Internet @ Schools
Energy is an essential and, at times, a controversial subject. It is important that students learn about energy sources and the impact they have in their own lives, and Linda Joseph's Cyberbee guides you this month to web resources to help them do just that.
Trek back in history to the reign of the pharaohs. Uncover the secrets of mummification. Lift the shroud of mystery surrounding the great pyramids. Translate hieroglyphic writing. Open the door to anthropology and archeology through the study of Ancient Egypt. With Cyberbee's guidance this month, your students will discover and solve many mysteries.
With the 2008 election upon us, there are many websites analyzing the personal attributes and platforms of the candidates as well as examining the political process for electing a president. The news media provides all sorts of information from facts to commentary with a dose of speculation by an array of "expert" panelists. For better or worse, YouTube and blogs allow unfettered participation by individuals. It is more important than ever that your students learn to be discerning readers when researching these sources. CyberBee has selected a variety of places to explore and use with your students.
Years ago, CyberBee began scouting the internet for content that was informative, engaging, and aligned with national standards, in 1996 becoming a column for MultiMedia & Internet@Schools magazine and a website for teachers. CyberBee thought it would be fitting to revisit some of the great websites that you may have missed over the past few years. There should be plenty of ideas to help you plan your lessons for the new school year.
Hundreds of vacation destinations beckon families to visit each year. From battlefields and hiking to hands-on fun such as panning for gold, there is an adventure for everyone. And in the classroom in spring, students can prepare for their journeys via a wide array of learning activities. CyberBee has been scouting for summer excursions that will delight and nurture the minds of all ages. A few favorites are presented here.
With agricultural commodities so readily accessible in the U.S., it is easy to forget how the baked ham, green beans, pineapple, and rolls with butter arrive on the dinner plate in some countries, but not in others. Learning about agricultural practices, economics, and the importance of farming will go a long way in helping students understand one aspect of global interdependence. Prepare your students for a trip to a working farm by visiting these websites, all vetted by Cyberbee, aka longtime MMIS columnist and educator Linda Joseph.
Finding just the right book that will grab a student's interest is like looking for Waldo. Tracking down books that correlate with specific curriculum areas and topics for study can be daunting. What is a library media specialist to do? Use every tool in your arsenal as well as lessons and booklists that have already been prepared and are just waiting to be uncovered by the savvy searcher. This collection of websites will serve as a starting point in your quest to recommend the best books to meet the needs of students and teachers.
This month, Cyberbee prompts you to enter the wild world of physics, where appearances and logic are often turned upside down. Understanding the underlying concepts is essential for uncovering the magic of physics. It can be a thrilling adventure for students as they discover lots of cool methods for lasting knowledge. Browse these Web sites and discover a variety of interactive simulations, experiments, and ideas to use in your classroom.
Finding safe, engaging collaborative projects for your classroom doesn't have to be a challenge. There are many mentored and data-entry activities that allow your students to participate with classrooms across the country and around the world. Many of the Internet projects have been around for years with proven track records. Others have the backing of nonprofit foundations. This month, Cyberbee directs you to a range of such sites where you can find a project that is just right for your classroom.
Many organizations are distributing free newsletters with timely articles and links to valuable resources. Joining a mailing list or RSS feed is easy and convenient, and it's a timesaver when you want the latest news about innovative technology and practical ideas for integrating it into your classroom. This month, Cyberbee directs you to a selected mix of educational technology newsletters and RSS feeds to investigate.
Before the European settlers arrived, there were huge prairies stretching for miles across the North American continent. Only remnants—about 1 percent to 2 percent—of this environmental habitat remain. This has prompted restoration projects by government agencies, foundations, and nonprofit organizations in several states. Teachers and students can learn about prairies through virtual field trips or by visiting a nature center nearby. Back in the classroom, students can use this knowledge to design and plant their own prairies as part of the school landscape. Let Cyberbee be your guide to Web resources on the subject!
