Teaching & Learning Elementary Subjects More Effectively
This is a course of five Essential Questions and numerous links to help in developing your answers and improved practices for these questions. ALL areas of the curriculum are covered, including art, music, drama, health, phys. ed., and early childhood. Because of the number of links some are starred *1* as key sites, and you need only work in the areas of the curriculum that you teach.
This is a distance learning course, concentrating on uses of the Internet for teaching, learning and professional development. It also is intended to give you enough web sites and leads-in to more web sites to be a continuously useful resource for your learning and doing.
This is a PASS/FAIL course. Therefore, SELECT and BASE YOUR WORK on those areas that best match your current interests. You can return any time to areas that match future concerns and changing interests--one of the many advantages of on-line learning
Assessment is based on work you produce in series of essays/listings for each Essential Question or topic you "connect with," and with an annotated lists of sites supporting your views and reflecting your web work. Note the Rubric for Course Portfolio Assessment.
For instance, you might write “The site XXXX [http://www.xxx.com] gave me a different perspective on how to help students learn _____. It also cleared up for me something I was confused about, and that is what educators mean by __________.” Certainly you would want to elaborate more.
This work may be emailed to me at ozpk100@aol.com, or snail-mailed to me at Chad C. Osborne 923 W. Mission St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101. If you email the work, you may wish to put it in a Zip file, which compresses text and makes it easier to send over the 'Net.
For any questions you have, e-mail me at ozpk100@aol.com.
COMPOSITION is ELEMENTARYGENERAL
COMPOSITION RESOURCES
Essential Question 1: Based on links from the sites below, what ideas and resources might enable me to help my students develop their language arts more effectively?
LITERATURE is ELEMENTARYREADING
COMPREHENSION - Guides
*1*
BBC
English Learning Page - Reading Comprehension -- From the fabulous
BBC, a series of great pages with helpful tips on how to read for better
understanding! Pages include:
- Reading
Fiction -- Characters, Vocabulary, Imagery, Sentence Structure.
- Reading
Nonfiction -- Structure, Sentence Structure, Fact & Opinion,
Persuasive Language
- Study
Hall - Faster Reading -- A
discussion of several reading strategies. From the site: "The purpose
of this section is to teach you how to increase your reading speed. Shortly
we will be adding a section for reading BETTER as opposed to FASTER."
- Read
Better, Faster -- An
article that reviews strategies for more efficient reading!
- Reading
to Learn -- This
online article reviews some handy strategies for reading and studying!
- Phonics
Rules -- An online
guide to phonics, syllables, and pronunciation!
READING
COMPREHENSION
- Learning to Read - A one-stop site with links on most aspects of reading
- Short
Answer Questions - Interpreting Fiction and Essays -- This fabulous site
provides reading samples, each with a series of practice short-answer
questions! Also included is a Rubric Assessment Scale, so students and
educators can evaluate performance! The site is intended for students
in grades 5-6, but the exercises may be helpful to more advanced students
as well!
Writing Samples Include...
- The
Stare of the Cat
- Short-Answer
Questions
- Rosa
Parks
- Short-Answer
Questions -- Also included is the rubric scoring scale...
- Reading
Comprehension Scoring Table
- Reading
Skills Help Online: -- An
incredibly comprehensive resource for students who need help with reading
comprehension skills! Choose from five levels of difficulty, and receive
dozens of practice exercises! Reading samples are provided, as well as
online self-tests, vocabulary exercises, writing exercises, and other
games and activities to improve reading skills! A must see!
- English
Zone Reading Activities -- Check
out these great interactive online reading activities! Dozens of online
reading samples with quiz questions! A great place to develop reading
comprehension and test-taking skills.
- Reading
Comprehension Exercise -- Check
out this online self-test that assesses your reading comprehension skills!
- Reading
Comprehension Worksheets -- Lots
of printable worksheets with reading comprehension activities! From the
site: "Featuring all new free weekly reading comprehension worksheets
for teachers and parents to copy for their kids. They include original
stories, poems, essays, and articles. They're most appropriate for upper
elementary through middle school years."
- Reading
Rate Exercise -- Test
your rate of reading! Use the online timers while you read passages from
"The Velveteen Rabbit."
AUTHORS
- *1*Young
Adults' Authors and Illustrators -- If
you need a biography of an author of young adults' books - you've come
to the right place! Hundreds of indexed links! Check it out!
- Great
Writers -- An
enormous set of links to biographical information and homepages for hundreds
of classic and contemporary authors!
- Authors
Links -- A
collection of links to biographical information on over 100 authors!
