www.olympics.com

In the midst of the Olympics, the movement's official website is bound to be getting a huge amount of traffic. They have, of course, anticipated this, and so it still works very quickly. Everything you need to know is here: highlights, records, histories and a "how-to" for each sport in the games. They also have a comprehensive spectator's guide for every event and the latest news, features, rules, records and even a sports glossary.

www.slnsw.gov.au

With the Olympics in full swing, discussions in many classrooms will turn to Australia. Hopefully this will embrace a look at Antipodean culture that extends beyond Home And Away.

Above is the address of the State Library of New South Wales and a good place to start any investigation into Australia. The homepage is dull and badly designed, but don't let that put you off. The section on past, present and future exhibitions is excellent.

www.aaa.com.au

Teachers and pupils who are researching Australia should also try to learn about Aboriginal culture. Add /hrh/aboriginal

to the above address for a fantastically comprehensive site on all aspects of their life. From an encyclopaedia of Aboriginal information, to historical facts, to a list of protests about their plight designed to catch the world's attention during the Olympics, this easy-to-navigate site is factual, serious and thought-provoking.

www.encarta.msn.com

With its 17,000 articles, multimedia features, a talking dictionary and a world atlas, this is a site that's useful to just about anybody interested in education. The site looks great and, far more important, is easy to use. A very good resource for research projects, it also has sections specifically designed for parents and teachers. An interesting section is Five Ways to Improve Your Writing, which features valuable tips for anyone (including journalists).

www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc

Q: What did the father buffalo say to his son when he left to go to school? A: Bison. If you found that joke funny you will love the BBC's children's website. As well as allowing kids to e-mail in their current favourite joke, it also has games, quizzes and news digested and made easy to understand for children. Its Special Reports section has interesting features on things like the Harry Potter phenomenon and an article on child poverty.