Gifted Education Web Resources for Fall 2006
The Web resources below originally appeared in the Fall 2006 issue of Gifted Child Today.
This popular journal offers teachers and parents the practical information needed to create a successful education for gifted children. Visit the
Gifted Child Today homepage to download sample articles or to order a subscription to
Gifted Child Today -- the nation's most popular gifted education journal.
Sudoku
http://www.websudoku.com It's the new craze! Sudoku is a puzzle that is solved by logic. Players enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces so that every row, column, and 3 x 3 square of the puzzle contains one of each digit. This fun site offers Sudoku puzzles with four levels of difficulty. A JigSawDoku link takes the visitor to an interactive game that is timed and offers hint and help features. Visitors can play as much Sudoku as they want on this Web site. If that's not enough, customized Web Sudoku eBooks of various sizes, difficulty levels, and styles can be ordered for $2.95.
Music to My Ears
http://www.classicsforkids.com This is a wonderful interactive resource for kids where they can learn about music's great composers and even compose their own music. There is a musical dictionary that offers pictures, audible descriptions, and sounds of the different instruments. The Composer Time Machine, Rockin' Rhythm Master, and Note Name games teach youngsters about music in a fun way they will love. Also, the site offers teaching resources based on National Standards for the Arts and state Academic Content Standards for Music. This is a great way for the young Mozart to be immersed in classical music!
The Stock Market
http://library.thinkquest.org/3088 It's never too early to learn about disciplined investing. Edustock has tutorials on how the stock market works, what a stock is, and how to manage a portfolio. There are also profiles on select companies to help visitors get started in making wise investing choices. The Web site even features a free real-time stock simulation.
The Big Mac Index
http://www.economist.com/markets/Bigmac Ever wonder why certain items are more or less expensive depending which country you are in? How about the Big Mac? McDonalds has restaurants all over the globe and uses the same ingredients in all countries, so the signature Big Mac sandwich should cost roughly the same price anywhere you go, right? Take a look at the Big Mac Index to find out. This Web site offers an explanation of exchange rate theory via a short video. The site includes some indexes of hamburger and Starbucks coffee prices around the world. For access to the full index, you must subscribe to the
Economist magazine, but the free introductory materials offers much ... um ... food for thought.
Snow Crystals
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals Have you ever made a snowman or wondered where snow comes from? Caltech's physics lab offers information on how snow crystals form and why they take different shapes. The Guide to Snowflakes gives details on the different types of snow flakes. This fascinating Web site also offers movies of snow crystals forming!
Neopets
http://www.neopets.com Do you or your family members suffer from allergies so much that you can't have a furry pet in the house? Here's a way to have the pet you've always wanted. You can choose the species, name, and color of your Neopet. How your Neopet behaves and where your Neopet likes to live is also up to you. Once you sign up for a free account, you can feed and play with your Neopet and have many adventures in Neopia.