*Are you interested in receiving a weekly update on the Site of the Week? If you are, please email wwl@telus.net to be added to the list. Please put "WWL subscribe" in the subject line and include your name and email address in the body of the message.

Week of June 23, 2008

Summer holidays are almost here...
Worthwhile Websites for Learning is signing off for this school year with an amazing site that is guaranteed to keep kids actively engaged all summer long. Provide your child with a digital camera to record each summer experience, introduce them to Smilebox, and they will have some wonderful sharing when they return to school in the fall!

Have a wonderful summer! Site of the Week will return in the fall...

NEW! Smilebox
http://www.smilebox.com
With Smilebox, you can create animated scrapbooks, photobooks, slideshows, postcards, and ecards for any occasion, and email them to anyone. It's free, easy to use, and the results are amazing. Be creative and explore how Smilebox can support research projects at school...
*This site is also listed under Tools for Learning at Homework Help.

Week of June 16, 2008

The Official Robert Muncsh web site certainly isn't new to WWL but did you know that many of Robert Muncsh's stories are available as audio files in MP3 format and can be downloaded? If your child has an MP3 player, this is the perfect opportunity to pair audio recordings with favourite Robert Munsch books for those long summer holiday drives...

(Teachers, you probably already have something that plays MP3 files on your classroom computers, but if you don't, there are players for Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and many other platforms available off the Internet.)

NEW! The Official Robert Muncsh
http://www.robertmunsch.com/booklist.cfm
Books, poems, kids' art, author info, unpublished stories, and MP3 files of many of Robert Muncsh stories are available at this official web site. Download your favourite stories as MP3 files and pair them with a copy of the book for a fun reading experience!
*This site is also listed under Literature in Lang Arts Div. 1

Week of June 9, 2008

National Geographic is famous for their incredible photographs. Here are two activities that change weekly to challenge kids and adults alike...

NEW! Jigsaw Puzzle Generator
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/your-shot/jigsaw-puzzles
Solve one of these National Geographic jigsaw puzzles, which feature user-submitted photos converted into interactive puzzles. New images are added to the puzzle gallery each week. Challenging for younger students but there is an option tab which allows an increase in puzzle piece size and reduction of pieces.
*This site is listed under Recess Div 1 and Recess Div 2

NEW! Slide Puzzle Generator
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/your-shot/slide-puzzles
Time yourself and challenge your friends to solve these slider puzzles, featuring photos from National Geographic. There is an Option tab to change some of the settings to make this a bit easier but still a challenge and not for the easily discouraged!
*This site is listed under Recess Div 2

Week of June 2, 2008

Worthwhile free printable resources are always appreciated!

NEW! Printable Paper
http://www.printablepaper.net
This site has hundreds of papers you can download and print for free. Printable Paper has graph paper, story paper, penmanship paper, music paper, and more available in a variety of sizes. You'll need Adobe Reader to print the paper. Fortunately, Adobe Reader is free, just like the paper on Printable Paper!
*This site is listed under Printable Resources in Homework Help

Week of May 25, 2008

Lots of interactive activities to be added to WWL this week!

Academic Skill Builders
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com
Inspired by arcade games and the intense engagement they foster between the game and player, Arcademic Skill Builders is a nonprofit web site that features online educational games for learning basic math, language arts, vocabulary, and thinking skills. While a couple of the activities have already been featured on WWL, there are a number of new ones highlighted this week.

NEW! Coconut Vowels
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com
Coconut Vowels provides practice in spelling. Coconuts with words in them fall to the beach. The student must match missing letters to the correct word coconut. If a coconut reaches the surfboard before you blast it, your stage will end. Hits and misses are recorded at the bottom of the screen. (This is quite a challenging activity.)
*This site is listed under Working With Words in Lang Arts Div 2

NEW! Demolition Division
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com
Demolition Division helps students learn division. Tanks with division problems move toward your blaster. Answers to the problems are placed at the bottom of the blaster. Fire the blaster at the tank with the correct problem. If a tank shoots down your wall before you blast it, your blaster will be destroyed. Answers are placed in the blaster, and moved and fired by designated keyboard keys. Hits and misses are recorded at the bottom of the screen.
*This site is listed under Numbers in Math for Division One and Division Two.

NEW! Drag Race Division
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com
Drag Race Division is a new multi-player racing game that allows students from anywhere in the world to race one another while practicing their division facts! How quickly the student correctly answers the multiplication problem determines how quickly the race car will go. The student with the fastest rate of correct answers will win the race. Hits and misses are recorded and displayed at the end of the game, along with the student’s rate. 1-4 players can play at once.
*This site is listed under Numbers in Math for Division One and Division Two.

NEW! Grand Prix Multiplication
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com
Grand Prix Multiplication is a multi-player racing game for multiplication. Students race against each other to capture the Multiplication Cup! How quickly the student correctly answers the multiplication problem determines how quickly the race car will go. The student with the fastest rate of correct answers will win the race. Hits and misses are recorded and displayed at the end of the game, along with the student’s rate. 1-4 players can play at once.
*This site is listed under Numbers in Math for Division One and Division Two.

NEW! Island Chase Subtraction
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com
Island Chase Subtraction is a multi-player racing game for subtraction. How quickly the student correctly answers the subtraction problem determines how quickly the jet ski will go. The student with the fastest rate of correct answers will win the race. Hits and misses are recorded and displayed at the end of the game, along with the student’s rate. 1-4 players can play at once.
*This site is listed under Numbers in Math for Division One and Division Two.

NEW! Jet Ski Addition
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com
Island Chase Subtraction is a multi-player racing game for addition. How quickly the student correctly answers the addition problems determines how quickly the jet ski will go. The student with the fastest rate of correct answers will win the race. Hits and misses are recorded and displayed at the end of the game, along with the student’s rate. 1-4 players can play at once.
*This site is listed under Numbers in Math for Division One and Division Two.

Week of May 12, 2008Shrink down to the size of a fingernail and protect a child's mouth against plaque and decay in this 3-D action game. After mastering the basics, players tinker with different snack combinations to see how they affect teeth - and what must be done to clean up the mess!

NEW! Dental Defenders
http://www.deltadentalnj.com/kids_club/dental_defenders/dental_defenders.html
Danger lurks at every meal. Ordinary foods coat teeth with sugar, attracting bacteria and acids that produce tooth decay. But the Dental Defenders are on the job! The Defenders patrol the mouths of children everywhere, protecting their teeth from everyday meals and snacks. Today's assignment: Protecting the mouth of 10-year-old Devin Lee. Join the team and begin your patrol!
*This site is listed under Wellness Choices in Health Div 1 and Health Div 2.

Week of May 5, 2008

The Minnesota Zoo and eduweb have partnered to develop WolfQuest, an innovative new project that brings the immersive, compelling drama and action of video games to informal science learning. Designed for players age nine to adult, WolfQuest will teach wolf behavior and ecology through its exciting gameplay and intense social interactions. Wolf Quest needs to be downloaded in order to play. System requirements are on the site.

NEW! Wolf Quest
http://www.mnzoo.com/education/wolfquest.asp
WolfQuest is 3D wildlife simulation game. WolfQuest players take on the role of a wolf living in Yellowstone National Park. Players join a wolf pack made up of friends or computer-controlled wolves and, through trial and error, instinct, and experience, learn to maximize both individual and pack survival. In either single player or multiplayer missions players can hunt elk and rabbits, chase coyotes and interact with other wolves as they explore the slopes of Amethyst Mountain. As they respond to challenges presented by their environment, players will experientially learn about habitat quality, prey populations, and the impact of human presence on the landscape. As they explore a variety of strategies to succeed in the game, players will exercise critical thinking and inquiry skills. Wolf Quest needs to be downloaded in order to play. System requirements are on the site.
*This site is listed under Other in Science Div 2.

Week of April 21, 2008

Last week a good friend and colleague shared a web site that she discovered called Lookybook, a web site for younger children that offers hundreds of books for exploring and reading. It looks every bit as promising as she suggested and is definitely worth a visit.

NEW! Lookybook
http://lookybook.com
Picture books are for looking at and Lookybook has made it possible to view entire books from cover to back. They recognize that their site will never replace an actual book in your hands but they hope to show you new books and to help you make informed choices for you and your children. Every book can be reviewed, rated, shared, put on a bookshelf, and purchased if you choose. The selection grows daily and is enriched by the regular reviews and ratings by their viewers. You do not need to register for access to the books unless you would like to create your own public bookshelf or submit reviews.
*This site is listed under Literature in Lang Arts Div 1.

Note: A couple of weeks ago, WWL highlighted ArtPad but the link was incorrect. It's been fixed so click below and explore this wonderful drawing site.

NEW! ArtPad
http://artpad.art.com
Use this digital canvas to explore colours and express your artistic talent! When you have finished your painting, watch your work in replay then savie it, send it to friends, or add it to the collective gallery.
*This site is listed under The Arts and in Grade One Creating Colour in Science Div 1

Week of April 14, 2008

Students are using more and more multimedia tools to demonstrate their learning and many of these tools are freely available on the Internet. This week's Site of the Week highlights a resource that offers free sound effects and loops that students can add to their creations.

NEW! Soundsnap
http://www.soundsnap.com
Soundsnap is an excellent place to find and share free sound effects and loops- legally. It is a collection of original sounds made or recorded by its users, and not songs or sound FX found on commercial libraries or sample CD's. The site features more than just sound effects. There are also samples you can use for creating music. Have fun!
*This site is also listed under Tools for Learning in Homework Help.

 

Week of April 7, 2008

The highlight this week is a focus on some excellent Social Studies resources for both Division One and Division Two.

NEW! GeoDome
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/cgKidsAtlas/geodome.asp
Canada is so big that places across the country are really different from each other in lots of ways. Vancouver and Montréal definitely don't have the same weather, and the animals you would find on Prince Edward Island are very different from the ones you would find in Saskatchewan. The geography of Canada plays a big part in our lives, wherever we live in it!
*This site is listed under Grade 5 Physical Geography of Canada in Social Studies Div. 2

NEW! Canada's Polar Life
http://www.arctic.uoguelph.ca/cpl/index.htm
This highly recommended site examines Canada's Arctic environments and the organisms that occur in them. Perfect for older students and with some support for the younger ones, would yeild a wealth of information.
*This site is listed under Grade 2 Canada's Dynamic Communities in Social Studies Div. 1 and Grade 5 Physical Geography of Canada in Social Studies Div. 2

NEW! Culture Club
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/cgKidsAtlas/culture.asp
Society is who we are. It’s where we live and how we live. It’s where we come from and how we mix with other people. Society is our history shown in our culture. It’s how many people live in Canada. Society is you and me.
*This site is listed under Grade 5 History and Stories and Ways of Life in Canada in Social Studies Div. 2

NEW! Time Machine
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/cgKidsAtlas/time.asp
Canada has been around for a lot longer than you and me! In the beginning of the 1500s, French explorer Jacques Cartier called it “kanata,” meaning “village” in Odawa. But even before Europeans came, First Nations groups populated Canada for thousands of years! Then, as time moved on, Vikings, Irish, Portuguese, French and English explorers came. Each of these different groups helped shape the country we call home to what it is today!
*This site is listed under Grade 5 History and Stories and Ways of Life in Canada in Social Studies Div. 2

 

Week of March 31, 2008

It's been a while since art sites have been added to Worthwhile Websites for Learning...

