W.o.W!
Each week through the school year I try to find at least one educationally useful site (Website of the Week) to share with the teachers at my school. I’ll be taking a little bit of a break from this over the summer to allow me to collect more great sites to share and to focus on other projects (such as a page dedicated to 2.0 applications). They are sorted by content/use, however I am always open to other suggestions of organization.
On a side note, some may notice this list is light on web 2.0 applications. I am working to develop a page devoted specifically to web 2.0 and hope to have that up in the next week or so.
General Educational Content
Educational Games from the BBC
Yes, it is a bit English, but the games are well made and full of educational content. There are games and activities for literally all subject areas and ages.
Bernie Dodge’s WebQuest Page
This is a great resource for teachers looking for ways to create cross-curricular units. Bernie Dodge is a highly respected education professor in San Diego and has pioneered the use of WebQuests in the classroom. Check out the site for more info!
Crickweb
This site provides some simple yet powerful interactive activities for a variety of subject areas, including math and writing. For teachers with Smartboards, this is a great way to get your kids interacting with the board.
Kidsknowit Educational Network
A nice interactive site for students covering content from almost all the subject areas. Includes content information, games, and multi-media resources. The site was developed, and is still run, by a teacher from Utah. Best for students third grade and under.
Interactive Learning Games
This week’s site hits on all the subject areas with some interactive flash/shockwave games. The above link will take you to the interactive site for third-sixth grade (there are links for activities for younger and older students at the bottom of the page). The one I got stuck on had you trying to bounce a ball into a cup, redirecting with various springs, blocks, and other tools. It is part of the Utah Education Network, a nice resource for teachers overall.
Internet searching tools
www.askforkids.com
Formerly askjeevesforkids.com; submit a question just how you want to ask it!
www.kidsclick.com
Directory sorted by content areas. All sites are reviewed by real, live humans, so all content is student research friendly.
Language Arts
The My Hero Project
This site encourages students to recognize the efforts of people who are really trying to make a difference as heroes, as opposed to just picking the latest celebrity. Students can submit writings, create a Webpage about their hero, or create and post a movie about their person. The site is a great way to integrate reading, writing, and technology together.
The Electric Company
Yes, the site for the old TV show now has video and sound clips that are great for emergent readers who need help with letter sounds, blending sounds, basic grammatical structure, and other skills.
RIF – Reading Is Fundamental
Great resource for students, teachers, and parents when it comes to ideas and activities for literacy. Follow the links to ideas for parents and teachers and head to the activity pages for students to practice a variety of different reading skills.
Math
NCTM math games
From the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, a library of nearly 100 math games to meet standards in every grade level.
Count Us In Games
A nice interactive game site for younger students that works with basic number concepts. Directed mostly toward the k-2 demographic.
Figure This!
Designed explicitly for middle school students, this site provides a number of challenging, problem solving activities for students.
Science
Tree of Life Web Project
A huge site with a wide variety of activities and information relating to biology. You can view projects others have created and/or add a new one yourself! Stuff here for all ages.
Earth & Sky: A Clear Voice for Science
This week’s site is Earth/Sky Kids, a site for current, science related material. The site is divided by subject areas (space, animals, plants, bizarre, etc…) and each area has a number of current articles relating to that area of science. In addition, there are a number of podcasts included and blogs for discussion on topics. All in all, a wealth of info on what’s happening right now in science. The articles themselves can be used by students in fifth grade and up (most likely), but the ideas can certainly be posed to younger students and used as a reference by all teachers. Personally, I’ve been using the articles with my seventh graders for their weekly science article reviews, which I hope to have up on our class blog soon (still working out some technical issues on it-but look for the link soon!)
Exploratorium
On to this week’s site. It’s called the Exploratorium, and is one of the most diverse, thorough, and thoroughly fascinating science sites I’ve ever come across. Currently there is an interactive section on scientific process and evolution that includes artifacts, interviews with experts, and lots of great questions. I also watched a video they made from a recent solar eclipse that could be seen in China (yes, they actually filmed in China). Not only do they explain how and why eclipses happen, they show it to through their telescope. Just great, great stuff packaged with a super design and layout. I would say almost any grade level could find appropriate science content here with the large volume of multi-media content available. Check it out today!
Interactives Rock Cycle
This week’s site is a great interactive one centered around the rock cycle. Using lots of flash animation, the site has an interactive rock cycle, explanations for each type of rock and the processes that act to change rocks. Not only can students view photos and animations relating to rocks and the rock cycle, but there are quizes built in as well which use the same pictures and animations. If you are studying the rock cycle, you don’t want to miss this site!
Social Studies
America’s Library
A great interactive site covering a number of topics related to social studies. Multi-media resources, such as a “jukebox” that plays recordings from different time periods in history, really make this an involving and educational site.
State links
Arizona Department of Education
Official site for Arizona Department of Education. Links to standards, school report cards, jobs, and much more.
AIMS testing information
Help your student prepare for AIMS with test taking strategies, practices tests, and more.
More Links
MSD Web Resources Page
List created and maintained by the district. Stuff for students, teachers, parents, and more!
PowerPoint tutorial
Tutorial for Powerpoint use in the classroom setting. Something for all levels of users
Moviemaker tutorial
Tutorial for the use of MovieMaker.
