Technology: Engineering & Design

Family Resources

Letter to Families

Dear Parent or Guardian,

The textbook, Technology: Engineering & Design, has been selected for use in your child's technology classroom, and you have every reason to be excited. As your child embarks on a year of growth and discovery, he or she will be working in partnership with a textbook that empowers students to learn about all types of technology; to discover future careers in the growing fields of technology; and to become critical thinkers, active listeners, and effective speakers.

You may ask, "How can I too be a partner in my child's learning? How can I help my child learn to understand technology, science, engineering, and math, especially if my own knowledge in these areas is not as strong as it could be?" The answer is simple: Stay active and involved in your child's learning process.

Encourage your child by:

• asking questions about the challenges he or she faces,
• listening carefully and being a sounding board for your child's ideas,
• inviting your child to read aloud homework assignments and activities and offering feedback and advice when asked, and
• acting as a role model and demonstrating the value you place on the importance of the application of technology in the world today and tomorrow.

By finding and reading this letter on the Technology: Engineering & Design Web site, you have already begun to model for your child the process of inquiry and research. We hope that you will take advantage of the other resources available on this Web site. Here you will find an annotated list of Family Web Links on a variety of subjects that have been specifically chosen by Glencoe editors with parents' concerns in mind. For example, some links will help you assist your child in conducting research for writing projects, while others contain family learning activities. Consider making your first stop the U.S. Department of Education's Parents Guide to the Internet; the site will help you learn to surf with confidence, knowledge, and awareness.

Thank you for supporting your child's work with Technology: Engineering & Design.

Sincerely,

The Editors at Glencoe/McGraw-Hill

Family Web Links

Parents Guide to the Internet
This U.S. Department of Education online brochure introduces parents to the Internet's use as an important educational tool. In addition to basic tips, you will find suggestions for using the Internet for school projects and information about how the Internet can enrich the learning experiences of children with special needs. This site also includes Internet safety guidelines, an Internet glossary, and links to a number of fascinating Web sites that are designed with you and your children in mind.

The New York Times Learning Network
With its "Word of the Day" and crossword puzzles, this site provides vocabulary and spelling practice. In addition, you and your children can reflect on the past with daily historical facts, stay current with news summaries, and test your memory with current-events quizzes.

Awesome Library
This online library's more than 24,000 resources are carefully screened to be child-safe, current, and useful. Sites are organized for students, parents, teachers, and librarians. To search the library, click on a topic (or customize your own search) and then view a list of search results categorized by source, such as periodicals, discussion groups, or lists.

Britannica.com
This is an invaluable site for Internet research. Not only does it contain the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica, it also has Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary and Online Thesaurus, the Britannica World Atlas, and interactive "Timelines." Search by topics that include arts, science, travel, and technology.

U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education Web site contains a wide array of resources including programs, services, publications, products, and information about obtaining student financial aid. Included are links to articles in the education headlines and sections titled "Especially for Students" and "Especially for Parents."

National Geographic Society
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest non-profit educational and scientific organizations. Its research interests include geography and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical conservation, and the study of world culture and history.