NEW! Destination Modern Art
http://www.moma.org/destination
Blast off to the Museum of Modern Art in Queens. Activities are designed for elementary students around the art of Van Gogh, Bearden, Kahlo and more.
*This site is also listed under The Arts.

NEW! Getty Games
http://www.getty.edu/gettygames
Play free online games with Getty art from the J. Paul Getty Museum! Test your memory, play detective, or solve a puzzle. Suitable for all elementary students.
*This site is also listed under The Arts.

NEW! Oudry's Painted Menagerie
http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/oudry/index.html
Jean Baptiste Oudry is known for his life-size portraits of exotic animals. Watch the process of restoring a painting, zoom in and explore details of his paintings, and play Menagerie Madness (easy or hard) by comparing two images to find what's different.
*This site is also listed under The Arts.

Week of March 24, 2008

The Women's Adventures in Science (WAS) project is designed to support kids, especially girls, in their scientific explorations so they learn the fundamental skills of scientific investigation and feel empowered to tackle such adventures. A great activity for all students!

NEW! I Was Wondering
http://www.iwaswondering.org
At "I Was Wondering", Lia and her friends are turning the world of science and technology into one big party—and you're invited! They build tricked-out gadgets and find unique ways of using high-tech stuff to do everything from designing clothes for the school dance to using solar power to protect the environment. And that's just a regular day in the life of a scientist—not exactly the boring, geeky job you thought it was, huh? All the scientists you read about on this site were once kids like them, so why not start looking around to see how you can use science and technology to make your room, house, school, and even the world, a very cool place.
*This site is listed under Other in Science Div 2.

Week of March 17, 2008

The site this week offers an abundance of ideas, tips, and resources supporting the writing process. It includes narrative, expository, response to literature, persuasive, and research writing. Tabs for students, parents, and educators.

NEW! iWrite
http://www.greatsource.com/iwrite/students.html
The place to get ideas for writing, practice the writing process, and learn the grammar tips and tricks that will make your writing shine!
*This site is listed under Writing in Lang Arts Div 2.

Week of March 10, 2008

The Site of the Week features a number of sites (six!) that support the topic of Creating Colour in Grade 1 Science and include a couple of sites that have a wonderful fit with the art curriculum for older students.

NEW! ArtPad
http://artpad.art.com
Use this digital canvas to explore colours and express your artistic talent! When you have finished your painting, watch your work in replay then savie it, send it to friends, or add it to the collective gallery.
*This site is listed under The Arts and in Grade One Creating Colour in Science Div 1

NEW! Colour in Motion
http://www.mariaclaudiacortes.com/colors/Colors.html
This is a wonderfully engaging site that explores the meaning, symbolism, and emotions of colours. Younger children will get more out of this site by exploring it a small bit at a time with an adult.
*This site is listed under The Arts and in Grade One Creating Colour in Science Div 1

NEW! Colour the Rainbow
http://www.storyplace.org/preschool/activities/colorstory.asp?themeid=3
This page actually has links to a couple of very basic colour activities, including a game of concentration to cut out and play.
*This site is listed under Grade One Creating Colour in Science Div 1

NEW! Colours and Shapes
http://www.primarygames.com/puzzles/word_searches/colors_/start.htm
This activity combines following directions, shapes, patterning, and identifying colours. Auditory support and the option to have directions repeated will assist in success for children.
*This site is listed under Grade One Creating Colour in Science Div 1

NEW! Honey Pot Hunt
http://www.little-g.com/shockwave/honey.html
Students need to match colours to uncover hidden honey pots.
*This site is listed under Grade One Creating Colour in Science Div 1

NEW! Paint Splat
http://www.peepandthebigwideworld.com/games/paintsplat.html
Click on tubes of paint to make Quack jump on them and make new colours. A very engaging activity for kids! (Use the hose to wash colours off of the fence...)
*This site is listed under Grade One Creating Colour in Science Div 1

Week of March 3, 2008

Two sites supporting spelling and literature are highlighted this week...

NEW! Elements of a Story
http://www.learner.org/interactives/story/index.html
Elements of a Story is an interactive web site where students in grades 2 to 5 can learn about different literary "ingredients" that make up a story. After watching and listening to an interactive version of "Cinderella," students will learn about various elements that are common to all stories: setting, characters, plot, exposition, conflict, climax, and resolution. This site features an interactive explanation of each literary element, which is then followed by a series of activities to enhance students' understanding. Students will be asked to put plot developments into the correct order, select appropriate settings and characters, and sort events and exposition. Great for review of story elements and guiding students as they write their own stories.
*This site is listed under Literature in Div 1 and Div 2 Lang Arts.

NEW! Spelling Bee
http://www.learner.org/interactives/spelling/index.html
Listen to three stories, one at a time, and then spell words from each story. If you get stumped, you can click to hear a word again, as many times as you need to. If you're in grade three or higher, you can ask for a definition too. Since words often make more sense when they are attached to an idea, all the words in the story or sentences are in context. Review the words, hear the audio, and spell the missing words. Make sure to check your spelling carefully, since your results will be calculated at the end.
*This site is listed under Spelling in Div 1 and Div 2 Lang Arts.

Week of February 25, 2008

This week WWL is featuring a site entitled Inkless Tales for younger learners. When the creator of this site, Elizabeth Bushey, first put Inkless Tales together, it was all about reading, writing, and drawing for young children. She's expanded the site to include math, music, science, and more. One needs to explore this site carefully as there are a number of wonderful links hidden away.

NEW! Inkless Tales
http://www.inklesstales.com
Stories, poems, math, music, science and more. This is a wonderful site to explore with young learners.
*This site is listed under Early Reading Skills in Div 1 Language Arts.

NEW! Flazeebo
http://www.inklesstales.com/grownups/flazeebo.pdf
Flazeebo is a creative game from Inkless Tales that you can download, print and play right away. All it requires is your imagination. You can play the game right out of the printer, or you can try the suggestions and create your own game board. Try Flazeebo today and see how many different ideas you and your students and your children can come upi with. There's even a kit for paper dice. And it's all free.
*This site is listed under Early Reading Skills in Div 1 Language Arts.

Week of February 18, 2008

A total eclipse of the moon will take place early evening on February 20. If you are lucky enough to have a clear sky on this evening, this is a wonderful opportunity for all students to view this celestial event. With that in mind, three sites about the moon are being highlighted this week.

NEW! Lunar Phases Interactive
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=swf::800::600::/sites/dl/free/0072482621/78778/Lunar_Nav.swf::Lunar%20Phases%20Inter
Is the moon only visible at night? Why does it sometimes look like a crescent? Why does the first quarter appear after sunset but the last quarter before sunrise? You have undoubtedly seen different phases of the moon, but how well do you understand them? This interactive gives you the chance to look at the moon from a usual place - standing on the ground in the norther hemisphere, looking south - and, simutaneously, from an unusual place - in space, far above the North Pole of the Earth. Make sure to click on the tabs at the top of the interactive.
*This site is listed under Grade 6 Sky Science in Div 2 Science.

NEW! NASA Eclipse Homepage
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2008Feb21/TLE2008Feb21.html
An eclipse of the Moon can only take place at Full Moon, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of Earth's shadow. The shadow is actually composed of two cone-shaped parts, one nested inside the other. The outer shadow or penumbra is a zone where Earth blocks some (but not all) of the Sun's rays. In contrast, the inner shadow or umbra is a region where Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.
*This site is listed under Grade 6 Sky Science in Div 2 Science.

NEW! SpaceWeather.com
http://spaceweather.com
This site provides news and information about events happening in the sky. Apparently, it was created by Dr. Tony Phillips, who is also a writer for NASA. While this site does provide current information, you can also sign up for email alerts of events in your area, or if that isn't enough, you can pay for the premium service and have Dr. Phillips call you himself to tell you about an upcoming sky event!
*This site is listed under Grade 6 Sky Science in Div 2 Science.

Week of February 11, 2008

Winged Sandals translates classical Greek mythology into contemporary versions keeping the true essence of the character and the core message behind the story. This site will inform, educate, and entertain students as they learn about Greek mythology.

NEW! Winged Sandals
http://www.wingedsandals.com
Take the tour with Hermes the messenger god, through a magical place filled with awesome gods, daring heroes and fabulous monsters. Winged Sandals has animated stories and interactive games and an online version of the Delphic Oracle all presented with a focus on entertaining and engaging a young audience.
*This site is listed under Grade 6 Ancient Greece in Div 2 Social Studies.

Week of February 5, 2008

Meet the Greens is an intriguing site about sustainability and green living. This site is very engaging (excellent movies!) and offers an abundance of worthwhile information. While it directly supports grade 4 science, it is too good not to search out other fits with curriculum.

NEW! Meet the Greens
http://www.meetthegreens.org
This is a site for kids interested in looking after the planet. It gets them thinking about the world and their place in it. The message is upbeat and optimistic and students are encouraged to make informed choices and meaningful changes. Through the animated episodic adventures, a blog, and kids' mail, students explore green living, sustainability, ecology, environmental care, and social equity. Students are urged to research, to challenge, to discover, and to take action wherever and whenever they can.
*This site is listed under Grade 4 Waste in Our World in Science Div. 2 and Recess Div. 2
Week of January 28, 2008 The web site highlighted this week is one of those ones that has an assortment of information and activities to support learning in science, math, health, spelling and more. KidsKnowIt offers movies, songs, activities and information that are well worth the visit. (The math section is not quite as good and therefore not recommended.)

NEW! KidsKnowIt Network
http://www.kidsknowit.com
Astronomy, biology, dinosaurs, geology, history, math, memory, geography, and games are the topic heading of KidsKnowIt Network. Explore each topic through reading, songs, movies, and interactive activities.
*This site is listed under Other in Div 1 Science and Div 2 Science.

Week of January 21, 2008

This week, WWL has added a number of interactive web sites to support Rocks and Minerals studied in grade 3 Science.

NEW! The Learnng Zone - Rocks
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/rocks/index.htm
The study of rocks is called petrology. Rocks may have fossils in them, and they are made up of minerals, but petrologists like looking at the rocks themselves. Visit this site to find out more about rocks and the rock cycle.
*This site is listed under Grade 3 Science Rocks and Minerals.

