ESL Teaching & Learning Resources

Content-Based

Smithsonian Learning Lab <https://learninglab.si.edu/> -- a wonderful, extensive site for exploration; teachers can create their own collections, add notes/quizzes, and more. 

American History for English Learners <http://www.manythings.org/voa/history/> -- text and MP3 (audio) files from Voice of America

Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science <http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/evolution98/> -- Summarizes the overwhelming observational evidence for evolution and suggests effective ways of teaching the subject for teachers, other educators, and policy makers who design, deliver, and oversee classroom instruction in biology.

Internet and Computer Writing Resources for a Content-Based Curriculum <http://www.lclark.edu/~krauss/tesol98/home.html> -- Integrating Technology Across the Curriculum: Internet/Computer Writing Resources for a Content-Based Curriculum.       

Blue Web'n: A Library of Blue Ribbon Learning Sites On The Web <http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/> -- a compendium of projects for all content areas

White House Home Page <http://www.whitehouse.gov/>  - Basic information about the Clintons, pointers to other branches of the U.S. government.   Has nice graphics and a few sounds bites for listening practice--good intro to web browsing.

ESL Homepage: Learning English on the Web <http://www.lang.uiuc.edu/r-li5/esl/> -- Has many listening programs, including read along stories and videos.  Only problem would be time to load up each program and desktop support programs.

The Cook's Thesaurus <http://www.foodsubs.com/> -- a cooking encyclopedia of ingredients and kitchen tools.  Entries include pictures, descriptions, synonyms, pronunciations, and suggested substitutions (link contributed by Susan Marandi)

Louvre Museum <http://metalab.unc.edu/louvre/> -- If this is one of your first trips on the Web, you may want to start exploring a tiny subset of the collections first: try out the medieval art exhibit. However, most artworks are exhibited in the Famous Paintings section.

NOVA Online <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/> -- See schedules and watch NOVA here!

National Geographic Society <http://www.nationalgeographic.com> -- Subscribe now and learn about the modern science development today!

Discovery Channel <http://www.discovery.com> -- See schedules and watch DISCOVERY here!     

The Quest Project of NASA <http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/> -- Dedicated to bring NASA people, space and science to classrooms through the Internet.

The Smithsonian Institution <http://www.si.edu> --You can view this the famous American flag, and many other treasures of U.S. culture.  

Classroom Connect <http://classroom.com> -- Join Quest Interactive Expeditions and travel with a team of experts, adventurers, and students  to solve great mysteries around the world.

SitesALIVE! <http://www.oceanchallenge.com> -- Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Math, Geography, World History, Technology... bringing student-to-student contact, and real world context, to your K-12 curriculum. 

History Channel Speeches <http://historychannel.com/speeches/index.html> -- Here's a really interesting place to practice your listening! Every day you'll find a new speech to listen to.  Click on the Speech Archive to get a list of all the speeches or click on a category under Featured Speeches.   You can listen to many famous and historical speeches here.

Going Places <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/goingplaces3/> -- Going Places is an interesting TV show.  Their web site is a great place to visit if you like to travel.  Where do you want to go? Choose one of the five travel destinations.

Echo the Bat <http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/intro/intro1.html> -- This is a wonderful site where you can learn about bats AND satellite images (pictures taken from a satellite in space).  First, read the Story of Echo the Bat.  It's written in easy English.  This story will teach you many interesting things about bats.  After you finish the story, you can begin the Adventure of Echo the Bat.   Scientists have put a tag on Echo so they can identify him.  By watching where he goes, they can learn many new things about how bats migrate (move from one place to another place).  You can help them to find Echo by using the satellite images and maps.  PROJECT:  After you finish reading about Echo and helping to find him, write a short Fact Sheet.  What new facts did you learn about satellite images?   Don't forget to write down any new vocabulary you learned!

Biography.com <http://www.biography.com/index.html> -- A biography is the story of somebody's life.  At this site, you can find over 20,000 short biographies of famous people!  You can use this site to find out about your favorite movie star, singer, or even someone from history!  To find a biography, just type the name of the person you're looking for into the search box at the top of the page. (Click on Features to play some interesting biography games.) PROJECT: After you read a few biographies, write a biography of your friend or classmate.  First, make a list of questions to ask.  For example, you might as where he/she was born, or what their childhood was like.  Or maybe you can ask about their family or an interesting hobby they have.  After you interview him/her, write down all your information into his/her life story.  Congratulations! You are now a biographer!

