Thanksgiving For Kids: Crafts, Recipes and Learning Tools

Gettysburg is famous for its Civil War history, its 20,000-acre battlefield, dramatic stone monuments and affecting cemetery. A popular destination for schools and families with children, Gettysburg presents a wealth of educational opportunities, but is surrounded by a quaint town that allows for parental relaxation as well. Take a virtual visit to Gettysburg using the Web sites in this article, and get a pre-trip history lesson that will enhance your visit.

Some of the world's most famous pieces of art and photography hang on the walls of museums spread around the corners of the globe. Today, with the aid of a computer, you can virtually tour many of these museums without leaving your home. Check out these fabulous sites that feature the world's best art, photography, architecture, and music.

Last week, findingEducation caught up with Dr. danah boyd at the American Association of School Librarians National Conference in Charlotte, N.C. boyd is an internationally recognized social media expert researcher for Microsoft Research New England, a fellow at Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, and an ethnographer, blogger and contributing author to the book “Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out: Kids Living and Learning with New Media.”

boyd explains on her blog that “there are a lot of reasons … some personal and some political” as to why she decided to omit the capital letters in her name. A keynote speaker at the conference, she drew from her research on social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook to explain how kids use these tools to communicate and to “create digital bodies” to express themselves.

In her online biography, boyd describes herself as a bored and rebellious student that went to “smart kids camp” in the summer but had trouble fitting in until she went online. “The Internet opened the door of possibilities to me. I found other smart kids year round ... Strangers taught me so much about the world and about myself,” she wrote.

“Unstructured environments are critical to social learning,” boyd said in her talk. Educators must “work with the grain, not against it.” She told findingEducation, “It's not about getting kids to be passionate about the things that librarians and teachers are passionate about, but using what kids are passionate about as gateways to learning.”

These 10 trustworthy Web sites provide detailed accounts of historical events and figures, and collections of primary source material designed to help middle and high school students research U.S. and world history.

Children's museums are places of learning and wonder, often with plenty of hands-on activities for the kids. In this feature we profile some of the outstanding children's museums that you can visit with your kids in person, or virtually explore online.

Once, museums and libraries appeared to hold rare books or pieces of fine art captive in the name of preservation. But now, libraries and museums make viewing these objects a simple matter for anyone with a computer.

Explore some of the most significant libraries from the ancient and modern world, including the largest, the oldest and the most technologically advanced, as well as those with unique collections, architecture or locations.

In Ireland, you’ll find a mix of new and old, including an ancient walled city and a bustling modern capital. Experience the chill of a centuries-old prison, take a cliff-lined hike or soak in the scenery at the birthplace of a revered writer.