Tame the Internet for the Classroom
Lightspan PageOne, the new Internet Web site from the Lightspan Partnership, lets K-12 teachers tap instantly into the best instructional resources on the Internet. Designed by teachers for teachers, the
free service is already in use in 22,000 classrooms around the country. Its intention is to "tame" the Internet for busy classroom teachers and their students. In less than ten minutes, by using simple forms and templates, teachers can create their own classroom resource page.
Some educators are using PageOne Internet links to supplement basic curriculum with real world examples. For instance, a sixth grade teacher can use the Learning Search to match science curriculum such as astronomy or weather with relevant Internet content, then bookmark it for student exploration. By typing in "Ask an Astronaut," students can have their questions answered by men and women who have actually flown in space.
Teachers develop these special classroom sites by using Yahoo! Clubs technology. The page-building activity is a guided, step-by step process, with no prior knowledge of html programming or Web site design required. Guided by a powerful education search tool indexed by grade level and subject area, teachers select the most relevant and grade-appropriate material for their classroom home page. Each site has been rated by educators and has an appropriate grade level assigned to it. Many of the reviews include learning objectives and teaching suggestions. The Lightspan Partnership, Santa Monica, CA, (888) 4 ALL KIDS, www.lightspan.com.
This article originally appeared in the 12/01/1999 issue of THE Journal.