Chapter 8

Using the Internet in the Classroom


Three ways to use the Internet at school-

For gaining and analyzing info.

Communication between students or between teachers and students.

Individual or group problem solving.


You can have...electronic penpals, electronic mentors and virtual field trips.


Students work can be posted on websites through electronic publishing.


PBL=problem based learning

4 kinds-

Collaborative or webquests.

Parallel -students work on and solve problems independently, then compare their process and results with other students who solved the same problem.

Data analysis-students use existing 'real life' data to solve problems and answer questions.

Simulations- students use the computer to perform virtual experiments.



Social Action Projects require students involvement in a local or global social concern.

Figure 8.1-page 254-255 Examples of Web-based lessons and projects.

Reasons to use the Internet in the classroom
-info. for student research
-motivation for students
-practice with gaining and using info. form the web.
-practice with understanding and solving problems based on complex issues.
-teaching students how to work together.
-offers opportunities to explore their own and other cultures.

JPEG and GIF -formats used to download images.

Plug-ins-let you see and hear what's on your computer-movie, animation and streaming audio plug-ins.

Website creation- create your own---hard
Use website creation software---so much better!

A good website should be easy to use, well organized,easy to read and navigate.

Website Resources

Windows to the Universehttp://www.windows.ucar.eduWindows to the Universe is a learning system covering the Earth and Space sciences for use by the general public.

TrackStarhttp://trackstar.4teachers.org/trackstar/index.jspTrackStar is a starting point for online lessons and activities. Users collect Web sites, enter them into TrackStar, add annotations, and have an interactive, online lesson called a Track.

Web Toolboxeshttp://www.ed.sc.edu/caw/toolbox.htmlThe toolboxes are resources and lesson ideas for using the web in the classroom.

Teach-nologyhttp://www.teach-nology.com/themesEach theme contains links to a variety of resources to help teachers develop lessons that are challenging, exciting, and fun.

EPalshttp://www.epals.comePALS is a provider of school-safe email and collaborative technology for the educational market.

International E-Mail Classroomhttp://www.iecc.orgIECC is a free service to help teachers link with partners in other cultures and countries for email classroom pen-pal and other project exchanges.

International Telementor Programhttp://www.telementor.orgThe International Telementor Program provides academic mentoring support from professionals in ITP-sponsoring companies.

Chats with NASA Personnelhttp://quest.arc.nasa.gov/sso/chatsNASA Quest allows the public to share the excitement of NASA's authentic scientific and engineering pursuits. The chat events are live interactions with NASA experts.

Tramline Virtual Field Tripshttp://www.field-trips.orgThis is a site where virtual field trips are created and added by educators.

National Health Museumhttp://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/virtual.htmlThis page is a listing of virtual dissections, labs, and field trips in health and science.

Children's Expresshttp://www.childrens-express.orgChildren's Express is a UK-wide news agency producing news, features, and comment by young people for everyone.

Midlink Magazinehttp://www.cs.ucf.edu/~MidLink/MidLink Magazine is the digital magazine by students, for students ages 8 -- 18.

CIESE Online Classroom Projectshttp://www.ciese.orgThe Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education (CIESE) provides eeducation resources and science projects for K-12 grade levels

Pathfinder Science projectshttp://kancrn.orgLinks to science fair resources and guides.

Project Mars Millennium http://www.projectpioneer.com/marsWorking in teams with educators, community leaders and professionals in many fields, young people will weave the arts, sciences, and humanities into an exploration of their own communities.

IEARN Networkhttp://www.iearn.orgiEARN is a global network that enables young people to use the Internet and other new technologies to engage in collaborative educational projects that both enhance learning and make a difference in the world.

Cranes for Peace Projecthttp://www.cranesforpeace.orgPeople from around the world send origami cranes to the Children of the A-Bomb statue in the Hiroshima Peace Park as a symbol and wish for peace.

I Have a Dream Projecthttp://www.kidlink.org/dreamThe I Have a Dream program challenges students to plan, design, and implement an Internet based project to realize their favored dreams in collaboration with peers in other countries.

Westward Ho! http://www.cyberbee.com/wwhoThis site is a simulated journey that allows classes to travel the trail as part of the Westward HO! Wagon Train.

Cool Cosmoshttp://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.eduThis site provides activities, experiments, and lesson plans for learning about light.

KidLink Multicultural calendarhttp://www.kidlink.org/KIDPROJ/MCCThe calendar entries contain recipes for holiday foods, historical background, significance of the holidays, and the special ways in which these days are observed.

Faces of the Olympicshttp://www.mtpleasps.vic.edu.au/olympics/This project aims to develop student skills while researching the stories behind the Olympics.

Writing with Writershttp://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/This is a site where students work with authors, editors, and illustrators in workshops designed to guide them in developing their skills.

Electronic Postcards from Around the Worldhttp://www.genevaschools.org/austinbg/class/gray/internet/electronicThis project offers a way to learn geography and map skills plus provide an increased social awareness of schools/communities around the world.

Unsung Heroes: An ePals Projecthttp://www.epals.com/projects/unsung_heroes/ePALS invites classes around the world to collaborate in the exchange of information about students, teachers, and others in their communities whose positive actions are making a difference to the quality of life of others.

The North American Quilt: A Living Geography Projecthttp://www.tlt.ab.ca/projects/Div3/Grade8/NAGeogNAQuiltGr.8/thenaq.htmThe North American Quilt is designed to bring an interdisciplinary approach to the study of geography, engaging students to participate in a growing collection of geographic and cultural information about the continent.

Voices from the Past: An Oral History WebQuesthttp://oldsegundo.com/webquests/voices_from_past/student-home.htmThis WebQuest is an oral history project for students in grades 6 through 12.

Global Grocery List Projecthttp://www.landmark-project.com/ggl/index.htmlStudents share local grocery prices to build a growing table of data to be used in social studies, science, health, mathematics, and other disciplines.

Whitehouse for Kidshttp://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/timelineThe Freedom Timeline brings together historical stories of freedom.

Streaming Videohttp://www.streamingvideos.comThis site is a list of frequently asked questions about streaming video.

Real Networkhttp://www.real.comReal Player is a media player.

Macromediahttp://www.macromedia.comThis site has information about Macromedia software including Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and Flash.

U.S. Department of Educationhttp://www.ed.govThe mission of the U.S. Department of Education is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation.

U.S. House of Representativeshttp://thomas.loc.govThomas makes Federal legislative information freely available to the Internet public.