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Home > "Best Of" Series > 2000 > Education Site Reviews

ALFY: The Web Portal for Kids Arty the Part Time Astronaut AskAsia Butterflies 2000: On the Wings of Freedom By the Great Horn Spoon! A Gold Rush Adventure The Cave of Lascaux Cool Math Environmental News Network Funology.com -- The Science of Having Fun Game Goo

Genetic Science Learning Center Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century Millennium Mystery Madness National Gallery of Art Kids' Page Next Step Magazine ParentSmart Parlo: Language, Culture, Life Schools Online Schwab Foundation for Learning StoryPlace: The Children’s Digital Library

	ALFY: The Web Portal for Kids -- OVERALL: A+
	ALFY is a dynamic environment that offers kids stimulating activities that develop literacy and numerical and reasoning skills. Links from this site are hand-selected by a group of educators to ensure a safe place for young surfers. Kids are going to love visiting the activities centers, where they can practice their ABCs or 123s. Other activities include listening to interactive stories, playing a musical instrument and listening to the tune, adopting a pet and watching it grow, sending animated greeting cards, and designing a homepage. Every kid will want to check out ALFy's Arcade with nine categories of games. If that isn't enough, there is a Teaching and Learning Center for teachers. ALFY in the Classroom has ideas for Web-linked classroom activities with all of ALFY's games, stories, activities, and lesson plans grouped by themes. There is also a Virtual Lesson Planner and Cool@Class, a tool for creating a class Web page. This is one site your students won't let you forget! GRADE LEVEL: Pre-K-3

Arty the Part Time Astronaut -- OVERALL: A+

Have your students hurtling through space at warp speed with this exciting educational site for young astronomers. Students can select the Travel option to learn about comets, the speed of light, and the Hubble Telescope or take a trip to each of the nine planets to learn some facts. In Activities, kids can select Gravatron. The user enters his or her weight and selects a planet to see how much he or she would weigh on that planet. The Time Machine calculates the user's age on any planet. Students can gain a better understanding of the phases of the moon by watching a movie, and they can test their knowledge with Space Smart quizzes. If that's not enough, Space Mail, Small Space Print Center, Arty's Space Calculator, and Arty's Screensaver, are available for download. Arcade type games will keep youngsters entertained for hours. GRADE LEVEL: K-6

	AskAsia -- OVERALL: A+
	The resources on this site are outstanding. Teachers will find a long list of instructional resources for Asian studies, a school-to-school bulletin board for making contacts, and access to information about professional development grants. Students will quickly find the Adult-Free Zone, where they can find E-pals, play Asian games and learn Asian words in the Activity Corner, visit the Virtual Gallery to download images and maps, or satisfy their curiosity about Asia at Kids Ask AskAsia. You will also find the most current information and related sites in the Information/News and Gateway to Asia sections. GRADE LEVEL: K-12

	Butterflies 2000: On the Wings of Freedom -- OVERALL: A+
	Anyone interested in these beautiful creatures will find almost everything at Butterflies 2000. Butterflies for Kids offers information about the butterfly body, detailed photos taken with a scanning electron microscope, a trick film, information about metamorphosis, games and puzzles, a quiz, art projects, and an opportunity for students to share their butterfly stories and poems. Other areas of the site include information on where to find butterflies in arts and literature, butterfly gardening, endangerment and conservation, keeping butterflies at school, and much more. GRADE LEVEL: K-12

	By the Great Horn Spoon! A Gold Rush Adventure -- OVERALL: A+
	Take a trip around Cape Horn with Jack and his butler. This ThinkQuest winner from Tomorrow's Teacher Challenge is a great resource for teaching By the Great Horn Spoon! It includes, as well as, excerpts and pictures from his books and original manuscripts. The Resource section contains lessons and activities based on the novel and notes on writing and teaching writing from the author himself. Students can take the online Journey with Jack by following the route on the image map, learning about paddlewheel and clipper ships and each stop of the journey along the way. Students who enter the Diggin's section will learn about the daily lives of miners. Included in this section is a virtual reality panorama of Sutter's Mill. Each main section also includes appropriate sound movies. GRADE LEVEL: 4-5

	The Cave of Lascaux -- OVERALL: A+
	Take a virtual tour of the Cave of Lascaux and see the Paleolithic wall paintings as well as the major features of the cave. Art students can learn how perspective was created on the rock surface, techniques used to interpret the paintings and engravings, the materials used by artists of the time, how to date a cave painting, and more. The Cave of Lascaux is believed to be around 15,000 years old and can be compared to other caves in the Magdalenien era as well as other eras in the Time and Space section. This Web site is available in English, French, Spanish, and German. There is even a Test Your Knowledge quiz and three puzzles for a little added interactivity. GRADE LEVEL: 6-12

