The Waisman Early Childhood Program (WECP) is a University of Wisconsin–Madison laboratory school that serves as a model for meeting the needs of a developmentally diverse group of young children. Approximately two thirds of the children in the program are developing typically, while up to one third may have a special educational need because of a developmental delay or disability. The WECP features small class size, low student-to-teacher ratio, spacious classrooms, and an adjacent gymnasium. All classrooms open to a one-and-a-half-acre landscaped area, the Discovery Garden. The program complies with all state and local regulations governing early education and care, and is city- and nationally accredited. During a typical day in the preschool classrooms, children have opportunities for free play, dramatics, stories, music, art, science, experience with mathematical and literacy concepts, and computers. Requirements: See admissions policy for information. WECP has year-round programs for children ages 1–5, and adds a program for children ages 6–8 during the summer if space allows.

The Wallace Fellows Program is a partnership of professors, practitioners, and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction that promotes collaborative professional development for experienced urban principals. One important objective of the Wallace Fellows is to provide an avenue for administrators to develop the knowledge, skills, and reflective practices necessary to obtain master administrator licensure from the Department of Public Instruction. Wallace Fellows is an outgrowth of the Master Administrators Capstone Certificate (MACC) pilot program, and successful participants are also eligible for the certificate awarded by the University. The program is sponsored by the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (ELPA) in the School of Education.

The Washburn Observatory, completed in 1881 and located at 1401 Observatory Drive on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was a major research facility for about 50 years. Now it is used primarily by the public during open houses and by students in the introductory astronomy courses. The observatory houses a 15-inch refractor with a magnification of about 500. Public viewing sessions are available on the first and third Wednesday of each month (every Wednesday during summer months). Visitors can view the moon, planets (Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are popular), double stars, star clusters, and nebulae if the sky is 75 percent clear. The public viewing sessions are informal; there is no lecture or tour.

This public science series is offered every Wednesday night, 50 times a year, and covers the full range of sciences and engineering at UW-Madison. Participants can talk with researchers as they share their stories of discovery, invention, and exploration. WN@TL is held in Room 1360, Genetics/Biotechnology Center, 425 Henry Mall, and runs from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Parking is available next to the building in Lot 20, located at 1390 University Avenue. WN@TL is co-sponsored by the Science Alliance, the Wisconsin Alumni Association, and the UW-Madison Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

This popular, critically acclaimed Web site explores the science behind the news, and takes science to an easy-to-understand and fun level. It explores science of all kinds, revealing the process of science and showing it as a very human endeavor. The Why Files alternates weekly between long and short features on topics making the headline news of the day. Each feature includes a bibliography and is fact-checked for accuracy, but the material is also presented in a lively and fun format. The Why Files site includes more than 300 archived features on everything from cloning and archeology to tornadoes and space astronomy, and is searchable. Teachers can browse articles aligned according to specific science standards by two grade-level groups – grades 5–8 and grades 9–12.

Winds of Wisconsin is a premier high-school-level wind ensemble with the goal of providing outstanding young musicians with the opportunity to learn wind literature of the highest quality, to work with faculty who have made music education of youth a top priority, and to make lifelong connections with others who share their love and passion for music. The ensemble is led by UW–Madison's wind ensemble conductor, Scott Teeple. The group rehearses on five Sunday evenings in the fall and five in the spring, and gives two concerts annually. In addition to the rehearsals, there are also sectionals, an instrumental master class with faculty, and a session on leadership. Students must be recommended by either their high school or private music teacher to audition for Winds of Wisconsin. Support for Winds of Wisconsin is provided by the Division of Continuing Studies, the UW–Madison School of Music, and the UW–Madison Music Clinic.

Wisconsin Careers has offered high quality career development products and services to students and professionals in Wisconsin for more than 30 years. More than 700 Wisconsin Schools, agencies, and organizations have access to WISCareers, a career exploration and planning Web site. WISCareers links students and clients to occupation listings, course offerings, career assessments, financial planning resources, an e-portfolio program, resume and cover letter guides, and online test prep. WISCareers also links professionals to classroom activities, free training, and Web site customization. Many print materials are available for purchase.

