Category - Internet
Topic - Curriculum Resources
Issue - Cutting edge website
Tiptoid -
Amanda and I were using internet searches as we worked on a research paper for our civics class. We were, however, having some difficulty giving it zing, and our Multimedia Productions teacher recommended that we go to www.free.ed.gov (Federal Resources for Educational Excellence) to find some cutting edge information that could make our research paper really stand out.
Once we got to the site, we discovered that it was an excellent academic resource for students and teachers, with no cost to the user. Contributions come from a variety of federal agencies. The site navigator has lots of images, and links easily to a host of topics that connect to all our subjects.
Here are some things we learned at this site. There is an easy-to-follow site map. You are asked to choose a core subject, and then there are subdivisions for a more direct search. These searches lead to links that bring up the needed information. You click on a link for a new subject map in the upper left corner and you will find more than one hundred topics, and a resource available for each.
For example, we wanted to learn more about our favorite subject, Language Arts. When we searched Language Arts, twenty resource links popped up. Each of the links had a site description, so we knew right away if that particular site was going to be useful for us to pursue further. We found a site that was right for us. Reading Planet showed us a list of 1,000 books that we could reference. What a really quick way to find exactly what we were looking for!
This is an awesome site for students and teachers. You should visit www.free.ed.gov!
Glossary -
Resource - a source of supply, support, or aid
Find Out More - www.free.ed.gov
This web page contains links to one or more web pages that are outside the FCPS network. FCPS does not control the content or relevancy of these pages.
Submitted by - Nia Wardlaw and Amanda Sourmany
Site Managers - Chris Bednar, Chanel Franklin, Erin Gallagher
June 2007