High School Learning Commons

Social Science Resources

2008-08-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.mrdowling.com/index.html World History

http://historyproject.ucdavis.edu/ UC Davis History and Cultures Project Resources and much, much more

http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/ Connecting Classrooms to the World Standards-based lessons and resources

http://www.ncss.org/ National Council for Social Studies-an information service for educators

http://www.socialstudies.com/ Social studies resources galore

http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/ Map maker, map maker, make me a map

http://www.mapquest.com/ Maps, US

www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/descrip.htm Teaching with historic places

http://www.adl.org/default.htm Anti-Defamation League Website; Holocaust, Mideast etc.

http://www.sla.purdue.edu/waaw/default.html Women Artists of the West/Past and Present

www.nmnh.si.edu/naa/fletcher/fletcher.htm 1881 Field Diary of Alice Fletcher /Sioux

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/rbpehtml/ An American Time Capsule

Student and Teacher Social Networking Possibiliites

2008-08-06T11:24:00.000-07:00

Begin the conversation on the following blogs and wikis.

Students

Student Bloggers http://studentbloggers.org/

Word Press for Student Learning http://wordpress.com/tag/student-learning/

Teachers

Cool Cat Teacher Blog http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/

Edu Blog http://edublogs.org/

PBS Teacher Wikis http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/wikis/

PB Wiki for Educatorshttp://pbwiki.com/education.wiki

Teacher Lingo http://teacherlingo.com/

Wiki Spaces for Teachers http://www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers

DIY Open Source Sewing

2008-07-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

If you like to sew, craft, and generally get into anything DIY, check out Burda Style...a community of online creators. All patterns are open source (free), and expanded, built upon, shared, blogged about, and built by the sewers themselves.

See a project-based learning commons in action.

Global Collaborative Projects

2008-07-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

These sites were highlighted in an article entitled "Educators are Going Global" by Anita McAnear in the November 2007 issue of Learning & Leading with Technology. The sites are excellent and provide a variety of ways to connect globally. Some are focused on science projects and others include a more diverse range of subjects.

Global Education Collaborative
Taking IT Global
iEARN
GLOBE
Global Nomads
Thinkquest
Global Challenge Award

ePals

2008-07-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

ePals is a great resource for connecting classrooms globally. Students and their e-mail pals around the world can work on projects such as global warming, solving water problems, coping with natural disasters, etc. or anything else they may choose.

Vocational Education

2008-07-25T14:04:00.001-07:00

Many students will choose a career path requiring technical skills. These resources will steer them in the right direction.

Dr. Steven Yuen's Homepage http://dragon.ep.usm.edu/~yuen/votech.htm

Kathy Schrock's Guide to Technical & Career Education http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/vocation.html
K-12 Vocational Sites http://vocserve.berkeley.edu/k12.html

Vocational Information Center http://www.khake.com/

Special Education

2008-07-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

These websites will provide useful resources to guide students with special needs.

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Special Education Teachers http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/edspec.html

Marc Sheehan's Special Education & Exceptionality Page http://www.halcyon.com/marcs/sped.html

SERI-Special Education Resources on the Internet http://seriweb.com/

Special Education Resources for Teachers http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/special_ed/

Special Education-Teacher's Guide http://specialeducationweb.com

Online Resources for Entire School Community

2008-07-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

These information resources provide fast and reliable information for entire the school community and general public.

ALA Best Free References 1996-2006 http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaourassoc/rusasections/mars/marspubs/MARSBESTIndex.cfm
Bartelby http://bartleby.com/
Info Please http://www.infoplease.com/
Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/
Librarians' Internet Index http://lii.org/
Ref Desk http://www.refdesk.com/
WWW Virtual Library http://home.istar.ca/~obyrne/

Music Education

2008-07-24T03:04:00.000-07:00

Soothe your weary soul with these available melodies.

Educational CyberPlayGround- http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/
Music Education Online By Children's Music Workshop- http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/
Songs for Teaching- http://www.songsforteaching.com/
Support the Music- http://www.supportmusic.com/
Worldwide Internet Music Resources- http://library.music.indiana.edu/music_resources/mused.html

Replaying World History: Civ III

2008-07-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

For his Ph.D thesis at MIT, Kurt Squire created a set of lesson plans for using the simulation history game, Civilization III, to teach world history concepts. To see the complete lesson plans check out his website:

Kurt Squire's Lesson Plans

Civ World contains historically accurate senarios and Squire's latest research.

Apolyton Civilization Site is a forum created for players by players. To collaborate with other players, get advice, and participate in the forum, visit Apolyton University. You can take AU "courses" such as "AU102: Give Peace a Chance" to win the game through nonviolence.

Find Careers with the Keirsey Temperament Sorter

2008-07-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder which careers are your best fit? Different careers work for different people. This test will help you match careers with your unique gifts and talents. You simply register, answer a list of questions, and vwala! You are on your way to make informed decisions about your future success.

Kids games

2008-07-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

Students love this game and when it is blocked, they seek out new ways to gain access to it. I am not sure why it is blocked, it teaches them math in a fun way. If you haven't been to it yet, go to http://linerider.com and soon you will be hooked.

posted by Ann S.

