Cool Sites for Educators

Sites of General Interest

• Free Web Tool connects teachers and families--SchoolNotes is a free service that teachers can use to post information online, such as homework assignments, resources links, and even "flash-card" quizzes. Parents and students can be notified automatically when the teacher updates the Web page.
  SchoolNotes complements school sites by allowing teachers to share information on the Web without worrying about HTML or FTP because there is no programming required.Always available, this free community service allows parents, teachers, and students to access school information from home, work, school, or anywhere the Internet is available.
• Education resources at the Smithsonian --The Smithsonian Center for Education and Culture Web site has a special section where you can find a wide variety of resources for both teachers and students including activity sheets, lesson plans, and an extensive library.
• NEA's Read Across America Day--The NEA's Read Across America Day, the nation's premiere literacy event, will be held on March 3 in honor of what would have been Dr. Seuss's 103rd birthday. Now in its tenth year, Read Across America focuses attention on how important it is to motivate children to read in addition to helping them master basic skills. It's not too late to plan celebrations for your classroom or school.
• Resources to prevent dropping out --The NEA supports making high school graduation a top priority and is calling for an investment of $10 billion over the next 10 years to support dropout prevention. But we're not waiting to take action. To find a wealth of resources from NEA about dropout prevention -including information geared for students, parents, teachers, and legislators.
• Staying Safe in Cyberspace --"PointSmart. ClickSafe." is a new multimedia initiative coordinated by the National Cable Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and Cable in the Classroom (CIC) to help families and children make appropriate choices and stay safe while using the Internet. The cornerstone of the effort provides a variety of materials-including an online "guidebook" and video vignettes-offering simple instructions, tips, and scenarios that can help parents and caregivers teach children to make good choices about Internet use. Educators may also find much of the site's information helpful.
• February is Black History Month--and to help you celebrate we've put together a collection of Web sites that provide educational materials, lesson plans, and other helpful resources.
• AEA Online--Students and teachers can find carefully selected resources to enhance learning as well as continuously updated content-sometimes within hours of an event-by visiting the AEA Online Web site. Other useful resources include access to more than 500 education journals and news articles, online videos, and World Book Online. 
• Freedom Writers Web site--The movement was born in 1994 from a teacher's simple notion--inspire young, underprivileged students to pick up pens instead of guns. Since then, the Freedom Writers Foundation, which has inspired a bestselling book and a feature film, has evolved into a renowned charitable organization. The Foundation is dedicated to replicating the Freedom Writers' success in classrooms across the country by equipping teachers with the tools they need to reach and empower their students.
• Positive Coaching Alliance--a national non-profit based at Stanford University, is creating a movement to transform the culture of youth sports so that every young athlete can have a positive, character-building experience.
• The third annual High School Summit--played to a capacity crowd of Iowa educators Dec. 11-12. Even if you weren't able to attend, you can still review several key sessions thanks to Iowa Public Television.
• PBS TeacherSource--PBS TeacherSource features more than 4,500 free lesson plans, activities, and professional development tools for PreK-12 educators. Be sure to investigate the special section for Concepts Across the Curriculum and sign up to receive free e-mails pertinent to your subject area and grade level.
• FREE -- The U.S. Department of Education's unique one-stop website for teaching and learning learning; offers a treasure trove of historical documents, scientific experiments, mathematical challenges, famous paintings, and other tools for teacher and students.
• PBS Online -- a teacher-focused storehouse of information about PBS programming with uses in the K-12 curriculum, as well as associated resources.
• Awesome Library -- organizes the Web with 20,000 carefully reviewed resources, including the top 5 percent in education.
• Busy Teachers' Website K-12 offers direct source materials, lesson plans, and classroom activities.
• TeachNet -- provides access to projects of specific interest, information on grant opportunties, and discussions on policy and leadership.
• Lesson Links -- a bimonthly newsletter for K-12 educators which integrates online links with curriculum topics.
• Library of Congress -- a wealth of information including everything under the sun! Check it out for maps and atlases, too.
• AskERIC -- a virtually limitless resource for lesson plans and information guides.
• U.S. Department of Education -- like having the entire Department of Education at your fingertips; includes Department initiatives, resources for educators, and parental/family involvement tips.
• Rethinking Schools -- where you can find information, resources, and links devoted to transforming education.
• The Smithsonian -- access every museum and research center affiliated with The Smithsonian.
• PATHWAYS to School Improvement -- the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory's (NCREL) comprehensive resource on school improvement information from assessment to professional development and everything in between.
• Education World -- a free educator's resource and Internet search engine with more than 50,000 links to education-related sites.
• Iowa Department of Education -- a handy reference for public education plus lots of related links.

