Re: Curriculum Web Sites

[Judy Gardner <jdagardner@NETSCAPE.NET>]

This past February I participated in a "train the trainer" session dealing with 
Marco Polo.  Marco Polo is a partnership of six web sites:  ArtsEDGE (John F. 
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts); EconEdLink (National Council on Economic 
Education); EDSITEment (National Endowment for the Humanities and Council of the 
Great City Schools); Illuminations (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics); 
Science NetLinks (American Association for the Advancement of Science); and 
Epeditions (National Geographic Society).  The URL for the Marco Polo web site is 
<http://www.marcopolo.worldcom.com
The purpose of the partnership of these six sites is to provide teachers with 
resources that will provide "Internet Content for the Classroom." The lesson plans, 
activities, and ideas that are found on each partner site are incredible.  All the 
sites have gone through a review process so that the content is accurate, unbiased, 
up-to-date, and appropriate.
What I especially liked about these sites is the lack of advertising and other 
distractions that can take students off-task!
I have taught 3 workshops this summer with 9 more scheduled for July and August 
instructing teachers in my district with what is available at Marco Polo and giving 
them suggestions on how they can incorporate these sites into our curriculum.  The 
teachers to whom I have showed it have been very impressed...especially our math 
department teachers!  Math teachers have always been my biggest challenge when 
getting them to incorporate the resources of the Internet into their curriculum.  
My English teachers didn't want to leave at the end of the day!  As I tell all my 
teachers, let's not reinvent the wheel....that's already been done!  Instead, 
adapt, adopt, or modify what you find and integrate it into your curriculum.
If you have not used Marco Polo, I would suggest that you look at it. Directions 
are included on the Marco Polo homepage for ordering guides to using the 
partnership sites( yes...it's FREE).  If your state offers training sessions, take 
advantage of the opportunity so that you can share these sites with your teachers.
Judy Gardner
--
Judy Gardner
Library/Media Specialist
Lebanon High School
Lebanon, PA
jdagardner@netscape.net
VRD Information Network Specialist
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