Subjects:

Glossary of Terms: Painting Styles and Periods
This glossary covers major movements in Western art from the Baroque to the surreal with short descriptions. It is part of WebMuseum, created and maintained by Nicolas Pioch, a professor at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris.

Photo Collection of the American Memory Project
The Library of Congress's "Photo Collection of the American Memory Project" has background information and searchable databases of nine major photograph collections spanning the period 1861 to 1940.

Art History Resources
This is the place on the Web to do art homework, with links to galleries, research sources and prints online.

Back to top

English language and literature

Look Up a Word in Webster's Dictionary
It's as simple as the title. Type in the word, click on the Look Up Definition button, and the definition appears on a new screen, including hypertext links to other words in the definition. Don't know how to spell the word? Guess! It often works. You can thank Carnegie Mellon University.

grammarlady.com
Who says grammar isn't fun? Not The Grammar Lady. Pet peeves, puns, oddities, Q&A's, typos, funnies and more. Ask questions, give answers, get help, take part in online conferences. Learn to say what you mean, and mean what you say.

WWWebster
Or go right to Webster. For wordsmiths, it doesn't get any better than this. Merriam Webster's Online Language Center has a great dictionary and thesaurus, plus entertaining and educational side trips.

OneLook Dictionaries
When Webster's won't do. OneLook quickly queries more than 345 online specialized dictionaries everything from the Dictionary of Art Glass Terms to the Water Quality Dictionary to track down the meaning of an odd word.

Search For Synonyms in Roget's Internet Thesaurus
Another easy one. Type a word in the Full Text search box, hit the Search Full Text button, and Roget's entry on the word appears: synonyms (words that mean the same), antonyms (words that have the opposite meaning) and similar words and phrases. Roget had some peculiar ideas about the relationship between words and ideas, which can make the thesaurus a bit daunting. On the screen which shows your results, skim for the word you were searching for in bold; you'll have a much easier time of it.

Yahoo's List of Authors on the Internet
A good starting place for research on an author and his or her books. Check for a list of Internet pages focusing on specific authors. Then click on the name of a specific author for information about him or her.

A Spelling Test
Improve your language skills. This "Test" is compiled by longtime copy editor Mindy McAdams. It includes many difficult-to-spell words.

Search Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
Need to look up a quote? Can't beat Bartlett's. This 1901 edition, maintained by Columbia University, will help you find quotes from throughout history that can make you look like you know more than you actually know. It's also a good place for finding material for new Trivia questions about things a person said or wrote that gained fame.

The On-Line Books Page
Read 'em and keep 'em: the full text of more than 7,000 volumes, from Henry Adams to Emile Zola.

The Elements of Style
The classic guide to effective prose for writers of all ages.

Writing Research Papers
Purdue University's Online Writing Lab has put together a step-by-step guide for writing research papers -- from the outline to the index.

Back to top

Languages

The Human Languages Page
Links to more than 1,800 resources covering more than 100 languages.

ePALS Classroom Exchange
Need a language partner? ePals helps students find online pen pals in more than 70 countries.

French

French/English Dictionary
French/English Dictionary: Type the word you want to find in appropriate search box (there's one for translating French to English and another for translating English to French). Click on the Submit Query button. Provided by the University of Chicago's ARTFL Project (American and French Research on the Treasury of the French Language).

Conjugate French Verbs
"Conjugate French Verbs" in any of six tenses by entering the infinitive form of a French verb, selecting from the list of preferred tenses (present, past, future, etc.) and clicking on the Conjugate button. Another ARTFL Project offering.

German

German/English Dictionary
This "German/English Dictionary" is from Link Everything Online (LEO for short), an organization in Munich, Germany. Want to know what an English or German word means? Type in the word, click on Submit button.

Spanish

Conjugate Spanish Verbs (This service is in Spanish.)
An efficient "Comp-jugador" from the University of Waterloo in Canada will "Conjugate Spanish Verbs" for you. Though in Spanish, it is simple to use for readers of any language: type in the infinitive form of the Spanish verb you wish to conjugate and then hit the Conjuga button. All tenses will appear.

Other languages

Learn About Other Languages With Ethnologue
Who speaks Urdu? Find out by checking the hypertext version of "Ethnologue: Languages of the World," a book edited by Barbara Grimes. Search this database by country or name of language. You'll find out how many people speak a language (Urdu is the native language for 41 million), what languages are similar, what's spoken where (Urdu is spoken primarily in Pakistan, but also in several Asian countries). Fascinating language statistics.

Back to top

Research paper tools

Look Up a Word in Webster's Dictionary
As simple as the title says. Type in the word, click on the Look Up Definition button, and the definition appears on a new screen, including hypertext links to other words in the definition. Don't know how to spell the word? Guess! It often works. You can thank Carnegie Mellon University.

