Learn a Language

Language Guide.org

http://www.languageguide.org/index.jsp

Are you learning English, Español, Français, Deutsch, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Hebrew, or Hindi? Place your cursor over any of the images and hear their names pronounced and see them spelled out.



Learn Spanish

http://www.lingolex.com/spanish.htm

Check out the vocabulary lists, including 50 useful expressions, 100 of the most frequently used verbs, and almost all the things you can find in a house!



Language Dictionaries and Translators

http://www.word2word.com/dictionary.html

Whether you're a student studying for a vocabulary test, or a foreign language teacher looking for some online translations, this site has many useful language references.



American Sign Language Browser

http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb

Click on Take Me to the ASL Browser. Select the first letter of your word. Each sign includes a QuickTime video and explanation.



French Language Course

http://www.jump-gate.com/languages/french/

This French course will help you understand written French newspapers, articles, magazines, signs on the road in France, and to write a letter to a French friend.



Say Hello to the World

http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/hello/

Guess how many languages you'd have to know to say "Hello" to everyone in the world? Visit this page to find out. Choose a language and say "Aloha!"

Bloom's Taxonomy

Learning Domains or Bloom's Taxonomy

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html

Here's an outline of Bloom's Taxonomy that provides a useful structure in which to categorize test questions: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation.



Learning Skills Program: Bloom's Taxonomy

http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html

This chart will help you understand the ins and outs of Bloom's Taxonomy.



The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives

http://www.humboldt.edu/~tha1/bloomtax.html

This is a revised version of Benjamin Bloom's work with the addition of the Psychomotor Domain as developed by Anita Harrow (1972). Questions and examples are also included to make the Taxonomy more useful for beginning teachers as a tool to facilitate appropriate questioning.



Teacher Education: Bloom's Taxonomy

http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/teachereduc/Bloom.html

Study an example of how Bloom's Taxonomy may be used in developing a science unit on ecosystems.



Bloom's Taxonomy

http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/bloom.html

Learn the history of Bloom, and the process behind his Taxonomy that highlights the kinds of behavior that lead to learning.

Timelines

Environmental History Timeline

http://www.runet.edu/~wkovarik/hist1/timeline.new.html

The timeline begins with environmental problems that have plagued cultures from ancient times. Click on the links to trace environmental concerns and the steps people have taken to meet them from ancient times to the recent past.



Black History Month Timeline

http://www.blackvoices.com/feature/bhm_00/timeline.htm

February is Black history month. This timeline shows major events in African American history. Check out the links at the bottom of the page for additional articles, quizzes, and resources.



Revolutionary War Timeline

http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/UsaHistory/AmericanRevolution/AmerRevolution.htm#Timeline

Study a clickable timeline of the American Revolution.



Timeline of Computer History

http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/timeline.php?timeline_year=1990

This timeline explores the history of computing from 1945 to 1990.



Moon Exploration Timeline

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/lunartimeline.html

Study the missions and spacecraft sent to study the moon by viewing this clickable timeline



World History Chronology

http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron

Discover regional chronologies like Africa and India as well as cross-cultural chronologies such as Christianity and Buddhism.

Student Motivation

Student Motivation To Learn

http://learn2study.org/teachers/motivation.htm

Review how the motivation to learn can be fostered in school. Find out how to help unmotivated students with attribution retraining.



Tools for Teaching: Motivating Students

http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/motivate.html

This article lists key features that enhance student motivation. They include making students active participants in learning as they set achievable goals for themselves, giving students feedback as quickly as possible, and emphasizing mastery and learning rather than grades.



Seizing the Days: Engaging All Learners

http://edservices.aea7.k12.ia.us/motivation/index.html

K-12 teachers can learn new instructional skills as they study the science of learning and how the brain works. Create the conditions for your learners to find motivation within themselves.



Dimensions of Learning: Teacher's Manual

http://www.ascd.org/cms/index.cfm?TheViewID=983&topnav=1

This overview challenges readers to rethink conventional views on such matters as student motivation and reward systems, and the relationship between thinking skills and content knowledge.



The Jigsaw Classroom

http://www.jigsaw.org/

Visit the Jigsaw Classroom, a cooperative learning technique that claims to reduce racial conflict among school children, promote better learning, improve student motivation, and increase enjoyment of the learning experience.

Mentoring

Creating a Teacher Mentoring Program

http://www.nfie.org/publications/mentoring.htm

The NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education offers advice on developing new or improving existing mentor programs. Contents include Creating the Climate, Context, and Structure for Effective Mentoring; Selecting, Training, and Supporting Mentors; and What Protégés Need from Mentors.



Teachers Network: New Teachers Online

http://teachersnetwork.org/ntol/index.htm

Meet the Web Mentors, veteran teachers that guide discussions on a variety of topics. Click New Teacher Helpline or How To, and find information on classroom management, working with students' families, literacy instruction, as well as implementing standards, curriculum, and assessment.



