There are a number of possible ways that your new site could be accessed by others:

• On the Internet:
  • Part of a web site which your school might already have
  • Part of a web site that your server might provide
  • Part of another web site which you might be able to use
• As a resource in your school's library
• As a resource on a classroom computer
• As a project for a school environmental or science fair
• Some other way of sharing the site

You may want to think about how people will access your web site before you design it.

We have done much of the work on the site for you by creating an easy-to-use format which has many working pages and links already established. You need only customize it, making it your own using any word processor (or HTML editor, if you have access to one). You may look at the easy-to-use format and links in your web browser. Use the "BACK" button to return to these directions. Click here to look at the format.

To make your own web page:

1. Print a paper copy of these directions.

2. Create a subdirectory (folder) on your hard drive and name it "createws". Create another subdirectory (folder) on your hard drive within "createws" and name it "images".

3. Save the Instructions file to your "createws" subdirectory. Use the File- Save As command to save this file (instrct.htm) to your "createws" subdirectory.

4. Save the following files to your "createws" subdirectory. Click on "aboutno.htm" which will link you to the page, then use the File- Save As command to save it to your "createws" subdirectory. Then return to this Instruction page using "Back" and repeat the procedure for each of the other files below.

1. aboutno.htm
2. images.htm
3. index.htm
4. link3.htm
5. link4.htm
6. link5.htm
7. related.htm
8. soundbas.htm
9. soundlev.htm
10. whatisn.htm
11. whycare.htm

These files are found in http://www.nonoise.org/resource/createws

5. Optional: if you would like to enhance your site with graphics, save the following files to your "images" subdirectory:

Click on a1new.gif , then use the File- Save As command to save it to your "images" subdirectory. Repeat the procedure for each of the other files below.

1. a1new.gif
2. aleaves.gif
3. clubdeco.gif
4. doublne.gif
5. firewkbl.gif
6. gldglobe.gif
7. gp_bar6.gif
8. greenpat.gif
9. grnstrip.gif
10. leavesd.gif
11. new56.gif
12. overundr.gif
13. pebble.gif
14. rowpebls.gif
15. staingls.gif
16. undercon.gif
17. updated.gif
18. welplane.gif
19. wheat.gif
20. yellow.gif

These files are found in http://www.nonoise.org/resource/createws

6. Disconnect from the Internet.

7. Create a new subdirectory under "createws" and name it "mywebst". Copy all the above files into this new subdirectory. These will be your working files in which you will create your own web site. If you make mistakes and need to start over, you will have the original files to copy from in "createws".

8. You now need to open a word processing program (or HTML editing program) on your computer to personalize the web site format. If you are familiar with HTML editors, such as Claris, Arachnophilia, Hot Metal Pro, Netscape Gold or Communicator, Internet Explorer, etc, you may use them. The Instructions assume that you only have access to a word processor such as Windows 95 Wordpad, Windows 3.1 Notepad, Macintosh text editor, Word, WordPerfect, any other basic word processor.

9. If possible, open your web browser (for example, Netscape) and leave it running in a separate window.

10. You will use two separate programs to develop your web page:

1. Your HTML editing program or word processing program (which you chose during step 6 above) to make the modifications to the page.
2. Your web browser (Netscape, Internet Explorer, etc) to view your developing web page in action.

If you can have both of these programs running on your computer at the same time, it will be quicker to move back and forth between the two. After you have made changes on your page, be sure to click on Save. When you go to the web browser to view your page, first click on the Reload button to call up the latest version of your file.

11. In your word processor, open createwp/mywebst/index.htm. NOTE: If you are offered a choice of File Type by your program, choose "All files".

12. You will note that we have created a format which you can personalize for yourself or your group. Items which are intended to be personalized are in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. Follow the directions written in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS on your screen. If you do not wish to personalize an item, delete the CAPITAL LETTERS from your page. For more advanced users, consider adding pictures and other graphics to make your page more colorful and interesting. Click images.htm for some graphics which are available here. You must use your word processor or editor program to copy and paste images into your website. Work out of the HTML Source and copy the language between and including <P> and </P>. You can also copy images from the Internet.

13. Highlight items that you wish to change and type in your own words as you start to make the page your own. Near the top of the "Index page" you will see that you need to decide what you hope to achieve with your web site. You can shorten or lengthen this "bulleted" list.

14. After you have made a few changes of your own, SAVE the file with these changes. If you are using a word processor, be sure to save files as "Text Only."

15. Open your web browser window. You will not need to go "online." Open the file createws/mywebst/index.htm. Click on the Reload button to call up the revised version of your file. Observe the changes you have made and take a few minutes to explore the page format. You may notice that your page looks slightly different when you create the page than when you view it. Check out the links by clicking on items which show up in blue print. Note that links 4, 5, and 6 are completely blank, waiting for you to type in whatever you want. After looking at a link, click on Home to return to the "index" page. Remember that you can only make changes to your page while you are using the program you chose in #8 above.

Ideas for material for links 3, 4, and 5:

1. Buy an inexpensive sound level meter at a Radio Shack, take readings in several places in your school and community and write up your findings.
2. Interview people with a medical background in your area about the health impacts of noise; find written data on this topic.
3. Find out about any local laws or ordinances which control noise pollution.
4. Personal essays about your experiences with noise.
5. Find out if there are any existing noise groups in your region and report their concerns. If the group has a web page, you could link their page to yours.
6. Create a survey about noise pollution and record what you find.

16. You have probably noticed that the files for web pages are .htm files. This file extension stands for HTML which is the coding language for web pages. You can usually look at the coded page by clicking on View Source Code in your web browser, or looking at the text between the < > brackets in your word processor. However, you don't need to know anything about the HTML code to create your own page. Just replace the words we have CAPITALIZED with your own. You will be modifying the htm files.

17. You will need to repeat steps 11-15 for each file below until you have personalized each page.

• aboutno.htm
• link3.htm
• link4.htm
• link5.htm
• whatisn.htm
• whycare.htm

18. Send us a photograph. We will scan it to a file and make it available to you to add to your page. Send the photo(s) to Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 1137, Montpelier, VT 056501-1137.

19. Even if you don't send a picture, tell us about your school and project by sending a note to the address above or contact us using our web form. Maybe we can help. We really need to know how this idea works for you. Please let us know what's good and what isn't. Have fun!

 Troubleshooting

Everyone makes mistakes. It will happen on this project and it is okay, in fact, it is the best way to learn:

• If you make a mistake with a word you can just correct it.
• If something else is wrong, like a link does not work or the page doesn't look right, you may have accidentally changed the HTML code. Look at the coded version and try to figure out what went wrong and correct it. Look at the codes used for other paragraphs or links similar to the one your are having trouble with. If you do not have a HTML editor program on your computer, you might want to download one from the internet. Download "DominHtml" for a shareware, easy-to-use, quick-to-download HTML editor.
• You might want to consult another person, a book, or a web site, such as http://www.woodhill.co.uk/html/html.htm for answers about HTML.
• If all else fails and you cannot fix your problem, delete your "bad" file from the "mywebst" directory and start over by copying the original file from the "createws" directory. If you are well into the project, you will not want to start over if you can help it.

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