Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Wed., May 19, 2010 - Animal Fact Guide
Animal Fact Guide
From the site:
Animal Fact Guide houses information about interesting and endangered animals around the world.
Each article features an animal's physical characteristics, habitat (with a distribution map), diet, breeding patterns, unique traits and behavior, and when applicable, conservation and tips on what you can do to help.
If you would like to learn more about a particular animal you have seen on the site, we have listed other good online resources at the bottom of that animal's fact page.<<>>
Wed., May 19, 2010 - Dream It. Do It.
Dream It. Do It. - The Manufacturing Institute - Grades 6 to 12
Site found on TeachersFirst:
“This site has a wide variety of tools to help with basic career exploration. The Dream Career Quiz is a good place to start. The answers, which seem to be based loosely on the Holland Scales, lead to further areas to explore. There are also links to information and videos about specific jobs, with an emphasis on manufacturing (hey, the site is sponsored by the Manufacturing Institute!). This may not be the best site if a student is sure she is going to college, but would be an interesting springboard for discussion--among students, between the student and parents, or for a classroom discussion--for any student regardless of her plans.”
Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
Wed., May 19, 2010 - Labor History
Labor History
From the site:
A recent Wisconsin law, AB 172, encourages the teaching of labor history and collective bargaining by adding it to the state social studies standards. This month's Surf Report is designed to help you find resources on the Web to engage your students in this study.
Quick Links: Wisconsin Labor History | Child Labor | U.S.
Created 5/2010
Last updated 05/13/2010
Last updated 05/13/2010
Wed., May 19, 2010 - Sites from The Scout Report, February 20, 2009
Sites found in:
The Scout Report
February 20, 2009
Volume 15, Number 7
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February 20, 2009
Volume 15, Number 7
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The Scout Report on the Web:
Current issue: http://scout.wisc.edu/Reports/ScoutReport/Current/
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Public.Resource.Org [pdf]
The tag line of the pro-public domain Public.Resource.Org is "Making
Government Information More Accessible." The site has an agency directory
that denotes the agency by its web address, which may initially look
daunting, with the alphabet soup that make up the names of government
agencies. However, Public.Resource.Org gives the visitors clues to the
meanings of the potpourri of letters in their agency directory when the web
address is rolled over. By rolling over each agency, and the seal above the
directory changes from a smiling seal (the aquatic animal) to the logo of
the agency. So, visitors will soon learn that bsc.ca.gov is the site for
California Building Standards Commission, fjc.gov is the site for the
Federal Judicial Center, and so on. Each agency site has "commentary" by
Public.Resource.Org that relates their past and present trials and
tribulations with getting the documents and work of the agencies into the
public domain. To view the latest in government videotapes, visitors can
click on the FedFlix link on the bottom far right side of the homepage.
Currently, there are over 500 Flix on the Internet archive. [KMG]
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Citizen Journalist's Guide to Open Government
As more and more citizens decide to use both new and traditional media to
engage in investigative reporting, they may wonder how they can find out
more about governmental activities. The Citizen Journalist's Guide to Open
Government, provided by the Knight Citizen News Network, is an excellent
place to start. The guide is divided into ten "doors", covering everything
from "Access to Courts" to "Following Up on Records Requests". Behind each
"door" visitors can take part in interactive learning activities, watch
video clips featuring interviews with experts, and just generally learn
about how to secure access to crucial documents, meetings, and court
reports. Finally, visitors won't want to miss their weblog, which provides
users with a place to ask questions about government records, meetings, or
courts. [KMG]
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American Cinema
Teaching creative thinking through American film is a worthy idea, and this
educational resource from the Annenberg Media group is quite a find.
Produced by the New York Center
Angeles and the BBC, this thirteen-part series contains 10 one-hour and 3
half-hour video programs. Visitors will need to register to watch the
programs, but after doing so they can watch all of them in their entirety,
and they may also view special extras, like the classroom exercise "Writing
a Scene". The programs cover topics like "The Western", "The Studio System",
and "The Film School
from a variety of Hollywood insiders, including Steven Spielberg and James
L. Brooks. [KMG]
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Elements of Architecture
What is the difference between a Doric and a Corinthian column? How have
architects used windows to increase the beauty and functionality of
buildings? These questions (and many others) are answered by this exemplary
website created by the St. Louis Public Library. This online exhibit draws
on the George Fox Steedman Architectural Collection, which was donated to
the Library in 1928. The Collection contains drawings and renderings from
early Frank Lloyd Wright editions and Gustave Eiffel's book on his Tower.
Images from these works are used in the four areas of this site, which
include "The Dome", "Waterworks", and "Letting in Light". "Letting in Light"
is a lovely place to start, as it provides a breezy tour through the use of
windows by the Romans all the way up to innovations of more modern times.
