OVERALL GRADE: A+
Geography4Kids
http://www.geography4kids.com/index.html
GRADE LEVEL: 3-8
CONTENT:
A+
Kapili.com has developed this interactive site for exploring the basics of physical geography on an elementary and middle school level.
AESTHETICS: A+
The site is colorful and covers an enormous amount
of information very well. Quizzes need the Macromedia Flash plug-in, and
QuickTime and QTVR are needed for the activities.
ORGANIZATION: A+
The main areas of the site are linked on the main
page image map. Each subsequent page has a bottom navigation bar for moving
between the sections and a left-side menu for moving within each area. A handy
search tool and a site tour complete the navigation.
REVIEW: A+
Geography4Kids explores the physical side of
geography or earth science. It is divided into six main areas: Energy, Sky,
Land, Earth, Water, and Climate. Users can begin with Energy and take the tour
through all the areas for an overview. Each area contains tons of information
that would be useful for report writing. Words within the text are hyperlinked
to illustrated examples. Users can also find these Examples as an alphabetical
index for finding specific information. Students will enjoy learning about
landforms by taking the virtual reality tours. Quizzes will test their
knowledge, and students are sure to like the cool computer desktop pictures to
download for free.
RELATED REVIEWS:
Social Sciences: Geography
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/soc_sci.shtml#Geography
Science: Earth Science
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/science.shtml#Earth%20Science
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson004.shtml
A 'Boring' Lesson in
Geography
OVERALL GRADE: A+
TerraFly
GRADE LEVEL: 6-12, Advanced
CONTENT: A+
TerraFly is a huge database of digital aerial
and satellite images of the entire United States provided by the U.S.
Geological Survey.
AESTHETICS: A+
This high-tech site is not for the faint of
bandwidth. Download times can be significant on a dial-up connection. A
Java-enable browser is required.
ORGANIZATION: A+
The site is user-friendly with a simple form
where users can type in an address, a ZIP code, or a city in the United States
and see the aerial view displayed.
REVIEW: A+
TerraFly claims to "change the way you
view your world," and that it does. The site has a satellite link that
serves up images of Earth close enough to see city streets and parks. Users can
type in any U.S. address, ZIP code, or city and state to take a virtual
flyover. The controls allow you to zoom, change fly frames directionally, and
apply exact coordinates to zero in on a specific place or street. Teachers
could have students download maps of their area to print and use to practice
their mapping skills.
RELATED REVIEWS:
Social Sciences: Geography
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/soc_sci.shtml#Geography
Internet: Interactive Web Sites
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/internet.shtml#Interactive%20Websites
Fifty States, Five Lessons
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson278.shtml
Stuck for fun or new ways to teach about the 50 states (or
Canadian provinces and Australian states)? This week, Education World offers
five lessons to liven up your 50 States unit.
Lessons in language, math,
phys ed, more!
The five lessons that
comprise this week's Lesson Planning resource are listed below. Approximate
grade levels for each lesson are indicated in parentheses.
Searching the States (or
Provinces) Scavenger Hunt
Send students on a scavenger
hunt for specific facts and figures about the 50 U.S. states or other
territorial units. (Grades 3-12)
Geography Twister
A Twister-style geography
game leads to fun and exercise. (Grades K-8)
ZIP Code Math
Students add or subtract to solve ZIP Code Math word problems. A ZIP Code Math work sheet is included. (Grades 3-12)
The School Travel Agency
Students have been
contracted to write and design travel brochures for a variety of states or
provinces. After analyzing what makes an attractive and interesting travel
brochure, students tackle the job! (Grades 3-12)
Fifty States Field Day
Hold a field day with 50
stations. Each station offers a physical activity related to a different U.S.
state. (Grades K-8)
MORE NEW RESOURCES THIS
WEEK!
Mystery States Game
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson278b.shtml
Provide students with a clue
a day as they try to guess the Mystery State of the Week! Included: This
complete teaching resource includes clues for all 50 states and Washington,
D.C.
OVERALL GRADE: B+
Embassy of France: Just for
Kids
http://www.info-france-usa.org/kids/index.html
GRADE LEVEL: 3-8
CONTENT: B+
This site offers lots of
information about the country of France, from its geography to culture and the
arts.
AESTHETICS: B+
The use of color,
child-friendly graphics, and adequate spacing make the pages neat and
attractive.
ORGANIZATION: B+
A front-page image map
provides access to the seven sections of the site. Internal pages have a
left-side menu for navigating among the sections.
REVIEW: B+
The Embassy of France: Just
for Kids is a good starting point for students to get a glimpse of the country
and culture or for teachers wanting quick facts to add to an area study. The
content is organized into seven sections: France at a Glance, History and
Geography, Culture and Art, Economy, Life in France, Apprends le France and
Jeux Games. Students who are studying the French language can practice their
skills by reading the articles from a French children's magazine. Although they
are written entirely in French, each story has clickable words that display
their English equivalents to help with understanding. Visitors to the site can
also listen to an interview with the French ambassador or an audio clip of the
national anthem.
RELATED REVIEWS:
Social Sciences: General
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/soc_sci.shtml
Social Sciences: Area
Studies
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/soc_sci.shtml#Area%20Studies
Social Sciences: Culture
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/soc_sci.shtml#Culture
------------------------------
OVERALL GRADE: A
National Geographic GeoBee
Challenge
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee/
GRADE LEVEL: 3-8
CONTENT: A
This site features interactive geography quizzes that are geared toward students in grades 4-8 and are related to the National Geographic Society's annual Geographic Bee.
AESTHETICS: A
The GeoBee uses bright, child-friendly graphics that load very quickly and require no special plug-ins. Even classrooms with low bandwidth will find it useful.
ORGANIZATION: A
Navigation is as simple as
clicking on the answer of choice and being transported to the next question.
Previous quizzes are available from the navigation bar at the bottom of the
main page.
REVIEW: A
The GeoBee Challenge is a
great way for teachers to incorporate geography into the classroom. Interactive
quizzes with only five short geography-related questions are posted daily,
enabling students to participate in the challenge frequently. The National
Geographic Society prepares all the material, and questions are similar to the
ones asked in the annual Geographic Bee. Students are encouraged to try again
if they answer a question incorrectly. Challenges for the three previous days
are also posted. Included is a link to information on how to register and
participate for prizes in the annual National Geographic Bee.
RELATED REVIEWS:
Social Sciences: Geography
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/soc_sci.shtml#Geography
Internet: Interactive Web
Sites
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/internet.shtml#Interactive%20Websites
Students: Games & Fun
Sites
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/students.shtml#Games%20&%20Fun%20Sites
Fifty States, Five Lessons
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson278.shtml
Stuck for fun or new ways to
teach about the 50 states (or Canadian provinces and Australian states)?
Education World offers five lessons to liven up your 50 States unit. Included:
Lessons in language, math, phys ed, more!
Mystery States Game
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson278b.shtml
Provide students with a clue
a day as they try to guess the Mystery State of the Week! Included: This
complete teaching resource includes clues for all 50 states and Washington,
D.C.