This site helps to justify at least some of the excitement about the Internet. The Magna Carta is one of the most important documents in our history, and is shown in the digital section. You can even zoom in to read it. This is giving access to material that makes history real.

TRENCHES ON THE WEB http:www.worldwar1.com

This interactive history of World War I provides some good background material for study around this period. It is the work of an enthusiast who calls himself a “history technician” rather than a historian. The detail is idiosyncratic and sometimes, considering the gravity of the subject, written in a very jocular way. There are, however, some very good resources here.

BE YOUR OWN CHANCELLOR http:www.ifs.org.ukdisclaim.htm

“The data used to estimate the revenue effects of tax changes in the Be Your Own Chancellor model is derived from official government sources and, as such, the IFS cannot take any responsibility for its accuracy.” In other words, don’t sell your PEPs after using this. But this sort of resource is invaluable to economics teachers.

THE VIRTUAL ECONOMY http:ve.ifs.org.uk

This site is under development, but will be an Internet-based economic simulation system combining the Institute for Fiscal Studies tax and benefit model, the HM Treasury Macroeconomic model and teaching materials developed by bized. A joint project between the IFS, bized and Warwick University’s Macroeconomic Modelling Bureau, it is funded by the Nuffield Foundation.

FRACTALS http:math.rice.edulaniusfrac

I used to have a colleague who talked about maths the same way most people talk about about poetry or Picasso. “The beauty of mathematics” was a phrase that tripped off his tongue. I could never see it until I was introduced to fractals - mathematical figures like rectangles, circles and squares, but which have special properties. The first thing that strikes you about them is that they are beautiful. This site is built for children to aid their understanding of these marvellous shapes.

ILLUSTRATING THE LAYERS OF THE EARTH http:volcano.und.nodak.eduvwdocsvwlessonsactivitiesp_number1.html

Some sites are so sophisticated that they overawe you with their technical brilliance. This has the opposite effect. It is a very simple way of illustrating the structure of the earth, using readily-available materials. Aimed precisely at key stages 1 and 2, many teachers might argue that they will get more out of simplicity of this sort than from sites designed just to be admired.

THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION OF NEWS LINKS http:pppp.netlinksnews

Most of the world’s great newspapers are now on the Web. This site will put you in touch with most of them. It is invaluable for seeing the other country’s point of view as well as for English and media studies. It not only deals with the big names in the news world, but with the provincial press as well. The amazing thing is that it covers the world. If you want to know what the papers in the Middle East think about the USA, then you can find it here. It is an invaluable site.

THE PERRY-CASTA%EDA LIBRARY MAP COLLECTION http:www.lib.utexas.eduLibsPCLMap_collectioneurope.html With maps provided by the CIA, this site’s coverage of Europe is comprehensive. Featuring each European country, there are also historical maps, all of which can be downloaded.

WEATHERNET http:cirrus.sprl.umich.eduwxnet

This US site, the work of just one person, is comprehensive, giving a full list of weather cameras and a wealth of satellite information. The whole site brings meteorology alive. It gives forecasts and satellite information, and then you can use the weather cameras to check up on the forecast’s accuracy.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM AND TELEVISION http:www.nmsi.ac.uknmpfteducationindex.html

The work of the National Museum Of Photography, Film and Television will enrich English and media teaching. In a few weeks, the museum will open its media treasures as never before. The material is written sympathetically, realistically and perceptively with just a minimum of media jargon.

Jack Kenny