Classroom Resources

Important Links

Port-related Links

• The Maryland Port Administration’s website provides a gateway to the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore and its activities.
• At the Port of Baltimore, a site sponsored by the Port of Baltimore Tricentennial Committee, students can explore the past, present, and future of the Port.
• The U.S. Department of Transportation’s site on transportation statistics has links to a variety of historic and current data about Port activity.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is in charge of keeping Baltimore’s harbor and channels clear so that ships can travel to and from the Port.
• The European Dredging Association reviews of many different kinds of dredgers here. Note that Europeans use the word “dredger” to refer to ships that dredge, while Americans use the word “dredge.”
• The Maryland Pilots Association website talks about the important role of the Maryland pilots play in protecting the environment while providing safe, efficient, reliable service to the commercial shipping industry.

About Ships and Shipping

• Ever wondered why can boats made of steel float on water when a bar of steel sinks? How Stuff Works provides a well-illustrated and clear explanation of this scientific principle.
• The Food and Agricultural Organization of the Unites States, Major Food and Agricultural Commodities and Producers websiteexplores the interrelatedness of world producers and world consumers, showing producing countries and how much of the top twenty food and agricultural products they supply to other nations.
• The Coast Guard is the government agency charged with protecting our nation’s ports. Find out more about its history and operations at this “How Stuff Works” site.

Career-related Links

• The Maryland Career Development Framework, with standards and indicators that guide this process from pre-K through post-secondary/adult, can help you explore a full range of guideposts in the process of choosing a career.
• The Maryland Career and Technology Education Programs of Study looks at the variety of educational opportunities at Maryland’s high schools and colleges related to the ten Maryland Career Clusters.
• The Maryland Counseling and Advisory Resources outlines the course of action all Maryland students should follow in preparing for both post-secondary education and careers, with an abundance of materials to help them along that path.
• Maryland Career Clusters provides an important overview of these groupings of “interrelated occupations that represent the full range of career opportunities in key economic sectors of Maryland’s economy. The career clusters provide a “road map” for students and adults in planning for and pursuing further education and careers through pathways.”
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics website can provide extensive data on trends in the economy, especially related to employment. Their student and teacher section includes many career planning tools and data sets. 
• Pathways to Careers, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor,  allows site visitors to search for information related to thousands of careers, including an explanation of job responsibilities, job prospects, and characteristics shared by people who hold these positions.
• The Maryland Higher Education website allows students to search by career for training programs and post-secondary education opportunities throughout the state. Use the search box on the home page for fast results.
• Career One Stop allows users to browse through hundreds of career options to find out what these jobs involve, how much they pay, their outlook for the future, and training and education needed by people who typically hold these jobs. Also offers numerous videos of people working in these careers.