1000 Years <http://wire.ap.org/APpackages/millennium/popup.html> -- We're only a few weeks away from the start of a new millennium (1000 years)!  At this site, you can look at a very interesting timeline.  A timeline is a way to show a series of events according to the time they happened.  This 1000 Years timeline shows the most important world events in the last millennium.  To view this timeline, first decide if you want to view by the year or by the topic (there are 35 different topics).  To move the timeline, just move your mouse to the left or the right. (You don't have to click.)

Chinese Astrology <http://cat.nyu.edu/liaos/horoscope_old.html> -- Do you know what animal you are in the Chinese calendar?  AT this site, you can learn about Chinese Astrology.  Just click on the animal that is your sign.  (If you don't know what animal you are, click on "Find Out Your Sign," and then click on the year you were born.)  Now read about your sign. T his page will answer 3 questions for you: 1) What kind of person are you? 2) What kind of person are you compatible with? (For example, what kind of person can you be friends with, or get married to?) 3)What will happen to you this year?  Do you agree or disagree?

Easter <http://beewebhead.net/exos/easter.html> -- Bee Dieu's Hot Potatoes Reading Comprehension on Easter; see also Egg Rolling http://beewebhead.net/exos/eggroll.html

April Fool's <http://beewebhead.net/exos/april.html>

Tales of Wonder <http://www.darsie.net/talesofwonder/> -- Folk and Fairy Tales are very old stories that are passed on from generation to generation.  This is a wonderful collection of stories from countries all over the world.  Find out Why the Fish Laughed, a story from India.  Read about The Princess and the Glass Mountain, a story from Scandinavia.  Discover what happens when The Lion and Hare Go Hunting, a tale from Africa.         

Superstitions <http://www.corsinet.com/trivia/scary.html> -- Are you superstitious?  Do you believe that some things you can do can bring bad luck (or good luck)?  Here is a very long list of superstitions.  Some examples: - It's bad luck to put a hat on a bed.  It's bad luck to light three cigarettes with the same match. It's unlucky to see your face in a mirror by candlelight.  These superstitions are listed alphabetical., and also grouped according to those that are related to death and to weddings.  PROJECT: What superstitions do you have in your country?  Make a list of some of the most popular ones.  Compare your list with your classmates' lists.  Do different countries have similar superstitions?

Halloween Spooky Links <http://fln-bma.yazigi.com.br/halloween.htm> -- Links on the cultural background of Halloween, as well as Halloween parties, and some interactive activities for kids, adults and teens.

Ghost Stories <http://www.visitorinfo.com/ghost/fright.htm> -- One of the fun Halloween traditions is telling ghost stories.  At this site, you'll find lots of (true?) ghost stories.  Just click on one of the volume numbers (1-7_ to read the stories.  Some of these stories are pretty scary, so you shouldn't read them when you're alone late at night in the dark!

Halloween Jokes <http://www.jokecenter.com/jokes/Halloween/> -- Ghosts, vampires, and skeletons can be scary, but they can also be funny!  This site contains a long list of jokes for Halloween.

Halloween Make-Up and Costumes <http://www.buycostumes.com/> -- If you're going to a Halloween party, you'll need to have a great costume! Maybe you'll be a vampire, or a mummy. How about a witch, or perhaps a zombie?   This site will give you lots of great ideas for costumes, and will also teach you how to make you own make-up and fangs. You'll even find a reciple for blood!

Universal Studios House of Horrors <http://www.spencergifts.com/home.asp> -- One of the really fun Halloween traditions is watching scary movies with your friends.   At Universal Studios House of Horrors you can find out about all the classic horror movies that have been made at this famous studio.  You'll meet such classic horror characters as Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolfman!  Check out the Deadly Drive-In to watch video clips, or look at the Terror Timeline to see lots of great classic horror movie posters.  Practice your reading with Universal's Horror History, a complete history of horror movies from Universal Studios.  And of course, if you want to buy any of these movies, you can order them from this site.

Oz Stories <http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/6396/ozcritic.htm> -- The Wizard of Oz is a classic American story about a young girl from Kansas, who goes to a magical land called Oz and has many exciting adventures.  The story was made into a movie in 1939, and is one of the most popular American movies of all time.  The writer of the story, L. Frank Baum, wrote many other stories about Oz.  At this site you can read 3 Oz Stories (The Wizard Of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, Osma of Oz).   The first 4 chapters of The Wizard of Oz have audio files, so you can listen to the story and read it, too.  The site promises to add more audio files and will eventually have 14 Oz Books online.  Enjoy these classic stories!

