Just for Teachers: Websites

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Science Sites
Reviews and Bibliographies
Authors and Illustrators
Publishers' Pages

Science Sites

Chesapeake Bay Foundation
http://www.cbf.org/

How can you help to save the Chesapeake Bay? The Chesapeake Bay Foundation provides numerous suggestions. Perhaps your school is interested in becoming involved in the Bay Schools Project, or maybe you’d like to learn more about the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s professional development for teachers and educational opportunities for students. Don’t forget to check out the activities and events calendar.

ENature.com
http://www.enature.com/main/home.asp

Listen to the sounds of more than 550 North American birds. “Find out what to look for in this week’s night sky” by accessing Sky Guide 2001. Learn birding basics. Browse the National Audubon Society field guides which include over 4800 North American plants and animals. Subscribe to the “On the Wild Side” and “The eNature Observer” newsletters. Send e-cards. Request free local wildlife guides. This site features all this and much, much more. This is a must-see site that you’re certain to bookmark for future visits.

The Exploratorium
http://www.exploratorium.edu/

Who are the girls of summer? How do you slap a hockey puck 100 miles per hour? How can you improve your memory? How much would you weigh on Mars? Find the answers to these questions and many more at this site. You can search the Digital Library of over 10,000 pages or visit online exhibits such as “The Temple Illusion” or “Depth Spinner.” You might prefer to learn how to create handmade paper or how to build a “Roto-Copter.” There are certainly many options to choose from at this site. Features include the “Learning Studio,” “Science Snacks” and “Ten Cool Sites.”

The Field Trips Site
http://www.field-guides.com/

Visit the Sahara Desert, the Chihuahuan Desert Region and Death Valley National Park without leaving your classroom. Explore the ocean without getting wet. This site currently has nineteen science field trips as well as a Shakespeare field trip, an American Presidency trip, and eight other additional tours. Teacher training provides information on how you can create your own field trip and also contains links to sites which complement the field trips.

The Franklin Institute Science Museum
http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/welcome.html

Did you know that there are two basic types of leaf patterns? That all spiders molt? “Braindrops” lets you “expand your knowledge of the science around you with a daily “braindrop.” If you’re looking for a bit more than a drop, the “Inquiry Attic” invites you to browse among the treasures that have been assembled for you by the Franklin Institute Science Museum. You can view an online exhibition of the heart, design your own aircraft, learn about Benjamin Franklin, or read about a day in the life of a meteorologist. Resources for educators are plentiful. You might like to start with “Pieces of Science” or “Melting Pot Math.”

Inventors & Inventions for K-12 Education
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/inventors.htm

This site certainly isn’t the most colorful or visually pleasing site that you’ll ever visit, but what it lacks in glitz it more than makes up for in content. The page is comprised of links, links, and more links, each of which lead to information about inventors and inventions. Although there is a focus on thirty-three individual inventors, some more familiar than others, there is also a list of general links. Alexander Graham Bell, George Washington Carver, Ada Byron, and the Wright Brothers are a few of the featured inventors.

Iowa State Entomology Index: K-12 Educators’ Recommended Sites
http://www.ent.iastate.edu/List/k-12_educator_resources.html

Here’s another site that’s not showy, but certainly gets the job done. Are you seeking direction as to how you might use live insects in your classroom? Would you like to learn more about the Adopt-an-Insect Page? If so, then this site has what you need and more. Links direct you to the University of Kansas Monarch Watch Program and the American Tarantula Society as well as many other locations which feature creatures that fly and crawl.

Reviews and Bibliographies

Booklist Magazine Editor’s Choice
http://www.ala.org/booklist/005.html

This site is intended to be the companion to the print copy of Booklist Magazine. Although you must be a subscriber to the journal in order to access all of the features, there are still several attractions for non-subscribers. You can access the Booklist Editors’ Choice Award list. You can also access a limited number of book reviews and articles.

Children’s Literature Nook’s Top 100 Children’s Books: Science
http://www.bestonly.com/books_top100child_science.htm

“Have you read any good books lately?” the site asks. If your answer is yes, you might want to send in a recommendation and review. If you’re looking for a few good books, you might find a few to suit your needs in the list of titles submitted by others. The titles are generally accompanied by a review which will likely help in your selections.