A YA Web 2.0 and Social Networking Possibility

2008-07-21T14:40:00.000-07:00

Library Youth and Teen Services 2.0 http://libraryyouth.ning.com/ creates a forum for YA librarians and their patrons to discuss current Web 2.0 and Web 3D technologies. You may peruse discussions from My Space, Teen Ink, gaming, children's literature, etc. An interactive map on the main page links participants from across the country. You may join in the conversation as a new member.

Not just any job...a job you love

2008-07-21T12:46:00.001-07:00

It's never too early to search for a career. Visit Trekkings blog to participate in building the job of your dreams website. Yes! there are jobs for

super manga anime lovers
cricket obsessed fans, or
paintball loving hippies

http://trekkingsdm.blogspot.com/

Judgement at Nuremberg

2008-07-21T12:37:00.000-07:00

History is more vibrant when students place themselves hypothetically in the position of the historical figures. The Nuremberg trials are one of the most influential legal trials in the 20th century. Visit the Waverly blog to join the process of examining this historical trial from the viewpoint of the prosecutors, defendants, and witnesses.

http://summerdoc.blogspot.com/

Use Google Docs to help you write your personal essay

2008-07-21T12:28:00.000-07:00

Many seniors will be working on personal essays as part of their admissions and scholarship applications for university. Why do it alone. Google docs communities can help students collaborate and offer critical support in the personal essay.

The Library Media center can help you build a Google docs community linked to your school e-mail. Upload drafts of your personal essays for others to read and review. Meet online to discuss writing techniques and the admissions process. Be a mentor or just call out for help. :)

Google docs can be accessed from any computer at home or at school.

(This post is the brainchild of Leslie Liberman)

Why Research Alone/ Collaborate

2008-07-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

When students come to the school library to research projects they often do so in isolation. Consider changing the research process from the individual looking for content to a student-centered research community by building a custom Google search engine. Using this IGoogle gadget and the metasearch engines like Dogpile, classes can create a community search engine specifically designed for any research subject.

Search engines can easily be added to any teacher or student IGoogle page for easy access.

Global Schoolnet - a collaboration toolkit

2008-07-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

Move curriculum projects beyond the classroom and the school and join global education and collaboration via http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsncenter/

The program incorporates a number of collaborative tools including bookmarking, document sharing, chat tools, web accessibility tools, animation, photoshares,and web publishing. Many of these tools are free.

Develop international partnerships which allow students to collaborate world wide on projects.

Basic membership is free. Super collaborative membership is $45.00.

Post A Review

2008-07-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

Share what you loved about what you've read. Write a review for the books you are reading now and post them here. Everyone loves to find out what books shouldn't be missed on their reading list, give your opinion and let them know.

Include in your review:

Your Name:

Your Grade:

Title of the Book:

Author:

What did you like about the book?

Is there anything about the book that could be better?

Rate the book:

***** Fantastic Read - Not to be missed

**** Great Read - Can't put it down, but probably wouldn't read it again

*** Good story but there are some elements missing to the story

** Okay but you won't remember it 15 minutes after you've finished

* Not really worth reading unless your bored and stuck in an airport

tech4teaching

2008-07-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

tech4teaching is another great resource that suggests ways in which technology such as nings can be effectively used in the classroom.

Assessment Tool for Information Literacy

2008-07-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many know about this tool or if it has already been posted but if you can get teachers to give you their students for 2 or 3 days, you can teach then assess on basic information literacy tools.

http://trails-9.org/index.php?page=home

You need to sign up in an account, then drop students in by name or generic number, then give them the online assessment, then read the results. You can use this as a pre or post test on info literacy. posted by Ann S on 7/16/08

Students Teaching Teachers

2008-07-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

I came across this website called Generation Yes-Youth and Educators Succeeding. http://www.genyes.com/

Students gain the opportunity to train teachers on implementing technology into the curriculum. This supports student interaction with the learning process. (Web 2.0 student participation, hint--hint)

Run a million miles for Ryan Hall

2008-07-15T18:48:00.001-07:00

Ryan Hall is a US Olympic runner from Big Bear, CA. The Lighthouse Project is asking people to support Ryan's efforts at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing by exercising. You can walk, run, dance, etc. to help other participants "run a million miles" for Ryan. Currently, the amount is 660,000...just 340,000 short of the goal.

To join in, go to http://www.moveamillionmilesforryanhall.com/

World History and Culture

2008-07-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

Visit the World Cultures website at http://msgutierrezworldcultures.blogspot.com/ to find links and support to help you in your world history and social studies coursework.

Image: Tiergarten - House of World Cultures (Haus der Kulturen der Welt) in Berlin, Germany

Learning from the Past

2008-07-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

When Hurricane Katrina hit, the devastation was beyond the resources and preparation of emergency services. In Ms. Bradley's website, students have the opportunity to collaborate and address the challenges and consequences of this natural disaster. Click on http://uslibraryblog.blogspot.com/

School to Career

2008-07-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

The working work creeps up and before you know it, it's time to go job hunting. Join librarian April Geltch as she takes you through the job search process at her blog: A School Librarians's Journey at http://ageltch.blogspot.com

Teen Book Review Blog

2008-07-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Teen Book Review http://teenbookreview.wordpress.com/
consists of whole multitudes of links of YA book reviews, authors blogs, and other worthwhile reading and writing sites. These will provide useful ideas for student interactions and Web 2.0 applications.

