Posts Tagged ‘CSAW’

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Interactive Science Games for Kids (CSAW)

November 30th, 2010

Hi!  It’s Tuesday, November 30, 2010 and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
University of Illinois: Just for Kids
 
Age Range: 5-12 (approximately)

Bookmark this site now. The University of Illinois offers all kinds of free, multimedia, interactive science games that help kids learn about biology, zoology, meteorology, entomology, and more!

When you get to the site you’ll see a menu of games, click on any one to play-and-learn including:

*The Great Plant Escape – Discover the mysteries of plant life.

*Where Your Food Comes From – Tons of interactives to find out the origins of chocolate, pineapples, bananas, peanuts, rice, coffee, tea and much more.

*Shake, Rattle and Slide – Learn all about earthquakes, volcanoes, and glaciers.

*Riding the Winds with Kalani – Investigate the science of weather and what impacts it including the sun, seasons, clouds, precipitation and more!

*Let’s Talk About Insects – Find out the definition of an insect, learn about insect life cycles, and discover their importance to life on earth.

Many of these games are actually entire websites hosted by the University of Illinois and not only include the games, but teacher guides, suggested activities to enhance learning, and links to other resources. Plus, many of the games are available in a variety of languages. 

In addition to the science games, you’ll also find games about nutrition, exercise, sports, and more.

This site earns a ClickSchooling Award (CSAW) for excellence in providing free educational information in a fun, entertaining, and engaging way. 

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Planet Quest (CSAW)

October 19th, 2010

Hi!  It’s Tuesday, October 19, 2010 and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
NASA: Planet Quest Timeline

Age Range: 9 and up (with parental guidance)

Note: Read all the way to the end of this review – there are a few links I don’t want you to miss!

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory offers a multi-media historic timeline of the discovery of planets in our solar system and in others. Turn on your speakers to hear the narration as you watch the video slide show.

Then, visit the main Planet Quest website with a dazzling array of astronomical science, technology, and incredible multi-media space-themed games, simulations, movies and virtual tours!

There’s something for everyone here - a description simply doesn’t do it justice. This one earns a ClickSchooling Award (CSAW) for excellence in blending technology with education.

Note: The inspiration for finding this website was a video I watched yesterday, produced by a New York father and his young son who launched an iPhone into outer space. You won’t believe the results. Gather the kids around the computer and watch it HERE. You’ll be glad you did.  :)

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TV Schoolhouse – Social Sciences & More! (CSAW)

October 14th, 2010

Hi!  It’s Thursday, October 14, 2010 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
TV Schoolhouse

This website offers free, old-time, educational movies for a variety of subjects including social studies and geography! There’s a story behind this site that I want to share with you…

In September, ClickSchooling featured a review of HaveFunWithHistory.com that provides free streaming videos and interactive presentations to bring American history alive for teachers, homeschoolers, and history buffs. The creator of that website, Chris Grahl, sent me the following note:

“I just wanted to thank you for your very thorough review. We’re a homeschool family which is one of the things that prompted me to build the site.

In addition, I’ve just started a new and similar site called tvSchoolhouse.com. I thought it would be good to expand beyond American History, so with this site, we’re trying to cover as many of the subject areas we can find videos for. We use old educational films – some are highly informative, while others are just funny. Many, fall somewhere in the middle. I hope you get a chance to check it out.”

I just visited the site and took a trip down memory lane. I recall seeing some of these educational films, newsreels, public service announcements, and movies when I went to school! Most were made between 1940-1960. Now, you can access them for free on a variety of subjects including:

  • Art & Music
  • Science
  • Home Economics
  • Language Arts
  • Social Studies
  • Geography
  • Health & Safety
  • Virtual Field Trip

Click on any one and a new page opens with a menu of choices. Click on a film title and a new screen opens where you can watch the film. Note: You must click on the screenshot to start the movie.

You’ll be treated to an entertaining educational extravaganza. Watch these with your kids because they will result in lots of laughs, great discussions, and engaging learning opportunities.

This site earns a ClickSchooling Award for providing terrific educational content for free on the Net.

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Interactive Science Games, Activities, & More! (CSAW)

September 7th, 2010

Hi!  It’s Tuesday, September 7, 2010 and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Planet Science

Age Range: 4-14 (approximately, and fun for the whole family)

Where do I begin to describe this site? It has all kinds of free, fascinating, and fun science activities, experiments, and games that will entice and engage the most reluctant scientist in your family. 

The whole idea of Planet Science is to make science entertaining for the whole family without being “schooly.” When you get to the website you’ll see a menu that includes:

*News – Here you’ll find the latest newsletters that announce new additions to the site and referrals to fun activities in the archives.