	Cool Math -- OVERALL: A+
	Whether you need to practice your math skills or just have some fun, Cool Math is the place to go. The interactive games are sure to have the younger set engaged for hours. For example, in Number Monster, children can play against the computer to practice the four operations of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. The player chooses the operation and the level of difficulty, ranging from easy to hard to killer to monster. The game displays a problem, and the player types in the answer. Kids 13+ will find lessons on geometry, trigonometry, calculus, and algebra, an interactive area with puzzles and number games, and articles on "How to Succeed in Math" and "Careers in Math." Included are a Fractal Gallery that kids of all ages will enjoy and a Fractal of the Day. Youngsters not only will improve their math skills but also will have fun doing it. GRADE LEVEL: Pre-K-12

	Environmental News Network -- OVERALL: A+
	This site offers both teachers and students ideas, lessons, and information galore. For easy access, this wealth of information is organized by topics in the Channels section. Diary of the Planet, in the Features section provides current news stories about what has happened to the environment in the past week. Users can find informative articles, by top environmentalists, on hot topics and important issues or join in the forums, chats, and polls at ENN Interactive. Photo essays and press releases about environmental concerns are also available. The good news for the classroom is that in November, when polar explorers Ann Bancroft and Liv Arneson set out to cross the continent of Antarctica, elementary students will be able to share the expedition, virtually, through the ENN Web site. This site has enough information, multimedia, and interactivity to keep students and the environmentally conscious entertained for days. GRADE LEVEL: 9-12, Advanced

	Funology.com -- The Science of Having Fun -- OVERALL: A+
	Have your students ever wondered where sheep get their hair cut or how to make an ice-cream sandwich? Funology.com has the answer. This site offers suggestions for activities that can be done on and off the computer. Kids can have so much fun, they won't even realize they are learning. Youngsters can put their brains to the test -- learn funky facts, solve brainteasers, take a quiz, or visit the laboratory and whip up a ball of ooze. Tummy Ticklers keep kids laughing and recipes from In the Kitchen satisfy their hungries. The Boredom Busters section brims with crafts and games to entertain. If all those features aren't enough, the Abracadabra section explores the world of magic. Parents and teachers won't ever have to listen to "I'm bored!" again. GRADE LEVEL: K-5

	Game Goo -- OVERALL: A+
	Game Goo is a collection of games for early elementary students or the children in all of us. Each game is an interactive, multimedia experience that addresses such universally standard early literacy skills as distinguishing fact from fantasy, identifying rhythm and rhyme, and recognizing uppercase and lowercase letters. The site organizes the games by grade level. The games are educationally appropriate and so entertaining that students will be engaged for hours. This site promises to be a favorite for kids in grades K-2 and their teachers. GRADE LEVEL: K-2

	Genetic Science Learning Center -- OVERALL: A+
	This fascinating site was created for students, teachers, and families; anyone interested in genetics will find this site worthwhile. Of particular interest to teachers are the introductory materials in the Basic Genetics section and the curriculum materials in the Teachers and Thematic Units sections. All the activities comply with National Science Standards and provide hands-on as well as online experiences. For example, the activity What is DNA explores the meaning of DNA and offers students the opportunity to create a DNA string by moving nucleotides into position. Included in the teacher pages are questions to ask students, lists of materials and vocabulary terms, and student lab sheets for printing. GRADE LEVEL: 3-5

	Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century -- OVERALL: A+
	This Web site focuses on the contributions of 20th-century engineering ingenuity and innovation that helped shape the world in which we live. The achievements were selected and ranked by a panel of experts based on the greatest contribution to the quality of life in the past 100 years. From electrification (number 1) to the development of high-performance materials (number 20), users will find the history of these everyday innovations as well as a timeline. This is a great resource for gathering information for reports but could also make interesting lessons in the way technology has shaped our lives, the contributions of engineers to society, and more. GRADE LEVEL: 3-12

	Millennium Mystery Madness -- OVERALL: A+
	Millennium Mystery Madness explores the process of writing mystery stories. In Anatomy of a Mystery, the five components of a good mystery are examined: Characters, Setting, Plot, Problem, and Solution. Users will also find tips and advice from real mystery authors, the history of the mystery, an online mystery scavenger hunt, and a collection of games and fun activities in the Fun House. Included is a You Be the Author! section for trying out those newly acquired skills and a book list of mysteries from around the world. GRADE LEVEL: 3-8

