Art

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Exploring Origami   http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/paper/index.html

The art of paper folding (origami )is one that is alive and well in a variety of Asian countries, and increasingly it  is becoming part of Western cultures as well.  At this web site you can be introduced to the art of origami and learn how to make a wide range of objects including paper planes Ideal for year levels 5-9 RRR

Carmine’s Landscape Adventure   http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/landscape1/index.html

In this rich multimedia web site students investigate the characteristics of landscape art.  In this art adventure students help Carmine with his investigation of landscape styles, looking, in turn at "sleepy" landscapes, deep landscapes and weather landscapes.  This type of online artistic adventure presented in a format to which they can relate well,  is an excellent source of  inspiration for young artists,. Ideal for year levels 3-9 RRRRR

Art Vitae   http://www.artvitae.com/

This is an online portfolio service for fine artists but it also serves as an online art gallery displaying a global range of works covering all art styles and genres, and including articles and commentaries on the art and artists. Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRR

Craft Ideas for the Classroom   http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/

If you are looking for artistic/craft ideas for the classroom then the suggestions here will provide you with plenty of ideas across a wide range of media.  You can find everything here from jewellery, vegetable craft, recycling craft, design craft . . . .  Ideal for year levels 0-9 RRRR

Ansel Adams @ 100   http://www/sfmoma.org/adams/

Ansel Adams is one of America's most celebrated photographers.  This site however focuses on only 7 of his works and provides an insight into the history and world of ideas behind Adams’ photography.  Students  of photography will find the information provided here both inspirational and educational. Ideal for year levels 9-12 RRRR

Digital Camera Reviews & News   http://www.dpreview.com/

The use of digital cameras in art programs within schools has exploded over the last five years.  However, choosing the most appropriate digital camera for school use is quite a challenge.  This web site provides independent reviews of digital cameras and their associated peripherals. Ideal for teachers  RRRRR

Teach Art  http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/teach/teach.html

Teachers will find here an extensive and excellent collection of multimedia art lesson plans.  Lessons cover topics such as watercolours, landscapes, design, architecture, portraits and storyboard art, developing artistic skills across a wide range of media. Ideal for teachers  RRRRR

Create art  http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/create/create.html

What a wonderful collection of resources for teachers of art who have a limited artistic background (and those who do)!  This web site has an extensive and useful collection of notes and support ideas for all teachers wanting to teach Art in their classroom.  There are skill sections, featured artist and exemplars of student work as well as a wide range of hands-on activities designed to help students to develop their artistic skills.  Whether you are teaching formal artistic media and skills or looking at applications such as masks this wide range of resource material will have something for you. Ideal for teachers  RRRRR

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Interactive Word Games  http://www.wordplays.com/

Students develop a sound understanding of language by interacting with it in a variety of ways and in a consistent fashion.  At this web site students will find a wide range of interactive word games which encourages good written language and comprehension ability.  As well as crosswords students will find here anagrams, word jumbles, "speaking Latin", "crypto cracker", “word morph", dictionaries and much more. Ideal for year levels 3-9 RRRRR

A Guide to Grammar & Writing   http://ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

This rich web site deals with word and sentence structure, essay and research information as well as grammar exercises, quizzes and searches.  This considerable resource for teachers includes PowerPoint presentations amongst many other things. Ideal for teachers RRR

Learning Vocabulary can be Fun   http://www.vocabulary.co.il

Students will find here a range of online games including hangman, word searches, quizzes, and match games that encourage and build a wide vocabulary.  . Ideal for year levels 0-5 RRRR

Seussville   http://www.seusville.com/

If you are a fan of Dr Seuss then this web site will provide a wide range of resources, books, games and other inducements to reading some of these clever and somewhat unusual books. Ideal for year levels 0-5 RRRR

World Wide Words    http://www.worldwidewords.org/

Have you ever wondered about the origin of a particular phrase or word?  The history behind words is absolutely fascinating and the stories make excellent anecdotal information/trivia that assists students in remembering new words to which they are introduced. There are thousands of historical anecdotes available from this site and you can receive a monthly newsletter to keep you up-to-date. Ideal for year levels 4-12 RRRRR

28 Rules for English Spelling   http://www.riggsinst.org/28rules.htm

These 28 rules should assist most students to cope with the vagaries and nuances of the English language. Ideal for year levels 0-8 RRR

Mrs. Alphabet   http://www.mrsalphabet.com

Mrs. alphabet offers a wide range of resources and techniques for teaching the alphabet, phonics and reading.  The links to off-site resources will further support the same teaching practices. Ideal for teachers  RRR

Mr William Shakespeare   http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/

