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Web Links
About Illinois
- Welcome to the State of Illinois Web Site
- This site provides the latest news about what's happening in the state of Illinois.
http://www.illinois.gov/
- Illinois QuickFacts from the US Census
- Explore Illinois's facts and figures, from population statistics to economic indicators.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17000.html
- Illinois State Government
- This site features direct links to an array of Illinois-related information, including official government Web sites, laws, taxes, and other general resources.
http://GovSpot.com/state/il.htm
Education Resources for Illinois Educators
- Illinois State Board of Education
- The Illinois State Board of Education site is a wonderful resource for teachers, providing information about educational programs, state learning standards, grants, teacher links, employment opportunities, and much more.
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/
- Educational Resources for Illinois
- The U.S. Department of Education provides this list of links to state and federal educational resources.
http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/org_list_by_territory.cfm?territory_id=il
State Teacher Organizations
- Illinois Reading Council
- The IRC Web site offers information on conferences, resources, and news and issues.
http://www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org/
- Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics
- The ICTM Web site contains information on scholarships and awards, publications, and conferences.
http://www.ictm.org/
- Illinois Science Teachers Association
- The ISTA provides information on teacher resources, awards, conferences, and newsletters.
http://www.ista-il.org/
- Illinois Council for the Social Studies
- Here you will find information about the Illinois affiliate of the National Council for the Social Studies.
http://www.illinoiscss.org/
Maps
- Illinois
- Here you will find a political map showing major towns and rivers.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/nytmaps.pl?illinois
- Color Landform Atlas: Illinois
- This site contains topographical and political maps to the county level for Illinois as well as a menu of links to other online information about the state.
http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/states/il_0.html
History
- Chicago Historical Society
- This outstanding Web site provides students and teachers with in-depth explorations of a variety of topics. The Chicago Fire and the Web of Memory visits the tragedy and the stories that sprang up around it. Arti-Facts includes segments on African Americans, cowboys, and women reformers.
http://www.chicagohistory.org/chshome.html
- Illinois State Museum
- Visit this site to learn more about state treasures, art, and history. Select Exhibits for online explorations of history and the environment. The exhibit At Home in the Heartland Online is an exceptional feature, with a wealth of activities focusing on the lives and dilemmas of actual Illinoisans through time.
http://www.museum.state.il.us/
- Building the Windy City
- This Web site is a great place to get to know Chicago. Designed by fourth and fifth graders from the Sherwood School in Highland Park, it features information and games.
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002846/?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0211
- Welcome to the Illinois State Historical Library
- This useful Web site provides many state history resources, including pages on African Americans in Illinois. You can also select Prairie Pages to access information for kids on topics like the Illini and Jane Addams.
http://www.state.il.us/hpa/lib/
- Abraham Lincoln Online
- This is a great site devoted to Abraham Lincoln. Here, you can read his speeches, personal writings, and letters. There's also a listing of books about Lincoln. At the end, you can take an Abraham Lincoln quiz.
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln.html
- Illinois
- The Library of Congress provides brief articles on Illinois history and culture.
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/es/il
Science and Nature
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources
- These pages from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources focus on teaching kids about their state's environment and wildlife. Select ENTICE for standards-based lesson plans, and Classroom Materials for activities for
teachers and students.
http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education/index.htm
- Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum
- Explore the universe with this “first museum of its kind” in the Western Hemisphere. Select Teachers for activity plans, and Astronomy to find monthly guides for stargazing.
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/education/index.shtml
- Museum of Science and Industry
- Visit the online exhibits such as the Apollo 8 Command Module and Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle. Learn about the films showing at the Omnimax Theater, and other museum events.
http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/exhome.html
- Insects of Illinois
- Here you will find fun facts and answers to your questions about Illinois's insects.
http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education/classrm/wingleg/home.htm
- Project Exploration
- Project Exploration is a Chicago-based organization that introduces students to the search for fossils. Select Activities for a variety of puzzles and activities that put students in the role of researchers.
http://www.projectexploration.org/
- Dino Russ's Lair
- If you're looking for information about dinosaurs, start here. “Dino Russ,” a geologist with the Illinois State Geological Survey, covers everything from dinosaur eggs to dinosaur places to visit.
http://www.isgs.uiuc.edu/dinos/dinos_home.html
Museums
- IAM - Museum Directory
- To locate a museum or check out the museums in your area, visit this Web site.
http://www.state.il.us/hpa/iam/directory.html
- The Art Institute of Chicago: The Collection
- This site from the Art Institute of Chicago lets you look at the outstanding features of their collection.
http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/
- Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum
- At this Web site you can preview the Mexican Fine Arts Center's educational programs and check out their art collection.
http://www.mfacmchicago.org/
- DuSable Museum of African American History
- Named for Chicago's founder, this museum celebrates the African American experience in Illinois. The Web site includes information on exhibits, children's programs and cinema offerings, and announcements about upcoming events.
http://www.dusablemuseum.org
For Illinois Kids
- Quick Facts: Illinois
- “Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government,” from the U.S. Printing office, runs down fun Illinois facts, including the state motto, flower, and song.
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/state/illinois.html
- Kid Zone Discover Illinois
- The Illinois kids' site gives students great activities for kids and information about Illinois state symbols.
http://www.state.il.us/kids/
- Illinois Fun Facts
- The U.S. Census Bureau provides students with a set of statistics about Illinois.
http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/kids/funfacts/illinois.html