Government

2008-07-15T09:25:00.001-07:00

Federal Election Commission http://www.fec.gov/

SmartVoter http://www.smartvoter.org/

California Legislative Analyst's Office http://www.lao.ca.gov/

California Voter Foundation http://www.calvoter.org/

Center for Responsive Politics - Political Action Committees http://www.crp.org/pacs/

White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/

Supreme Court Home Page http://www.supremecourtus.gov/index.html

Senate http://www.senate.gov/

House of Representatives http://www.house.gov/

US Census Bureau http://www.census.gov/

Political Science Links http://7-12educators.about.com/msub62historypoli.htm

Economics

2008-07-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

Hoover's Online: Company Information http://www.hoovers.com/free/

Stock Maven -- find a list of industrials, transports, and utilities by symbol and name. There are also links to the company histories and company web sites. http://www.stockmaven.com/industrials.htm

Barchart.com - Top 100 Stocks http://www2.barchart.com/sectors.asp?sort=2&sec=top~100~stocks.sec

NASDAQ Stock Market Home Page http://www.nasdaq.com/

New York Stock Exchange http://www.nyse.com/

CNN Money http://money.cnn.com/

California Budget and Expenditures:
California Department of Finance http://www.dof.ca.gov/default.asp

Legislative Analyst's Office http://www.lao.ca.gov/

California Budget Project http://www.cbp.org/index.html

Navigate the World

2008-07-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

STUDY GEOGRAPHY

Finding Your Way with a Map and a Compass http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs03501.html

Internet Geography http://www.geography.learnontheinternet.co.uk/

Rethinking Schools Map Quiz http://www.rethinkingschools.org/just_fun/games/mapgame.html

Library of Congress - Geography and Map Reading Room http://www.loc.gov/rr/geogmap/

Social Studies/Geography links http://7-12educators.about.com/msub62historygeo.htm

National Geographic Xpeditions http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/atlas/

Science Fair Ideas

2008-07-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

What are some ideas that you have for your Science Fair project?

Did you find any from the web sites given on the previous post that you would like to pursue?

Post a comment responding to the questions above.

Social Networking For Book Lovers

2008-07-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

Shelfari

Cool interactive website that I would use for a book club or literacy website. It's at www.shelfari.com and allows a user to set up a bookshelf of favorites. Then people can make comments on this book or the author. I think it is pretty new because there isn't a lot of information on the books or authors yet. Teens would totally love this site. Ann S 7/14/08

Shelfari is the premier social network for people who love books.

Create a virtual shelf to show off your books, see what your friends are reading and discover new books - all for free!

Stephen Krashen

2008-07-14T19:19:00.000-07:00

Books and Articles by Stephen Krashen -- A great place to keep up-to-date on current research focusing on students and reading. -- Heather 6/19/08 http://www.sdkrashen.com/index.php?cat=2

Share and Create Your Personal Library

2008-07-14T19:06:00.000-07:00

Publicly created/ shared personal libraries -- There are a few different sites that allow the public to share their book collections with the world. LibraryThing allows users to catalog their books online and then they can see who else has the same book in their library. They can then see what else these other people have in their libraries and use it for book recommendations. Goodreads allows users to share reviews of books and can be used as a resource for book recommendations. -- Heather 6/19/08

LibraryThing http://www.librarything.com/

Sample Library Thing widget is located on the sidebar of this blog

Intute for Lessons and Lectures

2008-07-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

Intute.ac.uk is a clearinghouse of web resources based mainly out of the UK. There are college level materials as well as course lectures on math, science, arts and health topics. I learned about it from noodletools.com and have recommended it to several teachers for curricular support ideas. www.intute.ac.uk
posted by Ann S on 7/14/08

Deviant Art weblink for student artists

2008-07-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

This site is often blocked at schools but if your school allows it, then your students will love it.
It allows students to post their artwork and writings for comment and sharing.
www.deviantart.com posted by Ann S on 7/14/08

History of the United States of America

2008-07-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

Library of Congress: American Memory http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/browse/

American Cultural History 1930-1939 http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/decade30.html

Cold War Policies 1945-1991 http://history.acusd.edu/gen/20th/coldwar0.html

CNN - Cold War http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/guides/about.site/

Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs - Walter P. Reuther Library http://www.reuther.wayne.edu/

Making of America -- Cornell University - Primary Sources http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/moa/

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum http://www.ushmm.org/

American History Online and History Reference Center are both exhaustive sites and are geared for secondary school students or higher both can be accessed for free through the San Diego Public Library and probably through other libraries as well. Joanne 7/10/08

The History Guide - Resources for Historians (web site with links to resources geared to high school and college history students, including primary documents and resources for teachers) http://www.historyguide.org/resources.html