Authors
and Works from Diverse Backgrounds
- African
American Literature -- From
WorldBook Online, this special collection explores "literature written
by black Americans of African descent. Its themes include the exploration
of black identity, the condemnation of racism, and the celebration of
the unique aspects of African American culture."
- Asian-American
Literature -- From
the site: "This site's purpose is to provide an overall introduction
to the large and vast world of Asian American literature. By browsing
these pages, you will begin to get a sense of the major accomplishments
of Asian American writers." The site includes modules on China, Japan,
the Phillipines, and several relevant topics!
- Native
American Authors -- "This
website provides information on Native North American authors with bibliographies
of their published works, biographical information, and links to online
resources including interviews, online texts and tribal websites."
A well-organized, informative site that can be browsed by Author, Work,
or Tribe.
- Hispanic
Heritage
Black
History Month
Women's
History Month -- From
the Gale Publishing Group, three incredible sites that provide historical
and cultural background information to help students understand literature
in cultural context. The sites feature biographies, timelines,a nd multimedia
activities!
- Voices
in the Gaps - Women Writers of Color -- An
index of information on women writers of color. Authors include Maya Angelou,
Angela Davis, Toni Morrison, Amy Tan, and dozens of others!
- A
Celebration of Women Writers -- A
huge collection of resources on women writers worldwide!
- Women
and Literature -- This
site features brief biographies of the following women authors: Louisa
May Alcott, Maya Angelou, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Bishop, Emily Bronte,
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Willa Cather, Emily Dickinson, Edna St.Vincent
Millay, Karoline von Günderrode, Carson McCullers, Marge Piercy, Sylvia
Plath, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Virginia Woolf.
- Women
Writers from Mexico -- A
series of links to biographical information on women writers from Mexico.
POETRY
- Writing
about Poetry on an Exam -- Wow!
A super site from the BBC that guides you step-by-step through answering
exam questions about poems! The site covers the following topics: Exam
questions (key words and phrases), Getting to know the poem (subject matter,
language, sound, form), Personal response: developing a viewpoint (Ideas
and attitudes, tone), Illustration (using quotations), Checklist (how
to read a poem).
- Poetry
Profile -- A
great ThinkQuest site that provides the full texts of dozens of poems,
plus brief interpretations of each poem!
- Poetry
for Kids -- An
online guide to basic poetic techniques for young writers! Topics include
How to rhyme, Types of Rhyme Schemes, and other poetic devices!
- Glossary
of Poetic Terms -- A
great reference site for young poets! Includes the following features:
Phonetic pronunciation, Cross references, Broad range of definitions,
Numerous examples, Hyper-linked keywords, Poetic quotations, Writers'
guidelines.
- Cinquains
and Diamantes -- From
the site: "Cinquains have a definite number of words or syllables on each
of its five lines and a purpose, or formula for each line … A diamante
is a seven line poem displayed in a diamond pattern." Learn much more
about these poetic styles at this site!
- A
Time for Rhyme -- A
fun guide to planning and writing poems!
- Poet
Pages -- From
the site: "I've collected Internet information relating to 159 poets,
for 11 of whom I've created my own pages, and for the rest of whom a large
index page, 'Poet Links', which adds some new entries each month; also
I've created a page of related links." An excellent resource for information
on poets!
- Periodic
Table of Poetry -- Perhaps
the strangest poetry site on the Web … click on an element in the periodic
table, and see a poem … no, really, I'm serious!
- *1* Why
Poetry What -- An
interesting site developed by an eighth grade student. Check out all sorts
of internet poetry resources, and follow along with the suggested activities
for each lesson!
MYTHS,
LEGENDS AND FOLKLORE
- Legends -- From
the site: "This is Legends, a personal journey through the worlds of Robin
Hood, King Arthur, D'Artagnan, and other swashbuckling characters of balladry,
fiction, and film, from the shores of Avalon to the dungeons of Zenda."
Read about mythical and legendary characters here!
- Unseen
Creatures of Myth and Legend -- From
ThinkQuest, this site provides a fanciful overview of several "unseen
creatures" - including the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, faries, and
several others!
- Campfire
Stories -- This
collection of stories includes folktales from many Native American groups.
ONLINE
LITERATURE
- Bibliomania -- Your
source for classic literary works online! This site has huge indexes of
online versions of Reference Texts, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and the
Complete Works of Shakespeare!
- Student's
History of American Literature -- An
excellent reference for students who want to know how American Literature
has evolved since the early 1600's!
