My Desk Pile: Education

Resources, issues, for education

This material is not 'polished'!!

As I surf the net, I come across various things I wish someone had told me about. In theory, one day it will all be available in the polished sections of my website. In the meantime, if you're willing to 'dig' through some disorganised material, you may be rewarded with 'gems'!

In some cases, the text is snipped from other sources. Therefore, among other things, the personal pronoun may not refer to the editor of this page. If, on the other hand something is identified as coming from 'TKB', he IS the pages's editor!

Click here to visit 'My Desk Pile' Typing Tutor notes.

Ad from page's editor: Yes.. I do enjoy compiling these things for you... hope they are helpful. However.. this doesn't pay my bills!!! If you find this stuff useful, (and you run an MS-DOS or Windows pc) please visit my freeware and shareware page, download something, and circulate it for me? Links on your page to this page would also be appreciated!

Click here to visit editor's freeware, shareware page.

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If you are interested in genetic engineering, and want to learn more about how researchers design new medicines and proteins, visit The Virtual Lab.

The Virtual Lab is a free educational resource on the internet. It uses shockwave to provide multimedia lessons geared to upper level high school students and college students.

If you don't have shockwave or hate browser plug-ins, the virtual lab offers a pure html version which can be viewed on any browser!

http://www.novo.dk/vl/index.asp

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A website devoted to Kid Inventors. Many children have posted their inventions with illustrations and we are getting a great reception, this is on-going project and if anyone would like to submit their children's invention please email me for details. The site can be viewed directly at

http://inventors.tqn.com/library/weekly/aa060797.htm

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Inventors - a place to celebrate those who change the world

Weekly new features: Interviews: New Technology: Historical: Kid Inventors: Gadgets and Gizmos: Patent News: Special Guest Articles: Resource List:

http://inventors.miningco.com

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We are continuing to expand the student and teaching resource site at

http://www.hofstra.edu/~matscw/realworld.html

* On-Line Tutorials
We now have 15 on-line interactive tutorials with multiple-choice self-test items on many finite math and applied calculus topics, inlcuding:
Calculus:
# "Rule of three" approach to computing limits (including
animated graphics)
# "Rule of three" approach to computing derivatives
# Techniques of differentiation
# Introduction to the antiderivative
Finite Math:
# Sample spaces and probability
# Conditional Probability
# Bayes' Theorem
and many more

*On-Line Java & Javascript Resources (no plug-ins required) and Software
# Gauss Jordan/row reduction of matrices with Java software that
pivots in integer, rational, and floating-point modes
# Monty Hall simulation for conditional probability
# Simple linear and exponential regression with Javascript
# Function evaluation (at multiple values of x)
# Macintosh freeware and shareware created by Steve Costenoble
(5 items in all): Graphing (embedded postscript graphics),
Simplex
Method, Row operations/Pivoting, Matrix Algebra, (matrices can be
pasted into word processing documents) and a desktop scientific
calculator.

* Complete On-Line Text Materials (Scout Selection Awards)
The site has chapter-length text (complete with exercise sets and
answers to odd-numbered exercises) on:
# Introduction to Logic
# Calculus of Trig Functions (for applied calculus)
# Probability and Calculus

* Other Resources
# Detailed topic summaries for finite math and applied basic calculus
(18 topics in all) including definitions, basic formulas, examples, and interactive Javascrtipt elements
# 18 Clickable true-false quizzes covering all the main topics usually covered in a two-semester course on applied finite math and calculus
# A growing collection of miscellaneous exercises with answers
(submissions of new exercises welcome!)

Although some of the resources are designed to follow the chapters of "Finite Mathematics Applied to the Real World" and "Calculus Applied to the Real World" (which we advertise at the web site), they are for the most part quite generic, and thus independent of the text.

Comments and suggestions for improvement most welcome. Watch the site for further enhancements!

