Netsurfer Education 01.03

This is the online issue of a US Department. of Education pamphlet for parents of grade-school kids. The purpose is to help introduce key geographical concepts (such as direction, location, orientation, and map reading) to kids in fun and interesting ways. It's organized into a series of chapters, each of which deals with a different concept through background material, examples, and then activities. Some are simple suggestions, like keeping a world map or globe near your TV, while others are more complicated, such as building your own globe or map making. The theme of the pamphlet is educational interaction between adults and kids to make them more aware of their home, city, planet, etc., and to encourage investigation and curiosity. There's a glossary of geographical terms, examples of different kinds of maps, suggested reading lists for both "younger" and "older" readers, and a links list. This site is a must for parents of kids who are always getting lost!
http://www.ed.gov:/pubs/parents/Geography/index.html

The Dred Scott Case

Famous both as a case of judicial injustice and for pouring fuel on the fires that led to the Civil War, the story of the slave who sued for freedom and lost is basic to the understanding of antebellum America. The essays from Lisa Cozzen's African American History project cover the story with depth, and include a background on American society on the eve of the war. Unlike many sources, Cozzen's pages give the reactions of various politicians on both sides of the question. Footnotes are linked to the note page and the text is strong and clear. For further reading, the primary source, the text of the Supreme Court decision is also available online.
Cozzen: http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/scott/index.html
Decision text: http://www.tourolaw.edu/patch/Scott/

The History Place

The History Place is not meant to be a total history resource. Rather it offers a series of in-depth studies, using various media, of some important eras and events in both US and world history. Some of the chapters are photo essays (with enlargeable images), others are texts. The main Lincoln page is a hyperlinked timeline. Especially nice is the presentation of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, enriched with downloadable audio clips. The Highlights section includes Photo of the Week, Speech of the Week, and tips on how to prepare a better history paper. And, yes, there is a sales section for the purchase of books, video documentaries, and movies, but the sites owners have been very generous in their free offerings. All in all, a diverting history site, both for lovers of history and for pupils researching a project, especially if they want to jazz it up with some multimedia.
http://www.historyplace.com/index.html

Lives, the Biography Resource

The unidentified (except by e-mail address) creator of this site says, "Biography has always been my favorite reading", and Lives is obviously a labor of love. Collected here are hundreds of links to the best biographical sites on the World Wide Web: sites that focus on the lives of individuals or groups of people, or that provide primary biographical source material such as diaries, memoirs, correspondence, and oral histories. In addition to listings by groups (African Americans, women, people in particular professions, for example) and an alphabetical listing of individuals, there's also a collection called Criticism with links to discussions of biography as a literary form. Here's a first rate stop for anyone doing research in history or personalities.
http://members.home.net/klanxner/lives

"I" is Not for Indians, or Insensitivity

Even in today's era of political correctness, sensitivity is not just a fad of the day, but a prerequisite for thoughtful and just social interactions, both in and out of the classroom. For example, present-day curriculum holds no place for the blessedly fading stereotype of Native Americans as savage scalping chiefs and squaws. To this end, the University of Pittsburgh offers a stark yet substantial guide to culturally sensitive and accurate portrayals of Indians in books for young people. The guide includes lists of recommended titles, books to avoid, and what to look for when evaluating books for sensitivity to the culture and characterization of Native Americans.
http://www.pitt.edu/~lmitten/ailabib.htm

LANGUAGE ARTS
English studies, grammar, poetry, prose, and second language studies

Three Approaches to To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, still touches readers' hearts, almost 40 years after its original publication. And, as long as teachers use this book in the classroom, students will struggle with the text and its poignant and horrifying images. Taken as a whole, three links provide a comprehensive overview of the book for teachers, students, and general readers alike. The Student Survival Guide examines the book chapter by chapter and line by line. The site also comments on the text's key vocabulary, allusions, and idioms. The To Kill a Mockingbird Teacher's Guide offers a supplemental unit for teachers with descriptions of four student activities and links to further teacher resources. The unit focuses on improving students' literary analysis skills, as well as their understanding of how a great story is developed and expressed. Students also gain practice in writing reflective and persuasive essays. This unit is aimed at the high-school level. The third site serves as an index to various links about the novel and other related issues. Follow the links to Web sites about Jim Crow laws, the Ku Klux Klan, or a biography of author Harper Lee. View samples of student essays on To Kill a Mockingbird and read first-person accounts of growing up in Maryland during the Jim Crow era. These fascinating oral histories supplement the themes of the novel nicely.
Survival Guide: http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont_HS/tkm/index.html
Teacher's Guide: http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/tokil/mocktg.htm
Background links: http://www.fairhavenuhs.k12.vt.us/Links/English/mockingbird.html

