Netsurfer Education 02.05

Exploremath.com uses ShockWave-driven applets to visualize complex mathematical operations for students in pre-calculus courses. The quality of the applets is most impressive and the topics, which range from complex numbers and probability to trigonometric functions and polynomial equations, are really quite useful. The software is not meant to replace the classroom, but to supplement the teacher's presentation of material with an interactive, visual display. Students can vary parameters and observe the effects of such changes on the shape of curves and conic sections. Visually this site is a gem that should help teachers help students understand seemingly abstract notions, like imaginary numbers.
http://www.exploremath.com/

SOCIAL SCIENCES
History, geography, political science, sociology, law, anthropology, philosophy, and archeology

Real American History

In the 13th century, Cahokia, with its huge ceremonial mound, probably had as many residents as London. Members of the Pueblo nation have inhabited the stone apartments of Acoma, New Mexico continuously since the 12th century. The list goes on, but the point is that North American history didn't start de novo when Columbus - or even the earlier European mariners - landed on the eastern shores. That's the message in America Before Columbus, an article that makes a moving case for understanding the deep roots of North American history. Here was a continent rich in people, highly diverse in language and custom, and with cities as populous as any in Europe. Europeans achieved dominance quickly but remained ignorant about what they encountered in North America. The article is sprinkled with amazing anecdotes and fascinating facts that will interest anyone who hasn't yet understood the real history of the continent. And it will make you wonder what might have happened if the oceans had been a real barrier to exploration and movement of people rather than just a challenging obstacle.
http://www.millersv.edu/~columbus/data/art/LORD-01.ART

The WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources

With over 2000 annotated links covering the length and breadth of the world in almost every aspect, this Web site is quite simply an essential resource to the student or concerned citizen, whether he/she is interested in diplomacy, human rights, global environment, or almost any other topic touching on events outside the United States. Organized into Media Sources, Organizations, Topics, and Countries and Regions, the site is easy to use as well as easy on the eyes. We strongly recommend the page on starter tips for Internet research if you're new to this sort of thing; it even includes other resource sites for international affairs! First class.
http://www.etown.edu/vl/

Architecture 343: Cities in History

These ten lengthy lectures on urban history comprise a required graduate course at Rice University's School of Architecture. Although touching on aesthetic values, the course concentrates on the importance of the city as the foundation of society and culture and aims to teach the architect to "respond to the city" with a historical perspective, emphasizing the different ways cities have developed, since urban events in different places have varying stimuli and responses. The lectures themselves cover the great ancient and medieval cities, their development, and their roles in history. While comprehensive, the pages are text-only; surely some illustrations would enhance the value of this course as an online educational tool. Nonetheless, this is a worthwhile site for anyone who has the inclination (and the time) to learn about urban history.
http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~arch343/

NEH McPherson Homepage

Civil War enthusiasts take note. The National Endowment for the Humanities' 2000 Jefferson Lecture by James McPherson "For A Vast Future Also: Lincoln and the Millennium" is available online at this site which highlights the work and views of McPherson himself. The dean of current American Civil War historians, James McPherson can be considered the heir of the Unionist school of thought of Bruce Catton and Allan Nevins. The site includes an interview in which McPherson enlarges upon his views of the Civil War, its origins, course, and legacy, and the motivations of its participants. There's also an appreciation of McPherson's work to preserve Civil War battlefields by fellow Civil War historian Gary Gallagher. The site offers excerpts from three of his books and a bibliography of written and edited books and magazine articles. The lecture itself deals with Lincoln's vision of the future (his "new birth of freedom") and the importance of the Civil War to America's legacy.
http://www.neh.gov/news/mcpherson/speech.html

