Surfing the Net with Kids: Story Hour

February 6, 2002

Dear Reader,

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to mail in a check) at:
http://www.surfnetkids.com/orderform.pdf

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Story Hour

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

Purchase a printable handout for just $1.00

Like story hour in the classroom or at your local library, the following read-along books are narrated and illustrated. Of course, these online stories don’t replace printed books, but are simply another way to expose our children to the joys of reading.

Included in Hiyah.com’s selection of illustrated stories with audio narration are ten classic fairy tales (such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid” and “The Three Little Pigs”) and three Kanga Roddy stories. Kanga Roddy is a tall talking rabbit (from the PBS television show of the same name) that promotes moral values, social skills and emotional maturity. The multimedia stories (which require Flash) are completely automated and do not require page turning although page controls are included if you wish to skip around the story.

http://www.kennedy-center.org/multimedia/storytimeonline/

The Kennedy Center transforms three picture books into three videos in RealPlayer format. Each is read by the author, uses the original illustrations, and was once performed on a Kennedy Center stage. Titles include “Alexander and the Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” written and read by Judith Vorst; “Harlem” a poem written and read by Walter Dean Myers; and (my personal favorite) the fifteen-minute “Brothers of the Knight” written and exquisitely performed by the multi-talented Debbie Allen. There are no page controls, but you can move forward and backward through the video using the RealPlayer slide controls.

http://www.mightybook.com/mainlibrary.htm

There are several dozen original narrated books in the Mighty Book library, along with sing-along audio songs and music videos. To begin, select your age range (from two to twelve) and you’ll be transported to a library room just for you. Mouse over the books marked with a asterisk, and you’ll see a description appear in the preview window. Most books are in the popular, free Flash format, but a few are in the more obscure (but also free) TK3 e-book format.

http://www.storyplace.org/preschool/other.asp

Your littlest mousers will be delighted with these eleven narrated stories where they can click to animate the characters and turn the pages. Each Flash story is accompanied by an online game, parent-led activity (in Adobe Acrobat) and a reading list. As the title implies, this library is strictly for the preschool and kindergarten set, but elementary students will find their own treasure trove of stories, activities and reading lists by following the link to Elementary Library from any of the topic pages.

http://www.web-pop.com/bookpopchooser.html

Children’s author Stephen Cosgrove has created a collection of several dozen interactive fantasy books for elementary students. Illustrated, narrated Flash books are listed in Book-Pop, and audio-only books (in MP3 format) in Story-Pop. While exploring Book-Pop, be sure to try the printable books in Web-Pop Printers. Each 8.5″ x 11″ page holds four double-sided book pages, creating by running the pages through your printer twice. Follow the folding instructions, and you’ll be rewarded with a forty-page 2.1″ x 2.75 booklet.

Surfing the Calendar Endangered Species Act Anniversary Feb 3, 1973 Winter Olympic Games 2002 commence in Park City, UT Feb 8, 2002 Winter Olympics Salt Lake City Feb 8, 2002 Abe Lincoln’s Birthday Feb 12, 1809 More Calendar

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