Internet Teaching
Tools for
Language Arts and
Reading
Sheila Barnes
swbarnes@mindspring.com
http://swbarnes.home.mindspring.com
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Internet Teaching Tools for
Language Arts and Reading
http://swbarnes.home.mindspring.com
This presentation will explore free, on-line teaching
tools geared towards language arts and reading
teachers. Several tools with teaching strategies will be
highlighted. We will review different strategies to
enhance teaching and see examples of various
educational language arts sites and ways to use them.
The Internet is a rich resource for teachers, but
locating very specific examples and how to use them
can be time-consuming. So, we have culled the
Internet for the best material to be used in the
classroom.
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Opening Activity TRLD
iKeepBookmarks.com
iKeepBookmarks.com is a free web based bookmark portal that allows
users to store, sort, add to, and share your bookmarks from anywhere
on the Web. This is great for sharing with students, friends and
family. As part of today’s workshop, we will begin by having you create
your own bookmark portal list.
1. Choose a name that you would like the bookmark list to be called.
Examples, mathmadness, mathmatters, socialstudy, sheilabarnes etc.
2. In your browser address or location window, type the following
http://www.ikeepbookmarks.com
3. Along the top navigation, click on the New Account link to sign up.
4. Users must enter an account name, authoring password, contact
name, and email address. Users may choose to have their list
published or non-published. Enter a name that your students will
recognize. Click on Finished.
5. You will receive a Confirmation that gives directions on accessing
your account. In addition, users can upload their bookmarks and
favorites from existing computers to the iKeepBookmarks site.
Scroll down and click on Begin using account.
6. Now, let’s make a bookmark on your links (Internet Explorer) bar or
Personal Toolbar (Netscape) so that you can easily add sites to your
bookmark list. At the top right corner, click on login in by typing
your account name and password.
7. Click on the Popup along the top. Click on the words in red and drag
to your links navigation bar or personal toolbar.
Drag this -->
<-- Drag this
8. Now you are ready to add sites as we travel the Internet. Click on
Favorites or Bookmarks and choose iKeepBookmarks to add to your
own collection.
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Workshop Agenda
 iKeepBookmarks
 Introduction and Background
 Goal
 Elementary Sites
 Middle Sites
 High School Sites
 Tools and Strategies
 Closing
 Questions??
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Types of Sites
 Information- provides source material on
specific subject
 Email Project- interactivity between
student/teachers
 Activities- these could be ideas and
strategies for teaching or student input
 Interactive Activities- word search, online
quiz, vocabulary practice, or practice
activities with instant feedback
 Reference- online media centers
 Data – collected resources on a particular
subject
 Skill Support- practice on punctuation, or
identifying verbs,
 Ask an Expert- pose questions by email or
check FAQ area
 Lesson Plans- collections and ideas world wide
 Teacher Tools- free tools to develop custom
curriculum material
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Language Arts Elementary Sites
Activity Suggestion
Authors
Web Site
http://www.janbrett.com/
Jan Brett’s web page is full of neat stuff.
http://www.eric-carle.com/
Eric Carle’s web site
Dictionaries
http://www.LittleExplorers.com/Dictionary.html
This is a dictionary with simple definitions and links to more
information.
Ezines
http://www.worddance.com/index.html
This is a new on-line magazine designed to foster love of
reading and writing. It accepts submissions from students.
Grammar Activities
http://www2.minot.k12.nd.us/classrooms/madden/virtual_alp
habet.htm
Virtual Alphabet
http://www.apocalypse.org/pub/u/gilly/Schoolhouse_Rock/H
TML/schoolhouse.html
This is Schoolhouse Rock.
http://amtexpo.com/babbooks/adlib.cgi
These are madlibs.
Large Language Arts http://www.theenglishtutor.com/index.html
Sites
The English Zone provides on-line activities.
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/arts/artlit.html
Kathy Schrock’s Literature and Language Arts guide is full of
links to good resources.
On-line Literature
http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/general.html
Collections
Children’s Literature Web Guide is the premier literature
site on the Internet devoted to children.
http://www.CandlelightStories.com/
Stories and more found here.
