Hi! It’s Thursday, April 1, 2010 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!
Recommended Website:
WebRangers
Age Range: 8-16 (Approximately. There is something for kids of all ages at this site. Non-readers will need assistance.)
A Maryland ClickScholar suggested this free online WebRanger program for kids with over 50 games and activities that teach about national parks, monuments, and historic sites, provided by the National Park Services.
This is a companion website to the real-time Junior Ranger program that kids can join at national parks throughout the U.S.
The timing here is terrific because National Parks Week is April 17-25, 2010 and during that time all 392 national parks are waiving entrance fees! Many of them are also offering educational and entertaining activities including historical reenactments, living history, guided tours, volunteer clean-up programs, and much, much more.
Not only that, but National Junior Ranger Day is Saturday, April 24, 2010 and children can participate in fun learning activities (that include history, art, science, & nature) to earn a Junior Ranger patch. Get the details and a list of National Parks offering Junior Ranger Programs HERE.
When you get to the WebRangers site, you’ll see a video screen that provides an overview of what’s available at the website. Click on “Enter.” A new page opens that offers you the opportunity to sign up to become a WebRanger or just visit the site without registering.
I suggest you click on “Visitor” on your first experience and just look around and play the activities (rated Easy, Medium, and Hard) in these categories:
- People – Learn about U.S. Presidents, Thomas Edison, Paul Revere, George Washington Carver, Eleanor Roosevelt and more.
- History – Discover arctic artifacts, set sail on a whaling voyage or a Navy war ship in 1812.
- Nature – Discover dendrochronology (tell time with tree rings) and take The Puma Challenge!
- Animals – Pack a virtual dog sled, protect bald eagles, and help baby sea turtles find the ocean.
- Science – Test the water quality, virtually explore tidepools, find out what dinosaurs ate.
- Puzzles – Break the alpha code names for national parks, send a message with a signal flag, go on a website scavenger hunt.
- Parks – Play “Name That Park,” help a ranger, learn the 10 essentials for having fun and staying safe in parks.
Click on any topic and a new page opens with a menu of multi-media online games and activities that teach as they entertain. From simple match games to challenging quests, you won’t believe the amount of content delivered.
Book mark this site, you simply can’t see it all in one visit. This site earns a ClickSchooling Award (CSAW) for excellence.
