·http://strandmaps.nsdl.org/

Science literacy maps are a great new concept that continue to garner significant attention by teachers, students, and the general public. This specific site was created by the National Science Digital Library (NSDL) and features concept maps that illustrate connections between thematic science and math concepts, including "The Living Environment" and "The Nature of Mathematics." The Getting Started area provides a fine tutorial on how to use these materials, along with several short, helpful videos. Additionally, there is a purely text-based version for those interested in the subject matter, but a little wary of diving into the literacy maps themselves. Once brave enough to jump in, there are over 12 sections to explore. [KMG]

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·http://maps.bpl.org/highlights/land-ownership-maps

The Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library has over 100,000 maps, including renderings of British Palestine, West Africa in the 17th century, and many, many others. This corner of its collection brings together 122 maps that show land ownership in Boston, Pennsylvania, Haiti, and other locales. The maps of Boston are a real treat, with the original Shawmut peninsula illustrated in great detail on maps such as, "Plan of Boston showing existing ways and owners on December 25, 1645." A plethora of maps depicting counties in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and other states in New England from the mid and late 19th centuries are also great attributes of this collection. [KMG]

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·http://www.uctc.net/

The University of California Transportation Center (UCTC) is a multi-campus organization that is focused on three themes: environmental sustainability, economic competitiveness, and livability. On its site, visitors can look over an in-house magazine, read over grant programs, and also learn about upcoming conference opportunities. In the Research area, a number of policy briefs are organized chronologically, such as last year's "Bus to Rail: A Crucial Link" and "Bike-and-Ride: Build It and They Will Come." The aforementioned in-house magazine, ACCESS, translates academic research into readable prose for policymakers and practitioners. Visitors can browse through the current issues or look at the archives which date back to 2003. Interested users can also sign up to learn about the center's new grant programs and technical assistance seminars. [KMG]

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·http://www.fastplants.org/activities/

The Wisconsin Fast Plants Program was designed to build open education resources and professional learning communities that inspire and support its stated mission: "working with educators and scientists in support of conceptual understanding through science teaching, learning, and research." It's an ambitious goal and this site provides users with a range of information from how to grow fast plants to various activities for the classroom. These Plant Activities can be downloaded by students as a way to explore the world of botany, ecology, and other related fields. Of course visitors will need to look over the How To Grow area which contains detailed information on Growing & Lighting, Flowering, and Seeds & Harvesting. A Grower's Calendar can also be downloaded as a great way to keep track of the growing process. [KMG]

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·http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/onlinecol.html

The Hispanic Reading Room site from the Library of Congress brings together over a dozen digital collections crafted from primary and secondary source materials related to Luso-Hispanic cultural history. The collections offered on this site include the Kraus Collection of Sir Francis Drake as well as a collection on Puerto Rico and the Dawn of the Modern Age. This last area contains a small gallery of cartographic items as well as a short essay on national identity. Moving on, the Exhibits and Pictorial Collections contain wonderful visual explorations of the Spanish-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Of additional note, visitors on the hunt for a specific photograph or hard-to-find item may wish to consult the Reading Room's list of free-lance picture researchers who may be able to search for these items for a small fee. [KMG]

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·http://webadventures.rice.edu/

For young people interested in careers in science and technology, the Web Adventures site is a great way to pique interest. Created by the Center for Technology in Teaching and Learning at Rice University, the adventures here are divided into six areas, including CSI: The Experience and Virtual Clinical Trials. This last area is intriguing and thoughtful as visitors can explore mock clinical treatments for spinal cord injuries or adolescent depression. Reconstructors is another great feature of the site. Through three adventure games, students can explore the science behind substance abuse and even learn how a researcher might gather evidence and collect data to solve a drug-related case. This is a great teaching tool, especially for students interested in pursuing a medical career. [KMG]

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·http://dhdebates.gc.cuny.edu/

This open access version of the printed book, Debates in the Digital Humanities, brings together a range of experts to discuss the theories, methods, and practices of the digital humanities. First released in 2012 by the University of Minnesota Press, this hybrid version has been offered to the public as new debates emerge. The site consists of four different sections, including Debates and News, and contributions are divided into five parts hailing from over two dozen different scholars. The book is quite compelling, especially the "Critiquing the Digital Humanities" section, and information scientists, humanities folks, and others will find it most engaging. [KMG]

