Website Review: Lazy Green

LAZY GREEN is a website that provides simple ways people can save energy.

The website presents 20 energy saving tips. Each tip is introduced with a simple animation and statement. Readers click the tip to read a short article about the topic. A source is provided for each tip.

Librarians will find this website useful as an information literacy and informational reading activity. Ask each child to read a different tip and summarize what they learned with the class. Then direct students to go to the source of the information and evaluate the website. Advertising is embedded in the page. Use this an an opportunity to discuss product placement at websites.

To visit the website, go to https://www.lazygreen.org/.

Digital Collection: CLEAN

CLEAN: Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network

Contents: This collection contains 650+ free, ready-to-use resources related to science education. The materials can be searched by key word and refined by resource type, topic, grade level, science literacy principles, or region.

Classroom Connections: The materials in the collection are designed for secondary and college settings. Connect the collection’s materials with the STEM curriculum.

Featured Digital Objects:
The Collection - http://cleanet.org/clean/educational_resources/index.html

To visit the collection, http://cleanet.org.

To explore the teaching resources, go tohttp://cleanet.org/clean/literacy/index.html

Website Review: Climate Kids

CLIMATE KIDS from NASA’s Eyes on the Earth program features information and activities related to climate change.

The “Guided Tour of the Big Questions” provides an excellent overview to key concepts related to climate change. Then, users can explore eight areas of climate change including weather & climate, air, ocean, fresh water, carbon’s travels, energy, plants & animals, and technology.

The navigation bar connects users with areas where they can play games, make stuff, get information about the world, keep up to date, watch videos, and dream of a green career.

A Planet Health Report widget provides information on air, temperature, sea ice, and sea level.
The Climate Time Machine page looks at changes in the climate over the ages.

The website is colorful and engaging. Students will find it easy to read and use.

Librarians will find this to be a valuable tool for introducing students to important, accurate information about climate change. Pair this website with books about climate change. Work with the science teachers to weave in the website’s content into science activities.

The website’s teacher resources are outstanding too.

To visit the website, go to http://climatekids.nasa.gov/.

For those seeking more in-depth information, go to http://climate.nasa.gov/.

App Review: Atoms

ATOMS by Kids Discover is a content-rich science app useful for upper elementary through middle school.

This easy-to-use app is divided into 11 sections. The first eight sections use text, photographs, diagrams, line drawings, videos, 3D models, and animation to present information about the parts of an atom, major discoveries, elements, the periodic table, fission, nuclear energy, and lasers. While some of the pages are static, others contain interactive elements such as pop-up windows and interactive diagrams.

Youth will be most interested in the activities section. The most interesting interactive involves building molecules by dragging oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon atoms around the screen.

The quiz provides a nice review of the key concepts informing students of the correct and incorrect answers. Additional resources are also provided.

The variety of visual elements will keep readers interested. However it’s likely that some students will simply flip through the pages rather than read them. Requiring users to interact with the screen to move from page to page would increase student involvement.

Although some sound effects are included in the app, the learning experience could be enhanced with a more effective use of sound. For instance, a read-aloud option would make this app more appealing to reluctant readers.

While the app does a nice job providing an overview to the key concepts, additional depth would be useful on some pages. For instance, clicking the element Fe on the Periodic Table provides detailed information about iron. However, a pop-up for each element would increase the value of the app.

Overall, ATOMS would be an excellent addition to your library’s science app collection. It contains explanations of key concepts along with providing visually interesting demonstrations and examples.

The app is available for purchase through the iTunes store athttps://itunes.apple.com/…/atoms-by-kids-discov…/id907120915.

A free teacher’s guide and vocabulary sheet are available for free at the Kids Discover website at http://www.kidsdiscover.com/shop/issues/atoms-for-kids/.