Using the Web for beginners

Teachers use online projects to:

(Kerrie Smith 2001)

OZPROJECTS

Listing, dates and contacts for registered projects through EdNA.  THE Starting point!

http://ozprojects.edna.edu.au

Boiling Point Project

Investigates the boiling point of water around the world

http://k12science.ati.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/boilprojm

Mystery Class

www.learner.org/jnorth/spring2000/species/mclass/

Global Grocery List Project

Local prices of common items logged

http://landmark-project.com/ggl/

Geo-Mystery

Describes a place and gives clues

www.hern.hawaii.edu/hern96/pt053/GEOMYstery/geomys.html

Postcards around Australia / World

Up to 50 schools are accepted into each group. Postcards can be commercial, computer generated or handmade. First set refects symbols of Australia, there their state, city or local area.

www.netstra.com.au/~disy

 Bookraps

A Book Rap is a book discussion conducted via electronic mail. Individuals or groups of students from across the country or around the world can discuss the scheduled books.  This is an activity that students of all ages enjoy.

To participate simply subscribe to the book rap of your choice and check your email regularly.  The book rap coordinator will post a question (rap point) for your students to answer once a week for four weeks.  The questions are open-ended, higher order thinking questions designed to challenge and stimulate your students.

To find out more go to:

http://rite.ed.qut.edu.au/oz-teachernet/projects/book-rap/

The calendar will show which books are being discussed each term.

Book raps are a chance to show children how much we all enjoy books.  A book rap display could include a rap map (a map of all the schools who are enjoying the book), pictures of the children’s ideas rap messages, characters from the story and the children’s own stories and art.

An excellent example of a teacher created book rap for her class:

The Rainbow Fish - a Book Rap
Imagine what happens when motivated students discuss, reflect and extend upon a chosen book with children across the world via email? This is an ideal unit of work for teachers who have limited access to computers or the Internet - it can be adapted to suit your needs

http://www.tsof.edu.au/LT.SA/ltproject/discoverynetwork01/workunits/megantassell/rainbow/index.html

Travel buddies

This is a wonderful concept that children of all ages enjoy.  Simply link up with a school (preferably in a different state or country).  Purchase a soft toy animal, a diary and send these to your buddy school.  When your animal arrives children take turn to take it home.  Parents help their children write in the diary and tell of their adventure (eg A Night at MacDonald’s).  If you have email access, then you can send a weekly report and photos yo your buddy school.

For more information on which schools would like to participate go to

http://rite.ed.qut.edu.au/oz-teachernet/projects/travel-buddies/index.html

E pals

Like the old-fashioned pen pals. 

Go to:              http://www.epals.com

www.gigglepotz.com/cc.htm

Friends Around the World
This unit of teaching involves students forming E-pals, using the internet for research and communication and a postcard geography project.

www.tsof.edu.au/LT.SA/ltproject/discoverynetwork99/workunits/lemmer/friends/index.html

Webquests

Webquests are a range of web-based activities that involve the development of student centred problem solving activities.  Students work collaboratively on a real life task taking on real life simulation roles. They use the Internet as one of many resources, and then share what they have learned with others. American Professor Bernie Dodge and Tom March have worked on the concept of WebQuests since 1995.

For more information on Webquests go to:

http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/

www.ozline.com/webquests/intro.html 

Scavenger Hunts

http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/shunts.htm

Bean Files

“The Bean Files” were designed to lift understanding of how plants, animals and humans are affected by the environment, of where food comes from, of what is involved in producing it and looking after the land, and to show how science and agriculture are linked.

www.clima.uwa.edu.au/beanfiles

Sharemarket Game                  

Invest $50,000 with the ASX only for year 7+. Held twice a year for 10 weeks.

www.asx.com.au

The JasonProject
The JASON Project was founded by Dr. Robert Ballard, the discoverer of the wreck of the Titanic, in 1989. His goal in establishing the JASON Project was to "bring the thrill of discovery to millions of students worldwide".

www.jason.org (US Site)

http://australia.jason.org/jasonxvi (Australian Site)

Murder Under the Microscope

Annual multimedia competition for schools for students from Years 4-9.

www.microscope.ozeducate.edu.au

 OnLine Tools

Puzzlemaker  

eg crosswords, find a words, mazes, number blocks, cryptograms, fallen phrase

www.puzzlemaker.com

Hot potatoes

A suite of 6 applications, enabling you to create interactive multiple-choice, short answer, jumbles-sentence, crossword, matching and ordering and gap fill exercises for the world wide web.

http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/halfbaked

http://lapasserelle.com/lm/pagespeciales/half.baked/halfbakedtests.index.html

Online surveys and quizzes

Online surveys can be used to gather feedback and opinions and by students to assist in their research. Design and create an online survey which can be conducted by e-mail or posted on a web site. Make use of a variety of questions including multiple choice, value scales and open ended styles.

Teach your students a fun and easy way to create surveys and collate results using free; web based templates and step by step instructions, leaving more time to plan and analyse results. Alternatively, make use of an online survey to gather opinions from your colleagues or any group you wish to survey.

A great way to integrate ICTs into your curriculum!

Zoomerang

www.zoomerang.com  (rather expensive share costs with consortium of schools)

other options

Create survey www.createsurvey.com

BeSeen (Quizlets)  www.beseen.com

Pollit free web-based surveys or polls  www.pollit.com

Last modified: 09/28/04