Summer Camps for Children with Disabilities: 2007

We found this resource a couple of years ago after a father wrote inquiring if we knew of a summer camp for a child with autism. We didn't. We were able to find Summer Camps for Children with Disabilities. A publication of the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, this 4-page guide links to directories and listings of summer camps--some of the directories are free, some not. Half of these resources identify camps specifically intended for children who have disabilities. The other half are simply directories listing camp opportunities available to all children. Your community is also likely to have summer camps or recreational opportunities available. The guide is updated annually.

getsmarter.org

Getsmarter.org gives students, parents and teachers a free, fun and private way to compare science and math skills to students worldwide. Students can warm up first with math and science practice quizzes. Correct answers are available--with hints and some fun! You might also learn some geography along the way. When you're ready, try The REAL Challenge! When you finish, you can see your results compared to those of all the students around the world who answered the same questions in 1995-99 as part of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). If you're one of the best in the world, we'll put you on The Top Ten. You can also go back to any test answer and learn more from the detailed explanations and links to other great web sites. Sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Department of Commerce. Visit GetTech.org to explore exciting high-tech careers in math, science, and technology.

FactMonster.com

When we ran across FactMonster.com from Information Please, our response was simply "Wow!" Its a great resource for young people. The site features an expanding atlas, a homework center , games and quizzes, age and gender-appropriate blogs and more. The site is geared toward 6-14 year olds but truly has something for every age group.

LiveScience.com

LiveScience.com is one of those sites that has a little something wonderful for everyone--especially, science buffs. The site focuses on the innovative and intriguing in science and technology. LiveScience.com covers news, views and scientific inquiry from an original, provocative point of view. The site looks at new discoveries, intellectual adventures and the idiosyncrasies of the world that surrounds us. This colorful site is loaded with "Cool Stuff," such as, The Sciece Top 10s, Trivia & Quizzes, a Video Collection and more. Although this Imaginova site features an eCommerce website, the advertising is not intrusive.

JetStream--An Online School for Weather

JetStream is a free online resource providing insight into the many weather occurences, such as, tornadoes, thunderstorms, hurricanes and more. Each major area is accompanied by a set of review questions. JetStream is designed for the web only, however, compressed files containing each section of JetStream are provided. Users can download any section or the entire website. The site also features an excellent glossary and a comprehensive list of acronyms. The site is sponsored by the National Weather Service, Southern Region Headquarters.

Lightening Bug

This is a no nonsense website for aspiring writers. If you are serious about writing Lightning Bug is a great site; if you're not, its best to skip this one. Lightning Bug was conceived to help young adults engage with story writing. The designers contend that understanding how to write a good story is an extremely effective way to express a point of view. The site has been written with a focus on fostering inspiration, finding voice, developing structure and encouraging an interest in writing. The site is intended to be a writing companion, a resource to draw on as you craft a narrative. It is intended to be useful to confident literate young writers, and to those less sure of their writing abilities. In early 2007, Firefly was added to the site, a short story writing challenge to help young adults start writing regularly. Its not a fancy site, but it is a very, very good resource for anyone who aspires to be a writer.