The Educator's Reference Desk

Provides access to the ERIC Bibliographic Database (RIE and CIJE), as well as the searchable AskERIC question archive, which links to a variety of primary Internet resources including FAQs for educators, listserv archives, lesson plans, and more. If you are researching a large topic, Resource Guides collect search results of both Net and bibliographic information on a wide array of topics. ERIC Database search covers the years 1966 to present.

ERIC: Education Resources Information Center

This free database from the United States Department of Education indexes a variety of education-related articles. Some resources are available for free online while others must be obtained elsewhere. The site includes the ERIC Thesaurus.

Gateway to Educational Materials

This is a great site for teachers looking for lesson plans on a wide range of subjects. According to a review in WIRED, "GEM evaluates resources from federal, state, university, nonprofit, and commercial sites and compiles a database of lesson plans accessible through a simple search. There are currently over 140 organizations supplying over 7,000 documents to the database."

U.S. Department of Education

Compiles a variety of information relating to government initiatives and educational programs at all levels, education-related grants (look under OERI) and statistics (NCES), and departmental publications. News bulletins about department activities are added frequently. Statistics retrieval is unreliable, but otherwise the information provided seems current. It also provides access to individual state education departments. Searchable index and searchable department phone directory available.