- Young
Adult Literature -- A
collection of online book anthologies and other internet resources for
young adult readers. Categories include: African American History & Literature,
Asian American History & Literature, American Literature, Authors WWW
Pages, Biography & Autobiography … plus dozens of others!
- Organization
For Community Networks Electronic Bookshelf -- Dozens
of online books intended for young adult readers!
- Classics
for Young People -- From
the site: "A growing number of children's literature classics are out
of copyright, and are among the books available in full-text on the Internet.
Here are some of the more popular and interesting titles that are available
in HTML format."
- Gargoyles,
Angels and Shadows -- An
online anthology of several short stories! Authors include Kipling, Dickens,
Saki, and Lewis Carroll!
The SOCIAL STUDIES are ELEMENTARY
Essential Question 2: Based on links from the sites below, what ideas and resources might enable me to help my students learn social studies more effectively?
- *1*Teaching Social Studies K-6 With the Internet -- Some great sites from Classroom Connect.
- *1*American
Indian Kids - History for Our Youth -- A
tremendous collection of resources on Native American history and heritage
for kids!
- Cherokee
Indians - ThinkQuest -- From
ThinkQuest Jr., a great site on Cherokee history and traditions. Topics
covered include: Ceremonies, Technical Geography, Sequoyah, Cherokee Food,
Gold Fever, Housing, Government, Cherokee Rose, Fun Facts, Games, English,
Clans, Oklahoma, Deaths, War, Moving, Traditions, Bibliography, Legends.
- Smithsonian
- National Museum of the American Indian -- An
amazing collection of resources on the history of Native Americans. The
site might be a bit complex for younger students, but with some guidance,
any student of any age can benefit from visiting this online museum!!
- *1*Explorers
in the New World -- Another
great student-developed site from ThinkQuest Jr.! This site traces European
exploration in the "New World", with lessons on Why Explorers
Explored the World, an Explorer Timeline, Games, and an "Explorers'
Log Book"
- Virtual
Tour of Plimoth Plantation -- Take
a tour of Plimoth Plantation! From the site: "Plimoth (Plymouth)
Plantation was the first permanent European settlement in southern New
England (AD 1620). Today, this area is the site of a living museum, dedicated
to recreating 17th - century lifeways in the New World."
- An
American Thanksgiving -- Check
out this great site, which features a wealth of activities and stories
for children on the Pilgrims, Native Americans, the First Thanksgiving,
and historical Thanksgivings. The site includes information on The Mayflower
Compact 1620, The Peace Treaty with Massasoit 1621, and The First Thanksgiving
Proclamation.
- Early
Colonial Life -- A
series of projects on early life in New England, Middle, and Southern
colonies, all completed by 5th Grade students!
- Roger
Williams -- A
brief biographical profile with a profile image.
- Anne
Hutchinson -- A
brief biographical profile
- The
Real Pocahontas -- A
lively biography of Pocahontas. Includes a small Pocahontas "family tree"
of some ancestors and descendants. From the site: " Matoaka was the beautiful
and lively daughter of Powhatan, ruler of the land that the English named
Virginia. "Pocahontas" was her childhood nickname, translated as "little
wanton," which is a short way to say, "child whom you can never find because
she's out playing somewhere." Pocahontas may have helped saved the struggling
Jamestown colony from extinction..."
- *1*Colonial
Life -- Dozens
of great links to Colonial History pages for young students!
- The
Jamestown Gazette -- From
the fabulous ThinkQuest Jr., this site includes a History of Jamestown
Fort, an Online Study Guide, a "Trivia Quiz" and an "Interactive
Jamestown Fort."
- Colonial
Kids -- A
creative site from ThinkQuest Junior that simulates life in a Colonial
Village in the 1700's!
SCIENCE is ELEMENTARY
TEACHING SCIENCE: GRADES 1-6Essential Question 3: Based on links from the sites below, what ideas and resources might enable me to help my students learn SCIENCE more effectively?
LIFE SCIENCES: CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANISMS
HUMAN
BEINGS - CHARACTERISTICS of LIVING THINGS
- *1*Evolution
- Tour
of the Human Body -- This
great ThinkQuest Jr. site takes you for a tour of the following human
body systems: Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous, Digestive, Respiratory, Circulatory,
Urinary.
- *1*Kids
Health -- At
this site, kids can find out how the body works! Learn about your bones,
muscles, organs and body systems, and find out the facts on illnesses
and injuries!
- A
Look Inside the Human Body -- From
the site: "At this site you can take a closer look at the major systems
of the Human Body and how they work. This information was designed to
be used in conjunction with a Science unit for Year 3 and 4 on the Human
Body."
