1998 ThinkQuest Internet Challenge

Best of Contest - Science and Mathematics

The Soundry

This excellent web site explains what sound is and how humans perceive it through the ear. Take an interactive journey through the human ear to see how the ear collects and interprets sound. Use the SoundScene applet to organize a scene to help you understand Auditory Scene Analysis. In the Sound Lab you can see and hear sounds and their effects--check it out!

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First Place - Arts and Literature

Totally Tessellated: An Introduction to Tessellations

What is a tessellation? A tessellation is any repeating pattern of interlocking shapes. M.C. Escher made this art form famous. This site gives students a comprehensive introduction to tessellations and explains the basic math that is used in creating them. So enter Totally Tessellated to learn, create, explore, and have fun! Languages: English.

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First Place - Science and Mathematics

Dolphins - The Oracles of the Sea

Dolphins are as intelligent as a human being. Or are they? Find out the truth as you explore this well-researched and excellent site on the different species of oceanic dolphins, various small toothed whales (they are closer to dolphins than whales), and river dolphins. The site includes evolution, taxonomy, anatomy, behavior, and more. There are wonderful pictures, sound bites, and movies. The site is in English and Dutch.

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First Place - Social Sciences

The Hidden Killers: Deadly Viruses

Learn all about the basics of viruses, their evolutionary history, their discovery, what vaccines have been developed, and how they may evolve in the future. Find out how viruses infect and how you can prevent infection. Examine profiles of diseases caused by viruses: polio, measles, AIDs, ebola, smallpox, and more. The threat of military and terrorist uses of viruses as biological weapons is also studied at this excellent site.

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First Place - Social Sciences

The Cuban Experience

This site allows you to experience Cuba without actually traveling to this hard-to-visit country. This site includes an in-depth tour and presents information on culture, history, politics, people, places, and current events. Basic information such as: population, life expectancy, religions, presidents, and major industries are also included. Languages: English.

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First Place - Interdisciplinary

Volcanoes Online

This beautifully-designed site offers an encyclopedic look at plate tectonics and volcanoes around the world. After you've explored and learned all about subduction of the earth's plates, pahoehoe lava, and famous volcanoes, try the Save the Village game. Every correct answer saves 800 more people! The site is available in English and Dutch.

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Second Place - Science and Mathematics

Conceiving a Clone

Trace cloning technology from its beginnings to today's exciting biotechnology developments. Learn about techniques for "conceiving a clone." But not everyone agrees on the answers to the ethical and moral questions raised by this biological tinkering. Should humans be cloned? Join the discussion and let your views be known! Discover what countries around the world are doing to regulate cloning experimentation. Languages: English.

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Second Place - Social Sciences

Tae Kwon-Do - The Dream Becomes Reality

Did you know that Tae-Kwon-Do is a self-defense system characterized by extremely high kicks? It is also one of the newest sports of the Summer Olympics. This excellent site is for all sports enthusiasts who are interested in learning not only Tae-Kwon-Do moves, but also the history and philosophy of this beautiful sport. Following the Tae-Kwon-Do ideal, you can become as fast as the wind, brave as a tiger, calm as water, and hard as stone.

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Second Place - Social Sciences

Electric Snow: TV in our time

This is a serious look at the influence television plays in our lives. The web site provides examples that we all recognize, lesson plans for the teachers, interviews with authorities, and a dual language choice between English and Swedish. The Rating System, Advertising, Entertainment, Information, and Regulation are just a few of the TV topics covered

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Second Place - Interdisciplinary

The Living Africa

This is an excellent educational site on the continent of Africa that teaches students about the people, the land, and the wildlife. There are too many topics to list, but not only can you go on a virtual safari, you can also send electronic post cards to friends, explore the Living Atlas, and take the Wildlife Conservation Challenge.

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Third Place - Arts and Literature

Music Magic: A Piano Exploration

Your piano teacher has arrived! No, your mentor is not a little old lady, but a web site that provides online piano lessons by employing a Java keyboard. You can play with the click of a mouse. Endless interactive features allow you to step into the virtual concert hall, organize your practice sessions, or play a variety of musical games. This is an excellent site, come in and practice!

