Global Updates From World View

February 2004

Online Resources and Lesson Plans
Compiled by Carol Ashby

Below is a list of selected Internet sites which contain lesson plans, and other resources relevant to global and environmental education. Most resources are provided at no cost, though some require registration. See the Global Updates from November 2002-Online Lesson Plans and Modules for more online lesson plans. Some of the sites are very professional in their look, while others are not glitzy, but provide lots of good information. Make sure you check out the links sections on these sites as they contain more wonderful resources.

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Education and Outreach Program

http://www.arm.gov/docs/education/tlessons.html

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Education and Outreach Program creates basic science lessons related to weather and climate for K-12 education. Almost all of these lessons are useful for students anywhere. Check out the lesson plans and Cool Sites links.

Global Education Club

http://www.kittycochrane.com/zglobalindex.htm

This is an excellent website from a teacher in Canada which describes creating and implementing a Global Education Club in a school. Their club has been in place since 1991. The site also contains excellent Resources to additional materials about global education. The Kids Corner contains an interesting activity and links of interest to kids.

Global Express

http://www.dep.org.uk/globalexpress/

This is a print and online magazine from the UK. It contains activities related to actual events. If you subscribe (for a fee), you get the hard copy. The online activities are somewhat dated as they do not put issues online until the hard copy is sold out.

The GLOBE Program

http://www.globe.gov/globe_flash.html

A Worldwide, hands-on education and science program which involves students in data collection and analysis, as well as collaborating with scientists and other GLOBE students worldwide. Requires teachers interested in leading their students in this program to take a workshop.

The Global Schoolhouse

http://www.gsh.org/

This site contains lesson plans in the form of projects. It also contains links to online expeditions all over the world. There are contests as well. It is a little busy, but well worth your time to explore.

Global Schoolnet Foundation

http://www.globalschoolnet.org/

Global SchoolNet partners with schools, communities and businesses to provide collaborative learning activities that prepare students for the workforce and help them to become literate and responsible global citizens. This site contains many useful resources (including the Global Schoolhouse).

Interlocken: The Ultimate Summer Travel Program for Teens and Youth

http://www.interlocken.org/

Interlocken seeks to provide summer camp and summer travel programs that focus on educational community-building experiences that can open minds, foster personal growth, and help students respond to cultural, social, and environmental challenges as responsible citizens of the world. These are fee-based summer programs for students, some of which include international travel. Some financial aid is available.

Kiosk: Journal of Geo-Politics

http://www.bay.k12.fl.us/pdk/kiosk/

Kiosk is a collection of online newspapers and other resources related to the political world.  It is sponsored by the Panhandle Florida Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa. Using the drop-down menus at the top of every page, you can access the news in any country you like simply by selecting a region and clicking on the country or state name.   For educators, Kiosk is an excellent ready-reference tool for the social studies.  Access to Kiosk is like having your own library! Try using the worksheets found in Kiosk Country Study Guides. Students will interact with the Internet with greater enthusiasm. Designed by a School Media Specialist, Kiosk Country Study Guides will enhance any Social Studies curriculum.

Mr. Donn's Countries & Continents—World Geography & Culture—
Eastern Hemisphere & Oceania and Western Hemisphere & the Poles
http://members.aol.com/MrDonnHistory/K12east.html
http://members.aol.com/MrDonnHistory/K12west.html
The links above are to pages which contain numerous links to lesson plans and activities for the world, divided by hemisphere. They point to lessons for historical, as well as current events. Both pages contain long, scrolling lists, but you can jump to the country you wish to find a lesson about from a table at the top of the page. Mr. Donn also has many other (non-global) lesson plans on his site.

Peace Corps World Wise Schools

http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/educators/index.html

World Wise Schools has an updated website that contains lesson plans for cross cultural communication, reading and writing, service learning, geography, and culture. There are also country study guides, lesson plans on environmental education, and standards-based curriculum units that can be downloaded. In addition, the Peace Corps has several programs that link Peace Corps Volunteers serving all over the world with US classrooms and is launching a service in coordination with the National Peace Corps Association to provide speakers for schools and classrooms.

Teacher’s First

http://www.teachersfirst.org/lesn-wrld.htm

This page provides links to lesson plans and resources about world culture and geography. The Classroom Resources/Hot Topics link contains links to lesson plans about current events—many with a global flavor. The Classroom Resource/Content Matrix takes you to a matrix to search for lesson plans by subject and grade level. This site is well worth a look!

USGS Learning Web

http://interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/teachers/globalchange.htm

This is a single lesson from the US Geological Survey related to Global Change. The USGS Learning Web contains many other technology integrated lesson plans as well.

USA Today Education—Connections! A Global Education Initiative

http://www.usatoday.com/educate/attglobaled/index.html

This program is funded through AT & T to promote student understanding of world cultures and an appreciation for the Olympic Games. AT&T is also sponsoring a classroom competition that awards winning classrooms with $5,000 to $10,000.

WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs

http://www.etown.edu/vl/

This section of the WWW Virtual Library system presents over 2600 links, described in general terms, in a wide range of international affairs, international studies, and international relations topics. It contains news sources, international radio and television broadcasts, and much more.

Carol Ashby owns and operates Carol Ashby Consulting, LLC. She provides staff development for teachers and administrators on topics from basic skill development to integrating technology into the classroom. She also develops and hosts websites, and consults regarding effective hardware and software utilization in schools and businesses. She can be reached at carol@carolashby.com, or via her website at http://www.carolashby.com/education.html.