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

Enjoying King Lear

King Lear is no tranquil amusement but a harrowing play piled high with poisonings, stabbings, plucking out of eyeballs, jealousies, rivalries, plotting and counterplotting, and murderous jealousies. Yet this sobering tale, considered by many to be Shakespeare's finest work, has a strong, universal and ageless appeal. Here Ed Friedlander, MD, a pathologist in Kansas City, sets out to help us understand why it speaks so powerfully to us and why we watch it with such mesmerizing intensity. Ed's site is a big page that explains what's going on in a refreshingly and sometimes quirky way, and is nicely illustrated with scenes from - we assume - stagings of the play. In addition, way down towards the bottom, after your browser has been chugging away for quite a long time, you'll find Dr. Friedlander has listed all kinds of links to other Lear stuff including scads of other commentaries and ideas, conventional and wild, including several versions of the text. Overall the site is an excellent illustration of the enriching aspects of the Web as an outlet for folk to express themselves effectively outside their immediate professional domain. And for the really patient, there are even more goodies further down the page if you can wait that long!
http://www.pathguy.com/kinglear.htm

freeEnglish

Despite its lack of capitalization, freeEnglish is a commercial English learning site that offers downloadable software for teachers and pupils, as well as some fine online learning games (Flash plug-in required) for spelling, grammar, syntax, and vocabulary enhancement. The primary offer is English Pro, a kind of interactive control panel, designed to teach spoken as well as written English, and to which you can add new lessons as the site is updated weekly. The software includes definitions, sounds, images, and movies; take note that a microphone is required for some of the features. The system runs only on Windows and is a download of about 10 MB. There is also a downloadable teacher's section. You'll need to register and receive a password to use the games.
http://freeenglish.com/english/index.cfm

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 send a few pennies our way as well.

Butterfly Garden
Insect Lore

When we first heard about this product, we were skeptical - but, boy, did we change our minds! This is no toy, and it demands some responsibility, time, and patience from the adults and kids who use it - but the results are worth every effort. This is a three-step process. First, you buy the kit, which includes an observation chamber that you assemble. In the kit is a certificate that you return to Insect Lore, prompting them to send you five live painted lady caterpillars which you place in the chamber. Feed and care for the caterpillars, and they'll offer you one of the most spectacular shows on the planet, transforming from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly in about three weeks. Kids can observe the fragile beasties in the chamber for a few days - and then, Insect Lore urges you to release the ladies into the wild. Insect Lore also makes Ladybug Lodge: A Live Ladybug Discovery Kit, Silkworm City, and Worm Acres Composting Kit. All of Insect Lore's packaging is biodegradable or recyclable, and the impact of these novel learning tools on both the environment and the specimens themselves has been given full consideration by Insect Lore. The kits are state and federally approved, and available only in the US.

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

Paper Airplanes That Soar

There are few things as universal as the paper airplane. What child hasn't folded and thrown a paper airplane? While many of us lose our penchant for aerodynamics, there are some who still marvel at a well-crafted plane. For Ken Blackburn, the holder of the Guinness Record for paper airplane time aloft, the thrill is still there. His site is a compendium of paper airplane related information. There's a question and answer section and directions for building planes, including directions sent in from surfers. Mr. Blackburn has also included a wonderfully lucid essay on paper plane airplane aerodynamics, complete with diagrams and illustrations. The several books about paper airplanes are for sale at the site, and signed copies are offered.
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1817/index.html

The Comic Book Periodic Table

There are a couple of guys at the Chemistry Department of the University of Kentucky with too much free time - or perhaps they've been dabbling in some original compounds. Anyway, Chemcomics is an archive of comic book pages from the '60s and '70s that involve or mention the elements. You could search with the list, but it's much more fun to use the interactive periodic table on the homepage to see how your favorite element made the big time. While a few elements aren't involved, and aside from the obviousness of "Metal Men", you'll be surprised to see how scientific (sort of) those old comics your folks have lying around in your attic really were. This is good fun. Take a break.
http://www.uky.edu/Projects/Chemcomics/

