Got a question? Ask Jeeves

NEA Today, Oct 1999

My students are having great luck finding information on the Web using the Ask Jeeves search engine (www.ask.com and www.ajkids.com for a "kids-only" version). It's a one-stopshopping spot that has cut their search time down considerably. When you have limited computer time, this is the best asset you can have.

Instead of searching on keywords, you ask questions directly, such as "Who invented zippers?" This site is particularly useful when students have homework questions but don't know how to be specific in their searches.

I think one of my colleagues is hooked on Jeeves. This site proved invaluable when her class came to the computer lab to research careers. Ask leeves has even made my own children less dependent on my help.

Jeri Lynn Taylor

Computer resource teacher

San Jose, California

Famous Women Mathematicians

During Women's History Month in March, I have my Algebra II classes do a unit on famous female mathematicians. They conduct research using Web sites like the one from Agnes Scott College (www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/ women/women.htm).

My students' task is to make a presentation to the class on the selected female mathematician's life, struggles, and desire to study math.

Students' grades are based on the information and the creative manner of their presentations. Students have written poems, performed puppet shows, set up interviews, and created PowerPoint presentations.

Merrily La Scala

High school math teacher

Cedar Grove, New Jersey

Scheduling Computer Time

I post a computer schedule in my classroom that lists the students' names next to their individual computer times. I allow only two students at a time to work on computer assignments, and each child gets three or four chances a week to use the computers.

The children know that whatever classwork they miss during their computer time must be made up quickly. My first graders have learned to read the times, check the clock, and sign on and off. Having a schedule posted helps students learn about responsibility and self-management.

Tammara Payne-Moore

First grade teacher

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Collecting and Graphing Data

I designed a fun lesson to teach students how to create spreadsheets and graphs, as well as how to collect, record, and analyze data using technology.

Every day, students go to the Internet to find temperatures in Spokane and their choice of four other cities around the world. I set up my Internet homepage to show daily temperatures for 10 cities so that students don't have to go surfing for the information.

Students record the data on spreadsheets they created and then exhibit the information in both raw and graphed forms.

After collecting three to four weeks of data, the students modify their graphs (colors, fonts, sizes, lines, etc.), exploring which graph most effectively displays their data.

At the end of the assignment, students turn in their spreadsheets and graphs along with a one-page paper on using spreadsheets, comparing and contrasting temperatures, and predicting weather trends.

Students set up the spreadsheets from scratch-not from templates. We created one together in class before they tried their own. Lori Hays

Fifth grade teacher

Spokane, Washington

Too Few Books? Try PowerPoint

I teach in a new school with few materials for my students, and I've found PowerPoint to be a godsend. I make overhead presentations with sounds, clip-art, and great backgrounds. The students are more apt to pay attention when they hear Bart Simpson say "Ay Caramba" followed up with a new line of information.

Then, I give students copies of the PowerPoint slides. Since I don't have enough books for each student in my three classes to have a book to take home, this is almost as good. Ed Wieger

Resource room teacher

Las Vegas, Nevada

TALK TO US:

Have a nifty classroom tip or lesson plan that uses technology? E-mail a description (under 200 words, please!) to wiredclassroom@list.nea.org.

Is there a Web site, CD-ROM, or piece of software you can't live without? E-mail your favoritesand why you love them-to myfavoritetech@list.nea.org.

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