Posts Tagged ‘CSAW’

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PlanetQuest (CSAW)

October 28th, 2014

 

It’s Tuesday, October 28, 2014, and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

 

Recommended Website:

 

NASA: PlanetQuest Timeline

 

Age Range: 9 and up (Grades 3-Adult; children, with parental supervision)

 

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 PlanetQuest 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.

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Free Audio Stories for Kids! (CSAW)

April 20th, 2011

Hi!  It’s Wednesday, April 20, 2011 and time for Language Arts at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
StoryNory.com

Age Range: 4-12 (approximately, with parental supervision)

If you don’t know about this website – you should. :)

 StoryNory.com offers a treasure trove of free audio stories for kids that include fairy tales, myths, original stories and more.

Every week a new audio story is published on the website (and has been since 2005). You can listen online or download the stories to your iPod or MP3 player for free.

The storytellers are entertaining and the content includes:

*Fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson

*Folktales and legends from around the world.

*Beloved children’s tales such as the Just So stories by Rudyard Kipling

*Classics including A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and an entire audio book of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

*Original children’s stories created by the owners of the site. 

The founders of Storynory (a writer and BBC radio journalist) own an online media consulting company. Storynory is a demonstration of what they do, and it’s supported by advertising.

You can subscribe to their e-newsletter for free and get the new weekly stories delivered by email to your inbox.

Listening to audio stories develops language arts skills, improves attention, and sparks the imagination. This is a great demonstration of educational entertainment earning Storynory.com a ClickSchooling Award for Excellence (CSAW)!

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Multi-Media Language Arts Activities (CSAW)

February 23rd, 2011

Hi!  It’s Wednesday, November 23rd, 2010 and time for Language Arts at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
ChildrensUniversity

Age Range: 6-12 (approximately, with info that may interest older students and adults)

This fantastic multimedia children’s site from The University of Manchester, offers a variety of well-crafted activities and games to learn grammar and parts of speech, along with an animated timeline of the history of the English language. Plus you can explore other languages used around the world to encourage understanding of language in general.

When you get to the site you will see an introduction and a menu to the left that includes:

*World Language Map – Click on an animated map to learn about different languages spoken all over the world. As you zero in on a given country, you’ll watch a video of a native speaker saying conversational phrases that are accompanied by English subtitles. Plus, you’ll learn more about the languages and dialects spoken in that country.
  
*Timeline of the English Language – Discover the evolution of the English language and the influence of the Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Normans, as well as the printing press, English bible, Greek and Latin root words, Shakespeare, and more.

*Naming Nouns – Explore this interactive lesson that explains what nouns are including common and proper nouns, concrete and abstract nouns, collective nouns and more. Play the “Noun Game” and take quizzes to test your knowledge.

*Adjective Detective – Learn all about adjectives and how to use them including comparative and superlative adjectives. Play the “Adjective Game” and take quizzes to test your knowledge.

*Match the Eponyms – Do you know what an eponym is? Here’s a clue: Do you know the origin of the word “sandwich”?  This is a word trivia feast – and lots of fun!
 
*Borrowing Words – Many English words were “borrowed” from other languages. Play a game and try to match the English word to the language of origin. You’ll learn about the origin of words like score, zombie, bandana, skunk and many more.

*Idioms Game – Idioms are sayings such as “The early bird catches the worm.” Match the idioms to their meanings in this informative game.

The games are very engaging. Your kids will learn far more than the standard grammar drills we see in most language arts games. They’ll learn historical and cultural information that will enhance their understanding of the English language.

I focused on Language Arts for this review, but you can find great games and interactives on the Home Page that include the following topics:

  • The Body and Medicines
  • Energy and the Environment
  • Ancient Egypt
  • The Earth and Beyond
  • Teeth and Eating
  • Micro-organisms
  • The Brain and Senses
  • Talking Textiles

This remarkable site earns a ClickSchooling Award (CSAW) for excellence in combining technology with education, and providing it for free on the Net.
 

Enjoy!

 

Diane Flynn Keith
for ClickSchooling
http://www.ClickSchooling.com

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Fun Games & WebQuests Teach Civics! (CSAW)

January 27th, 2011

Hi!  It’s Thursday, January 27, 2011 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
iCivics

Age Range: 9 -18 (about Grades 4-12, younger students may enjoy aspects with parental assistance)

Bookmark this site now! It’s a fun, interactive gateway into the realm of Civics! The brainchild of former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, this free education project teaches students about civics through engaging computer games in which the student “wins” by mastering knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and essential foundational principles of the nation.

When you get to the site you will see some featured games at the top of the page, and a menu of game “Topics” that include: 

*Citizenship and Participation – Play games that teach about immigration, citizenship, voting and more.

*Separation of Powers – Control all 3 branches of government to understand the parts of government and how they work.

*The Constitution and the Bill of Rights – Run your own firm of lawyers who specialize in constitutional law. Try out your persuasive skills by arguing a real Supreme Court case. Take a WebQuest to learn about how our Constitution was created and how it affects YOU.