A Billion Years is a Long Walk

A billion years is a long time. To paraphrase a popular adage, a billion years here, a billion years there, and soon we are talking about geological time. Wrapping your mind around geological time is difficult, and communicating your understanding even more so. Jeff Poling has an interesting way to conceptualize deep time - linear distance. For example, in Poling's scale two steps equals 2000 years; walk ten steps and you are witness to the end of the last great glaciation; walk thirty miles and you may see that meteoritic impact that did in the dinosaurs nearly 65 million years ago. This may seem goofy, but it is useful heuristic for helping people understand the depths of deep time. After all, walking 2100 miles, the equivalent of 4600 million years in Poling's scale, would take a really long time.
http://www.dinosauria.com/jdp/misc/walk.html

Kids in Space

The International Space Station for Kids is a site designed for young children interested in learning more about the still incomplete technology in which the US government is investing billions of dollars. The site offers children an opportunity to see the station's various components as well get acquainted with the nations building each segment. Unfortunately, the site dates from 1998 and does not offer a current discussion of the station's problems. Ironically, the site makes much of the various languages employed by the nations building the station, but fails to mention that the station's real communication problem lies in finding the funds to build the hardware, especially in the former Soviet Union which has been unable to meet any of the program's deadlines. Still, for children this is a modest and entertaining introduction.
http://centauri.larc.nasa.gov/issvc97/kids.htm

Introduction to the Plant Kingdom for the Advanced Student

The three kingdoms - animal, vegetable, and mineral - have long been the standard division of the material world. However, what counts as a member of which kingdom has not always been self-evident. Introduction the Plant Kingdom is a Web site designed to accompany a college level course on the evolution of flowering plants. The lectures are very well designed and terms defined throughout. This is not a site for children, but for students who have had a minimum of high school biology; given that the course was designed for students at the West Indies University, many of the examples are of Caribbean plants. An extensive bibliography and links to other Web resources make this an excellent site for the serious student.
http://scitec.uwichill.edu.bb/bcs/bl14apl/bl14apl.htm

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Sports and Health

Buckle Up! Is Not Enough: Enhancing Protection of the Restrained Child

To further reduce child occupant injuries in motor vehicles, parents and doctors need to understand the capabilities and limitations of the various restraining devices available, according to this article from the "Journal of the American Medical Association". The misuse of safety belts or child safety seats can be almost as dangerous as their lack of use. It's, therefore, incumbent on the primary care physician to stay current with the constantly changing science of child protection and its attendant laws through resources available on the world wide Web. The article is fortified with an index of figures and tables. We strongly recommend that concerned parents consult the FAQs on car seats at the SafeKids Web site for further information.
JAMA: http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v281n22/full/jct90007.html
SafeKids: http://www.safekids.org/index.html

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

Career Guidance Online

This Australian Web site was designed to help students develop an awareness of vocational opportunities available in the post compulsory years of schooling. It's an online version of a curriculum developed by the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs and the Career Education Association of WA in partnership with numerous other worthy bodies. The program is divided into four sections: self exploration, work exploration, career planning, and managing transitions. Each element is further broken down into finer headings. Self exploration, for example, is divided into strengths and abilities, perceptions, transferable skills, and values. The program is nicely laid out, has good comfortable wording, takes a nonthreatening approach, and its self-paced approach isn't overly arduous, although thinking about and planning for the future is never an easy task. The only mar we noticed on the shiny finish is labeling the activities that fall under Managing the Transition as Career Planning activities.
http://career-ed.iinet.net.au/choices/students/students.html

Politics 'R Us

The stated purpose of the Web site of the Young Politicians of America (YPA) is to increase political awareness and participation, and hence good citizenship for teenagers (at least until they actually assume elected office). There are articles, polls, a Java chatroom, national and local voter information links, the Votenet e-mail Congressional newsletter, and the Presidency 2000 page with plenty of links and resources for those following the Presidential election campaign. Other features include information on joining the YPA or starting a chapter, political news briefings, and links to online resources for the politically aware teenager. Rather less successful and targeted at grade schoolers, the America Politics Journal For Kids claims "you'll find that government, politics, and law isn't simple - but it is FUN!" Well, maybe, but not here. The Web site is, in truth, pretty dull, with brief definitions of the above terms and links to pages on "What is a campaign?" and "What is the Iowa Straw Poll?" indicating that the site hasn't been updated in a while, although the former page is a good introduction to the election process.
American Politics: http://www.american-politics.com/kids/
YPA: http://www.ypa.org/home.shtml