Sincerely, Stefan Waner

Department of Math, Hofstra University

PS. The website uses sub- and superscripts, and tables, and has been tested on Netscape 3.0 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0. The tutorial section uses frames, and the Java applets require Java-capable browsers. Please email me with comments and suggestions.

http://www.hofstra.edu/~matscw/realworld.html

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Using Excel spreadsheets I have devised worksheets for most maths topics and these produce literally an unlimited number of questions randomly generated. Current topics are addition,bearings,circles (area and circumf),dice simultation , equations, National lottery simulation, mean - median - range, metric conversion, multiplication,negative numbers, percentages, plotting lines, probability of independent events, Pythagoras,quadratic equations, quadratic expansions,ratio,linear series, standard form, equations of straight lines,simultaneous equations, time calculations, trig and area of triangles,prime factors, mean from frequency tables,cumulative frequency

These run either as spreadsheets (Excel 4 or 5, or I believe Lotus 123 or can be supplied as printed sheets. I have also been told that this should run on Acorn computers running Eureka.

Please contact me for a free sample. Each topic, which would generate unlimited questions, costs Pounds 2.50, or a set of printed random questions cost 25 pence per sheet.

http://www.kbnet.co.uk/maths/

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FREE Market Simulations for Educators
http://tqd.advanced.org/10326

We just awarded "Yahoo of the Week"
ThinkQuest /Smart Investing
http://yahoo.com/picks/970818.html

Four ways to use our simulations.

"Smart Stock Game" unlimited stock trades; real data from the exchanges;complete with thousand investors on the Net.

"Educator" easy setup for classrooms or students investment club competitions

"Investment Groups" small or large groups; unlimited cash accounts

"Smart Funds Challenge" trades mutual funds and compete with others on the Net.

InvestSmart is sponsored by a non-profit organization to promote Internet style of learning. Questions? Write us.

invsmart@ix.netcom.com

InvestSmart
Stocks and Mutual Funds Simulation for individuals, educators, and investment clubs.
http://library.advanced.org/10326/

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I'm told that just 3037 words make up over 97% of all written language 303 words comprise over 75%

This information can be found at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~herons/wordlist/wordlist.intro.html

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Site for kids....
http://www.funorama.com

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Buttershaw Upper School operates a cross curricular literacy and numeracy website which has an underlying science theme. The activities offered are mostly interactive with online spreadsheets and grphs which alter as users add data.

Pupils from the school desperarately want to heare from adults teachers and pupils who are willing to submit data fro their investigations in to Harvard Fitness testing and human body proportions.

http://d4bs.eesf.brad.ac.uk/~vernon/science.html

Look at the sports and investigations pages and if you are willing to participate, please leave a message in the visitors book or online message board.

We will, of course, not ask for information which identifies the individual and will forward our findings and/or data sets as soon as the sample is large enough.

Thanks in anticipation

Vernon Levy
head of Science
Buttershaw Upper School
Bradford, UK

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Links, many British, for educators

http://www.kbnet.co.uk/rleggat/education/index.html

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Kid's Domain Review
http://www.kidsdomain.com/review

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A co-op for teachers happy to share their resources on the web.....

There are about 260 documents for download already posted.

It's free (you do need to register though... no useful access without).

Most teachers say they are happy to pool resources with colleagues so please send some resources in.

You can attach materials to an email addressed to mike_shamash@globebyte.co.uk (full instructions on the site)

http://www.globebyte.co.uk/teachers.nsf

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"School News"

Free newsletter with reviews of educational sites written to save your time finding sites. School News is sent out weekly to a growing list of over two thousand five hundred educators, students and parents of students.

Get your FREE subscription to School News by sending email to Tanya Weisbrodt at wmp@dlcwest.com. Please include some information about yourself so that School News can grow.

Visit School News on the net at

http://dlcwest.com/~wmp/SchoolNews/snindex.html

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The Dutch JOTI Site <info@joti.nl> wrote:
:Play on-line memory on http://www.joti.nl
(In Dutch.. but you can make some headway... probably some English pages!)

