Integrating the Internet into the Classroom
Facilitator: Michael Krauss

• I. Role of computers in educating small children
• II. Safety on the Internet
• III. Internet sites for younger learners
• IV. Internet sites for teachers of younger learners

I. How do young children learn? Is there a role for computers? Should very young children be exposed to the Internet?

• See Early Connections, developed by the Northwest Regional Educational Technology Consortium.

II. What should teachers, parents and students know in order to stay safe on the Internet?

• See SafeKids, a commercial website dedicated to the issue of child safety on the Internet.

III. Teachers should know not to just "send kids out on the Internet to do research!" What are some directories and that contain appropriate Web sites for younger learners? Also are there some individual Web sites that are especially designed with kids in mind?

* Here is the most comprehensive collection of resources for teachers of young learners put together by IATEFL. There are some out of date links, but you can Google the titles of the resources and usually find the working URL.

• ALA Great Web Sites for Kids - The sites on this page are selected by librarians in areas of interest to kids. Rated by Pre-K, Elementary, Middle School, and Parents/Teachers/Caregivers.
  
  
• AskKids - Young people can ask this search tool questions in "natural language," such as "Where are the Andes Mountains?" The design discourages "wandering" on the Web and produces only kid-friendly results. I still recommend that teachers find the sites *for* kids, especially in elementary school.
  
  
• Awesome Library - Safely search the Web or the Awesome Library site for homework or entertainment. This site is available in Spanish or English.
  
  
• Education Place (Houghten Mifflin) - This is a math test prep site for elementary kids. Students can take online math quizzes. (Recommended by an elementary school teacher during a workshop).
  
  
• Eduhound's Directories for Kids - Fifteen or so excellent directories for kids. Some of these also appear on this page as individual listings. Eduhound itself has a wealth of resources both for K-12 learners.
  
  
• EnchantedLearning.com - (Terrific for young kids!) Has great resources for young kids such as a hyperlinked picture dictionary and online "Zoom School." Kids surf only within the umbrella site.
  
  
• Funbrain - Variety of educational games at several levels. Includes math, geometry, art, language arts, and more. (Recommended by an elementary school teacher during a workshop).
  
  
• * Gamequarium.com - A comprehensive, fun, free site that includes not only learning games, but tutorials, online tools, printables and more. A directory designed for the Internet-connected teacher and learner.
  
  
• Giggle Poetry - Students can read funny poems written by others, learn to write poems themselves, and enter poetry to be included on the site. (Recommended by an elementary school teacher during a workshop).
  
  
• Great Ways to Use SmartBoards -  These resources are particularly relevant for use in the one-computer classroom with K-3 kids. A 2007 Blue Web'n selection.
  
  
• * Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators (Kid Stuff Category) - This section of Schrock's excellent directory includes some of the individual sites listed here plus many more that are intended for elementary/middle school kids (A great place to start for content for primary/middle schoolers).
  
  
• KidsClick! - Librarians have developed this searchable directory divided into 15 categories. Every entry is rated for reading level and amount of illustration -a great starting place for student resources.
  
  
• * Kindersite - (Click the Directory Link--then choose Games, Music/Songs or Stories) - The Kindersite is designed for child-care, pre-school, kindergartens, elementary and primary schools plus home school, libraries and the home. In fact everywhere where young children access computers. Games, stories, songs and more for ages 2-8. Some great activities for beginning readers. Can also be used by older students with limited English if they don't mind the children's content. Sites are organized alphabetically and are labeled by age group.
  
  
• * LearnEnglish Kids (British Council) Games, Listen & Watch, Read & Write, Make, Explore - Hard to describe just how much multimedia content is here. You must check it out for yourself. Don't miss the companoin TeachingEnglish Web site. Here's a sample lesson that shows ways of using one of the activities in LearnEnglish.
  
  
• Multnomah County Library Homework Center - Over 4,000 sites were especially selected for Multnomah County students. Excellent job by this Portland, Oregon based library.
  
  
• * Storyplace (Children's Digital Library) - It's all about literacy, traditonal and electronic. Choose from Pre-School Library, Elementary Library and Book Hive. This site is fully bilingual in English and Spanish!
  
  
• Yahooligans - This is best-known kids' Web directory and is first rate (the best in my opinion). I still recommend that teachers find the sites *for* kids, especially in elementary school.
  

IV. What sites contain materials and activities for teachers of younger learners?

• ABCteach - a site with free printable activity sheets, templates for graphic organizers, and many more ideas for their use in the classroom
  
  
• Education World - This megasite for educators includes sections on Lesson Planning, Administrator's Desk, Professional Development, Technology Integration, and School Issues. A treasure chest for teachers, Education World contains over 120,000 education-related sites.
  
  
• Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Continually updated sites categorized by topic, e.g. arts/lit., business, education, health, history,holidays, humor, math, news, etc. Aimed at K-12.
  
  
• Mrs. Mitchell's Virtual School - Wow, this is an amazing collection of Web resources. Very practical and thorough. Sites organized by subject, but also by indvidual grade level (from K- Middle School). Be sure to scroll down through the entire page.

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Updated: 10/15/11