Edutopia Online: The Big List on Mentoring

http://glef.org/php/biglist.php?id=228

Scroll down this excellent compilation of articles, including The Good Mentor; Mentoring: Recent Research Highlights; Reflections: What Constitutes a Good Mentoring Relationship; Perspectives on Mentoring; and Teachers Supporting Teachers.



Program Design: Collaboration Through Mentoring and Peer Coaching

http://www.mentors.net/03program/cover.html

This site defines mentoring and provides tips for, and characteristics of, effective mentors.



Mentoring the Mentor: A Challenge for Staff Development

http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/jsd/janas174.cfm

Find detailed information on the challenges that schools face in implementing a mentoring program for novice teachers.

Women's History Month

National Women's History Project

http://www.nwhp.org/whm/themes/themes.html

The theme this year is "Women Inspiring Hope and Possibility." Read about the eight 2004 nominees, including Marian Wright Edelman and Dr. Susan Love. Review the checklist for promoting and celebrating National Women's History Month in your community.



Women's History Month

http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/womenhist/main.html

Historychannel.com celebrates each day in March with the life story of a different remarkable woman.



Gifts of Speech: Women's Speeches From Around the World

http://gos.sbc.edu/browse.html

This Sweet Briar College site allows you to browse important speeches made by women chronologically or alphabetically, from 1848 (Elizabeth Cady Stanton) to 2001 (Ingrid Newkirk).



Women's History In America

http://www.wic.org/

This site traces the history of women's struggle for equality throughout history. Click History of Women in America or Biographies for an alphabetical listing. Check the Living Legacy Awards for recipients from 1984-2003.



Women's History Month

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/specials/whm/0,8805,101044,00.html

Review a list of Women's History Milestones. Take the Get the Picture History Challenge. Submit an email to Time for Kids about your female role models and read what other kids are writing.



Children's Encyclopedia of Women

http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/womenenc/womenenc.htm

Enjoy reading these brief biographies, researched and written by third and fourth grade students from Pocantico Hills School, Sleepy Hollow, New York.

Citizenship

Facing History and Ourselves

http://www.facinghistory.org/

The developers of this site believe "Civic education encourages the skills, promotes the values, and fosters the ideals needed to sustain a democratic society." Click resources for study guides on America and the Holocaust, Ghetto Life 101, and Participating in Democracy.



Citizenship Test

http://www.heraldsun.com/votebook/citizenship/citstart.html

Answer the 100 questions used to test applicants applying for citizenship.



Ben's Guide to U.S. Government: Grades 6-8 (also link to grades K-2, 3-5, 9-12)

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/index.html

Middle school students will find information on Historical Documents, Branches of Government, How Laws Are Made, Election Process, and Citizenship.



The Headbone Derby Teacher's Guide: Izzie and Auggie Go to the Polls

http://www.headbone.com/derby/polls/teachersguide/toolkit/polls/

Your class can learn about concepts such as democracy, politics, and citizenship as they follow Izzie and Auggie to the fictional country of Kohlrabi to set up a fair government.



Let's Go To City Hall

http://www.hud.gov/kids/ch/ch3s_intro.html

Primary students take a field trip to city hall and study the jobs of the mayor and the city council. They can read about city offices and visit the library to link to their own city hall.

News for Kids

Science News for Kids

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org

Find out kids' views of current events in this special version of the popular news magazine. Click on Archive for reports from 1995 to today.



Scholastic News for Kids

http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/

Investigate special reports, top story of the day, write captions for news pictures, and vote on the question of the day.



Yahooligans! News

http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/content/news/

Yahooligans compiles topic-related stories from other resources such as the Discovery Channel and CBBC. View slideshows on sports, entertainment, U.S. elections, animals, science and nature.



Talking With Kids About the News

http://www.childrennow.org/television/twk-news.htm

Learn how to create an open dialogue with students about topics such as crime, race, drugs, sickness, and disasters.

Problem Solving

Fifty Problem-Solving Strategies Explained

http://www.une.edu.au/psychology/staff/malouff/problem.htm

This site features 50 problem-solving strategies using categories and examples.



Assessment Model for a Design Approach to Technological Problem Solving

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v12n2/custer.html

With problem solving a major theme in education, this study (reported in the Journal of Technology Education) sought to develop a model for assessing problem solving using a design approach to the study of technology.



Solving Problems

http://www.classroom.com/community/neighborhoods/problem-solving.htm

This article on Problem Solving delves into just one of the Five Applications of Learning.



Headroom Cubby House: Problem Solving

http://www.headroom.net.au/cubby/framejamming_prob.html?prob_solve_steps.html~prob_cubby

Find a variety of solution strategies to use on this site.



Brain Teasers

http://www.eduplace.com/math/brain/index.html

Whether you solve them at home or in the classroom, individually or as a group, Brain Teasers are both entertaining and mentally challenging.

Characteristics of Effective Schools

California Center for Effective Schools

http://effectiveschools.education.ucsb.edu/correlates.html

The Effective Schools Correlates comprise a research-based and data-model to improve student performance and learning.



Jefferson Middle School

http://www.schoolstowatch.org/jefferson/jabout.htm

Visit Jefferson Middle School for an example of a school that successfully implemented the characteristics of effective schools.