History of the World

2008-07-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

The Ancient Greek World http://www.museum.upenn.edu/Greek_World/index.html

Renaissance - Learner.org http://www.learner.org/exhibits/renaissance/

eHistory at Ohio State University http://ehistory.osu.edu/

EyeWitness to History http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/

The World War I Document Archive http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wwi/

Internet Modern History Sourcebook http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook.html

Rutgers University Site Organized by Period http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/rr_gateway/research_guides/history/texts_by_period.shtml

Labour and Business History - International Directory of Web Sites http://www.iisg.nl/~w3vl/

China on the Net http://www.kn.att.com/wired/China/hotlist.html

CIA - The World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

The History Place (Extensive list of links on a variety of U.S. and World history topics)
http://www.historyplace.com

History resources (Extensive list of history resources, from educationindex.com, listed alphabetically) http://www.educationindex.com/history/

The History Guide - Resources for Historians (web site with links to resources geared to high school and college history students, including primary documents and resources for teachers) http://www.historyguide.org/resources.html

Science Fair

2008-07-14T15:26:00.001-07:00

Participating in this year's Science Fair? Here are some links that will help you narrow your topic and create an experiment.

Reeko's Mad Scientist Lab http://www.spartechsoftware.com/reeko/

Discovery School Science Fair Central http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/

California State Science Fair http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/

IPL: Science Fair Project Resource Guide http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/projectguide/

Physics

2008-07-14T15:22:00.001-07:00

Physics Central http://www.physicscentral.com/

"Einstein's Legacy" (Brief background on Einstein's theories, from the University of Illinois web site)
http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/NumRel/EinsteinLegacy.html

General Science

2008-07-14T15:17:00.000-07:00

San Diego Zoo http://www.sandiegozoo.org/

Women in Science http://www.astr.ua.edu/4000WS/4000WS.html

Create A Graph http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/

Levels of Organization http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/science/sciber00/7th/cells/sciber/levelorg.htm

Science Master (Features "learning gallery" links to a variety of scientific, mathematical and related areas, including space, earth, life, physical science and technology) http://www.monkeytime.com/sciencemaster/galleries/galleries.php

Earth Sciences

2008-07-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

Explore the vastness of the Earth.

Exploring the Environment http://www.cotf.edu/ete/

Recent Earthquakes in California and Nevada http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Maps/Los_Angeles.html

USGS Earthquake Hazards Program http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/neic/

SCRIPPS Institution of Oceanography http://www.sio.ucsd.edu/

US Geological Survey http://www.usgs.gov/

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution http://www.whoi.edu/

NASA Home Page http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/nasa_gen/index.html

Earth from Space http://www.earthfromspace.si.edu/default.asp

Human

2008-07-14T15:04:00.000-07:00

NATOMY

Human Body Structure http://training.seer.cancer.gov/module_anatomy/unit1_1_body_structure.html

Digestive System http://www.innerbody.com/image/digeov.html

Words, Words, Words

2008-07-14T14:49:00.000-07:00

The following links are a collection of online dictionaries and thesauri. The resource, Information Please, also contains an encyclopedia and almanac.

Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and Thesaurus http://www.m-w.com/

Information Please -- Reference site that has access to an encyclopedia, almanac, dictionary and more.http://www.infoplease.com/index.html

Rhyme Zone - Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms, and more http://www.rhymezone.com/

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, is a collection of over 50,000 article entries, 40,000 bibliographic citations, and over 80,000 cross- reference entries. http://www.bartleby.com/65/

Preparing Your Bibliography

2008-07-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

How to do a MLA-style works cited page: kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/mlastyle.htm

OWL (Online Writing Lab) - MLA Citations http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html

A Checklist for Papers in MLA Form http://www.aug.edu/writing_center/docs/mla.htm

Noodle Tools - Citations, Plagiarism http://noodletools.com/

It's Elemental My Dear Watson

2008-07-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

ChemiCool: Periodic Table of Elements http://chemicool.com/

Chemical Elements.com -- An Interactive Periodic Table of Elements http://www.chemicalelements.com/

Biology

2008-07-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

The Biology Project -- University of Arizona http://www.biology.arizona.edu/

Biomodel 3 - Proteins http://biomodel.uah.es/en/model3/index.htm

World Index of Molecular Visualization Resources http://molvis.sdsc.edu/visres/index.html

Cells Alive http://www.cellsalive.com/

The Smallest Page on the Web http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/wimsmall/x_smal1.html

Delve Into the World of Mathematics

2008-07-14T11:12:00.001-07:00

MATHWORDS -- Bruce Simmons, a math teacher at St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, designed Mathwords for students who need an easy-to-use, easy-to-understand math resource all in one place. It is a comprehensive listing of formulas and definitions from Algebra I to Calculus. Over a thousand illustrations and examples are provided. Use the alphabetical sidebar to browse, or type the word you are seeking in the search field. http://www.mathwords.com/

History of Mathematics - Resource for information on mathematicians and the history of math. http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/index.html

Biographies of Women Mathematicians - Part of a project at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Georgia, to illustrate the numerous achievements of women in the field of mathematics. http://www.scottlan.edu/lriddle/women/women.htm

Möbius Strip - A resource for a definition and directions on how to create one. http://www.cut-the-knot.org/do_you_know/moebius.shtml

Spanky Fractal Database -- This is a collection of fractals and fractal related material for free distribution on the net. http://spanky.triumf.ca/

High School Hub Math page. http://highschoolace.com/ace/math.cfm

Francais

2008-07-14T11:07:00.001-07:00

Studying French? Here are some links to help you.

