Surfing the Net with Kids: Best of 2000

Today’s newsletter is made possible by:

• Sign up for a RISK-FREE 30-day trial of Shopper’s Discount (SM)
  and you can get $100 in Utility Cash Back Certificates! Get
  the lowest prices*GUARANTEED*on Sony PlayStation(r), Nikon(r)
  cameras, and more, and get $100 in FREE utilities. Click here!

  

  Read it and Reap — $1,000 Cash Winner Every Day! Keep your eyes peeled! Email that says Click4Cash is your chance to win $1,000 just for clicking through and checking out the latest deals on the topics you select.

Best of 2000

http://www.surfnetkids.com/best00.htm

Another year, another five thousand Web sites visited and considered. To sum up the year,
I’ve chosen the following five sites (from the 255 sites that made it in my column) as
representative of the educational nature of the Internet circa 2000. Their topics vary (history,
health, math and geography) but they each make use of the interactive nature of the Internet to
teach us something interesting. Wishing you a happy and safe new year full of educational
opportunities!

“Board games were very common in ancient Egypt and people from all levels of society
played them. Many game boards from ancient Egypt have been found by archaeologists.” This
British Museum exhibit presents a marvelous interactive overview of ancient Egyptian life. Each
of the ten topics (for example Pyramids, Geography, Pharaoh) feature a Shockwave challenge
such as playing a board game or matching tools to the correct tradesman. Teachers will find
curriculum notes in the Staff Room.

http://kidshealth.org/kid/

“Calling all kids. Ever wonder how your body works? What makes you sick? Or how to keep
safe? Get all the answers to your health questions in this kids only section.” This comprehensive
site (created by the nonprofit Nemours Foundation) is one the best of the year because of its
depth, breadth and excellent organization. For example, listed under “People, Places, & Things
That Help You Feel Better” are articles on Going to the Dentist (filled under People), What
Happens at the Emergency Room (found under Places) and Living with Braces (listed under
Things).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/megamaths/

“This is a lively, interactive Web site for practicing and testing times tables. It’s based on the
popular BBC Schools Television series Megamaths, using the same castle setting and a selection
of characters from the program to introduce a variety of activities and games. Children familiar
with the series will recognize old friends but knowledge of the television series is not necessary.”
This Shockwave site is one the year’s best because of the variety of its multiplication activities. To
practice with a particular number (such as eight), choose it from the jester’s deck of cards.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps/

Not just an online version of a printed atlas, National Geographic’s Map Machine lets you
create and save your own customized maps. A few examples of your mapping choices include
Degree of Ecosystem Threats, Annual Precipitation, Recent Earthquakes or Mineral Resources.
Of course, political maps (as well as flags, statistics and all the country stuff you need for school
reports) are also available. The quality and variety information (as well as the fun factor) make
the Map Machine one of the best of the year.

http://www.learner.org/exhibits/renaissance/

“Renaissance, French for ‘‘rebirth,’ perfectly describes the intellectual and economic changes
that occurred in Europe from the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries. During the era
known by this name, Europe emerged from the economic stagnation of the Middle Ages and
experienced a time of financial growth. Also, and perhaps most importantly, the Renaissance was
an age in which artistic, social, scientific, and political thought turned in new directions.” In
addition to well-written articles, annotated Web links, and a soothing design, this Annenberg/CPB
Project site includes some interactive activities.

Surfing the Calendar Last Day of the 20th Century Dec 31, 2000 New Years Day Jan 1, 2001 Ellis Island Opened Jan 1, 1892 Martin Luther King Day Jan 15, 2001 More Calendar

Related Book (in association with Amazon.com)

This mailing is best viewed through Netscape Communicator. You are currently subscribed as You can unsubscribe by sending an email. Subscribe to this free HTML newsletter via email. Exisiting subscribers can change their email address here. More on the two versions of this list is found here. Copyright © 2000 Barbara J. Feldman