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

Educational Leadership

Educational Leadership, published ten times a year for leaders in elementary, middle, and secondary education - as well as anyone interested in curriculum, instruction, supervision, and leadership in schools - makes selected articles (typically one per issue) available in full online. The most recent articles are Keeping Teaching Fresh; Sustaining Change; Healthy Bodies, Minds, and Buildings; What Do We Mean by Results? Understanding Youth Culture; The Constructivist Classroom; Redefining Literacy; and Personalized Learning. Articles are available back to 1992. Alas, unless you're one of the bandwidth anointed, documents load like snails, so take a coffee break or walk your pooch after clicking on the title you want to read.
http://www.ascd.org/frameedlead.html

Field Trip to a High School That Works

Once upon a time Sussex Technical High School in Georgetown, Delaware was an isolated, chaotically administered institution that had become a dumping ground for poor performing or undisciplined students. This field trip report recounts the transformation of this rural vocational school into a successful illustration of what can happen when a good model gets the willing backing of the whole community of students, teachers, parents, government, and business. The good model in this case was The High School That Works program and its strong affirmation that under the right school circumstances most students can learn complex academic and technical concepts. The American Youth Policy Forum trip report presents a pretty amazing and uplifting story that is all meat, no fat, with lots to sink your teeth into, not to mention your brain cells.
http://www.aypf.org/tripreports/1998/tr110998.htm

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

Deaf-Blind Perspectives

This free publication, put out three times a year by the Teaching Research Division of Western Oregon University is available online, in Braille, large print, ASCII 3.5" disk, standard print, or via e-mail. The current issue includes articles on early intervention services for deaf-blind infants and their families, a discussion of Moon Code, updates on NTAC (The National Technical Assistance Consortium for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind), announcements, books, videos and relevant Web sites. Each issue loads as one page, and is quick. Archive issues can be downloaded in PDF or ASCII format and are available back to and including 1995. For anyone involved with the education of hearing and vision impaired children this looks like gold. And they're looking for writers and articles� TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING
Current issue: http://www.tr.wosc.osshe.edu/tr/dbp/current.htm
Archive: http://www.tr.wosc.osshe.edu/tr/dbp/archive.htm

EdWeb

EdWeb is subtitled, 'Exploring Technology and School Reform', and there's plenty to explore. The site is dedicated to encouraging the use of technology in education, and the site itself models good use of technology. The author, Andy Carvin, speaks about the use of hyperlinks, and how this can facilitate an educational experience because the learner can surf to whatever is of interest, and the material here is replete with internal and external links. There is an impressive and well-written selection of essays dealing with subjects like the history of the Internet, educational reform in the 21st century, and computers and kids. There's also a crash course on Web page development and HTML. A glossary of technical terms provides some clarification for technical terms used at the site. This is a well thought out and skilfully executed site, and the information is thought provoking.
http://edweb.gsn.org/

Persistence of Vision

The Persistence of Vision Ray Tracing software is for the computer programmer and teacher familiar with 3D computer graphics. There is nothing simple about this program, but it will allow users to create complex graphical images with ease; as long as you are familiar with the programming protocols the software uses. The software is free to download and use and supported by a volunteer community. The site provides prospective users with references that will make use of the program possible in a wide variety of contexts, educational and otherwise. If you already know computer graphics this is a great resource; if you have the time to learn a new tool, this may make an interesting project and allow you to build amazing sites.
http://www.povray.org/

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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 Michael Aaron Dennis Beth Lewis Michael Luke Elizabeth Rollins Dov Schwartz
NETSURFER EDUCATION © 2000 Netsurfer Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. NETSURFER EDUCATION is a trademark of Netsurfer Communications, Inc.