Nassau BOCESDepartment of Curriculum, Instruction and Technology

Developed by the Department of Health and Human services, the site is a comprehensive collection of anti-bullying related resources for kids, parents and teachers.

The site includes such resources as videos designed to teach students how to recognize bullying and how to respond to it themselves, or is they see someone else being a victim.  As we know, bullying does not just happen on the playground anymore, it happens online and through text.  The site covers the various mediums through which bullying occurs as well as provides discussion guides to use with students.

This fantastic resource can be found here: http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids/

The Exploratorium is a museum of science, art, and human perception located in San Francisco, California and has been online since 1993.  Included on the site are more than 18 thousand Web pages and many sound and video files, exploring hundreds of different topics.

Many of the resources on the Web site are examples of very simple uses of information technology, but thoughtfully implemented. For example, the site contains instructions for over 500 simple experiments, all of which may be viewed on any type of Web browser, with even the slowest connection, and easily printed out.

Other types of content have required more creative use of existing or new technologies. In order to demonstrate certain phenomena, for instance, they have created a variety of online exhibits using Shockwave, Flash, QuickTime VR, and other technologies. Many of these online exhibits are patterned after real exhibits on the museum floor, providing equally rich experiences.

They have also started broadcasting live video and/or audio over the web directly from the museum or via satellite from the field.

Find the main site here: http://www.exploratorium.edu/

Through the collaboration of many partners and collaborators, the CSI Web Adventures are designed to teach students the process of forensic investigation and problem solving.  CSI: The Experience is a unique way of supporting learning around biology and science as well as many other competencies of learning.

This project is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Partners include the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, CBS, and Rice University Center for Technology in Teaching and Learning.

The main site can be found here: http://forensics.rice.edu/

Teacher materials can be found here: http://forensics.rice.edu/html/educators.html

SAS Curriculum Pathways is an online resource for students and teachers that adds new tools and interactive content to the classroom.  Available at no cost and used by thousands of educators in all 50 states, SAS Curriculum Pathways provides standards-based content in the core academic disciplines of English, mathematics, social studies, science and Spanish for grades 8-12.

Though SAS offers SAS Curriculum Pathways at no cost, the company’s investment in innovation continues. For example, new social studies materials include an interactive atlas. In math, a new interactive tool helps students develop basic algebra skills. Enhancements to the award-winning Writing Reviser in the English module help students master sentence fundamentals. SAS Curriculum Pathways earned a Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) CODiE Award this year for Best Reading/English Instructional Solution. New Spanish materials help students develop reading and listening skills in real-world situations.

This great resource can be found here: http://www.sascurriculumpathways.com/

From the Site:

The countdown has begun. We are looking forward to promoting numeracy around the globe and setting a new world record with our totally free and safe online math contest on 3 March.

Students play at home and at school against other students around the world in live games of mental arithmetic. Each game lasts for 60 seconds and students can play up to 500 games during the official event, earning points for each correct question. You can now take part in World Maths Day via the iPhone and iPod Touch. The students who answer the most questions appear in the Hall of Fame.

Prizes will be awarded to the top students in each age category, ages 5-8, ages 9-13 and ages 14-18.

The student answering the highest number of questions correctly in each age group (5-8, 9-13, 14-18) will be the World Champion and receive a Minted Gold Medal.

This is a truly unique world event and a fantastic way to promote numeracy within your school.

Find it here: http://www.worldmathsday.com/

The National Center for Education Statistics hosts a collection of games and tools for students. On the NCES Kids’ Zone students will find information about public and private schools as well information designed to help them choose a college.

The Kids’ Zone’s real value lies in the games, quizzes, and learning tutorials featured on the site. Dare to Compare is a quiz section of Kids’ Zone where students can test their knowledge of civics, economics, history, geography, mathematics, and science. After taking each quiz the students are shown the correct answers. Dare to Compare also allows students to see the national and international average rate of correct answers.

Find the Kids Zone here: http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/index.asp

The Professor Garfield Foundation learning portal is a fun interactive online environment where children can safely explore, learn and creatively express themselves.

PGF offers fun, engaging and transforming educational content for school children between kindergarten and 8th grade. The educational content is upgraded continuously and presented in a popular culture entertainment format. All of the content has been reviewed by educational experts and tested in classroom settings.

You can find the Professor Garfield Foundation learning portal here: http://www.professorgarfield.org/pgf_home.html

Thanks to Trish Iannacone for sharing this great resource.

There are two sites that I have come to know about recently that deal with “Digital Abuse.”  They are listed below.

MTV’s A Thin Line campaign was developed to empower you to identify, respond to, and stop the spread of digital abuse in your life and amongst your peers. The campaign is built on the understanding that there’s a “thin line” between what may begin as a harmless joke and something that could end up having a serious impact on you or someone else.  You can find this site here: http://www.athinline.org/

As you know, technology allows youth to connect with each other in amazing ways. However, when technology is misused, disrespected, or abused it can lead to difficult situations and consequences. The textED.ca site has been created to help educate youth about how to use technology respectfully and to know what to do when someone crosses the line.  You can find it here: http://www.texted.ca/app/en/

Do your students love to doodle? Give them a chance to showcase their art on Google.com’s homepage by registering your school for Doodle 4 Google.