- *1*BBC
- Kids Body Guide -- Several
interactive lessons on the following topics: eyes, eating & digestion,
brain, breathing, teeth, heart, bones, blood, hair, food, muscles, skin,
waste disposal, ears.
- *1*The
Heart -- An
online exploration through the heart! Lots of great images!
- What
Does Smoking Do to Your Lungs? -- Find
out the effects of cigarette smoking on young people from the Center for
Disease Control.
- Optical
Illusions -- This
site really doesn't fit in any curriculum category … but it's just too
cool to leave off of this list! A fabulous gallery of amazing illusions!
PLANTS - CHARACTERISTICS of LIVING THINGS
- Plants -- This
fabulous encyclopedia for kids has a great introduction to the world of
plants! Click on the links for further lessons on the following topics:
Seeds & Fruits, Garden & Wild Flowers, Trees, Mosses & Ferns, Fungi, Algae,
Plants for food.
- Plants! -- From
the site: "Plants are one of the major kingdoms of living things.
Plants are important to us as they provide us with food, clothing, shelter,
medicines, even the air we breathe! This website contains information,
quizzes, links and activities on plants."
- Top
Crops! -- A
fun online game from the U.S. Government (believe it or not!). Click on
a crop - peaches, lettuce, corn, grapes, soybeans, mushrooms, apples,
bananas, potatoes, oranges - and get a fact sheet. Then answer the trivia
questions about each crop!
- Why
do Plants Have Flowers? -- A
great introduction to the life cycle of plants!
- Plants
and Our Environment -- From
the site: This web site is about plants. You will learn about how plants
grow and the different parts of a plant. We will tell you how seeds travel
and what bees do to help plants. At our web site, you will also learn
about plants and their relationship with animals. Students and teachers,
be sure to check out our page with plant activities."
- All
About Plants -- A
great site where young (K-2) students can learn about plants! From the
site: "This website is designed to help you learn about plants. Please
click on one of the flowers, leaves, or seeds below.".
- USDA
- Plant Stories -- A
series of entertaining lessons on plants, including: Plant to Human: "Hands
Off, Buster!", The Plant Hunters..., Plants Fight Off Foreign Invaders,
Cracking Nature's Color-Code for Flowers.
ANIMALS - CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS
General
Information . . .
Animal
Omnibus -- An
incredible site that provides hundreds of links to information and pictures
for hundreds of species of Amphibians, Arthropods, Birds, Dinosaurs, Fishes,
Mammals, Mollusks, Reptiles. You can also search the site for any specific
animal!
Kratt's
Creature World -- This
site features a "clickable map" of the world … point and click on a continent
to explore its many "creatures"!
Animal
Bytes -- Fast
facts from Sea World/Busch Gardens about dozens of species of Birds, Mammals,
Insects, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish and Invertebrates!
San
Diego Zoo Online - Kids Territory -- From
the site: "How does a flamingo eat its food? What does a giant panda eat?
Why does one type of cobra spit? Here are some interesting facts and descriptions
on some of the animals you can see at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego
Wild Animal Park."
Journey
North -- An
online project where schoolchildren help track the migratory progress
of a dozen migratory species!
*1*Cells
for Kids -- A
beautifully illustrated introduction to cells! Learn the differences between
plant and animal cells!
Cells -- From
the site: "Life Science is full of fun and learning. We get to dissect
worms, and we also get to learn all about cells! Click on some of the
projects below to see examples and to see descriptions of the assignments:
Cell Structure, Mitosis and Meiosis, Animal cells, Plant cells, Cell Processes,
Diffusion, Osmosis, Active Transport, Virus Reproduction, Plasmolysis,
Cross Section of a plant
The
Cell -- From
the site: "The cell is one of the most basic units of life. There
are millions of different types of cells. There are cells that are organisms
unto themselves, such as microscopic amoeba and bacteria cells."
Learn more at this site!
EARTH
AND SPACE SCIENCES: PROPERTIES
OF EARTH'S MATERIALS
- EARTH
SCIENCE - Kids Only (NASA)
-- A
phenomenal site! NASA provides interactive activities, games and lessons
about air, land, water, and natural hazards. "One-stop shopping"
for Earth Science for Kids!
Evolution of Earth's Materials
- *1*DINOSAURS! -- Part
of the amazing "Zoom School" site, these pages take you through a great
introduction to fossils: First Dino Fossil Discoveries, What are Fossils?
How Fossils Form, Types of Fossils, Finding Fossils, Dating Fossils, Excavating
Fossils, Famous Fossil Hunters, Fossil Locations Worldwide.