Play off-line memory on (actually freeware from private usage)

ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/ts/tsgmed14.zip National flags as games, T.Salmi
Filename        Comment                             Date      Time
--------        --------------------------------    ----      ----
FILE_ID.DIZ     Brief characterization of tsgmed  02-07-98  08:23:28
FLAGGAME.EXE    Memory game with flags            02-07-98  07:45:20 <----------
FLAGGAME.ICO    Windows icon for Flaggame         01-01-97  07:18:38
FLAGQUIZ.EXE    Learn national flags by a quiz    02-07-98  08:38:20
FLAGQUIZ.ICO    Windows icon for Flagquiz         12-31-96  10:03:36
TSGMED.INF      Document and a readme for tsgmed  02-07-98  08:20:28
TSGMED.NWS      News concerning this package      02-07-98  08:25:28
TSPROG.INF      List of programs by Timo Salmi    10-04-97  16:04:18
VAASA.INF       Info: Finland, Vaasa, U of Vaasa  10-18-97  13:18:46
----            ------             ------  -----
0009            187315

   All the best, Timo

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MathSphere: Designed for the UK Numeracy Project.
Over 1000 photocopiable mathematics worksheets for 5 to 11 yo children. Modules include addition, subtraction, fractions, percentages, negative numbers and an excellent maths dictionary. Over 100 free pages to trial as well as certificates, tables tests and pages written by children.
Published in Adobe Acrobat format. (Reader is free, as you probably know!)

http://www.mathsphere.co.uk

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Geolectica's popular geo-image identification game, GeoChallenge is fun for everyone and is free! Visit
http://www.geolectica.com/geochall.htm

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Thank you, Wall Street Journal, for pointing me to a good online dictionary with... etymologies and pronunciation. It will also suggest near matches if it doesn't find what you ask for.
http://www.m-w.com

...and thank you WSJ, too, for for the URL for translating dictionaries...
http://dictionaries.travlang.com

(Using one of them (it was number 13 at one point), you can click on a 'from' and a 'to' language, enter a word, out comes the answer.

[couldn't access... email sent.]... and for the serious word glutton, or for specialist dictionaries:
http://www.bucknell.edu/~rbeard/diction.html

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The new website offering 150 pages of illustrated education. All about the PC, its hardware and internal architecture. All free! Promoted by Scandinavias best selling computer writer. To be used by schools and for selfstudy.

http://www.mkdata.dk/english

[Seemed highly professional, and seemed to be mostly about computing, hardware and soft.]

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Web sites concerning Space Exploration and Colonization, the exploration of the planet Mars, and SETI, and more!!!

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8505

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(Hubble, etc) Space Telescope
http://www.stsci.edu

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Journal for educators involved in integrating technology on their campuses
http://www.thejournal.com

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Kids site... lots of Yucky Stuff
http://www.nj.com/yucky/facts/index.html

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A spreadsheet website with a difference. Activities which react to user input. Embedded spreadsheets which are 'live' and update when users add or alter data.

Vernon Levy, head of Science, Buttershaw Upper School
Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK

http://schoolsite.edex.net.uk/323/index.htm

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Interpretation and instruction in physical science and technology. Athens, Ohio, USA
http://www.frognet.net/~kinsler

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Music teachers site, uk flavour
http://www.bobchilds.co.uk/mtrs/

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A place to search about 2000 reviews, all of kid's computer games, by age, topic, rating, or publisher.

