Volume 2, No. 8                     22 November, 2002 [To view this newsletter on line: http://www.emck.net/eline/02_11_22.htm.]

The Help Desk wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving!  Thanks to Susan Simandle of Franklin County Schools, our latest resource contributor! (Do you have a favorite resource? Send it to us - we'll include it, and give you credit!)

Thanksgiving... that wonderful fall break where we can visit with family and rest our educational minds! Of course, this national holiday is also the celebration of significant historical events and peoples, and hence is a great teachable moment! Here's a few Thanksgiving instructional resources found for free on line:

	The First Thanksgiving from Scholastic (http://teacher.scholastic.com/thanksgiving/). The lesson plans are mostly aimed at elementary kids, but there's also some middle school plans, and lots of good general information!
	Plimoth-On-Web (http://www.plimoth.org/). This web presence for the living museum Plimoth Plantation, at the site of the original settlement in Plymouth Massachusetts, has a lot of resources, including a virtual tour.
	The Mayflower Web Page (http://members.aol.com/calebj/mayflower.html). Maintained as a personal project of Caleb Johnson, a descendent of the original voyage, this web page is full of interesting and useful information on the Mayflower and its voyagers.

General Resources	Global SchoolNet http://www.globalschoolnet.org/ A genuine 501(c)(3) non-profit online resource in service since 1984, Global SchoolNet provides a wide range of service to educators (see Science and Writing under Content Area Resources below for examples). GlobalSchoolNet is supported by sponsors and member donations, but free membership is available. The focus of this service is global communication, literacy, multicultural understanding, and "...prepare [students] for full participation as productive and effective citizens in an increasing global economy."
Content Area Resources	The Arts Music K8 http://www.musick8.com/ Music K8's main resource is a pay-subscription magazine aimed at music educators teaching grades K-8. However, there is also a very popular free email discussion forum with archives, an enormous amount of resources kept in a searchable database on the website with streamed examples, and a collection of music education links. Suggested by Susan Simandle, Franklin County Schools Mathematics AAA Math http://aaamath.com/ This very simple website is not a source of lesson plans, collaborative projects, or problem-solving exercises. It is a collection of drill-and-practice exercises on a variety of elementary mathematics topics, and hence can be used for supplemental reinforcement of classroom-taught concepts. It's a website that promotes a for-sale CD, but almost all of the content and capability of the CD is delivered on the website for free. Reading American Folklore http://americanfolklore.net/ Originally a graduate project of Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, this collection of folklore tales are rewritten by freelance author Sandra E. Schlosser. The tales are arranged by state, subject, and historical figure, making this a good research site for young readers. Science Online Expeditions from Global Schoolhouse http://www.globalschoolhouse.org/expeditions/ Global SchoolHouse provides web space and interactive presence for many global research projects, including the latest from science researchers John Gartner and Karen Cozzetto - University of Colorado-Boulder Ph.D. students who are heading to Antarctica for three months. Some of the projects require fees and registration, but most are free, including this one! [editor's note: As of 7/3/04, this, and at least one subsequent expedition, are now completed. Look for further adventure announcements.] Social Studies Tour of the White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/life/ The White House, in celebration of the West Wing's 100th anniversary, is now open for visits! Available through this new initiative of the President's web presence are static pictures with text, RealMedia videos narrated by President Bush and members of his staff (as well as First Lady Laura Bush), and a great iPix-driven room-by-room panoramic tour. Writing 17th Annual Letters to Santa http://www.globalschoolnet.org/programs/santa/index.html Global SchoolNet is responsible for this simple interactive concept, where K-2 students write letters to Santa, and 7-12 students write back as Santa! A good way to encourage writing skills, while promoting collaboration between grades! [editor's note: As of 7/3/04, the site hadn't been updated since Christmas, 2003 - watch for changes.]
Software Sources	My Teacher Software http://www.myteachersoftware.com/ It's just getting started (for instance, the "Free Dowloads" link currently only offers CNet's own educational downloads), but it looks to be a good future source for instructional software, complete with reviews and clickable links. A project of Ontario-based Educators Network.
Professional Resources	Center for Applied Special Technology http://www.cast.org/ Technology in education is worthless unless it increases opportunity, enhances access, and supports learning. This website maintained by CAST, a not-for-profit organization, is aimed at the use of technology to "...expand opportunities for all people, especially those with disabilities." It's main clinical initiative, "Universal Design for Learning," is research-based, and constructed to increase flexibility in instructional delivery while reducing demands on the teacher. For those concerned about website accessibility, CAST provides access to a singe-page scan using BOBBY - a software package that tests websites for compliance with the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Web Access Initiative (WAI) as well as Section 508 guidelines from the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) of the U.S. Federal Government.