Google Language Tools: http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en

The ARTFL Project - University of Chicago The Project for American and French Research on the Treasury of the French Language (ARTFL) is a cooperative enterprise of Analyse et Traitement Informatique de la Langue Française (ATILF) of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the Division of the Humanities, the Division of the Social Sciences, and Electronic Text Services (ETS) of the University of Chicago. http://humanities.uchicago.edu/orgs/ARTFL/

France A to Z - Embassy of France in the United States http://www.info-france-usa.org/atoz/index.asp

Tennessee Bob's Famous French Links http://www.utm.edu/departments/french/french.html

France - Portals to the World http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/european/france/fr.html

techlearning.com

2008-07-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

techlearning.com is a great resource that provides ideas about incorporating blogs, podcasts, collaborative writing tools, etc. into the classroom. It also includes tips for getting grants.

Habla espanol?

2008-07-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

Need help studying the Spanish language and Latin culture? Check out the links below:
Spanish Web Sites http://www.uni.edu/becker/Spanish3.html

Culture and Society of Mexico http://www.public.iastate.edu/~rjsalvad/scmfaq/

Google Language Tools: http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en

Copyright and Fair Use

2008-07-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

Confused about copyright and what constitutes fair use? This short video provides an overview of what "fair use" means and its implications for the public.

Galleries

2008-07-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

Web Gallery of Art http://www.wga.hu/index.html

Art History Network http://www.arthistory.net/

Museum Collections:
Getty Museum http://www.getty.edu/

Huntington Library http://www.huntington.org/

Louvre Museum http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home_flash.jsp?bmLocale=en

Musei Vaticani http://www.christusrex.org/www1/vaticano/0-Musei.html

Everything Art

2008-07-14T08:14:00.001-07:00

This online art encyclopedia is a great resource for learning more about specific artists and art movements. It also provides links to images of the works of the artists.

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/

Photography

2008-07-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

Interested in photography? Explore the many facets invovled in being a professional photographer. See some professional photos.

Professional Photographers of America http://www.ppa.com/splash.cfm

Photo Travel - Travel Guides for Photographers http://phototravel.com/

Photo.net http://photo.net/photo/index.html

Fine Arts Links

2008-07-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

Get the latest news on what's playing on Broadway and the people who light up the stage.

Playbill Online http://www.playbill.com/index.php

Feed Your Sweet Tooth....

2008-07-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

Step in to the world of America's #1 Manga publisher Tokyopop and satisfy your craving for everything manga. Preview titles, post to the blog, even read manga totally online.

Read Fruits Basket Volume One, Chapter One online.

This Is Your Brain on Manga!!!

2008-07-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

Wired Magazine did a great introduction article to Manga and Anime in November 2007 and also offers several mini articles about the subject on its website.

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/magazine/15-11/ff_manga_chiba or look for the cover title "Manga Conquers America" http://www.wired.com/special_multimedia/2007/1511_ff_manga
posted by Ann S.

Where to Start: Selecting Graphic Novels

2008-07-13T20:41:00.000-07:00

No Flying, No Tights

Educator and professional librarian Robin Brenner has a site for graphic novels that teachers and librarians use. No Flying No Tights has extensive reviews, summaries, informational articles and tips on everything manga and anime related.
noflyingnotights.com/

YALSA
From YALSA, a list of professional resources for educators/librarians on graphic novels. Includes websites, books, public library sites, and listservs.

www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/GraphicNovelResources.pdf

YALSA also has annual award winners for graphic novels: www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/greatgraphicnovelsforteens/gn.cfm

Graphic Novels for Public Libraries http://http//my.voyager.net/~sraiteri/graphicnovels.htm

Graphic novel reviews from School Library Journal http://http//www.schoollibraryjournal.com/community/Graphic+Novels/47069.html

Mouse Guard

2008-07-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

David Petersen, Mouse Guard

Mouse Guard:Fall 1152 and Mouse Guard Winter: 1152 are featured on this site. Mouse Guard, a cult favorite, is about a band of mice who strive to protect their secret world against predators-inside and out. Beautiful images and full-color drawings evoke the season and the drama of a Lord of the Rings-type setting.

http://david%20petersen,%20mouse%20guard/

9/11: A Graphic Adaptation

2008-07-13T20:29:00.000-07:00

9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon

Read the entire graphic novel adaptation of the 9/11 Report online at Slate.com. Described by the authors as "graphic jounalism", the graphic adaptation retains the original language of the 9/11 Comission's report, while illustrating more clearly the connections, reprecussions, and recommendations mired in the 500 page+ text report.
www.slate.com/id/2147309/

01: First Second

2008-07-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

First Second :01 is an award-winning publisher of graphic novels, including American Born Chinese and the Black Diamond Detective Agency. First Second is an established publisher among indie creators and educators alike, and it's heavy on connections and resources for classroom teachers. Check out their lesson plans: http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/teachers.html

Main Page:

www.firstsecondbooks.typepad.com/mainblog/

Which college is for you?

