Website: Middle School Chemistry

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHEMISTRY from the American Chemical Society contains lessons and multimedia for educators and their students.

The Lesson Plans section is divided into six chapters. Each chapter contains a series of lessons that include a video and multimedia, lesson plan, activity sheets, readings, standards alignment, and teaching resources.

The Multimedia section takes students step-by-step through the lesson with embedded interactives, illustrations, and videos.

Librarians will find that the lessons and multimedia resources align well with the science curriculum. Of particular note are the Spanish language versions and hands-on activities and animations.

To visit the website, go to http://www.middleschoolchemistry.com/.

Website Review: Chicago Project

THE CHICAGO PROJECT is an interactive, immersive project exploring Chicago’s history.

Incorporating photo, film, and sound elements, this website currently shares four stories. The Century of Progress project is a virtual reality experience connected with the 1933 World’s Fair. The Valentine’s Day Massacre uses photos and documents to bring an historical site to life through virtual reality. The Eastland Disaster explores a famous ship disaster through historical photos and newsreel film in an augmented and virtual reality environment. Finally, the Spaces project examines famous architectural photography.

Librarians will find this website serves multiple uses. First, it provides an excellent example of virtual reality, augmented reality, and multimedia. Second, it provides a fascinating way to explore history.

To visit the website, go to http://chicago00.org.

Digital Collection: National Science Foundation Special Reports

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SPECIAL REPORTS

Contents: This collection contains dozens of special reports. While some of these materials are aimed at educators, others are useful for students. The reports are listed in chronological order.

Classroom Connections: From science games and interactives to tools and multimedia projects, each report connects to some aspect of science. Scan through the reports and mine those materials that connect to particular areas of the curriculum.

Featured Digital Objects:
Predicting Seasonal Weather - https://goo.gl/5swZX6
Generation Nano Contest - https://goo.gl/RWs2lp
Let It Snow - https://goo.gl/51q11b

To visit the collection, https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/.

Technology Review: Digital Stories

DIGITAL STORIES from the Wellcome Collection weaves digitized primary sources into fascinating historical stories.

This London library website currently contains two digital stories: Minecraft and The Collectors.

Using an intriguing web-based format, Minecraft explores a century of madness, murder and mental healing through historical photographs, drawings, paintings, and other primary source documents. In many cases, interactive features are available such as zooming into documents, extended galleries, and informational sidebars. Multimedia elements are also available.

The Collectors is a digital story focusing on the power of curiosity and the naturalists, explorers, scientists, and others who have been involved with collecting in centuries past. This interactive web-based project also features primary source materials and multimedia elements.

Librarians will find this website to be a fascinating way to present archival materials. Use the website when exploring primary sources and design an activity the involves students in writing their own digital stories based on a collection.

To visit the collection, go to http://digitalstories.wellcomecollection.org/.

Website Review: NASA WAVELENGTH

NASA WAVELENGTH provides a full spectrum of resources for science education.

Sponsored by NASA, this website provides access to a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for all grade levels. Specifically, they focus on helping students develop an understanding of our planet Earth, our Sun and solar system, and the universe.

The Science Data and Images section is divided into introductory, intermediate, and advanced resources. The page shares key online collections and descriptions of these resources.

The Strandmaps page links to interactive concept maps on specific science and math topics in the areas of the physical setting, the nature of science, the living environment, the designed world, habits of mind, the nature of technology, and common themes. Each map introduces related concepts, how the concepts are aligned to benchmarks and standards, and links to resources.

The blog provides news, updated information, and resources of interest to educators in a wide range of topics such as astronomy, astrophysics, citizen science, data, and others.

A search tool can be used to find resources by key word and audience. Materials can also be explored by grade level. Finally, links are provided to key multimedia resources including apps, videos, and images.

Librarians will find these resources to be popular with science teachers. Work with teachers to align the materials with the curriculum.

To visit the website, go to http://nasawavelength.org/.

Website Review: I Witness

I WITNESS from the USC Shoah Foundation is a website containing over 1,500 video testimonies, multimedia activities, and digital resources focusing the Holocaust and other genocides.

The Watch section provides users with video clips, activities, terms, graphic organizers, and related topics. Students can select from 50 different topics such as Anti-Jewish Laws, Civil Rights in America, and Labor/Concentration Camps. Or, conduct a name or subject search to find resources.

The Activities section provides tools youth can use to build videos, word clouds, and other projects based on the program’s themes. Each activity includes standards, grade level focus, and time to complete the activity. Users can identify mini-quests, info-quests, and video activities in a variety of subject areas.

The Share section contains project news and announcements. It also provides an area where students can view projects created by other youth. Students can share their projects with others.

Librarians will find this website to be an excellent resource for both students and teachers working on history and social studies projects. Consider participating in the Witness Video Challenge that inspires positive change in communities.

To visit the website, go to http://iwitness.usc.edu/

Technology review: SCOTUS Blog and App

The SCOTUS blog and app provide up-to-date information about the U.S. Supreme Court.

Maintained by well-respected professionals and having received many awards, this blog provides up-to-date information about all aspects of the Supreme Court of the United States.

In addition to frequent blog postings, the website also contains fascinating information. The Merits Cases provides access to each October Term. The Petitions section lists the docket number, case page, and issues for petitions they’re tracking. The Statistics page provides data on dispositions by sitting. The Special Features page highlights articles and multimedia of particular interest. The Plain English page features background information, procedures, a glossary of legal terms, biographies of the justices, and blog entries for novices. The Videos page links to interesting presentations, speeches, and panel discussions. The Resources page links to background information of interest including the multimedia library and blogroll. Finally, the Administration page provides information about the website and connects with social media.

The app provides some of the information provided at the website, but formatting problems can make it difficult to access some content. On the other hand, students who just want quick access to key ideas may like the streamlined approach of the website.

