Virtual Museums & Zoos, Reference Sites, Commercial Sites, and Metasites.
The Internet is host to many outstanding museums and zoos. Science museums as well as art museums can be wonderful resources for students. The cautions about appropriate “art” apply so you should be sure to preview such sites.
These sites are personal favorites of mine. Enjoy!
The San Diego Zoo http://www.sandiegozoo.org/
The Electronic
Zoo http://netvet.wustl.edu/ssi.htm
The National Air and Space
Museum http://www.nasm.si.edu/
The Field Museum of Natural History in
Chicago http://www.fmnh.org/
The Museum of Science & Industry
(Chicago) http://www.msichicago.org/
with a link to the Fairy Castle! http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/fairy_castle/fchome.html
National Aquarium
of Scotland http://www.deepseaworld.com/dive.htm
The Louvre (Paris,
France) http://sunsite.unc.edu/louvre
The Sistine Chapel http://www.christusrex.org/www1/sistine/0-Tour.html
Reference sites are a rich resource for students. I selected a variety for your inspection. There are many more “out there.” These should give you an idea of the rich variety that the Internet offers.
The Yuckiest Site on the Internet http://www.nj.com/yucky/
Flags of
All Countries http://www.wave.net/upg/immigration/flags.html
The Nine
Planets http://www.frontiernet.net/~kidpower/astronomy.html
Weathernet http://cirrus.sprl.umich.edu/wxnet/
Mapquest http://www.mapquest.com/
Commercial sites are provided by publishers of books and/or software or the manufacturer of products (from toys to cereal). These sites will give you a taste of the possibilities. Note that the the student-centered part of the site is exactly that: a small part of the larger site and sometimes you have to look closely to find the link that you would use with students.
Computer Curriculum Corporation: (check out the Travel Ship) http://www.cccnet.com/
Knowledge Adventure (look at Jump Start Kids) http://www.kidspace.com/kids/
Grolier Kids Clubs (the Grolier Encyclopedia
people....) http://clubhouse.grolier.com/
Metasites are sites listing many other sites. I would indeed be remiss if I did not point you toward these as sources for additional sites to use with students:
The Children’s Literature Web Guide http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/index.html
Lycos’ alphabetical list of
sites for children: http://a2z.lycos.com/Just_For_Kids/
Natural History
Museum of Los Angeles (links to hundreds of museums and other museum
indices: http://www.lam.mus.ca.us/webmuseums/main.shtml