OVERALL GRADE: A+
Teachnet.com
GRADE LEVEL: Professional
CONTENT: A+
Teachnet is an informative site designed for
K-12 educators. It includes a variety of helpful resources, including lesson
plans, forums, articles, useful tools, and more!
AESTHETICS: A+
The easy-to-read layout has simple graphics
and cheerful colors.
ORGANIZATION: A+
The site is divided into three main sections,
available in the left side index. Each of the main sections has it's own index;
subsections also have individual indexes.
REVIEW: A+
Teachnet is a one-stop source of information
for teachers. Whether you are looking for lesson plans for a particular subject
area, information on such topics as classroom management and substitute
teachers, forums for discussing educational issues or the latest news in
education, this site has it all. The Power Tools section is filled with how-tos
and quick tips. A long list of ready-to-use bulletin board ideas can be
downloaded, printed, and built. Lesson plans are categorized by subject area
and there is an e-mail discussion list available as well as online forums. New
material is posted regularly, so keep checking back to see what's happening.
Teachers: General http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/teachers.shtml
Teachers: New Teachers
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/teachers.shtml#New%20Teachers
Teachers: Student Teachers http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/teachers.shtml#Student%20Teachers
D & W's Teacher
Spot
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/2002/r0802-08.shtml
Resource for new teachers.
Gale Group Free
Resources
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/2002/r0802-09.shtml
Free resources for teachers and students.
OVERALL GRADE: A+
I Love That Teaching Idea
http://www.ILoveThatTeachingIdea.com
GRADE LEVEL: Professional
CONTENT: A+
This site has products for sale, but it also
features a large collection of free teaching ideas and reproducibles for almost
any subject area that are appropriate for elementary classrooms.
AESTHETICS: A
The layout is a simple table with a few small
graphics and bright colors.
ORGANIZATION: A+
The "Bright Ideas" are categorized
and listed as a navigation index on the left side of the pages. A handy search
tool is also available.
REVIEW: A+
I Love That Teaching Idea has a wealth of
creative teaching ideas for elementary teachers. Listed as "Bright
Ideas," topics include all the major subject areas and other areas of
interest to teachers, from assessment to bulletin boards to classroom
management to learning centers and substitutes. All the ideas are annotated,
and an appropriate grade level is noted. Included is a section of work sheets
and reproducibles for math, science, language arts, holidays, and more. The
Teacher Tips include general helpful ideas for everything from making tempera
paint shiny to storing chart paper. The site also offers a free monthly
newsletter for teachers that will deliver free teaching ideas right to your
e-mail box.
RELATED REVIEWS:
Teachers: Grades Pre-K-K
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/teachers.shtml#Pre-K-K
Teachers: Grades 1-5
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/teachers.shtml#1-5
Teachers: New Teachers
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/teachers.shtml#New%20Teachers
Teachers: Student Teachers
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/teachers.shtml#Student%20Teachers
Back-to-School Teacher Templates
http://www.educationworld.com/tools_templates/index.shtml
Templates for name tags, a family information
form, a student profile form, and a teacher-to-student welcome letter.
Camera Catches School Year
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr362.shtml
Teacher Martha Richardson includes a
disposable camera on her students' supply list for the year -- in return, she
gives parents a photographic record of their children's school year. Included:
Richardson describes her camera project.
Every Day Activities All Year Long
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson122.shtml
Activities for language arts, history, and
other subjects.
Back-to-School Teacher
Templates
http://www.educationworld.com/tools_templates/index.shtml
Templates for name tags, a
family information form, a student profile form, and a teacher-to-student
welcome letter.
Back to School!
http://www.educationworld.com/back_to_school/index.shtml
Dozens of resources to make
this year's first days the smoothest ones yet! Included: Resources include
icebreaker activities, first-day prep activities, ideas for "every
day" activities, homework advice, tips for subs, more!
Classroom Management
Resources
http://www.educationworld.com/clsrm_mgmt/index.shtml
Classroom management tips,
ideas for classroom rewards, dealing with the homework dilemma, bullying and
teasing resources, more!