Characteristics of Effective Schools

http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsea/sit/cssovrvw1.html

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's Web site provides guidelines on writing a school vision statement.



The Effective Teacher

http://oz.plymouth.edu/~lsandy/effective.html

This article discusses the characteristics of an effective teacher, which in the author's point of view include genuineness, optimism, and enthusiasm.



Profiles of Successful School-wide Programs

http://www.ed.gov/pubs/idea_profiles/

Study profiles of several public schools that have implemented the characteristics of effective schools.

Parent Collaboration

Epstein's Six Types of Parent Involvement

http://www.ssta.sk.ca/partnership/types/types.htm

The framework of six types of involvement helps educators develop more comprehensive programs of school-family-community partnerships.



Parent-Teacher Conferences: Suggestions for Parents

http://www.ericfacility.net/ericdigests/ed433965.html

This Web page from ERIC is a concise guide to conferencing for parents. Check it out for ideas on creating a conferencing handout for parents.



Parent and Family Involvement

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/pa0cont.htm

NCREL's Parent and Family Involvement discusses such topics as Constructing School Partnerships with Families and Community Groups; Supporting Ways Parents and Families Can Become Involved in Schools; and Creating the School Climate and Structures to Support Parent and Family Involvement.



Tips Parents Can Use To Help Their Children

http://www.par-inst.com/educator/resources/tips/tips.php?PHPSESSID=2f6abd8083784c433f14808c1cbd2907

Developed by the Parent Institute, these short tips can assist parents in getting the most out of their interactions with their child's school.



The Benefits of Family, School Partnerships

http://www.ncpie.org/AboutNCPIE/AboutPartnerships.html

National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education presents information and resources for parents and schools.

Student Achievement

Student Achievement

http://www.naesp.org/ContentLoad.do?contentId=71

Topics on this site from the National Association of Elementary School Principals include: Turning Around the Lowest Achievers, Enhancing Students' Social and Psychological Development, and Teaching Students to Be Efficient Learners.



Enhancing Student Achievement with Technology in the Classroom

http://www.sabine.k12.la.us/zhs/new/Enhancing%20Student%20Achievement%20With%20Technology%20In%20The%20Classroom.html

The lesson presented here is an example of how technology using simple, conventional, and readily available software can be used to facilitate learner success.



Key Building Blocks for Student Achievement in the 21st Century

http://www.ceoforum.org/downloads/report4.pdf

Read the fourth School Technology and Readiness Report (STaR) from the CEO Forum.



Technology Plan: Independence Middle School

http://exit3.i-55.com/~ims0/tp.htm

The goal of this plan is that "All students and teachers will have access to technologies that will enable them to improve student achievement and teacher performance."



Preparing Students To Take Standardized Achievement Tests

http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=1&n=11

William A. Mehrens states, "Many people assume that the best data about students' levels of achievement come from standardized achievement tests. The inferences you typically wish to draw from test scores are general in nature and will be inaccurate...if you "teach to the test."

Technology Planning Guides

Education Technology Planning Guide

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/et/rd/edtechguide.asp

This guide features plan components, budgeting, hardware, technical support, software, monitoring, and evaluation.



National Center for Technology Planning (NCTP)

http://www.nctp.com

Here is an in-depth site of interest to school staffers involved in any aspect of technology planning.



Technology Planning and Policies

http://www.aasa.org/issues_and_insights/technology/planning.htm

Read the sample Internet AUPs, Technology Plans, and other practical technology resources to help school leaders address the issues involved in bringing technology to school districts.



Technology Planning Articles

http://www.nctp.com/links.cfm

This collection of useful links can be used to develop a technology strategy.



Technology Planning Resources

http://www.rmcdenver.com/eetnet/tem.htm

Plan for learning with technology with these resources. Link to glossaries of technical terms, success stories, and grant information.

Spring Online Projects

Down the Drain

http://k12science.ati.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/drainproj/index.html

How much water do you use in one day? Join other classes in compiling and submitting the data. Check out the student area for photos and student work.



Celebrate World Ocean Day

http://www.theoceanproject.org/news/oceanday.html

June 8th is the 12th annual World Ocean Day. The Ocean Project is helping to coordinate events and activities worldwide with aquariums, zoos, museums, and the World Ocean Network. Use the sample letter to the editor to express your concerns about ocean health in your local newspapers.



Journey North: Signs of Spring

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/spring2004/

Robins, monarch butterflies, and hummingbirds are being tracked in the month of May. Students make observations and report their sightings to create a digital map. They also communicate with scientists who answer questions about the different migrations.



Rainforest Action Network: Action Alerts

http://action.ran.org/action/

Help protect the world's forests and get involved in campaigns to protect the environment. "Digital activism is reviving democracy, changing corporate behavior, and shaping public policy." Urge companies to improve by sending emails.



Signals of Spring

http://www.signalsofspring.net/

This curriculum-based project uses satellites to track migrating animals. Research links, maps, and data are available. Teachers are trained onsite or via live Webcasts.