The internet is a great tool for educators and their students. During my time in the computer courses I enrolled in, I found some excellent sites that I can use in my future classroom. I feel that these sites will allow my students to learn about topics from other sources than just their textbooks.
The History Channel offers so many wonderful television programs for the classroom. Now that we live in the Technology age, the History channel has taken their programming to a new level by offering many of their great resources on a web site. The History Channel's website is another great resource for History teachers and their students. One of the best aspects of this site is that it is updated daily and has the most current events possible. Along with being a great research site, it also has many links to watch History Channel programs.
The Art and Entertainment Network consists of, The History Channel, A&E, and The Biography Channel. All of these channels offer great tools for educators, but now they are all combined in one great website, A&E Classroom. This site offers teachers material and tips for the classroom. As well as offers students ideas for projects, research tools and resources to create their own biography. The site offers tools for teachers who teach English, History, Science, Social Studies, Personal Development, and Visual & Performing Arts.
The Fox News Channel has created a website that provides easy access to local and national news. The website is a great tool for students to use to find out about world-wide current events. One of the best aspects of Fox News is that the site and the news channel offer opposing opinons on hot issues in politics.
The Smithsonian online is a great tool for teachers, students, and parents. It give teachers the opportunity to take their students on online fieldtrips. The Smithsonian offers many of the exhibits you would see while visiting the museum, online through their website. The site also offers tools for teachers to create lessons based on different aspects of the site. One of the best parts of this site is that students can go home and take their parents on the same fieldtrip to show them what they learned in class.
The Best Of History Web Site is a great link for History teachers and their students. The site is filled with links that take the user to the best sites for certain time periods. For example, if my students are researching World War II they can click on a link for the best World War II sites. A list of approximately 50 sites becomes available for them to research. The sites are all approved by different educational media and by some school districts so I know as a teacher that the sites are safe for my students. The site also offers some great study guides and lesson plans that history teachers can use.
The White House official website is a great place to go if you are teaching or learning about U.S. Government. The site focuses on issues that effect the White house and The President of the United States. Some of the links on the site bring you to hot issues like the economy, education, homeland security, and social security. There are also links to current news, press briefings, and executive orders.
Another great site for educators or students in U.S. Government classes is, The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal. The site gives the user links to just about anything that they ever wanted to know about state, local, or tribal governments. There are also links to U.S. statistics, Government forms, Laws, and a listing of contact information to U.S. Senators, Government offices and State Representatives.
The Students Guide to Government is a special section of the Government's Official Web Portal that is focused on students needs and questions. There are links to help students understand how to prepare for college, learn about studying abroad, pay for their education, Military service, and even basic Government topics like taxes.
Info Please is a site dedicated to getting answers to questions. It offers students a Almanac, Atlas, Encyclopedia, Dictionary, Thesaurus, and White Pages. The site also has information about World and US History, News, Biography's and even has a Homework Center. Fact Monster is a kids version of Info Please. Kids can find everything from what's in the news, to today's history and birthdays, to even the word or analogy of the day.
Technology Resources for Educators, Parents, and Students is perhaps the best educational site I have found yet. Simply pick your grade, subject or education need (Esl, Ell, clip art, ect.) and you will find many great links! The Secondary cite offers sites from disecting frogs to Infrared science, to World War II.
Graphics provided by Personal clipart program, www.thehistorychannel.com, http://www.aetv.com/class/index.html, www.factmonster.com, www.foxnews.com, http://www.si.edu/, http://www.historymatters.gmu.edu/, http://www.historyplace.com/, http://www.whitehouse.gov/, and www.firstgov.gov.