2008-07-13T16:01:00.000-07:00

If you are a college resident, your parents have spent your lifetime supporting the California colleges. It's now your turn to get your money's worth. The California plan calls for three levels of institutions. The UCs are research institutions, meant to prepare students for graduate degrees. The CSUs are also four-year colleges and universities, but, with rare exceptions, do not offer doctoral degrees. And there are two-year, or community, colleges. These colleges have three basic purposes: vocational degrees, preparation for a four-year college, and enrichment. There are no bad choices! All of these offer fine teaching and vast opportunities.

University of California (UC)

http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/welcome.html

Here you will find an overview of all the campuses with links to each. Also, you ought to look at

the undergraduate admission information to aid in your planning.

California State University System

http://www.calstate.edu

Here you will find a listing of all the campuses with links to each. Also, you ought to look at admissions information and the online application.

California Community Colleges

http://www.ccco.edu/CommunityColleges/CommunityCollegeListings/tabid/949/Default.aspx

Here you will find a listing of all the public community colleges in California.

Finally, if none of the above options appeal to you, there are fine private colleges in California, just be aware that they might come with a high price tag. Here is a site where you can find a list of these colleges and a link to each:

http://csmp.ucop.edu/crlp/resources/postsecondary/private.html

College Planning

2008-07-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

It's never too early nor too late to begin your college planning. The College Board is perhaps the best place to begin. On this website you can find the following:
Planning for college by grade level
MatchMaker to determine what kind of college benefit you most
Information about entrance exams, including important dates
Information about AP credit
Scholarship information
How to write your college essay, and sample essays to examine
... and tons more!
So sign on and explore: http://www.collegeboard.com/

Need help convincing your school of the value of Second Life?

2008-07-12T21:54:00.000-07:00

One quality innovative and collaborative project is worth hundreds of research reports. Here is a project from Global Kids Online Leadership Program called "Witnessing History." Here student describe the process of creating a second life exhibit focusing on Kristalnacht.

School Libraries Worldwide

2008-07-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

School Libraries Net http://www.school-libraries.net includes school (library) web pages throughout the U.S and internationally. By examining the various links, school librarians will gain insights of fair-exceptional school media centers across the globe. This page is especially noteworthy since Dr. Woolis and Dr. Loertscher sponsor this site.

Library Reference Guides

2008-07-11T20:17:00.000-07:00

These library sites concentrate on popular subject guides and online sites for the general public. Teens, parents, and educators will find them useful for educational and recreational purposes.

ALA Best References http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaourassoc/rusasections/mars/marspubs/MARSBESTIndex.cfm

Kids Click
http://www.kidsclick.org/

Internet Public Library
http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/

Librarian Internet Index
http://lii.org/

Scholarship Pursuit

2008-07-11T20:07:00.001-07:00

I constructed a web page on scholarships and financial aid for Library 240. I kept that information on Yahoo Geocities. The federal loans and grants sections will probably be the most helpful. I also included a page with a listing of fifteen possible scholarships. Forgive me for the construction of the page, but I am a web design novice.

Scholarship Pursuit http://www.geocities.com/ageltch/pursuit/main_page_ag.html

Helping Your Child With Homework

2008-07-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

The Federal Government includes a useful website on how parents can help students complete homework assignments. http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/homework/index.html

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators

2008-07-11T11:31:00.000-07:00

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators is an excellent resource that provides lesson plans, classroom activites, subject area links to other sites, and more.

Financial Aid Sites

2008-07-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

Here are a few good sites for students seeking financial aid:

Fastweb
FinAid
Federal Student Aid
California Student Aid Commission (for CA residents only)

College Searching

2008-07-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some good college search sites:

College Board
Education Edge
Princeton Review
Peterson's
CollegeNet

Attention teachers: share your teacher resources with other teachers!

2008-07-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

Use this discussion forum,Teacher Resources, to share your favorite websites with other teachers and view their suggested teacher resources. Here is your chance to communicate and collaborate with your fellow colleagues no matter where you are located. You can use this discussion forum as a guest. Be sure to click on “Test Forum 1” first to contribute and view this discussion forum.

Go on a WebQuest!

2008-07-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Have your students go on a WebQuest and see how much fun they'll have! A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. Tens of thousands of teachers have embraced WebQuests as a way to make good use of the internet while engaging their students in the kinds of thinking that the 21st century requires.

Teacher Tube

2008-07-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

Teacher Tube, launched in March 2007, has the goal of creating an online community for sharing instructional videos. It is a site geared to provide just in time (JIT) professional development with the goal of teachers teaching teachers. It is also a site where teachers can post videos for students to view in order to learn key concepts or skills.

