Eleven new learning resources have been added to FREE:

       *  Three booklets for parents

       *  Eight resources in the arts, health & safety, science, &
          social studies.

     They're described below & at http://www.ed.gov/free/new.html.

     FREE is the one-stop website designed to help teachers,
     parents, & students find teaching & learning resources from
     more than 40 federal organizations & agencies.
       http://www.ed.gov/free

==================
Helping your child
==================

"Helping Your Child Become a Reader" features dozens of fun activities
parents can use to build the language skills of young children (infants
through age 6).  The 60-page booklet includes a reading checklist,
typical language accomplishments for different age groups, suggestions
for books, & resources for children with reading problems or learning
disabilities. (ED)
     http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Reader/index.html

"Helping Your Child with Homework" tells how parents can make sure
children succeed with homework & develop strong study skills. Among the
topics:  setting a regular time & place for homework, removing
distractions, looking over completed assignments, discussing assignments
to be sure they are clear, talking with teachers, & more.  A brief
checklist is included. (ED)
     http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Homework/index.html

"Helping Your Preschool Child" offers fun activities for parents to use
during everyday routines to help babies, toddlers, & preschoolers
develop skills needed for success in school & life. The booklet also
describes behaviors & changes parents can expect to see during these 3
developmental stages. (ED)
     http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/preschool/index.html

====
Arts
====

"Campfire Stories with George Catlin: An Encounter of Two Cultures"
takes students on a virtual journey with the famed artist & ethnologist
to meet Native Americans of the 1830s.  Catlin visited more than 140
tribes during 1830s.  His 325 portraits, 200 scenes of American Indian
life, & writings depict Indian cultures prior to U.S. expansion into
tribal territories.  The core of this website is four "campfire
stories," or themes: ancestral lands, tribal leaders, Great Plains
geography & ecology, & Catlin himself.  Each theme comes alive through
multimedia interviews, artwork, a timeline, & maps.  The site, created
with a panel of teachers, is designed to enrich the study of U.S.
history, geography, & environmental conservation, as well as leadership
& character development.  It includes 14 lesson plans linked to academic
standards. (SAAM)
     http://catlinclassroom.si.edu

"The Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt" invites us to
examine a coffin, sarcophagus, & statues while listening to experts
explain the significance of these & other objects found in the tombs of
Egyptian rulers.  Explore the tomb of Thutmose III (1479-1425 BC) or
read the family guide for this exhibit. (NGA)
     http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/egyptinfo.htm

"Walk Through" is designed for learning about the preservation of
historic buildings.  Examples show how to evaluate historic buildings
from a distance, up close, & inside.  The aim is to inform decisions
about where buildings can be altered & which visual elements need to be
preserved. (NPS)
     http://www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/walkthrough/index.htm

"Working on the Past in Local Historic Districts" tells about "local
preservation ordinances" -- what they are, how they work, & how they are
making a difference for some of the 2,300 local historic districts.
(NPS)
     http://www2.cr.nps.gov/workingonthepast/index.htm

===============
Health & safety
===============

"Teachers. The Anti-Drug." provides activities that teachers can use to
incorporate drug prevention messages in social studies, math, language
arts, & other subjects.  It also offers news articles, advice for
talking with kids about drugs, information about particular drugs, a
list of drug prevention/assistance programs, "kid's eye view," & a place
for teachers to share experiences, suggestions, & how activities have
worked in their classrooms. (WH/DCP)
     http://www.teachersguide.org

=======
Science
=======

"The International Space Station:  A Unique Resource for Learning" helps
students learn about the largest international scientific &
technological endeavor ever undertaken: the creation of a laboratory in
Earth's orbit, where gravity, temperature, & pressure can be manipulated
for scientific pursuits impossible in ground- based labs.  Learning
activities focus on rockets, space food, space suits, water filtering,
robots, space walking tools, assembly of the space station, & more.
(NASA)
http://spacelink.nasa.gov/Educator.Focus/Articles/011_ISS_Information/

==============
Social studies
==============

"Documents Related to Churchill & FDR" examines the friendship & working
relations that developed between U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt &
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill beginning in 1940.  Their
relationship was crucial in the establishment of a unified effort to
deal with the Axis powers. (NARA)
     http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/
     fdr_churchill_documents/fdr_churchill.html

"Share the Adventure: Exploring Wildland Fire Science" is a live
electronic field trip highlighting fire ecology, fire behavior, & fire
management.  During the broadcast, which takes place on November 7,
2002, fire experts will answer questions & communicate with students by
phone & fax. (BLM)
  http://www.blm.gov/education/LearningLandscapes/menu/news_02.html

  Acronyms
  ~~~~~~~~
BLM -- Bureau of Land Management
ED -- Department of Education
FREE -- Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
SAAM -- Smithsonian American Art Museum
NARA -- National Archives & Records Administration
NASA -- National Aeronautics & Space Administration
NGA -- National Gallery of Art
NPS -- National Park Service
WH/DCP -- White House Office of National Drug Control Policy

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     Editors:  Peter Kickbush & Kirk Winters
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