UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT INFORMATION FOR CHILDREN

THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL
The Surgeon General's Report for Kids about Smoking is an online magazine which focuses on smoking prevention for children in grades four through six. Featured material emphasizes facts and information to combat cigarette advertisements. Children can access such articles as "Is Smokeless Tobacco Safer than Cigarettes?" and "Be An Ad Buster.
The Surgeon General's TIPS4YOUTH site features material with an anti-smoking slant such as celebrity interviews suitable for grades six through eight . Information about toxic chemicals found in cigarettes and other facts help young teenagers deal with smoking related peer pressure. Both sites include links to resources for educators.

THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
The CIA's Homepage for Kids is an interactive site aimed at grades four through eight offering background information about the Central Intelligence Agency and the history and function of covert intelligence work in the United States. Material such as Black Dispatches: Black American Contributions to Union Intelligence and the CIA Canine Corps is presented as well as virtual tours of the Agency and related exhibits. The noteworthy Geography Quiz link offers a clickable world map which allows students to test their knowledge about different regions of the world. Other attractive and interesting features include puzzles, code breaking exercises and links to more advanced material such as the CIA World Factbook.

THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
The Consumer Product Safety Commission's Further Adventures of Kid Safety focuses on bicycle, scooter and playground safety tips for grades two through four . This site offers pictorial depictions of the correct way to use helmets and kneepads. There is a special section devoted to the safe handling of fireworks. An interactive riddle feature reinforces previously learned safety information. The background music might be too distracting for some children. Links to the Consumer Product Safety Commission Recall Page.

THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
The Department of Energy's Energy Ant presents information about energy for grades three through five . Such concepts as renewable and nonrenewable energy sources are conveyed in a pleasingly simple and forthright manner. Features include interactive activities such as fun facts and quizzes as well stories about energy pioneers. Links to numerous teacher resources and classroom activities.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
The Department of Health and Human Service's Girl Power for Preteen Girls offers activities and health information for girls in grades four through eight designed to reinforce positive self esteem. This regularly updated site offers suggestions for fitness, nutrition and safety. Special features currently include suggestions for coping after a disaster and an interview with astronaut Ellen Ochoa. Viewer feedback is encouraged. Links to science curriculum sites for educators.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD)
HUD's Kids Next Door focuses on concepts of good citizenship and community through interactive games for children in first through third grades. Children are exposed to occupational categories, and given the opportunity to "Build a Community," or "Visit Awesome Places" through an interactive field trip which changes every few months. Volunteer community service opportunities for children are presented in the form of links to other sites.

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
The Department of Justice's Kid's Page site offers material featuring crime prevention, internet safety and civil rights for grades four through eight. Children are invited to participate in crime prevention by becoming "resource mappers," peer-mediators and mentors to younger children. The "Internet Do's and Don'ts" section offers driving tips for the information highway. An excellent civil rights link explains what civil rights are and how the Department of Justice enforces civil rights in the United States. Background material on the history of the civil rights movement is also provided. Parent and teacher links are included.

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
The Department of Transportation provides material for children in grades kindergarten through twelve featuring a range of information about transportation careers, safety, history and technology. The kindergarten though fifth grade pages offer basic material which answer questions such as "What is transportation?" and features transportation super heroes. The grades six through eight section focuses on personal safety and basic information about transportation careers. The high school section offers an interactive online journal which features information about vocational education for specific transportation related careers and an interactive game featuring the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Extensive links for educators.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
The E.P.A.'s Children's Site for grades three through six invites children to discover environmental topics through membership in the E.P.A's Explorers Club. This site provides links for learning about recycling, plants, animals, air and water as well as explanations of terminology such as superfund and solid waste. Topics like the greenhouse effect and the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem are examined. The process of water purification is explained diagrammatically. A comic book feature entitled "On the Trail of the Missing Ozone" in addition to educational games, puzzles and art projects add appeal. There is a link devoted entirely to Earth Day as well as links to additional teacher resources.

THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
The F.B.I.'s Home Page For Children offers the user a choice of links to three major sections; the kids page which, although ostensibly aimed at grades kindergarten through grade five, is actually suitable for third through sixth grades , the youth page aimed at grades six through twelve , and a special section suitable for all ages devoted entirely to working dogs of the FBI. The youth page's interactive case studies allow students to experience how a crime scene is investigated and how evidence is processed in an FBI laboratory. The training and day to day routine of an FBI special agent are presented using downloadable video files. The kids page , hosted by two cute FBI dogs, offers children a virtual field trip of the FBI featuring information about the past and current functions of the FBI. Along the way, children have the option of printing out their own junior special agent credentials and fingerprint cards. Of note are pages which focus on fingerprint reading, DNA and polygraph testing. Puzzles, mazes, secret codes, and really great dog material help to hold and focus the attention of reluctant readers. Links to parent and teacher material are provided.

THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA)
The FEMA website for children features information for third through sixth grades from Herman the Hermit Crab about how to deal with the physical and emotional impact of disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, landslides, winter storms, floods, tidal waves and fires. Links offer information pertaining to current disasters in the fifty states, instructions for how to prepare for a disaster, and easy to understand explanations of catastrophic weather events. Interactive elements include flood disaster math, the earth, wind and water game and a site for children to submit their own creative writing about disasters. Highly motivated children can complete a checklist and form in order to obtain a certificate which identifies them as an "official disaster action kid." This site will hold special appeal for elementary school weather buffs. Includes a link to teacher resources.

THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
The Food and Drug Administration's Kids Home Page introduces children in grades three through six to Yorick the Bionic Skeleton. Interaction with Yorick teaches medical and anatomical terminology by examining implantable medical devices such as pacemakers and cochlear implants. Additional topics covered include industrial safety in the form of an interactive warehouse inspection, pet care and "All about Vaccines." Special holiday links are featured as the season dictates.
The Food and Drug Administration's Teen Scene site contains links to selected articles from the "FDA Consumer" magazine which feature age appropriate topics of interest for high school students such as eating disorders, acne medication, cosmetics, and the impact of asthma on sports participation.

THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
The Government Printing Office Children's Website has been divided by kindergarten through second, third through fifth, sixth through eighth and ninth through twelfth grade levels. The kindergarten through second grade page explores concepts of nationhood, government, and local institutions such as libraries, schools and hospitals. The third through fifth, sixth through eighth and ninth through twelfth grade sites offer progressively more advanced and detailed information about government at the state and national level which focuses on such topics as branches of government, how laws are made, the election process, and citizenship. The ninth through twelfth grade site is also useful for the links and introduction it offers to the main sources of government information on the internet which emphasize legal information, congressional material and a weekly compilation of presidential documents. The link to biographical information about Benjamin Franklin is suitable for elementary use. Puzzles and games are offered at each grade level. Links to a subject bibliography of government information websites and resources for teachers are provided.

THE HOOVER DAM NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK
Facts about The Hoover Dam suitable for grades six through eight. Good for middle school math buffs and trivia aficionados. Links to a downloadable learning packet for teachers.

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Kids in the House is the children's website for the House's Office of the Clerk. This site focuses on the workings of the United States Government and the House of Representatives in addition to explaining the role and duties of the Clerk. Children in grades fve through eight learn about the function of a House Committee and how a bill becomes a law. The house leadership link explains how a whip works and what a caucus does. The puzzles and games link offers a noteworthy Build-A-Bill feature which offers children the opportunity to create their own bill. Includes a glossary of key terms and additional resources for parents and teachers.

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
The Library of Congress's America's Story is a comprehensive site which allows students in grades five through eight to explore the cultural history of the United States by state, date, time frame, biography, popular culture, folklore or music. The "Meet Amazing Americans" feature offers short biographies of American cultural figures such as Houdini, Amelia Earhart, Frederick Douglass and Thomas Edison. Students have the opportunity to enter a cyber time machine in order to experience life in the historical era of choice. The choose a state option offers historical data on all fifty states from a clickable map. Sports buffs can experience the history of baseball and find out how the first bathing suits were made. An interactive see, hear and sing link permits children to view animation, witness a natural disaster or listen to uncommon american musical instruments. Interactive games are included in every section.

THE MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
The Mine Safety and Health Administration's Minerals Management Service features an introduction to mining and minerals for children in grades three through five . A link which invites children "to do some prospectin'" is actually a clickable map of the fifty states which lists the types of mineral mined by each state. The "MSHA and Mining" link provides the user with a cyber slide show about different types of mining techniques. Additional links focus on abandoned mine safety, mineral consumption and an excellent basic history of child labor in mines.

NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA)
NASA Kids features astronomical and scientific information for grade levels four through six but is of potential interest to some students through grade eight. This site offers extensive and interesting coverage of topics related to earth, the planets, galaxies, space stations and life in space. Regular updates accommodate features such as the astronomy picture of the day and "A New Star in the Sky." The interactive NASA Kids Club feature allows students to communicate online with other students. Links to extensive teacher material which include a science glossary and an archived mailing list.

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
The National Archives and Records Administration's Herbert Hoover Library for Students offers a wide variety of historical information for grades four through twelve . Links to sites featuring Laura Ingalls Wilder, who is known to children through her semi-autobiographical "Little House on the Prairie" series will be of interest to grades four through six . The Civil War Letters link offers an introduction to the use of primary sources for understanding history for grades six through eight . The extensive material offered about Herbert Hoover is suitable for grades nine through twelve . Links to biographical information about Hoover, Hoover's role in the delivery of foreign aid to Belgium subsequent to WWI and Hoover's role as president during the initial years of the great depression are supplemented by a time line which will assist students in putting Hoover's life in context with the social and scientific advances of the latter 19th and early twentieth centuries. Online reference requests pertaining to American history are accepted from student researchers and teachers.

THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
The National Cancer Institute's site is aimed at assisting children with coping with cancer or any serious illness in themselves or others. Although written at a third through sixth grade level , much of the material offered could be useful for children through grade eight . Information includes tips and stories for coping with taking medication and what to do when a family member has cancer. Children are invited to contribute material such as art, stories, poetry or ideas for features. A handbook for parents about young people with cancer is also available. Currently undergoing revision.

THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR BIRTH DEFECTS AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
The Kids Quest on Disability and Health is designed to offer fourth through six grade children information about physical, emotional and learning disabilities by utilizing interactive learning quests. Information about such topics as fetal alcohol syndrome or how a disabled person uses the bathroom are dealt with in a forthright and dignified manner. Links to a glossary of terms and information for parents and teachers are provided.

THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
The National Center for Environmental Health invites children in grades three through five to become detectives in order to solve mysteries about the interaction between environment and health. The impact of the environment on conditions like asthma and birth defects is explored. Other topics covered such as cruise ship inspections and refugee health teach children about the function of government in public health. Interactive games help to reinforce new concepts.

THE NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG INFORMATION
Wally Bear and the Gang offer an anti- drug and alcohol message for grades two through four . Wally Bear's friends have differing backgrounds and circumstances but they have all chosen not to use drugs. Children have the option of playing educational games, coloring, cross words puzzles or joining a fan club. Toll free phone numbers are provided which can be used to hear messages from favorite website characters. This site is available in English, Spanish or Portuguese.

THE NATIONAL CONSERVATION TRAINING CENTER
The Just for Kids Guide to Shorebirds for grades two through four features an explanatory page which defines a shore bird and a field guide for different shorebirds. Additional fun facts, a wetlands tour, games and coloring pages are also provided.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART
The National Gallery's NGA Kid's Adventures with Art devotes the top part of it's home page to art adventures for children in grades one through four. Artists and the qualities for which they are known can be discovered by clicking on the appropriate square. Homework help and information about the Gallery's family activities is also available.

THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
Two crash test dummies named Vince and Larry welcome children in grades five through eight to Vince and Larry's Safety City. Notable city landmarks include a gallery featuring car wreck art, an interesting research laboratory in which children can explore crash testing grounds, the seat belt room and the airbag safety zone. The Safety Town school gives lessons in drunk driving statistics and safety trivia quizzes. A school bus driving course is also offered. Teacher materials are available through the safety town school link.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
Interactive information about drug abuse for children in grades five through eight is available through the Sara's Quest link. Sara Bellum is a scientist helping students learn about the effect of illegal drugs on the brain. This is accomplished through the "Mind Over Matter" online magazine which offers specific links for information about the effects of marijuana, opiates, inhalants, hallucinogens, methamphetamine, nicotine, stimulants and steroids. Students can compete for prizes in the Sara's test challenge subsequent to their completion of the online material. A teacher's guide is provided.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Children in grades four through eight can learn about the environment through an extensive series of interactive activities. A huge number of games, brainteasers, jokes, hidden pictures, scrambled word puzzles and songs all offer environmental information in addition to fun. A hot topics link offers a bibliography of current sites about everything from hog farms to ozone alerts. Suggestions for science projects and future careers and a link to environmental art is also offered. This material is also available in Spanish.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH
Snapshots of Science and Medicine is an online magazine for high school students featuring information about biological research, the social impact of science and profiles of individual scientists. The particular issue examined featured topics related to DNA and genetics. The content is updated monthly. A teacher's guide is provided.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (NIOSH)
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health provides information for working teenagers about their right to a safe and secure work environment. Teenagers are warned that workers in their age category often receive inadequate job safety training or supervision. Knowing their rights can protect them against exploitation. Topics covered include the right to refuse dangerous work, sexual harassment, the right to join a union, common occupational hazards, and laws for specific age groups which regulate occupational category and hours of employment. Instructions are provided for how to report work place safety violations and hazard alerts to NIOSH, OSHA, or the Department of Labor. Suitable for grades nine through adult.

THE PEACE CORPS
Children in grades three though five join Traveler the Shaggy Dog to explore the Peace Corps' Kids World. By learning about the Peace Corps' objectives, children are exposed to concepts of volunteerism and international cooperation. The Peace Corps' activities in Central and Eastern Asia, the Pacific regions, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean are explored with facts, photographs and maps. Links to a supplementary research bibliography and teacher materials are included.

THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Friendly animals help children in grades one through three learn about Social Security. Anecdotes told by a turtle, a crow, a lion, a grasshopper, a piggy and a stork help children find out why a little bit of earned money goes to Social Security and how this helps when someone gets too old or too sick to work or when a parent dies.
The Social Security Administration's 411 on Social Security 4 Teens is designed by and for high school students. The queries of "Why is it important to have a Social Security Card?" "Does work pay?" and "What is FICA?" are answered with a minimum of jargon. A student puzzled by deductions from a first paycheck will find this site, if not compensatory, at least informative. Links to the Social Security Administration Online are provided.

THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
The United States Attorney's Office explains to children in grades four through six how a United States Attorney is appointed and what his or her job entails. Each step of the job is illustrated with separate detailed links in chronological order. Legal and technical vocabulary such as district, initial hearing, trial appeal and plea agreement is explained in a forthright and easy to understand manner. This site provides a good overview of a lesser known aspect of law enforcement.

THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU
The American FactFinder's Kid's Corner informs children in grades four through seven that gathering statistics about an area can help to allocate resources fairly. The quiz section offers a gentle introduction to very basic statistical analysis and terminology. A clickable map offers basic information about the sex, age, educational attainment and housing information of the 50 states. A link to materials of interest to teachers is available in the Special Topics section of the Census Bureau's home page.

THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
The United States Department of Agriculture's Online Food Safety Activity Book provides children in kindergarten through the second grade with illustrated instructions for safe food handling. Children discover that food spoilage is caused by bacteria and learn the steps that they can take to prevent bacteria from growing. All pages can be printed out for coloring. A certificate of participation is provided upon completion.

THE UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION
The United States Fire Administration offers facts, figures and safety tips on fire and fire related topics for the second through fourth grade. Children learn how a smoke alarm works, participate in an interactive fire escape planning activity, distinguish potentially hazardous situations with the help of Hydro the fire dog and implement home safety strategies. Upon completion of these activities, they can complete a multiple choice quiz to achieve the status of Junior Fire Marshall. Interactive puzzles and games which reinforce learning are provided. There is a link to teacher material which offers lesson plans, discussion points and additional resources.

THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Resources for Junior Fish and Wildlife Biologists await children in grades four through seven. Information about animals, wildlife, and what children can do to get involved in their own community is offered along with special monthly topics. The creature features link offers fact sheets about a wide assortment of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and plants. Games and puzzles reinforce what is learned. The "Where Can I find It" link provides sites in which to seek further information about biodiversity, species and habitats and endangered species. Extensive teacher resources on the natural sciences.

THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
The United States Geological Survey's Learning Web provides a variety of natural science information suitable for grades two through twelve , although most of the material appears to be geared towards grades six through nine . This extensive site offers suggestions for science projects, homework help, research tools, glossaries, fact sheets and information about science careers. For example, the Frog Watch link for grades sixth through eight discusses the impact of the changing environment on frogs and other amphibians. Links pertaining to caves, wildlife, meteorology, geology, plants and maps all offer rich sources of material. The "real time info" link offers a volcano webcam and NASA's real time satellite weather image. The scope of featured material is vast so use of the site's search engine will greatly aid the user in taking full advantage of the breadth of information offered. The Learning Web feature provides teacher materials which include lesson plans, activities, and tutorials.

THE UNITED STATES MINT
Where does money come from? How is it made? The U. S. Mint's H.I.P. Pocket Change site provides children in grades three through six with answers to questions about the origin, appearance, manufacture, and future of coins. Games and cartoons help to reinforce facts. Links to teacher materials are provided.

THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
The Patent Office's Children's Site is divided by elementary level and upper grades. The kindergarten through sixth grade "Twinkle Lights" section offers material which is actually suitable for grades three through five featuring inspirational information about inventors, inventions and inventive thinking. The stories behind velcro and post-its are presented to encourage creative thought and stimulate new ideas. Regularly updated content includes a trivia calendar and monthly special features such as "The Little Shop of Patent and Trademark Horrors." Interactive activities include puzzles, mazes, connect the dot games, word search and memory games. The grades sixth through twelfth grade "Bright Lights" section is suitable for grades six through eight . Although there is some overlap with elementary links, material featuring information about careers with the patent office and historical anecdotes is worthwhile.

THE WHITE HOUSE
The content of The White House Kid's Page changes regularly. Changes tend to reflect administrational shifts and or current events. The content is generally aimed at children in grades three through six . As of this writing, the White House Kid's Page focuses on links to a main page in which animal hosts guide children on a White House tour, offers facts and trivia about White House history, presents short biographies of prominent Americans and allows children to test their knowledge of past presidents. Biographical material about President Bush, Mrs. Bush, Vice President Cheney and Mrs. Cheney is not prominently featured but available at the top of the page.