The third edition of Social Studies on the Internet houses over 500 gateway websites to advance the technology of K-12 social studies teachers.  The URLs are categorized by major social studies content strands with web sites linked to the NCSS Themes. Each web site selected by the authors was reviewed and had to meet 4 criteria: Comprehensiveness, to insure a breath and depth of information and resources, durability, to insure its long-term usefulness, self-renewing, to insure up-to-date information and improvements to the web site, credibility, to insure lack of bias and accuracy. K-12 social studies teachers.

From the Inside Flap
Preface

This technology is destined to revolutionize our educational system and . . . in a few
years it will supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of textbooks.
Thomas Edison, 1922, statement on the invention of film



Claims of the importance of new technologies by the inventors are not limited to our current cultural advancements. Society's pundits have customarily proclaimed that advances in technology will reshape the face of the human experience. Historians point to the "Gutenberg revolution" as having reshaped the knowledge base, access to information, and learning process of Western civilization. Perhaps not as apparent, subsequent advances such as the chalkboard, ballpoint pen, mass production of paper, mimeograph machine, public library, overhead projector, radio, and television also have changed how we learn. The Internet, as a societal force, might prove to be surpassed in its significance for the learning process only by the invention of a written language. Marshall McLuhan's declarationthat the problem today isn't that we don't have the answers, but that we don't have the questionsprophesied the new world of information created by the technology we call the Internet.

Social Studies on the Internet is an annotated collection of web sites for use by current and future teachers of social studies at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. It is a new doorway to the best practices, content, and original ideas that are essential to the success of social studies teachers. Mastery of the Internet and its resources can greatly enhance the quality of the learning experience in social studies classrooms.

Chapter 1 is an introduction to the terminology of the Internet, various ways to use the Internet's resources, and sites that can provide a tutorial for novices.

Chapter 2 deals with Internet safety, legal and ethical issues regarding use of Internet material, and the integration of the Internet into social studies instruction.

Chapters 3 through 10 contain a wide range of social studies resources that social studies teachers at every level will find invaluable as they begin to use the Internet for their professional development, introduce the Internet into their classroom learning experiences, and change the way they teach. The web sites are organized into chapters based on content topics for ease of use by teachers when they prepare unit and lesson plans.

Chapters 11 and 12 offer social studies teachers a number of resources that will assist them on a variety of fronts, from planning and setting goals to accommodating diverse student populations. SELECTION OF SITES

In selecting the various web sites, four criteria were used:

Comprehensiveness. We generally selected web sites that offer the most comprehensive information and resources on topics of importance to social studies teachers. Durability. It takes time, effort, and creativity to integrate the Internet into unit and lesson plans, and teachers need to have some reasonable assurance that their efforts will be usable in future years. Sponsoring organizations of national or regional reputation that serve as patrons of web sites will more likely provide the long-term stability and permanence that will make it possible for teachers to put forth the effort to prepare lessons integrating technology. Self-Renewal. We selected web sites that have a history of improvements and innovations to make the sites more usable, accurate, and up to date. Credibility. Content on the Internet is fluid and without assurance that it is accurate. As in any evaluation of information in any medium, the source is a major consideration in evaluating its accuracy. The Internet has made it possible for content to be published in such an inexpensive manner that availability is no longer an adequate screening device. The volume of information in relation to the areas of expertise of reviewers has made it impossible for individuals to validate content Therefore, emphasis was placed on sites whose, patrons have reputations for service to the public good and are affiliated with well-respected organizations. ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK

In organizing the social studies content chapters (chapters 3 through 10), we have identified gateway sites, specialized sites, the kinds of information provided, and connections to NCSS themes. These identifiers will further assist you in determining the suitability of each site for your specific educational goals.

Sites

Gateway web sites typically offer the most comprehensive access to information, multiple links to related web sites, and/or multiple applications (such as information, lessons, simulations, and virtual field trips). These gateway web sites will appear first in each chapter or section of a chapter. Chapter 6's National Geographic web site, nationalgeographic, is an example of this kind of comprehensive web site. Specialized web sites may also be comprehensive, but they are typically focused on a specific topic. Although less inclusive, specialized web sites include the more focused collections of information or applications. The Betsy Ross home page at ushistory/betsy is one example of an elementary school-level site that is comprehensive, but on a limited topic. It is noteworthy that this web site is a link within a more comprehensive topic, Philadelphia Area Historical Sites, ushistory, which is sponsored by the Independence Hall Association. Because it is limited to the American Revolutionary Period, the Philadelphia Area Historical Sites web site would more likely appear as a specialized web site. These specialized web sites will follow the gateway web sites in each chapter or section.

Application Icons

Each web site will have one or more icons in the Icon Box that appears in the margin, indicating the kind of information that can be found in the web site.

Asking Experts: An e-mail opportunity to communicate with experts Databases: A compilation of web sites or a searchable database from which information may be selected and gleaned E-Mail Pals: An e-mail opportunity to communicate with other students Elementary Emphasis: Resources that may be particularly appropriate for elementary social studies instruction Lesson Plans: Lessons developed by practitioners or curriculum writers Primary Sources: Original documents that can be downloaded and used in instruction Simulations: Active learning experiences Technical Assistance: Resources to improve learning Virtual Field Trips: Full-motion video or frames of a location Online Projects: Continuous, real-time projects

NCSS Themes

To further assist readers in curriculum or lesson planning, a quick reference Guide Box that includes the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) themes follows each web site.

The 10 NCSS themes have been adopted nationally as the core of social studies instruction:

Culture Time, Continuity, and Change People, Places, and Environments Individual Development and Identity Individuals, Groups, and Institutions Power, Authority, and Governance Production, Distribution, and Consumption Science, Technology, and Society Global Connections Civic Ideals and Practices

A full explanation of the themes appears on the NCSS web site, ncss/standards. One or more of these Roman numerals in the Guide Box indicates that the web site has excellent potential to support instruction to achieve the indicated standard(s).

We believe these sites will prove to be valuable to the teachers of social studies as we strive to improve the quality of social studies education for the next generation of citizens in our country and the world. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We wish to acknowledge the assistance of the following individuals: Ilene R. Berson, Cynthia Campbell, Jeff Iannone, Adam Kennedy, Ursula White, and students in Social Science Education courses at the University of South Florida.

We would also like to thank the reviewers of our manuscript for their insights and comments: Bruce E. Larson, Western Washington University; Jay A. Monson, Utah State University; and Tom Savage, California State University-Fullerton.

Michael J. Berson
Barbara C. Cruz
James A. Duplass
J. Howard Johnston --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.