WiscNet, Wisconsin's state education research network, was established in 1989 as one of the first statewide education, research, and public service data network associations in the United States. Today, WiscNet is a non-profit association and a multimedia communication network that includes network access and value-added education IT services for a growing number of education and government organizations in the state of Wisconsin. WiscNet members include the campuses of the University of Wisconsin System, the Wisconsin Technical College System, private colleges and universities, libraries and library systems, health care facilities, agencies of the State of Wisconsin, city and county governments, and public and private K–12 school districts. WiscNet is governed by an elected Board of Directors and is funded by membership fees.

University of Wisconsin-Extension programs in 4-H Youth Development give young people opportunities to learn new skills, gain self-confidence and contribute to their communities. Backed by the knowledge and research base of the University of Wisconsin, 4-H Youth Development educators design educational, leadership, and citizenship experiences for youth. These programs are delivered directly through more than 20,000 adult volunteers in neighborhood 4-H clubs or groups and by collaborations with other local organizations.

The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters provides a place where people who enjoy reflecting upon culture, nature, and the problems of our times can gather for fruitful discourse and meaningful action. Through its many programs and projects, the academy creates what Aldo Leopold called a "thinking community." At its Web site, visitors will find a host of projects aimed at fulfilling the Academy's mission to gather, share, and act upon knowledge in the sciences and humanities for the benefit of the people of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Academy is an independent, nonprofit membership organization funded by grants, private endowments, and members.

WAEE provides a direct connection to Environmental Education in Wisconsin. It brings together teachers, naturalists, youth leaders, natural resource professionals, and others dedicated to learning more and educating all persons about the natural and built environment. WAEE is a non-profit organization that sponsors conferences, workshops, and gatherings to promote professional growth and networking opportunities. The organization also supports the work of its members through statewide initiatives, professional resources, and recognition.

Housed in the School of Education, the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) is one of the world's largest educational research facilities. Home to more than 50 research projects, the center examines four aspects of education: teacher, learner, organizational setting, and curriculum. WCER's broad mission is to produce new understandings of education and to provide leadership for education research and education improvement. About one-third of its projects are directly related to pre-service or in-service teacher education.

The Wisconsin Clearinghouse is a unit of University Health Services, University of Wisconsin–Madison. The mission of the clearinghouse is to provide assistance and information to help youth, families, schools, and communities lead healthy and productive lives. This is accomplished through the promotion of health and the prevention of substance abuse and disease. In addition to prevention information and an array of prevention resources, the clearinghouse offers free educational materials to Wisconsin residents, including information on youth development, community building/development, and model programs.

This Web site provides histories, letters, diaries, and stories – primary source material – from some of Wisconsin's earliest settlers. Documents are richly illustrated with more than 2,000 period photographs and drawings. Viewers will find letters written in 1843 by Increase Lapham, a 1913 essay by John Muir, Florence Derkheimer's 1924 sketches of pioneer women in Wisconsin, and much more. The materials were digitized by the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center.

The Wisconsin Environmental Education Board (WEEB) is made up of representatives of the Department of Public Instruction; Department of Natural Resources; University of Wisconsin System; Wisconsin Technical College System; four state legislators; and nine members representing environmental educators, conservation and environmental organizations, business and industry, agriculture, energy industry, forestry, labor, faculty of public and private institutions of higher education, and nature centers/zoos. The WEEB distributes nearly half a million dollars in grant funding annually. The grant cycle typically opens in September with a mid-January deadline. Grant categories include environmental education, forestry education, and school forest grants. Public and private preschools, elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, and some non-profit organizations are eligible.

The annual Wisconsin Film Festival screens the best new independent film (feature, documentary, experimental), world cinema, and new media; cultivates discovery through talks, panels, performances, and coffeehouse discussions with filmmakers; and showcases the work of Wisconsin filmmakers through juried competitions. The festival combines many campus and downtown Madison theaters to create a four-day-long celebration of film that attracts an audience of more than 25,000 people. The Arts Institute of the University of Wisconsin–Madison presents the festival in collaboration with dozens of other campus programs, sponsors, supporters, and volunteers. Tickets are available on the festival's Web site and at the Memorial Union in Madison, starting four weeks before the festival, which takes place in April.

The Wisconsin Folksong Collection, 1937–1946, represents materials from two collections housed in three discrete but closely related repositories. The collection reflects and documents the state's colorful pattern of immigration and occupational development during those years, including Wisconsin field recordings and notes, as well as photographs made by UW–Madison faculty member Helene Stratman-Thomas and recordings collected by song catcher Sidney Robertson Cowell. The materials were digitized by the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center.

