John DeBakey

SLM 521

Fall 2005

Elective Activity #1-Collaboration

The Odyssey – This site is would be a useful for middle school students because it allows them to learn about different the histories and cultures from civilizations around the world. I think the best part of this site is that students get to interact with Nobel Prize Laureates and contribute in online discussions. Not many sites or programs allow students these types of educational opportunities.

Elephants of Cameroon – Even though this site discusses the fact that elephants are becoming endangered species in Cameroon, this could be a useful project for middle school students because they not only learn about the elephants they learn about human populations and history in Africa. Students also have the benefit of engaging in online discussions and can even interview a field researcher.

Global Grocery List Project – This program would be effective in a high school social studies class because students can learn about other cultures by studying their grocery lists. Students also get to use their math and health skills to analyze data and draw conclusion from their research.

Postcards from America – This site could be useful in a middle school social studies class because students can see pictures from American landmarks. Students get to learn about U.S. geography and history by following the travels of their “guides.”

Educational Web Adventures – This is an interactive site were students can role play, engage in a simulation, participate in a creative play, or solve a puzzle or mystery. Students are able to master skills in history, science, art, and math. Also, this site allows students to use different multiple intelligences and learning skills improve their learning.

Project Center – This site allows students to work on online projects and then submit them to other classes. These types of activities would be best used in elementary and middle schools classes. Young students would enjoy reading the responses and activities that other students their age are doing. This is also a good site for teachers to share their lesson plans with other teachers in the same content area.

Peace Corps – This site would be beneficial for a middle school social studies class because students have a variety of engaging activities where they can learn about geography, culture, and religion in different countries. The lesson plans use various types of resources to make learning fun and interesting.

United Nations Cyberschool Bus – This would be an excellent site for high school students because it has many advanced learning activities and links where students can find information about the United Nations. In addition, there are online games and quizzes for students to take so they can assess the knowledge they have gained. The curriculum is more advanced than other sites because some of the topics discussed on the site are poverty, discrimination, and human rights.

Adventure Online – This site could be beneficial for elementary students in math, science, and social studies classes. Students are involved in games and projects that are meant to be fun. Also, students are able of interacting with other students online and even talk with experts in certain fields about the curriculum they are studying.

GSN Internet Projects – This site can be used for all students in any content area because it allows for all students to share projects they have created with other students. By being able to read other students projects can be an effective learning tool because students can critique their peers work, rather than having just their teacher do it. Also, students can get ideas from other students and interact with them.