Search For Synonyms in Roget's Internet Thesaurus
Another easy one. Type a word in the Full Text search box, hit the Search Full Text button, and Roget's entry on the word appears: synonyms (words that mean the same), antonyms (words that have the opposite meaning) and similar words and phrases. Roget had peculiar ideas about the relationship between words and ideas, which can make the thesaurus a bit daunting. On the screen which shows your results, skim for the word you were searching for in bold; you'll have a much easier time of it.

Five Tools for Writing Timed Essays
"Writing Timed Essays" is a place to go if your grades are suffering because of low scores on in-class essays. Invaluable for Advancement Placement tests. The site, from Jeff Hook, a professor at St. Petersburg Junior College in Florida, includes short essays on strategies to improve your timed essay writing ability.

Study Web
The Yahoo of homework Web sites. It contains hundreds of links to research-quality information. A nice touch: Study Web rates content and approximate grade level.

Reference Desk
It's research, "Jeopardy" style. Find what you need on the Web by starting with simple questions such as, "What is it?" or "Where is it?"

Encyclopedia.com
A great free encyclopedia on the Web. More than 17,000 cross-linked articles from the Concise Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Third Edition.

AJR NewsLink
Find all the news that fits at this directory of online newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations.

University of Michigan Document Center
Need facts? This site contains statistics on everything from agriculture to tourism.

Back to top

Social Studies

Geography World
Teacher Brad Bowerman has a strange sense of humor and a great geography site for students.

Maps in the News
Find out where things in the news are happening.

Central Intelligence Agency's World Fact Book
Next time a teacher asks you about Zaire, score points by reminding her that it's now called Democratic Republic of Congo. Visit the CIA's meaty guide to foreign countries.

Mr. Jenkins History Links
Your homework problems will be history once you see what Mr. Jenkins has put together for his students links to useful sites on U.S. and foreign history topics.

BCPL African-American Center Homework Page
The Baltimore County Public Library's online study guide to black history, politics and culture.

Economics Education Web
This site built by the University of Nebraska at Omaha offers valuable economic education resources for all grade levels -- even teachers.

Back to top

U.S. History and Government

Statistical Abstract of the United States
From the U.S. Census Bureau, the "Statistical Abstract of the United States," includes data on current conditions like population, gross domestic product, median family income and birth and death rates.

The American Presidency
Grolier Online designed this exclusive history of presidents, the presidency, politics and related subjects.

Fedstats
A repository of statistics from more than 70 government agencies.

The Constitution of the United States
Hypertext version of the "Constitution of the United States" offers the document in outline format so you can move easily to the text you want to read. This Emory University site also contains links to related amendments and footnotes and offers search capability (see the bottom of the Constitution page).

The Legislative Process -- Tying it All Together
Takes you through the process of a making a bill into law. Several easy-to-understand chapters makes it simple to review the legislative process step by step.

Search the Smithsonian Web
Known as "the nation's attic," the Smithsonian Institution has been acquiring objects for research and display for 150 years. You can "Search the Smithsonian Web" for information on almost anything." The Smithsonian has placed online a compilation of materials from its voluminous collections. You can enter words to search on and be taken to links within the Institution's Internet site. Lots of pictures.

The Library of Congress, the world's largest library, houses several Internet projects that provide primary and secondary research material. "Primary material" includes letters, books and photos created during the period being studied; "secondary material" includes books and films about a period but created at some later time. Three particularly helpful sites:

"American Memory" Project is a collection of primary source materials and supporting documents that illustrate the history of the United States. Includes motion pictures, photographs, sound files and documents. (To view the motion pictures on your computer, you will need a program such as Media Player (mplayer.exe), a program that comes with Microsoft Windows.)

Special Collections in the Library of Congress takes you to indices of primary documents in the Library of Congress. You can look for documents by geographic region, by era, by type of document or by subject matter.

"The African-American Mosaic" contains links to many primary and secondary resources at the library for the study of African-American history and culture.

Back to top

World studies, current events

Learn About Other Languages With Ethnologue
Who speaks Urdu? Find out by checking the hypertext version of "Ethnologue: Languages of the World," a book edited by Barbara Grimes. Search this database by country or name of language. You'll find out how many people speak a language (Urdu is the native language for 41 million), what languages are similar, who speaks what where (Urdu is spoken primarily in Pakistan, but also in several Asian countries). Fascinating language statistics.

Social and Political Questions
Compiled by English students at Ohio University, "Social and Political Questions" contains links to Internet sites on hot topics of debate.

Notable Citizens of Planet Earth Biographical Dictionary
Brief biographies of thousands of important people, starting with the ancient world and continuing to the present. Created and maintained by Eric Tentarelli of Cornell University. Better for getting a brief sketch on somebody you've never heard of than for seeking further background on a person you have already begun to research.