*The Judicial Branch – Play “Court Quest” and guide people through the court system.

*The Executive Branch – Find out what it’s like to be a U.S. President over a 4-year term of office.

*The Legislative Branch – Become a virtual legislator and try to meet the needs of your constituents.  Play “Law Craft” and find out what members of Congress must do to prepare, write, pass, and enact laws.

In addition to the multi-media games and webquests, you’ll find lesson plans and handouts for teachers and parents that go with the games to enhance learning.

This site wins a ClickSchooling Award for excellence in combining education and technology on the Internet.

Enjoy!

 

Diane Flynn Keith
for ClickSchooling
http://www.ClickSchooling.com

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Photo “Ark” of Earth’s Biodiversity (CSAW)

January 25th, 2011

Hi!  It’s Tuesday, January 25th, 2011 and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
ARKive: Images of Life on Earth

Age Range: All

Gather the family around the computer for this free photographic “ARK-ive” of wildlife imagery that promotes understanding and appreciation of the world’s biodiversity and conservation of the world’s threatened species.

Sponsored by Wildscreen, a non-profit organization, this site is more than just a beautiful photo gallery of the earth’s many plants and animals; it is a virtual encyclopedia of the world’s endangered species! 

Get up close and personal with nature as you flip through the amazing high resolution images of species including:

  • Mammals
  • Birds
  • Reptiles
  • Amphibians
  • Fish
  • Invertebrates – terrestrial
  • Invertebrates – marine
  • Plants and algae
  • Fungi (including lichens)

Click on a category, and a new page opens to a menu of flora or fauna represented. For example, click on “Reptiles” and a new page opens where you can learn more about Komodo Dragons, Hawksbill Turtles, Adders, Saltwater Crocodiles, Arabian Sand Geckos, and much, much more!

View incredible photographs, videos, and read interesting fact sheets to learn information such as:

  • Range
  • Habitat
  • Biology
  • Threats
  • Conservation

There are also external links within each page to lead you to the organizations or societies helping any given specie.

You can sign up for free to become an ARKive member that allows you to make your own archives and download photos and screen savers. 

As the site explains:

“Wildlife films and photos are vital weapons in the battle to save the world’s endangered species from the brink of extinction. So with the help of the world’s best filmmakers, photographers, conservationists and scientists, ARKive is creating the ultimate multimedia guide to the world’s endangered animals, plants and fungi.

By revealing what these species look like, how they behave and what makes them special, we are aiming to shine the spotlight on the many thousands of endangered species, thereby raising their public profile and, ultimately, helping to ensure their conservation.”

This noble effort wins a ClickSchooling Award (CSAW) for excellence in combining technology with education. 

Enjoy!

Diane Flynn Keith
for ClickSchooling

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A Sailor’s Life For Me!

January 6th, 2011

Hi! It’s Thursday, January 6, 2011 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
A Sailor’s Life For Me

Age Range: 9-14 (approximately, and fun for all)

A Maryland ClickScholar suggested this brand new multi-media website from the USS Constitution Museum that allows students to virtually set sail aboard “Old Ironsides” on a seafaring adventure set during the War of 1812. Discover the life of a young sailor as you:

  • Scrub the deck, haul on lines, steer the ship, and work the guns.
  • Tell tall tales and play a game of dice during your leisure time.
  • Find out how a wooden-hulled ship earned the name “Old Ironsides.”
  • Discover how “Old Ironsides” remained undefeated from its launch in 1797.
  • See how sailors ate a diet of hardtack and grog, and climbed masts 200 feet in the air.

If you play the game well, you’ll rise through the ranks and eventually captain your own gun crew!

When you get to the site, you can click on “Sail To Victory” and start playing the game right away. As you play, you’ll explore every nook of the ship from the dark hold to the top of the tallest mast. Learn about the daily lives of the hundreds of sailors who lived and worked in the cramped ship space. Listen as they tell you about their lives in their own words.

There is lots of content here and it takes a while to play the entire game. If you register at the site (free), you can leave the game at any time and return where you left off.

Be sure to click on “Family Activities“ at the top of the home page (in very tiny print), to download printable activities (pdf) to further the learning at home. They include:

*Speaking in Colors – Learn the language of the sea and create your own coded messages!

*Word Search – Hunt down those tricky nautical terms and learn what they mean!

*Ship’s Biscuit Recipe – Do you think you could eat like a sailor for a day? Put yourself to the test and bake your own ship’s biscuit.

*Constructing Constitution – Construct your very own USS Constitution.

*Ready? Aim. Fire! – Find out how sailors fired a cannon on board Constitution.

The site has vivid illustrations along with playful text and narration that draws on more than 10 years of intensive research by the USS Constitution Museum. As proclaimed at the website, “This is the most accurate and thrilling depiction of life at sea ever presented. Now raise the anchors and sail into the War of 1812!”

This site earns a ClickSchooling Award (CSAW) for excellence in combining technology and educational content.

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