Doodle 4 Google is a competition open to K-12 students in U.S. schools who are invited to create their own Google doodle inspired by the theme, “If I Could Do Anything, I Would . . . ”

Teachers should go to www.google.com/doodle4google to register their school by 11:59:59 P.M. Pacific Time (PT) on March 17, 2010. Teachers must sign up on behalf of their students and submit their doodles and entry forms by March 31, 2010 11:59:59 P.M. Pacific Time (PT) after they register their school online.

Be sure to visit  www.google.com/doodle4google for full information.  There are some great prizes available!

The international Google Model Your Town Competition is by far the biggest 3D modeling challenge Google has ever had. It’s open to just about everyone (age 13 and up), just about everywhere in the world. Help your students form a team, model buildings (using SketchUp or Building Maker) and upload them to your own collection in the Google 3D Warehouse by the end of February 2010. The winning town will receive $10,000 for their local school district, in addition to lots of other good stuff that will put your town on the map.

Every town that participates has the chance to be included in Google Earth’s 3D Buildings layer where millions of people can see it.

All information about the competition is located here: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/introducing-google-model-your-town.html

“6 Billion Others” is not a geopolitical study, nor is it a work of sociology. “6 Billion Others” is a perspective on humanity, a collection of human stories. Stories of fears, joys, and dreams, which make up our common Story, and bearing witness to the diversity of mankind.

Each film has the richness of a dialogue: Each person responds and reacts through his or her personal story around a common theme, with the replies echoing and at other points colliding with each other. The meetings provoke and touch us, encouraging us in turn to question ourselves, for other people are just so many individuals similar to ourselves, who at the same time can enrich us through their differences, and through the reflections and perspectives they present to us.

http://www.6billionothers.org/

ConnectSafely is for parents, teens, educators, advocates – everyone engaged in and interested in the impact of the social Web. The user-driven, all-media, multi-platform, fixed and mobile social Web is a big part of young people’s lives, and this is the central space – linked to from social networks across the Web – for learning about safe, civil use of Web 2.0 together.

Another nice resource about staying safe online here: http://www.connectsafely.org/

KeepSafe educational resources teach children of all ages in a fun, age-appropriate way, the basic rules of Internet safety, ethics, and the healthy use of connected technologies.  The Faux Paw® curriculum is based on research from Harvard’s Center on Media and Child Health and created in partnership with the iKeepSafe Global Research Team, Penn State University Department of Education, and the University of Maryland.

The site includes resources for the Elementary Grades and Teens.  It is a digital literacy project created in partnership with Google and Youtube as well.  It can be found here: http://www.ikeepsafe.org/

Did you you that YouTube has an online section of their site called the “Safety Center?”  They cover a variety of topics in this area.  Of particular interest are the videos about Staying Safe Online.  Each of the three videos in this section are approximately two minutes long and includes narration, as well as visual aides.

Find the videos here.

Using the “Supercool School” System to create a free online course, these developers are looking for teams of up to five students under the age of 18 who are interested in learning how to develop iPhone applications.  There are some basic requirements and a form that needs to be completed, but for those students that are interested, the sessions begin on February 10th and end on June 16th.  The course will be broken into three components; preparation, App building and App selling and iteration.

Learn more here: http://sites.google.com/site/kiddevschool/home

Virtual author visits in your library or classroom.  The mission of the “Skype an Author Network” is to provide K-12        teachers and librarians a way to connect with authors, books, and young readers through virtual visits.  The site has made arrangements with authors who are willing to participate and have conversations with students.  There is a page for each author that has joined the network which provides details regarding procedures and contact information.  There is quite an extensive list of authors who are willing to participate.

The main page is located here: http://skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com/

Here a our collection of interactive whiteboard games for educators from PBS KIDS. Students will enjoy participating in these collaborative, fun and engaging experiences, while exploring curriculum from trusted programs such as Curious George, Super Why and Arthur.   All of the games are age-appropriate and vetted by educators.

Enjoy and Share!

http://pbskids.org/whiteboard/

The Digital History Reader (DHR) is comprised of two main content areas, each broken out into modules. The United States History section provides materials covering important themes and issues from the colonial era to the present. The European History section, entitled “Modern Europe in a Global Context,” explores links between European and world history in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The modules presented on this website are designed for introductory-level survey courses at colleges and universities and for advanced history courses at the secondary level. All of the modules organize and present data in a similar fashion. Each module includes an introduction outlining the module objectives and relevant historical questions students might consider while reading; background historical information, or the context of the period; an “archive” of documents, along with questions to guide students’ use of the evidence; an assessment section to evaluate what students have learned and to allow for feedback; a conclusion; and a list of related resources.

http://www.dhr.history.vt.edu/

Another nice interactive site on US History is here: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/timeline/timelineO.cfm

Looking for Historical Maps that can be put into Google Earth?  Take a look at this great resource that loads them right into the application (http://www.davidrumsey.com/gmaps.html).

This resource focuses on the knowledge and skills related to accessing, understanding and evaluating digital information.  Below are some of the broad objectives:

• Evaluating Accuracy
• Cross Referencing Sources of Information
• Downloading Safely and Legally
• Retrieving Information Efficiently
• Using Search Engines Efficiently
• Recognizing Opinion and Bias
• Understanding Purpose and Audience
• Recognizing Learning Opportunities on the Web

http://www.nwlg.org/digitalliteracy/

Thinkuknow is an education initiative by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre – the UK’s national law enforcement agency that focuses on tackling the sexual abuse of children.  The site contains information and “lessons” on staying safe online categorized by ages (5-7, 8-10, 11-16, Parent or Caregiver, and Teacher of Trainer).

http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/