• Major References / Catalogs
• Resources by General Category
  • Environment/Ecology
  • Trees and Animals
  • Global Conflict/Politics
  • Family Issues
  • Homelessness, Hunger and Poverty
  • Disasters
• News Sources Available on the Internet

Major References

Catalogs for Selecting Topics, Researching and "Networking"

• Internet Nonprofit Center: "Information on more nonprofits than any other site in the world!"
• EcoNet: provides a great collection of Web sites related to environmental issues.
• ReliefNet: nonprofit corporation dedicated to helping humanitarian organizations raise global awareness and support for relief efforts via the interent.
• USAID (U.S. AID): independent federal government agency that conducts foreign assistance and humanitarian aid to advance the political and economic interests of the United States.
• Philanthropy Journal's List of Links (formerly the Meta-Index for Non-Profit Organizations
• Earth Island: wide range of environmental/wild life topics.
• America's Charities: listing of many organizations, giving their financial statistics, descriptions, and "snail mail" addresses.
• Earthwatch: projects around the world that volunteers can participate in. These can range from "Children and AIDS" to "Tracking Timber Wolves"
• Nonprofit Organizations: gopher site of text articles on a wide variety of topics.
  Sample Lesson Plans
  AskERIC Lesson Plans: searchable database for teacher-created lesson plans on many subjects. A sampling is provided below for each catagory.

Resources by General Category

Environment/Ecology

• Solstice: the site for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable technology information and connections.
• Greenpeace International WWW: conceived in 1971 in Vancouver, Canada, with the purpose of creating a green and peaceful world.
• The EnviroWeb: comprehensive "environmental" site with projects and links to others.
• EnviroLink Network: EnviroWeb's text-based gopher that you might try if the Web site is busy or your connection is slow.
• SurfRider Foundation USA: posts "Hot Topics" and links relating to water and beach conservation and club events and happenings.
  Sample Lesson Plans
  Recycling Paper: a hands-on activity by Christy Hornung, Dodge City Public Schools, Dodge City, Kansas.
  Designing an Ecologically Sound City: a group activity, by Dianne S. Vance; Park City Middle School, Utah, designed to make students aware of the issues involved in creating sustainable cities.

Trees and Animals

• Rainforest Action Network: excellent, graphical interface with a complete analysis of the topic.
• Gaia Forest Conservation Archives: over 1,500 forest/biodiversity conservation articles as well as many ways to get involved in forest protection campaigns worldwide.
• Sempervirens Fund: nonprofit land conservancy working to protect redwood forest lands in the Santa Cruz Mountains and to make that land available for public enjoyment.
• Animal Rights Resource Site: "Our goal is to provide a source of information and encouragement for those exploring the issues involved in Animal Rights. We also have a lot of material on vegetarianism and veganism."
  Sample Lesson Plans
  Forest in a Jar: hands-on activity, created by Cindy Cook, Ririe Elementary, in which students create a forest in a jar and learn first hand about the process of succession.
  Forests and Lumbering Around the World: a research and role-play activity in which students experience the complexities and opinions involved in forest management and lumbering. (Published in School Library Media Activities Monthly.)
  Lettuce be Different: a group activity/lab created by Glenda Lazenby, Casady School, in which students examine their own and the natural world's similarities and diversity.
  

Global Conflict/Politics

• Amnesty International Online: The Famous "Watch" organization that alerts global citizens of human rights violations wherever thye occur in the world. Also this organization created the Amnesty Interactive CD-ROM that you might want to purchase ($10.00!).
• VietGATE: "Gateway to the On-Line Vietnamese Community"
• Vietnam: Yesterday and Today: a resource Website by Sandra M. Wittman.
• Convoy Bosnia and Briefings on the Conflict
• Contemporary Conflicts: from the Information Resource Centre (Canadian Forces College)
  Sample Lesson Plans
  The Bill of Rights is for Us Today: a group activity, by Jacque Peterson, Lehi Junior High School, in which students explore the United States Bill of Rights.
  Civil Rights - Casualties During Wartime: an activity, created by Linda Hugle, Hidden Valley High School, in which students explore the limitations to civil rights that have occurred at times of war.
  

Family Issues

• SafetyNet: Domestic Violence Resources.
• National Child Rights Alliance: national organization directed entirely by youth and adult survivors of abuse and neglect. It offers interesting articles on the topic.
• "Facts for Families": 46 information sheets which provide concise and up-to-date material on issues such as the depressed child, teen suicide, stepfamily problems and child sexual abuse.
• INFACT: targeting a public awareness campaign against the tobacco industry.
• Alzheimer Web: "The aim of the Alzheimer Web is to provide a resource for researchers in the field of Alzheimer's disease and for the people who have an interest in research developments."
  Sample Lesson Plans
  Substance Abuse Influences: a role-play activity, created by Donna B. Furtado, Richfield Elementary, in which students experience some of the peer pressures involved in taking drugs.
  Family Sculpture: a role-play activity in which students take on the survival roles of children in a dysfunctional family. This activity was created by Michael Fitzgerald, Drug Education Consultant Nevada Department of Education.

Homelessness, Hunger and Poverty

• 54 Ways You Can Help The Homeless: excellent Web site based on a book by Rabbi Charles A. Kroloff.
• Housing Information: gopher site with articles, information from the department Housing and Urban Development, Census, & Legislation.
• HungerWeb: collects information on world hunger.
• The Hunger Project: information on strategies for feeding the world.
• Hunger Resources: a gopher site for finding resources, Hunger organizations, articles & speeches, information, what you can do to help.
• Poverty & Welfare Resources: Census info on income, wealth & poverty. Articles on food & undernutrition, and legislation.
• Official U.S. Census Information related to poverty
  Sample Lesson Plans
  Spaceship Earth: a group process in which students brainstorm issues that are problems in the world. Shared by Mark A. Williams, Kennedy Middle School.
  

Disasters

• VITA: professional world disaster page. "VITA has been active in international development work for 35 years, and has managed development projects throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America in its history."
• The American Red Cross: This complete Website is updated daily and features reports on the latest disasters.
• The Kobe earthquake in Japan: The News & Observer provides many types of links.
• Outbreak: information on many infectious diseases.
  Sample Lesson Plans
  Flooding and Other Disasters: this activity could be easily and beneficially adapted to use the internet news and magazine resources instead of print periodicals. (Published in School Library Media Activities Monthly.)

News Sources available on the Internet

• CNN Interactive: detailed stories constantly updated.
• Time Magazine: latest issue and archives.
• Trib.com the Internet newspaper.
• Boston Globe Online: with Associated Press newswire service.
• Reuter's news service from Yahoo.
• USA Today: the popular daily comes to the Web for free.

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