1 For the
New England Primer
, one good web site of many is http://my.voyager.net/~jayjo/primer.htm.
2 The
Reading and Writing Across the Disciplines
portion of the CAPT is best explained by the information listed at http://www.state.ct.us/sde/dtl/curriculum/currlang_publ_capt.htm that was developed by the Connecticut State Department of Education.
3 I was introduced to Inspiration® Version 6 at a computer workshop for teachers. The software allows students to brainstorm their ideas using a variety of graphic organizers. Students can also work in an outline format. There is a Kidspiration® program available from the same company that works well with lower elementary students. Check this resource out online at www.Inspiration.com and download a thirty-day trial copy.
4 The web page I use for social studies can be found at www.thinkhistory.homestead.com.
5 Aside from the book sources listed in the bibliography, one excellent web site for diagramming sentences, among many, is http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/diagrams/diagrams.stm
6 I am always looking for an opportunity to promote these two books as read-alouds for any age. The skill with which they lead from one chapter into another truly influenced the methods I use to link units, lessons, topics and sometimes even paragraphs. Social studies lends itself naturally to this ‘tell a story’ approach. Howard R. Garris wrote the
Uncle Wiggly Stories
;
Monkey
also called
Journey to the West
was written (in Chinese) by Wu Cheng-en and has been translated into a number of editions. The edition my family has always read is translated by Arthur Waley and was reissued in 1994 by Dover Press, titled
Monkey.
7 The Fort McHenry National Museum in Baltimore -- the anthem was written during the British attack on this fort -- has developed a web site filled with information and activities for students at http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/patriot.html; the specific page that plays the music and gives the stanzas can be found at http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/anthem.html.
8 A wonderful web site all about ‘ism’ is http://www.openthought.org/ismbook. I used some ideas from this source for my simplified definitions.
9 I list three excellent web sites (all requiring Netscape 4.0 or higher). http://www.lewis-clark.org/choice.htm and http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/ These first web sites include the journals and make selection of excerpts quite easy for students. Students will be able to see copies of the original manuscripts as well. National Geographic’s web site has developed a virtual adventure for kids as a member of the expedition at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/west/.