Resume Writing

2008-07-10T14:15:00.000-07:00

These sites can help with writing a resume.

Resume-Writing 101 - College Board http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/high-school/36957.html

Resume Tutor from University of Minnesota http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/careerdev/resources/resume/

Online Writing Lab - use the navigation bar to the right to take you through the steps involved in writing a cover letter and resume.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/543/01/

Literary Analysis

2008-07-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

Use the links below to find literary criticism and information on authors.

American Literature on the Web http://www.nagasaki-gaigo.ac.jp/ishikawa/amlit/authorlist/f_list.htm

Contemporary Women Writers http://www.luminarium.org/contemporary/

British and Irish Authors on the Web http://www.lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~matsuoka/UK-authors.html

The English Server Fiction Collection http://eserver.org/fiction/crit.html

The Internet Public Library - Literary Criticism http://www.ipl.org/div/litcrit/

Literary Resources -- Lynch --A collection of literary criticism web sites put together by Professor Jack
Lynch of Rutger's University. http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Lit/

Discovering the Bard

2008-07-10T12:25:00.000-07:00

Renaissance: The Elizabethan World http://elizabethan.org/

Educating Shakespeare http://www.likesnail.org.uk/es-sirhughevans2.htm

Folger Shakespeare Library http://www.folger.edu/template.cfm?cid=863

Internet Shakespeare Editions - Life and Times and other information http://ise.uvic.ca/index.html

Frontline: The Shakespeare Mystery - PBS http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shakespeare/

Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/

Mythology Resources

2008-07-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

Discover mythology from around the world by following the links below.

Windows to the Universe - Classical Mythology http://www.windows.ucar.edu/cgi-bin/tour_def/mythology/myths.html

Mythology - Subject Index http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.html

Mythography http://www.loggia.com/myth/index.html

Olympics

2008-07-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

International Olympic Committee http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp

US Olympic Team http://www.olympic-usa.org/

The Ancient Olympics http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/

The Special Olympics http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Public+Website/default.htm

Physical Education Links

2008-07-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

Discover information about your favorite sport and get tips on how to become a better athlete by following the links below.

Sportscience http://www.sportsci.org/

IAAF - International Association of Athletics Federations http://www.iaaf.org/

Women's Sports Foundation http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/cgi-bin/iowa/index.html

History of Women in Sports Timeline http://www.northnet.org/stlawrenceaauw/timeline.htm

Virtual Sports Academy - Brightcove http://www.brightcove.tv/channel.jsp?channel=770429296

Poetry Links

2008-07-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

ImageChef.com Poetry Blender

Poets.org http://www.poets.org/index.php

Poetry 180 (Library of Congress) http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/

American Verse Project - University of Michigan http://www.hti.umich.edu/a/amverse/

Representative Poetry Online http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/display/index.cfm

Student Resources

2008-07-09T21:46:00.000-07:00

http://translation2.paralink.com/lowres.asp

If you are taking any foreign language class and at times need help translating a word or two, here is a site for you which can help you with your homework. This site can translate any word from English to any language you can think of and back.

Short Video Segments

2008-07-09T07:15:00.001-07:00

http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/

This website has a collection of close to 2000 short video segments and even movies which will enhance your teaching and add to your library collection of videos available. This is a small fee for a school license but it is truly worth it. There is a free trial issue for three months if you would like to preview it before you buy it.

Free Homework Help Sites

2008-07-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

The following are a list of homework sites that are free and don't require a library card. I will include sites from California and other public libraries upon request.

1. ALA Homework Helpers www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/kqweb/kqreviews/networth/v31n4.cfm

2 Homework Elephant www.homeworkelephant.co.uk/

3. Homework High www.channel4learning.net/apps/homeworkhigh/

4. Jiska Homework Help www.jiskha.com/

Top Shelf Productions

2008-07-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

Top Shelf Productions publisher of Craig Thompson's Blankets is an innovative publishing house that is a great example of using web 2.0 functions as a way for creative expression. With an updated and dynamic website and blog. check out Top Shelf 2.0 www.topshelfcomix.com/ts2.0 which features weekly and daily online comics you can get as an RSS feed or blog reader onto your iGoogle page. Remember, comics aren't for kids...these works are thoughtful, inspiring, aggravating, and always interesting.

www.topshelfcomix.com/index.php

Craig Thompson: Blankets

2008-07-07T19:53:00.000-07:00

Craig Thompson, Blankets

Creator of the epic and beautiful Blankets and the allegorical Goodbye Chunky Rice, Craig Thompson has a great blog with detail images of works in progress, draft pages, and explanations of his artistic process. Updated every couple of weeks with outstanding pictures and images of his work.

blog.dootdootgarden.com/

The Metamorphosis

2008-07-07T19:49:00.000-07:00

Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis by Peter Kuper

Fans of Peter Kuper, Franz Kafka, and all things strange and bold will love this trailer for Peter Kuper's adaptation of a creepy classic.

www.randomhouse.com/crown/metamorphosis/

Online Games/Sites

2008-07-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

Below is a short list of sites that have not been blocked, yet, and can be used in class for educational purposes.

posted by Ann S

Boost Young Brains with Chess!

