~ Early Web Links ~

Mrs Pancake offers a continuously updated collection of free printable educational resources aimed at Key Stage 1 and Early Years teachers, parents, and children. Classroom aids like calendar frames, weather symbols, alphabet letters, clock hands, and craft projects make this a handy toolkit for early childhood education.

Stephen Downes is a Canadian researcher at the National Research Council specializing in e-learning, networked learning, and educational technology, and this hub collects his extensive publications, newsletters, presentations, and commentary spanning decades. Best known as co-originator of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) concept and author of the widely-read OLDaily newsletter, Downes covers topics from connectivism and open access to AI in education.

EmergencyDude.com is a comprehensive guide to emergency preparedness covering natural disasters from earthquakes and tsunamis to blizzards and volcanoes, with practical advice on water, food, first aid, and evacuation planning. The site takes a friendly, approachable tone to walk families through building survival plans and understanding their specific needs before disaster strikes.

Austin Z. Henley, an Associate Teaching Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, dives deep into implementing the cosine function in C from scratch without relying on math.h, exploring several approaches including Taylor series, lookup tables, and bit manipulation. The post includes performance benchmarks, accuracy comparisons, and code samples, and became popular enough to be discussed multiple times on Hacker News and Reddit.

Aceso Under Glass is Elizabeth's curiosity-driven blog that digs into practical knowledge ranging from clothing quality and shopping strategies to statistics, queuing theory, and the history of Bell Labs. The tagline 'What if we understood more things?' captures the spirit of a writer who investigates everyday and technical topics with analytical rigor and genuine enthusiasm.

Produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida, this guide walks beginners through the fundamentals of the Internet, from what the web is and how browsers work to navigation basics and productivity tools. It covers the history of the Internet from its ARPA origins through to modern use, making it a solid introductory reference for educators and students alike.

Tatsumoto's AJATT (All Japanese All The Time) site offers a comprehensive, free guide to learning Japanese through mass immersion rather than traditional classes or paid courses. Packed with Anki decks, tool recommendations, a FAQ, and a growing library of articles, it champions self-study using spaced repetition and engaging native content.

GCSE.com, created by A P Harmsworth, offers award-winning revision tutorials and exam tips for students studying GCSE and IGCSE subjects including English, French, German, ICT, Maths, and Physics. With coursework guidance, revision tips, and downloadable resources, it serves as a practical study companion for UK secondary school students and their teachers.

JJMK focuses on electricity saving tips and energy conservation, offering guidance on the best ways to reduce power consumption at home. The site covers energy saving devices and practical strategies for cutting electricity costs.

The Daring Librarian is Gwyneth Jones's blog for school librarians and educators, with this popular post detailing an updated Makerspace Starter Kit built for a middle school library on a modest budget. It covers what tools and supplies worked, what flopped, and how to set up a low-cost creative space that students can use independently during free periods.