 September 2004
Hands on the Land Teaching Materials
Home of a network of hands-on-learning "eco-classrooms."
Grade Level: Pre-K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Advanced, Professional
http://www.handsontheland.org/home.cfm
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CONTENT:
"Hands on the Land (HOL) is a network of field classrooms stretching across America from Alaska to Florida" that provide hands-on learning opportunities for students and teachers. This site offers teachers and students the opportunity to share information about their local ecosystems, creative teaching strategies, and much more. |
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SITE DESIGN:
This well-designed site is not only attractive but user-friendly as well. Links to the main areas of the site are signs (buttons) on the signpost at the left of the page. Text links to informational areas are listed below the main links and text links to the main areas are listed on the bottom half of the homepage. Each of the areas has an indexed list of links to information in that section.
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REVIEW:
The vision of Hands on the Land is to "Hands provide a national network of field classrooms to enhance kindergarten through high school student-learning and it fulfills it very well. The site is designed primarily for teachers and program providers (those responsible for educational programs on the nation's public lands.) Teaching Resources includes a lesson plan database that can be searched by site, state, or keyword. The lessons are cross-referenced to curriculum standards and can be searched by standard, grade level, and subject area. Also available is information on service learning projects, environmental monitoring and education programs offered by the various sites as well as how to pen-pal with another classroom in the network and how your students can contribute to the site. Student resources include interactive activities such as Dances with Eagles and Forest Carnivores; Ask a Specialist; quizzes and a list of service learning projects. The Site Profiles offers an interactive map that links to general information about each of the Hands on the Land sites. Overall this site highlights the wonderful learning experiences that our Federal lands provide for schools on such topics as the Everglades ecosystem, bat habitats, rock classification, migrating birds, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and much more. |
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