2008-07-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

Chess is a great way to encourae the development of logic, critical thinking, and healthy competition on campus. Here are two great resources for running an effective scholastic chess progam:

US Chess Federation

How to play chess

Learn Words to End World Hunger!

2008-07-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome vocabulary game: Free Rice. For every correct answer students get to donate a handful of rice to the UN World Food program. It's a great website for students to use if they finish their research in the computer lab early.

Create Your Own Political Cartoon!

2008-07-07T08:20:00.000-07:00

Looking for a way to engage students in history or government class?

Consider asking them to create a political cartoon! These two web sources enable students to create their own comics with predesigned templates:

Witty Comics The graphics on this website are formal and present a realistic sytle.

Bitstrips These graphics are exaggerated in a classic cartoon style.

X Timeline

2008-07-03T12:18:00.001-07:00

I found an interesting collaboration tool for your students (and it's free). X timeline allows one or more people to create a comprehensive linked timeline covering any variety of subjects. The good thing is that the timelines can be shared online so you can create a timeline or research project that can be worked on collaboratively by more than one student.

Because the program is web sourced, you don't have to worry about students being forced to e-mail attachments back and forth to each other. Students can work on the project at home, or in the library before school, during lunch and afterschool. Students can work simultaneously communicating changes and revisions from two different computers.

http://www.xtimeline.com/
Here is the link. Search through the system for sample timelines

Current Events

2008-07-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

American Library Association Receives $1 Million Grant from Verizon Foundation to Study How Gaming Can Be Used to Improve Problem-Solving and Literacy Skills

Unique ‘Gaming for Learning’ Project to Develop Metrics and Models for Libraries

ALA will launch an innovative project to measure the impact of gaming on literacy skills and build a model for library gaming that can be deployed nationally. Funding for the project will be provided by a $1 million grant from the Verizon Foundation. ALA will work directly with 12 leading gaming experts to document the use of gaming as a literacy tool and monitor the results of gaming initiatives. The information will be used to build The Librarians’ Guide to Gaming, a comprehensive, online, literacy and gaming toolbox which will then be field-tested by additional libraries

Text Source: Amercian Libraries Direct 7/2/2008
Image Source: Nebraska Library Commission Blog

Quia and Turn it In

2008-07-02T19:58:00.002-07:00

QUIA

This site is wonderful for teachers to create online quizzes and will free your time because the quiz grades itself.

http://quia.com

TURN IT IN

As a History teacher I have always come up with the issue of students plagiarizing when I assign research papers, to avoid having this problem the school where I work at has subscribed to the following site. The site is called turnitin.com , by using the site it allows the teacher to cross reference student work with work which is found on the internet. It is very easy and helpful to use when trying to verify if a student plagiarized or not.

http://turnitin.com

I Love Avatars

2008-07-02T18:55:00.000-07:00

Let's face it. Some of us (ME) just are not photogenic and I've got forty years of photos to prove it. Part of the guilty pleasure of avatars is the ability to create new images. In many cases, it's fun, free, and less trouble than plastic surgery.

Check out these great avatar makers

South Park avatar created by Janina Koeppel http://www.sp-studio.de/

Create your own Simpsons avatar http://www.simpsonsmovie.com/main.html?cid=us

AP Art History

2008-07-01T18:34:00.000-07:00

Appetite is half the feast

Welcome to the start of AP art history. Your first mission is to view images of women in western art and use a tool called "chatterbox" on the blog's right sidebar to join your colleagues in responding to art.

This will, I hope be the first opportunity to expand the class beyond Miss Spear's ad naseum art lectures and allow all students the opportunity to build a learning community for this AP course.

Link to Miss Spear's bloglink: http://appetiteishalfthefeast.blogspot.com/

Enjoy

Wildcrafting Research Project

2008-07-01T17:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the green world...

Consider how plants affect human geography and use your botanical research to examine the progress of environmental issues in the literary world of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and the current crisis in Chad and Darfur.

Image provided by http://www.preventgenocide.org/action/alerts/darfur/

Link to Ms. Neidenbach's class bloglink

http://interwoven233.blogspot.com/

Make Pipecleaner Man Dance!

2008-07-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

Well it's not academic in the strictest sense but Pipercleaner Man is a fun way to practice your hand to eye coodination, and learn keyboarding skills.

Or you can just forego any pretense of "learning" and just make him do the "Footloose" dance

http://www.davidbessler.com/pulldown/pipecleaner_dance3.swf

Picture Books for Older Readers

2008-07-01T08:11:00.000-07:00

The Picture Books for Older Readers Wiki was created by students in Richie Partington's seminar class for the MLIS program at San Jose State. On this wiki, discover an alpha list of titles by title, author, or illustrator, as well as thematic groupings (like women's history, black history month, etc.). Each title has an annotation, and many have information on how literary concepts are illustrated and included along with lesson plans. DM 6.17.08

picturebooksforolderreaders.pbwiki.com/