Here are links that you will find interesting, useful, or necessary for class. For more links on specialized topics, check out the Sidebar.

Arduino Resources

Here are resources for projects using Arduino:

Lady Ada's Arduino Tutorial

Adafruit.com: Learn Arduino

Cutting Edge/Emerging Technology

Here are some good links for current technology news and information about cutting-edge technology research projects: 

The New York Times Technology Section 

Popular Science 

MIT: Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab

MIT: Media Lab

Carnegie Mellon:  School of Computer Science

Stanford:  Persuasive Technology Lab

MAKE: Magazine

See "The World's Smallest Movie": A video made by scientists at IBM showing actual atoms being animated. The other movie in the article explains how it all works.

Electricity & Electronics: Basics

•  An explanation of basic electricity/electronics: codes, circuits & contstruction: Understanding Electricity (http://www.tigoe.com/pcomp/code/circuits/understanding-electricity/)

Electronics Kits/Resources for Electronics Projects

• Adafruit (http://adafruit.com)

• MakerShed (http://www.makershed.com/Default.asp)
• SparkFun.com (https://www.sparkfun.com/)
• Parallax (http://www.parallax.com/Store/tabid/60/Default.aspx)

Adobe Illustrator

• Click here for some helpful Adobe Illustrator CS3 shortcut tips!
• Click here for some videos about using Adobe Illustrator CS3 tools!

Programming

• Code.org is dedicated to getting more people to learn programming! They have links to many online tutorials for a variety of programming languages: Code.org (http://code.org)

• This page has the link for downloading Alice (it's free!) as well as lots of other resources for this object-oriented programming environment from Carnegie Mellon University.: Alice Home Page (http://www.alice.org/)
• This page has information about Scratch, a free, kid-friendly programming language developed at MIT which allows you to "create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art."  http://scratch.mit.edu/
• This page has resources for Chipmunk Basic, the version of Basic we have on the Macs at school.: BASIC Programming and Chipmunk Basic Home Page (http://www.nicholson.com/rhn/basic/)
• This is a page about QBasic, the version of Basic commonly run on Windows computers. It includes some tutorials and some challenges.: The QBasic Page (http://www.qbasic.com/frames.shtml)
• This is the home page for Python, an open-source (free!) object-oriented programming language:  http://www.python.org/
• Here is a free textbook about programming in Python:  How to Think Like a Computer Scientist by Jeffrey Elkner, Allen B. Downey, and Chris Meyers 
• Here is another free textbook about programming games in Python:  Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python
  
• Here are some links to other free Python tutorials:  http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/NonProgrammers
• Try solving some programming puzzles at Robozzle (do the tutorials first; also, it is not necessary to create an account but if you do, please do not use anything that would fully identify you, such as your last name). This site is especially good for learning about subroutines and loops.  (http://robozzle.com)
  
• This is a Wikipedia article about BASIC.: Wikipedia: BASIC programming language (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASIC_programming_language)
• This is another site about QBasic that has tutorials and links to other resources.: Pete's QBASIC/QuickBasic Site (http://www.petesqbsite.com/sections/introduction/intro.shtml)
• An article by David Brin, published 9/14/2006 in Salon, about the continuing value of BASIC programming:  Why Johnny can't code.
• A blog entry, "Programming in Middle School?" which discusses the general skills you can learn by studying programming--even if you don't become a professional programmer and even if you don't use BASIC in your career as a programmer:  http://coffeeonthekeyboard.com/programming-in-middle-school-255/
• Khan Academy Videos about Computer Science: http://www.khanacademy.org/#computer-science

World Wide Web/HTML

• This page is from the W3C website, home of the World Wide Web Consortium. The Consortium was founded in 1994 by the inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee: A Little History of the World Wide Web (http://www.w3.org/History.html)
• A list of frequently-asked questions answered by the inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee: Answers for young people - Tim Berners-Lee (http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/Kids.html)
• This site, sponsored by the W3C consortium, has several tutorials for learning HTML: Dave Raggett's Introduction to HTML (http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Guide/Overview.html)
• This site has an interactive tutorial that will help you learn a lot of different HTML tags/codes:  W3Schools.com HTML Tutorial (http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp)
•  A very brief overview of HTML:  Make an HTML Document (http://www.webmonkey.com/2010/02/make_an_html_document/) 