NEW! The Learning Zone - Minerals
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/minerals/index.htm
Minerals are among the most beautiful objects in nature, and they are used to make objects you use every day of your life - including the computer you are looking at right now!
*This site is listed under Grade 3 Science Rocks and Minerals.

NEW! School of Rock
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/cgKidsAtlas/rock.asp#
Rocks are everywhere! They can be mountains that we climb or smooth pebbles that we skip on a lake. They can be shiny like diamonds or dull like coal, and sometimes they shake, rattle and roll! The earth is made up of rocks that shape the planet.
*This site is listed under Grade 3 Science Rocks and Minerals.

NEW! Scoop on Soil
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/soil
Click on 'Game' to download a wonderful activity that teaches young students all about the different aspects of soil through videos and interactive activities.
*This site is listed under Grade 3 Science Rocks and Minerals.


Week of January 14, 2008

Kerpoof is a web site that promotes creativity through art and story telling. Whether it is drawing a picture, creating a story through art, or making a movie, Kerproof provides kids with tools that motivate. Make sure you read 'How to Play'...

NEW! Kerpoof
http://www.kerpoof.com
You can make your own movie in the Kerpoof Animation Studio! Pick a background. Pick characters from Kerpoof. See what each character can do. Now make up a story for them. It's easy and fun!
*This site is listed under Writing in Lang Arts Div 2.

*Kids need to play with tools such as Kerpoof to see what they can do. Once they are familiar with them, in order to create a story, they still need to have some kind of plan in mind. Use one of the templates below to have students plan out their story from beginning, middle, and end.Storyboards:
http://www.open.ac.uk/crete/movingwords/pdf/storyboard.pdf
http://www.xinsight.ca/tools/storyboard.html

Week of January 7, 2008

It's taken a while but there is now a collection of interactive sites to support the Alberta Health curriculum! A sampling of web sites are highlighted below.

NEW! Do2Learn - Facial Expressions
http://www.do2learn.org/games/facialexpressions/index.htm
This activity allows a child to experiment with the different effects of moving separate facial parts. In teaching someone how a face conveys emotion, you may choose to isolate one part, such as turning brows down to indicate disapproval, or up for surprise.
*This site is listed under Health Div. 1

NEW! Elmer the Safety Elephant
http://www.elmer.ca/english/fun/index.htm#
Elmer the Safety Elephant is one of the best known and best loved symbols of child safety. To hundreds of thousands of children across Canada, Elmer is a constant reminder to be careful in traffic. He also reminds them about playground, bicycle, fire, railway and home and community safety.
*This site is listed under Health Div. 1

NEW! Out on a Limb - A Guide to Getting Along
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/conflict
The activities on the Out on a Limb website are designed primarily for third graders, but can be used to entertain and educate youth from the second and fourth grades as well. Audio support for young readers. (Spanish and Arabic)
*This site is listed under Health Div. 1

NEW! Canada Food Guide
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index_e.html
On February 5, 2007, Health Canada unveiled the new Canada Food Guide, the first since 1992. Learn all about the new Canada Food Guide at this site. Children can choose their gender and age to print out a daily tracker of the food they eat.
*This site is listed under Health Div. 2

NEW! ID the Creep
http://www.idthecreep.com
You think you know who is E-mailing, chatting, or IM'ing with you? Really? Can you tell who means well and who doesn't? Play ID the Creep and see how you score when it comes to picking out the bad from the good... (Spanish also)
*This site is listed under Health Div. 2

Week of November 26, 2007

December is a busy month but one for connecting with those special people in our lives. Handmade Christmas cards from children are special and something that we tend to keep forever. Visit the web site highlighted this week for some easy-to-follow ideas to create personalized cards for kids of all ages.

NEW! Make Your Own Christmas Cards
http://familyfun.go.com
This web site provides some wonderful ideas for using digital photos to make your own personal Christmas cards as well as other artistic ideas and templates. Suitable for all ages.
*This site is listed under The Arts.

Week of November 19, 2007

If someone sat down and created a list of criteria that would make a great interactive math site, I think the two highlighted sites this week would fit in perfectly!

NEW! Thinking Blocks - Model Your Math Problems!
http://thinkingblocks.com
Thinking Blocks is an engaging, interactive math tool developed by classroom teachers to help students learn how to solve multistep word problems. Using brightly colored blocks, students model the relationships among the components of each word problem. With the help of a virtual teacher, students walk through a simple problem solving process and arrive at a solution. When building the models, students must identify information that is given as well as information that is unknown. Identifying and solving for an unknown quantity is a key concept in algebra. Thinking Blocks encourages students to look beyond the surface to discover the concepts and relationships that are at the core of every math problem. *Teachers... if you have access to an LCD projector or better yet, an interactive whiteboard such as a Smartboard, make sure you check out 'Model It' to write your own math problems!
*This site is listed under Other in Math for Division One and Division Two.

NEW! Math Playground
http://www.mathplayground.com
Welcome to Math Playground, an action-packed site for elementary and middle school students. Practice your math skills, watch a math video, play a logic game and have some fun!
*This site is listed under Other in Math for Division One and Division Two.

Week of November 12, 2007

It's Canadian Finals Rodeo time again in Edmonton, Alberta! To help set the mood, take your children to one of the Calgary Public Library sites below and listen to some tales from the Old West!

NEW! Talking Tall Tales
http://calgarypubliclibrary.com/tales/intro.html
Calgary Public Library presents eight animated stories told by Johnny Chinook, an Alberta cowboy from the Old West!
*This site is listed under Literature in Language Arts for Division Two.

NEW! Talking Tales
http://calgarypubliclibrary.com/kids/story/welcome.htm
Calgary Public Library presents animated picture books complete with music, sound, and narration for younger students. These talking tales don't fit the Old West theme but are worth a listen just the same!
*This site is listed under Literature in Language Arts for Division One.

Week of November 5, 2007

Did you know that Guinness World Record Day is November 8th? Think of all of the possibilities for math connections on this site! For example, the fastest time for a dog to weave 60 poles is 12.3 seconds. Can you figure out how many poles he can get through in one second? This site will intrigue all children and reluctant readers will not be able to wait to get their hands on the newest book!

NEW! Guinness World Records
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com
Did you know that Guinness World Record Day is November 8th? This site has everything you would find in a Guinness World Record Book plus videos and podcasts of unique world record breakers such as the fastest Tuk-Tuk ride (Indian autorikshaw), tallest snowman, longest ladder, and plane pulling! Take a look at the newest book version online as well.
*This site is listed under Recess for Div One and Div Two.

Week of October 29, 2007

Division One web sites for Social Studies are challenging to locate, especially ones that can be used for research. This week's Site of the Week is a real find to support grade 3 Social Studies!

NEW! World Communities
http://web.mac.com/oscartavernini/iWeb/Social/Main.html
Geography, quality of life, and global citizenship... This child friendly site addresses these concepts for each of the countries studied in grade 3. Listen to songs, watch videos and explore the countries of Peru, Tunisia, India, and the Urkraine through the eyes of a child living in each country.
*This site is listed under Grade 3 - Communities in the World in Social Studies Division One.

Week of October 22, 2007

NEW! Science Storybooks
http://msnucleus.org/membership/guide/storybooks.html
These free electronic storybooks and songs reinforce a variety of science concepts in a fun and entertaining manner (electricity, sky science, earth science, rock cycle, frogs, plants, owl pellets, trees, wetlands). On the right side of the page are numbers that correspond to a grade level that each particular storybook or song would support. However, Science Storybooks is from the UK and you will need to double check what fits your child's curriculum.
*This site is listed under Other in Science Division One and Division Two

Week of October 15, 2007

With the beautiful autumn weather we have been having in Alberta, maybe you're planning a hike or bike ride through the river valley or maybe if you are especially fortunate, you will be enjoying the fall weather hiking or biking around Jasper or Banff! Regardless, MapMyRide will help you plot your course, keep track of distances, and plan for rest stops. You can create your own route or search for a publicly posted one. MapMyRide also works with GPS units, so you can import or export routes. Oh, and don't forget to check the weather first!

NEW! Map My Ride
www.mapmyride.com
MapMyRide allows you to plan out hiking or biking routes and keep track of distances.You can create your own route or search for a publicly posted one. MapMyRide also works with GPS units, so you can import or export routes. Plan out a neighbourhood walk, print it out, and follow it!
*This site is listed under Social Studies for Grade 1 Seasonal Changes and under Maps for Social Studies for Division Two.

NEW! School Day Forecast
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/schooldayfx/caab0103
Younger students require guidance in dressing for the weather. School Day Forecast provides the current temperature, what it will be like for the walk home from school, visuals of clothing that might be worn, and sidewalk conditions!
*This site is listed under Division One Science for Grade 1 Seasonal Changes and under Division Two Science for Grade 5 Weather.

NEW! Simple Weather
http://www.simpleweather.com
SimpleWeather.com is an easy-to-use, no nonsense weather site. They give you exactly what you're looking for: the weather. No portals, maps, crazy geo stuff, or travel forecasts. SimpleWeather is designed to be extremely helpful and fast. Click on the little 'C' under the 'F' for Farenheit to get temperatures in Celsius.
*This site is listed under Division One Science for Grade 1 Seasonal Changes and under Division Two Science for Grade 5 Weather.

Week of October 8, 2007

Science is the focus this week and with the changing seasons, two sites have been added to support both Division One and Division Two learning.

NEW! Ukaliq - the Arctic Hare
http://nature.ca/ukaliq/021des/000_des_e.cfm
The Arctic hare (Lepus arcticus) is a small, fur-covered mammal that lives in a cold environment. Like other hares, it has long ears, a short tail, long hind legs and a recycling digestive system. But this hare is also superbly adapted -- both structurally and behaviourally -- to life in the severe conditions of the Far North.
*This site is listed under Grade 1 Seasonal Changes and Needs of Plants and Animals in Science and under Grade 2 Canada's Dynamic Communities in Social Studies.

NEW! Earth Viewer
http://paulcarlisle.net/old/earthviewer.html
Earth Viewer was written primarily for elementary school students. It shows the daytime and nighttime portions of the Earth for any day of the year. You may choose either of two views - Globe or Map. Globe shows the planet as it would appear from space. Map shows a flat view of the entire surface. Click on the button to switch to the view you want. When viewing the Globe, you can center the latitude and longitude of any point on the surface by adjusting the scroll bars, or by clicking on the point you want to center. The date and time may be set as you please, and can be reset to the current date and time by pressing the reset button. Times are always shown in the local time your computer is set for. The images can be animated by selecting the Animate button. Daily animation shows the Earth as it appears every fifteen minutes; Seasonal animation shows it every 7 days. And just in case you need a brush-up on how the seasons work, here is a graphic organizer that can be printed out.
http://camillasenior.homestead.com/Graphic_Organizer_-_Night_and_Day.pdf
*This site is listed under Grade 6 Science Sky Science.

