Heads in the Cloud

Simulations of scientific processes for middle and high school level content. Topics include semi-conductors and cellular respiration. Students can submit their assignments or print them out after they have completed working through a module. The website also provides options for teachers and students to create their own simulations. Free, open source tool.

Lessons for a variety of grade levels - many addressing interdisciplinary themes or global issues. Videos for HS. Links and information regarding economic data. The site also links to a personal finance game made up of a series of missions. The game is geared toward MS and HS. http://www.genirevolution.org/

This dictionary site features slides created by children in Beijing. A good resource for a Chinese classroom to use, it is also a model of what children can create and share with others.

Interactives, webcasts, and access to the raw data from the Cassini mission.

Watch a video of a cow's eye dissection. Check out the interactive diagram. Read through the information about the parts of the eye. Learn about other activities or download instructions for your own real-life attempt at dissection.

Fun games for middle school that cover Citizenship & Participation, the Constitution & the Bill of Rights, Separation of Powers and the Three Branches of Government. Content can be customized to your state standards and teachers can print out reports of student work for assessment. Great role-playing to understand content. Modules designed to fit in most class periods. Recommended by the ALA and Sandra Day O'Connor.

"An in-depth and interactive resource, Edutopia.org offers practical, hands-on advice, real-world examples, lively contributions from practitioners, and invaluable tips and tools."

Candy, pickles, eggs, seasoning, bread, meat all explained through activities, virtual tours, scientific explanations and cultural context. Very engaging, and VERY interdisciplinary. Great for elementary!

For students studying geography, these interactive maps could be a great study aid. I was most impressed by the responses to incorrect answers -it responds by prompting, "No, that is...," and the student only has a limited number of chances before it moves on to the next question.

Easy to use and free. You can start a brainstorming map and ask friends to join you in adding to it. Using the tool is easy. If you choose to "publish" your map you can share your map to your blog or website.You can add an image by using its URL or you can do a Google search for images without leaving the map. Attach a note or a to-do list to a node. Just seeing these possibilities makes me wonder how I could use maps in new ways. They even let you link to other maps, allowing you to nest information of all kinds. A bird's eye view is available within the screen so you can see the overall structure or move the mouse on it to show another part of the map in the large window. Lots of functionality!

A collection of all types of information. Pictures, videos, podcasts and more. Full of information you did not even know you were interested in... Good for those chance questions that arise in class disucssions.

"Vanished is an 8-week online/offline mystery game for middle-school children, meant to inspire engagement and problem solving through science. Developed and curated by MIT's Education Arcade and the Smithsonian Institution, VANISHED is a first-of-its-kind experience where participants become investigators racing to solve puzzles and other online challenges, visit museums and collect samples from their neighborhoods to help unlock the secrets of the game. Vanished also provides a unique opportunity for players to collaborate Smithsonian scientists, MIT students, and their peers online. Players can only solve the mystery by using real scientific methods and knowledge to unravel the game's secrets." Forums, games and videoconferencing are all parts of working together to solve the mystery.

"The various aspects of a web exhibit fit together seamlessly so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts-with descriptions, narratives, maps, photos, videos, and audio clips joining together to create a rich, immersive experience. Exhibits combine deep research, attention to nuance and detail, respect for visitors, and thoughtful and thorough presentation methods. In this way, exhibits provide visitors with practical knowledge, motivation to change their behaviors, and intangible benefits from understanding science and culture more deeply. Exhibits on health or climate change, for example, can help people understand complex topics and learn how to change their habits for the better. Similarly, art exhibits can provide a non-intimidating way to explore famous works, while revealing hidden stories lurking on the canvas." Lots of topics ranging from time to poetry to butter...

The Open Educational Resources (OER) Commons is a collection of resources including open textbooks, lesson plans, and other materials. The thousands of items available can be searched by grade level and subject. All materials are available according to the different types of Creative Commons license. Teachers can work collaboratively in the wiki to create new materials; tagging and social bookmarking are features of the site.

In this game, you get to visit China. As you explore the environment, you can interact with everything around just by clicking. You can engage in conversation, completing tasks, or try on different jobs. All of the work involves repetition with words and sentences in pinyin. You can also see the character writing and English translations, and you are always able to tailor the amount of support you need. In addition you can hear audio (native Chinese speakers!) for single words, complete sentences and entire conversations. There is a space where you can record yourself saying the same words and listen to both recordings to see if your pronunciation is improving. Along the way there are tips on grammar & syntax to help you recognize things like the difference between addressing someone formally or informally. The places you can visit and the encounters you have also give a taste of Chines culture. You can learn about money at the bank in the airport. Across the street from your hotel in Beijing there is a center where they talk about calligraphy and Chinese literature. Overall, the software addresses how to speak in many very practical situations. There is a ledger for your money and energy so you have to be active in the game to earn more. It is fun and makes you want to explore. I really think middle school would be best for this, but the content on some of the literature was in a pretty high range. This could be worked through as assignments or individually paced.

JASON connects students with scientists. This link leads to curriculum developed for 5th -8th grades. There are units for geology, energy, weather, and ecology. All of these units are framed as "missions" in which students engage with research articles, hands-on lab activities, videos, games, and multimedia resources.

Ten Marks is a math site educators can use free with their students. It is designed for students in grade 3 . Students have multiple choice worskhets to complete - after the student completes the worksheet, the student will be shown which answers were correct and encouraged to go back and correct the wrong answers so th score will be "ten marks." While doing the worksheet, students have access to a video review or lesson on the concept and a few "hints" or strategies for the topic. Each concept has multiple "albums" to work through - Grade 3 has 14 of them. Each of those albums has multiple tracks- or sub-concepts - composed of a number of worksheets. After working through a certain number of worksheets students unlock new games. In addition to the worksheet series, there are practice questions available for the students. Teachers might like to take advantage of the tests that are featured or the ability to track student progress. This is great for student who need a quick review of the process or those who benefit from a little motivation.

"InterroBang is a socially networked problem solving game where middle and high school students complete real-world missions to win prizes, learn problem solving and connect with others to change the world. InterroBang players are awarded points for completed missions based on a problem-solving rubric. Teachers can use InterroBang to extend learning from their classrooms with these student-centered activities. 1. Pick a MISSION. Start easy (10 points) and work your way up. There are many to choose from: more added every week since students can add missions as well. 2. Make a PLAN. We'll help you get started. Do it by yourself or collaborate with your friends and people on your team. 3. Go out and DO IT. Have fun. Document what you're doing with text, pictures, video, and audio. 4. You must PROVE you did it. Upload pictures and videos that verify you completed the mission. Tell us in detail about your experience. 5. CONNECT with the community. Take a look at what other players are doing. Make strategic alliances. Create missions."

Gamestar Mechanic features gameplaying leading to gamebuilding. Excellent problem-solving skills required. Accessible to older elementary and middle school students. The AMD challenge takes this interactive work into the realm of global issues, asking players to create games that have social impact. IBMYP teachers may see this as Community and Service. Students are asked to use the elements they have learned to make a game that raises awareness about challenges like "energy, food, pollution, and poverty." BTW, my 5yo loves this: enjoys playing others game and creating his own. He truly gets the collaborative nature of this space.

Browse the results of the US Census by topic like education, employment, agriculture or ethnicity. The information can be broken down according to periods of time across the nation or within a state. Once you have accessed the information you want - you can use it yourself or try their interactive maps that are specific to your requests. Good US history resource, MS +.