Technology and Curriculum

• Make a wish--Now every teacher has the power to fund their technology needs. Teachers who register and submit a lesson plan will automatically qualify for 43 new technology grants from Olympus and Tool Factory, including a Mobile Digital Camera Lab. 
• Gateway to Educational Materials--The NEA has partnered with the GEM Exchange, Gateway to Educational Materials, and JES & Co to support "Gateway to 21st Century Skills," a Web site that combines state-of-the-art search technologies and a complete database of state academic standards for core subjects. The Gateway also enables you to collaborate with other educators on each of the catalogued resources.
• Discovery Education--Google is much more than a search engine. Google for Educators contains teachers' guides for their top 12 products including basic information on each tool, examples of how educators are using them, and lesson ideas. You'll also find lesson plans and videos from Google partners at Discovery Education.
• webTeacher -- Whether you are a novice or a computer expert, webTeacher gives you the training you need to master the Web.
• Copyright and Fair Use --information and links to various copyright and fair use resources.
• Education Place -- a free, online resource designed to help teachers in grades K-8 navigate the Internet and to integrate its vast resources into existing curricula.
• Instructional Technology --excellent resources, with a link to the Florida Information Resource Network.
• Classroom Connect -- a terrific newsletter for teachers who want to integrate the Internet and technology into their classroom activities.
• FromNowOn -- the Educational Technology Journal published online by Jamie McKenzie.
• Iowa Database --information and updates on Star Schools projects, the Iowa Communications Network (ICN), and educational programming on public television.
• The Well-Connected Educator --a forum for teachers interested in the use of educational technology. Be sure to check out the "what's new" and "writer's forum."

Science

• Energy Hog encourages conservation--The Alliance to Save Energy's Energy Hog makes learning about energy fun! Free lesson plans, activities, and games-or maybe even a visit from a real live Energy Hog-are available to help educators teach good energy habits. 
• Environmental education resources--Iowa State University Extension has created a one-stop shop for the environmental educator. Get the latest news, curriculum, grant plans, and workshop information.
• Discovery Channel Science Resources--Go to the Discovery Channel Web site to find lesson plans, activities, worksheets, teaching tools, Web links, and the Discovery Channel TV schedule, as well as materials for purchase. It also has resources, such as a homework helper section, for students.
• ProjectConnect--Project Connect offers seven online games related to math and science that center around the communications industry. Students can learn about concepts including fiber optic technology, GPS satellites, cell phone systems, and e-mail. User and teacher guides are also available.
• The Exploratorium -- an online visit to a hands-on, interactive science museum in San Francisco.
• The Froggy Page -- one of the most popular sites on the web, especially for frog lovers!
• Cells Alive -- a learning resource for microbiology and a site for any level to witness videos of cells in action.
• Tyrannosaurus Rex -- visit Berkeley's wonderful T-Rex exhibit!
• Science Learning Network -- offers unique resources to help K-8 teachers tap into the enormous potential of the Internet to support inquiry-based scienice.
• How Things Fly --links to hundreds of major aviation-related sites from the National Air and Space Museum.
• The Nine Planets -- a mini-encyclopedia of our solar system.
• The Discovery Channel -- current information on topics of interest to children including ongoing collaborative projects.
• NASA Home Page -- an amazing amount of information from earth science to space science.
• WINDandSEA -- an oceanic and atmospheric sciences internet locator with direct links to more than 750 selected sites.

Math

• ProjectConnect--Project Connect offers seven online games related to math and science that center around the communications industry. Students can learn about concepts including fiber optic technology, GPS satellites, cell phone systems, and e-mail. User and teacher guides are also available.
• Geometry Center -- a mathematics reserach and education center at the University of Minnesota.
• The Math Forum --connections to losts of great teaching resources for K-12 educators.
• Mathematics Archives -- extensive connections to math resources for K-12 teachers and students.
• Ask Dr. Math -- geared toward students, this is a great site for math teachers everywhere to become familiar with.

Music

• SOLERO -- get playable, printable sheet music via the Internet.
• Music Education Online -- a wealth of information for music educators.

Language Arts and Literature

• Teacher-Tested Reading Resources--Developed by an educator and NEA members, this Web site features free reading resources for parents and teachers. Included are 126 gifted and talented projects, writing ideas, vocabulary lists, strategies, and more. Opportunities for interaction are also provided.
• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare -- students and teachers alike can find any work of Shakespeare they like!
• BookWire Reading Room -- electronic books, author information, and book awards.
• Children's Literature Web Guide -- a well-maintained site containing many links to other sites.
• Kid News -- a news service for K-12 students and teachers around the world.
• KID PUB -- a site which publishes student writing from all over the world.
• MidLink -- an electronic magazine for middle school projects including a place to publish student work.
• Online Books Page --links to thousands of online books and other resources for high school students.

The Arts

• ArtsEdge -- a great resource, complete with links.
• Dance Directory -- a directory of resources for all types of dance information.
• The Kennedy Center's Artsedge -- a unique opportunity for teachers to share lesson plans, learn about education news, and follow links to other Internet recourses.
• Le WebLouvre -- More than 200 artists, each major period in art history--it's all here.

Government/Social Studies

• Where's Lou Henry Hoover? --The Hoover Presidential Library & Museum has created a new Web game, "Lou Henry Hoover's Cross-Country Adventure," to help teach grade schoolers about American history. Students travel across the country by answering trivia questions based on National Social Studies Thematic Strands.
• The White House -- Everything you could possibly want to know about the president, government documents, and the latest government news is here.
• American Studies Web -- social sciences servers from the virtual library and links to leading information facilities.
• Electronic Embassies -- Links to embassies from around the world that are located in Washington, DC.
• THOMAS -- full-text access to federal legislation plus lots of useful links.

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For more great resources, visit the NEA.