exploring the web: something to talk, click and write about

a lesson designed by Stacie Evans

Tuesday, 20 Apr 1999 15:09:35 PDT

Stacie Evans, a teacher at the Stanley Isaacs Center in New York developed this lesson, which she emailed to her students. Here's the lesson, as she sent it to them:

Hi, everyone!

Tonight I have a few things for you to play with. As always, remember to print out this page before you click on the links. Have fun!

 

First, for those of you who can read Spanish (or Portuguese), I've found an interesting-looking website that can be viewed in Spanish or Portuguese.

To get there, click on http://starmedia.com

When the site opens, you'll have to click on the "idioma" box to choose Spanish or Portuguese, and then you'll have to click on the "where are you?" box and highlight USA-New York. Last, you'll have to scroll down and click on the "Vamos" box so that the site will open for you.

Look around the site. Pick something that interests you -- sports, news, entertainment, whatever, and click on it. Just wander the site a little and see how you like it. I can't read much Spanish, so I have no idea if this is a good site, a so-so site, or a really great site. Youíll have to report back to me!

HERE'S THE PART THAT EVERYONE HAS TO DO:

 

Thanks to our friends at the Literacy Assistance Center (LAC), I've found out about a really fun site I want you all to check out. It's a site that will show you all kinds of off-beat sights you can find around the country. The big Paul Bunyon statue near my aunt's house is listed on this site!

 

Click on http://www.roadsideamerica.com

 

The first page you'll see looks a little wacky and the whole site's a little wacky, but that's what I like about it. Look for the road sign that says "electronic map" and click on it.

When the map screen comes up, pick a state and click on it.

For example, when I went to check out the site today, I clicked on "Nebraska" and got to find out about the world's largest ball of stamps! It's solid and weighs 600 pounds!

Find a couple of strange sights and write a brief paragraph describing them. You can share these with the class if you like, or you can just give it to me. Enjoy your trip!

 

Stacie

[janet again] How would you use this lesson with learners, friends, kids, someone wanting to learn more about getting around the web? email stacie or me, let us know, post your own ideas.

 

May 22, 2000: Wendy Quinones suggests this site: http://www.seeamerica.org.

As a supplement to some of the sites presented through Roadside America, this could provide interesting ways for students to check out commercially produced sites and to ask critical questions about who designed the sites and what their purposes are. It would also provide opportunties for more critical review of and reflection upon what's on line and why.

 

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