Fairy Tales: Origins and Evolution

Ever wonder about the original versions of old favorites like Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, or Cinderella? In a painstakingly researched series of essays, Christine Daae shows how the origins of fairy tales are rooted in women's reaction to male domination in 16th-century France and Germany. She first examines the societies in which these tales originated, then tells the original versions of well known tales (the ones above, plus Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, and Bluebeard). For instance, the original Riding Hood has Red escaping the wolf's jaws through her own wits, but in the Brothers Grimm version she and Grandma need to be rescued by a woodsman. Beauty and the Beast is really a protest against the forced arranged marriages so common in times past. While one could argue with the revisionist or feminist agenda in the site's introduction, the author's research shows pretty decisively how sanitized (and Disneyfied) these stories have become in our era, shorn of various elements of sex, violence, incest, and even cannibalism. There's a bibliography of sources and modern "fairy" stories for further research and enjoyment.
http://www.darkgoddess.com/fairy/

FINE ARTS
Visual arts, music, theater, and dance

Mississippi Blues

We really like this site, and not just because our reviewer is a considerable blues aficionado. Mississippi's Starkville High School knows Mississippi blues, and it's built a strong directory of the state's blues writers and musicians. We especially like that the school looked around at its environment and offers something of substance, carving out its own Net identity, rather than putting up just a pep team filler. We also like that the value of the school's work attracted partners and sponsors like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame. So, here's the challenge: What could make your school's site unique and valuable?
http://shs.starkville.k12.ms.us/mswm/MSWritersAndMusicians/

An Adventure in Looking

New York City's Museum of Modern Art presents an interactive Art Safari that capitalizes on a child's innate creativity and curiosity about animals. Children choose one of four works of art upon which to base their explorations. Simple open-ended questions and audio instructions ask the child to examine a painting or sculpture and interpret what they see, creating a virtual story to complement the work of art. Additionally, children can draw their own original artwork on one of four given topics, using their mouse and the museum's unique Web-based drawing programs. And, if a child's original creation showcases exceptional talent, the museum's Department of Education might display it in the site's Visitor's Art Display. A pre-teen MOMA exhibit! Kewl!
http://artsafari.moma.org/

Netsurfer Recommendations

Items our staff likes and you might too. Click on the cover or title to order the item at a hefty discount from Amazon.com and Beyond.com and send a few pennies our way as well.

The Explosive Child
Ross Greene, PhD
Harpercollins; ISBN: 0060175346

This engaging book, written for parents, suggests that explosive, inflexible, and easily frustrated children are doing their best to manage demands that they are not yet able to handle. He opens doors to hope and slow but steady change for adults and children who have been stuck in a painful pattern of explosive incidents. Greene outlines areas of possible delays in development and encourages caregivers to thoroughly assess the explosive child's strengths and weaknesses. Greene invites parents and caregivers to make life more manageable for all concerned by setting demands at a level that guarantees success, limiting expectations to those that the child can accomplish right now. Greene's compassionate and child-centered vision challenges parents and caregivers to model the attitudes of openness and flexibility that they want explosive children to learn as they acquire the skills of compromising and problem solving.

When Nothing Matters Anymore: A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens
by Bev Cobain, Elizabeth Verdick (Editor), Jeff Tolbert (Illustrator)
Free Spirit Pub; ISBN: 1575420368

Bev Cobain's realistic presentation of depression, with its feelings of fatigue, confusion, desperation, and hopelessness is aptly tailored for teens. Her blend of knowledge, compassion, short lists, and humorous cartoons - for teens too enervated to read - provides incentive to begin the journey to healing. Gently yet clearly linking depression to self-harming choices like using drugs, acting-out sexually, or attempting suicide, she opens doors to better ways to handle desperation. Laced throughout the book is her core message - that it is OK, even necessary, to reach out when hurting. Each chapter is an effective teaching unit for teachers, but the book is a priceless resource to teens and/or adults guiding their healing from depression.

MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY
Mathematics, chemistry, physics, astrosciences, computing, technology, biology, and botany

Exploratorium Frogs

Another brilliant online exhibit from the folks at the Exploratorium Science Museum, this time about everyone's favorite amphibians. Unlike most science sites, this is both an entertaining introduction for youngsters and a comprehensive study of these beasts for the older, more serious pupil. Go to the feature articles for in-depth essays on frogs, the effect of hormones on their growth, and how they interact with their environment. All the pages have enlargeable images; in fact, interactivity abounds. You can listen to frog calls on a "Frog Tracker" page, learn about camouflage in the "Disappearing Act" game, and even download rain forest sounds (with lots of frog sounds, of course). Tales and Tours highlight the effect of frogs on human culture. The site is easy and even fun to browse. On finishing a section, the "next" icon (a hopping frog, of course) will take you back to the home page. If your interest in frogs is more anatomical (or less benign), then visit the Interactive Frog Dissection. Here you can perform a clickable dissection and/or download Quicktime movies to observe a real one. An excellent aid for pupils who will be dissecting for the first time as well as teachers who haven't done one for a while.
Exploritorium frogs: http://www.exploratorium.edu/frogs/index.html
Frog dissection: http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/frog/

Zoom to a Wealth of Dino Info

The amount of useful information at Zoom Dinosaurs is larger than a T. rex! Just look at the numbers: 100 information sheets on the various dinosaur species, over 960 entries in an illustrated Dinosaur Dictionary, and more than 30 ready-to-print handouts for immediate use in the classroom. From fossils to geology to anatomy to behavior, the Zoom Dinosaurs Web site is a must for any teacher who wants fun and functional ways to introduce dinosaurs to the classroom. The Dino News section lists the latest discoveries and theories about the long, extinct, long-extinct creatures. And, if you like this Zoom site, be sure to click on over to sister sites such as Zoom Sharks, Zoom Rainforest, and Zoom Astronomy, among others.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/index.html

Easy as Two Plus Two

Innumeracy means "an inability to deal comfortably with the fundamental notions of number and chance". Thousands of people around the world suffer from a limiting fear of numbers and mathematical calculations. So, as parents and teachers, how can we support our children's efforts in math despite our own attitudes toward the subject? Publisher Houghton Mifflin designed a parent's handbook to helping your child understand math, through games that capitalize on time spent at the grocery store, restaurants, and at home. Through an activity called refrigerator math, parents place a short, fun math puzzle on the fridge for children and family members to ponder and solve together. This Web site presents valuable tools and ideas for innumerates and numerates alike.
http://www.eduplace.com/math/res/parentbk/

Bare Bones Radiology Page: Explaining X-rays to You

Radiologic technologist Carl Kurtz wants people to know what to expect when they need a diagnostic radiologic procedure. Using a conversational tone and everyday language, he explains the most common reasons why physicians order particular tests, how the tests are done, and what patients should do to prepare for the tests. (Remove those nipple rings before having a chest x-ray.) There's a lot of information about anatomy in his explanations of procedures such as a barium enema and IVP (intravenous pyelogram, an x-ray of the urinary system). And his discussion of what a radiologic technologist is should interest someone exploring career options in health care.
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/1368

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Sports and Health

Teenage Pregnancy

Half the American teenagers who have one baby will get pregnant again within two years. One thing which mitigates against this is available to all of them: high school. According to the nonprofit Campaign for Our Children (CFOC), girls who return to the classroom stand a better chance in breaking this cycle. CFOC is an educational program designed to encourage sexual abstinence among teenagers and better communication about sex among adults. This site posts statistics, research papers, bibliographies, and it shows how a school can set up an educational program to help students avoid untimely pregnancies.
http://www.cfoc.org/