The mission of this site is to provide (a) a complete annotated guide to the scholarly Shakespeare resources available on the Internet and (b), new material that has previously  been unavailable on the Internet.  To that end this web site presents as a vast resource portal to all things Shakespeare.  Amongst other things students will find here a Shakespeare timeline, genealogy, a summary chart, biography quiz, book reviews . . . . .Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRRRR

The Lord of the Flies   http://www.gerenser.com/lotf/

This insightful novel by William Golding is 50 years old but still provides plenty of thought provoking discussion and thought.  The capacity of the human being to make the transition from civilised companion to pure barbarian has confounded and challenged many a country.  This support web site contains descriptions of the the symbolism as well as the main characters, summaries, themes that are present in the book.  Useful also is a three-dimensional rendering  of the island. Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRRRR

General & Professional Development

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The Educators Reference Desk (Ask Eric)   http://eduref.org/

When Ask Eric discontinued in December 2003 a huge library of information appeared lost to teachers and researchers.  Ask Eric has been resurrected in an easy to search archive format at this location.  With over 2000 lesson plans and 3000 links to online education information, this is a very valuable resource for researching any aspect of education. Ideal for teachers  RRRRR

BrainQuest   http://www.brainquest.com/

Students can take this two-minute BrainQuest and see how well they do against the worlds best! There is no suggestion that this is an accurate measure of intelligence. Ideal for year levels 2-7 RR

A Different Place: Gifted Education   http://www.adifferentplace.org/

This site offers higher level differentiated content curriculum for gifted students in the classroom  If you are struggling to provide your students with work that adequately extends them then the resource material accessable from here with it’s focus on technology infused work, will certainly be of great help in enabling students to reach their potential. Ideal for teachers RRRRR

Think Port: Thinking Classrooms & Thinking Resources   http://www.thinkport.org/

This free comprehensive online resource is designed for educators and students and provides a wide range of tools that will improve the quality of lessons/teaching in the classroom.  You can create your own dynamic lesson plans with interactive lesson frameworks,  as well as interacting with your peers by participating in some professional development.  Teachers from all disciplines will find here a wide range of student activities, lesson plans and project building tools. Ideal for year levels 7-11 RRRRR

Creating a Teacher Mentoring Program   http://www.nfie.org/publications/mentoring.htm

This paper outlines many of the issues and questions that schools, teacher associations and universities should consider when developing a new, or improving an existing mentor program.  The paper backgrounds the usefulness of mentoring, creating a climate of trust, selecting and training of mentors, as well as providing content and evaluation processes and procedures. Ideal for year levels 10-12 RRRRR

BiteSize Revision   http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/ks3bitesize/

This site provides students with revision questions across a wide range of subject areas.  These make excellent homework and revision exercises. Ideal for year levels 5-9 RRR

Nash’s Adventures   http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/schools/digger/5_7entry/5_7.shtml

Students will find an excellent collection of interactive exercises which will reinforce the work that they do in school.  The exercises are highly visual and contextual and would provide excellent material for classroom teachers with access to a multimedia projector.  Ideal for year levels 0-3 RRRR

Copyright(C) Kids   http://www.copyrightkids.org/

The issue of copyright (c) can be confusing and there is much information out in the public arena that has no basis in truth.  This web site provides students with guidelines on how to deal with information they access from the Internet and other resources.  It introduces them to (c)  and provides sample commission letters for parents as well as advice for teachers and parents in regard to copyright issues.  Ideal for all didn't year levels RRRR

Health & Wellbeing

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The Reconstructers Solve Medical Mysteries   http://medmyst.rice.edu/

This interactive, learning adventure in a futuristic world will help students solve medical mysteries associated with the spread of infectious diseases.  In these problem based adventure games the players take on the different roles of scientist, historian and detective.  There are three adventures, each with its own learning objective, and the knowledge gained in each mission enhances the understanding of how infectious diseases are spread.  Brilliant. Ideal for year levels 7-11 RRRRR

Recipes for Kids   http://kidrecipe.com

With over 1250 kids’ recipes available from this web site it surely must be one the largest online "cook books" anywhere.  The database of recipes is fully searchable and it has a focus on healthy and balanced recipes along with the branding of "Kraft Foods". Ideal for year levels 3-9 RRRR

Open-Heart   http://www.cosi.org/onlineExhibits/openHeart/heart.html

Students will find here an excellent range of hands-on activities centered on how the heart works, what happens when it gets in trouble, and what can be done to rescue it.  This is very much a web site dealing with pre-emptive "surgery" through good eating, exercise and some common sense. Ideal for year levels 5-10 RRRR

