Home & School Connections
Grades K-3
Send home information about the sites the class is visiting in school.
Families with computers and telecommunications at home may want to travel
to and enjoy these sites, too. In addition, you should send home information
on use of telecommunications for those families without access to online
sources. Let families know of times school computers and computers in community
libraries may be used.
Give parents ideas of how they might explore sites with their children.
For example, give them a site list such as the one that follows. A "Suggested
Site" list will help them get started by introducing them to some
of the valuable educational resources that are available online.
Here are some sites that would make nice family excursions on the Information
Highway:
Grades 4-6
Send information home about the sites the class is visiting in school.
Families with computers and telecommunications at home may want to visit
and enjoy these sites, too. In addition, you should send home information
on use of telecommunications for those families without access to online
sources. Let families know of times school computers and computers in community
libraries may be used.
Send home information about library and textbook resources relating
to the theme, "The 50 States in the United States."
Give homework relating to use of some of suggested sites, but make sure
that all students can do the homework whether they have access to telecommunications
or not.
Invite parents and grandparents to talk to your class about their favorite
state sites. Those who are not familiar with the Internet might visit and
tell the children about interesting facts and events relating to the states
being studied.
Host a parent or grandparent session during which your children take
their guests to favorite state sites. Let parents and grandparents go on
virtual tours led by the children.
Here are some good sites to tell parents about, for they'll be nice
family trips on the Information Highway:
Grades 7-12
With this age group give homework and/or long-term projects or reports
on theme topics. Many of the ideas in Suggestions
& Activities for Grades 9-12 will be appropriate for use as homework
and home projects.
Sending a note home about the projects, standards, and deadlines is
often greatly appreciated by parents. Guidelines for Internet use at home
and at school need to be understood by both students and parents and should,
therefore, be shared with families.
Don't forget to make provisions for those who do not have computers
and telecommunications at home. Even though they'll be able to gather the
information in traditional ways, they'll also want to use technology. Provide
times for these students to use computers beyond regular school hours and
let them know if community libraries offer time to use technology for research
and reports.
For these students, you might want to give parents a copy of the Web
Addresses & Descriptions provided for this theme. You'll need to include
a note that not all of the addresses will be appropriate for their children,
but that they'll find an abundance of information on the sites described.
