Have You Seen the Wind? is an Internet resource designed to help educators and students working on weather and hurricane topics. Throughout the information on the pages about using the Internet there will be links to information in the resource which can be used to teach about weather concepts and hurricanes.

The strategies and ideas in the chart below are cumulative and build on one another. A Category 5 Internet - Using Educator is or probably has used all of these ideas and more.

Category 1

You are aware of the Internet and are beginning to understand the impact it is making. Now is the time to find out more. Reading professional journals and talking to colleagues should get you started. Here are some other ways to get going:

• Take inservice classes or university classes offered about the Internet.
• Get yourself an Internet account at home. If you don't own a computer see if you can borrow one from school. Exploring in your free time can help you overcome any anxiety you may have. Your Internet service provider may even have classes or someone on staff who can give you some help in learning how to use resources.
• Read professional publications geared toward helping educators use the Internet. ISTE's Leading and Learning With Technology and Classroom Connect are both good to begin with to help you see how other educators are using the Internet.
• Read online articles.("7 Habits of Highly Effective Internet-Using Educators")
• Find a mentor - another teacher or the technology specialist in your school - who can show you how to get started or offer some help when you need it.

Begin using the Internet connection you have for demonstrations to your group. Students can be sent to the media center to do research or follow-up on a demonstration once you get the ball rolling. Be sure to view the sites you will use first and know where you will want students to visit. Print out questions to guide student's online time and be sure they know what to do and where to go during their sessions. Internet hunts or quiz activities (hurricane quiz) are good activities to begin with. What to try next?

• Look for funding to get a computer and connection in your classroom.
• Bring your home computer in and use your home account and a long phone cord to access the Internet for projects. This is less than ideal, but it can and has been done.
• Look for activities that you can print out and bring to class. Countless resources and up-to-date information is available to enrich materials in textbooks.
• Software (Web Whacker and others) is available to help you copy web pages so they can be shown on a computer even though it is not connected to the Internet. Copy and use sites on classroom computers for a unit you are studying. Even though there is not a connection, students can use the saved sites and have the "feel" of being online and the access to the information.

Look over your curriculum and lessons and see which might benefit from the use of online resources. Not sure? Well, check the databases of lesson plans online, your school system's or state department of education's websites for ideas, review hotlists (weather and hurricane hotlists) of sites on topics and you will probably find an area you want to try to integrate into your plans.

• Learn to use a search engine or directory like Yahoo to search for materials and lessons.
• Look at educational Internet sites for lessons or projects already being done and use them as a model to modify your own lessons. (K-12 Internet Resource Search Page)
• Join an Internet mail list dealing with education topics. Join in the discussions to find ideas, online sites and strategies to get you started.

Go on to Category 4