Week of September 30, 2007

A few new sites have been added to social studies this week. One is a web site from Saskatchewan for the grade 5 study of History and Stories of Ways of Life in Canada. As well, two web sites for the grade 3 study of India.

NEW! Saskatchewan Stories
http://www.saskstories.ca
Using Macromedia Flash, Saskatchewan Learning delivers an educational resource using stories, interactive maps, archival drawings and photos, and streaming video.
*This site is listed under Grade 5 Social Studies (The History and Stories of Ways of Life in Canada).

NEW! Snapshot Tour of India
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/fun/tour_flash.html
See and hear wildlife galore in our Snapshot Tour of India! Virtually visit this fascinating country's rainforests, coral islands, and snowy mountains.
*This site is listed under Grade 3 Social Studies (Communities in the World)

Welcome to India
http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/india.htm
This site isn't new to WWL but one that needs to be highlighted just in case it was previously missed. Welcome to India provides insight into the diverse culture and landscape of India at just the perfect level for younger students.  For each section   there is a 'slide show' ... a bedtime story ... somewhere to keep 'notes' and suggestions for other web sites to explore.
*This site is listed under Grade 3 Social Studies (Communities in the World)

Week of September 23, 2007

Keyboarding... unless given instruction, kids do create their own methods for navigating around a keyboard and once they have their own system in place, it is very difficult to get them to change. This week the web sites highlighted provide excellent potential for either reinforcement for keyboarding software being used or an opportunity to develop your own daily program for developing those skills. As always, accuracy, not speed, should be emphasized as a child is getting started. Proper posture should be addressed when teaching keyboarding with all grade levels. To read more about keyboarding and where it fits in the curriculum and to find more keyboarding sites, go to Keyboarding.

NEW! Keyboarding Resources
http://jeffcoweb.jeffco.k12.co.us/isu/itech/keybo/keydx.htm#Links%20to%20Family%20or%20Grade%20Level
This site offers a number of printable resources and links to support keyboarding.
*This site is listed under Keyboarding.

NEW! Power Typing
http://www.powertyping.com
Choose either Qwerty or Dvorak keyboards, select the lesson, and then start. Individual goals can be set for WPM and once the exercise is completed, results are provided. Look below the exercise and choose a wpm song and type a lesson to the song's rhythm.
*This site is listed under Keyboarding.

Touch Typing
http://www.sense-lang.org/typing
This site is already listed in WWL but well worth a second look.
*This site is listed under Keyboarding.

Type Online
http://www.typeonline.co.uk/lesson1.html
Listed previously, this well-organized site offers a simple and clean interface for children to practice their keyboarding skills. There are six different lessons with ten activities in each and letters are highlighted as you work across the line. Speed and errors are provided after each activity and you are even provided with what the exact errors that were made.
*This site is listed under Keyboarding.

Week of May 28, 2007

Now that winter has passed and spring has arrived, there is a web cam that provides an inside glimpse into the world of the grizzly bear. Orphaned at aproximately 5 months of age, Grinder and Coola have made the remarkable transition from struggling cubs with an uncertain future to vibrant, healthy bears that now act as West Coast ambassadors for their entire species. Both bears have recently woken up from a long winter sleep!

NEW! Bears on Grouse Mountain
http://www.infotecbusinesssystems.com/wildlife/?ch=Wildlife&sh=grizzlybears
Located in the plush Pacific Coastal Rainforest atop Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver, the Refuge for Endangered Wildlife provides a protected natural sanctuary and second chance at life for resident grizzly bears Grinder and Coola. Sign up (free) to be able to view from one of five cameras.
*This site is listed under Other in Science Div One and Div Two.


Week of May 21, 2007

The web sites being highlited this week aren't new sites but ones that are very worthwhile knowing about. As exam season quickly approaches, you are probably looking for resources to help your children prepare. With Provincial Achievement Exams (PATs) coming up, it is very worthwhile to familiarize students with the format that the tests use. Two excellent resources that students can access to get this practice are listed below:

ExamBank
http://www.exambank.com
Exam Bank —an online study tool designed specifically to help Alberta students assess themselves as they progress throughout the year and prepare for their end of term exams. Resources are available for academic subject areas in all grades from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Access to these exams does cost money but accounts start at a reasonable $12 Cdn, providing access to write up to 40 practice exams in any subject area or grade, and can be used by more than one child. School accounts are also available. My younger son makes regular use of ExamBank throughout the school year to review for unit tests by using his text book, notes, and even the Internet when answering the questions. The goal isn't to find out how much he knows (or doesn't know) but rather to use the resources at hand to try to get 100% on all of the questions. Completed questions are submitted and feedback is instantaneous. ExamBank can be a very effective study tool.
*This site is listed under Parent Resources.

Provincial Achievement Tests and Answer Keys
http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/k_12/testing/achievement/tests/previous_ach.asp
Alberta Learning releases previously written 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 achievement tests and answer keys so teachers and students can use them in the classroom throughout the year. Take a sample test online and have it scored automatically! These online practice tests provide an opportunity to experience how Alberta Learning assesses student achievement of learning outcomes in the four core subjects by using machine-scored tests. By taking these self-paced, self-scoring tests, you can practise writing multiple-choice and numerical-response questions while testing your knowledge of Alberta curriculum content.
*This site is listed under Parent Resources.

Provincial Achievement Tests
http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/k_12/testing/achievement/default.asp
This site contains information for students, parents, teachers and administrators concerning Achievement tests in grades 3, 6 and 9. All of your questions will likely be answered here.
*This site is listed under Parent Resources.

Week of May 14, 2007

NEW! Maps: Tools for Adventure
http://www.mywonderfulworld.org/toolsforadventure
Immerse yourself in the dynamic world of maps! Maps are a part of every great adventure. They help you find your way, share information, look at patterns, and solve problems. What can YOU do with maps? This companion website to the traveling exhibit from The Children's Museum of Indianapolis introduces kids to the essentials of mapping and geospatial representation.
*This site is listed under Maps in Social Studies Div 2.

Week of May 7, 2007

Finally, a math site that actually walks students through the steps on how to solve challenging math problems! This site will be useful in division two and indispensible in junior high and high school for the student working on math at home and needing some support.

NEW! Web Math
http://www.webmath.com
This site is composed of many math "fill-in-forms" into which you can type the math problem you are working on. Linked to these forms is a powerful set of math-solvers that can instantly analyze your problem, and when possible, provide you with a step-by-step solution, instantly!
*This site is listed under Other in Math Div 2.

Week of April 30, 2007

There are so many engaging sites on the Internet, I'm sure kids think they are having too much fun to be learning! This week the feature site is Flightgear, a free (yet reportedly excellent) open-source flight simulator. Both grade 6 science units, Air and Aerodynamics and Flight, have been updated with new interactive websites. Lots of interesting things to learn!

NEW! Flightgear
http://www.flightgear.org
Flightgear is an open-source flight simulator. This means that as long as you abide by the terms of the license you may freely download and copy FlightGear. This excellent program includes real-world scenery taken from photographs and attends to details such as wind effects and real-time day and night. Grade six students will have a new way to apply their knowledge of aerodynamics, learn about the parts of an aircraft, their role in controlled flight and the differences between aircraft and spacecraft. FlightGear is known to run on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS-X.
*This site is listed under Flight for Grade 6 Science Div 2.


Week of April 23, 2007

A collection of websites to support the study of China in grade six has been added to Worthwhile Websites for Learning this week. While one site is shown below, the rest are listed under Social Studies, Grade 6.

NEW! Chinese Word of the Week
http://askasia.org/kids/features/wordofweek/wofw_China.htm
Listen and learn Chinese at this site created by children. Categories include food, family, sports, China... Click through to hear and see Chinese characters and begin to learn Mandarin!
*This site is also listed under Social Studies Div. 2.

Week of April 16, 2007

Do you have a child who gets a bit bored of the traditional book report or research project? Check out this site and discover some very cool ways to add some zest to those school assignments... How about creating a movie poster for that recently completed book in LA? Maybe trading cards for all of those Greek heroes in Social Studies? Or perhaps a magazine cover for that health project? Just remember, it's your child that has to do the work, not the parent! These activities are just too much fun...

NEW! fd's flickr toys
http://bighugelabs.com/flickr
Create a movie poster, trading cards, magazine cover, or CD cover are just a few of the fun tools found at this website!
*This site is also listed under Tools for Learning at Homework Help.

Week of April 9, 2007

NEW! Quintura for Kids
http://kids.quintura.com
Designed specifically for kids, this new search engine demonstrates a new way people search and find information on the Web. The intuitive nature of the cloud allows kids to develop and refine their search by clicking on key words that appear in the cloud. The interface also allows for relevant searches around a set of rotating icons on the site. Quintura operates the See & Find™ visual find engine.
*This site is also listed under Search Engines in Homework Help.

Week of April 2, 2007

Academic Skill Builders
There are six activities to highlight from one site this week. These online educational games offer a fun approach for practising basic math, language arts, vocabulary and thinking skills. Something different about these games is that they are optimized for use with the Nintendo Wii gaming system, using the Wii Browswer and the Wii Remote. Interestingly enough, the math games are the same games that were available as Mecc shareware many years ago...

NEW! Alien Addition
http://arcademic.altec.org
Alien Addition provides practice in addition in an “alien invasion” theme. Invading spaceships with addition problems move down from the top of the screen toward a laser cannon on a platform at the bottom.
*This site is also listed under Math Div 1 and Math Div 2

NEW! Meteor Multiplication
http://arcademic.altec.org
Meteor Multiplication assists students in learning multiplication. Large meteors with multiplication problems in them move from all around the screen toward a large star station in the center of the screen.
*This site is also listed under Math Div 1 and Math Div 2

NEW! Minus Mission
http://arcademic.altec.org
Minus Mission provides practice in subtraction in a creeping slime theme. Large green slime at the top of the screen drips blobs with subtraction problems toward a robot at the bottom.
*This site is also listed under Math Div 1 and Math Div 2

NEW! Word Invasion
http://arcademic.altec.org
Word Invasion provides practice in matching word types. Jellyfish with words in them drift toward the octopus at the bottom. Word types are placed in the octopus, and then the octopus is activated to fire beams that destroy the matching word.
*This site is also listed under Lang Arts Div 1 and Lang Arts Div 2.

NEW! Word Frog
http://arcademic.altec.org
Word Frog provides practice in matching antonyms, synonyms, and homonyms. The target word appears on the frog, with the word category underneath defining the relationship to be matched. Match the center word with the correct word on the incoming flies by firing the frog's tongue at the correct fly.
*This site is also listed under Lang Arts Div 1 and Lang Arts Div 2.

NEW! Verb Viper
http://arcademic.altec.org
Verb Viper encourages your child to choose correct verb tenses (present, past, past participle), recognize correct verb forms (ran instead of runned), and recognize subject/verb agreement (I am, he is). You select game content to suit the needs and abilities of your child.
*This site is also listed under Lang Arts Div 1 and Lang Arts Div 2.

