Curriculum Hot Spots On The Web 2002
Curriculum Administrator's fourth annual Web list offers the best educational sites online
by: Odvard Egil Dyrli

LESSON PLAN SOURCES
While many of the sites listed in other categories include lesson plans, the following are extensive collections that are grouped by level and content area, and can easily be searched by topic.

INFORMATION INDEXES
An information index is a set of topic menus and sub-menus to narrow searches and find what you need. Yahoo is the most popular, but there are other choices, including specialized education indexes.

SEARCH ENGINES
Search engines are online tools that find Web pages containing words or phrases that you specify—put phrases in quotes, such as "global warming." The last three below are "metasearch engines" that use multiple search tools simultaneously.

STUDENT RESEARCH RESOURCES
The following resources include age-appropriate sites to help students complete homework assignments, answer their own questions, and do focused research.

WEB PORTALS
Education portals are sites that provide integrated resources, tools and services through single locations, such as administrative applications and online curriculum options.

SCHOOL/TEACHER/STUDENT CURRICULUM SITES
Many schools and individuals offer outstanding curriculum sites, many of which are for the common educational good. The following are selected examples.

COMPANY/ORGANIZATION CURRICULUM COLLECTIONS
Most education companies and organizations offer online curriculum resources, such as the following examples.

ONLINE PROJECT SOURCES
The sites below are outstanding places to find free and fee-based online education projects, and also offer chances to propose your own projects.

LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS
The following sites will link you to libraries, museums and interactive exhibits throughout the world.

COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA
The sites below offer online communications resources including teaching and learning materials from newspapers, radio and television.

ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS
The following sites offer creative child-appealing educational and recreational materials including puzzles, stories, games and interactive activities.

SCHOOLS ON THE WEB
One of the best ways to see examples of online assignments, activities, projects, units and courses is to visit school sites throughout the United States and abroad.

PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES
The following sites offer a variety of resources for technology planning, finding grants, writing proposals, doing staff development and communicating with colleagues.

NOTE: All of the resources listed in this guide can be accessed through the new Curriculum Administrator Web site, www.ca-magazine.com.

Odvard Egil Dyrli, dyrli@uconn.edu, is senior editor and emeritus professor of education at the University of Connecticut.