Friday, June 11, 2010

 

Thurs., June 10, 2010 - Jazz at Lincoln Center: Online Education


Jazz at Lincoln Center: Online Education
From the site:
“Learn to play it, hear it, and teach it from your classroom or your living room with these interactive websites and streaming videos taken from our Education Programs.”

Jazz for Young People Curriculum
From the site:
“Based on our concert series, students in grades 4-8 learn about the concepts, history, and the people of jazz.”

NEA Jazz in the Schools Curricula
From the site:
“Students in grades 9-12 learn the fundamentals of jazz and its deep connection to American History.” [NOTE: This NEA site was previously posted. URL updated. - Phyllis ]



 

Thurs., June 10, 2010 - I Want to Fly (Gr. 2-4)


I Want to Fly!

Meet Toby, a wizard who wants to fly. An excellent site from Japan that teaches everything about flying in a fun way. Flash needed. (Gr. 2-4)

 

Thurs., June 10, 2010 - National Broadband Plan



National Broadband Plan
Connecting America to affordable, high speed broadband.

Included on their agenda is the upgrade for the E-Rate program, which has successfully connected public libraries and K-12 classrooms, benefiting students across the country by making broadband more accessible.

You can also get an instant review of your broadband speed connection,

 

Thurs., June 10, 2010 - Internet Phenomenon


InternetPhenomenon

From the site:
InternetPhenomenon was formed "to offer a unique reference point on extensive information on internet phenomena".

"The Internet phenomena site describes various companies, terms, jokes and developments which have themselves become unusual, new or mega-successful as a result of the Internet and have become phenomena in their own right. The phenomena sites attempts to cut through the confusion between real life and Internet based activities, in addition to providing entertaining and informative reading."



 

Thurs., June 10, 2010 - Census Historical Highlights - 1790-2010



Facts for Features: *Special Edition* Census Historical Highlights: 1790 — 2010

From the site:
“The 2010 Census is the 23rd headcount of the population in our nation's history. To highlight the grand tradition of the decennial census, we present a profile of each census starting with the first one in 1790” <<>>

 

Thurs., June 10, 2010 - Shakespeare's Houses and Gardens


Shakespeare’s Houses & Gardens

From the site:
“Leading the world's enjoyment and understanding
of Shakespeare's work, life and times”

Learn About Shakespeare


Wednesday, June 09, 2010

 

Wed., June 9, 2010 - Phyllis's Favorites from the CJRLC Blog – June 2010


Phyllis's Favorites from the CJRLC Blog – June 2010



All Acronyms    

Encyclopedia of Psychology    

Hindenburg (LZ-129)   

Lure of the Labyrinth – Middle School Math   

Maps: Finding Our Place in the World     

NASA's First 50 Years: An Interactive Journey   

Opera For Everyone       

The Rudiments Of Wisdom Encyclopaedia by Tim Hunkin   

Science Buddies    

Silk Road Foundation   
Marco Polo (1254-1324)   

The World of 1898 : the Spanish-American War     

Written in Bone  
The Secret in the Cellar           

Zoom Into Maps   

- Phyllis Anker
                - http://phyllisfavorites.blogspot.com

NOTE: To receive these posts via email, send your request to: anker @ hslc.org 

 

Wed., June 9, 2010 - What Happened in My Birth Year



Site found in:
NEAT NEW STUFF, February 26, 2010

------

What Happened in My Birth Year
When I was a reference librarian, the one thing that would reliably send people to the microfilm cabinets was to look up the headlines for the day (or year) they were born. With the advent of sites like this, that microfilm may never be used again

------

Neat New Stuff I Found This Week
by Marylaine Block
Copyright 1999.


 

Wed., June 9, 2010 - Manet and the Sea Online Exhibition


Manet and the Sea Online Exhibition

From the site:
“Manet and the Sea brings together innovative and compelling works on sea-related themes by a variety of artists with differing ambitions. At the same time, it addresses emergent socio-historical phenomena, such as tourism, that made marine subjects newly attractive to vanguard artists in the second half of the nineteenth century.”

Manet for Kids

Includes:  Teacher Packet
“These materials may be used in your classroom before, after,
or instead of visiting the exhibition.”


 

Wed., June 9, 2010 - Campfire Stories with George Catlin


Campfire Stories with George Catlin

From the site:
Take a virtual journey to meet American Indians of the 1830s with artist, ethnologist, and showman George Catlin. This site compiles paintings, historical documents, and commentary from contemporary experts so you can explore the intersections of two cultures, both in Catlin's time and today.