Glossary of World Cultures
Part of an interactive Internet project at Washington State University; a primer for many of the terms associated with different world cultures. Arranged by civilization. Useful hypertext links take you to essays on the glossary terms.

Back to top

Astronomy

Ask the Astronomer

NASA homepage
Gateway to the enormous online presence of the legendary government agency welcomes you to a universe of resources, from advances in communications technology and space vehicles to a history of manned space flight. Don't miss the archives of space images.

Back to top

Biology/Anatomy

Views of Human Anatomy
Site contains computerized slides of parts of the human body, internal and external. Need a video viewer. From Colorado State University with pictures from Glaxo Wellcome Inc.

Human Anatomy Online
Look inside yourself with beautiful graphics.

Back to top

Chemistry

Conversion of Units
You can convert almost anything -- including currency, volume, weight, length and temperature -- with this automatic measurements converter. Simply select the values you want to convert to and from, and the amount you are starting with. Click on the Submit button, and a new screen will appear with the conversion you requested. Provided by the University of Berlin in Germany.

General Chemistry Online!
Site at Frostburg State University is the place to go for potions, mixtures and understanding.

Back to top

Ecology, environment

Biospherics
The Biosphere Project explores closed biosystems so that we can study complete ecological cycles. There are two contained environments in the United States and a third under construction in Japan. Journals, educational materials, bibliography.

Biosphere 2 Center
Biosphere has created a synthetic ecosystem to further understand the natural world. While much of the information is fairly technical, it does provide a fascinating glimpse into the research of this innovative series of biological studies.

NatureNet
Full access to the enormous range of natural resources data from the National Park Service.

San Diego Oceans Foundation
Find out how you can participate in the preservation of ocean environments and marine lifes.

Seattle Audubon Society
Great design and abundant wildlife and environmental information are the hallmarks of this local chapter.Newsletter, Earthcare, is posted online.

Tree of Life Project
A model of life form interrelationships and exhaustive biological resources. Skim the glossary and the intro to phylogenetic biology before you begin your climb up the tree toward sac fungi, jumping spiders, frogs and amniotes.

Cousteau Society
Visit the home page of the fine environmental organization named for the visionary Jacques Cousteau. Tag along on famous expeditions, learn about global ecosystem, explore background information about the organization and its founder.

Everglades and the 10,000 Islands
This info page is packed with photos, articles and features about the national park, its wildlife, its ecology, and the preservation efforts.

Information Center for the Environment
ICE is an interdepartmental team of environmental scientists at UC Davis and collaborators from over thirty international groups. The extensive database covers aquatic life, the Biosphere, species in the National Parks and a range of watershed projects.

Hawk Mountain
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a 2,400-acre natural area straddling the Kittatinny Ridge in eastern Pennsylvania. Established in 1934, it was the world's first refuge for raptors. During the last 64 years, the Sanctuary has become an international center for conservation, education, and 2 research about raptors.

Back to top

Mathematics

Mathematicians of the 17th and 18th Centuries
For biographical information on "Mathematicians of the 17th and 18th Centuries," visit this site from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. You will also find information on the mathematicians' research and often the theorems that made them famous. The information is presented in roughly chronological order.

Conversion of Units
You can convert almost anything -- including currency, volume, weight, length and temperature -- with this automatic measurements converter. Simply select the values you want to convert to and from, and the amount you are starting with. Click on the Submit button, and a new screen will appear with the conversion you requested. Provided by the University of Berlin in Germany.

S.O.S. MATHematics
Get help with algebra, trig, differential equations, calculus and more, from the University of Texas-El Paso.

Back to top

Meteorology

Today's weather forecast
Follow the national, local and world weather forecasts on mcall.com's site.

Back to top

Physics

Wonders of Physics
Entertaining physics demonstration aimed at students of all ages.

Physics classroom
Young physicists can jump-start their education with this introductory primer.

Back to top

For younger students

Ask Jeeves for Kids
Young scholars can type in their questions in plain English, then Jeeves whisks them to the Web site that best matches their question.

Back to top

School's out

The Klingon Language Institute
If you like intergalactic communication, learn about Klingon. Maintained by the Klingon Language Institute (honest), this site includes information on the formation of Klingon, sound bytes of Klingon being spoken, and a copy of the Klingon alphabet. (To listen to the sound bytes, you'll need a sound player.)

The Official X-Files Site
The site for X-Files fanatics.

Gamer's Site of the Day
Links to computer- and Internet-based games and cool sites about gaming, real-world and computerized.

The Internet Movie Database
If you are hungry for information about movies, this "Movie Database" bills itself as the most comprehensive free source of movie information on the Internet. With entries on more than 62,000 movies and 108,000 actors, the claim seems indisputable. You can search for reviews and filmographies by actor, director, composer, movie title, costume designer.

Back to top

Encyclopedia Britannica
The complete Encyclopedia Britannica, Online!

Back to top