Take a Breather with Asthmaline

Asthma is the number one chronic disease afflicting American children. Asthmaline's discussion of anatomy, symptoms, news, and history, coupled with their free asthma newsletter serves as an online hub for basic asthma information. The special kid's section links to Brain Pop's asthma section and features a brightly colored quiz and movie, experiments, free e-cards, and inspirational mention of asthmatic Olympians. Educators will especially appreciate the link to a section called Asthma and Physical Activity in the School, which offers hints on helping your students control their asthma. For all its fine freely available resources, this is ultimately, this is a commercial site, so an interactive CD-ROM and activity book are available for purchase.
http://www.asthmaline.com/

Regulation Volleyball

Will Volleyball incite the next professional women's sports frenzy? Tittle 9ers, prepare yourselves at Schneid's Volleyball page. Indoor and outdoor players, coaches and officials can look up terms in the dictionary, or download the official rule books, learning the can and cant of the court. Soon you'll be faking everybody out with your service ace, pumps, and maniac extension rolls. Nutrition information helps prepare your body, while the Tips section helps get your mind tuned to strategy. Remember: unlike soccer, there's no grass to mow.
http://www.xnet.com/~schneid/vball.shtml

Blow Your Mind at Brain Pop

Even for adults, the body can be a very mysterious entity. Imagine how strange the body's functions must seem to children! Brain Pop is here to answer many of young people's questions about the body, science, disease, and other natural processes; topics include everything from the sense of smell, digestion, acne, and electricity, to the menstrual cycle. As of this writing, thirty topics are represented. Each subject features a simple, yet savvy, movie with the Brain Pop characters presenting the basics in easy to grasp language and even a little humor. After your first foray into Brain Pop, try to minimize your passes through the home page; otherwise, you can't avoid multiple reruns of the cute, yet unstoppable and increasingly grating, opening movie.
http://www.brainpop.com/indexwin.asp

SKILLS FOR LIVING
Domestic sciences, study skills and other day-to-day skills for getting through life

Teaching Media Awareness

Living through what Alvin Toffler called the third wave - the shift to an information age - is exciting, confusing, and certainly challenging for teachers. If your school is grappling with how to best teach media awareness, drop by the Media Awareness Center. The site grew from a 1995 National Film Board of Canada mandate to: "encourage critical thinking about media information, media entertainment and new communications technologies, and to stimulate public debate about the power of the media in the lives of children and young people." A special section serves educators.
http://www.media-awareness.ca/eng/

Big-Time Life Planning

This Texas-centric Web site walks middle- and high-school students down the certainly confusing path of defining career goals, determining the necessary standardized tests, choosing a college, and applying for financial aid. Students across the nation can benefit from the words of wisdom offered here, and from "College Bound", an original quarterly publication aimed toward educationally disadvantaged high schoolers. Students can explore their personal skills and interests in the Planning a Career section, which also includes advice on how to find a job and a link to the long-term occupational outlook for various careers. With additional links to federal tax information and university fact sheets, the Adventures in Education Web site just might make it a little easier to turn collegiate dreams into reality.
http://www.adventuresineducation.org/

I Want2 Learn2

Learn2.com is one of those web sites that just begs to be bookmarked. Turn2 these expert 2torials for help in mastering many of the basic skills that you need in everyday life. Forget how to boil an egg? Running out the door to a wedding but can't tie your tie? Looking to improve your gas mileage? If you've got a problem to solve or a skill to acquire, simply search Learn2's database of hundreds of 2torials and you'll discover simple step-by-step explanations to fit your needs. Teachers: Take advantage of the site's free introductory offer of online multimedia courses in topics such as Intro to Word and Time Management.
http://www.learn2.com/

RESOURCES
Encyclopedia, libraries, reference resources, and other places to which teachers can turn

Connecting Teachers to the Net and to Each Other

Classroom Connect is a free membership site which presents a kind of vocational portal for K-12 educators. Resources include imaginative Internet-based lesson plans, such as one that allows social studies students to compare letters written during the Civil War with those from the Viet Nam War. The message board lets teachers - and even parents - speak about their own interests and concerns. The company that sponsors the site, Classroom Connect of Foster City, California, does sell services and products commercially, but the editorial and resources on this site aren't overtly self-serving.
http://www.classroom.net/