 

Wed., June 9, 2010 - Country Dog Gentlemen Travel to Extraordinary Worlds.


Country Dog Gentlemen Travel to Extraordinary Worlds.

From the site:
In this interactive feature, canine characters from Roy De Forest's playful painting Country Dog Gentlemen take you on adventures to learn about famous artworks in SFMOMA's collection. Make your own masterpieces with activities inspired by Jackson Pollock, Frida Kahlo, and other artists. Meet the Country Dog Gentlemen and travel with them to extraordinary worlds!


 

Wed., June 9, 2010 - The Abacus: the Art of Calculating with Beads


Abacus: the Art of Calculating with Beads
The Abacus - Luis Fernandes - Grades 5 to 12
[NOTE: Previously posted. Site updated - Phyllis ]

Site found on TeachersFirst:

This site takes students through the history of the Abacus across various cultures and time periods in addition to showing how to use an abacus for calculating math problems. Students can follow directions to make their own abacus. Click to practice using an abacus to solve problems in addition, subtraction, square roots, cube roots, and more. Explore some of the artistic renditions of the abacus as inspiration for a visual-artistic math project.

Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:



 

Wed., June 9, 2010 - VectorKids


Vectorkids

From the site:
“Vectorkids believes in enhancing education through technology. Our content is designed for elementary and middle school students. However, it is fun for all ages.”

“Interactive Math: Strengthen basic math and other skills with interactive educational tools. The Internet is a great reference. Go beyond reading on the web and begin practicing on the web. The Timed Flashcards and Variable Solving games have a high score board to gauge progress.”

“Games: Play a game of Math Invaders. More are on the way.”

“Other Skills: The first priority of vectorkids is math and science. The truth is that there are tons of fun interactive tools outside of math that are on our list to create. Try your hand at U.S. Capitals or learn basic coin counting.”




Tuesday, June 08, 2010

 

Tues., June 8, 2010 - Get Safe Online



Get Safe Online

From the site:

Get Safe Online a joint initiative between the Government, law enforcement, leading businesses and the public sector. Our aim is to provide computer users and small businesses with free, independent, user-friendly advice that will allow them to use the internet confidently, safely and securely.

 

Tues., June 8, 2010 - Online Free Spanish



--------Forwarded Message--------
Hi! It's Saturday, February 21, 2009 and time for Foreign
Languages at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Online Free Spanish

Age Range: All

The people who designed this site requested a ClickSchooling
review - and I'm so glad they did. You will be too! :)

This website offers FREE, interactive Spanish lessons, games,
activities, and printable coloring pages and worksheets
through a high quality, multi-media platform that is engaging
and user friendly.

It was created especially for children and their parents to
provide basic, introductory Spanish skills whether for
education, travel, business, or pleasure.

When you get to the site you'll see a brief introduction
followed by an icon menu that includes:

*Lessons - Enjoy Spanish lessons that teach the alphabet,
numbers, colors, parts of the human face, fruits, pets, bugs,
geometrical shapes, holidays, and more. Click on any lesson
icon and a new page opens where you can watch an animated
video lesson. Be sure to turn on your speakers to hear the
correct pronunciation of words as they come up on the screen.
Each lesson includes a link to "Related Lessons and
Activities" that provide printable worksheets to reinforce
learning.

*Printables - Choose from an assortment of fun printable
materials that reinforce learning the lessons. There's a
picture dictionary, word search puzzle, and coloring pages of
farm animals, fruits, bugs, numbers, and more.

*Activities - Click and drag Spanish words to matching
pictures, play a variety of word search games, and guide a bee
safely through a frog pond by unscrambling letters to spell
Spanish words.

You can also read a brief history of the Spanish language. New
lessons are added to the site each week, so bookmark it to
return often.

Diane Flynn Keith
for ClickSchooling

Copyright 2009, Diane Flynn Keith, All Rights Reserved.
Publication or distribution in any medium (including blogs,
newsletters, ezines, websites, or email lists) is strictly
prohibited without prior written permission. To seek
permission email editor@homefires.com.

DID YOU MISPLACE A ClickSchooling Review? Do you need to find an educational website - fast!  Visit the ClickSchooling archives at:

Note: We make every effort to recommend websites that have content that is appropriate for general audiences. Parents should ALWAYS preview the sites for suitable content.