On-line Media Center www.ipl.org
This is the Internet Public Library. Go into the Youth
Division to see a well- organized collection of material for
students. They also have a good reference collection.
Plays
http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/RTE01.html
This is a play called, “The Legend of Lightning Larry.”
Poetry
http://www.nesbitt.com/poetry/poems.html
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Activity Suggestion
Research Tools
Thesaurus
Writing Projects
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Web Site
This is a collection of poems by Kenn Nesbitt. Scroll down
and check out The Funny Forty.
http://www.tekmom.com/search/index.html
This is a collection of search tools for young students.
http://www.m-w.com/mw/netdict.htm
This is Webster's Thesaurus.
http://www.itools.com/research-it/research-it.html
This is a collection of on-line research resources.
http://www.monsterexchange.org/
This is Monster Exchange, an on-line project.
http://www.CandlelightStories.com/classstories.asp
This is a form for posting stories on-line. It is from
Candlelight Stories.
http://wwwbir.bham.wednet.edu/wws/wws.htm
This is a student-created page for writing.
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Language Arts Middle Grades
Activity Suggestion
Biographies
Ezines
Fairy Tales
Grammar
Online Authors
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Web Site
http://www.s9.com/biography/
This dictionary contains biographical information on over
18,000 people from ancient times to the present day. These
are the notable men and women who have shaped our world.
Information contained in the dictionary includes birth and
death years, professions, positions held, literary and artistic
works, awards, and other achievements.
http://www.bham.wednet.edu/bio/biomaker.htm
These on-line lessons explain what a biography should be and
shows the student how to write their own.
Civil War Times
http://www.thehistorynet.com/CivilWarTimes/
Parents and Children Online Together
http://www.indiana.edu/~eric_rec/fl/pcto/menu.html
Tales of Wonder- A good site tying social studies with
language arts, it consists of a matrix of links to tales from
other nations and from Native Americans. A resource for
teachers or students.
http://www.darsie.net/talesofwonder/index.html
http://www.funbrain.com/grammar/index.html
A game that helps the student identify the parts of speech
at the beginner and advanced level.
http://deil.lang.uiuc.edu/web.pages/grammarsafari.html#Co
mmon
The LinguaCenter Grammar Safari provides activities
for students to "hunt" and "collect" examples of specific
words as they are found in documents on the Internet. One
assignment involves a safari journal. A list of resources to
use in a safari are also available for the teacher.
http://www.grammarbook.com/
On-line reference resource for students. Study the rules
and definitions and strengthen your skills. Offline practice
and answers provided.
Links for Authors and Illustrators online
http://www.dalton.org/libraries/fairrosa/
The Author Corner provides links to information on a wide
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Activity Suggestion
Online Literature
Online Media Centers
Publications
Reference Material
Vocabulary
Writing
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Web Site
variety of authors. Great place for students to find out
about authors whose books they are reading.
http://www.carr.lib.md.us/authco/index.htm
University of Memphis- E Books
http://www.lib.memphis.edu/notreebook.htm
Anne Frank House, a very moving and easily navigable site
filled with historical annotations, pictures, and
documentation from the Diary of Anne Frank. This is a good
place to start research on the Holocaust or to supplement
current language arts and social studies material.
http://www.annefrank.nl/ned/default2.html
Internet Public Library Teen Section
http://www.ipl.org/teen/
Midlink Online Magazine
http://www.ncsu.edu/midlink/feb98/index.local.html
Guide to Grammar and Writing
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/index.htm
http://www.vocabulary.com/
Vocabulary University- interactive vocabulary games for the
elementary, middle and high school levels that teach
vocabulary skills and give immediate correct responses to
incorrect answer submissions.
The Five Paragraph Essay, a step-by-step guide to writing a
five-paragraph essay. Great resource for teachers and
students.