- What
is a Fossil?
-- This
site answers basic questions about fossils and how they formed, and provides
tips and hints for avid fossil collectors.
- *1*Fossils!
-- From
the Royal Ontario Museum, a super site that explains fossil formation,
how they are used by scientists, and how they are collected! Includes
an online fossil game!
- Finding
Fossils
-- A
great introduction to fossils and how to find them! Several pages of information
on fossils in museums and in nature.
- Plant
Fossils of West Virginia -- Great
galleries of plant fossils - Articulates, Lycopods, Cordaites and Ferns!
Rocks
and their Properties
- *1*Get
Ready to Rock! -- This
tremendous ThinkQuest Jr. site has tons of information and activities
on rocks of all kinds! Topics include: Igneous, Sedimentary & Metamorphic
Rocks, The Rock Cycle, Crystals, Birthstones, Hardness, Gems, Rock Uses.
- *1*Rocks
and Minerals for Kids -- A
great introduction to rocks and minerals for elementary students! Topics
include: Rocks, Minerals, Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic, Volcanoes,
Birthstones
- Rocks
and Minerals -- A
great introduction to the basics of rocks and minerals, from the University
of Kansas!
- Mineral
Gallery -- An
enormous collection of mineral information and images!
- Rock
and Mineral Slide Shows -- A
series of slide shows (with great pictures!) on the following types of
rocks and minerals: General, Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic.
Soil
- Soils
- Kapili.com -- Soil is much more than just dirt. It is the result of the breakdown of rocks.
The breakdown is both physical and chemical. Soil is mainly something
scientists call REGOLITH. Regolith is sandwiched between the BEDROCK (the
rock that makes up the continents) and the actual loose soil (the top
stuff at the surface).
- Soil
Science for Kids -- From the USDA, some great lessons on soil for kids: Hey! Don't Throw That Out
(Recycle it)!, Careful! Earthworms Under Foot, Like Teenage "Head
Bangers" Some Plants Like Heavy Metal Too!
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
- Volcano
World
- Volcano
World - Kids' Entry Door -- An amazing site that takes you around the world of volcanoes. If it's about
volcanoes, it's probably here!
- FEMA
for Kids - Volcanoes -- From the site: "A volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a pool of molten
rock below the surface of the earth. When pressure builds up, eruptions
occur. Gases and rock shoot up through the opening and spill over or fill
the air with lava fragments." Learn much more about volcanoes at this
site!
- Volcanoes -- From
the site: "Today, there are many active volcanoes worldwide. Is there
anything we can do to predict how and when they will erupt? As the world's
population grows, more and more people are living in potentially dangerous
volcanic areas. Volcanic eruptions continue--as they have throughout history--posing
ever-greater threats to life and property." Learn much more about this
topic at this site!
- Earthquakes
- for Kids -- From the USGS, a great page full of information and activities about earthquakes!
- ABC
Earthquakes! -- A fabulous site designed for very young (Grades prek-1) students and their
teachers/families. This site features an interactive children's book designed
to explain earthquakes to young kids!!
- California
Earthquake Info -- From
the site: "An earthquake is a sudden, rapid shaking of the earth
caused by the release of energy stored in rocks. Earthquakes are detected
every day in California by sensitive instruments called seismographs.
Very few of these earthquakes are big enough to be felt by people, and
even fewer are big enough to cause damage."
- Earthquake
Quiz and Q&A -- Take
an interactive quiz about earthquakes!
- Earthquakes
- Earthforce in the Crust -- An explanation of the role of the Earth's crust in earthquakes, and several
links to key earthquake sites!
- Earthquakes
- Earthforce in the Core -- An explanation of the role of the Earth's crust in earthquakes, and several
links to key earthquake sites!
- Earthquakes
- Earthforce in the Water -- An explanation of the role of water in earthquakes, and several links to
key earthquake sites!
WEATHER
- How
The Weather Works -- From USA Today, a comprehensive introduction to all things Weather! Some of
the material is intended for advanced learners, but most of the lessons
are an easy read for students of all ages!
- *1*Weather
Eye - Cadets! -- Designed for students in Grades 2-8, this site has dozens of lessons and activities
designed to teach kids all about weather!
- Wild,
Wild Weather -- From the site: "Hi, I'm NEWSCHANNEL 19's, Chief Meteorologist Dan Satterfield.
WELCOME to my WILD WILD WEATHER PAGE.
I've put these pages together for Kids between 6 and 16 years old."
Check out great lessons on clouds, radar, tornadoes, lightning, precipitation,
humidity, satellites, temperature, forecasting, wind, climate.