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·http://www.discovery.com/live-cams

With cameras operating in Alaska, Hudson Bay and other far-flung locales, the Discovery Channel's Live Cams page is a great resource for those who love nature in all of its manifestations. First-time visitors should check out the Alaska: The Last Frontier cams as they offer a rich look at this most fascinating state. The Shark Cam is a delight as well and features sharks in the National Aquarium, including black-tip sharks, zebra sharks, and more. The Penguin Cam is also quite fun and visitors can watch the behavior of rockhopper and African penguins at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. [KMG]

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·http://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:24093

Back in the days of the dime novel, these tawdry tomes would be passed around to be shared with friends and those who enjoyed light fare. This digital collection from Villanova University's Falvey Memorial Library brings together eight remarkable collections of items that include non-fiction titles, scholarship on dime novels, and beautiful covers and illustrations. One rather curious and colorful item in the non-fiction section is the "When Were You Born" series. Through a collection of twelve books, visitors can learn about the personality traits ascribed to each month of the year. The Fiction collection is another treasure trove and contains the beautiful Robin Hood series along with the wonderful Buffalo Bill series. Finally, not to be missed, is "Mittie's Storytime," a delightful addition to the Spare Change Library Podcast. Here, visitors can access the past through technologies of today and listen in on audio editions of their favorite dime novel tales. [KMG]

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·http://cdi.uvm.edu/collections/getCollection.xql?pid=tennietoussaint&title=Tennie%20Toussaint%20Photographs

Tennie Toussaint was a columnist for the Burlington (VT) Free Press during the 1960s and 1970s who also collected photographs as a hobby. This digital collection brings together her photographs of agricultural landscapes, community events, and the logging of Danville, Vermont during the early 1900s. All told, there are over 65 photos here that document barn raisings, family gatherings, and other sciences from the past. Users can search the photographs by topic or genre and it's a fascinating look into this corner of Vermont history. [KMG]

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·http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/explore/dgexplore.cfm?topic=cities&col_id=243

New York City has a hundred stories in every block and thousands of tales within each borough. Some of these stories can be told simply by looking closely at the built environment and this digital collection from the New York Public Library strives to do just that. The offerings in this collection include views of Washington Irving's home in the 1860s, street views by noted photographer Alice Austen from 1986, and a panorama of Fifth Avenue as it appeared in 1911. The works by Percy Loomis from 1931 to 1942 are particularly wonderful as they document the boroughs during the Great Depression. Other mentionable items include the vast collection of photographs and stills documenting Fifth Avenue as it transitioned into a fashionable boulevard of grand mansions, elite shops, and wide street vistas. [KMG]

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·http://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/27barton/27barton.htm

High above the Potomac River Valley, Clara Barton's home stands as memorial to the pioneering humanitarian and nurse. This installment of the National Park Services's Teaching With Historic Places Lesson Plans series looks at the historic structure and its role as a storehouse for American Red Cross supplies. Visitors to the site can read about the lesson and then dive right into the maps and other primary documents that tell the story of Barton and the American Red Cross. Each area challenges students to come to their own conclusions about the historical material presented here in a way that is contemplative and interesting. The Activities section also offers up some great suggestions for classroom consideration, including exercises about occupational choices for men and women and how to make meaning of historic newspapers. [KMG]

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·http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/interpersonal/index.php

This fascinating collection is animated by one question: "How did people use print to structure and mediate their social relationships in Europe between 1700 and 1900?" Crafted by staff members at McGill University, the exhibition looks at objects that document a range of interpersonal practices in the field of botany. As the site suggests, "printed matter functioned in various ways to foster relationships between individuals" during this period. Visitors can get started in The Exhibition area which includes an overview of each thematic section. Moving on, the Browse Pictures area includes five thematic headings, including Networks of Correspondence and Sentimental Botany. Each of these features a collection of images from the original in situ exhibition and the items all have a certain charm that belies an era of long distance communication. Visitors shouldn't miss the Floral Birthday Calendar or the glorious cover of Flora Symbolica. [KMG]