The site is a sort of meta-search engine for game reviews---the reviews indexed are from a number of independent, consumer-oriented review sites. It's meant to be a convenient way of getting hold of a number of independent reviews of products.

http://whirl.research.att.com/cdroms

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"A kewl site for Kids"

[tkb view... give it a try.. you might like it. Obviously a lot of time spent on this. Unfortunately, it seemed to me to have had more time spent on the gloss than on the content.]
http://www.pckid.com

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Said to be good sites for kids... ... not all tested by tkb...

http://www.ktca.org/donnasday/creative/recipe2.html (chocolate modeling clay)

http://www.janbrett.com (teacher host/lots of creative ideas)

http://www.alaska.net/~cccandc/free.htm (lots of lesson plans)

http://www.innerbody.com/htm/animation.html (animated anatomy)

http://www.funbrain.com/ (educational activities on-line)

http://www.deepsummer.com/usworms/links/verminfo.html (worm bin)

http://weber.u.washington.edu/~chudler/chmodel.html (cool brain stuff)

http://weber.u.washington.edu/~chudler/chsleep.html (dream studiy)

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We have a web-site with scientific experiments on human perception, cognition and behavior. The experiments are part of research being done at Max-Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Germany. By participating in those experiments you can help us with our research. The experiments are short (2-15 minutes) and you can choose to run one experiment or more. Some of those experiments were designed as games which means it is not only research but can also be fun!

http://exp.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/web-experiment/

(tkb comment: The one I tried wanted me to enable Java scripts in my machine... which I won't do.)

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The Other News From England comments on extra lessons for bright kids this week:
www.othernews.co.uk

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Some links for kids......... (Not all checked by TKB)

Stars indicate informational as opposed to playtime. The more stars the better.

**A+ Math
http://www.aplusmath.com/
Daily math practice online.

Anastasia - Fun and Games
http://www.anya.com/games/
Never changes - see it once.

****Astronomy Picture of the Day
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Nice jumping off point for science discussions, gives good links.

Bill Nye the Science Guy's Nye Labs Online
http://nyelabs.kcts.org/

Camping and Cooking With Kids
http://www.infinet.com/~baugust/camping.html
Some general family stuff on the subject.

**Castles
http://www.emg.com/castles/index.html
Elementary reading practice.

*Cub Badge Book
http://web.co.za/scouts/badgebk/cubint.html

****The Dinosaur Society - DINOART
http://www.dinosociety.org/dinoart.html

****E-Conflict, World Encyclopedia and Simulation, profiles Nations of the World, Anthems, Flags and the Weather
http://www.emulateme.com/
Very good!

**The Etruscans
http://www.agmen.com/etruscans/
Cute, gives just a little info. Loads slowly.

***Flip's Welcome
http://www.webcom.com/iwcwww/teachers_kit/learn.html
Whale site.

*Froggy Page
http://frog.simplenet.com/froggy/
Includes froggy sounds! (These come in extra little plugin windows.)

funschool.com - Preschool Software Online!!!
http://www.funschool.com/cgi-bin/ga?preschool,i
Needs Java. Nice US map game, but games load slow and sometimes glitch so you can't finish.

*Good Grooming for Kids
http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Cottage/7375/
Just found this advertised on one of the newsgroups. Seems like nice information aimed at kids, but launches little windows all over the place.

*Your Big Backyard Magazine Homepage
http://www.nwf.org/ybby/howto.html
Kids' environment/nature magazine.

*****Antarctica
http://www.pageplanet.com/coolrunner/
Great links to scientific info on the study of Antarctica.

**Kid's Corner
http://www.nbs.gov/features/kidscorner/
Wildlife study

***Knighthood, Chivalry & Tournaments Resource Library
http://www.chronique.com/
Links, info.

****National Wildlife Federation's Homepage

http://www.nwf.org/
Lots of links, some games.

**SchoolHouse Rock - Hi Graphics Version
http://genxtvland.simplenet.com/SchoolHouseRock/index-hi.shtml
Everybody remember Saturday morning cartoons? Read the words, hear the songs, and watch the animation without buying the video!

***The Space Place
http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/spacepl.htm
NASA for kids.

Warner Bros. Kids Page
http://www.kids.warnerbros.com/
Fun and games.

*****Welcome to The Boeing Company
http://www.boeing.com/
Detailed!

3to12 Story Village - Short Stories for Kids and Parents
http://www.3to12.com/
We read the few free stories and skipped the $10/mo membership fee.

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