FOSTER CITY, Calif., Feb. 7, 2000 - Classroom Connect(tm)
(http://www.classroom.com), a leader in Internet-based curriculum and
professional development for K-12 education, today announced
AmericaQuest(tm), the first of its award-winning, online learning
expeditions to focus on a mystery within the U.S. This spring, March
6-31, 2000, the world famous Quest team will journey through the
American Southwest and attempt to discover why the ancient Anasazi
civilization - the builders of Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon - abandoned
their elaborate cliff dwellings around the year 1300.
Students will direct the team as they gather evidence and attempt to
solve the mystery while learning about the people and animals of the
region being explored. Approximately 4.5 million students will join this
Quest, thanks to a unique corporate sponsorship provided by Lifetouch
School Portraits. In conjunction with the spring portrait-taking season,
Lifetouch will distribute AmericaQuest to about 200,000 classrooms
across the U.S., giving more students than ever before an opportunity to
become virtual explorers traveling through Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and
Colorado, solving ancient and natural history mysteries.
Through the AmericaQuest Web site and curriculum guide
(http://quest.classroom.com), students and teachers have access to an
array of learning activities that apply to social studies, mathematics,
language arts and science. AmericaQuest will also explore contemporary
American cultures and provide an in-depth look at the Four Corners
region of the United States.
Components of the "AmericaQuest Package"
* AmericaQuest Curriculum Guide: contains more than 100
classroom activities, correlations to standards, step-by-step
instructions for using the Web site, tips for using Quests in the
classroom, and other educational information.
* AmericaQuest Web Site: includes live, daily multimedia
updates from the Quest Team; the ability for students to vote on where
the team goes; issues to ponder and researchers to meet; a Quest Library
reference tool providing hundreds of related links that have been
pre-researched for appropriateness of content; forums for communication
among students, teachers, and experts; Spanish translations of key areas
of the site.
* AmericaQuest Poster: a full-color poster to hang in the
classroom.
Pricing and Availability
AmericaQuest can be obtained as a part of the Lifetouch Spring Portrait
Program or directly through Classroom Connect. Pricing through
Classroom Connect is as follows: individual classroom subscription is
$109.95. For more information about the Lifetouch Spring Portrait
Program offer, contact Lifetouch at 1-800-736-4741. For more information
about AmericaQuest, visit the Classroom Connect Web site at
www.classroom.com.