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In many situations accessing the TrackStar web site is the most difficult step of the process. TrackStar is accessed at http://trackstar.4teachers.org. Note: There is no WWW in that URL. Once you have accessed the web site, you’ll need to click the link labeled Create an Account and Start Making Tracks.

1. To create an account in TrackStar, you just need to complete the form shown in this step. You’ll need to provide you name, email address, postal code/ZIP code, country, and select a password. Note: the information you provide is not used to send you anything other than notices from TrackStar.

2. Click the Register button

If your registration is successful, this screen will appear. You’ll need to click Login to Make or Edit a Track; use your email and password to login.

Once you login, you will see your account homepage. There are three main components on this page.

1. This area lists all of the tracks you have in your account. Clicking a blue track title takes you to that track’s home page.

2. Click this button to make a new track.

3. Click this button to manage your tracks (edit a track, delete a track, etc.).

Let’s begin by making a new track. When you make a new track, there are two steps: 1) create the track’s homepage/description page and 2) enter the track’s titles, sites, and annotations.

Click the Make New Track button on your TrackStar account homepage.

This page shows the first step. Much of this step requires you to provide some basic information about your track. Only steps 7 & 8 are optional.

IMPORTANT: There is a time limit for the next two steps (approximately 30 minutes). It is best to have each URL and annotation completed in a word processor and use copy/paste.

1. Your track needs a descriptive title.

2. You must provide a description of your track. This can serve as a summary of the track.

3. Provide a list of keywords that might be associated with your track. This will help people find your track when they search for specific topics.

4. The type of track you select will also help others when searching. While each type is intended for a different use, the process of creating a track is exactly the same for each.

You have four choices:

a. Resource List

b. Worksheet

c. Extended Learning

d. Demo (these will delete automatically after 7 days)

5. You can select multiple subject areas for your track. In many cases, more than one may apply.

6. You can also select multiple grade levels for your track. Again, more than one may apply.

7. This step allows you to set a specific date to have a track removed.

8. If you do not want others accessing your track, you can supply a password. Remember that these types of password protections are not guaranteed.

9. When you have completed this form, click the Next button to continue.

On this page, you’ll enter information about each web site you plan to use in your track. You must have at least 2 web sites to make a track and you can have up to 15 web sites in a single track.

Note about copyright: Tracks with 2 to 5 links can have no more than 2 links to the same site. Tracks with 6 to 15 links can have no more than 3 links to the same site.

1. You must provide a title for the web site. This title will appear as the clickable link in the left-side track navigation bar.

2. You must provide the complete URL for the web site. For example, www.iusb.edu will not work. You have to put http://www.iusb.edu.

(One of the best things about TrackStar is that you can enter the URL to the exact page you want students to visit! There doesn’t appear to be a character limit on the URL.)

3. If you want to make sure you have entered the correct URL, you can click the magnifying glass icon. This will open the web site in a small window. Note: The window that opens will not have scroll bars and resizing handles, it is just to make sure your web site loads properly.

4. You can provide an annotation or description of the web site. Many teachers use this section to provide instructions to students about what to look for on the page or to ask specific questions that will be answered on a separate sheet of paper.

5. These are controls for where and how the web site will appear in the track. From left to right:

a. You can use the up and down arrows to move a site up or down the list of web sites in the track.

b. The “X” is used to remove a web site from the track.

c. The small folder icons are used with the TrackPack feature of TrackStar. This is an advanced feature used to manage your web sites.

6. When you have entered all of your web sites, click the Save button to finish your track. There’s also a Save button at the bottom of the page.

One you have completed your track, you will receive the track number. This is the number that your students will enter on the home page of TrackStar to access your track. It’s not necessary to keep track of this number: you’ll easily find it on your TrackStar account homepage.

If you need to return to your track to continue editing or to correct some aspect of your work, you can do so from the Manage Tracks page. From your TrackStar account homepage, click the Manage Tracks button to edit or delete a track.

Once on the Manage Tracks page, you have to key icons.

1. The pencil icon is used to edit your tracks. When you edit a track, you start at the homepage/description page form for the track. Make your corrections or simply click Next in the upper right corner. Then make corrections to the track itself and click save in the upper right or lower right corner of the page.

2. If you want to delete your track, click on the red “X” icon to delete the track.

There you have it! You’ve successfully created a track with sites and annotations.

1. If you’re ready for more TrackStar challenges, you might try making a quiz using QuizStar, or creating a simple web site of your track, or learn to use the TrackPack Tool.

2. To learn more about TrackStar, this links you to an in-depth tutorial.

3. For more great teacher productivity tools, visit the 4Teachers.org homepage!