Following Directions: A
Skill Worth Teaching
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson275.shtml
No names on papers? No
titles on compositions? No answers rounded to the nearest tenth? If you find
yourself confronting such problems while grading papers, your students may not
be paying attention to directions. Although most successful students recognize
the importance of reading instructions thoroughly and following them, some
students may master the skill slowly. Education World provides five intriguing
lessons to help your students read, write, follow, and even evaluate
directions. Included: Five lessons that make following directions fruitful and
fun!
The five lessons that
comprise this week’s Lesson Planning resource are listed below.
(Approximate grade levels for each lesson are indicated in parentheses.)
Phil's Fish Shop
Taking on the roles of new
employees in a pet shop, students offer advice to customers, answer questions,
and create a handbook of instructions for new fish owners. (Grades 3-8)
Critics of Cuisine
As food critics, students
follow directions to create culinary delights and then critique the recipes and
the flavor of their products. (Grades 3-12)
The Magician's Apprentice
Teaching the skill of
following directions requires a little hocus-pocus in this lesson. Students
re-create magic tricks, evaluate the clarity of the instructions, and teach an
apprentice how to perform a trick. (Grades 3-8)
Following Directions
In this lesson from NASA,
students explore the way astronauts practice and train to improve their
efficiency in completing challenging tasks. (Grades 5-8)
Parachute Drop
Students experiment with
gravity as they follow directions to create parachutes that will carry
paperclip passengers safely to the ground. (Grades 1-3)
OVERALL GRADE: A
E-Learning Guru
http://www.e-learningguru.com/
GRADE LEVEL: Professional
CONTENT: A
E-Learning Guru provides
resources for schools that are incorporating Web-based learning into their
curriculum.
AESTHETICS: A
The simple layout has few
graphics and uses color to break up the text.
ORGANIZATION: A
The content is organized
into six main topics that are easily accessed through the top navigation bar.
Each topic has an index of links within that section.
REVIEW: A
Do you need some answers to
questions about your e-learning implementation or programs? The E-Learning Guru
has a wealth of information at your fingertips. Users can read more than 60
how-to articles on every topic from the basics of getting started to systematic
design. The ToolBox is filled with time-saving forms, templates, and
calculators. Included are white papers, book reviews, a glossary, a free
newsletter, and links to related sites.
RELATED REVIEWS:
Educational Technology:
General Guides
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/ed_tech.shtml#General%20Guides
Educational Technology:
Miscellaneous Technology
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/ed_tech.shtml#Misc.%20Technology
OVERALL GRADE: A+
In Time
GRADE LEVEL: Professional
CONTENT: A+
In Time offers a wealth of
information and research related to using informational technology to
facilitate quality educational programs. Sections of the site include research
on principles of learning, information processing, content standards, tenets of
democracy, and teacher knowledge and behavior.
AESTHETICS: A+
The In Time site is
attractive and easy to read. Some graphs are available within the various
articles to add understanding. To view the videos, RealPlayer 8 is necessary.
ORGANIZATION: A+
This site is very well
organized. Top-of-page buttons generate menus to access other links. The site
is organized into five major sections that make finding information easy and
straightforward.
REVIEW: A+
IN TIME stands for
Integrating New Technologies Into the Methods of Education. This site provides
research, information, and videos about integrating technology into proven
research-based methods of teaching and learning. Videos show teachers
integrating technology into their classrooms. Search videos by title, content
area, grade level, learning element, and ten other criteria. Lesson plans are
available for download. A substantial Help section is available for all
sections of the site -- including downloading necessary plug-ins and accessing
lesson plans. The project was funded through a three-year grant from the United
States Department of Education PT3 program -- Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to
Use Technology. This site is a valuable resource for educators who want to use
technology in their classrooms. The research and resources offered can move
teachers along the path toward making technology an integral part of student
learning processes.
RELATED REVIEWS:
Educational Technology:
Computers
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/ed_tech.shtml#Computers
Educational Technology:
Digital: Images, Video, & Animation
Educational Technology:
Miscellaneous Technology
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/ed_tech.shtml#Misc.%20Technology
Educational Technology:
Software
http://www.educationworld.com/awards/past/topics/ed_tech.shtml#Software