Seeing Inside The Human Body   http://www.expoloratorium.edu/exploring/bodies_mag/index.html

FMRI technology allows researchers to look inside the human body and in particular to visualise the brain’s functions and processes as opposed to it’s structures.  The focus of this site is to explore the techniques of medical imaging and how it is revolutionising the treatment of a wide range of diseases and afflictions, and to help us understand the way in which our body works and how the various parts communicate with each other. Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRRRR

The Womens Sports Foundation   http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/cgi-bin/iowa/index.html

The fact that sportswomen do not have the same opportunities as their male counterparts is a given in almost every country.  However, the tide is changing as womens’ tennis and golf as well as soccer are making huge inroads into popular television sports programing.  This web site encourages this emergence by targeting young developing women athlete,s and highlighting the differential. Ideal for year levels 9-12 RRRR

Polio Eradication  http://www.polioeradication.org/

Despite the huge strides forward in the last 20 years there are still quite a few countries that have regressed to being virtual breeding grounds for polio.  This has mainly been due to war and internal political conflict.  There is plenty of background information available here as well as a look to the future in terms of polio containment and immunisation programmes.  Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRRR

IRB: International Rugby Board   http://www.irb.com/

If you are interested in rugby, either from a player or coaching perspective then you will find here information both on the game of rugby and the sevens tournaments. Ideal for year levels 3-12 RRR

For Girls & Their Dreams . . . .  http://www.forgirlsandtheirdreams.org/

This is really a magazine promotion but what is good about the web site is the encouragement for girls to communicate, get involved and also appreciate the increasing reality of the "global village".  The site deals with classic issues as well as encouraging girls to aspire to the highest level. Ideal for year levels 6-10 RRR

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The Informed Librarian Online   http://www.informedlibrarian.com

The Informed Librarian Online is a monthly compilation of the most recent tables of contents from over 275 information management orientated journals/titles including electronic magazines, newsletters, physical magazines, journals . . . .  This excellent digests is a free subscription service.  If you're trying to keep track of the changes that are occurring within libraries then this provides a great holistic resource. Ideal for librarians  RRRRR

Using MLA Style to Site & Document Source Material   http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite5.html

It is now becoming apparent that almost every student needs to be taught how to cite references that they use in the work that they produce.  Increasingly many of these references are Internet based.  There are two citing styles that are beginning to dominate:  MLA (Modern Languages Association) and APA (American Psychological Association). How these two groups came to define how written material should be cited is an interesting story in itself. This guide to using the MLA style provides students with a good basis for using this reference/citation format. See also http://www.noodletools.com/noodlebib/index.php  Ideal for year levels 4-12 RRRRR

Using APA Style to Site & Document Source Material   http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite5.html

It is now becoming apparent that almost every student needs to be taught how to cite references they use in the work that they produce.  Increasingly many of the references that students use in network are Internet based.  There are two citing styles that are beginning to dominate:  MLA (Modern Languages Association) and APA (American Psychological Association). How these two groups came to define how written material should be cited is an interesting story in itself. This guide to usingthe APA style provides students with a good basis for using this reference/citation format. See also http://www.noodletools.com/noodlebib/index.php  Ideal for year levels 4-12 RRRRR

Research Buzz!   http://www.researchbuzz.com/

Research Buzz is designed to cover the world of Internet research.  To that end this site provides almost daily updates on search engines, new data to managing software, browser technology, large compendiums of information, web directories . . . . . almost anything to do with finding stuff on the Internet. An excellent site run by an obviously passionate person. Ideal for teachers  RRRRR

Searching the Knowledge Finder Libraries  http://www.colfinder.org/public/index.jsp

This library of over one million documents from selected web sites dealing with education and development is fully searchable and links are regularly checked The contents of this virtual library includes documents from around the world and aims to support and enhance the work of learners, educators, administrators and policy makers.  Expect to see more of this type of resource soon.. Ideal for year levels 8-12 RRRRR

Kidz Online    http://www.kidzonline.org/

This web site is absolutely unbelievable! Teachers will find here an excellent collection of technology skills training modules as well as lessons that integrate technology into the classroom program, as well as after-school programmes and workshops that will facilitate ongoing professional development.  The lessons are basically streaming video sessions that cover a wide range of fundamental online issues such as search engines, browsers, netiquette, searching the Web, web page creation, digital video, 2D animation, digital audio, digital imaging, 3D animation, security and ethics, media translation and distribution, PowerPoint as a multimedia tool, online collaboration. . . . . . The quality of these online courses is at an extremely high level as is the resource material that supports it.  All this at absolutely no cost makes this site a must visit for all information and communication technology teachers; in fact all teachers, regardless of what they are teaching. Ideal for teachers  RRRRR++

