Brent wrties -

How's this for a possible 9th/10th grade course: * Web Programming with Python - Students will program a fully-functioning website from scratch. Students will choose from building an interactive storybook where the reader influences the outcome of the story, or a web-community site with a message board and voting booth. No prior programming experience necessary.

etc.

I strongly agree that this kind of approach will have kids sitting up straight in their chairs.. Would have me sitting up straight in my chair. Wish I had more time to spend with the web based toolset provided with and by Python - not so much to do a site, but to get a decent peek under the hood of Internet technology. Months ago I talked about my niece showing off the radio she built from a kit - coiling wires around a tube etc. Kids curiosities are exactly what you expect them to be - how does the stuff around me work. Conways Game of Life is interesting enough, but does not speak to kids fundamental curiosity. The problem is that any discussion of Web and education seems to quickly become A Project - building some sophisticated web-based infra-structure/learning environment. And building a few reputations in the process. Taking something as simple as SimpleServer and making it, if anything, simpler - as you are suggesting - building ones own Web with coiled wires, is the truly revolutionary approach and where the gold is, IMO. ART,