Memorial Middle School

This annotated webliography of U.S. Federal Government sources includes general sources that would be of interest to K-12 educators, and World Wide Web sites that support and supplement a middle school curriculum.

General Sources

Code of Federal Regulations www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html

The CFR is the codification of general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the Executive Departments and agencies of the federal government. It is divided into 50 titles; Title 34 covers Education. This source will be particularly useful to administrators, special education teachers, and school counsels.

Educational Resources Information Center www.ed.gov/EdRes/EdFed/ERIC.html

The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is funded by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement. This database provides access to a nationwide information network that acquires, catalogs, and summarizes educational information from a variety of sources. The two components of ERIC are: Resources in Education (RIE) which contains 850,000 documents including conference papers, reports, and instructional materials; and Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE) which abstracts over 700 educational journals.

ERIC Digests www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/index

Funded by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, this site offers full text of short reports (1,000 to 1,500 words) on topics of prime current interest in education. The target audience includes teachers, administrators and policy makers. The reports are intended to provide an overview of a given topic and ofter include sources for more detailed information. Keyword searching is available. As of October, 1997, the site has 1,746 digests, and it is updated quarterly. This source should be publicized to administrators and committee members as these current and concise articles could be great springboards for discussion.

Federal Register www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html

This on-line full text version of the Federal Register (FR) covers the years 1995-1997. This is an excellent source for grant writers as it includes public announcements of Requests for Proposals (RFPs). An excellent search engine accommodates Boolean operators, phrase searching, and left truncation. Text includes Federal Register issue, date and title.

The Future of Networking Technologies for Learning www.ed.gov/Technology/Futures

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, this site features the full text of 14 White Papers which address the educational impact of telecommunication networks. These papers would be useful to administrators and technology committee members.

Project EASI: Easy Access for Students and Institutions easi.ed.gov

Sponsored by the Department of Education, this site is designed to assist students and their families in planning for post-secondary education, choosing among alternatives, and financing their choices. The site includes course selection advice for parents of middle and high school students.

A Teacher's Guide to the U.S. Department of Education www.ed.gov/pubs/TeachersGuide

This extensive guide helps teachers navigate the maze of centers and labs, clearinghouses, and programs supported by the U.S. Department of Education. Includes information on legislation, grant programs, services, resources, and publications.

U.S. Department of Education www.ed.gov

Hosted by the National Library of Education, this site provides information about the offices and programs of the Department, educational initiatives of the President and the Secretary, the full text of some Department of Education reports and publications, and links to other organizations. Highlights include National Education Goals, FAQs, advice for grant applicants, and the Department of Education Budget. The site is searchable via an Excite search engine.

Curriculum Related Sites

American Life Histories and Manuscripts from the Federal Writers Project 1936-1940 http:// lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/wpaintro/wpahome.html

This Library of Congress site offers 2,900 documents produced by the Federal Writers project. Typically 2,000-15,000 words in length, they describe the informants family, education, income, occupation, political views, religion, medical needs, diet, and various observations. This is an excellent primary source for social studies and history projects.

American Memory from the Library of Congress lcweb2.loc.gov.ammem

Compiled by the Library of Congress National Digital Library Program in partership with other libraries and archives, this site provides a gateway to rich primary source materials relating to the history and cultural developments of the U.S. The collection includes documents, films, manuscripts, photographs, and sound recordings. The collection of Civil War photographs is noteworthy.

Background Notes www.state.gov/www/background_notes

Sponsored by the State Department, Background notes provide information on geographic entities and international organizations. It is organized by geographic regions, and then by country. Country profiles include sections on People, Government, Economy and Natural Resources, People and History, Government and Political Conditions, Foreign Relations, and Relations with the U.S. Profiles are updated periodically. Pages were scanned and are limited to text only. The site is most appropriate for more advanced students as the reading level is difficult. Teachers will find the sections on People and History to be useful. At the middle school level, this site may serve as a supplement to the more accessible CIA Factbook.