The Wisconsin Girls' Rowing Camp is a week-long program for beginning and experienced high school rowers and coxswains. The camp's purpose is to provide quality instruction in the techniques and training necessary for young athletes to reach their full potential as oarswomen. The camp also provides special coaching for coxswains. Day and residential options are available.

These camps, held in July, provide instruction for girl soccer players, beginning to advanced. Day and residential options are offered, as well as a special session for goalkeepers. Outreach camps and clinics can also be arranged.

The Wisconsin Softball Camp and Clinic provide basic and advanced fundamentals and training to softball players ranging from 5th grade through high school. The goal is to promote improvement and development through demonstration and involvement. At the winter clinic, athletes will be broken into groups based on skill levels upon arrival. For the summer camp, participants sign up for beginner or advanced play in advance. Requirements: Minimum age is 10; for the advanced portion of the camps, players should be 15 and older. Required health and registration forms are available online or through the office.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has a wide variety of useful classroom resources for any teacher of United States or Wisconsin history, including hundreds of searchable elementary and secondary lesson plans and worksheets designed to help incorporate primary sources into classrooms. Resources also include the Interweaving Wisconsin Studies curriculum guide that aligns outstanding instructional resources with the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards; information on field trips to historic sites; and a variety of reference tools to help students explore topics in Wisconsin history, including a brief history of the state, a Wisconsin history dictionary, information on state historical markers, archaeological classroom guides and kits, and a directory of local historical societies.

This site provides fun activities for both kids and adults. Kids can take part in solving the Mammoth Mystery, an interactive adventure about the discovery of the Kenosha Mammoth. Students will learn more about the state by exploring a timeline, state symbols, and "firsts" that have taken place in Wisconsin. Web site users can also visit Odd Wisconsin to learn more about the strange but true events and people of the Badger state.

The historical collections of the Wisconsin Historical Society provide a rich resource for educators, who will find information on how to access the collections of the society at locations across the state, as well as links to the society’s ever-expanding online collections. Among the highlights are Turning Points – more than 1,000 original documents, lesson plans, classroom activities, and background essays on key historical events in Wisconsin history; Wisconsin Historical Images – a rich pictorial view of Wisconsin and United States history, including 19th- and 20th-century posters, advertising material, ephemera, political cartoons, and more than 7,000 historic photos of Wisconsin cities and towns; and American Journeys – more than 18,000 pages of eyewitness accounts of North American exploration.

The Wisconsin Historical Society Press provides an extensive catalog of books, magazines, and materials to teach history and reading. Publications in the Badger History Series cover the history of the state, including archaeology, Native people, land and water use, immigration, and government. Accompanying teachers' materials further extend understanding through engaging activities. Badger Biographies offers students ages 7–12 an exciting series of books that allows them to explore the stories of real Wisconsin people. The Web site also provides access to The Wisconsin Magazine of History, the full-color quarterly magazine of the Wisconsin Historical Society. The online archive provides a variety of articles on Wisconsin people, places, and events.

Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch is a joint project of the UW Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) and the community organization, REAP (Research, Education, Action, and Policy on Food). Working cooperatively with the Madison Metropolitan School District Food Service, Madison schools, local food producers, and community volunteers, Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch is an attempt to build a model farm-to-school program in the Upper Midwest, and lay groundwork for a strong local food system that benefits area farmers, children, and communities. Opportunities to utilize more locally and sustainably produced foods in the school lunch will be explored and new menu formats tried out within the pilot schools. Future plans include engaging teachers and students in a variety of complementary, hands-on educational activities, focusing on how food reaches the table and making connections between food choices, the land, and human health.

The Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (ELPA) in the School of Education sponsors a summer academy for school leaders that addresses critical issues in K–12 education. The annual event, which features educational leaders from across the country and ELPA faculty, offers participants an opportunity to engage in critical dialogue, problem solving, and planning as they learn about and develop strategies to meet the challenges facing their schools or districts. The 2007 Wisconsin Idea Leadership Academy, “Doubling Student Performance,” will focus on enhancing student learning and closing the achievement gap. Registration information and program details are available on the ELPA Web site.

The Wisconsin International Outreach Consortium (WIOC) provides resources and expertise on world areas to K–12 teachers, post-secondary educators, businesses, the media, and the community at large. It supports special events such as World Cultures Day for middle school students and the International Children's and Young Adult Literature Celebration.