- Web
Weather for Kids -- From the site: "try these simple "do-at-home" experiments to
learn what thunderstorms are all about."
- The
Weather Underground -- A top-quality site from the University of Michigan … it features interactive
weather maps, and mounds of educational material about weather and climate!
- *1*Weather
Basics -- An interactive weather textbook for kids - from national meteorologist Nick
Walker ("The Weather Dude").
- RADAR -- Learn
how meteorologists use RADAR to make forecasts!
Storms and Lightning
- *1*Disasters:
Kids' Page - FEMA -- Wow! What a great site - lots of activities, games and lessons for kids to
learn about hurricanes tornadoes, tsunamis, floods, thunderstorms, volcanoes,
earthquakes, wildfires, and winter storms! One of the best kids sites
on the web!.
- Severe
Weather with Owlie Skywarm -- From the site: "I'm the official mascot of the National Weather Service
(NOAA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). I teach about
the hazards of severe weather which include tornadoes, lightning, hurricanes,
flash floods and winter storms."
- What
Happens When a Storm Comes? -- Check out this super site, which has explanations of storms and related phenomena
- for kids!
- Lightning
- Franklin Institute -- An explanation of lightning and its history geared toward young learners!
- *1*Lightning
- NASA -- From NASA, a thorough study of lightning and its history! The text is intended
for middle-school students, but this site is a great "guided read" for
younger students with their teachers!
- Lightning
Safety for Kids -- A nice collection of information on lightning, how to stay safe in a lightning
storm, and how to learn more about lightning.
- Lightning
Images -- Some stunning images of lightning strikes!
- Hurricanes
- Miami Museum -- A great site, with lots of information and kids' activities on hurricanes
and killer storms!
- Hurricane
Harry - Environment Canada -- Follow "Hurricane Harry" for a fun tour that explains the makings of
a hurricane!
- Hurricanes -- Great
explanation of Hurricanes from the Franklin Institute!
- Tornadoes -- Great
explanation of Tornadoes from the Franklin Institute!
- Tornado
Images
- Thundershowers
- Severe
Thundershowers --
Great
explanation of thunderstorms from the Franklin Institute!
- Winter
Storms -- A super page about Winter storms, from Scholastic!
Weather Phenomena
- Clear
Days -- Sometimes
the weather forecast is bright and sunny! Find out what's happening on
clear weather days!
- Cold
Fronts -- Find
out about Cold Fronts from the Franklin Institute!
- Fog -- A
brief explanation of fog from the Franklin Institute.
- Brief
Rain Showers
- Rain -- An
explanation of what causes rain, and brief rain showers!
- Snow -- Find
out what causes Snow!
- Kids
- Clouds -- Definitions
of different cloud types, and lots of pictures!
- Cloud
Guide -- Learn
about the different types of clouds! View images of clouds of all different
types!
Air
- Air
Masses -- Although
geared for students in grades 6 and up, this is an excellent summary of
air masses and their movement!
- Cold
Fronts -- Find
out about Cold Fronts from the Franklin Institute!
- El
Nino -- Find
out about what happens when hot air is over hot water!
- Hurricanes -- Great
explanation of Hurricanes from the Franklin Institute!
Climate
- *1*Climate
Change -- A fabulous slide show that teaches students about the earth's atmosphere
and how climates change!
- *1*Oceans
and Climate -- A
guided tour of the Earth from Toppy the Satellite! Toppy describes how
the oceans affect climates worldwide!
- *1*Beginner's
Guide to Climate Change -- From
the site: "These stories tell of huge shifts in climate. Climate
is the average of the weather - the sunshine, how much it rains, the temperature,
how windy it is. Earth's climate changes naturally, and human beings adapt
so that they can live. We
all live in different circumstances, and we adapt to fit our environment"
- Global
Warming - Kids' Page -- From
the Environmental Protection Agency, a great series of activities and
lessons about global warming. Includes a section on "Climate and
Weather."
- Global
Warming and Climate Change -- From the site:
"Climate is a sort of huge 'machine'. What's called 'weather' is
just a small bit of this machine which you and I notice: you know, a
tornado, a blizzard, a hurricane, very hot weather or very cold weather.
And I bet you know what drives this machine, don't you? Yes, it's the
sun. Without the sun, there would be no climate, no weather, no people,
no penguins, no life."
Click here to learn more!
- Ecosystems
of our World -- Lots
of information on the features of the following biomes: Mountains (High
Elevation), Tundra, Temperate Forest, Marine/Island Desert, Tropical Dry
Forest, Cold Climate Forest, Grassland, Savannah, Tropical Rainforest.
