Guidelines for Use of Resources
Grades Kindergarten through Three
The ideas and activities provided will help you integrate the Internet
and computer activities into the educational process. Many of the suggested
Internet addresses listed in this Curricular Center theme have not been
used for the activities we've provided, for a number are not appropriate
for the lower grade levels. Many of the Internet sites, however, will
lead you to ideas that will enrich your curriculum, and to other useful
sites in addition.
Use the activities included in "The 50 States of the United States"
as models. Change as you wish to fit your students and your course of studies.
We encourage you to create your own exciting activities using our suggested
sites and others linked to them. Although it seems that most of the sites
online at this time are for older students, there are a number that provide
lesson plans for you and activities for younger students. Many of the sites
with useful information for this age group, however, will need you to serve
as a guide for the children as they travel to and through the sites.
Check for additional information in Web Addresses
& Descriptions. The descriptions will give you a head start on
learning what is included in the suggested sites and which sites might
be appropriate for your class.
When you use links to sites beyond the suggested ones, remember to check
them before letting your children journey to information that may not be
appropriate for them. It's best, in addition, not to let young children
travel to sites that may be only acceptable for older students. Many of
the sites will be more useful to you as a teacher than they will be as
direct teaching content for your students. While sites such as Meet the Edgars, Illinois Governor and
Family and State
Birds are appropriate for primary students with reading skill, many
of the other sites suggested for this level will be better used as lesson
and content ideas for your teaching. The children, for example, will very
much enjoy some of the pictures online that they can bring to their computers,
and even the younger students in this age groups will love going on some
of the virtual tours with teachers, friends, and parents.
Introduction to Lessons
Bookmarking & Motivation for Reading
You might begin by going with your class to A
Brief Guide to State Facts. Show the children how to find facts about
the different states. Do your own state and head along to Pennsylvania.
Travel to Digital Postcards
and tell the children that now that they are in Pennsylvania, they are
going to send a postcard to someone online. Ask them how they think this
is possible. Then go through the steps making the card and sending (You'll
need someone's email address). While doing this, be sure to examine the
pictures on the postcards that so that the children learn some facts about
Pennsylvania. Set you browser to create the largest type size possible,
for some of the type on the sites is quite small.
Create Bookmarks (Netscape) or Favorites (Microsoft Internet Explorer)
for the sites you think will be appropriate for you and your class. Some
of those that you may want to consider are:
A Brief Guide
to State Facts
Arizona's
KTVK TV Kids Club Crafts
California Guidebook
Color Landform
Atlas of the United States
50 states of the
United States
Florida Postcard
Collection
Massachusetts
Lobster Site
Play the
State Capitals Game
State Birds
State Flags
Game
State Knowledge
State Songs
The Public Internet
Library's Stately Knowledge Chart
Philadelphia's
Historic Mile
Williamsburg
State Pages for Children:
Delaware Kids'
Page
Florida Kids
Georgia Kids
Kansas Links for Kids
Maryland's Kid's Corner
Missouri's
Kids Zone
Montana Fish, Wildlife and
Parks Page for Kids
The TN Governor's
Links for Kids
The
Kids Page of the Texas Parks and Wildlife <>
Tour of the Governor's Mansion
with the Spirit of Nevada <>
Tour of the Nevada
Governor's Office for Kids
Utah's Page for
Kids to Learn More about Their State <>
Teacher Lessons:
The Library-in-the-Sky
Web Sites and Resources
for Teachers
Using, Saving, and Printing Text & Pictures
Talk with your students about the exciting material they will find using
the computer and telecommunications. Ask them who owns this material. Explain
how they might use others' material in class and at home if they write
down where they got the words or pictures.
Depending upon the grade and ability levels of the students, show them
how to "save" and "print" pictures and information
to their classroom or lab computers and printers. Show them how to use
the sound files they find in the sites.