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·http://www.dlese.org/library/literacy_maps/

This collection of remarkable Earth Science Literacy Maps serves as a great tool for teachers and students searching for resources related to specific Earth science concepts. Visitors will note that the maps are contained within four topical areas, including Flow of Matter in Ecosystems and Evidence and Reasoning in Inquiry. Once a concept is selected, additional digital learning resources can be found that connect thematically to the original concept. Additionally, users can find out how these concepts and ideas are related to National Science Education Standards. Visitors should also take advantage of the powerful search engine here that cross-references educational matters located throughout the entire database. [KMG]

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·http://web.vims.edu/bridge/?svr=www

Appropriately enough, the Bridge Ocean website is billed as "an ocean of teacher-approved marine education resources." It's the result of a great collaboration between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Virginia Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program. Offered on its homepage are a range of lesson plans, professional development opportunities, and an assortment of Ocean Science Topics. This last area contains educational resources in a variety of fields, including biology, chemistry, and climate/atmosphere. Moving on, Research & DATA Connections offers data sets related to oceanography, ecology, and human activities. Interested visitors can sign up to receive an email newsletter which is appropriately titled, "Scuttlebutt." Users should also take a look at the Teacher Top Pick as it offers some wonderful lesson plans as selected by educators in the field. [KMG]

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·https://icebergs.com/site

If you're looking for a great place to save creative projects and inspiring materials, Icebergs is a terrific resource. After signing up for a free account, visitors can get started by adding web content to their online archive. From there, information and materials can be shared with other designated team members as well. Key items can even be visually highlighted, which is quite handy. This version is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]

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·http://lab.neerajkumar.name/sharedcount/

If you're interested in checking out the social media shares for various websites, the Shared Count tool is a nice find. Visitors just need to enter the URL in question and then can find out how often the site has been shared on a range of social media platforms. This version is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]

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E.T.'s Curse: The strange saga of the world's worst video game
http://www.slate.com/articles/video/video/2014/03/e_t_the_video_game_legend_is_the_atari_game_really_buried_in_a_new_mexico.html

RIP ET: The Legend of the Long-Buried Video Game
http://www.npr.org/2014/03/25/294385139/rip-et-the-legend-of-the-long-buried-video-game

Documentary About Mysterious Atari Video Game Burial of 1983 in the Works
http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/documentary-about-mysterious-atari-video-game-burial-of-1983-in-the-works/

The Console Living Room
https://archive.org/details/consolelivingroom

Virtual Atari
http://www.virtualatari.org/

Videogame History Museum
http://www.vghmuseum.org/

Out in the deserts of New Mexico, lie secrets of the Southwest including those related to the Manhattan Project and the dawn of the atomic age. Yet, more recently a new question has emerged: What about all of those video game cartridges? Yes, they are out there. It is no minor matter, as the video cartridges contain the poorly received game "E.T.: The Extraterrestrial," based on the popular movie. Apparently, after the video game failed to perform with video game fans, hundreds of cartridges were abandoned in the Alamogordo, New Mexico city dump. Now a team of documentary filmmakers are seeking permission from the New Mexico Environment Department to see if they can perform a site excavation as part of their quest. As of this writing, the dig has been put on hold as the aforementioned department has yet to give formal approval. [KMG]

The first link will take visitors to a short video from Slate about this most curious excavation. The second link will whisk interested parties to a great news clip from NPR about the quest by these filmmakers to dig up this 1980s trove of video game cartridges. Moving on, the third link will take users to a news article from last Sunday's Guardian Liberty Voice about this quest and the backstory behind this intriguing video game. The fourth link will take interested parties to the Console Living Room, an initiative of the Internet Archive. Here, visitors can play over one thousand video games created originally for the Atari 2600 and other consoles. The fifth link leads to a fabulous site where interested parties can learn more about the Atari 2600 and also play hundreds of additional games online. The final link leads to the homepage of the Videogame History Museum. Here, visitors can learn about its collection, upcoming events, and explore the gallery of video game legends.