Learning: Tips for the Wired Classroom
Finding Native American Culture

With help from a local sculptor, North Carolina teacher Beth Smithson and her fifth graders designed a Web site that tracks the culture of the Cherokee tribe.

Come Join Us
We have just launched a collaborative Internet project to learn more about the United States. We are asking schools from each of the 50 states to participate.

The participating school will receive a foam-board cutout of their state, which they will decorate with items that reflect the landmarks, industries, and culture of their states.

When finished projects are returned to us, we'll create a giant map of the United States. Each project will also be scanned and shared through our project Web site. The project address is www.evesham.k12.nj.us/evans/states/states.htm.

We would love to have a school in every state participate.

Karen Biddinger
F. V. Evans Elementary
Marlton, New Jersey

All in One Place
NEA Today is a valuable treasure trove of ideas and information. The listing of so many Web sites is one of the magazine's most valuable assets. After reading the articles, it's time to surf the Web.

But... there are some problems. This month's edition gets left in the car, it sits in the living room and coffee rings obscure the addresses, the magazine makes a dandy hat during a sudden rainstorm, and finally, Oregon is a paper-is-fuel state and much as we hate to say it, sometimes the issue ends up in the fireplace.

Enter the Scio District Web!!! Each NEA Today edition's Web sites are listed and pre-linked for easy access for all employees and any member of the public who can find the Teachers' Services section of the Main Web.

We refresh the page after each issue. You can find our link page at www.scio.k12.or.us/SHS/teacherserevices/NEA_Today.htm.

Craig Hamnquist
Scio High School
Scio, Oregon

Truly Multimedia
Last year my fifth graders, a high school senior, and myself designed a Web site featuring a multimedia mural the students had created with a sculptor-in-residence, Raymond Moose, the previous year.

The mural is permanently installed and reflects the culture of Southeastern pre-Columbian Native Americans, focusing on a North Carolina tribe, the Cherokee.

The students researched the images in depth, took two field trips, and under Moose's direction, created a clay tile and a plaster mold of the tile of a chosen image. Moose created the central bronze relief sculpture.

The Web site explains the project, made possible by a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council and community contributions. But more importantly, it allows students and teachers to take a virtual tour of the mural.

They can actually focus on one of the 212 tiles and gain useful information about the images that were so important to Cherokee culture.

Social studies teachers, art teachers, and all students studying Native Americans will find this a valuable learning tool.

For more information, send comments to me through the Web site, www.ancientimages.org, or E-mail me at beths@vnet.net.

Beth Smithson
Mt. Pleasant Elementary
Mt. Pleasant, North Carolina

TALK TO US

Have a nifty classroom tip or lesson plan that uses technology? E-mail a description (under 200 words, please!) to wiredclassroom@list.nea.org.

Is there a Web site, CD-ROM, or piece of software you can't live without? E-mail your favorites--and why you love them--to myfavoritetech@list.nea.org.

Or send your responses by regular mail to NEA Today, or by Fax to 202/822-7206, or through the Web at www.nea.org/cet.

Those published here will receive a sparkling NEA Today mug!

Bytes for Beginners

I don't know very much about the Web, so when a friend suggested that I join an "education portal" I asked: What is a portal, and does NEA have one that I can join?

Portals are often the first page that loads when you start up your Web browser (Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, etc.).

The term "Web portal" began to be used to describe mega-sites such as Yahoo, Excite, MSN, Netscape Netcenter, and AOL, because many users used them as a "starting point" or "entry point" for Web surfing. The term "search engine" had become inadequate to describe the breadth of the offerings of these leading Internet destinations, although search and navigation are still pivotal to most people's online experience. (AOL is a bit different: it's always been an Internet access provider, in addition to being a network of proprietary Internet content and services.)

Your friend most likely recommended that you join a portal because of the plethora of "free," customizable services and functionality they offer visitors, helping folks navigate and extract from the Net information resources they need, when and where they need them.

Portal offerings can include Internet search and navigation; E-mail; customized news, weather, sports, and horoscopes; planners, calendars, and contact managers; real-time chat; message boards; and original content on every imaginable topic. Many also offer shopping, free home pages, "clubs," and even small business services.

NEA is designing its education portal, and it promises to offer something for every education stakeholder. Exactly when NEA's portal will launch is not known at this point--but most likely it will be sometime next summer.

My favorite Web site

I teach 8th Grade Earth Science, and started using a website of my own design about 4 years ago. The site includes these main Earth Science themes; Plate Tectonics, Mapping, Time Zones, Dinosaurs, Chemistry, Weather, and I've even thrown in Particle Physics. The site includes thought provoking questions which are answered by using the links provided. The URL is http://www.oneimage.com/~mcdave/stdntassgnm.html

Dave Crowder
crowde@bvsd.k12.co.us
Lafayette, CO