Foreign Languages (LOTE)

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Virtual Japanese Culture   http://jin.jcic.or.jp/kidsweb/virtual.html

Most of the activities here require shockwave but once downloaded (free) students of the Japanese language can explore a variety of cultural issues in Japan. These aspects include origami., Ikebana, shodo (calligraphy), Ukiyo-e (wood block printing), the art of the Kimono, judo and much more. Ideal for year levels 4-9 RRRR

Where do Languages Come From?   http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/langauge/index.html

The origins of language is a fascinating historical journey and one that any student who studies a language other than their own native language, should explore and be exposed to.  This web site provides an excellent investigation into the origin of languages, and forms an excellent beginning and/or way station on this journey. Ideal for year levels 7-12 RRRR

Test your Spanish    http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/languages/spanish/guage/index.shtml

This site provides a quick and easy test of your capability in the Spanish language.  Ideal for year levels 6-12 RR

Hebrew Vocabulary Guide   http://www.languageguide.org/hewbrew/

If you are looking for a language guide for Hebrew then you'll find a good collection of words here that can also be listened to in order to get the correct pronunciation.  Lists of words cover general household items, greetings, travel items, foods, sport . . . . Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRR

AngloInfo: The French Riviera   http://www.angloinfo.com/

The French Riviera attracts millions of tourists each year.  Students can use information at this site to create a French language brochure on this region. Ideal for year levels 5-10 RR

The Kanji Project   http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/kanji-project/index.html

This site is a curriculum independent repository of Kanji study materials that allows teachers to build their own web documents,linking in as desired to the multimedia materials presented here. There is a rich database of interactive components as well as templates that can be used to bring together these web based elements. Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRRR

Using the Japanese Language on Your Computer   http://www.kanzaki.com/jinfo/japanese.html

Japanese characters can be displayed on a computer in a variety of different ways.  With appropriate software you can also edit Japanese.  This web site describes how these processes can take place, as well as providing a wide range of solutions to a variety of operating systems and hardware platforms. Ideal for teachers  RRRR

Chinese Language Information Page   http://www.webcom.com/~bamboo/chinese/chinese.html

Teachers and students of the Chinese language can find here a comprehensive navigational tool that points them towards Chinese language related resources.  Included here are instructions on how to display Chinese characters on your computer, links to educational resources for studying Chinese, scholarly and linguistic resources on Chinese as well as links to Chinese language radio broadcasts. Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRRR

Tex’s French Grammar  http://www2.lamc.utexas.edu/frgr/

If you are looking for a formal, text-based introduction to the French language this web site can accommodate your requirements.  This good collection of online exercises based on nouns, determiners, adverbs, adjectives, verbs, negation, prepositions, pronouns, conjunctions, tense/aspect/mood/voice, interrogative constructions and a range of appendices provides backup materials for the lessons contained on the web site. Ideal for year levels 9-12 RRR

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The Maths File Game Show   http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/mathsfile/index.shtml

Let Hypatia and Pythagoras take you on a mathematical tour using a selection of interactive games to build a fundamental understanding of number and relationships. A collection of printable worksheets accompanies these games with some background information for teachers. Ideal for year levels 4-9 RRRR

Tiling & Tesselations  http://www.scienceu.com/geometry/articles/tiling/

In this article you can read about the many different kinds of tiling, the mathematics behind them, how to make them and even have them classified.  An excellent reference site for students to use when investigating patterns, tiling or tessellations. Ideal for year levels 4-9 RRR

Simple Interactive Statistical Analysis  SISA   http://home.clara.net/sisa/index.htm

This simple interactive statistical analysis site allows you to do statistical analysis directly on the Internet.  Click on one of the 30 procedures, fill in the form, click the button, and the analysis will take place on the spot.  There is even a guide to help you select the appropriate procedure to manage your problem. Ideal for year level 12 RRRR

The Platonic & Archimedean Solids  http://wwwscienceu.com/geometry/facts/solids/

Once students have got their heads around simple three-dimensional shapes they can build on these principles and develop quite complex three-dimensional objects that fall into two categories; Platonic solids and Archimedean solids.  Five Platonic solids are described here and 13 Archimedean solids.  The names have almost the same fascination as some of the names for dinosaurs, as students will discover when they find themselves  nvestigating the Rhombitruncated Icosidodecahedron! Ideal for year levels 7-10 RRRR