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Third Place - Science and Mathematics

Designer Genes

Learn about genetics in a nontechnical way. Biotechnology, DNA, and the controversial topic of cloning are discussed. An interactive poll allows you to submit your opinions on some of these topics. Learn about the history of genetics by reading more about prominent people in the field. An online homework helper lets you submit questions and get help from the experts.

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Third Place - Social Sciences

Nicaragua: In Perspective -- History, Culture, Politics, Economics

Planning a trip to Nicaragua? Before going, check out this extensive site. This excellent web site has something for everyone: maps, tips about hotels, currency, economics, history, politics, poetry, music, recipes, and more. You can develop a real feeling for the country when you visit this web page. Besides English, information from this site is also in Spanish and Japanese.

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Third Place - Sports and Health

Driving Under the Influence

Alcohol. Drugs. Cars. These things don't mix and this site has the death and injury statistics to prove it. Learn about the problem and what can done about it. Although you may know you should never get into a car whose driver has been drinking, what do you say to your friend or relative? This site offers suggestions, and the most important one is to have a plan before you get into this situation.

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Third Place - Interdisciplinary

Death: An Inquiry Into Man's Mortal Weakness

The three categories dealt with are the causes of death, coping with death, and the afterlife. This web site is very interesting because each category is broken down into the social sciences, philosophy, science, and art and literature. Interviews with those who deal with death on a daily basis offer an unusual look at this subject. Even though the topic of death can be a "downer," this is an excellent and uplifting web site.

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Fourth Place - Arts and Literature

A Reminiscence Of The Nineties

In this entry, three teenagers relive major events of the nineties and describe them in their own words. The Death of Princess Diana in 1997 is the first topic, followed by the Hong Kong Handover, Asian Financial Crisis, Gulf War, Nuclear Tests, Internet Growth, and Comet Collision. An Interactive section allows you to chat, vote for the event you feel was the most important, and take a quiz to test your knowledge of the nineties.

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Fourth Place - Science and Mathematics

Learn Programming with Logo

With the help of a very smart turtle you can learn Logo, a computer language. Learn about loops, parameters, and stars as you learn to draw with a computer. A special guide for teachers instructs them on using the lessons in a classroom setting. Once you have learned to use Logo, enter the online contest and show off your knowledge. This site is in English, German and French.

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Fourth Place - Social Sciences

Alternative Medicine Online

You may be familiar with traditional Western health care and medicine, but Alternative medicine and therapies are gaining in popularity. They include acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine, aromatherapy, herbal medicine, homeopathy, massage, crystals, and many more. Each therapy is described in detail and further Internet and other resources are suggested. Explore the facts and learn to separate the "hope from the hype" at this site.

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Fourth Place - Social Sciences

World War II: The Homefront

Take a simulation that follows a typical American family through a school year during WW II. While this site doesn't give in-depth reasons for the war, it does cover day-to-day life and period culture, such as television, movies, and toys. The pictorial timeline is thorough, covering events that led to the war right up through the defeat of Japan. Artifacts, posters, and graphics make the site a compelling history from the homefront.

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Fourth Place

Views on Cloning and Genetic Engineering: Improving on Nature or Popping the Genies Cork?

This web site provides information on the controversial issue of genetic cloning. The site explains what cloning is by focusing on the birth of Dolly, the lamb that was cloned by Scottish scientists in 1997. The site explains the cell and what scientists must do to clone it. Explore reactions to cloning from politicians, lawmakers, and scientists. What do you think?

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Fifth Place - Arts and Literature

Music Notes: An Interactive Musical Experience

This interactive, online musical experience puts the world of music at your fingertips. Theory, History, Styles, Professions, and Instruments are explained fully. Learn about note reading and chords, and explore historical information spanning from Medieval times to the present. The section on Music Styles is very in-depth and gives the definition and background on all types of music ranging from Caribbean to Rock.

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Fifth Place - Science and Mathematics

Energy Matters

Have you ever thought about how important energy is? Do you know where it comes from? How many types of energy are available and which is best? At this site you can read about fossil fuels--coal, wood, oil and natural gas--or learn the difference between nuclear fission and fusion. Solar, wind, and geothermal are also covered. Play a simulation game concerning an energy crisis that is likely to occur in the future.

