Sites to See:
Online Literacy

More than three dozen pseudo-sites to use for media literacy lessons throughout the year.

According to a 1997 statistical summary of public Web usage, in 1993, the approximately 1.3 million computer users with an Internet connection could visit a grand total of 130 Web sites. Most of those sites were developed and maintained by universities and government agencies.

If you plan to share any of the sites in this article with your students, you'll also want to check out the following Education World resources for teaching media literacy:

* True or False

* I Read It on the Internet: Teaching About Web Literacy

* Fact, Fiction, or Opinion: Evaluating Online Information

Slightly more than ten years later, online visitors can choose from hundreds of millions of Web pages -- at sites created by experts, pseudo-experts, enthusiasts, fanatics, and the just plain ignorant. Today's Web surfers are presented with choices that early denizens of the Internet barely dreamed of.

For many educators, however, that dream has become a nightmare. With so many exemplary resources -- and so much artfully packaged trash -- available from the First Page of the Internet to the End of the Internet -- how do you know which is which? More importantly, how do you teach your students to tell the difference?

The sites below might help.

Note: Web sites, especially sites designed to amuse or confuse, can include material that might not be appropriate for your students. As always, preview all sites thoroughly before introducing them to your class.

Britain for Americans
Why not include in your next study of the American Revolution an authentic look at modern British culture? This site, created by a knowledgeable Brit, is designed specifically to help Americans understand the strange culture from which our country arose. The site includes a geography section, which contains brief discussions on Ireland and Scotland, as well; and sections on British transportation and food and drink. The language section includes comparisons of "British spelling" and "Correct spelling" that should prove useful for incorporating language arts into an interdisciplinary unit on Britain. You might want to skip the music section, however, since class time is short and most British music is American in origin anyway. In general, however, this site is informative, clearly written, and easy to understand.

First Genetics
Looking for something a little different to wake up your apathetic science students? This site on genetic research is sure to spark their interest while contributing to their understanding of monkey genealogy and genetic manipulation. Although much of the research area is available only to First Genetics personnel, the public area of the site includes background information on mandrills; an interview with Dr. Arnold Brockenf�hr, the founder of First Genetics; a picture gallery featuring Marty, the world's first genetically engineered monkey; and a WebCam chat room in which visitors can talk online with Marty.

General Delivery University This Web site, which provides a comprehensive look over of one of the world's most overlooked virtual universities, should prove to be a welcome surprise to all high school level educators -- teachers and guidance counselors in particular. The site offers a thorough discussion of university Rules and Regulations, including a sample Scholastic Ineptitude Test, a link to the school newspaper, and a discussion of the school's history. In addition, the site provides a complete course offering for each of the university's academic programs, from the College of Urban Agriculture to the School of Divinity of the Church of Generic Beliefs. No high school educator will want to miss making students aware of this university that has as its goal "to provide the opportunity for the acquisition of the appearance of a comprehensive education and semi-useful skills, without the necessity of wasting a lot of time attending boring classes, and without the exorbitant cost of tuition."

RYT Hospital
Although, at first glance, you might assume that this is "just another hospital Web site," the resources offered by Rye Hospital are, in fact, so diverse, that the site is certain to be useful in a variety of academic settings, including classes in science, health, physical fitness, safety, sex education, technology. and more. RYT Hospital, moreover, includes a number of interactive resources and activities designed to answer that age-old student question, "But how does this apply to real life?" In the GenoChoice section of the site, for example, students can create a clone embryo of themselves, while at Male Pregnancy, they can join physicians and scientists around the world in monitoring the first pregnant male. In addition, students can explore sections on Head Transplantations and Nanodocs, and learn about the development of NurseBots for the elderly. Finally, don't miss a virtual tour of the PaperVeins Museum of Art.

Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
The perfect place to visit on Earth Day, this site features a through discussion of the physical characteristics, habitat, reproductive cycle, and more of the solitary cephalopod known as the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus. The site offers rare photographs of actual tree octopi, as well as photos of their habitat, and a map of their spawning range. More information about cephalopods and about other animals that live in the coniferous Olympic forests is included. Students also might enjoy exploring the site's links to other environmental and conservation resources, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Pumpkins. (For more Earth Day info, be sure to visit the DHMO Homepage.)

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