Annotated Sites List

Personal Growth

• I found myself challenging the extent to which I really thought about the sites that I chose to use and going beyond the obvious. Instead of choosing the typical "teacher" sites such as Enchanted Learning, which has everything that a teacher needs for any type of curriculum on one site, I tried to find sites that would stretch my own knowledge. I found it difficult to find sites such as these because the ones that did seemed a bit to difficult for students of a second grade level. I had to find sites that were both fun for the students but also a little challenging which wasn't the easiest task. In the end I realized that I could just take certain ideas from sites and use them to create my own creative, fun, but education based lessons and activities.
  

Purpose

• To list 5 websites and explain their credibility, the purpose of the site, and how they can be beneficial to a second grade teacher. The following websites can be used both for the content within them and for the ideas that emerge from them.
  

1. Pen Pals

• This site introduces a pen pal organization that can be used for teachers and their students. I found it to be credible because they have a ton of information about the organization and the people in charge of it. They also have contact information and pictures of the different students involved. Overall, the site was very professional and had a lot of information and references that made it trustworthy. Teachers can use this site to help their students learn about other cultures as well as use this as a tool to improve their writing and reading skills. Through this pen pal system, students can also learn different languages by communicating with children of different countries around the world. The great thing is that this site can be used with students of all ages and backgrounds. Teachers can communicate with one another to create relevant lessons plans that the students can talk about with one another.

2. Worksheet Maker

• This site is an interesting tool to use in order for teachers to create their own worksheets for students based on the topic they are teaching. Many different incorporations and companies pulled together in order to create this site for teachers which shows credibility. The site also has contact information and different resources that can be checked. Although there are worksheets that are pre-made and can be printed out, teachers can also custom make worksheets to fit their own needs. These worksheets can range anywhere from puzzles to factual worksheets which is really nice as well.

3. Supplies

• O'Block Books is an online store for teachers to use to buy supplies for their classroom as well as their individual needs. An address, phone number, and e-mail address are listed on the site which shows that it is credible. The site has supplies for every subject and specifically for second grade teachers. The store consists of workbooks, teaching materials, and classroom materials which are all essential for teachers.

4. Health

• This site is created by Dole food company which is very well known and credible. Mostly based on health and food, the site contains a separate page for teachers. Teachers can use this site to teach kids about healthy ways of eating and exercising that can be fun and exciting for younger students. The site contains various topics incorporating food and physical activities that teachers can base lessons around. This is a good way to promote healthy eating and lifestyles at a young age so the new generations of children can be healthier and more active. Students can also explore on this site at home with their parents to find good recipes and activities to do for fun.
  

5. Resources

• This site is created by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Extensions program which works to help improve different educational needs around their community. The program has contact information listed and the program is very well known for people in the education program around the area. In addition to improving education needs, the program helps to promote good citizenship as well as many other links that provide information about many different topics for younger children. Teachers can pick and choose from certain sites and find good lessons to teach. There's one site, Out on a Limb, which teaches about resolving conflicts amongst children. Therefore, teachers can use this site and similar sites to teach children about proper behavior and how to be good people. In addition, students are able to go onto some of these sites and watch different videos or play games that are educational.