Week of March 26, 2007

Imagination at Work
http://www.imaginationcubed.com
This online interactive writing and drawing space will let your child send finished products by email to friends or relatives as well as invite someone to join them for a collaborative session. Write a thank you note, invite a friend over to play, or announce some recent news to grandparents... Choose your tool, colour, and background and begin creating!
*This site is also listed under Writing in Lang Arts Div 1 and Lang Arts Div 2.

Week of March 19, 2007

One of my favourite websites for learning about science is actually five websites all in one! Choose from Geography4Kids, Cosmos4Kids, Chem4Kids, Physics4Kids, or Biology4Kids and learn about the each topic through animations, drawings, photos, and hyperlinked text. Take a quiz when you think you know it all! You can also use a Google search tool to search for information you need within each of the sites. Just type in a keyword or phrase and click the search button. Easy to read text and lots of visual support makes these sites an excellent choice for science research for the older student. *These sites are listed under Science Div 2. The group that put the above science sites together have recently launched a math site called NumberNut.Com. This site offers an introduction to mathematics and its variety of topics. It's not just for kids, it's for everyone... even if you aren't a number nut! *This site is also listed under Math Div 1 and Math Div 2

Week of March 12, 2007

While the Internet is full of wonderful information, it is also an excellent resource for finding tools that can be used by students to demonstrate their learning. This week's site came to me from a very creative colleague who had her students illustrating their comprehension of poems and stories by creating animations using a free download called Pivot Stick Animator. While I have to admit that I found it a bit of a challenge to use, older students seem to have little difficulty figuring out what needs to be done to make this work. So the next time your child has to share their understanding of a story or chapter read or draw the results of a science experiment, consider suggesting something just a little bit different...

Pivot Stick Animator
http://www.geocities.com/peter_bone_uk/pivot.html
Pivot Stickfigure Animator is a unique software, that allows you to create stick figure animations easily and without any artistic skills. You can move the sections of the sick figure and easily create a chain of animation frames that can be previewed as you go. You can use more than one stick-figure in the animation, and even create your own stick figures using an easy to use visual editor that lets you assemble objects out of lines and circles. In addition, you can optionally set animation size, speed and more. The result can be saved as animated GIF file.
*This site is also listed under Fine Arts and Homework (Tools for Learning).

Week of March 5, 2007

It's taken a while but the Social Studies topic Greece: An Ancient Civilization now has a list of interactive websites to support its study. Two sites are highlighted below. Go to Social Studies Div 2 to see the rest of the websites.

Greek Pot Painter
http://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/kids/greecepot.htm
Design your own Greek pot from Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery.
*This site is also listed under Div 2 Social Studies.

Who Wants to Be an Early Greek Millionaire?
http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/milliongreece.html
Play this online game and test your knowledge!

Week of February 26, 2007

Two new websites about Edmonton are being added as Social Studies resources this week!

City Hall Virtual Tour
www.edmonton.ca/cityhallschool
A new and exciting teaching tool has just been launched by the City of Edmonton - a virtual tour of Edmonton City Hall. this includes a full guided tour of City Hall with an interactive set of 360^o views of the building, along with explanations of key pieces of artwork and interesting points throughout the building. Visit Council Chambers, the Mayor's Office, the City Room and much more. This is a great tool to assist students learning about their local government. Look for the Virtual Tour link in the top corner when you get to the site.
*This site is also listed under Grade 6 Social Studies.

Virtual Reality Tour of Edmonton
http://www.vredmonton.com
This audio supported site about Edmonton has grown greatly in the past year. Once you enter the site, choose one of the options on the bottom and begin your virtual tour of major attractions and landmarks in Edmonton.
*This site is also listed under Grade 1 Social Studies.

Week of February 19, 2007

Here is the third in a series of websites that encourages collaboration between kids and parents and technology. I love these sites!

Amazing Race Across Alberta
http://www.2learn.ca/Alberta/projects/FAMAZRace/SOAAmRaceStarta.html
This Spirit of Alberta Activity is an amazing race of a different kind.  Students, teachers and parents can get involved in this interactive learning activity that challenges participants at several levels.  Participants attempt to identify images posted and decipher clues that lead them to the next location and its associated image.  The Amazing Race activity tests your knowledge of Alberta, and is designed so that it can take place in any class.  Content and clues of the race have curricular relevance at every turn providing a real world learning experience for all ages.
*This site is also listed under Grade 4 Social Studies.

Week of February 12, 2007

Time... something we deal with every minute! The Human Clock invites us to choose a minute in time and make it our own. Take a look at this site and see how creative you and your children can be. Have fun! (I'd love to see any examples that might be submitted...)

Human Clock
http://www.humanclock.com/?s=1
Human Clock is a web site that shows current time with photos that change every minute of the day (all 1,440 occuring minutes on Earth!). The unique thing about all of this is how the time is actually displayed. People from all over the world send in photos showing time in remarkedly creative ways that can't even begin to be described here. Visit this site with your child, click on 'view the clock' to see the current time, and then get your own creative ideas flowing and create your own clock to send in!
*This site is also listed under Shape and Space in Div. 1 Math and Div. 2 Math.

Week of February 5, 2007

I wanted to highlight some sites over the next few weeks that actively engage parents and children together with learning, curriculum, and technology and I think I have some gems to share... Here's this week's pick...

BookCrossing
http://www.bookcrossing.com
BookCrossing has one goal... to make the whole world a library! This site encourages readers (adults and kids) to love books enough to let them go - into the wild to be found by others. Click on Books and Browse Books to view both Children's and Teen's books waiting to be found... After reading a book, BookCrossers register the book and mark the inside cover with the site's URL and an identification number provided by BookCrossing.com. Users then leave the book in a public place or pass it on to a friend. The new reader is encouraged to join the free site, post comments about the book, and, before re-releasing it, let the previous owners know it's in good hands. What a wonderful way to share the books you love and integrate technology at the same time! I was surprised when I clicked on 'Go Hunting' and not only found over 1500 books released in Canada and almost 350 of them were in Alberta. The site even tells you where the books are waiting to be found! To participate, you need to register (free) at the site and then follow the directions for releasing your book(s) into the world. I would strongly recommend that registration and participation be done as a family or as a class - don't register students individually. Have fun and I'll be watching for your books!
*This site is also listed under Literature in Lang Ats Div 1 and Lang Arts Div 2.

Week of January 29, 2007

I was visiting a school this past week and noticed some wonderful artwork on the wall. Obviously, the students had been learning about Piet Mondrian and I remembered a web site I had seen not so long ago. It's included as Site of the Week along with another art web site, Mr. Picassohead.

Mondrimat
http://www.stephen.com/mondrimat
The Mondrimat is a simple system which lets you experiment with space, color and visual rhythm in accordance with the theories of Piet Mondrian. The directions are simple but read them carefully before starting.
*This site is also listed under The Arts.

Mr. Picassohead
http://www.mrpicassohead.com
This simple to use tool lets you create a basic piece of art using a variety of built in "widgets" such as hair, eyebrows, ears, etc. in Picasso-esque style. Doesn't really matter what you do, you end up with a final drawing that definitely fits the Picasso style!
*This site is also listed under The Arts.

Week of January 22, 2007

It's challenging to find worthwhile websites for younger students. One website that was featured a few weeks ago was BrainPOP Jr which is in its infancy and having content added to it on a weekly basis. Until it is pretty much complete, the site is available for use at no cost. This week, our feature sites include two from BrainPOP Jr, both supporting the Division One Social Studies curriculum.

School as a Community
http://www.brainpopjr.com/socialstudies/communities/school
Explore the meaning of community in a school through a short animation and then reinforce what was learned by completing an activity, playing a game, writing, drawing, or sharing.
*This site is also listed under Social Studies Div 1 .

Rural, Suburban, and Urban
http://www.brainpopjr.com/socialstudies/communities/ruralsuburbanandurban
Watch a short animated cartoon exploring the difference between these different kinds of communities and then reinforce what was learned by completing an activity, playing a game, writing, drawing, or sharing.
*This site is also listed under Social Studies Div 1 .

Week of January 15, 2007

There are just too many great sites piling up in my bookmarks! This week we're adding three to the grade 6 study of Sky Science.

Build a Solar System
http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system
Make a scale model of the Solar System and learn the REAL definition of "space." Fill in the diameter of the Sun you want your model to be scaled by and then complete the rest of the boxes. When you actually go to build your model, you'll see the relationship of all of the planets to each other and the sun.
*This site is also listed under Science Div 2.

Life on Mars
http://www.exploremarsnow.org
How old will your child be in 2017? That's when the Diomedes Mission is set to launch with plans for inhabiting Mars. A mission like this requires a lot of planning and this site provides an interactive tour of what the base camp might look like. As you move along the tour, move your mouse over items of interest to bring up an explanation. Some of these are quite lengthly and this site might be best initially shared with an adult. Life on Mars is totally fascinating and provides an opportunity for wonderful dialogue and questions.
*This site is also listed under Science Div 2.

Planet 10
http://www.planet-science.com/wired/index.html?page=/planet10
There are two activities to choose from at Planet 10:

Solar System - Explore the planets, comets and asteroids on an interactive virtual fly-through. Zoom in close on a particular planet or choose a different orbit view to see the whole system from afar. The data sheets let you discover more about some of the elements that make up our Solar System.

World Builder - Think you could create the perfect World? Here’s your chance to try. With World Builder, you call the shots. Work your way through each of the creation screens, but make your choices wisely, only certain conditions will ensure your planet is a successful place to grow and evolve.
*This site is also listed under Science Div 2.

*Teachers who have access to an interactive whiteboard would use this site for Planet 10 - http://www.solarsystem.org.uk/planet10

Week of January 8, 2007

Welcome to the New Year! Enjoy the three sites below which combine technology with good old-fashioned fun...

Download a Dinosaur
http://www.rain.org/~philfear/download-a-dinosaur.html
Choose your dinosaur, print, colour, and cut out!
*This site is also listed under Recess Div 1.

Seasonal Paper Doll Friends
http://www.makingfriends.com/friends/f_seasonal.htm
Younger children will enjoy this activity and it has a special fit with the study of Seasonal Changes in grade one Science. Choose a season and then select all of items necessary to clothe your doll for the season.
*This site is also listed under Seasonal Changes in Grade One Science.

Paper Toys
http://www.papertoys.com
Paper stuff for kids and grownups including trains, airplanes, party hats, cars (great selection of different models for the car enthusiast!), motorcycles, famous buildings, tyrannasaurus rex, and even a 3-D version of Jimi Hendrix's guitar! Just print, cut, fold, and glue. These cut-outs would be difficult for young children but something manageable for ages 7 years and up.
*This site is also listed under Recess Div 1 and Recess Div 2.

