App Review: Pet First Aid

PET FIRST AID from the American Red Cross is an engaging medical reference app focusing on pet care.

This easy-to-use app provides veterinary advice for everyday emergencies common with dogs and cats.

Users can easily toggle between dog and cat information. Sections include the topics, learn, prepare, emergency, quizzes, and pets. Both emergency tools such as calling a vet, hospital locator, and early warning signs, along with emergency first aid are available. The short focused chunks of information are easy to understand.

Librarians will enjoy using this tool as an example of an app-based quick reference. Involve youth in comparing the use of reference books to apps. Discuss the pros and cons of app-based reference tools. Use it for informational reading activities. Put it in a display featuring books about pet care.

To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/…/pet-first-aid-by-ame…/id780415389.

App Review: Monster Guard: Prepare for Emergencies

MONSTER GUARD: PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES by the American Red Cross is an engaging middle grade app preparing youth for natural disasters and other types of emergencies.

Sponsored by Disney and reviewed by major government agencies, the app is both engaging and authoritative. This visually attractive educational simulation stresses the Learn-Practice-Share approach including the importance of learning how to stay safe in an emergency, practicing safety strategies, and sharing with friends and family.

Users work their a series of 14 fun training activities. Students can role-play as five different monster recruits, earn badges, and beat high scores as they learn about emergencies. Audio support and subtitles address the diverse needs of learners. The simulated training environments focus on the types of emergencies found in particular areas of the United States such as hurricanes in coastal areas and wildfires in dry regions.

Librarians will find this to be an excellent app for building both science and social studies curriculum connections. Extend the experience by creating a display of books associated with natural disasters such as tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods.

To learn more, go to http://www.redcross.org/monsterguard.

Website Review: Students Abroad

Whether heading out on Spring Break or prepping for a foreign exchange program, teens need to learn to be wise travelers. The STUDENTS ABROAD website from the U.S. Department of State provides essential information for smart travelers.

This comprehensive tool helps youth and their parents plan for both short and long trips abroad. The site is divided into useful sections.

The Travel Docs area of the website reviews important documents necessary for travel outside the United States.

The Health section explores information about specific countries as well as general tips about a healthy trip.

The Emergencies section features guidelines for a wide range of problems from health and crime concerns to evacuations and natural disaster preparation.

THE STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) is a free service that connects travelers with the U.S. Embassy near their travel location. There’s also an Embassies section of the website where users can easily locate embassies around the world.

The Smart Travel section provides ideas to make travel a snap. From reviewing local laws to packing bags, it’s full of useful tips.

Because so many students travel on Spring Break, an entire section is dedicated to planning for this type of travel.

The “To Go” section provides access to travel guides and useful, printable travel tools.

Finally, the website highlights travel warnings and alerts related to short and long-term events that may impact travel abroad.

The Student Abroad website provides a wealth of materials that can be use by librarians on bulletin boards and other types of library displays. Create a display featuring travel books along with key documents from the website.

You’ll find the STUDENTS ABROAD website at http://travel.state.gov/content/studentsabroad/en.html.