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Atrium/1437/
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Language Arts High School
Activity Suggestion
American Author
Websites
Current Events
Grammar
Literature
Mythology
Reference Material
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Web Site
Maya Angelou
http://www.wic.org/bio/mangelou.htm
Willa Cather
http://www.accd.edu/sac/english/bailey/cather.htm
http://grid.let.rug.nl/%7Eusa/LIT/cather.htm
E.E. Cummings
http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/a_f/cummings/cum
mings.htm
Emily Dickinson
http://www.accd.edu/sac/english/bailey/dickinso.htm
http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/a_f/dickinson/dick
inson.htm
Frederick Douglass
http://grid.let.rug.nl/%7Eusa/LIT/douglas.htm
http://fyi.cnn.com/fyi/index.html
A clearinghouse for news and resource sites available in
subject area or timeline format. It is separated into
Teacher & Student divisions and covers: news, homework
help, a game room, and a multimedia library for new and
archived audio/video clips.
http://webnz.com/checkers/free2.html
Superteach offers grammar, mechanics, and writing help and
advice. It also has exercises to do along with answer keys.
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/index.htm
Resource for teachers and students that provides
information regarding sentence parts, clauses, paragraph
unity, etc. Excellent source.
http://www.helsinki.fi/kasv/nokol/dickens.html
Web page for Charles Dickens that provides information and
links to studies of the man and his works.
http://www.mythweb.com/
Neat site with information about gods and heroes in Greek
mythology. Also includes teacher resource page with
lesson/project ideas. There is also an encyclopedia.
http://www.jetlink.net/~massij/wssq/index.shtml
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Activity Suggestion
Research, Study
Skills, Teaching
Tools:
Speech/Listening
Vocabulary
Writing
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Web Site
Provides study questions for teachers and students On plays
by Shakespeare . The author of the site gives permission to
use the questions as long as you say that he is the author.
http://www.bibliomania.com/index.html
Full texts of many works of classical and popular fiction.
One of the best parts of this site is the section on
American Literature. This site also has A BIOGRAPHICAL
HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE and BREWER'S
READER'S HANDBOOK. (You can search the handbook and
find literary references and explanations.)
http://www.awesomelibrary.org/Classroom/English/Public_S
peaking/Public_Speaking.html
Resource provides tips for public speaking and a link to
famous speeches.
http://www.thesaurus.com/fun/
Site provides links to interactive crossword puzzles and
word searches.
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/letsnet/NoFrames/Subj
ects/la/b6u3.html
Step-by-step guide for students to develop a newspaper
electronically through the use of the computer.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/index.html
Purdue University Online Writing Lab. Handouts on writing,
planning, and genres.
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Teaching Tools
Activity Suggestion
Free Worksheets
Quia
SchoolNotes
TrackStar
Xcursion Central
Puzzlemaker
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Web Site
http://www.freeworksheets.com/
Offers elementary teachers free worksheets both to print
and for on-line practice. This site even has a worksheet
generator for teachers to develop handouts to meet their
own specifications.
http://www.quia.com/
Create your own learning activities.
http://www.schoolnotes.com/
Create your own free homework page or newsletter online.
http://trackstar.hprtec.org/
A great site for teachers to pre select Web sites, pose
relevant questions, and place on-line for students to access.
Easy to use and quick to post on-line for immediate student
use.
http://www.xcursioncentral.com
Internet-linked, curriculum-based "field trip" developed by
teachers for classroom use. Topics are grade and subject
specific. "FoolProof Xcursions" have been approved and
recommended. Existing lessons can be modified for a
teachers specific classroom needs.
Puzzlemaker allows teachers to create puzzles and games
for newsletters, flyers, handouts, or classroom assignments.
Possible puzzles include: maze, word search, crossword,
number block, math square, cryptogram, and others. This is
a nice teacher utility.
http://www.puzzlemaker.com/
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Web Resource Reference Chart
ELEMENTARY
Information Sites
Email Project
Activities
Reference Sites
Data Sites
Ask an Expert
Skill Support
Virtual Field Trips
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World Writers
Monster Exchange
Journey North
Internet Public
Tall Buildings
Ask Dr. Math
A Plus Math
Museum
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Quotation Resource
International E-mail
Study of Japan
Virtual Reference
Infonation
Ask Dr. Science
Grammar/Writing Guide
The Jason Project
HIGH SCHOOL
Virtual Museums
ePALS
American Memory
Online Writing Lab
ENC Data
Ask An Energy Expert
Learning Webs
Electronic Ellis Island
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