Home >> Awards >> Past >> Months >> January 2006

Search form

 

Home > Site Reviews Center > Archives > By Date > January 2006

JANUARY 2006
 

From Silk to Oil: Cross-Cultural Connections Along the Silk Roads
Marco? Point and Click: along the Silk Road through central Asia.
Grades: 6-8, 9-12, Advanced
From Silk to Oil: Cross-Cultural Connections Along the Silk Roads is a curriculum created by the China Institute and funded by the U.S. Department of Education. It explores Central Asia, taking students on a journey, beginning in the second century BCE, and ending in the contemporary period, along the Silk Road, one of the world's oldest and most important trade routes.

The Astronomy Center.org
The American Astronomical Society's portal to a universe of resources.
Grades: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Advanced
The Astronomy Center.org offers a vast database of links to a wide range of reviewed teaching and learning resources related to the study of astronomy. It is a service provided by the American Astronomical Society in collaboration with the American Association of Physics Teachers and the ComPADRE project. Anyone can use the database, but participation requires the creation of a free account.

Astrophysics Science Project: Integrating Research and Education (ASPIRE)
Science lessons and interactive labs from the University of Utah.
Grades: 9-12
This innovative and interactive science education website provides inquiry-based lesson plans and fun interactive labs that were created by teachers for teachers. Registration is required for full access but it is free.

Digital Library for Earth System Education
A National Science Foundation one-stop shop for Earth science resources.
Grades: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
The Digital Library for Earth Systems Education (DLESE) is funded by the National Science Foundation and offers a database of quality teaching and learning resources about the Earth for a wide range of learners.

Winslow Homer in the National Gallery of Art
Beautiful site focused on one of America's signature artists.
Grades: K-2, 3-4, 5-8, 9-12
This site is a companion to the exhibition at the National Gallery of Art and explores the life and works of Winslow Homer, one of America's treasured 19th century artists.

The Secrets of Aging
Hurry! Save this URL! Interesting site about aging.
Grades: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Secrets of Aging is the companion site to a traveling exhibit developed by the Museum of Science, Boston in collaboration with Science Museum Exhibit Collaborative, that explores what the latest social science, psychological, and biological research reveals about an emotional process that affects us all. The site is recommend for classes grade 4 and up who are studying biology, health, technology, psychology, sociology, or anthropology.

PhysicsFront.org
Fabulous physics site for high school with a strong section for K-8.
Grades: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
The PhysicsFront is a service provided by the American Association of Physics Teachers. It is supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation. It provides "high quality resources tailored for the teaching of high school physics and physical sciences." Included are lessons, labs, and activities.

Oceans Alive
Making a very big topic (oceans!) more easily understood.
Grades: K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Oceans Alive is a rich resource of information for teaching and learning about the oceans including topics such as the water cycle, waves and wind, currents, marine life, tides and much more.

Engineering Is Elementary
A wonderful site that promotes engineering amongst the young'uns.
Grades: K-2, 3-5
Engineering Is Elementary provides curricular materials for grades 1-5 that integrate engineering and technology concepts and skills with elementary science lessons.

Powerful Bones, Powerful Girls
Colorful Centers for Disease Control site promotes skeletal health among girls.
Grades: 3-5, 6-8
This girl-friendly Web site offers girls information on how to develop lifelong bone-healthy habits for a healthier future.

Western Trails: An Online Journey
Click West, young person! Primary documents about the American West.
Grades: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
This site is the collaborative effort of a number of institutions in Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska. It offers a digital database of thousands of primary documents that deal with the history of the western United States as well as lesson plans for using primary sources in the classroom.

Kids Design Network (KDN)
DuPage Children's Museum (IL) site where kids play engineer (designer, not choo-choo).
Grades: 3-5, 6-8
This site from the DuPage Children's Museum offers students the opportunity to find out about life as an engineer by taking the challenge to draw the design and build a gadget then compare it to other kids. The site is now looking for funding for the live interactive part of the site but the free challenges are still available.

Invention at Play
A Smithsonian site focused on the link between kids' play and science.
Grades: 3-5, 6-8
This site was developed by the Lemelson Center at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in partnership with the Science Museum of Minnesota and explores the role toys and play have had in invention. Included are games that teach such skills as problem solving, visual thinking, exploratory learning, and more.