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Fifth Place - Sports and Health

Health Careers Resource Center

Great site for high schoolers thinking of a career in medicine. This web site could also be an excellent asset to science or history class because of its history of medical careers. The section on Healthcare Career Information gives an alphabetical career listing, an Interactive Career Finder, and Medical career Clusters. Pursuing Your Healthcare Career provides information on High School, College, and Graduate School. Also includes an extensive bibliography of health career sources, print and online.

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Fifth Place - Interdisciplinary

La Casa de Comida

Need a cure for the hiccups? Ever wonder what makes our stomachs "growl"? These and more questions about food and digestion can be answered at this web site for elementary students. You'll also find a guide to eating right that contains recipes and descriptions of healthy food. See how nutrients in food help our bodies function, then take a closer look at food in society and how it affects people.

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Java Award - First Place - Science and Mathematics

Learn Programming with Logo

With the help of a very smart turtle you can learn Logo, a computer language. Learn about loops, parameters, and stars as you learn to draw with a computer. A special guide for teachers instructs them on using the lessons in a classroom setting. Once you have learned to use Logo, enter the online contest and show off your knowledge. This site is in English, German and French.

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Java Award - Second Place - Science and Mathematics

The Soundry

This excellent web site explains what sound is and how humans perceive it through the ear. Take an interactive journey through the human ear to see how the ear collects and interprets sound. Use the SoundScene applet to organize a scene to help you understand Auditory Scene Analysis. In the Sound Lab you can see and hear sounds and their effects--check it out!

Visit Site About

Java Award - Third Place - Sports and Health

Driving Under the Influence

Alcohol. Drugs. Cars. These things don't mix and this site has the death and injury statistics to prove it. Learn about the problem and what can done about it. Although you may know you should never get into a car whose driver has been drinking, what do you say to your friend or relative? This site offers suggestions, and the most important one is to have a plan before you get into this situation.

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GEM Award - Interdisciplinary

Leonardo Da Vinci: A Man of Both Worlds

Pretty impressive! In his 67 years of life, Leonardo Da Vinci was a painter, sculptor, architect, musician, engineer, inventor, and scientist. This genius of the fifteenth century revolutionized the art world with his paintings. His sketches covered a spectrum of topics including life studies, science, and architecture. In fact, Da Vinci's models of weapons and his strategic layouts and battle plans were marveled at by military leaders for many years after his death. Languages: English.

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Collaboration Award - Arts and Literature

Lit Cafe

English teachers, librarians, and their students: This one's for you! A well-executed, excellent site that provides basic biographies of some of the most influential writers of the western world, a guide to literary terms and devices (with examples), grammar, roots of words back to the Latin and Greek, English fundamentals, including spelling, and literary devices! This is an enormously helpful resource!

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Collaboration Award - Interdisciplinary

The Global Gazette

What is culture? This web site is an international newspaper that focuses on culture in three different countries: USA, Norway, and China. Information about traditions, sports, governments, special symbols, arts, music, and everyday life is presented. Find out what is considered polite in one country but may be considered rude in another. Check your cultural savvy by taking an online culture quiz.

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Collaboration Award - Science and Mathematics

Designer Genes

Learn about genetics in a nontechnical way. Biotechnology, DNA, and the controversial topic of cloning are discussed. An interactive poll allows you to submit your opinions on some of these topics. Learn about the history of genetics by reading more about prominent people in the field. An online homework helper lets you submit questions and get help from the experts.

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Collaboration Award - Social Sciences

Nicaragua: In Perspective -- History, Culture, Politics, Economics

Planning a trip to Nicaragua? Before going, check out this extensive site. This excellent web site has something for everyone: maps, tips about hotels, currency, economics, history, politics, poetry, music, recipes, and more. You can develop a real feeling for the country when you visit this web page. Besides English, information from this site is also in Spanish and Japanese.

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Collaboration Award - Social Sciences

Are mites little monsters which threaten your health ?

All around us, everywhere, are little "monsters" like ticks and mites. They can cause all sorts of problems like allergies and Lyme's disease, and also transmit meningitis. Find out if you live in an area at risk for any of these beasts. Read about what to do it you're bitten. And if you're really brave look at some monster pictures taken with an electron microscope--scary! This site is in English, Dutch and Magyar.

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