Technology in Your Classroom : Hot Websites :
Hot Websites October 2003
By Linda Lindroth
Now that your students have settled in, it's time to go around the world with these social studies websites
With the changing of the leaves to the colors of fall and the school routine in full swing, many of us are ready to get involved in a new theme for project-based learning. Here are a few ideas with social studies in mind.
Digital Storyteller
www.knowitall.org/bellsouthdigitalstoryteller
BellSouth and South Carolina ETV have partnered to bring you this innovative project-based learning unit for the classroom. Your students can be involved in authentic research and meet curriculum standards while completing first-hand interviews with veterans from World War II and the Korean Conflict.
All the tools and resources you'll need to get your students started on their own digital storytelling project are right here, including templates, storyboards, pre-production and production checklists and assessment rubrics. The step-by-step guides for teachers and students are in downloadable pdf format. Digital projects that meet the Multimedia Submission requirements are posted on the website so that classrooms around the world can share in the interviews of historic people and events.
Owl & Mouse
www.yourchildlearns.com
This is an extensive resource for free educational software that will help your students explore maps and geography at a level that meets the national standards. There are dozens of interactive software programs to download for learning about U.S. and world geography. Each interactive map provides fun practice for learning continents, countries, states, capitals, borders, physical features and cultural monuments. Challenge your students by posting a rubric chart to keep track of their scores as they move from "Novice" to "World Explorer." Print one of the dozens of available maps (at sizes ranging from one page for individual student record-keeping or up to seven feet for a bulletin board).
One of my favorite features on this rich website is the link to Active Learning Projects. These are Humanities, Mathematics and Science projects that have students building towns and farms, exploring art history and even embarking on a high-seas adventure to learn more about pirates. Any of these fun projects will really motivate student learning.
MarcoPolo
www.marcopolo-education.org
The MarcoPolo website includes a wealth of activities, lessons and web resources for studying health and the human body. Sign up for your own MarcoGram newsletter – it's free for the asking. The monthly MarcoGram is a rich resource for any curriculum theme. Each month, the MarcoGram contains Warm-up Activities, Featured Lessons and Reviewed Websites that relate to that month's calendar topics. The MarcoGram's theme changes monthly; recent themes have included "All the World's a Stage," "Biography: The Story of a Life" and "Dust Bowl Days to Victory Days: 1930s to 1945."
Graphire2 Tablet -- Tech Spotlight
Graphire2 from Wacom, is an impressive innovation for computer input. The pen (with eraser) replaces the mouse with a wireless tool that offers pressure-sensitive control. The Graphire2 pen has 512 levels of pressure sensitivity, controlled by varying the pen pressure on the 4" x 5" tablet that represents the monitor. The function, look and feel is very much like a pencil and paper. It also works with all software that works with a mouse.
Both the Wacom pen and the Graphire2 cordless mouse use patented battery-free technology so the tools are always ready to use with your USB connection. The Graphire2 tablet has a transparent overlay that makes it easy to trace photos or even activity pages for handwriting lessons. Graphire2 is packaged with Adobe Photoshop Elements 1.0, procreate Painter Classic from Corel and penPalette LE from nik multimedia.
Visit the site at www.wacom.com or call 800-922-6613 for more information. Mac or PC; $99.
Linda K. Lindroth is Technology Editor and Web Coordinator for Teaching Pre K-8. She is also a K-5 Technology Teacher in Lexington, KY.
October 2003, Vol.34, No.2