Within each section, visitors can zoom in on each document and they can also
read a bit of background information on each item. [KMG]
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National Marine Sanctuaries Media Library [Quick Time]
The National Marine Sanctuaries Media Library provides access to thousands
of images and video clips that tell the story of "America
treasures." On the homepage, visitors can look through the "Photo Galleries"
to get a sense of what the site has to offer. There are six galleries here,
and they include "Sea Lion Highlights", "Human Impact", "Fish Portraits",
and "Scenic Beauty". Visitors looking for specific items can use the
"Keyword" search feature and also take advantage of the "Video" search
feature. This feature is quite detailed, as users can look through broad
categories like "Birds", "Maritime Heritage", and "Plants". Additionally,
visitors can look for media images that originate from specific Marine
Sanctuaries sites, including Monterey Bay and the Florida Keys . [KMG]
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On February 11, 1929 the Vatican City State
of the Lateran Accords. With its motto, "A small territory with a great
mission", the State is celebrating its 80th anniversary with a number of
celebrations this year. This very fine site brings together a veritable
cornucopia of information about the Vatican City State
information about its governance structure, monuments, and philatelic
culture. Visitors can start their journey by looking at webcams that provide
a top-notch view of St. Peter's Square and the Governorate Palace
on, visitors can also click on the "History" section to learn about the long
history of the Vatican
After that, visitors can click on the "Vatican Media" to listen in to
Vatican Radio, and check up on official news releases from the Vatican
Information Service. [KMG]
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Eisenhower National Historic Site [Flash Player]
Recently, the National Park Service has been creating a host of new
multimedia virtual museum exhibits. This particular site features the life
and times of President Dwight Eisenhower by looking into his wartime
leadership, his hobbies, and his successful cattle operation at the
Eisenhower Farms in Gettysburg , Pennsylvania
use of multimedia slide shows, ephemeral items, and historic images to tell
the story of Eisenhower's rather diverse pursuits. Perhaps the best place to
start on the site is the virtual tour of the Eisenhower's family home in
short of being there, this is a great way to experience its various charms.
Moving on, visitors can also view a timeline of Eisenhower's achievements
and look through the image gallery, which is divided into thematic sections
such as "Early Military Career", "Presidency", and "Campaign". [KMG]
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Shakespeare's Staging
[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]
The University of California at Berkeley
the enormous task of presenting "a survey of current information, opinions
and visuals about...the original nature of Shakespearean performance during
his lifetime, and of its development through four centuries thereafter."
Visitors can click on "Performance Galleries" at the top of the homepage to
be taken to ten albums of over 900 images. Some of the topics of the albums
that you can link to are "Productions from the Sixteenth through the
Twentieth Century", "Productions in Britain
Representations of Shakespeare Performances". The albums contain items such
as playbills, photos and drawings of performances, and photos of the rebuilt
Globe Theatre. On the far left side of the homepage, visitors can click on
"Videos" to view a documentary series about Elizabethan life, as well as
excerpts of performances staged by the Shakespeare Program of UC Berkeley at
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The videos can be viewed by "Latest", "Most
Viewed", "Highest Rated", and "Featured". Visitors interested in other
websites that explore Shakespeare performance will want to click on
"Relevant Websites" on the far left side of the homepage, to access a link
that has 27 Shakespeare performance related websites. [KMG]
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>From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout 1994-2009.
http://scout.wisc.edu/
http://scout.wisc.edu/
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tues., May 18, 2010 - Science Commons
Site found in:
ResourceShelf
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Briefing Paper: What is the Science Commons?
Shortened URL: http://tinyurl.com/28r6uwv
From the Report:
“Many readers will be familiar with Creative Commons, its ethos and the suite of licences it provides. An organisation they may be less familiar with is Science Commons.
Science Commons is a branch of Creative Commons that aims to make the Web work for science the way that it currently works for culture.”<<>>
Science Commons
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Gary Price
Editor, ResourceShelf
The ResourceShelf & DocuTicker Team
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"Post via ResourceShelf"
for even more resources visit
Tues., May 18, 2010 - Creative Commons Search
Creative Commons Search - Creative Common - Grades 4 to 12
[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]
Home Page: http://creativecommons.org/
Site found on TeachersFirst:
“Find digital images that are available for use without violating copyright. This search tool finds images licensed for use under Creative Commons licensing. While most major search engines have advanced features the allow you to filter out content by copyright privileges, the CC search website makes is easy and convenient. Be sure to READ the information about verifying licensing. The results are somewhat cluttered but provide extensive options that can be legally (and ethically) used in wikis, blogs, reports, and more, as long as you provide the attribution information. What a fabulous tool for students to use for interactive or traditional projects!”
Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
Tues., May 18, 2010 - Oceans
Oceans
From the site:
Whether you're teaching high school marine biology or a second grade unit on oceans, youll find great sources of information on the World Wide Web. Use these sites to begin your virtual ocean exploration!
Created 10/2005
Last updated 11/18/2009
Tues., May 18, 2010 - Free Video Sites
Free Video Sites
From the site:
Bringing video into the classroom can be a great way to generate excitement about new subject matter, demonstrate a complex concept, or take a virtual visit to a place you can’t go in real life. Students can use video as a research source or as raw material for their own media productions. But you don't need to pay a lot to for video; lots of quality instructional video sources are available to you for free at the click of a mouse.