OJK’s Precalculus Study page   http://www.geocities.com/ojjk/

The focus here is on pre-calculus mathematics such as linear equations and quadratic equations, polynomial functions, exponents and logarithms, analytic geometry, trigonometry, sequences and series, limits and rat functions as well as introductory calculus.  Ideal for year levels 10-12 RR

Triangle Tilings & Polyhedra   http://www.scienceu.com/geometry/articles/tritile/

Triangle tiling is the process of taking many copies of a single triangle and laying them next to each other to fill out an area in a plane, or 3-D shape in space.  In this article you can read about making patterns with coloured triangular tiles, find out why the shape of the tiles is important, and how the act of bending the triangles can develop 3-D shapes.  Ideal for year levels 5-9 RRR

Primary Mathematics   http://www.primarymath.org/

The byline for this site is "paperless arithmetic learning for school and home".  The focus here is on collections of arithmetic exercises in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division (including long division, decimals. . . . .  A good collection of support work for students to do at home. Ideal for year levels 0-6 RRR

Numeracy Resources   http://www.educate.org.uk/teacher_zone/classroom/numeracy/index.htm

This wide range of resources will assist teachers to deliver teaching and learning experiences that will help develop number concept.  Along with lesson plans and worksheets there are interactive resources and assessment strategies.  The material covers all major areas of early numeracy.  Ideal for teachers RRRR

Free Blank Graphs   http://www.handygraph.com/free_graphs.htm

An excellent collection of different graph formats which you can download onto your computer. Ideal for all year levels RRRR

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Film Education Toolkits   http://www.filmeducation.org/toolkit.htm

The film and media studies toolkit aims to support teachers and students in both analytical and practical ways.  With 11 different resources and reading sections this is a considerable resource that should not be overlooked in any media studies course.  These resources deal with topics such as film and language, the storyboard, screenplays, narratives and genre, image and representation, introductory film studies, film and literacy, screening stories . . . . Ideal for teachers  RRRRR

Music 4 Teachers   http://www.music4teachers.com/

Teachers will find an excellent and extensive collection of resources for teaching music at almost any level.  Information already on the site includes lesson plans, background information and links through to various genre of music, composers, musicology charts, and music and links to journals and magazines. Ideal for all year levels RRR

Film Education   http://www.filmeducation.org/

This huge resource database is designed to assist teachers using film in the United Kingdom’s National Curriculum.  This is a valuable resource whether you live in United Kingdom or not!  There is a wide range of resources here along with steel study guidance, essential readings and much more.  Ideal for teachers  RRRRR

The Music Room   http://www.dsokids.com/2001/rooms/KidsMenu.html

In this interactive music room, students can explore the instrument encyclopaedia, seatting charts for orchestras, news and a large range of activities that can be done from home.  Ideal for year levels 4-8 RRR

Internet Radio Station for Film Scores   http://www.cin3ma.tv/permanent_waves/

This is an online radio station whose focus is orchestral film scores!  Listening in will take you on a ride through diverse selections of music by long-time composers and newcomers. Ideal for all year levels RR

American Folk Songs Repository   http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Culdesac/Repository/NCFR.html

Unfortunately as one generation dies much of their history and knowledge passes away with them.  This is an attempt to try and produce a repository of American children's folk songs.  It is hoped to produce a repository that will be made up of streaming video, audio, text and imagers. Ideal for year levels 3-9 RRRRR

Finger Plays for Children   http://raven.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/fingerplays.htm

As an introduction to puppeteering, Finger Plays allow students to develop an understanding for reading a script and providing animation to their voice to reflect the character that they are acting out, without having to worry too much about the function of the puppet itself.  This web site contains 10 simple fingerplays that students can learn and present to their peers/class.  Ideal for year levels 1-5 RRR

Tips on Staging  http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/Tips2.html

If you are looking for a practical and down to earth approach to staging a play then this site is an excellent “read”, providing you with the essential knowledge to put on and direct the school play. The site deals with equipment,  script handling, building the sets, reading a movement, mining, focus and beginnings/endings. Ideal for teachers  RRR

Improv Links   http://www.conradhurtt.com/improvlinks.html

Just as it says: a good collection of links for improving performances. Ideal for teachers  RR

Science

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Microscopy of the Protozoa   http://www.pirx.com/droplet/

Teachers and students will find here an excellent gallery of drawings (historical and recent), and photographs of protozoa types.  Information is constantly added to this library which forms an excellent resource for those studying protozoa. Ideal for year levels 11-12 RRRR

Computer Animations of Physical Processes   http://physics.nad.ru/

At this site teachers and students can find a wide range of physics animations dealing with topics such as waves, optics, mechanics and thermodynamics.  The good news here for teachers is that you can download these animations and hence do not necessarily need to be online in order to use them.  There is also an excellent section here highlighting the "10 most beautiful experiments".  Excellent. Ideal for year levels 10-12 RRRRR