Horn Book Magazine
http://www.hbook.com/

Find out which books are the latest Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winners. Read about those books that writers have chosen as “Future Classics.” Download the list of Horn Book’s Children’s Classics. The “Horning In” section allows you to read what others have had to say about children’s books and it also give you the opportunity to submit your own ideas.

Nancy Keane’s Booktalks
http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks

Library Media Specialist, Nancy Keane, has compiled approximately 1,000 booktalks which she has made available to you. The booktalks may be searched by author, title, subject, or interest level. A “New Listings” section focuses on the latest additions to the site. Keane has also included book review sources, reading lists, and booktalking tips.

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children
http://www.nsta.org/ostbc

If you’re looking for a little guidance in your selection of science trade books, you’ll find some here. The NSTA and the CBC have worked together, with a select panel, to choose the year’s outstanding science trade books for children. Their selections for the years 1996—2001 can be obtained at this site.

Authors and Illustrators

Jennifer Armstrong
http://www.jennifer-armstrong.com/

Jennifer Armstrong, the award-winning author of Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World has an interactive website for children, teachers, and parents. Enter her online Adirondack cabin and find out what this author has in store for her fans.

Jim Arnosky
http://www.jimarnosky.com/

Access the travel logs of Jim Arnosky and his wife, Deanna. Learn about his newest publications. Download Arnosky’s coloring pages of “100 Animals Every Child Should Know.”

Frank Asch
http://www.frankasch.com/

It is immediately apparent that author Frank Asch looks forward to hearing from his readers. He also invites teachers to share their ideas about how to use his books in the classroom. Submit your ideas and you might be the lucky winner of “a piece of original artwork from one of Mr. Asch’s books.”

Larry Dane Brimner
http://www.brimner.com

Are you an aspiring writer? If so, you might like to read Larry Dane Brimner’s advice to aspiring writers. In addition to offering this advice, Brimner also offers information about himself and his books. He also suggests activities for some of his books and shares some of his favorite links.

Vicki Cobb
http://www.vickicobb.com/

“How does an Alaskan winter feel?” and “Where and when is your shadow as small as it can ever be?” The answers to these questions and others can be found in the excerpts from Vicki Cobb’s books. The author also offers activities and projects from her works. Author bio information is among the other offerings.

Marianne Dyson
http://www.mariannedyson.com/

Marianne Dyson, former NASA flight controller and current full time writer, shares part of a chapter from her award-winning book, Space Station Science. If you like what you read in this excerpt, you can read the book in its entirety or browse the Publications List for other items of possible interest. An author profile, space activities, author visit information and a writing activity are also included at the site. Dyson invites you to email questions and/or comments.

Jean Craighead George
http://www.jeancraigheadgeorge.com/

It there a question that you have wanted to ask Jean Craighead George? Chances are you’ll find that question, and the answer, in the “Questions and Answers” section. You won’t want to miss the “Sights and Sounds” section with its audio, video, and photos. George even provides some suggestions on writing, or as she puts it, “a few prods.” The “What’s New” section not only keeps you up-to-date on her latest books, it also keeps you informed about her travels.

Gail Gibbons
http://www.gailgibbons.com/

At this author maintained website, you can not only learn about Gail Gibbons, you can also learn more about her family. Gibbons introduces her newest books and provides brief descriptions of each.

Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
http://www.dorothyhinshawpatent.com/

At her site, author Dorothy Hinshaw Patent shares information about her travels, her books and herself. Visitors to this site can read her article “Science Books for Children: An Endangered Species” or link to Patent’s local newspaper’s article about her 100th book. Patent also includes her favorite “Links for Writers and Book Lovers.” If you have questions and/or comments, you might like to email the author at the address she has so kindly provided.

Bruce Hiscock
http://www.brucehiscock.com/

This self-trained artist shares details of his childhood, his college life and his efforts to build his own home. His books are often written about his travels or what he observes in the woods outside his home. The “How to Draw Page” is a nice feature that you might like to share with your students.