- Tour
of the Biomes -- A guided tour of the following biomes: Tropical rain forest, Tropical Savannah,
Mid-Latitude Deciduous forest, Desert, Subarctic Taiga, and Polar Tundra.
Click on a red dot from the map of the world to see the corresponding
biome!
WATER
CYCLE
- Water
Science for Schools -- From
the U.S. Geological Survey, the best site on the 'Net to find out about
Water! Topics include: Earth's water, Water basics, Water use, Water Q&A,
Special topics. The site also includes an Activity center and Picture
gallery!
- The
Water Cycle -- Geared
specifically to Grade 4 students, this site features a nice explanation
of the water cycle, accompanied by great graphics!
- *1*EPA
Guide to Groundwater for Kids -- A
fabulous collection of online lessons, experiments, games and other resources
for kids to find out about groundwater!
- Water
Slide Show -- A
nice slideshow about the increasing demands on Earth's water supply.
- American
Rivers - Kids' Corner -- Learn
all about rivers, and the animals you will find in them!
- Streams -- Find
out how a stream functions! Lots of great images and artwork!
- Water
Treatment Plants -- Find
out what happens in a municipal water treatment plant (just what are you
drinking, anyway?). This site, developed by a treatment plant in Virginia,
features lots of definitions of water treatment terms (just click on the
term for a glossary definition!).
- Sources
of Water Pollution -- A
handy table listing the major sources of water pollution!
- Massachusetts
River Restore Program -- Information
on Massachusetts' efforts to restore several rivers throughout the state!
OTHER NEAT SCIENCE SITES
MATH is ELEMENTARY: BASIC FACTS AND ALGORITHMSEssential Question 4: Based on links from the sites below, what ideas and resources might enable me to help my students learn MATH more effectively?
- *1*Integers -- A
great set of Online Lessons: Positive and negative integers, The number
line, Absolute value of an integer, Adding integers, Subtracting integers,
Multiplying integers, Dividing integers, Integer coordinates, Comparing
integers.
- *1*Positive
and Negative Numbers -- On-line
lesson that covers the following concepts with positive and negative numbers:
About positive and negative numbers, The number line, Absolute value of
positive and negative numbers, Adding positive and negative numbers, Subtracting
positive and negative numbers, Multiplying positive and negative numbers,
Dividing positive and negative numbers, Coordinate, Comparing positive
and negative numbers, Reciprocals of negative numbers. Whew!
- Dividing
Whole Numbers with Remainders --A
brief lesson on how to perform division operations involving remainders.
- Whole
Numbers and their Properties -- On-line
lesson that covers the basics of whole numbers, including place value,
ordering, rounding and divisibility. Also covers the following properties
of whole numbers: commutative, associative, zero property, multiplicative,
and order of operations.
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING WHOLE NUMBERS
- *1*Problem
Solving Strategies -- A
great page to learn how to approach problems. Gives lots of strategies
and a step-by-step framework of approach!
- Working
Backwards -- An
answer to a student question regarding the problem-solving strategy of
"working backwards" to find the answer!
- *1*Elementary
Math Problem of the Week -- Each
week the good folks at Swarthmore post a challenging problem, and invite
students to submit their solutions! Students must use critical thinking
skills and select appropriate operations to solve these ... complete with
over three years worth of problems in the Archives, so you will never
run out of fun problems to solve!
ARITHMETIC OPERATIONS AND WHOLE NUMBERS --
QUIZZES and DRILLS
- *1*BBC
- Math Games for Young Students -- The
best site on the web for math games for preK-2! Counting, place value
and basic operations games from the "Little Animals Activity Center"!!
- *1*BBC
- Maths File Games -- You'll
need the Shockwave plug-in to play these great games from BBC education!
Choose from a dozen different games!
- *1*Math
Quizzes -- Check
out these interactive quizzes! Students are given multiple choice math
questions on the topic of their choice (topics include Whole Numbers,
Fractions, Decimals, Ratio, Percent, Units of Measurement, Metric System,
Rational Numbers, Geometry, Algebra) and can select specialty problems
within each topic! After submitting an answer, students receive automated
feedback, and the site keeps a "scorecard" of the problems completed!
- Arithmetic
Drills -- A handy
applet for practicing math skills. This applet will continuously present
new addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and you can select
numbers, word problems, or Roman Numerals! The applet will time you and
record how accurate your responses are.
- *1*ArithmAttack! -- A
great on-line interactive drill! See how many arithmetic problems you
can solve accurately within 2 minutes! Select whether you want to add,
subtract, multiply or divide!
