General Interest
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/maps/lapurchase/index.html
When a young United States finalized the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, they in some ways literally didn't know what they were getting. Certainly a number of surveyors, explorers, and Native Americans had traversed different segments of this vast territory, but it had by no means been completely explored and documented. Recently, the American Memory Project at the Library of Congress created this rather delightful online collection that tells the historical and cultural story of the European explorations of these lands. The collection contains 119 items such as a Native American map of the Upper Missouri from 1801 and the "Accurate Map of North America" by Emmanuel Bowen from 1767. First-time visitors should make a point of reading the 118-page explanatory essay offered here. It covers such topics as the cartographic setting of the Purchase and Louisiana's tenure as a Spanish colony. [KMG]
http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/digilib/ccm/index.html
If you have ever sat up at night wondering, "Where is the C in CAKE and COD?" you will need to wonder no more after you turn the digital pages of "Dolly's ABC" from 1854. Along with "Dolly's ABC", this delightful collection from the Curriculum Library's Historical Collection at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee offers up nineteen complete children's books of historical importance. This collection contains very short picture books, along with several other instructional manuals for teachers, such as "Teaching Boys and Girls How to Study", by Peter Jeremiah Zimmers. For students with a passion for the history of education, this site will be quite a find, and it will merit several return visits. [KMG]
Started in 1997, Archipelago offers up a farrago of poetry, fiction, photo collages, and other such artistic endeavors once (sometimes twice) a year. It's a delight to learn about, and interested parties will appreciate looking over their most recent offerings. Of course, they won't want to stop at the latest material, as they can also delve into their online archive. To give curious parties a sense of Archipelago's contents, they have recently featured Frank McGuinness' piece "Andy Warhol Says A Mass", the poems of Katherine E. Young, and the transcript of a talk on Thomas Jefferson and intellectual property rights given by Jeffrey H. Matsuura. Visitors wishing to take a copy of Archipelago away from their computer screen can also click on a PDF version that is more than appropriate for printing out and taking to their favorite coffeehouse or literary salon. [KMG]
With a broad mission, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are involved in everything from disaster response and management to capacity building all over the globe. As one might expect, visitors to the site can learn about some of their more well-known programs in the "Get Involved" area on the homepage. Their homepage is also an excellent place to learn about some of their research publications, which include their annual "World Disasters Report" and their in-house magazine, "Red Cross, Red Crescent". For more nuts-and-bolts type information on the organization, visitors should browse through the "Who We Are", "What We Do", and "Where We Work" sections. Additionally, visitors can enter the "Our Programmes" section to learn about their various outreach efforts in different regions of the world. [KMG]
As one of the four greatest calligraphers in the Sung Dynasty, Mi Fu was particularly fond of working with large wet dots of ink applied with a flat brush. During his life he was seen as eccentric by members of his family and acquaintances, but his legacy remains quite assured and this online exhibit gives even casual visitors some nice insight into his visual style and body of work. The exhibit is accompanied by some rather lovely music, and visitors would do well to start by clicking on the section titled "The Itinerant Official". Here they will learn about his early life and they will also be whisked around via a collection of interactive maps that are interspersed with brief text passages and examples of his work. Throughout the sections titled "Poetry and Prose", "The Mi Boat", and "Pure Enjoyment", visitors will be treated to glimpses of Mi Fu's genius and general flourishes of calligraphic brilliance. [KMG]
As the longest-running science feature in the United States, StarDate has covered everything from the Big Dipper to super novas. The program serves as the public education and outreach arm of the University of Texas McDonald Observatory, and is broadcast in both Spanish and English. Visitors can listen to their latest radio program, and there is so much more to take in on this fine site. Amateur astronomers will want to look at their daily "Stargazing Tip" which is featured on the homepage, and then can look at the "Featured Image". After that, it's definitely worthwhile to look more closely into the "Stargazing" section. This section includes weekly tips, a stargazing almanac, a beginner's guide, and tips for viewing the planets and meteors. Finally, educators will want to look at the "Teachers" section, as it features lesson plans and classroom activities. [KMG]
http://www.thejewishmuseum.org
Up on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 92nd Street, The Jewish Museum remains the preeminent museum in the United States "devoted exclusively to the scope and diversity of 4,000 years of art and Jewish culture." The Museum is quite fantastic, and their website offers up selections from their collections and special exhibits along with ample information about their educational programs and membership opportunities. First-time visitors should begin by looking over the "Collections & Exhibitions" section which includes multimedia explorations of works by noted sculptor Louise Nevelson and a multi-layered look at Frida Kahlo's family portrait from 1936, titled "My Grandparents, My Parents, and I". After that, visitors should definitely utilize the search feature offered on the site and perhaps even check out their online store. [KMG]
http://www.teachersfirst.com/whatexpect.pdf
The Teachers First website has been offering up high-quality lessons, teaching units, and web resources for teachers for almost ten years. Along with these resources, they have also created a number of papers and presentations that are designed to support the careers of teachers who are just entering the profession. One such resource is the helpful 48-page manual by Amy DePaul titled "What To Expect Your First Year of Teaching". The document was prepared under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement and it contains a cornucopia of insights and observations from both veteran and first-year teachers. Visitors can skip around the report at their leisure and they may also wish to forward it along to other fellow educators. [KMG]