*Randomise – Enjoy a wide selection of online, multi-media, arcade-style games that teach about science as they entertain.  Just look at some of the game titles and descriptions to get an idea of what’s offered:

  • Planet 10 – Try to build your own indestructible planet.
  • Body Bits Pinball Game – Organs all over the place! Learn about anatomy as you collect points.
  • Mission Adaptation Game – Become a photographer and travel the world to photograph wildlife and discover how they have adapted to their environment.

*Sci-Teach – Designed for teachers, this section provides resources and tips for teaching science along with suggested classroom activities that can be tweaked for use at home.
 
*Out There – Get free science activities, experiments, and online science adventures including:

  • Breed Your Own Black Flowers
  • Fire Facts
  • Mars – The Facts
  • Nanotechnology Movie
  • Sugar Science
  • Undercover Science
  • ~ and more!

Actually, one of the easiest ways to see what’s available on this website is to open any menu item, and then look for the menu on the left side of the screen. Click on “Site Map” from the menu and a new page opens that explains how the site is organized. From there you can easily access areas of specific interest to your family.

There are a total of eight sections that include the four that I’ve featured above, plus:

*Under 11s – Fun ways to bring science to life for children in PreK and early elementary grades.

*Next Steps – Information on careers and jobs for those with an interest in science.

This is a terrific website that includes parents in the process of learning science with their kids and makes it enjoyable for both.  This site earns a ClickSchooling Award (CSAW) for excellence.  

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Interactive Orchestra, Composers, & More (CSAW)

August 28th, 2010

Hi!  It’s Saturday, August 28, 2010 and time for Music at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
ArtsVivants/ArtsAlive

Age Range: 5-18 (elementary through high school approximately)

Chris in Virginia recommended this treasure that offers a vast selection of free interactive games and activities to encourage music appreciation and skill in young people of all ages.

Not only can kids and students explore the history of orchestral and classical music, but they can play interactive games that teach and inspire as they entertain. Watch videos and listen to clips of orchestral music, get to know composers, print out lessons and activities in pdf files and much more.

When you get to the site you’ll see a welcome message, some featured activities, and a menu that includes:

*Music Resources – Access music recordings, video clips, and a handy music dictionary. There is advice for students, teachers, and parents too.

*Instrument Lab – Virtually “handle” orchestral instruments through this interactive program and listen to what it sounds like. Discover all four instrument families: strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion.

*Great Composers – Take a virtual field trip to another country and time as you learn about the lives of great classical and contemporary composers including Beethoven, Gershwin, Vivaldi, Stravinsky, Adams, Marquez, and more.

*Activities & Games – Create your own musical score, test your knowledge of composers, and name the instruments of the orchestra.  Download sheet music (for recorder or piano) and play along to pieces by Vivaldi, Schubert and Mozart!

There is so much content here that you’ll need to visit several times to explore it all.

Not only that, but if you use the menu at the very top of the page, you can explore other performing arts in a similar interactive style including:

  • English Theater
  • French Theater
  • Dance
  • Costume Design
  • Graphic Arts 

Like I said, bookmark this site which has earned a ClickSchooling Award (CSAW) for excellence – you’ll want to return again and again! 

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Interactive Orchestra, Composers, & More (CSAW)

August 28th, 2010

Hi!  It’s Saturday, August 28, 2010 and time for Music at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
ArtsVivants/ArtsAlive

Age Range: 5-18 (elementary through high school approximately)

Chris in Virginia recommended this treasure that offers a vast selection of free interactive games and activities to encourage music appreciation and skill in young people of all ages.

Not only can kids and students explore the history of orchestral and classical music, but they can play interactive games that teach and inspire as they entertain. Watch videos and listen to clips of orchestral music, get to know composers, print out lessons and activities in pdf files and much more.

When you get to the site you’ll see a welcome message, some featured activities, and a menu that includes:

*Music Resources – Access music recordings, video clips, and a handy music dictionary. There is advice for students, teachers, and parents too.

*Instrument Lab – Virtually “handle” orchestral instruments through this interactive program and listen to what it sounds like. Discover all four instrument families: strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion.

*Great Composers – Take a virtual field trip to another country and time as you learn about the lives of great classical and contemporary composers including Beethoven, Gershwin, Vivaldi, Stravinsky, Adams, Marquez, and more.

*Activities & Games – Create your own musical score, test your knowledge of composers, and name the instruments of the orchestra.  Download sheet music (for recorder or piano) and play along to pieces by Vivaldi, Schubert and Mozart!

There is so much content here that you’ll need to visit several times to explore it all.

Not only that, but if you use the menu at the very top of the page, you can explore other performing arts in a similar interactive style including:

  • English Theater
  • French Theater
  • Dance
  • Costume Design
  • Graphic Arts 

Like I said, bookmark this site which has earned a ClickSchooling Award (CSAW) for excellence – you’ll want to return again and again! 

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