CIA World Factbook www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/country.html

Sponsored by the Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, it provides a clearly written page for each country including maps, flags, geography, people, government, economy, transportation, communications, and defense. The presentation and reading level are appropriate for middle school students.

Core Documents of U.S. Democracy www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/coredocs.html

A basic collection of essential documents that define our democracy including: The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Supreme Court Decisions. This site would be a good addition to a "homework" page.

FBI Kid's Page www.fbi.gov/kids/kids.htm

Science students will be interested in the section on forensics which includes information on fingerprint identification, polygraphs, and DNA analysis. History students will also be interested in the brief descriptions of famous FBI cases including Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, and Al Capone. Also of interest are the Internet Safety Tips.

Finding your Way with Maps and Compass www.usgs.gov:/fact-sheets/finding-your-way/finding-your-way.html

The U.S. Geological Survey produced this tutorial which shows how to determine distance, take a compass bearing from a map, etc. Includes a facility for selecting and ordering inexpensive USGS maps of locations throughout the country.

The Globe Program www.globe.gov

Sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this science education program coordinates interaction between working scientists and students at 4000 schools in 55 countries. GLOBE students make a core set of environmental observations at or near their schools and report the data via the Internet. Scientists use the data in their research, and provide feedback to students. Each day, images created from GLOBE student data are posted on the web. This is a fantastic site for science programs and an excellent model for interactive Internet applications for the classroom.

Investigating Your Environment www.fs.fed.us/outdoors/nrce/iye/contents.htm

This site is developed and maintained by Natural Resources Conservation Education Program, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. It offers educational programs for all ages. There are 21 lessons plans for use in grades 6 through 12. Lessons are in Adobe portable document format. Each lesson includes concepts, principles, objectives, preparation, materials needed, and process. Units include Basic Environments (soil, water, wildlife), Unique Environments (deserts, dunes, ponds, wilderness), and Extending Your Environment (investigating environmental issues, school yard activities).

Map of the Mall www.si.edu/organiza/mallmap.htm

The Smithsonian Institution hosts a wealth of on-line resources. The main Smithsonian Institution page (www.si.edu) provides mostly text links. I prefer the Map of the Mall which offers a clickable map to the homepage of each museum. The resources are rich and varied. Many museums including the National Museum of Natural History (nmnhwww.si.edu/VirtualTour/index.html) have mounted virtual tours which allow the visitor to wander through the galleries. Several offer interactive tours. The National Zoo (www.si.edu/organiza/museums/zoo/map/map.htm) features sounds, movie clips, and live web cameras. Many museums also feature "kids" pages. The Museum of American History features You be the Historian (www.si.edu/organiza/museums/nmah/notkid/ubh/00intro.htm) in which students are presented with a collection of 200 year old artifacts which provide clues about a family's daily life. Educators will be interested in Smithsonian Education (educate.si.edu) which offers a variety of lesson plans.

Mars PathFinder Mission Home Page mpfwww.arc.nasa.gov/default1.html

NASA provides current information and images from the Mars Mission. It includes a variety of educational and outreach links. A sample feature called Build Your Own Mars Pathfinder Spacecraft Model allows you to download pdf instructions for creating a paper model. This is a great source for science and technology education.

National Archives Digital Classroom www.nara.gov/education/classrm.html

This site is designed to "encourage teachers and students at all levels to use archival material...for teaching with primary sources. Includes lesson plans which correlate to National History Standards. A sampling of lessons include: Powers of Persuasion: Poster Art of WWII; and Jackie Robinson, Beyond the Playing Field. Searchable by keyword. This is a valuable source for interdisciplinary studies.

National Park Service www.nps.gov

Provides information on National Parks, National Scenic Trails, National Seashores, National Historic Parks, National Monuments, and National Recreation Areas. This is an excellent source of geographical, biological, and ecological information. Searchable by name, state, theme, and region.

