Internet Diary Entry 20

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/play/stories/

This kid-friendly, interactive website is a great resource for students, parents, and teachers. The front page is welcoming and easy to navigate. Students can find games and stories concentrating on Clifford, The Magic School Bus, Maya and Miguel, I SPY, Dinosaurs, WordGirl, and other fun children’s programs. The targeted age group is 3-7.

Teaching resources include printables, mini-books, lesson plans and also information about magazines, book clubs, and book fairs. Lower elementary school teachers can use this website to provide parents with information that can help their children begin practicing their reading skills. This website can also be used in the classroom by providing educational games to play during free time.

The main purpose of this website is to provide a fun way for students to begin reading and to provide teachers and parents with the resources they need to help their children.

Internet Diary Entry 19

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/

This website is dedicated to helping teachers save time by providing them with effective lesson planes, resources, and printable worksheets. Teachers can choose lessons based on the subject, grade level, or both. The site has sections in math, reading, history, science, social studies, and literature. Lesson plans are designed for students in grades pre-k through 12 so there is something for everyone.

This website can be used in the classroom by providing teachers with various lesson plans. It will give them options of teaching information in a different way by providing alternative lessons. It can also help the teacher understand what information students in that particular grade level should be learning. Teachers can even find holiday and theme related activities to make their classroom experience more enjoyable.

The main goal of this website is to help teachers out when they cannot come up with a lesson plan on their own. It also provides fresh ideas and fun, interactive lesson plans for students of all ages.

Internet Diary Entry 18

http://mgfx.com/kidlit/

Kidlit is a website aimed children’s literature. The website is run by adults, however, many of the reviews and submissions of poetry, art, and short stories are by students. Submissions are categorized by elementary level, middle school, and high school level so there is something for everyone. Students may write reviews on the website to let other readers know how they liked the story.

The purpose of this website is to inspire students to write about what they like and know and to have their works read by their peers. It is a fun and supportive website that can power a students’ passion for writing.

Teachers can assign a lesson where students choose their favorite story or poem from the website. They will then write a paper discussing why they liked the story. Teachers can also have their students write their own stories, submit them on the website, and have their own classmates read their stories.

Internet Diary Entry 17

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

This website provides everything students should know about writing and grammar. This website can be used from early elementary school through high school. It begins with word & sentence level pages that help define sentence parts, abbreviations, and punctuation. From there students can learn how to formulate paragraphs with knowledge of sentence variety, coherence and transitions, and paragraph development. Essay and Research paper help is also available through the writing process, structural considerations, and patterns of organization.

The main purpose of this site is to provide students with the basic knowledge they need while writing a paper. They can learn from this site, and also use this site as a refresher when unsure about certain aspects of their paper. Powerpoints on many of the subjects are also available.

Teachers can provide students with this website as a helpful guide during the writing process. Teachers may assign essays to write during class and allow students to use this website as necessary. Not only will students be able to use this site as a “cheat sheet” they will also learn more about the workings of grammar and writing.

Internet Diary Entry 16

http://www.primarygames.com/reading.htm

Primary Games is a website devoted to educational games that help children learn while they play. The subjects on this website include language arts, math, and social studies. The language arts section features E-Books, typing tests, crosswords, quizzes, and games. Though not specified, it seems that this website is aimed at students in grades k-3.

The purpose of this site is to appeal to children and get them excited about learning. The games teach students typing skills, spelling skills, grammar and reading skills. Practice on this site will also teach students how to navigate websites and the internet and become more familiar with technology.

Teachers may use this website in their class during free-time activities and feel assured that time will not be wasted, but that their students will be learning. Teachers may also inform parents about this website so that students can keep practicing at home so they are better prepared for class. The Print Zone section of this website provides activity sheets, quizzes, and coloring sheets for teachers to use in their classroom.The "Skip navigation" link should bring you here to the start of the main content

Internet Diary Entry 15

http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/sitemap.shtml

The Teaching and Learning Resources website provides games, crosswords, multiple choice exercises, word searches, and web quests for students ages 7 to 11. The “Learning Sections” include literacy, spelling, history, and geography lessons.

The purpose of this site is to provide stimulating, interactive resources for children. The emphasis of this website is having fun while learning. Students on this site can improve their reading, spelling, and grammar skills during different stages of their education.

Teachers can improve on their teaching literacy skills through this website by using lesson plans involving poetry, children’s books, media, film, Shakespeare, and writing processes. Teachers can implement this website in their classroom by allowing students to play games and discover the useful information listed on this site.

Internet Diary Entry 14

http://www.essaypunch.com/

This website created for grades 3-12 takes users through the steps of writing a basic essay. Users will learn how to develop ideas, write their own essays which include an introduction, body, and conclusion. The website helps students throughout the entire writing process from organizing, editing, rewriting, and publishing.

The main purpose of this website is to help students improve their writing skills, organize their thoughts, and communicate their ideas in writing.

Teachers can use this website in a writing lab during class when he/she is unable to attend to each student. This will help students move along in their writing process by having a step by step guide on what they should be working on. After using essay punch several times, students will be more confident in their writing abilities and will have a good knowledge of how to write a basic essay. With that knowledge, they can easily learn other techniques on how to improve their essay in higher grade levels.

Internet Diary Entry 13

http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/prompts.html

This website is devoted to writing by providing writing prompts and journal topics. Prompts can be chosen from the categories what is, what if, what do you think, what, how, I wish, when, which, why and misc.

These writing prompts would be a great way for teachers to develop a sort of journal assignment for students to work on each day. Students could have their own notebook and write for 15-20 minutes each day on a given prompt. Not only would this journal time improve students’ writing skills, it would also force them to think about their life, surroundings, opinions, and feelings.

