Laura Jernegan: Girl on a Whaleship

 Laura Jernegan: Girl on a Whaleship
This site, http://www.girlonawhaleship.org/ is a beautifully crafted site. It would be great for anyone just interested in a good read, learning about artifacts, or information on whales. A six year old girl in 1868 travelled on a whaling ship with her dad. Her journal was discovered and is photographed and placed on the site. You can read the journal or have it read to you. It has maps about where she travelled, where whales migrate and diagrams of the ship she travelled on. You have to experience this beautiful site to understand how much there is here. I can visualize it being used in a science class about migrations, a history class learning about the importance of artifacts and having primary sources to study. I can see how you might use this site in a class about journalling. I couldn't believe how wonderfully this six year old girl could write!

How Big Really?

This BBC site is awesome. I plan on showing it to my students soon, to have them really appreciate the scale of historical and scientific events. The site says to type in your zip code, but it is even better if you type in your whole address. Then you choose the event. Want to see how big the Egyptian pyramids really are? Center them on your home address and you can see how much area they would occupy. How big was the oil spill? How far did Hannibal actually march?
I love this site and think your students will get a new understanding of events, both current and past. Also, to see how big the moon actually is compared to an area they understand - very interesting.
http://howbigreally.com/

Progressive Phonics

I wish I had found this site this summer. It has a series of books to print to use with beginning readers. They are meant to be read with a parent or teacher. The books have words that the students read and words the adult reads.  You do have to be registered to download the books, but you can see them on line. It seems to have a great progression. Certainly a good tool to be able to give to parents to supplement your phonics program! http://www.progressivephonics.com/~suzettew/

National Geographic Gems

I have been watching the National Geographic sites and think that they are worth mentioning here. The National Geographic Young Explorer is on line and the students can either read the magazine or they can have it read tot hem. It is a wonderful place with beautiful pictures and text. It is geared to the kindergarten and first grade reader. It really looks like a magazine. It would be wonderful to be displayed on the Smartboard in your room!
The website for older elementary students, National Geographic Explorer, is more like a website with games, ecards and articles. It is a beautiful place as well. It comes in the Pioneer and the Pathfinder edition, similar content, different size text and vocabulary. There is also a nice Teacher's Guide that goes with each issue, that offers worksheets and ideas for discussion. There is a National Geographic Extreme Explorer that is for middle school students that might be having some struggles with reading. By clicking here, you can see the digital edition of Extreme Explorer that goes along with the website.
National Geographic has a web just for educators that puts many of these tools and links in one place.
One more site, but not from National Geographic - but you will see how it fits with these. BBC has a great video magazine that is called BBC Earth. Each month they feature a beautiful montage that shows animals and the earth. It would be a great writing prompt!

Just for fun

I have found this site that will make a personalized envelope using Google Earth. I am not sure of how you would use it in school, but it is too clever to not make a note of it.
http://www.mapenvelope.com/

Math Site for Practice and Assessment

I have notified my teachers of this website, but I think it is worthwhile to write about it here as well.
http://xtramath.org/ is a free website for parents, teachers and students. Accounts are created that will give the students personalized drills for their math problems. I am hoping that each student in my school will have an account. Once they sign in, a list of pin numbers is generated for the teacher to have so they can assist the child in signing on. The grade levels are from K - 12 on the website. It is a real find.