Week of December 11, 2006

Snow Days
http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays
This fun interactive website was highlighted last spring but it is so unique that I thought it would be worthwhile to bring it to everyone's attention again. At Snow Days, you get to create your own snowflake the 'old fashioned' way by 'cutting' a pattern out of hmmm... paper? Once done, you can include a holiday greeting to a friend (or to the world in general) and then send your snowflake out to join the 3, 406, 607 other snowflakes - there's math in here, too! As well as making a snowflake, you can also view the others falling from the sky or even search for a friend's or your own! I was surprised to find my snowflake from last year. Finally, you are invited to include a name, location, and email address with your snowflake. If you do decide to include some information, limiting it to initials and province or country with a discussion about why this would be a safe choice would provide a great opportunity to teach about Internet safety. Have fun!
*This site is also listed under Recess Div 1.

Week of December 4, 2006

NEW! Graph Paper Maker
http://incompetech.com/beta/plainGraphPaper
Graph Paper Maker is a useful site that makes PDF's of graph paper according to the parameters you choose - size, color, line weight and layout. You can choose squares, dots, triangles, hexagons, diamonds, horizontal lines with light verticals, and even 'axiomatic perspective' (I had to ask, too.) If you scroll down further, you can also generate number lines, Cornell Note taking pages, penmanship pages, and even Chinese character, guitar fret and Celtic knot guides. What more could you ask for?
*This site is also listed under Printable Resources under Homework Help.

Week of November 27, 2006

NEW! Four Directions Teachings
http://www.fourdirectionsteachings.com/index.html
Four Directions Teachings celebrates Indigenous oral traditions by honoring the process of listening with intent as each elder or traditional teacher shares a teaching from their perspective on the richness and value of cultural traditions from their nation. Cree, Blackfoot, Ojibwa, Mohawk, and Micmaq traditions are shared. In honor of the timelessness of Indigenous oral traditions, audio narration is provided throughout the site, complimented by beautifully animated visuals. Subtitles can also be turned on in either English or French.
*This site is also listed under Social Studies Div 2 for both grade 4 and 5.

Week of November 20, 2006

NEW! BrainPOP jr
http://www.brainpopjr.com
BrainPOP Jr. provides a wide range of educational movies in all subject areas for K-3 learners. The movies encourage active viewing and are easily paused for students to make predictions and form their own ideas. Each animated movie has leveled quizzes, games, activities, and lesson ideas that develop students' critical thinking and inquiry skills. BrainPOP Jr. is currently free while content is being developed for the site. In the future, a paid subscription will be required. However, in the meantime, this is an excellent opportunity to have your child take advantage of a wonderful learning experience!
*This site is also listed under Tools for Learning under Homework Help.

Week of November 13, 2006

NEW! Dr. Calculator
http://www.drcalculator.com
Have you tried explaining to your children the the benefits of saving money for a rainy day? Or better yet, if you save their pennies, how long until you become a millionaire? Dr. Calculator instantly calculates these and other scenarios out and puts the value of money and time in perspective.
*This site is also listed under Numbers in Math Div 2

Week of November 6, 2006It's been a while since I've found a really outstanding collection of math activities at one site but this week I have an amazing site to share from Australia.

NEW! Rainforest Maths
http://www.rainforestmaths.com
Rainforest Maths was created by an Australian primary teacher and covers K-6 math concepts for Numbers, Algebra, Measurement, and Space. The only activities that don't work are those involving money but there are lots of metric measurement activities to make up for it! Remember, the math levels are based on Australian curriculum and don't necessarily match Alberta curriculum. Check with your child's teacher or Alberta math curriculum online if you aren't sure which activities your child should be doing.
*This site is also listed under Other in Math Div 1 and Math Div 2
Week of October 30, 2006

NEW! AfriCam.Com
http://www.wavelit.com/index.asp?ch=Wildlife&sh=africam
A few weeks ago I shared Pete's Pond, a web cam in Africa. A friend recently told me about another site from Africa that also has a well-positioned live streaming camera set up for watching the resident wildlife at Nkorho Pan, a natural water hole in the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve, in South Africa. I got to enjoy my morning coffee while watching a herd of water buffalo come down to the pond for their mid-afternoon drink! (This is quite a noisy place!)
*This site is also listed under Recess Div 1 and 2

Week of October 23, 2006

Here is a search engine that is just a little bit different... and designed especially for kids!

NEW! ithaki 4 KIDS
http://kids.ithaki.net
Ithaki 4 KIDS is a metasearch engine that helps to quickly find the best sites just for kids via searching in real time several search engines such as DmozKids, Yahooligans, FactMonster, ArtKIDSRule, AolKIDS, AwesomeLibrary & KidsClick!.
*This site is also listed under Homework Help

 

Week of October 16, 2006

I shared this wonderful site at Rutherford School last week and someone asked if it was on Worthwhile Web Sites for Learning... It is now!

NEW! Writing Paper Templates
http://www.vickiblackwell.com/makingbooks/writingpaper.htm
Is your child tired of writing on a blank Word document? Spice up writing tasks by using one of these colourful PowerPoint templates and there are so many to choose from! Remember though, you must first save the file to your computer by "Right Click > Save Target As." Choose where you want to save the file and then click "Save".
*This site is also listed under Language Arts both Div.1 and 2 AND Homework Help (Tools for Learning)

 

Week of October 9, 2006
My brother-in-law phoned tonight in search of some printable flashcards to review basic facts in math. I realized that while there are flashcard links on WWL, there are none for math. So... here they are!

NEW! FlashCardMath.com
http://www.flashcardmath.com/flashcards/flashcards.htm
Choose either picture or numbers, print out your flashcards, and get busy mastering those addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division basic facts!
*This site is also listed under Printable Resources on Homework Help.

Week of October 2, 2006
Have you always wanted to travel to Africa but just not been able to find the time or the money? Well, now you can take a "virtual" safari to Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana - thanks to "Wildcam Africa" from National Geographic.

NEW! Pete's Pond
http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/wildcamafrica/index.html
Take a 'virtual' safari to Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana and visit Pete's Pond where a streaming video camera has been set up to send out day and night activity on the pond's edge. It wouldn't be unusual to tune in to Pete's Pond and find elephants drinking and wallowing along the edge or to see a crocodile silently crossing the pond in the dead of night. Regardless of the time of day or night, there is always something interesting to see (or listen to!).
*This site is also listed under Recess Div 1 and 2

 

Week of September 18, 2006

Links have been added for the grade six social studies topic of Local Government. One of those sites is being highlighted today... The study of local government often involves a visit to the Alberta Legislature building for Edmonton students. If you live too far away to make the visit in person, the WWL site of the week lets you make a virtual trip to explore and learn about this important Alberta structure. (Don't forget to check out the rest of the grade six Local Government sites!)

NEW! Virtual Visit: Step Inside the Legislature
http://www.virtualvisit.learnalberta.ca
This Virtual Visit takes you into the Alberta Legislature to explore and learn about this unique building. It is an interactive and immersive online tour experience that provides a realistic, three-dimensional environment replicating the layout, scale, and features of the Alberta Legislature. In other words, the Virtual Visit allows you to look and move around as if you were inside the building. Choose a character and begin your tour! *Check computer requirements at this site if you have problems. *This site is also listed under Social Studies Div 2.

Week of September 11, 2006

Again, it is important to note that this is a transition year for the new grade five social studies curriculum so please check to ensure that the sites match your child's curriculum. One site for each of the grade five topics has been highlighted. Explore the rest by heading over to Social Studies Div. 2!

NEW! Make a Map of Canada
http://www.worsleyschool.net/socialarts/canada/page.html
Click on a province; when it appears, drag it into position. Double-click on a piece to remove it. Move pieces slowly. Perfect for those just learning about the provinces in Canada!(And when you're ready, you can try it without the hints and try it timed!) *This site is also listed under Social Studies Div 2.

NEW! Canadian Midis - Songs of Canada
http://pagebiz.com/banjo/canada/can.html
Jack was every inch a sailor! Listen to some of the early songs of Canada at this site. *This site is also listed under Social Studies Div 2.

NEW! Exploring Canadian Identity
http://www.ataoc.ca/start/identity/identity.html
What makes us unique as Canadians? This excellent site might require some guidance but well worth the time to explore and thoughtfulness that it will take to get the most from the activities here. *This site is also listed under Social Studies Div 2.

Week of September 5, 2006

It has taken many hours to search out and go through the many web sites that offered the possibility of supporting the new Social Studies curriculum. While some excellent sites were discovered, many were very text heavy and didn't necessarily lend themselves as being resources that elementary students would necessarily be able to navigate themselves through independently. However, there were lots of 'worthwhile' sites and the beginnings of what promises to be a rich resource to support the new curriculum have been posted for this week. We're starting with grade four with five and six soon to follow! (One site for each of the three grade four topics has been highlighted.) Social Studies Div. 2

NEW! Athabasca Oil Sands
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/oil
This site will introduce you to the largest deposit of oil in the world, the Athabasca Oil Sands. Through these pages you will be exposed to many aspects of the Athabasca Oil Sands encompassing: History, Geology, Mining, Extraction, Upgrading, Environment, and the Future. Just click on one of these topics to get information on each of these areas. Each section may include photographs and/or literature. In addition, click on Faq-Glossary to get answers to frequently asked questions on the Athabasca Oil Sands. (Make sure you click on the drop of oil to get started!)
*This site is also listed under Social Studies Div 2.

NEW! Edmonton Oiler's History
http://www.oilersheritage.com/timeline.html
View the rich history of Alberta and the Edmonton Oilers through a timeline and images. 
*This site is also listed under Social Studies Div 2.

NEW! Alberta Inventors and Inventions
http://www.abheritage.ca/abinvents
Visit this dynamic resource and explore a century of innovation in Alberta. This site offers students and learners of all ages a broad portrait of Alberta's inventive spirit, a drive that has helped to shape the province's development and fuels current and ongoing research and development.
*This site is also listed under Social Studies Div 2.

Week of June 26
So many children's books to choose from, how do you decide? Spend some time reading through this interesting blog that highlights different books and suggests different ways of sharing them. Put together by Esme Raji Codell, this blog offers lots of summer reading!

NEW! The PlanetEsme Book-A-Day Plan
http://planetesme.blogspot.com
Welcome to the Wonderful World of PlanetEsme! I hope this book-a-day plan will be a boon to anyone who would like to play a supporting character in a child's reading life story. This blog is a supporting page to sister site PlanetEsme.com , where you will find a silly amount of additional reviews, thematic lists, links, and much more...everything you need to become an expert in children's literature.
*This site is also listed under Parent Resources.

Week of June 5

One of the things we do is try to make student learning meaningful and connect what they are learning to real life situations. Visit Online Math Applications to find out how math relates to investing money, music, history, science, and travel!