Multi-subject l Science/Environment l History/Government l English/Language Arts l World Languages l Teachers
Created 2/2010
Last updated 02/25/2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Mon., May 17, 2010 - Playing History
Playing History: Your Source for Historical Games - Trevor Owens and Jim Safley - Grades 3 to 12
Site found on TeachersFirst:
Playing History is a directory of free historical games, interactives, and simulations. There is a growing body of research about the value of educational games and this site is a database for high quality games and simulations. You will find not only games for history, but for different cultural knowledge, too. This collaborative site currently has 132 humanities learning games and is growing monthly. You can suggest your own favorite humanities based games and simulations to be included in this collection. This site does not host these games. It is a sharing point for teachers/enthusiasts of history to recommend games and find them.
At this site the quality of the games varies from deep thinking to factual to cute. Learn everything from the history of dating to the geography of China
Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
Mon., May 17, 2010 - American Revolution
American Revolution - Teaching American History - Grades 6 to 12
[NOTE: Other pages from http://www.teachingamericanhistory.org/ previously posted. - Phyllis ]
Site found on TeachersFirst:
“Take the American Revolution interactive! Quite simply, the site breaks down the American Revolution into three battle phases: 1775-1778, 1778-1781, and 1783/The Treaty of Paris. Click on one of the phases and you are lead through an interactive overview of the battles during that phase. Some of the information is simply displayed; other parts require a "Q&A" approach to work through the information. Each section also includes web links for further information. The Treaty of Paris section leads students through a demonstration of how the boundaries of the new country were drawn, and would be a good springboard for discussion about the further growth of the United States
Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
Mon., May 17, 2010 - Admongo
Admongo - U.S.
Site found on TeachersFirst:
Learn all about advertising's methods and tricks by playing this interactive activity. You will learn about types of ads and how they try to change your behavior. Learn who pays for them and learn to stop and think about how ads all around us seek to change our behavior. The site includes information for parents and teachers, as well. There is also a related curriculum. Look for the small links near the bottom of the screen. Creating a username and password allows you to save your place in the game and return to continue later.
Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
Mon., May 17, 2010 - Oyez: Supreme Court Tour
Oyez: Supreme Court Tour - The Oyez Project - Grades 5 to 12
[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]
Site found on TeachersFirst:
“This site provides a complete virtual tour of the US Supreme Court. 360-degree panoramic views of the US Supreme Court make you feel like you are right there. Navigation controls are available so you can zoom in and out and move around each room. View the exterior and interior areas of the courts. Each view has a written description of what you are viewing. Interior views include a peek into four Supreme Court Justice's chambers. There is also a visual history of the Supreme Court available for viewing. Many of the areas also include video clips with additional information.”
Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sun., May 16, 2010 - The Oldest Living Things on the Planet (NPR)
The Oldest Living Things on the Planet - NPR - Grades 6 to 12
Site found on TeachersFirst:
“This clever site uses a time line and photographs to show living things that are older than any of us can imagine. It includes plant and animal species. For example, it shows a slide of the Great Basin Bristlecone, a pine tree in California
Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
Sun., May 16, 2010 - High School Biology Resources (Copernicus Project)
The Copernicus Project resources - University of California Riverside
Site found on TeachersFirst:
“Find a variety of resources from animation video clips to information powerpoints and lesson ideas in this simple to navigate and low tech site featuring biology resources. Choose from topics in cellular processes, ecology, and genetics. Be aware: this site provides a very simple list of topics, so no frills. But each topic lists what type of activity is provided (Powerpoint, video clip, or pdf).”
Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
Sun., May 16, 2010 - Science House Video Science Experiments
Science House - Video Science Experiments - Dan Menelly - Grades 3 to 12
Site found on TeachersFirst:
“Looking for captivating science experiments and demonstrations? Use Science House's series of videos for inspiration. This is a great resource for ideas or wonderful ways to introduce or reinforce concepts. While you are at the site, check out other videos such as those from scientists who are passionate about their careers (in the "Interviews" section.)”
Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
Sun., May 16, 2010 - Kids Science Experiments
Kids Science Experiments - Kids Science Experiments - Grades 3 to 8
Site found on TeachersFirst:
“This site provides kid friendly science experiments for categories ranging from electricity to plants and flowers. Specific topic examples include gravity, absorption, pressure, reactions, matter, properties, heat, magnetism, and many others. Although this site is rather “plain vanilla,” it does offer a lot of great ideas to get you started! Check out the sections entitled science facts and science dictionary.”
Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:
Sun., May 16, 2010 - Phyllis's Favorites from the CJRLC Blog – May 2010
Phyllis's Favorites from the CJRLC Blog - May 2010
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Akhet Egyptology
Cyber Nations
Educator’s Bridge (select Elementary, Middle, or High School)
Eric’s Origami Page
Immigration: the Changing Face of America
IPPEX! The Interactive Plasma Physics Education Experience!
Kids Know It Educational Network
NOAA: Global Warming - Frequently Asked Questions
The #1 Song on This Date in History
Project Gutenberg
Timelines of History
Toonopedia
ToxMystery
- Phyllis Anker
