Endeavors to Educate:

Internet Resources

These programs may be of use to teachers in the classroom. Whether they are appropriate for your class, though, depends on several other salient points. Please consider:

• What lesson you are teaching and whether it would best be supported with a drill, tutorial or some other hands on activity?
• What level are the students? Is this activity above, appropriate for or below their learning level?
• Is the information germane? ...relevant? ...useful?
• Will the activity run well over...your computers? your Internet connect?
• Do you want students working in group or alone? If in groups, can you handle the extra classroom noise? Are there enough computers to use the activities?

By now, you have probably thought of a list of questions of your own. If so, good! If you still want to try some online activities, here are some resources. All are free to use unless otherwise stated. I have viewed, played and found use for all of these tools. Hope this helps you in your personal or professional endeavors to educate.

Teams at computer: Science projects:

Science #1

Science Court - Hands on Activities Fun lessons, free, online info to think about at computer and experiments to do off computer. Lessons available are: Water Cycle Work Inertia Gravity Statistics Sound http://www.teachtsp.com/classroom/scicourt/schandson.html

Science #2

This is a cool site made for families, but it could be used in the classroom just as easily. Learn about which disasters affect which parts of the world. You are a reporter and your notes have become jumbled. The site includes info to help you figure out what notes go with which interview. Bright and cheerful site. Not animated, but the middle school kids should learn/like it. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/main.html?STST=familyxpeditions&MENU=ax/nav&BODY=activities/03/03

Art #1

Look at the baskets and learn about the meaning of the designs and history of these baskets of the Hopi Indians. Great time to discuss colors used (available) and how colors made. Maybe students can design their own baskets. http://www.nativeweb.org/pages/baskets/

History/Structures #1

Look at Pyramids in Mexico. Discover structures, locations. What can you tell about the people from the structures. This site includes an overview of the Maya and Aztec civilizations. http://www.nativeweb.org/pages/pyramids/ You might also want to search for other Maya and Aztec sites like: http://udgftp.cencar.udg.mx/ingles/Precolombina/precointro.html. While the stories are very good, the English and spelling are weak. I suggest teachers read these stories (maybe even combine with an art project, drawing the different parts of the story) to the students.

History/Structures #2

This is an interactive site when you are about to receive at your zoo an endangered tiger. You create the new home, protection, food etc. Combine this with lessons on what the tiger's life would be like in the wild, where he would live, why he can't today and you've got one fun and educational lesson. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/tigers/maina.html

Language #1

Get students started with basic words from whatever language it is you need to study. This site will allow individuals or groups to practice number, basic terms, etc. It does not really work on sentence structure, but it is definitely a good drill for beginners. Even has sound so you can hear the correct pronunciation. http://www.travlang.com/languages/index.html

Math #1

BasketMath Interactive Learning A drill/practice site for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, exponents, bar graphs, verbal reasoning, and more. Provides graphics to cheer your correct answers and allows you to try again when you get incorrect ones. Scores are kept per session showing the number correct and the percent correct of all tried. A certificate is available for high achievers. http://www.scienceacademy.com/BI/index.html

Math #2

The 1999 Math Tutor (for grades 1-12) $10 for this software. Use online or download. Use to assist teacher in teaching various levels of math and to provide student with independent achievement opportunity. Lesson in: numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, percentages, geometry, algebra, word problems, and calculus. Each topic presented at several levels of difficulty to satisfy the needs of individual students. Each game is in color and has sound effects. http://www.csun.edu/~vcact00g/math.html

Individuals at computer: History project

http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/index.html
paper (everything from making paper airplanes, to making paper)
plus, language, space and chocolate (with audio on the medical effects), plus back issues on memory and hair (under other issues)

http://www.score.k12.ca.us
has 6 links in science. all might be useful. I think there were other categories too.

Have ideas of your own, send the URL. I will view as quickly as I can. Beth.D.Ardoin@oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu