On April 3, 1860, the first Pony Express mail simultaneously leaves St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California, carried by Henry Wallace riding west and John Roff riding east. During the 1,800-mile journey, the riders changed horses dozens of times, and on April 13 the westbound packet arrived in Sacramento, beating the eastbound packet's arrival in St. Joseph by two days. Pony Express History: http://www.xphomestation.com/frm-history.html

Some sites to help in this effort:

• The History of Rural Free Delivery
  On January 1, 1897, free rural mail delivery was established, and in the three and one-half years that have intervened the second class business of the Post Office increased more than 300 percent...
  http://www.fahsmn.org/post_office_history.htm

• The United States Postal Service® Postal History
  In the more than two centuries since USPS® began, it has grown and changed with America. Discovering the history of the Postal Service is a journey into the history of transportation, economics, industrialization, communications, and government.
  http://www.usps.com/postalhistory
  

• FedEx Historical Timeline
  Collectively, the FedEx companies' historical milestones span nearly a century and demonstrate the foresight and leadership of the trusted FedEx brand, ranging from the founding of C.J. Tower & Sons (now FedEx Trade Networks) to the formation of today's FedEx.
  http://fedex.com/us/about/today/history/timeline.html

• UPS: Company History
  UPS continues to develop the frontiers of logistics, supply chain management, and e-Commerce . . . combining the flows of goods, information, and funds. It is a company that has never shied away from reinventing itself, as a more complete reading of its history demonstrates.
  http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/history/index.html

• Classroom Post Office: Lesson plan for grades K–6 English
  This activity will give your students an opportunity to have real reasons to write within a monitored classroom environment. Students will learn to compose informal notes to one another and respond to the notes. This will increase both writing and reading skills for all levels of learners.
  http://www.learnnc.org/LearnNC/lessonp.nsf/all/CCB65987D0975D168525682C0075AEA2?openDocument

• Education World: The E-Mail ABCs!
  Most of today's students grew up with e-mail. Many believe that e-mail is a totally different kind of medium, unfettered by the rules that govern letter writing. Most classroom teachers didn't grow up using e-mail. They believe that e-mail should adhere to the same rules of grammar and style as snail mail. Who's right? Let's take a look at the ABCs of e-mail etiquette. Included: Twenty-six tips for composing and sending e-mail.
  http://www.learnnc.org/LearnNC/lessonp.nsf/all/CCB65987D0975D168525682C0075AEA2?openDocument

Good Luck!

This week features a fascinating Web site from the Microsoft Bay Area Research Center:

TerraServer-USA
http://terraserver-usa.com
The TerraServer-USA Web site is one of the world's largest online databases, providing free public access to a vast data store of maps and aerial photographs of the United States. TerraServer is designed to work with commonly available computer systems and Web browsers over slow speed communications links. The TerraServer name is a play on words, with 'Terra' referring  to the 'earth' or 'land' and also to the terabytes of images stored on the site.

Exploring our planet by studying maps and images is a fascinating experience! Not surprisingly, the first place many people visit is their own neighborhood. You also might want to take a look at famous places such as our National Parks or your favorite sports parks. TerraServer is also a valuable resource for researchers who was to study geography, environmental issues or archeological mysteries...there are almost limitless possibilities.

Good Luck!

Each week, I'll use this area to answer your questions, post announcements and provide interesting input! Please email me at EduHoundWeekly@eduhound.com

Please visit T.H.E. Journal Online for the latest trends and applications in the educational technology market...and to get your FREE subscription to the magazine: http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/subscription/default.cfm

That's all for this week!
"Remember...the Web is a terrible thing to waste!"