NEW! Online Math Applications
http://library.thinkquest.org/4116/index.htm
This site teaches kids of all ages a simple and interesting approach to math that applies to real world situations such as investing, music, history, science, and travel, including how you work out the cost trade off of driving various sizes of cars with the crazy price of gas these days! This site also includes a simulated stock market game.
*This site is also listed under Other in Math Div 2

Week of May 29
This is one of the rare instances where a site that costs money is being recommended for parents to consider. Exam Bank is a locally developed web site from Leduc, Alberta originally set up to help students prepare for government achievement tests and diploma exams. It has now expanded to offer online study resources in academic subject areas for all grade levels. (There is now also a link to exams for Ontario students.)

NEW! ExamBank
http://www.exambank.com
As exam season quickly approaches, you are probably looking for resources to help your children prepare. You may wish to consider visiting Exam Bank —an online study tool designed specifically to help Alberta students assess themselves as they progress throughout the year and prepare for their end of term exams. Resources are available for academic subject areas in all grades from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Accounts start at $12 Cdn, providing access to write up to 40 practice exams in any subject area or grade, and can be used by more than one child.
*This site is also listed under Parent Resources

Week of May 22

This week there are a number of totally awesome interactive web sites to support the new Grade 2 Social Studies curriculum...

NEW! Athropolis - All Things Cold, Icy, and Arctic!
http://www.athropolis.com/1-home.htm
Chock full of fun games and educational resources, this website is based around the story of three children who land on an iceberg. The iceberg is Athropolis - the home of the Throps and the Squallhoots - and it is melting FAST! On this site you will find Arctic pop-up maps, educational games, a lot of very interesting information about the Arctic, a daily Arctic news article and joke, some very silly songs and really dumb jokes, and much much more.
*This site is also listed under Canada's Dynamic Communities in Grade 2 Social Studies Div 1

NEW! Guide to Arctic Sunrise and Sunset
http://www.athropolis.com/sun-fr.htm
We all know that the hours of daylight increase in the summer in the Arctic but did you know that in May there are over 20 hours of sunlight during the day? Check out this cool interactive web site to find out how many hours of daylight they have during different parts of the year. How many hours of sunlight are there on your birthday?
*This site is also listed under Canada's Dynamic Communities in Grade 2 Social Studies Div 1

NEW! Polar Continental Shelf Project
http://polar.nrcan.gc.ca/kids/index_e.php
Learn about animals, plants, and humans in the Arctic and then take an online quiz.
*This site is also listed under Canada's Dynamic Communities in Grade 2 Social Studies Div 1

NEW! Polar Pairs
http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/game/index.html
Match up the animals and learn all about their habits and habitat. It might get a little chilly, so keep your nose warm!
*This site is also listed under Canada's Dynamic Communities in Grade 2 Social Studies Div 1

NEW! Sharing a Story: The Inuksuk
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ks/inuks_e.html
Did you know that the word Inuksuk means "likeness of a person"? Learn about the history and use of the Inuksuk in this short video introduced in Inuktitut.
*This site is also listed under Canada's Dynamic Communities in Grade 2 Social Studies Div 1

NEW! Wumpa's World
http://www.wumpasworld.com/index2.html
Create your own fish and save a baby whale. Paddle your kayak through the ice floes and catch fish through a hole in the ice. Play matching games with a seal. Paint with a polar bear. While this site was designed with younger children in mind, it offers excellent interactive activities that support the social studies curriculum and well worth a couple of visits! Don't miss this one!!!
*This site is also listed under Canada's Dynamic Communities in Grade 2 Social Studies Div 1

Week of May 8

NEW! Flitting With Fractions
http://www.learningmedia.co.nz/staticactivities/online_activities/flitting_with_fractions
This engaging math activity asks children to identify and catch different butterflies according to specific attributes. They catch them, drop them into a jar, and then close the lid. Once this is done, they are walked through the process of identifying the fraction of butterflies that fit that criteria. Great practice for reinforcing fractions!
*This site is also listed under Number Concepts and Operations in Math Div 1

Week of May 1

I spent a wonderful day with parents at the Literacy and Learning Conference at NAIT in Edmonton last weekend and didn't get the web site updated. The wonderful site that will be shared this week though, will more than make up for it!

NEW! TumbleBooks
http://www.sclibrary.ab.ca/kids/reading/stories.htm
TumbleBooks is an online collection of animated, talking picture books, reading comprehension quizzes, educational games, and teacher resources intended for children from K-3. There is a cost for a subscription but in this case, access is free through the Strathcona County Library in Sherwood Park, Alberta. Thank you to the SCL for making this wonderful resource available to children and their families!
*This site is also listed under Language Arts Div 1

Week of April 15

Well, the new Social Studies section for Division One is finally here! It has been more than a bit of a challenge to find worthwhile web sites for younger students that offer more than just text. There is still some work to be done but at least for now there is a good start! As a way of welcoming this new section, the following web site is being highlighted this week!

NEW! Say Hello to the World
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/hello
Magandang tanghali po! (Bet you didn't know that was 'hello' in Tagalog! If you wanted to say hello to everybody in the world, how many people would that be? And how many languages would you have to learn? You would have to learn at least 2,796 languages and say hello to 5,720,000,000 people! Get started on this web site!
*This site is listed under Grade 3 Communities in the World under Social Studies Div 1

Week of April 9

We know that spring is definitely here when the migratory birds begin to return and the tulips start poking up through the ground. Another clue is when spring babies are born or hatched, as in this case! This week, WWL is featuring a fascinating site of an eagle's nest, called an eyrie, on Hornby Island, BC. At the time of writing, there are two eggs in the nest and always one of the parents sitting on them, actively looking around and waiting for its mate. It apparently takes about 35 days for the eggs to hatch with the eaglets staying until they are about 12 weeks old. Everybody needs to visit this site to see the eagles! (I keep the page minimized while I'm working on my computer, checking in when I hear things get busy!)

NEW! Eagle Eye Live Cam
http://www.infotecbusinesssystems.com/wildlife
Visit an eagle's nest on Hornby Island, BC, watch the parents hatch their two eggs and then follow the eaglets until they are strong enough to fly at about 12 weeks. Want to make this into a learning project? Have your child do some research on eagles, keep a daily observation record, and draw pictures in Paint of what is seen to add to the notes. Make sure your sound is turned on!
*This site is also listed under Other in Science Div 1 and Science Div 2

Week of April 2

Many children are excited about the release of the new Ice Age 2 movie this week and I just happened to stumble upon a site from the Virtual Museum of Canada that examines how and when the first people might have arrived from Siberia. The real connection to Ice Age 2 for me was the Arctic ground squirrel at the bottom of the page through the Primary Level which reminded me immediately of the character 'Skrat'!

NEW! Journey to a New Land
http://www.sfu.museum/journey
People first arrived in the Americas at least 12,000 years ago. The timing of their arrival and the route by which they traveled are not known. Did they follow an inland ice-free corridor route from Siberia to the unglaciated regions south of the ice sheets? Or did they take a coastal route, traveling by boat down the Pacific Coast? Did people arrive during the ice age, or not until after the glaciers receded? Choose your journey by clicking on one of a number of choices including a Primary Level and an Elementary Level at the top of the page.
*This site is also listed under Recess Div 1 and Recess Div 2

Week of March 26

A few weeks ago the grade one Science section was updated and now new sites have been added to grade two Science. While there were a number of excellent web sites added to this section, the site below on bees is highlighted for this week!

NEW! Enter the Hive
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/alienempire/multimedia/hive.html
Welcome to the hive! This site literally takes you into a honeybee hive where you can learn all about the daily life of a honeybee, from pollinating flowers to making and storing honey, by entering their elaborate home.
*This site is also listed under Grade Two Small Crawling and Flying Animals in Science Div 1

Week of March 19

About two months ago I discovered a science site from the UK that explained the concepts of solids, liquids, and gases through a series of cleverly created animations and then I lost it... The good news is after a morning of searching, I was able to locate the site and make it the feature site of this week!

NEW! Solids, Liquids, and Gases
http://www.abpischools.org.uk/resources/solids-liquids-gases/index.asp
Cartoon animations and music are used to introduce information about solids, liquids, and gases. The animation is broken down into different segments that can be paused, moved forward, or backward. Examples of the segments are: Changing Solids into Liquids and Back Again, Dissolving and Not Dissolving, and Solid to Liquid to Gas. There are also numerous links to printable activities (Resource Files) to support the animations. Click on the little cartoon icon to get started.
*This site is also listed under Grade Five Classroom Chemistry in Science Div 2

Week of March 12

Not a lot of time between these last days of winter and the beginning of spring but I discovered this very unique web site and wanted to share it before winter melts away...

NEW! Snow Days
http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays
This is a wonderfully creative site organized around the task of creating your own snowflake and perfect for young (and us slightly older) children! When you get to the site, you can use your mouse to view individual snowflakes as they are falling, see them up close and who made them. Once you make your own snowflake, you have the opportunity to add your name and an email address if you like so that viewers can respond to your work. Putting a first name on the snowflake would be fine but I might pass the email option by and use the opportunity to teach about safety on the Internet. Have fun!
*This site is also listed under Recess Div 1.

Week of March 5

Remember the game of Scrabble? I hadn't played it in years but when I rediscovered it on the Internet the other day, I ended up playing until I ran out of room on the board. (Actually, I think if I had stuck it out, I could have found a way to fit one more word in there somewhere!). Today's site is just like the real board game, the difference is that you're playing on your own but you have the computer to keep track of your word scores and providing you with positive feedback when you put together that absolutely awesome high point word! Even so, play with a partner, help each other out, or just take turns making words. Have fun...

NEW! Solo Scrabble
http://www.themaninblue.com/experiment/SSCrabble
Enjoy the challenge of playing this online game of Scrabble. It's just like the real board game, only you play on your own with the help of the computer to keep score. Have fun and see how many interesting words you can make!
*This site is also listed under Spelling in Lang Arts Div 2.

Week of February 25, 2006

One of the challenges in using the Internet with young children is finding good web sites to support their learning. It's hard to find sites that have the right amount of text, share worthwhile information, and support specific curriculum. This week, a number of excellent sites have been added to support Science in Grade One. Here are a couple of examples:

NEW!Humans and Animals: Senses
http://www.activescience-gsk.com/games/play/index.cfm?module=1&group=1
Discover all about senses and how they are used when you play this senses game from the UK.

NEW! Learn and Build With Lego
http://www.lego.com/eng/default.aspx
This is the official Lego site and very popular with kids, young and old!

NEW! Little Critters as Pets
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-pppp/LLT-onlineCurriculum/flash/control2.html
This web site is all about a special kind of pets: little critters. How many different types of little critters do you know? Do you know that little critters have special needs and have to be handled very carefully? If you want to learn more about little critters, this site is for you.