National Geographic's New Free Map Machine! <http://www.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/> -- This site is to view different kinds of map through the internet. You can zoom in and out and has many other features. 

CNN Interactive: Feedback <http://www.cnn.com/feedback/> -- Join CNN in CNN's Web Community to discuss issues in the news. You can post your comments about the days hot topics or join a heated discussion on CNN's on-going message board.

Age Guages <http://web.superb.net/boy/age1.html> -- Can you guess my age?  I'm younger than President Clinton, but I'm older than Bill Gates. I was 19 years old when man first stepped on the moon.  With these age gauges, you can find out how your age compares with lots of other famous people, and how old you were when famous events happened.  Just type in your birth date and click OK!       

Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World <http://www.unc.edu/depts/cl_atlas/> -- The Barrington Atlas (to be published by Princeton University Press in September 2000) traces ancient Greeks and Romans, the lands they penetrated, and the peoples and cultures they encountered in Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.

Smithsonian's Ocean Planet <http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/ocean_planet.html> -- Ocean Planet, premiered at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History from April 1995 to April 1996, where it attracted nearly two million visitors. This electronic online companion exhibition contains all of the text and most of the panel designs and images found in the traveling exhibition.

Map Machine <http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/> -- A very cool way to find lots of information about countries all over the world.  You can choose many different kinds of maps.  Choose Dynamic Maps or Atlas Maps and then choose one of the maps.  You can find satellite maps, physical maps, and political maps.  You can find maps that will give you information about the weather, time zones, and lots more!  Start by looking at a map of the world.  Then left click on the map and draw a box anywhere to see a close-up of any place on the map.  Now you can move up or down, left or right.  Click on Flags and Facts to find lots of interesting information about countries.  Use Find a Place if you want to find a particular country, state, or city.  Just type the name into the box.

Funnies  <http://www.entertaindom.com/pages/funnies/index.jsp> -- At this site, you'll find 20 comics to choose from.  These comics are usually printed in the daily newspaper.  Just click on the one you want to read.  These comics can change every day, so you can choose a few of your favorites and start to read them every day.  Beginner students may enjoy Garfield or Peanuts.  More advanced students might like Doonesbury or Cathy.

ClipArt Collection for Foreign/Second Language Institution <http://www.sla.purdue.edu/fll/JapanProj/FLClipart/> -- Collection of clip art simple-line drawings to be used by foreign language instructors.

Internet Essay Server <http://www.connect.ie/users/essays/> -- A collection of links to essays and collections of essays.

Build-A-Date <http://aprilfools.infospace.com/vdate.htm> -- At this site, you can find out who your perfect dream date is.  Just put a check next to the qualities that you would like to have in your date, and then click "Dream On."  Then the computer will tell you who your dream date should be. PROJECT:   Since it might be difficult to actually have a date with Ton Cruise or Mariah Care, think about what kind of person would be your ideal mate.  Write a short description of him or her.  What does he/she look like? What kind of personality does he/she have?  Maybe you've already found your perfect mate.  But if you haven't, keep looking.  He/She is waiting for you!

Vanity License Plates <http://www-chaos.umd.edu/misc/origplates.html> -- Vanity license plates are special plates that people can put their own messages on. Usually the message is about the driver's job, car, or personality.  This site has more than 1000 real vanity plates from all over the U.S.  For example: 2TH DR (Tooth doctor; on a dentist's car), I12BUGU (I want to bug you; on a VW Bug); MTBRAIN (Empty Brain).  PROJECT:  Look at some of these vanity plate messages.  Try to guess what the meaning is.

NY-Taxi.com <http://www.ny-taxi.com/> -- Have you ever been to New York City?  It's one of the most exciting cities in the world!  At this site, you can get into a taxi cab and ride around New York!  The driver (Clever Da Silva) put a camera in his taxi.  Just click on the picture and he'll take you around New York!  PROJECT:  This site has a lot of information on New York City.   Use the links and advertisements to plan a trip to The Big Apple.  You will be there for two weeks.  Do you want to see a Broadway show?  Maybe you want to go to the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building.  Where do you want to stay when you're there?  Compare your plan with your classmates.

