Useful Educational Websites
Since I began my School of Education classes, I have become more familiar with locating useful websites online pertaining to elementary education. In the past, I generally used Google or Yahoo to find information, but have increasingly learned the benefits of seeking out quality and reliable websites for use in elementary classrooms. I explored several educational websites provided by my professor and checked a few out on my own. I came across mounds of resources for teachers’ use in elementary classrooms, and also many sites geared towards students.
One site that I found particularly enjoyable was an elementary science website titled Cycles in Nature, which can be found at http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/education/projects/webunits/cycles/. The website is geared towards elementary students and encompasses four main topics in cycles of nature, including Day and Night, Seasonal Changes, Phases of the Moon, and Tides. Each of the four main topics have their own page, where students can read information, learn vocabulary terms, participate in experiments, view slide shows, and find links to other sources to learn more about the topic they are studying. The website is very informative and not too broad in scope, covering the basics of the four main topics. It is easy to navigate and aesthetically appealing, making it fun and accessible for elementary children. It is also interactive, in that it engages children and allows them to participate in the process of investigation and discovery, and emulates real world scenarios. In addition to the student features, the website has a teacher’s resources page that provides links and resources for teachers to use while teaching the information found on the site. The site was designed to help teach towards the Virginia Standards of Learning for third grade and includes suggested activities and class experiments. Another reason that I found this site particularly interesting is the fact that it was set up by students at the University of Richmond studying in the department of Education. I was really impressed with the site they created and found it encouraging that students I can relate to created such an impressive and useful educational Web site.
The second Web site I found intrinsically useful was titled Dumptown Game, which can be found at http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/gameint.htm. The site is geared towards elementary students and focuses on technology in society by explaining how communities can help keep people safe by managing waste. I immediately found this site appealing because it merged technology, society, and the environmental issue of waste management into one interactive site for elementary students. Students who access the site begin the game as Dumptown’s new City manager. As the new City Manager, the student must address the environmental issue of waste and must start programs to encourage the town’s citizens and businesses to recycle and reduce waste. The site requires students to use their technology and mathematics skills and knowledge and to develop an environmentally conscious mindset. It also teaches students useful information about pollution, waste, recycling, and waste management. The website is organized, easy to navigate, general in scope, and provides a fun way for children to make connections between, technology and their everyday lives.
