark Treadwell of New Zealand, is a rich resource for teachers who are looking for curriculum links, help with integrating the Internet into the curriculum, or tips on using the Internet in general.
Teaching History with Technology Teaching History with Technology is designed to help middle school and high school history and social studies teachers better integrate technology into their classrooms. The journal attempts to fulfill this function by providing teachers with models that document how others have incorporated technology to enhance their students’ learning experiences.
The Knowledge Loom: What Works in Teaching and Learning Education is a field where everyone has an idea of how it should work and how things need to be changed. However it is important to critically evaluate these ideas and take into account educational research, in order to determine what really works in teaching and learning. At this Knowledge Loom site you can look through the Spotlight Features which cover a general area or search for something more specific. Be sure to participate in the panel discussions and if you get stuck, there is always the Ask an Expert section.
Database of Award Winning Children's Literature How many children's literature awards can you think of right off the top of your head? Two, three or more? Now what about award winning books - how many of those can you think of? This website is a great resource because it contains a database of award-winning children's literature. The award list includes the well known Caldecott and Newberry Medal and Honor Awards but also includes others such as Jane Addams, Coretta Scott King, ALA Noteable, Carnegie Medal, and Kate Greenway Medal awards. This database can be searched using a variety of criteria including genre, setting and historical period.
The Idea Box Are you looking for new ideas and activities for your classroom? The Idea Box is a great place to look with a wide variety of resources to add to your current classroom units. Here you can find the words to a variety of children's songs. There are also numerous activities and crafts as well as recipes for flubber, colored sand, foolproof playdough, and sawdust modeling clay. Another section contains great seasonal and holiday resources to use all year round.
Eighth Grade Sci-ber Text Eighth Grade Sci-ber Text was created as a collaborative effort by teachers in Utah. It includes activities, lab experiments, and movies that correspond to the eighth-grade science curriculum. Teachers can easily adapt the activities for other grade levels.
SCHOOL: The Story of American Public Education is a dramatic four-part documentary series that chronicles the development of our nation's public education system from the late 1770s to the 21st century. Produced by Stone Lantern Films, and presented by KCET/Hollywood, SCHOOL recaptures the idealism of the early proponents of public education and continues with an unflinching look at the experiments and challenges that contribute to the climate in the classroom today.
How to Thrive -- Not Just Survive -- in a One-Computer Classroom Over the summer you decided that this is the year that you are going to learn to use your classroom computer both for your own stuff as well as to enhance student learning in your classroom. You have learned more about some of the programs that are on your computer. But what about your students? How are you going to use your computer effectively with them? This article gives you a series of great tips as well as links to additional helpful websites to get you up and running on your own. Now you can go beyond survival and learn to prosper...
Digital Cameras in Education These days digital cameras seem to be everywhere. Do you have access to them in your classroom? If not, this site will be a great source of information for lobbying your local decision makers for funding to acquire this type of equipment. If you do have access to a digital camera, then explore the possible uses, editing, and helpful resources sections to expand your use of your digital camera and your pictures. If you have access to a digital camcorder as well - look for the link at the top of the page for that resource area!
School Psychology This is a one-stop site for school psychologists and others who work with children. The resources are categorized into 12 main topic areas: Students, Parents, Professionals, Education, Disorders, Organizations, and Publications, to name a few. The site is fully searchable by keyword, and an online Web search engine is available as well. Also included are bulletin boards for discussion, employment links, and a school psychology Web ring. Web based e-mail is offered free for those who wish to have a yourname@schoolpsy.com e-mail address.
The Learning Innovations Center No matter how many times you have taught a certain unit, there is always something that can be changed to make it better. What about taking a new approach to your topic at hand? This site describes an innovations approach to student learning that makes learning readily available, rapid, easy and joyous. We all know that students are far more capable than we tend give them credit for. The innovations approach unlocks students from their barriers and lets them run free to learn all they can with teachers serving as facilitators.
Completely Free Software Is your classroom computer use hindered by the lack of programs that your school has licenses for? Well, now there is help. The Completely Free Software website provides a guide to the best freeware on the Internet. These programs are not shareware and are totally free fully working time unlimited versions. Some of the programs may be lite or earlier versions but they still offer great features. Be sure not to miss PhotoPlus5 which is a great photo editing program which is located in the graphics section. There are also several totally free zip utility programs and all sorts of educational games.
Activate - The Journal of Technology Rich Learning Are stuck in the bind of knowing that you should be doing more with technology in your classroom but it always seems like there is just no time to get it all together? Maybe you just need a change of mindset. Try thinking small rather than large. For guidance, just read the article "Pigeon Power: Thinking Simple in a Complex World" in the Summer 2001 issue of Activate. Then continue on and peruse the other articles in the current issue or consult the archives for other great useful and practical technology ideas.
Sounds of English Do you have any ESL students or other language-handicapped students that would benefit from extra help in making the actual sounds that spoken English requires? This website focuses on the actual sounds and on making the distinctions between similar sounds. There are many examples, activities and exercises, many of which illustrate the use of technology to aid non-native English language students. For additional information be sure not to miss the Handouts area with activities, articles and website listings.
Learn English - Have Fun! Do you want to learn English? Do you want to have fun? If your answer is "Yes", then you are at the right place for ESL practice. Here you can find English games to give you fun practice, English crosswords to help you remember all those new words, ESL tests to practise vocabulary and grammar, and great English jokes so you can laugh while you learn.
New York Times on the Web The New York Times Learning Network is an interactive learning experience for teachers and students, based on the daily edition of the New York Times.. Look at the Day in the News, the Lesson Plans (including an Archive of plans), and enjoy the integration of the New York Times with your curriculum planning!
National Library of Education This is your "one-stop" center for education information. You will find direct connections to major education societies, ERIC services and related sites!
Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators This guide, now sponsored by Discovery Channel, is recognized as one of the most comprehensive education guides on the Internet. Users will find material from curriculum application to trends in Internet based teacihng. A "Must-use" for educators!
Building with Books brings youth from around the world closer together through our Sister Schoolhouse Program. Teachers, broaden your students' horizons by introducing this program in your social studies units.
Pam Berger ,Task Force Chair of the ICONnect, American Association of School Librarians, has a site that shows you ways to evaluate web sites. Take her CyberTour!
NOODLETOOLS This section features exemplary school media sites and experimental sites prepared by school librarians. Use the personalized search engine: you'll be surprised how it works!