Scholastic's In School

Educational publishing giant Scholastic's In School web site serves as the online home to the popular print magazine "Instructor". Special features include Technology Tips, Magic School Bus activities, and opportunities to meet your favorite authors in cyberspace. Geared toward elementary school teachers and students, instructors will especially appreciate the in-depth articles on current curricular issues, as well as a modest database of lessons and reproducible blackline masters, organized by subject area and grade level. Be aware of enticing and subtle advertisements, as well as suggestions to purchase Scholastic products at nearly every click of the mouse.
http://www.scholastic.com/inschool/

ADMINISTRATION
Education theory, school and board administration, and teaching aids

The American Association of School Administrators

Not flashy or colorful (though tasteful and easy to navigate), the site of The American Association of School Administrators focuses on leadership oriented education issues such as the organization of school districts and funding. Administrators can consult and observe policy problems and solutions in other districts (and there's an extensive contact list of state and local educational leaders with a listserve subscription). On the menu, you'll find issues such as safety and violence, testing and evaluation, report card reform, and computer and Internet use. The Advocacy section keeps readers current with education legislation and the Online Educational Marketplace lists companies and vendors to help superintendents make well-informed purchasing decisions. Teachers as well as leaders might want to bookmark the links list, which covers government, education organizations, resources, laboratories, publications, and much more. There's even a job search. A fine resource for those at the top of the educational pyramid.
http://www.aasa.org/index.htm

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION
Distance learning, home schooling, and special education opportunities

Detention-Free Diplomas

Most people know you can take college course online, but who knew you could finish high school on the Net as well? Mindquest removes the discomfort of returning to a high-school classroom as an adult, through the first program of its kind. Students over the age of 17, with computer access, $300 per course, and an extra four to six hours per week can enrol online and get started on the road to finishing their education. Minnesota residents can participate free. Mindquest offers courses in the following topics: language arts, social studies, math and science, writing, and career enhancement. Courses consist of between nine and fourteen lessons and take approximately 3 months to complete. Here's hoping other jurisdictions take up the challenge of offering this kind of free resource for their residents.
http://www.mindquest.org/index.html

RESIDUE
A little of this, a little of that

Not Just for Kids

Perhaps this Web site should change its name to the Kids' and Adults' Domain. Geared towards Web-savvy children, Kids' Domain offers goodies, games, contests, and freebies for children as well as their parents and teachers. The Kids Can Program section is devoted to teaching children to program and use multimedia tools. The clip art sections can't be beat, especially for anyone designing Web pages for kids of any age; the Webmaster organized the graphics by topic, season, and holiday. The Surf Safe section speaks directly to children about being secure while surfing the Web, with added links to key cyber resources on the topic.
http://www.kidsdomain.com/kids.html

Letters to the Editor

We managed to push some hot buttons already. First it was religion; then it was sex. Our editor threw in a political reference just to complete the troika.
http://www.netsurf.com/nse/letters/nseletter.01.03.html

CORRECTIONS AND UPDATES
We learn from our mistakes

Delivering the Goods

Folks, we've recently upgraded our servers and mailing software and, for the most part, it's all going swimmingly. However, we're encountering a few hiccups with some subscribers' addresses. While we've tracked down the causes in the majority of problems, we suspect there are still a few of you out there who aren't getting your mail. If your Netsurfer e-mail seems to have evaporated, we'll suggest a quick fix. Please take a moment to unsubscribe and resubscribe; you'll find the link on the NSE main page. It should solve the few remaining problems. Yes, you'll get our welcome package again. Our feelings won't be hurt if you just delete it.

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CREDITS

Publisher: Arthur Bebak Editor: Judith David Contributing Editor: Production Manager: Bill Woodcock Netsurfer Communications, Inc. President: Arthur Bebak Vice President: S.M. Lieu	Writers and Netsurfers: Jon Baum Mary Daniels Brown Adam Kent Beth Lewis Michael Luke Elizabeth Rollins
NETSURFER EDUCATION © 1999 Netsurfer Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. NETSURFER EDUCATION is a trademark of Netsurfer Communications, Inc.