Atmospheric Optics   http://www.sundog.clara.co.uk/atoptics/phenom.htm

Light playing on water drops, dust or ice crystals in the atmosphere produces a host of visual spectacles such as rainbows, halos, glories, coronas and many more. This web site is dedicated to the science behind these brilliant optical effects.  A fascinating site and for either weather studies or application of optics. Ideal for year levels 5-12 RRRR

Smog City   http://www.smogcity.com/

Smog City is an  interactive air pollution simulator that shows how your choices, environmental factors, and land use contribute to air pollution.  In smog city you are in control so your visit can be a healthy or unhealthy experience depending on the decisions that you make.  An excellent simulation exercise. Ideal for year levels 6-9 RRRR

What is Speed   http://www.speedonline.org/

In science speed is the result of moving a certain distance in a particular period of time.  When speed is combined with human ambition it becomes an absolutely fascinating topic and this web site provides an excellent context in which to teach the theme of speed/velocity.  People have always wanted to go faster, drop farther, or climb higher. This site combines physics with psychology to look at our quest for speed. Ideal for year levels 6-10RRRR

Simple Machines   http://www.cosi.org/onlineExhibits/simpMach/sm1.html

Simple machines are the basic elements that allow us to reduce the amount of force we require to do a certain amount of work by extending the distance over which we do the work.  This web site introduces students to the essence of simple machines in a wonderfully graphic and animated environment.  Sites like this make these concepts so much more easy for students to understand  and the concept becomes greater than the mathematics. Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRRRR

Beautiful Bugs!   http://www.beautifulbugs.com/

This collection of images of tiny bugs/insects makes you realise just how absolutely frightening these animals would be if it were not for the fact that they are only a small fraction of our size.  Studying insects was never this fascinating, however it does provide those with a slight fear of insects with a rationale for their fear. Ideal for year levels 0-10 RRRR

Dream Anatomy   http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/dreamanatomy/index.html

The interior of our bodies is hidden from us.  What happens beneath the skin is mysterious, fearful and amazing.  At this site you can see how, in antiquity, surgeons went to great lengths to describe the internal workings of the body.  This huge repository of anatomical drawings from 1500 to the present day is a tribute to those early surgeons and their desire to understand how this human machine functioned. Ideal for year levels 5-12 RRRR

Open-Heart   http://www.cosi.org/onlineExhibits/openHeart/heart.html

Students will find here an excellent range of hands-on activities that will enhance their understanding of how the heart works, what happens when it gets in trouble, and what can be done to rescue it.  This is very much a web site dealing with pre-emptive "surgery" through good eating, exercise and some common sense. Ideal for year levels 5-10 RRRR

Virtual Knee Surgery   http://livingchildren.com/knee/

If you ever wanted to be a surgeon but weren't too keen on the blood and the long hours then you can come here and practise your skills as you operate on this virtual knee cap.  Absolutely fascinating environment in which to explore the basic components of the joint and what makes it function so effectively and so efficiently. Ideal for year levels 8-12 RRRR

What is this Bug? http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biodiversity/invertebratesprog/invertid/

Classification of insects and spiders is all about keeping it simple.  This excellent classification system for identifying insects and spiders has four different categories: bugs with legs, bugs without legs, immobile life stages (pupae and chrysalis's), slugs/snails/worms. Simple and effective.  Ideal for year levels 0-6 RRRR

Better Hair Through Chemistry   http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/hair/index.html

The way that your hair behaves is more to do with the chemistry of the substances you add to it than the product of “bad hair days”. This web site investigates the chemistry of the shampoos, conditioners, gels, dyes etc. that are added to hair ad infinitum. Ideal for year levels 8-11 RRRR

The World of Astronomy   http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/

This encyclopaedic approach to astronomy is technically proficient and is full of excellent background information on almost every aspect of astronomy including the development of astronomy, the solar system, stars, galactic astronomy, calendars, the atmosphere, remote sensing and much more.  Ideal for year levels 9-12 RRRRR

Free Genetics   http://www.synapses.co.uk/genetics/

This is a free online genetics course.  The syllabus includes Cytogenetics, Mendelian genetics, Advanced genetics and Molecular genetics.  At present the online content is confined to resources and questions for the cytogenetics section of the course, but more is promised.  Ideal for year levels 10-12 RRR

The European Space Agency: Aurora Program   http://www.esa.int/export/SPECIALS/Aurora/

