Summer Activities - TeachersFirst

	Learn Science at Home - San Franciso's Exploratorium offers a great collection of science experiments and activities which can be done safely at home - some with parental involvement. There are ample illustrations and explanations of how and why these activities work.
	Learning from Baseball - TeachersFirst has found lots of ways to make the National Pastime a neat learning opportunity. There are math and physics examples, some on-line games, and lots more. These sites will be a hit with any fan!
	Set Sail Around the World - Middle and high school students will enjoy reading an online biography of George Raper, an English teenager who would voayge to Australia and back, drawing maps and landscapes as he went. The site has plenty of illustrations to accompany the text. Click on the "Biography" link to get started. (This link will open in a new Browser window.)
	Drift Down the Thames - This site offers a photo tour down the Thames, one of Britain's most important rivers. Along the way, you'll see historic buildings and the people who guide commerce along the river. This site is simple enough for use by elementary students who want to see what England really looks like.
	TeachersFirst's Colonial America Tour - A virtual tour of seven important places in the colonization of what became the United States. Take a look at sights you can visit, as well as sites that let you experience America's colonial history from your computer at home.
	Spacey Activities from NASA: Make a Pop Rocket! - Here's a neat project from NASA that lets you build a rocket that will actually take off using a film canister and an effervescent antacid tablet. Younger kids may need help from an adult or older brother or sister. Make an Asteroid Rover - Use a baloon and simple styrofoam parts to make a miniature "rover." Younger kids may need help from an adult or older brother or sister.
	Hurricane Tracking - From satellite images to historical information, TeachersFirst has all the hurricane links to keep you up to speed on the latest storms and the science behind these seasonal killers. For summer 2000, we've added several new resources.
	Try a Brain Twister - TeachersFirst's popular Brain Twisters will continue over the summer. You won't win a million dollars playing our game, but these weekly ten-question puzzlers give students a chance to think quickly, whether working alone or with a friend. We'll post winning names, too!

Activities for Teachers - Tutorials, summer study opportunities, and other resources.

	Rubrics to the Rescue - Properly designed rubrics can reduce the time spent grading assignments while increasing students' understanding of both their assignments and their grades. This short introduction explains how rubrics can make life easier for both you and your students. Includes examples and rubric creation pointers.
	Webquest 101 - TeachersFirst's WebQuest Tutorial - Here's a short on-line tutorial for teachers interested in creating webquests for their students. We've included lots of webquest examples, as well as a number of practical suggestions to help you create a web experience that will actually work in the classroom.
	TeachersFirst's Webquest Collection - This page reviews dozens of webquests drawn from the various TeachersFirst subject areas. If you'd like to create your own webquest, there are lots of good examples here. If you're looking for a great way to interest your students in a new topic, these quests may be just the ticket.
	Native American Craft Unit - This is a collection of activities which guides elementary or middle school students through the creation of toys and crafts that were used by both Native American and Colonial American children in the 18th century colonies. The unit can be used as part of the colonial tour above, or with the study of Native Americans. Students can also do some of the activities at home with the supervision of a parent.
	Smithsonian Institution summer seminars for teachers - Updated for Summer 2000, this is a schedule of more than a dozen short courses offered by the Smithsonian this summer. Most are 2-3 day sessions, and the topics, fees and locations vary.

	TeachersFirst's Summer 2000 Activities for Students and Teachers
	Summer ideas for Teachers and Students