Click Schooling (Clickschooling) is a Federally Registered Trademark.


 

Tues., June 8, 2010 - 2010 World Monuments Watch List



World Monuments Watch
2010 Watch Sites

Whether from civil unrest or environmental degradation, many of the world's
great cultural and historical landmarks remain threatened. Fortunately,
there are groups like the World Monument Watch who keep close tabs on the
state of these important resources. Recently, the group released their list
of the 100 most endangered sites for 2010, and for people with an interest
in cultural heritage management and related topics, this site will certainly
merit several visits. On the site, visitors can traipse on through an
interactive map of the world to learn about each site. For each site,
visitors will find a photograph of the landmark, a short essay on the
history of each landmark, and some explanation of the reasons for its
inclusion on the list. [NOTE: Previously posted. Site updated. - Phyllis ]

Map View

List view

 

Tues., June 8, 2010 - Father's Day Centennial: June 20, 2010


Father's Day Centennial: June 20, 2010

From the site:
The idea of Father's Day was conceived slightly more than a century ago by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Wash., while she listened to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. A day in June was chosen for the first Father's Day celebration — 100 years ago, June 19, 1910, proclaimed by Spokane's mayor because it was the month of Smart's birth. The first presidential proclamation honoring fathers was issued in 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Father's Day has been celebrated annually since 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed the public law that made it permanent.<<>>

 

Tues., June 8, 2010 - U.S. Flag Day: June 14



Sites found in:

ipl2 - The Link: June 2010
Date: Tue, Jun 1, 2010 at 7:44 AM
-----

Flag Day (US) - June 14th
Today in History: Flag Day

A brief history of Flag Day, which honors "June 14, 1777, [when] the Continental Congress approved the design of a national flag." Also provides discussion of the Supreme Court decisions related to compelling students to salute the flag (reversed in 1943) and a variety of entertaining facts and links, including an audio recording of the "True to the Flag March." From the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress.

-----

Our Flag

This Congressional publication briefly describes the history of the [United States] flag, and sets forth the practices and observances appropriate to its display." Includes background on holidays such as Flag Day, information about obtaining burial flags for veterans as well as flags that have flown over the capitol, plus instructions for flying, folding, and caring for flags. From the U.S. Federal Citizen Information Center. [NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]



 

Tues., June 8, 2010 - Negotiating Student Aid


Site found in:
NEAT NEW STUFF, April 16, 2010

----

Negotiating Student Aid
If the aid program you're offered isn't enough, you can negotiate to see if your chosen college will improve the deal. This article shows you your new rights under the new rules for student aid, some effective arguments to present, and things to consider before taking out loans.


-----

Neat New Stuff I Found This Week
by Marylaine Block
Copyright 1999.



Monday, June 07, 2010

 

Mon., June 7, 2010 - Elizabeth I: Ruler and Legend


"Elizabeth I: Ruler & Legend"

"Elizabeth I: Ruler & Legend"
examines the youth, reign, & legacy of Queen Elizabeth I. In
an age convinced that women could not govern, she ruled
England for nearly 45 years (1558-1603). She oversaw a period
of breathtaking cultural achievement, kept England from being
torn apart by religious wars, & withstood the threat of the
Spanish Armada. She became a symbol of national unity for
England. (includes timelines)

Site contents:
The Young Elizabeth
Elizabeth the Queen
Sedition and Succession
Elizabeth’s England
Europe and America
Legacy and Legend

Funeral Scroll

[NOTE: Previously posted. URL updated. - Phyllis ]


 

Mon., June 7, 2010 - U.S. Map Collections for All 50 States


Site found in:
NEAT NEW STUFF, March 12, 2010

----

U.S. Map Collections for All 50 States - Geology.com
Click on any state to find relief, elevation, drainage, political, and road maps. -----

Neat New Stuff I Found This Week
by Marylaine Block
Copyright 1999.

 

Mon., June 7, 2010 - Free Animated Math and Computer Tutorials


HS Tutorials.net
Free Animated Math & Computer Tutorials for High School and Middle School Students

From the site:

Students need to see demonstrations and examples many times to really learn them. Teachers don't always have the time to show them, and students don't really like to ask, anyway. That's where we come in. Students can watch our tutorials as many times as they like. They can fast forward and rewind to hear things repeated without having to ask for anything.