Week of February 13, 2006

Keyboarding: Literacy Skill or Life Skill? Find out about Keyboarding by clicking on Homework Help and going from there...
Week of February 6, 2006A friend reminded me about these two amazing math sites this past week and I had to bring them to everyone's attention again. One of the sites was already included in WWL but the other hadn't been added. Enjoy these sites!

i-Math Investigations
http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivitySearch.aspx
i-Math Investigations are online, interactive, multimedia math investigations. All i-Maths are built around interactive math Java applets, and some also include video clips. i-Math Investigations is organized according to US curriculum and grade levels but is easy to search through to find the particular skill or concept that you might be looking for.
*This site is also listed under Other in Math Div 1 and Math Div 2

National Library of Virtual Manipulatives for Interactive Mathematics
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/index.html
This site contains uniquely interactive, web-based virtual manipulatives or concept tutorials for mathematics instruction for grades K-8. This site is also based on US curriculum and grade levels but each math strand is easy to search through.
*This site is also listed under Other in Math Div 1 and Math Div 2

Week of January 29, 2006

The Music section of The Arts has been added this week. I had no idea that there were so many worthwhile and intriguing interactive sites on music available for children. It took a lot of time to go through (and play!) on each site to determine if it was indeed worthy of adding to the collection. Music sites included are guaranteed to capture the interest of budding musicians and take them further along the road of musical knowledge!

Week of January 16, 2006

This week, Worthwhile Sites for Learning introduces The Arts!In celebration of the beginning of a new year, a new section entitled 'The Arts' has been added to Worthwhile Web Sites for Learning. The Arts includes interactive sites for art, music, and drama. It was very surprising for me to discover how many excellent web sites supporting the arts that are available on the Internet. The best of the best have been included in this section and while they are entertaining and great fun, the key criteria was that they also provide educational sustenance for your children. Enjoy exploring these worthwhile sites together with your child...

Week of January 9, 2006 - Welcome to the New Year!

Soduko Math
I had to put all of these sites in! Soduko puzzles are so much fun and such good exercise for our brains, I couldn't resist! The rules of Soduko are simple. Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3x3 square. Each Soduko has a unique solution that can only be reached logically, not by guessing. Only for those who want to improve their brain power!

NEW! How to Do Soduko Puzzles
http://www.sudokuforkids.com/How%20to%20do%20Sudoku%20Puzzles.pdf
Soduko puzzles are challenging and require perseverence but develop logical thinking and decision making skills. Once kids figure out how to be successful with these, they might even have a hard time putting them down! This site offers a printable step-by-step tutorial on how to complete simple to more challenging Soduko puzzles. (And, yes, there is inconsistency in the spelling of Soduko. I found it varied from site to site and even within sites!)
*This site is also listed under Tools For Learning under Homework Help.

NEW! Make Your Own Soduko Puzzles
http://www.edhelper.com/sudoku.htm
Many of the printable puzzles are free on this page but the ones you create yourself require registration at this site.
*This site is also listed under Printable Resources under Homework Help.

NEW! Soduko Math
http://www.soduko.org
Although Soduko puzzles are made up of numbers, there is not really any math involved. You must use logic to work out where the numbers go,and that is what makes the puzzles fun. Every puzzle is different, and once you get the hang of it, you may find yourself wanting to do more and more! This site offers Soduko puzzles both online and for printing. It also offers the tutorial for children listed below.
*This site is also listed under Other in Math Div. 2

NEW! Web Sudoku
http://www.websudoku.com
The rules of Sudoko are simple. Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3x3 square. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing. Choose Easy, Medium, Hard, or Evil puzzles at this site!
*This site is also listed under Other in Math Div. 2

Week of December 19, 2005
Two new math sites have been added to the collection for this week.

NEW! Math Magician Games
http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/Mathmagician/cathymath.html
Great math site for young learners to practice their basic facts. Keep a recording sheet handy for your child to keep track of how they are doing.
*This site is also listed under Number Concepts and Operations in Math Div. 1.

NEW! Countdown
http://countdown.luc.edu/index.html
This professional development web site is devoted to the demonstration and support of effective mathematics instruction. Through the use of indexed video clips and related support materials, viewers can explore specific math concepts at their own pace. Whether you're an educator brushing up on formulas, a fifth grader figuring out equivalent fractions, a grad student completing a methods assignment or a concerned parent seeking an "electronic" math tutor for your child...this site is a rich math resource available for your repeated use.
*This site is also listed under Other in Math Div. 2

Week of December 12, 2005
With Christmas break quickly approaching, I thought it would be appropriate to add some fun sites to Recess that are based on a couple of wonderful novels that have been recently turned into movies. Exploring the activities and games at these sites make the kids want to see the movie but they can also be used to entice kids to want to read the novel. Enjoy!

NEW! The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
http://adisney.go.com/disneypictures/narnia/index.html
View trailers and video clips, listen to samples of the music and watch short video clips about the musicians, learn about C.S. Lewis and his seven books, listen to sample chapters out of each book, and finally, play the Narnia online game.
*This site is also listed under Recess Div 1 and Recess Div 2

NEW! Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com
Trailers, video clips, wallpapers, screensavers, posters etc. This site really tries hard to sell you their product. This site provides a wonderful opportunity to teach your child about advertising and how viewers might be taken in by all of the extras. However, there are some excellent features about this site for older students such as the Marauder's Map with lots of different areas to explore and a ton of interactive games.
*This site is also listed under Recess Div 2

Week of December 5, 2005

NEW! 1-Click
http://www.answers.com
A quick and easy tool for older kids (and adults!) to use when they run into a word or concept they don't know. 1-Click provides easy access to definitions and more information on any topic. This is a free download from Answers.com. Install 1-Click on your computer - Mac or Windows- to create an interactive page with any document. Using a special key combination, any word in a Word, Open office, Web page or email document, will be hyperlinked to the definition. There is no spyware or any other unwanted features that are downloaded with this program.
*This site is also listed under Tools for Learning under Homework Help.

Week of November 29, 2005

NEW! YRCA 2006 - Critic's Choice!
http://yrca2006.blogspot.com
Every year librarians, teachers, and students from the Pacific Northwest (BC, Alberta, Oregon, and Washington) compile a list of nominees for their Young Reader's Choice Awards. Students who read two or more novels are invited to vote for their favourite in the spring and a YRCA award is given to the novel with the most votes. There are two divisions, one for Junior (grades 4 to 6) and one for Intermediate (grades 7 to 9). In support of this project, another project using a blog was created for students to share their thoughts about the novels they read by posting on the project site and to become part of a dialogue with other students who have read the same novel. While this project was intended for classroom participation, parents are also welcome to register their children if they would like to participate from home. This project is being run by myself and a good friend and colleague and we would be happy to answer any questions a parent might have. Much more information is available at the project site.
*This site is also listed under Publishing Online under Lang Arts Div 2

Week of November 21, 2005

NEW! ThatQuiz
http://www.thatquiz.com
ThatQuiz is a free online resource for math practice and testing. It was written in the summer of 2004 and later expanded according to teacher needs and requests. The site has become popular for students who want extra math practice at home. All users have access to all of the tests without registration.
*This site is also listed under Other in Math Div. 1 and Math Div. 2

Week of November 14, 2005

NEW! Google Earth – Explore, Search and Discover
http://earth.google.com
Want to know more about a specific location? Dive right in -- Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google Search to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips. Fly from space to your neighbourhood. Type in an address and zoom right in; tilt and rotate the view to see 3D terrain and buildings; save and share your searches and favourites and even add your own annotations. Google Earth is the perfect tool for exploring the geography of a country, searching out famous landmarks of cities under study, or learning how latitude and longitude work. Parents should give themselves some time at this site first because it is hard to share the keyboard at this site! (Google Earth is a free download and does not load any spyware on your computer.)
*This site is also listed under Homework Help (Tools for Learning)

Week of November 7, 2005 - Two new sites for this week!

NEW! Interactive Wordplays
http://www.wordplays.com
This site offers Crossword Challenges, Words In Word, Jumble, Anagram, Word Morph, Crossword Helper and Boggler for older students to explore and challenge their word knowledge. Allow time to explore this site as it is quite addicting!
*This site is also listed under Lang Arts Div 2

NEW! StorylineOnline
http://www.storylineonline.net/storyline
The Screen Actors Guild Foundation is proud to bring you Storyline
Online, an on-line streaming video program featuring SAG members reading
children's books aloud. Stories such as 'Brave Irene' by William Stieg and 'Thank You Mr. Falker' by Patricia Polacco are hand-picked by BookPALS National Program Director Ellen Nathan, a former teacher and librarian.
*This site is also listed under Language Arts Div 1


Week of October 31, 2005

NEW! Monterey Bay Aquarium
http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/cam_menu.asp
Fish, birds, otters, penguins...with great resources to go along with them. The mission of this award-winning web site is to inspire, enrich and extend a visit to the aquarium, while fostering a deeper commitment and connection to ocean conservation. Students can virtually watch aquarists hand-feed otters four times a day on web cams, watch and listen to live audio during the feeding of sharks, turtles, barracudas, and stingrays, and access dozens of interactive activities. The Monterey Bay Aquarium site supports the study of Needs of Plants and Animals in Grade One Science and Animal Life Cycles in Grade Three. Don't forget to shake the sand out of your shoes before you leave this web site!
*This site is also listed under Grade One and Grade Three in Science Div 1

Week of October 24, 2005

NEW! Word Game Boards
http://208.183.128.3/tutorials/gameboard.htm
Need to study for a science or social test? Or come up with a project for a novel study? Create a game board and make your own cards this site. It also offers templates for game boards to fit dozens of different themes as well as the cards to go with them and a variety of different spinners and dice. This is a very worthwhile and valuable site for students and teachers alike!
*This site is also listed under Homework Help

Week of October 3, 2005

NEW! TheFreeDictionary.com
http://www.thefreedictionary.com
This is a search engine that combines dictionary, encyclopedia and thesaurus in one. Each word has a button you can click on to hear how the word is pronounced. It also offers definitions, pictures, related words, synonyms, antonyms and an example of classic literature using the word in context. You can also sign up to have the Word of the Day emailed out to you.
*This site is also listed under Homework Help

Week of September 12, 2005

NEW! HDOP: Help Delete Online Predators
http://www.missingkids.com/adcouncil/lingo.html
This informative resource for parents from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children contains up-to-date listings of the acronyms commonly used by kids who use Instant Messenger (IM) and spend time in chat rooms. It also includes information on how to talk to your kids about using the Internet, some not so pleasant online stories, an Internet safety quiz for adults, and a quiz for kids. Unless you are a regular chat participant, it's guaranteed you'll learn something here! TTYL!
*This site is also listed under Using the Internet

Div.1 or Div.2	Div.1 or Div.2	Div.1 or Div.2	Under Construction!
Div.1 or Div.2	Div.1 or Div.2 Div. 1 and 2	WWL has moved to http://www.wwlearning.ca