The European Space Agency’s Aurora program is based around the exploration? of our solar system.  Apart from sending  probes to Mars it has been involved in the exploration of asteroids and the moon as well as mapping of planets. An excellent collection of images and technical documentation. Ideal for year levels 7-12 RRRR

Reactive Reports: Online Chemistry Magazine   http://www.acdlabs.com/webzine/index.html

If you are looking to stay on the cutting edge of developments in the world of chemistry then this web site will provide a digest of happenings from around the world.  Apart from the esoteric reports on theoretical chemistry, much of this magazine's content comes from general interest chemistry or news reports that have a wide public impact, and the site provides a good chemical background to their applications. Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRRRR

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Solo Transatlantic Expedition   http://www.sercotransarctic.com/

Between February and May 2004 solo adventurer Ben Saunders takes/took on one of the toughest physical challenges ever: a journey that has so far defeated the world’s leading explorers and mountaineers: the aim of this challenge is to ski solo and unsupported from Russia to Canada via the North Pole.  This 1240 mile journey has never before been completed. Ideal for year levels 5-10 RRR

Winged Sandals: Greek Mythology   http://www.wingedsandals.com/

Strong visual imagery of classical mythology lends itself powerfully to being placed on the Internet.  This project has created a highly visual interpretation of classical Greek mythological writings.  The focus of the site is to inform, educate and entertain, which it does brilliantly.  If you're looking at studying heroes, mythology and Greek culture these animations and illustrations would form a wonderful resource.  Ideal for year levels 7-11 RRRRR

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute   http://www.bcri.org/

This site focuses on the civil rights movement in America, but it also provides a wide range of  resources for students studying human rights issues in their own country.  The wide range of research and education resources includes an excellent collection of online resource galleries and exhibitions

World Water Day   http://www.worldwaterday.org/

Socio-economic development of almost every country is dependent upon a good supply of water.  Extreme weather events account for nearly 75 percent of all disasters that occur throughout the world.  Some of these result from man’s intervention and others are natural. World Water Day (March 22) is acknowledged in order to celebrate this amazing molecule as well as to prepare us for the disasters that we cannot control and mitigate the the damage caused by those we can . Ideal for year levels 7-12 RRRR

The New Zealand Parliament   http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/Other/Booklet/

Students will find here a range of documents that outline the functioning of New Zealand’s parliamentary system.  Included here are background, and historical information, legislative procedures, Parliament’s working procedures, financial procedures and accountability within Parliament. Ideal for year levels 8-11 RRRRR

Ancient History   http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/

The history of ancient Europe can be traced back tens of thousands of years but this web site deals with the bronze and iron ages and then moves into that of the Anglo-Saxons with the first kings.  The information here deals with the ancient Egyptians and their considerable dynasty(s), the development and refinement of the Greek civilisation, unification brought about by the Romans and finally the legacy left behind by the Vikings. This is an incredibly comprehensive web site covering a wide range of histories. Ideal for year levels 10-12 RRRRR

Pharaonic Egypt   http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/

At this site students can study the history of the pharaohs, the dynasties, cultural chronology, Egyptian mythology and life in ancient Egypt as well as investigating the ancient records that give us an insight into these times. Ideal for year levels 7-10 RRR

Tolerance: Mix it Up   http://www.tolerance.org/teens/index.jsp

This is a web site that makes an attempt to identify closely with teenagers in an effort to raise their awareness to the importance of tolerance or difference.  It achieves this very effectively and students will enjoy the information and approach used here. Ideal for year levels 10-12 RRRRR

The Presidency of the United States  http://www.americanpresident.org/

Possibly one of the most powerful positions in the world today is that of the American President, but that was not always the case.  This is an excellent web site that offers us a fascinating insight into both the history of the presidency  and the presidency in action.  A wonderfully well resourced web site which appears to pose more questions than answers. Ideal for year levels 8-12 RRRRR

Maya Ruins   http://www.mayaruins.com/

Students will find here an excellent photographic tour of Mayan ruins throughout Mexico, Belize Guatemala and Honduras.  This would make an excellent virtual tour, with students providing a tour guide commentary for the rest of the class after an online investigation of the ruins. Ideal for year levels 3-10 RRRRR

The Hajj   http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/H/hajj/

The Hajj is an event that is attended by millions of Moslems from across the world.  It is the duty of every Moslem male to make a pilgrimage to Mecca.  If you cannot actually make it physically you can at least take a virtual tour of the Hajj.  You can also receive live images, and relive footage of last year's event. Ideal for year levels 8-12 RRR

Anno Domini: Jesus Through the Centuries   http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Annodomini/