	National Gallery of Art Kids' Page -- OVERALL: A+
	This collection of activities for elementary students is sure to capture their interest. Students have the opportunity to experience art in a unique format. Users can not only view the individual paintings but also interact with them, enhancing understanding and appreciation of the artworks. Students can make the art of John Singleton Copley's Watson and the Shark come alive with virtual reality. A companion activity encourages students to tell their own stories. The animated, musical presentation Lizzie & Gordon Visit the Sculpture Garden is sure to delight young students and their teachers. Students will enjoy interacting with Tissot's Hide and Seek, visiting the rain forest and solving the word puzzle as they explore Heade's Cattleya Orchid and Three Brazilian Hummingbirds, or searching for clues to the true impact of David's Napoleon. Students won't want to miss this art adventure! GRADE LEVEL: K-8

	Next Step Magazine -- OVERALL: A+
	Planning for college and career can be a frightening and mind-boggling experience for any teenager. Next Step Magazine features articles on all aspects of this important transition period. The articles are updated monthly and archived for continued accessibility. Teens exploring careers will find articles on vocations from biomedical researcher to welder. For those with college preparation on their mind, articles on every topic from acing the SAT to successful study habits to time management and crime on campus are available. If that isn't enough, what could be more convenient than applying for college right online, using the list of universities and colleges that accept online applications. When a little break from all that heavy decision making is needed, users can click On the Light Side for a little mood adjustment. GRADE LEVEL: 9-12, Advanced

	ParentSmart -- OVERALL: A+
	ParentSmart is a parents' guide to helpful information about helping children succeed in school. The site has tons of articles on everything from ADHD, bilingual education, charter schools, and drug abuse to head lice, inclusion, playgrounds, and school phobia. The site is primarily for parents, but teachers and administrators can get a lot out of this site too. It is chock full of interesting articles and good ideas about parenting and issues concerning children. The articles are reviewed and rated according to the quality of information, objectivity, and usefulness of suggested actions for parents to take. GRADE LEVEL: Parents & Professionals

	Parlo: Language, Culture, Life -- OVERALL: A+
	Parlo can help visitors learn to speak English, French, or Spanish through free, interactive courses written in a story format. Beginning, intermediate, and advanced courses are available. Parlo offers not only courses but also an opportunity to explore languages. Through interactive chats, forums, music, and live broadcasts from around the world, users can practice languages in context. Included are pen pals, a word of the day, articles written in the language of choice, and links to sights around the world. The teacher section contains lesson plans, tips, an online community and job offerings. Users must register to enjoy all the benefits of Parlo, but registration is free. GRADE LEVEL: 9-12

	Schools Online -- OVERALL: A+
	Let Squirmin' Herman guide your students through his underground world or Detective LePlant lead them on an exploration of the mysteries of plant science. Walk in My Shoes will give students an appreciation of what it means to grow old. Other themes include Character Education; Incubation and Embryology; Natural Resources, the Environment, and Ecosystems; Sports and Nutrition; and Apples & More, a collection of cross-curricular activities about apples. Teachers will find lesson plans and a variety of educational activities for each theme. Also included is Helping Children Succeed in School, a section for parents and caregivers on just that. GRADE LEVEL: K-12, Professionals

	Schwab Foundation for Learning -- OVERALL: A+
	Parents and educators of children who have learning differences will not want to miss this site. It is chock full of lesson plans, articles, names of publications, and other resources. Specialists in the field will also respond to questions. A My Page option lets visitors bookmark sites or keep files and articles. A user indicates areas of interest when creating a page, and it automatically lists articles from those areas when the person logs in. The site also offers a Spanish version for non-English speaking users and a search feature that allows users to find particular topics of interest. GRADE LEVEL: Professional

	StoryPlace: The Children's Digital Library -- OVERALL: A+
	StoryPlace, presented in both English and Spanish, offers children the opportunity to view online stories, participate in interactive activities, and print activity pages. Five themes are currently available in the Pre-school Library: colors, teddy bears, crocodiles, animals, and monkeys. Each section features activities centered on the theme. For instance, in the teddy bear theme, children can choose to view and listen to the story 6 Little Teddy Bears, help Bella Teddy Bear choose the correct clothing for the weather, or print a teddy bear doll to cut out and put together. There is also an annotated booklist for each theme. The site developers plan to add an Early Elementary Library soon. GRADE LEVEL: Pre K-2