Kathryn Lasky
http://www.kathrynlasky.com/

Kathryn Lasky invites you to learn about her frequent collaborator, photographer Christopher Knight, who just happens to be her husband. The “What’s New” section not only introduces you to Lasky’s newest books, it also provides links to reviews of those books. Learn more about this once “reluctant reader” who has now written over seventy children’s books.

Thomas Locker
http://www.thomaslocker.com/

Thomas Locker has won awards for both his books and his paintings, and at this site you will be able to access information about both. Locker’s site contains sections which include the “Artist’s Journal,” “Traveling Exhibition” and “Teaching Aids.” The photos, alone, make this site well worth a visit.

Debbie S. Miller
http://www.debbiemilleralaska.com/

Most author sites provide information about the author’s books. Miller’s presentation of the books is somewhat unique in that she provides insights into her creative process for each book and adds some “Fun Facts for Kids” for each book. The site also includes some photos of Alaska, information about her future work, biographical details and an email address.

Seymour Simon
http://www.seymoursimon.com

How can you stay informed about a writer who has published over two hundred science books? Well, one way is by visiting Seymour Simon’s website, where you can access information about him, his books and his latest projects. The mailbox icon invites you to send him a message.

Roland Smith
http://www.rolandsmith.com/

This truly is your “Passport to Roland Smith.” You can read about how Smith became a writer. You can examine his photos of the places that he has visited. You can familiarize yourself with his books and learn which ones have won awards. The author encourages his readers to write to him and he even has a special section where he shares some of the letters he has received.

Stephen Swinburne
http://www.steveswinburne.com/s.htm

What does author/photographer Stephen Swinburne do when’s he’s not writing or photographing children’s books? In which of his books does Swinburne explore the concept of patterns in nature? To find the answers to these questions and to learn more about Stephen Swinburne, visit this author maintained homepage.

Publishers' Pages

Boyds Mills Press – Educational Resources for Children’s Books
http://www.boydsmillspress.com

At this publisher site, you can obtain biographical data about their authors and illustrators, preview future publications, sign up for newsletters, or submit book reviews. One section focuses on teaching ideas, with a special invitation to you to submit your ideas about using Boyds Mills Press books in the classroom. You can also download copies of the Bridge, a publication that focuses on specific titles. Those offered include Coyote: North America’s Dog by Stephen Swinburne, Bats! Strange and Wonderful by Laurence Pringle, Mississippi River by Peter Lourie and Poison Dart Frogs by Jennifer Owings Dewey.

Charlesbridge Publishing – Resources for Educators
http://www.charlesbridge.com/school/index.htm

Find out about your favorite Charlesbridge author or illustrator. Check out the books that are “Hot Off the Press.” Access reviews and awards. You can even download activities to use with books such as Animals Black and White, and Blast Off! A Space Counting Book.

Random House
http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/

Teachers @ random is a website for teachers and librarians. It provides information about Random House authors and illustrators, including biographical information, audio interviews (if available), and details about school visits. The highlights of this site, however, are the teacher guides which can be obtained by title, author, theme, award, and grade. The guides provide a brief summary, teaching connections, lists of related titles, reviews, and related Internet resources. This is a “don’t miss” site.

Scholastic—Teacher’s Lounge
http://teacher.scholastic.com/index.htm

The Scholastic teacher site has so much to offer that you have to experience it to appreciate it. In the “Authors and Books” section, you can listen to live interviews with acclaimed authors such as Katherine Paterson or get writing tips from Patricia & Frederick McKissack, and Jack Prelutsky. At the “Best Practices” section, you can participate in the children’s literature discussion group, or choose texts from the “Article Library.” Take advantage of their research tools, where you can access articles from “Science World” and “Scholastic News.” You can even choose from among several Internet field trips.

Simon & Schuster –Teacher’s Lounge
http://www.simonsays.com/subs/index.cfm?areaid=183

Teacher and research guides are available to provide ideas and activities for some of your favorite Simon & Schuster books. Author profile sheets can be downloaded. Monthly themes offer suggested titles as well as related activities.

The Kids' Inquiry Conference (KIC©) (© 1993) is sponsored by the Elementary Science Integration Projects (ESIP),
a National Science Foundation-supported, University of Maryland Baltimore County-sponsored teacher enhancement program.
All materials featured on this site are the property of ESIP.