The Christian faith is now into its 21st century during which time it has spread throughout the world forming the basis of many cultures, civilisations and governments.  This exhibition investigates the faith in Christ as it has developed over the centuries.  The site investigates its continuity, its message and its spread throughout the world.  A fascinating investigation. Ideal for year levels 4-12 RRRRR

America on the Move   http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/

America is often associated with being the home of the "transportation revolution" through the development of effective and nationwide train systems, and Henry Ford’s revolutionary contribution of the car as a transport medium for the common man.  This online exhibition details the history and the evolution of transportation across America. Ideal for year levels 4-10 RRRR

NationMaster: Where Statistics Come Alive   http://www.nationmaster.com/

NationMaster is a massive database source which empowers the user to graphically compare nations, across a wide range of variables.  Currently there are 921 statistical packages with the numbers increasing all the time.  You can find information here are on Olympic medals, tourists, animals, food science, flags, literacy, disease, technology, work practices, life expectancy, education, murders . . . .  The information is graphed in a wide range of different formats. Ideal for year levels 3-12 RRRRR

Castles on the Web   http://www.castelesontheweb.com/search/Castle_Kids/

If you are looking for Internet based resource material dealing with castles then this collection of links will keep both teacher and student happy for some time to come. Ideal for year levels 0-7 RRR

The Crusader & Ayyubid Period   http://jeru.huji.ac.il/ef1.htm

On the 15th of July 1099 Jerusalem fell to the Crusader's after a five-week siege, and the victors proceeded to massacre the city’s Moslems and Jews.  The period that followed this would change the nature of Jerusalem and the surrounding districts.  This excellent web site looks at a wide range of issues associated with this period of time in Jerusalem.  There is information on hair , costumes, water systems, food, people, sightseeing, architecture . . . Ideal for year levels 7-12 RRRR

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Don't Buy It: Get Media Smart! http://pbskids.org/dontbutit/

Students can get savvy at this web site by learning the advertising tricks that marketers use in order to encourage the purchase of services and products that they don't necessarily need.  This excellent, animated site provides an excellent introduction to media awareness. The site assists students to make wise decisions when it comes to purchasing. Ideal for year levels 4-10 RRRRR

AIM Manufacturing Videos & Virtual Factory Tours   http://manufacturing.stanford.edu/

If you have ever wondered how things are made i.e - products like sweets, cars, air planes, or bottles - or if you are interested in manufacturing processes such as forging, casting, or injection moulding, then this is the place to find out the information you require.  The site covers over 40 different products and manufacturing processes and includes almost four hours of videotapes highlighting a variety of manufacturing processes.  The site is targeted towards non-engineers and provides a virtual online factory environment. Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRRRR

Chocolate   http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/exploring_chocolate/index.html

This web site looks at exploring the sweet lure of chocolate.  Students will find here an investigation of its history and the chocolate making process, and even take an online visit to a chocolate factory.  The site also investigates the science of chocolate making and the latest research into the possible negative/positive health effects of its consumption. Ideal for year levels 6-12 RRRR

Real Design    http://www.channel4.com/learning/microsites/R/realdesign/index_flash.html

If you are investigating the design process and need real-life exemplars then you will find them here.  Exemplars presented vary from mechanical toys to a washing machine, to a vast outdoor environment, to clothes and an off-road bike.  The site comes with an excellent design tool kit as well as a wide range of online resources for teachers and students.  Ideal for year levels 5-12 RRRRR

Wind Power   http://www.windpower.org/en/kids/index.htm

A worldwide focus on renewable energy has seen renewed interest in wind and solar power.  At this site students can investigate how wind power works and where wind-farms can be successfully located in order to best generate electricity.  More and more countries are looking for alternatives to coal and gas-fired power stations and environmental impact of hydroelectric systems and wind power has a huge potential in many locations. Ideal for year levels 2-8 RRRRR

Industrial Design for Aliens   http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/id2/index.html  

The most important event in thousands of years has happened: we have contacted extraterrestrial life!  They are friendly and want to come to earth to meet us.  The alien ambassadors will be staying in the finest hotel in New York.  However their bodies are quite different from ours so many of the things in their hotel room simply will not work.  Your job is to redesign these objects for the ambassadors.  You will need to apply good principles of industrial design to ensure comfort and safety.  This is an excellent resource site that teaches the principles of industrial design. Ideal for year levels 5-12 RRRRR

The Land that Design Forgot   http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/id1/index.html

Very few web sites deliver design principles that are suitable for younger audiences but this one is an exception.  Students are presented with a playground which has several features which are offputting to the children.  The students’ job is to help Carmine redesign the playground. Ideal for year levels 0-4 RRRRR