Unfortunately the site that have been fallowing chose to close its doors recently. However, all the information that the author put into the website is still there. I looked at three different posts from http://www.assortedstuff.com/top101/. The first blog I looked at was about the Exploratorium which is a hand on museum in San Francisco. Since most of our students can just jump on a plane and fly there to get the experience this blog gives a link to a web site which allows teachers the opportunity to recreate some of them. One that I looked at was about using mirrors to make a person look like they are flying. Students would love these activities and they don’t seem to complicated. The second blog post was about the red wood forest. Since students can only see pictures and videos of the monumental sites the blog gives the website for national geographic. This web page gives students, parents, and teachers the opportunity to see these exhibits through interactive web pages and vivid photography. The last blog that I looked at was about Evolution. First off, I love that the author mentioned how some people might not like this topic, but that they had resources or those who wanted them. The blog listed a website which has a mind map. All of the side words you can click on and you can receive all the information you ever wanted to know about understanding evolution. This website with the 101 websites is a vital bit of information. I think it is great that someone compiled some of the best websites so that teachers can easily navigate the area to get the information they need. Without other teachers sharing their knowledge about these ideas, some may never grow. I think this site, along with many others allow teachers to grow and get many phenomenal ideas and understand what they might be doing right or wrong in the classroom.
I like the idea of interactive museum websites. A virtual field trip. My anthropology teacher did some learning units were we explored archeological places and we wrote about what we saw, it was guided by questions she gave us to explore. I liked it because it was different and creative. It would be fun to do this with the class on a smartboard or individually in the computer lab. No parent chaperons needed.
ReplyDeleteI checked out that website and I loved it! I especially liked the way they presented the evolution for teachers. I hope that they leave up all of the information even though they are no longer going to maintain it because I think that site is a great resource. Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThat is lame that the site closed on you. But it sounds like you found a few other ones to fill in the void. The online museum it really cool. I always enjoy going to and exploring the museum, this is a great way for students to see artwork that they would not other wise see.
ReplyDeleteThats really cool that you found links to interactive Exploratorium activities online that the children wouldn't naturally be exposed to. Being able to expose the children to these exhibits and places can be really beneficial if it is relevant to their learning.
ReplyDeleteHow frustrating that they shut down that blog, but good that you were still able to find links. That flying with mirrors thing does sound like something students would like. You definitely found a good resource with all of those websites. They seem to be quite varied in content, so I would imagine that a teacher could find plenty of information to help supplement lesson plans.
ReplyDeleteI have chaperoned field trips before and, although it is great for students to get the "hands on" experience, I'd have to say that a "virtual" museum is a lot less stressful! No permission slips to sign, no vehicles/seating arrangements to assign, no rowdy kids disrupting the museum docent! Win-Win!
I also had the same problem, where a blog that I was following shut down. I was pretty bummed but found other great and maybe even more resourceful blogs to follow. I loved that you included the idea of the museum, allow teacher to recreate the idea. This is especially great since like you mentioned not many students can just jump on a plane to go check it out. I think that more museums or interactive learning environments should provide ideas about how to recreate some of the ideas. Thanks for sharing the great ideas!
ReplyDeleteI love the Exploratorium link, they have so many cool things for students to do. I've been following that top 101 blog, and there are other great resources there too.
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