I think the purpose of this website is to provide journal topics to students, teachers and parents so that students can become better writers. Also, interesting topics encourage students to write about what they like and what they know, therefore they will be more willing and excited to write.

Internet Diary Entry 12

http://www.funbrain.com/funbrain/grammar/

The Grammar Gorillas website provides students with the definitions of different grammar terms such as nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, etc. It gives examples of these terms and describes when and how to use them. It then allows students to play games in which they are asked to identify the noun or whatever the term may be in a particular sentence.

Teachers can use the quiz lab to build online quizzes and have them graded automatically. They can assign their students practice on this website so that they are prepared for the lesson in class. It also provides lesson plans for teachers introducing grammar into their classroom.

The main purpose of this website is to familiarize students with the workings of grammar and to provide fun, interactive ways of learning the difference between grammar terms. It also provides extra practice for students who are having trouble grasping concepts.

Internet Diary Entry 11

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/spelling/recognising/homophones/factsheet.shtml

Skillwise is a website dedicated to the distinction of homophones. This website provides students with dozens of examples of homophones and gives the correct use for each one. The website includes online games that can help students recognize homophones, worksheets and quizzes.

This website is intended to help students learn the proper usage for words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. Understanding the difference in these words is very important as students advance to higher grade levels and begin writing. By practicing the games on this website, students will have no trouble distinguishing between “flower” and “flour” or other various homophones.

Teachers can use this website as a method of evaluating students’ progression. The quizzes on this website are computer-graded and allow students to print out their scores. Teachers can use these quizzes as a grade or simply as a way of tracking how their students are learning about homophones.

Internet Diary Entry 10

http://www.vocabulary.co.il/

Vocabulary is Fun is a vocabulary website that uses flash online word games that include word searches, crossword puzzles, and hangman. Users can choose their vocabulary list based on their grade level.

The purpose of this educational website is to help students build reading, phonics and English language skills. The games on this site are motivational tools for getting kids exciting about practicing spelling, phonics, and vocabulary.

Teachers can use the online vocabulary games on their smart boards to help build vocabulary skills in their classroom. On this site, teachers can build their own vocabulary lists that fit in with their curriculum. Lesson plans that go along with provided vocabulary lists are also available. Teachers can also provide this website to parents for additional practice at home and provide it during free time for their students to have fun with.

Internet Diary Entry 9

http://www.poetry4kids.com/

This website is devoted to poetry which is necessary in any reading/language arts classroom. This website deals mainly with funny poems which could be a good method for introducing students to poetry so that they are having fun with it. The website provides poems, games, contests, a rhyming dictionary, and even poetry podcasts.

The main purpose of this website is to introduce young children to poetry. It also provides a way for students to submit their poetry and also keep a portfolio of their written poems. Students grades 1-12 can even enter their poems in monthly contests.

Teachers can find helpful methods of teaching poetry on this website. The website has lesson plans on writing poems, choosing a topic, how to rhyme, and how to make poems funny. In addition to learning how to teach poetry, teachers can also send their students to this website to read examples of funny poetry before they write their own.

Internet Diary Entry 8

http://www.dositey.com/2008/index-page-home.php

This website has something for every teacher. There are different sections of the website aimed at different grade levels. For instance, there is a K-2 section which focuses on basic addition, number sense and phonics. The 3-4 grade level focuses on multiplication tables, addition and subtraction of two-digit numbers, spelling, reading and writing skills. The 5-8 section deals with fractions, algebra, measures, reading, and writing with open ended questions. The other section is for ages 5 to 105 and incorporates mind twisting games.

This website would be beneficial for teachers to create lesson plans. Each grade section has printable worksheets and games that go along with the subject matter. Games can provide structural fun for students during free time or assignments can be given through this website.

The main purpose of this site is to provide additional practice in language arts and math for students of all ages. It also provides a way for parents to get involved with their child’s education by giving them access to meaningful assignments which will help them at school. For teachers it provides ways to enhance teaching methods and turn drills into fun.

Internet Diary Entry 7

http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/playhouse/thehotchocolateshop.html

This website has dozens of short plays aimed for students in grades 2-4. The plays are written by students themselves. I believe this is beneficial to those reading the plays because students will probably be more interested in something written by their peers. Several of the plays even have flash videos of students acting out the play.

I think this website is intended to introduce students to theatre and the arts. Reading plays will help improve reading skills while having fun. This website also provides a creative outlet for students to submit their writing and ideas where it can be read by other students. Students with access to video cameras can also perform their plays for students across the country to see.

These plays can be beneficial in any classroom. They can be used as reading assignments or as group projects. Students can read a play and put on a class production of that play based on how they understand it. Plays allow students to be more creative because there are many details which are open for interpretation.

Internet Diary Entry 6

http://www.umass.edu/aesop/content.php?n=34&i=1

This website is a compilation of Aesop’s fables retold by a group of students from an Introduction to Computing in the Fine Arts course. These traditional fables are modernized and the students have created their own animations. These fables are directed towards students in grades 3-8. There are 35 different fables on this website and many of the fables were done multiple times by different groups of students.

I believe that this website is intended to give students a different perspective on Aesop’s fables and present them in a more contemporary way that children would better relate to. Also, children watching the videos of these fables are also being introduced to videos created through Macromedia Flash.

This website would be a great addition to any classroom. Students can be broken into groups where they will choose a fable. After reading the fable the students will discuss their opinions on the moral of the story. They can then create their own artwork illustrating the fable. For teachers with experience in animations and macromedia flash, the students can even learn how to make their own animated story.