This Web site provides information about the Mathematics Talent Search at UW–Madison, sponsored by the Mathematics Department. Every year, five sets of five math problems are created and distributed to high schools and middle schools throughout the world, and especially in Wisconsin. The talent search calls for ingenuity, insight, creativity, the willingness to experiment, and persistence. It helps students develop the mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills that are necessary for engineering, physics, chemistry, and other sciences. Students with top scores are eligible to compete for the Van Vleck Scholarship (UW–Madison), which pays $6,000 a year for four years. Solutions may be sent in via electronic or regular mail.

The Wisconsin Men's Hockey School offers specialized training that features daily instruction for each position, specific drills for defenders and forwards, new and challenging skill development drills, and instruction by abilities. Players 13 and under attend in the morning, and those 14 and over participate in the afternoon. The camp is directed by Coach Mike Eaves, and current Badger staff and players serve as counselors.

This Web site provides a list of links to mapping and geography-related Web sites that are useful to teachers, parents, and students. Resources available through these linked sites include lesson plans, maps, educational resources, teaching resources, games, organizations such as the National Geographic Society, cultural and physical geography sites, and many more.

The Wisconsin State Herbarium Web site is based on a current checklist of all 2,572 species and hybrids of native and naturalized vascular plants found in Wisconsin. Each species has a detail page showing the plant's family name, Latin name, common name(s), synonyms, growth habit, blooming time, and whether it is native or introduced. The site currently contains close to 5,000 photographs covering more than 2,000 plant species; county-level, detailed dot maps of the distributions of all species and subspecies or varieties in the state; and aids to identifying plants, such as common name searches, photo galleries, and interactive keys. There are links to habitat information where most of the plants occur, and to sites providing supplementary information about the plants or geographic features of Wisconsin. All herbarium database records are now searchable online, and a Lichens of Wisconsin Web site is also operational.

Wisconsin Swimming Camp training focuses on intensive conditioning and thorough, daily, individualized stroke analysis. Attention is also given to the training principles involved in successful competitive swimming. Select world-ranked UW swimmers will assist with coaching; each camper will receive personal video stroke analysis. These are residential camps with 24-hour supervision. Weekend and weeklong options are available.

The Wisconsin Teacher Enhancement Program is a national professional development program for K–14 science and health educators. WisTEP provides a continuum of opportunities and resources including an annual summer institute, academic-year programming, and program collaboration. Classes allow teachers to earn graduate credits, network with colleagues and UW scientists, share ideas and develop new teaching materials, and earn credit toward re-certification and pay increases. Requirements: teachers need to complete two applications – one to be admitted to UW-Madison as a university special student, and one for the Teacher Enhancement program. Both are available on the Web site.

Hosted by the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures, Wisconsin Teachers of Local Culture (WTLC) is a network of educators committed to incorporating local culture into their classrooms. Educators can join the WTLC listserv or view local culture projects and resources through the WTLC Web site. The network provides support in curriculum development, teaching, resource identification, communication, and advocacy. It also offers professional development opportunities, such as an eight-day bus tour, Here at Home: A Wisconsin Cultural Tour for K–12 Teachers.

The Track and Field “Learn-by-Doing” Clinic is a one-day developmental clinic for high school students and their coaches. It is designed to teach progressions, offer constructive criticisms, and provide assistance in workout development. The Athletic Department also offers a Winter Pole Vault and Throws Camp for boys and girls from junior high to high school, as well as a summer residential Track and Field Camp for incoming high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Registration information for individual camps is posted on the Web site a few months in advance of each camp. Health forms are available online.

A variety of volleyball camps are offered in the summer for players of all skill levels. Camps available include: Kid’s Clinic, Setter/Libero, Skills I, Skills II/Boys, and Team Camp for junior varsity and varsity-level players.

The Water Library for Kids, maintained by the UW Aquatic Sciences Center, is made up primarily of children's water-related books that have won awards or appeared on lists of best books. Lists of recommended books are organized by topic and age group and include both fiction and nonfiction titles. The library also includes children's videos, story hour ideas, and a fun section just for kids. Any Wisconsin parent or teacher may request books and other library materials sent to their local public library for pickup and return.