[NOTE: Some ads. – Phyllis]


 

Mon., June 7, 2010 - Dr. LeBeau's HomePage: A Resource for Teachers, Students and Curious Adults


Dr. LeBeau's HomePage
A Resource for Teachers, Students and Curious Adults

Contents:
Education Resources
Search Engines
Cool Links For Kids
Technology Links
Reading Resources
All About Writing
Science Links
Math Links for Everyone
Social Studies Links
Geography and Places in the World
Celebrations by the Month
Cool Leaders & Supervisors
Just for Parents

[NOTE: Previously posted. Site updated. Last Update: May 02, 2010 - Phyllis ]


 

Mon., June 7, 2010 - Tudor History


TudorHistory.org

Life in Tudor England, architecture, dates in Tudor history,
historical figures, maps, Tudors in the movies, and more.

[NOTE: Previously posted. Site updated. New links added: May 23, 2010 - Phyllis ]


 

Mon., June 7, 2010 - Ancient Mesopotamia: This History, Our History


Ancient Mesopotamia: This History, Our History

See also Teacher Resource Center :

From the site:

“The story of ancient Mesopotamia is the story of humankind, and it is in this spirit that we developed the online resource, Ancient Mesopotamia: This History, Our History. The Mesopotamian collection of the Oriental Institute Museum was unearthed in archaeological excavations conducted by the University of Chicago over the past century. The purpose of this website is to disseminate knowledge and awareness of this ancient civilization that will lead to a better understanding of ourselves, others, and of current events for the K-12 community, hence the project's title, Ancient Mesopotamia: This History, Our History.

“Ancient Mesopotamia: This History, Our History was developed in collaboration with a team of Chicago Public School teachers. They selected key artifacts from the Oriental Institute Museum’s Mesopotamian collection to create a Learning Collection for this project. These artifacts shed light on many aspects of the everyday lives of the people who lived long ago in the area now called Iraq.

“With this resource teachers and students are able to examine artifacts up close and use the teacher-developed questions to drive individual research or classroom discussions. Students can also go on a virtual archaeological dig in Iraq and examine an online collection of significant artifacts from the Oriental Institute Museum with the interactive Dig Into History. Finally, for teachers who wish to learn more about Mesopotamia and earn graduate credit, the Oriental Institute Museum offers an in-depth eight-week Online Course.”

[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]


 

Sun., June 6, 2010 - ADMIN: A Message from Phyllis

Dear Blog Readers,

Since CJRLC is going to be dissolved, I will be going into semi-retirement. Effective in July, I will continue to share sites that I find, but I will not be posting them regularly, and certainly not as many.  I know some of you, too, are retiring, and many of you are facing changes in your libraries and schools. I hope you will continue to check this blog. You may still find some of the postings interesting and/or they may useful to you in the future. Be aware that from time to time (3 times so far) Google’s robots have determined that my blog is spam and have temporarily removed it.

And for those of you who will be heading off for a summer vacation, rest, relax, and rejuvenate!

- Phyllis

Sunday, June 06, 2010

 

Sun., June 6, 2010 - Trends to Watch (The Pew Center on the States)


--------Forwarded Message--------
Site of the Day

Trends to Watch - The Pew Center on the States

Today's site, from the Center on the States of the well-known Pew organization,
offers data on essential areas which may be of significance for major decisions in
the near future with respect to America's fifty states. Gentle Subscribers may find
the data contained here to be a useful resource in discerning the future directions
of economic and technological change.

"It's no surprise to anyone that the world is changing.  But the facts of just how
the world is changing still have the power to startle -- and elude us. ... This is
why the Pew Center on the States offers Trends to Watch, which seeks to help state
policy makers, the media, and the general public follow the major trends that
determine if states thrive -- or not -- and track where the 50 states stand
relative to each trend. ... The site will be updated continuously, and new data and
analyses will be added as they become available and as new trends emerge across a
wide range of public policy concerns ..." - from the website

The site focuses on eight leading areas within the realms of economics, technology,
society and the environment. These include education, new settlement patterns of
where people live and work, the cost of retirement benefits, along with
productivity and income growth trends. Additional critical issues involve "science
literacy", dealing with environmental changes and the modification in the kinds of
jobs that will be available. Using statistical data, the site provides a visually
striking collection of charts and graphs, with state by state comparisons on how
each state is performing in these crucial areas.