History of Computers

• Read an interview with one of the first ENIAC programmers, Jean Bartik:  http://inventors.about.com/od/bstartinventors/p/Jean_Bartik.htm 
• This page has what is probably the most complete listing of all Apple-branded products available. Click on the right side of the page to find any Apple product model by year: apple-history.com (http://www.apple-history.com/)
• This link will take you to the online exhibits area of the Computer History Museum located in Mountain View, California. Be sure to check out the timeline of computer history: Computer History Museum (http://www.computerhistory.org/exhibits/)
• This site, part of ibiblio.org, has information about several important people in the development of the Internet.: Internet Pioneers (http://www.ibiblio.org/pioneers/index.html)
• Visit this site for biographies of inventors who worked on a lot of the computer devices we still use today: Invent Now Hall of Fame: Computers (http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/1_4_1_comp.asp)
• Visit this site for great 360° views of classic computers and some emulators (programs that let you pretend you are actually using an older computer): System Source - Computer Museum (http://www.syssrc.com/html/museum/)
• This is a history of computing site sponsored by the Boston Museum of Science (the former home of the Computer Museum).: The Computing Revolution (http://mos.org/computingrevolution/)
• This online museum focuses mainly on the history of the personal computer since 1975. This link will take you to the collections page, but there are also interesting things to see on the home page. Be sure to check out the ads and the screenshots!: The DigiBarn Computer Museum: Collections Page (http://www.digibarn.com/collections/index.html)
• This page is based at Virginia Tech and contains a wide variety of historical images and information.: The History of Computing (http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/index.html)
• This site has photos, old ads, and information about many different personal computers that belong to one individual's collection.: The Obsolete Technology Website (http://oldcomputers.net/index.html)
• Read about the history and inventions of one of the world's oldest computer companies, IBM: IBM Archives (http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/)
• This page has images, audio and video clips, and documents from the Computer History collection at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of American History.: Smithsonian: Computer History Collection (http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/comphist/)
•  "Nerds 2.0.1:  A Brief History of the Internet."  From the PBS website. Lots of info and interviews with the pioneers of the Internet.
• Here's a Hall of Fame for women in tech, science, engineering and math, created by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers: (http://mashable.com/2012/10/15/women-in-tech/)
• Read about the "Top Secret Rosies"--the women who programmed the ENIAC during World War II whose names and stories were virtually unknown until recently! (http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/02/08/women.rosies.math/index.html)
• TVOntario produced a program called "Bits and Bytes" in 1983, meant to teach people about personal computers. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCEyRso1NoDBilXd0YaPAdg

Online Research

• This is an exercise to help you practice using the credibility checklist for online sources: Internet Credibility Exercise (http://academics.parkschool.net/research/credibilitypractice2008.html)
• This webquest by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University provides tips and examples for using Google's Advanced Search to find information more effectively.: Four Nets for Better Searching (http://webquest.sdsu.edu/searching/fournets.htm)
• This site has lots of information about many search engines, including links and comparisons of how well each works.: Search Engine Watch (http://searchenginewatch.com/) 

How Computers Work

• Learn how bar codes work in this activity. Follow the links at the top of the Figure This! page: Figure This! Bar Code Challenge (http://www.figurethis.org/challenges/c51/challenge.htm)
• This site has a series of activities to teach you about how computers work.: Intel Education: The Journey Inside (http://educate.intel.com/en/TheJourneyInside/ExploreTheCurriculum/)
• Check out these incredibly handy tips and shortcuts:  David Pogue's Ten Tips for the Basic Computer User

Design and Engineering

• Design Revolution  Roadshow.   Learn about inventions that promote social justice in the world!  This is the website for a group that visited Park on March 12, 2010.  You can also visit the website for the organizers at Project H Design.

• PBS Kids Design Squad Homepage.  This is a kid-friendly design and engineering show.  You can watch episodes online from this link, and there are cool activities you can do on your own.

Miscellaneous Links

• This is the Library of Congress page: Library of Congress (http://www.loc.gov) 
• This link will take you to eportfolio projects from previous years: Sixth Grade ePortfolios (http://academics.parkschool.net/middle/courses/baltimore/index.html)
• This is a well-known and reliable site to use if you think you've gotten an email about something that just doesn't sound true (for example, a hoax about a supposedly missing 15 year old named Evan Trembley): Snopes Urban Legends Reference Page (http://www.snopes.com/)
• This site will let you see some photos from past Park School Chincoteague trips (scroll to the very bottom on the left side) as well as giving you some helpful links about Chincoteague, such as the weather forecast and a page about the Chincoteague Inn (the new motel where we are staying).: Chincoteague Electronic Field Trip (http://academics.parkschool.net/middle/courses/etrip)