NASA Quest quest.arc.nasa.gov

This site is intended "to provide support and services to schools, teachers and students to fully utilize the Internet and its underlying technologies as a basis tool of learning." Includes on-line interactive projects, lesson plans, and student activities. Every month, Quest sponsors several "chats" with scientists. Students are also encouraged to communicate via e-mail. Featured projects include: The Shuttle Team On-line; Live from Mars; Aero Design Team On-Line; and Live from Antarctica. This is an tremendous resource for science and technology education, and it serves as another excellent model of technology applications for the classroom.

National Weather Service www.nws.noaa.gov

This is an excellent source for current weather observations and forecasts. Includes warnings and watches for floods, flash floods, hurricanes and tropical storms, special marine advisories, and droughts. The site also includes satellite and marine observations.

Observatorium observe.ivv.nasa.gov

NASA provides public access for earth and space data. It includes a wealth of satellite images including "the earth, planets, stars, and other cool stuff." Sample features include: Remote Sensing Tools and Data; Earth, the Ever Changing Planet; and How Planes Fly. This is a great source for science students and it can be used to bring the "big picture" to a variety of subjects.

Occupational Outlook Handbook stats.bls.gov/ocohome.htm

Sponsored by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, this site profiles 250 occupations including work activities and environment, earnings, number of jobs and their locations, types of education and training, and personal qualifications. The section on tomorrow's jobs provides brief analysis of employment growth and accompanying graphs. This site would be useful for guidance programs, and for teachers who wish to include a career component within the content areas.

Student Resources www.epa.gov/acidrain/student/student2.html

The Environmental Protection Agency sponsors this site which addresses acid rain, its effects on forests, water, human made products, and people. Includes experiments and activities.

United States Senateand United States House of Representatives www.senate.gov and www.house.gov

Both legislative bodies provide extensive web pages. Of particular interest to middle school students and educators are the homepages or our representatives. These pages include a variety of information including photographs, biographies, press releases, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. Current Connecticut Senators are: Christopher Dodd, and Joe Lieberman. Representatives are Rosa DeLauro (3rd Dist.); Sam Gejdenson (2nd Dist.); Nancy Johnson (*6th Dist.); Barbara Kennelly (1st Dist.); James Maloney (*5th Dist.); and Christopher Shays (4th Dist.)
* indicates the districts which include Middlebury and Southbury.

United States Geological Survey Learning Web www.usgs.gov/education

This U.S. Geological Survey site is dedicated to "K-12 education, exploration, and lifelong learning." It provides information about many facets of geology including volcanoes, earthquakes, marine geology, and the impact of geology and geological events on our lives. Interesting features include: An Electronic Field Trip to Glacier National Park; and a number of downloadable Macintosh hypercard documents of geologic animations and paper models. This is a great science source and a good model for practical application of hypercard technology.

United States Geological Survey Water Resources Outreach Programs h2O.usgs.gov/public/outreach/OutReach.html

This site addresses water use, waste water, navigation, ground water, and water quality. Presents posters for each topic. Data associated with each poster is targeted at three educational levels: elementary, middle school, and high school.

Welcome to the Planets pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets

Sponsored by the California Institute of Technology through a NASA contract, this site offers many of the best images from NASA's planetary exploration program. Information for each planet includes a planet profile, and photos and descriptions of key features. The descriptions feature live links to an on-line glossary. It also features information on the spacecraft that collected these images and data.

The White House www.whitehouse.gov

This popular site offers something for everyone. Adults may it for current information about the administration. It may also serve as a springboard for a variety of information on the government and its agencies. Middle grade students will be interested in portraits and biographies of the presidents and the first ladies, as well as the virtual tour and history of the White House. Younger children will enjoy "White House for Kids." Hosted by Socks the cat, it offers an easier version of the tour and history.

World Wise Schools www.peacecorps.gov/www/dp/wws1.html

Sponsored by the Peace Corps, this site provides an excellent source of information on the activities of the Peace Corps in emerging countries. Teachers may arrange to e-mail current volunteers in the field, or they may locate speakers through the Returned Volunteer Speakers Program. The site also includes lesson plans which support National Geography Standards and Curriculum Standards for Social Studies.