Given the health issues facing children today, Cyberbee has decided to provide you this month with an array of reliable Web-based sources of information for you--or them--to use in pursuit of knowledge and healthy choices.
The Internet has changed the way students learn and communicate. With the click of a mouse, they can instant message one another, work together on projects, download all kinds of multimedia files, and post to blogs, Web sites, and RSS feeds. Access to people and information enhances instruction, but what happens when the "dark side of the Internet" sneaks around the corner and into the classroom or home? In this column, Cyberbee points to lots of resources that can help.
Cyberbee is positioned this month--Globally Positioned, that is--with resources to help you and your students map trails, find treasure caches, and solve problems by using the Global Positioning System technology made possible by 24 U.S. military satellites orbiting Earth that transmit signals to a GPS receiver.
What do tombstones, driver’s licenses, and a sound recording have in common? They are primary sources. In an Information Age, students have more access to primary source material than any previous generation. In this month's column, Cyberbee shows where to find lots of them.
In this issue, Linda Joseph's Cyberbee guides you and students to sites with ideas and tools, plus loads of examples, for leaving "a legacy of cultural history for future generations through digital storytelling."
This month, Cyberbee sets his and your sites on water, streams, and creeks, where your students can experience great adventures. Discover all sorts of creatures and plants that live in this aquatic habitat, investigate the health of the creek and its impact on the overall environment, and lots more. Prepare for your journey by visiting these Web sites for information and lesson ideas.
Linda Joseph's CyberBee this month helps you and your students transform your schoolyard into a launchpad; experiment with aerodynamics, Newton's laws, and Bernoulli's principle; create geometric kites and sleek paper airplanes; measure distances; determine the best flying designs and discover why they were successful; and more ... by guiding you to some terrific kite- and paper-airplane-related math and science Web sites.
CyberBee, aka Linda Joseph, takes a tour of Web sites all about puzzles in this issue, covering puzzle history, puzzles for learning, puzzle generators, and more.
Linda Joseph's CyberBee this month offers a wide assortment of reference resources including online almanacs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and map and statistics collections.
Linda Joseph's CyberBee offers a wide assortment of resources to help you with activities for your class in support of Constitution and Citizenship Day, coming up this month.
Over the years, while creating content for the CyberBee Web site and constructing workshops for educators, Linda Joseph says she has invariably needed a software program to complete a specific task or to solve a particular problem. The programs described in this article are Linda's/CyberBee’s favorites for work and play.
In this issue, CyberBee has hunted down a collection of zoo Websites comprising a treasure-trove of educational information that will captivate kids for hours.
One of the first concepts young people learn is the value of money in everyday life. From their first allowance to the entrepreneurship of the lemonade stand, students learn how to plan, save, and spend. CyberBee has been busy locating resources that will assist in teaching and learning about money.
African American experiences during slavery are identified in the National History Standards under United States History, Era 2: Standard 3C, which states, "the student understands African life under slavery." The best way to learn about daily life, culture, and history is to draw upon the firsthand accounts of people who lived during that time period. CyberBee presents a collection of primary sources in this article that are tailor-made for studying this topic.
Science Fair programs are awesome and can generate all sorts of amazing results from inspiring and engaging projects. Finding good resources that outline the process and suggest age-appropriate topics is a key component for getting students started. Another important factor is to involve parents so that they can assist their children throughout the process. Be sure to visit these CyberBee-selected Web sites for resources, tips, and experiments that will help jump-start your science fair program.
With federal mandates such as No Child Left Behind stretching school budgets, it is essential to find additional funding sources, especially for technology initiatives. Grants are one option, but where do you start? CyberBee has written numerous grants ranging from a few thousand dollars from private foundations to several million dollars from federal programs such as Enhancing Education Through Technology Title II-D. Much has been learned from these experiences. The examples presented below are general and do not represent an entire grant, which might be several pages in length. These samples of grant language, funding sources, and Web sites are shared in the hope that more teachers will consider writing a grant as an alternative way of providing technology resources and professional development to their schools.