Following is a list of World Wide Web sites that teachers and their students may find helpful.
Ancient Maya.
The MayaQuest Expedition connects more than 56,000 classrooms worldwide via the Internet with the MayaQuest team of scientists, journalists, and photographers biking through the Central American regions that made up the Mayan civilization. Sponsored by the Learning Company, a software manufacturer, the site will include updates from the traveling team; a weekly profile on Central American children ages 8-14; a gallery of photographs, video outtakes, and audio files from the expedition; and a gallery where teachers can discuss how they use MayaQuest in their classrooms. This year’s adventure launches March 9. Most of the program is free, but there is a $90 fee for a curriculum guide and sending e-mails to the traveling team. www.mecc.com/mayaquest.html.
3D Atlas.
Creative Wonders, ABC television’s Electronic Arts Group, announces the site 3D Atlas Online. It contains geographic resources, world news, and research links for every country. Students can view satellite images of Earth from space, learn to use a map and compass, discover the mathematics of cartography, and study climatic conditions. A section of the site provides resources for geography and social studies teachers and students. www.3datlas.com.
Art For Kids.
Created by visual artists Jantje Mulder and Andrea Mulder-Slater, KinderArt features art lesson plans primarily for K-8 students. The numerous activities include creating painted shoes, tennis-ball prints, spray-paint murals, crayon etchings, stained glass designs, magazine mosaics, and pebble pictures. The site has a section of art trivia, a glossary of terms, a place for teachers to exchange lesson plans, and a gallery featuring students’ work. www.bconnex.net/~jarea/lessons.htm.
Humanities.
A joint project of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Council of the Great City Schools, MCI Communications Corp., and the National Trust for the Humanities, EDSITEment aims to bring together the best resources on the Web about the humanities. It links to numerous humanities research and learning sites, posts learning guides with corresponding lesson plans, and sponsors a search engine to research humanities information on the Web by topic. edsitement.neh.fed.us.
American History.
USA History is a site created and maintained by Daniel Reynolds, a Web site designer and computer-science and computer-engineering student. It contains information about U.S. history and U.S. presidents, trivia, statistics, and related sites as well as essays submitted by visitors to the site. www.usahistory.com.
Science Literacy.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Project 2061 sponsors a site with resources designed to help teachers improve science literacy. Included are on-line versions of “Benchmarks for Science Literacy,” which discusses specific learning goals for students at the ends of grades 2, 5, 8, and 12, and “Blueprints for Reform,” which features information on curriculum and school reform. project2061.aaas.org.
Disaster Preparation.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has launched a site designed to help teachers and students prepare for disasters. Included are: a map to show potential natural hazards in each state; information about hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, and floods; and teacher resources, such as books, quizzes, and a list of other disaster-related Web sites. Students can submit jokes, poems, essays, artwork, and comments. www.fema.gov/kids.
Hong Kong.
Hong Kong ‘97: Lives in Transition is the first site created by WebLab, an on-line laboratory dedicated to expanding the potential of the Web as a participatory medium. Launched in association with PBS Online, the site offers information about the history of Hong Kong; maps and photographs of Hong Kong, Kowloon, outlying islands, and new territories; diaries of Hong Kong residents describing life under Chinese control; discussions about recent events in Hong Kong; and related links. www.pbs.org/hongkong.
Surfing The Net.
Barbara Feldman, a former computer consultant and programmer, has a Web page where she posts her syndicated newspaper column “Surfing the Net With Kids.” In the column, Feldman rates and reviews Web sites for kids. Past reviews have featured sites on the pilgrims, Mickey Mouse, and photography. The page also features an archive of her columns and links to the sites reviewed. www.surfnetkids.com/feldman.
Young Readers.
Random House Children’s Publishing has a site for K-8 educators about books published by Random House, Crown, and Knopf Books for Young Readers. It features a resource center with author bios; reading-group guides and class activity suggestions; a special-offer section where teachers can purchase class sets or book series at discounts; a teachers’ lounge for weekly chats about various topics; and a tip of the month from a teacher. www.teachersatrandom.com.
The Louvre.
This site, financed by the Louvre museum in Paris, offers a cybertour of its galleries. French, English, Spanish, and Japanese guides are available that describe the history of the palace turned museum, the permanent collection, temporary exhibits, and specific works of art. mistral.culture.fr/louvre.
Eric Carle.
Eric Carle, the author and illustrator best known for his book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has an official site called the Caterpillar Exchange where teachers can swap ideas about using Carle’s books in reading and art programs. Also included are a list of Carle’s books from 1967 to 1997 (with a list of those published in Spanish); the artist’s answers to frequently asked questions about his work; biographical information; a calendar of exhibits of his art; and a schedule of his appearances. www.eric-carle.com/index.html.