Hike over to the site for a noteworthy reference on future trends for each
state at:


A.M. Holm
view the List archives on the web at:



 

Sun., June 6, 2010 - Aphorisms Galore / State of the States 2010

Sites found in:
NEAT NEW STUFF, February 19, 2010

Aphorisms Galore
If you're ever in need of a short, snappy, amusing comment on whatever topic you're addressing in a speech or report or e-mail (for instance, "A lot of people mistake a short memory for a clear conscience," or "Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea,"), here's a good place to start browsing or searching.

----

State of the States 2010 - How the Recession Might Change States
Examines how state governments are dealing with historic declines in revenues - spending cuts, personnel cuts, elimination and consolidation of programs and agencies, and conflict over the burdens of shared federal-state funded programs. (I'm deeply saddened to learn that the state of Illinois seems to be defunding the library consortiums that allowed library users to borrow freely from other libraries in the state.)

-----

Neat New Stuff I Found This Week
by Marylaine Block
Copyright 1999.


 

Sun., June 6, 2010 - Doodle 4 Google Winners



Doodle 4 Google

Entries closed and winners announced for 2010.  Check out the state, regional, and national winners.

From the site:
“Welcome to Doodle 4 Google, a competition where we invite K-12 students to work their artistic will upon our homepage logo. At Google we believe in thinking big and dreaming big, so this year we've invited U.S. kids to exercise their creative imaginations around the theme, "If I Could Do Anything, I Would …"

 

Sun., June 6, 2010 - Open Yale Courses


Open Yale Courses

From the site:
“Open Yale Courses provides free and open access to a selection of introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. The aim of the project is to expand access to educational materials for all who wish to learn.”

 

Sun., June 6, 2010 - MIT World: Distributed Intelligence


MIT World - Distributed Intelligence - Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Grades 10 to 12

Site found on TeachersFirst:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology has provided a search-able, online video lecture database. Looking for up to date, current topics that would benefit older students? This is the site for you. Videos are categorized by content and the site is easy to navigate. The content is definitely usable with seniors in high school, and with preparation and proper questioning, could be used with slightly younger high school students. Gifted students can also find content at an advanced level through this site. See “real world” experts such as Bill Gates or noted thinkers such as Thomas Friedman on video -- sometimes more accessible to understand than reading text.

Entire review and suggestions for using this site “In the Classroom”:


 

Sun., June 6, 2010 - Sites from Exploratorium, June 2010 - SmartHistory / Cassini Equinox Mission / ChemSoc Timeline / Science for Citizens / Genna's World / Wolfram Alpha


Sites found in:
Ten Cool Sites, June 2010
 “Exploratorium Ten Cool Sites is a collection of cool, interactive sites from the Web, hand-picked by the Exploratorium.”

Here are 6 of the 10:
-----

SmartHistory

This website is the result of years of teaching experience and the beauty of intuitive Web design. If you're new to art history, start in the Basics under Themes. Otherwise, select a Time, Style, or Artist of your choice to begin your art history journey.

-----

NASA JPL: Cassini Equinox Mission

Learn about Saturn and its moons. See the latest video and images coming from the Cassini spacecraft. Monitor the countdown for Cassini's next encounter. With resources for space enthusiasts and teachers alike, no wonder this website won the 2009 Webby award in the Science category.
[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]

-----

Chemsoc Timeline

Super cool chemistry timeline with funky art. You can enter the Flash version or html version. Each entry lists the date, a pictorial representation, a small paragraph about the event, and links for further information. You can also suggest a historic event for inclusion in the timeline.

-----

Science for Citizens

Though this site is in beta, it's chock full of links to research projects needing your help. This is citizen science: It's your participation that helps scientists collect and analyze data. Perfect for everyone from the backyard scientist to the diehard storm chaser.

-----

Genna’s World

There are so many blogs, but this one I think really captures the collaborative environment the Web can be. The brainchild of ten-year old Genna, this website hosts a "collaborative story" where visitors' suggestions are used to write stories. Kid visitors can also post stories, book reviews, and comments on children's writings. All submissions are reviewed prior to posting.

------

Wolfram Alpha

With the goal of making "all systematic knowledge computable," Wolfram Alpha has produced an amazing search engine capable of plotting complex mathematical equations, comparing two stocks, and interpreting a string of base pairs and finding matches to the human genome. Start with the Examples to see what it can do-then try your own queries.

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