Mock Job Interview <http://www1.kaplan.com/view/article/0,1898,3134,00.html> -- Have you ever had a job interview?  It can make you very nervous if you're not ready!  At this site, you'll be interviewed by the Personnel Director, and (if he likes you) the President.  Just read the questions, and choose the best answer. If you give the best answers, you'll get the job! If you don't, you'll be "shown the door."

Asian Recipes <http://asiarecipe.com/> -- find delicious recipes from 23 Asian countries.  First, choose a country.  Then you can find lots of information about the food culture of that country, plus lots of travel information as well.       

CRAYON: Create Your Own Newspaper <http://www.crayon.net> -- students can construct a personalized electronic newspaper, creating an opportunity to read on a regular basis

The Homeschool Zone <http://www.homeschoolzone.com> -- provides excellent links for the independent language learner or ESL/EFL classroom as well as for individuals schooling their children at home

Web Classes <http://www.uno.edu/~webclass/> -- content-based units for ESL students

World Lecture Hall   <http://www.utexas.edu/world/lecture> -- the premiere archive of links to Web-based university courses

Famous Personages In Japan <http://www.kyoto-su.ac.jp/information/famous/> --These pages have been developed by the students of Kyoto Sangyo University for non-Japanese who would like to learn about famous personages in modern-day Japan. The people selected for these pages reflect the interests and opinions of university-age Japanese students.

Kyoto Restaurant Project <http://www.kyoto-su.ac.jp/information/restaurant/> --These pages have been developed by the students of Kyoto Sangyo University for students, residents and visitors in the Kyoto area. If you have any suggestions for additions or changes, please contact Tom Robb. Enjoy!

Grimms' Fairy Tales <http://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/> -- Do you know the story of Cinderella or Snow White?  Those are two of the fairy tales that were collected by the Grimm Brothers in the early 1800's.  You'll find 12 famous fairy tales at this site.  These are the original stories, which are quite different than the stories that you might know.  The original stories are "darker" than the more modern versions.  The English is written in an old-fashioned style, and may be a little difficult.  But try to read for the main idea.  Four of the stories have audio versions, also, so you can read and listen.  (Click on TELL ME A STORY.)

Culture Shock: A Fish Out of Water <http://www.faceweb.okanagan.bc.ca/cultureshock/> -- If you've ever visited or lived in a foreign country, you've probably experienced culture shock.  That's the strange and uncomfortable feeling that you get when everything (food, language, people, etc.) is suddenly very different.   At this site, you'll find a very interesting reading activity about culture shock.   Read the text on the left side of the page, and read the notes on the right side.   Use the arrows at the bottom of the page to move around the site.

The Death Clock <http://www.deathclock.com> -- Do you think you will live a long life?  The famous Death Clock will tell you the exact day that you will die.  It will even count down the seconds for you!  Just enter your birthday and sex, and the Death Clock will give you the bad news.  Check out the Dead Letter Room to read some interesting email.  PROJECT:  Of course, this site is not very scientific. The computer just subtracts your age from the average life span of a man or woman.  It doesn't ask you about your health or your lifestyle. But, IF you really could know the exact day that you would die, would you want to know that information or not?  Why or why not?  IF you knew the exact day, would you live your life differently?  If so, how would it be different?  Write a short report or have a discussion in class.

Celebrity Address List <http://thestinkers.com/celebrity_a_l.html> -- Who's your favorite celebrity?  Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Meg Ryan?  At this site, you can find the addresses of more than 1000 celebrities!   The names are listed in alphabetical order. PROJECT: Find your favorite celebrity and write a fan letter to him/her!  Tell him/her why he/she is your favorite celebrity.  For example, you might write to Keanu Reeves, "I thought you were really great in "Speed."  Of course, if your celebrity is very popular, he/she might not actually read your letter, because they get thousands of letters every week.  But an assistant might read it, and if you ask for an autographed photo, you will probably receive one in the mail!  Read the FAQ for more tips on writing a fan letter.

50 Places of a Lifetime <http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/intro.html> -- Do you like to travel?  What's the most interesting or exciting place that you've ever been to?  This site, from National Geographic magazine, is a list of the 50 greatest places on earth to visit.  Explore some of these places; maybe you'll get some ideas for your next vacation!

Educational Web Adventures <http://eduweb.com/adventure.html> --  On-line games about art history and art composition