Stories and related forms of verbal folklore such as rhymes, proverbs, omens, and traditional expressions are an excellent way to approach the science and larger significance of weather. This project recruited five Wisconsin K–12 classroom teachers to work with folklorists and meteorologists on the science and stories of Wisconsin weather. The folklorists, from the Wisconsin Arts Board and the UW Folklore Program, and the meteorologists, from the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and the Space Science and Engineering Center at UW–Madison, included five undergraduates, two professors, and specialists in the two disciplines. Together this team collected local stories and meteorological data to create a curriculum that meets state academic standards in Science, English Language Arts, and the Social Studies.

The Wisconsin Women's Hockey School offers specialized training that features daily instruction for each position, specific drills for defenders and forwards, new and challenging skill development drills, and instruction by abilities. Girls 13 and under attend in the morning, and those 14 and over participate in the afternoon. The camp is directed by coaches Mark Johnson and Tracey Cornell, and current Badger players serve as counselors.

University of Wisconsin-Extension programs in 4-H Youth Development give young people opportunities to learn new skills, gain self-confidence and contribute to their communities. Backed by the knowledge and research base of the University of Wisconsin, 4-H Youth Development educators design educational, leadership and citizenship experiences for youth. These programs are delivered directly through more than 20,000 adult volunteers in neighborhood 4-H clubs or groups and by collaborating with other local organizations.

The Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra program, currently under the artistic direction of James Smith, includes three full orchestras and a string orchestra, a chamber music program, a harp program, a percussion ensemble, and a brass choir program. The orchestras rehearse on Saturday mornings during the academic year, perform three to four public concerts per season, and tour regionally, nationally, and internationally. The Youth Orchestra toured to Eastern Europe in 2005 and has toured to Canada, Japan, Scotland, Spain, France, Colorado, Iowa, and Washington, D.C. in the past.

The Women's Studies Librarian's Office serves the University of Wisconsin System. Its Web site contains links to the publications of the Women's Studies Librarian's Office, as well as links to various other sites focusing on women's studies. The site also includes self-paced tutorials on research skills. The tutorial on "Evaluating Web sites" is particularly recommended for high school students as well as adults. Requirements: Some social and cultural studies background; adult reading level.

Sponsored by the UW-Madison Department of Physics, the Wonders of Physics program is designed to create interest in physics among people of all ages and backgrounds. The heart of the program is a fast-paced presentation of physics demonstrations, carefully chosen to be entertaining as well as educational. Since 1984, the Wonders of Physics program has been presented on the Madison campus to standing-room-only crowds, thrilling more than 50,000 people over the years. Annual February presentations are popular! A traveling version of the show is also available.

The Wonders of Physics Traveling Show travels to schools and other locations to present an exciting array of physics demonstrations, aimed at sparking an interest in science to all ages and backgrounds. The presentation shows that although physics is "rocket science," it isn't that hard to understand, can actually be interesting, and can be really, really, cool. In short, physics can be fun! The show has been presented nearly 700 times to more than 60,000 people. It has traveled throughout Wisconsin, as well as to parts of Maine, California, Florida, Quebec, Washington, and a dozen other states. A mobile version of the annual February Wonders of Physics show, the standard presentation covers the six areas of classical physics: motion, heat, sound, electricity, magnetism, and light.

World Cinema Day is a high school outreach program of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Language Institute and the Wisconsin Film Festival, a public program of the Arts Institute. Students and teachers participate in a screening of an award-winning international film at Madison's historic Orpheum Theatre on State Street. UW scholars and special guests introduce the film and lead a post-screening discussion. The event always occurs in the spring.

Modeled after the World Languages Day at UW-Madison, World Cultures Day is a pilot project targeted to a middle school audience. Sponsored by the Wisconsin International Outreach Consortium, this program is designed to better acquaint students with the world’s regions, people, and cultures through short, hands-on, engaging presentations. Activities are led by UW–Madison faculty, staff, students, and community volunteers.

World Languages Day is an award-winning all-day event that brings more than 700 Wisconsin high school students to the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus to participate in a variety of more than 50 language- and culture-focused sessions led by UW–Madison faculty, staff, and students. World Languages Day sessions showcase storytelling, cinema, skits, dance, music, clothing, and more. High school teachers and administrators attend sessions on new approaches to language teaching and learning, university outreach services, and international education. The event always occurs in the spring.

WIDA is a consortium of states dedicated to the design and implementation of high standards and equitable educational opportunities for English language learners. Resources on the Web site include ELP Standards documents, presentation clips, and an ELP Standards Wizard.