The USGS Learning Web [.pdf]
http://www.usgs.gov/education/
Here is a new, rich resource for K-12 teachers and students from the US Geological Survey (USGS). The Learning Web provides online lesson plans, activities, tutorials (some downloadable and printable in .pdf), and links to references dealing with interdisciplinary studies of natural science. For example, the Exploring Caves section (1-3 level) covers the basic geology of caves, life habits of cave-dwelling organisms, and cave safety and conservation. Other topics explored on the Learning Web include maps, climate, wildlife, earth processes, and more. Learning Web culls pages appropriate for K-12 instruction from the USGS's vast online collection of factsheets, data, and program sites, allowing teachers and students to spend time learning rather than searching. However, because this site is so full of information, it can be tricky to navigate and important sections can be missed, so try using their search engine to find specific topics. Note also that elementary content is much more abundant here than secondary. [HCS]
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Two Archive sites
September11.archive.org
http://september11.archive.org/
Television Archive [QuickTime, RealPlayer]
http://tvnews3.televisionarchive.org/tvarchive/html/index.html
Some of the newest resources on the Web are archive sites, that is sites that collect previously distributed media (see the July 13, 2001 Scout Report for discussion of an Election 2000 archive). Two such Websites have compiled information on the September 11, 2001 tragedies. September11.archive.org, a collaborative effort from Library of Congress, the Internet Archive, and webArchivist.org, offers a compilation of hundreds of sites that reported on the terrorist attacks. They can be searched by category or keyword and range from religious and news organizations to governmental sites. The Television Archive, a San Francisco-based nonprofit, provides audio and video files from news agencies around the world on September 11 and the following week. The site is still being beta-tested, and feedback is welcome. Files can be searched by keyword or browsed by a timeline or program guide and require QuickTime, RealPlayer, and at least a 56k connection to view or listen to. Both sites offer a historical reference point for this tragic day and give a glimpse into the future of Web information compilation and distribution. [JAB]
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Almanac of American Politics 2002
http://nationaljournal.com/members/almanac/
The National Journal Group, Inc., a Washington-based organization "committed to providing publications and services that are nonpartisan, reliable and of the highest quality," now makes available a Web version of their Almanac of American Politics 2002 (the 2000 edition was discussed in the March 3, 2000 Scout Report). One advantage of using the online edition is that it is constantly updated (recently posting Senate committee changes, for example). Browseable by state or district, the Almanac is chock-full of data on presidential politics, election cycles, state demographics (see the "At a Glance" feature), campaign finance, data, key officials, and more. Besides the facts and figures, the site features articles by staff members, such as an introduction to American politics and race-by-race election analysis. A form for ordering reprints and back issues is also available. This is a nice resource for students and researchers in political science or anyone curious about American politics. [HCS]
Please note that the Almanac is available only to subscribers.
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Lift Every Voice [QuickTime, MP3]
http://www.lib.virginia.edu/speccol/exhibits/music/index.html
The University of Virginia Library is hosting a special exhibition called Lift Every Voice, named after a hymn composed by two African-American brothers in the days of the Jim Crow South and aiming to inspire the struggle for equal rights. The Lift Every Voice exhibition commemorates and celebrates a variety of songs that were a part of everyday American life through the centuries. No time to visit Virginia? Then visit the exhibition's Website and enjoy reading about the history behind our country's ballads, hymns, patriotic anthems, minstrels, musicals, and protest songs while listening to audio clips of selected songs (QuickTime, MP3). The text is enriched by digital images of historical papers, compiled by Virginia's Albert H. Small Special Collections Library, including musical scores, photos of musicians, and printed lyrics. The site also contains a section on Thomas Jefferson's relationship to music in the Old South, with digital images of texts from Jefferson's library and, of course, a sample of "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny." [HCS]
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Export Alert!
http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/210/217/export-alert.htm
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the International Trade Administration (ITA) last week launched this email alert service for businesses to keep aware of restrictions on international imports. Export Alert! will disseminate regulatory changes proposed by any of the 142 member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Notifications are sorted into 41 "fields of activity," such as construction materials, agriculture, health care technology, etc., and subscribers can specify fields or countries about which to receive notices. [TK]
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Debate Central
http://www.Debate-Central.org/
Courtesy of the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA), Debate-Central.org offers resources related to this year's National Forensic League high school debate topic: "Resolved: That the United States federal government should establish a foreign policy significantly limiting the use of weapons of mass destruction." The site, which is updated daily, features a wealth of links sorted into ten categories (each of which is further divided into subcategories). Resources are collected from periodicals, think tanks, and other sources, and the collection should be useful not just for debaters but for anyone looking for authoritative resources on these topics. Other debate topics are listed on the right-hand side of the page, though these are covered in a less comprehensive manner. Also at the site is a bulletin board, through which users can ask questions of experts such as Dr. Hans Mark, former Secretary of the Air Force and Deputy Administrator of NASA, and a link to NCPA's Terrorism in America site. NCPA's mission is "to develop and promote private alternatives to government regulation and control, solving problems by relying on the strength of the competitive, entrepreneurial private sector." [TK]
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Scientists Track "Perfect Storm" on Mars [QuickTime, RealPlayer, .pdf]
http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/2001/31/index.html
The latest release from the Space Telescope Science Institute's site (last reviewed in the August 3, 2001 Scout Report) provides a unique look at a global dust storm on Mars using images from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor and Hubble Space Telescope. Offerings include photographs, illustrations, and animations of the dust storm as well as a press release, background information, fast facts, and additional links. [JAB]
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