- *1*Math
Flashcards -- Create
your own set of flashcards for addition, subtraction, multiplication,
or division! Choose how easy or difficult you want the problems to be!
Choose how many problems you want, and you can have your flashcard sessions
timed! Division problems include fractions and decimals.
- Arithmetic
Flashcards -- Choose
the type of problem you want (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
and the level of difficulty - then get a series of interactive flashcards
with math problems!
- Money
Flashcards -- Count
the money on every page!
ARITHMETIC
OPERATIONS AND WHOLE NUMBERS
GAMES
- Multiplication
Maze -- Move
around the maze and defeat the dragon ... by answering multiplication
and division questions! Choose how long you have to navigate the maze,
and how hard the questions are. Make sure your computer has the ShockWave®
Plug-In before you play!
- *1*Soccer
Shootout -- Fun
from funbrain.com! Light up the scoreboard by answering questions in addition,
subtraction, division and multiplication! "Score and Save by correctly
answering math problems. First you shoot, then try to save the shot by
FunBrain."
- *1*Disaster
Math! -- Solve
these word problems that are related to disasters - earthquakes, hurricanes
and floods!
- MathCats
Math Games -- Some
math matching games from the MathCats! "You'll match cats who look
the same or who have the same value. With a little thinking and planning,
you can put all of the cats into one long line! This game is for grade
3 and up."
- Victoria
Search
- Stanley
Park Chase -- Created
by students at Willowbrook Elementary School, you will learn all about
various places in Canada as you answer math problems!
- Math
Grid Challenge - Shockwave -- You
begin with 16 numbers on a grid ... answer the math questions (multiplication,
division, addition, subtraction) by clicking on the right grid number.
Sounds easy, but you have to beat the clock! Make sure your computer has
the Shockwave® plug-in before playing.
- *1*Power
Football -- Fun
from funbrain.com! Score a touchdown by answering questions in addition,
subtraction, division and multiplication! Choose between using algebraic
or non-algebraic equations. Choose between four levels of difficulty.
Hike!
- Change
Maker -- Fun
from funbrain.com! Earn cash by making change at this interactive cash
register! Choose between 4 levels of difficulty.
- Batter
Up! Math Baseball -- A
great interactive game that requires the "Flash" plug-in. Answer
math questions - easy ones will get you a single, hard ones a Home Run!
Beware the banner ads on this site!!
- *1*Eleven
Times -- From
the site: "Eleven Times is a fun game that teaches how to quickly
multiply two-digit numbers by eleven. First, you'll learn how the trick
works by watching step-by-step examples. When you are confident in your
new knowledge, test your skill and speed using the Eleven Times Challenge!"
ARITHMETIC OPERATIONS AND WHOLE NUMBERS
INTERACTIVE WORKSHEETS
Each of the following links leads to a fun worksheet of problems based on kids
stories! Kids will need to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and make equations
from word problems.
- Solutions
to all Problems -- Worksheets
- Three
Little Pigs
- The
Five Little Pumpkins
- Franklin
and Thunderstorm
- Three
Little Kittens
- Witch
of Willoughby Wood
- Nursery
Rhymes
- Pokemon
-- More
worksheets from mathstories.com ... these are for help with addition and
subtraction.
- Solutions
to all Problems -- Worksheets:
- #1,
- #2,
- #3,
- #4
-- More
worksheets from mathstories.com ... these are for help with multiplication:
- Solutions
to all Problems -- Worksheets:
- #1,
- #2,
- #3,
- #4,
- #5,
- #6,
- #7,
- #8
- MathStories
-- More
worksheets from mathstories.com ... these are for help with division
- Solutions
to all Problems -- Worksheets:
- #1,
- #2,
- #3,
- #4,
- #5,
- #6,
- #7,
- #8,
- #9,
- #10,
- #11
- Multiplication
Worksheet -- Handy
site that allows you to create your own worksheets for solving multiplication
problems!
- Math
Tables -- Create
your own drill sheet for addition, subtraction or multiplication online!
This page will give you up to 100 problems of the type you choose, and
record your accuracy and the time it took you to complete the drill.
USE CALCULATORS APPROPRIATELY
- Pocket
Calculator Applet -- A
handy pocket calculator you can use any time you get stuck!
- Simple
Calculator -- A
simple web-based calculator.
OTHER MATH SITES USEFUL TO ELEMENTARY TEACHERS
In-Sites for Teaching Mathematics -- Includes teaching *1*Probability and *1*Part/Whole relationships