Surfing the Net with Kids

Famous Women

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:21:00 PST

In honor of March's designation as Women's History Month, here are my web picks for exploring "herstory" through the eyes of the women that made it. Women's History Month began as a single week in 1978 in Sonoma County, California. In 1981, it was elevated to National Women's Week by Congress, then expanded to a month in 1987.

Ireland

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 14:44:00 PST

The island of Ireland is the third largest island in Europe. Politically, it consists of the independent Republic of Ireland (covering five-sixths of the island) and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Because of the popularity of St. Patrick's Day (when everyone can enjoy being Irish) March was designated as Irish-American Heritage Month by Congress in 1995.

European Union

Tue, 2 Mar 2010 14:40:00 PST

The European Union (EU) is an economic and political umbrella uniting twenty-seven countries. Established in 1993, the EU traces its history back to six countries who formed the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951. After World War II, the march toward unity was fueled in part by the failures of extreme nationalism which had just devastated so much of the continent.

Ratio and Proportion

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:50:00 PST

A ratio is the mathematic relationship between two numbers, where one is divided by the other. A proportion is an equation where two ratios are equal. A typical use might be something like this. The ratio of boys to girls on the bus is five to four. If the teacher counts fifteen boys, how many girls are on the bus?

Presidents' Day Activities

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:33:00 PST

Although the federal government calls the holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February, Washington's Birthday, most people (and many states) call it Presidents' Day. Presidents' Day become popularized in the mid-1980s as a holiday honoring both Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Over the years it has evolved into a day commemorating all U.S. Presidents.

Charles Dickens

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 15:34:00 PST

English novelist Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812 - 1870) not only achieved fame in his lifetime, but continues to be popular to this day. He is known for his iconic characters, such as Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and for his portrayal of Victorian London, as if the city was another character in his stories.

Winter Olympics 2010

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 14:06:00 PST

The first Winter Olympic Games took place in Chamonix, France in 1924 with sixteen nations participating in thirteen events in five sports. This year in Vancouver, Canada (from February 12 to February 28, 2010) there will be athletes from eighty-two nations competing in fifteen sports. The Paralympic Winter Games will follow, running from March 12 to March 21, 2010.

Bird Feeding

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:58:00 PST

Because the cold winter months are the hardest for wild birds, February and March have been named National Bird Feeding Months by the National Bird-Feeding Society. You can help your local bird population by providing supplemental food, water and shelter, and start a fun, educational hobby at the same time.

Edgar Allan Poe

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:25:00 PST

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American poet and short-story author, known as a master of the macabre, but also credited with pioneering work in the detective genre and science fiction. Born in Boston, MA, Poe was orphaned at an early age. The cause of his death at age forty has never been determined, and is the subject of much speculation.

Air Pressure

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:20:00 PST

Air pressure is the weight (or force) of the atmosphere at any particular point. Although you can't feel it or see it, air pressure plays an important part in weather, and can be demonstrated with some really fun experiments.

Best of 2009

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:08:00 PST

As I spent time planning for 2010, I also took time to look back over the fifty-one subjects I reviewed in 2009. I chose these five sites as representative of the best of the best. Keep in mind, unlike the Oscars, these are not sites that were new in 2009, just culled from my archive of educational website reviews done during the year. Happy New Year to you and yours!

To Do Lists

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:37:00 PST

Free browser-based to-do lists have proliferated like weeds over the last few years. These five sites are my favorites, and include a variety of approaches to goal tracking and productivity management. Whether you are looking for a simple list making tool, or one that integrates with your mobile phone , calendar, and email, these sites run the gamut from simple to sophisticated.