Librarians will find this website useful for students studying US government. Easier to access than some of the government sites, the Plain English area is of particular interest to teachers because of the way it provides background information for people interested in learning the procedures and terminology related to the courts. Teachers may also find some of the videos useful for classroom activities.

To visit the website, go to http://www.scotusblog.com/
To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/…/supreme-court-united…/id723205705.

App Review: Spies of Mississippi

SPIES OF MISSISSIPPI: AN APPUMENTARY brings the well-known book and documentary film by Rick Bowers alive for students.

Focusing on the activities of the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission from 1956 to 1997, the app explores important stories of democracy, racial segregation, and even murder. The app actively engages users through text, audio, video, maps, photographs, and other historical, primary source materials. After a video introduction, users can watch a summary of the file, listen to a song, examine a visual timeline with photographs and other primary source documents, explore an interactive map featuring key locations, and view excerpts from the film.

In addition, lesson plans and resources for teachers are provided along with discussion questions.

Librarians will find this fascinating app to be an excellent resource for students and teachers exploring the Civil Rights movement in their social studies or history classes.

To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/…/spies-mississippi-ap…/id853903402.

Website Review: Joy2Learn

JOY2LEARN is a website that brings art, music, and theater alive through multimedia experiences featuring famous artists.

Through seven, engaging interactives, learners explore topics including painting, piano, jazz, theater, dancing, sculpture, and architecture. For instance, actor Gregory Hines explores the history of tap dancing, the creative process, the techniques of tap, and the artists of tap. Along with the video segments, users examine images and complete activities. Teacher resources include artist biographies, online resources, and other materials.

Librarians will find these fascinating, interactive programs to be popular with art, music, and theater teachers seeking a multimedia way to introduce their students to key concepts.

To learn more, go to http://joy2learn.org/.

App Review: DIY Sun Science

DIY SUN SCIENCE is a science app designed to help families and educators learn about the sun through hands-on activities.

Designed by NASA and The Lawrence Hall of Science at UC-Berkeley, the app features multimedia information about sun science and thirteen hands-on activities.

The app’s inviting interface encourages users to conduct investigations using common household items, explore images and videos, or view live images of the sun.

The Activities section is divided into sunny day activities and projects that can be done any day. Each investigation begins with a question such as “What does the sun look like over time?” or “Can you spot the sunspots?”. Each activity includes a brief overview, age level, time commitment, materials, and step-by-step instructions. It concludes with an explanation of the science behind the activity, related videos, and other information.

The Images + Videos section provides to image galleries and short video clips on topics such as the dynamic sun, studying the sun, and Sun-Earth connections. It also sun videos from the past 48 hours.

The Sun Observatory section shows lives images of the sun from a NASA satellite. A slider is used to compare features as seen in different wavelengths. Students can explore different ways to look at the sun, learn more about the sun, and solve sun a puzzle.

Librarians will want to work with classroom science teachers to integrate this stunning app into the STEM curriculum.

Many of the activities and resources can also be accessed through a website at http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/do_sci…/diy_sun_science.

To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/diy-sun-science/id836712493….

Website Review: Reading Rockets

Kick off the year by launching young readers! Use the READING ROCKETS website for ideas that promote a passion for reading. Go to http://www.readingrockets.org/.

Launched over a decade ago by WETA, Reading Rockets is a multimedia literacy initiative focusing on how children learn to read and ways adults can help support young readers. Supported through grants from the U.S. Department of Education, Corporation for Public Broadcasting and others, the website provides free, evidence-based information about reading.

The Teaching Reading section explores literacy topics, reading strategies, and resources to help beginning readers succeed.

The Helping Struggling Reader section features ideas for working with struggling readers.

The Reading Topics A-Z section provides a rich collection of research-based information and best-practices associated with reading.

The Children’s Book & Authors section contains endless resources on children’s books and authors including author studies, video interviews, themed and summer booklists, nonfiction book ideas, selection suggestions, buying guides, and activities.

The Research, Guides and Resources section includes an extensive collection of reports, guides, and directories that are useful in professional development and grant writing.

The Librarian section at http://www.readingrockets.org/audi…/professionals/librarians provides topics of particular interest to teacher librarians such as the Common Core, children’s books, and authors.

With themes from gardening to robots, the Reading Adventure Packs for Families at http://www.readingrockets.org/…/reading-adventure-packs-fam… pair themed fiction and nonfiction books with interactive activities. Consider creating these packs for circulation in your library.

Use the E-Cards for Readers activity at http://www.readingrockets.org/books/fun/ecards to involve youth in sharing their passion for reading with others using images from favorite children’s book illustrators.

To extend the experience, join the Reading Rockets Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, and iTunes Podcasts social media resources.

Website Review: Mission US

MISSION US is a “revolutionary way” for 5th-8th graders to learn about American history through immersive, multimedia, interactive games.

The project currently involves three missions. Additional missions are coming soon.

In MISSION 1: FOR CROWN OR COLONY, learners become a printer’s apprentice in 1770 Boston where they encounter both Patriots and Loyalists.

In MISSION 2: FLIGHT TO FREEDOM, students escape slavery as they journey north to Ohio in 1950 during the time of the Fugitive Slave Act.

In MISSION 3: A CHEYENNE ODYSSEY, players take on the role of a Northern Cheyenne child experiencing the encroachment of settlers, railroads, and expeditions.

The EDUCATORS section provides standards-aligned educational materials related to the interactives.

The THINK FAST! game tests student knowledge of history through a fact-paced trivia game. In addition to the website, the THINK FAST! section is available for the iPad and Android Tablet for free.

The Facebook page provides ideas and activities to extend the experience.

To learn more, go to http://www.mission-us.org/.

For the Facebook page, go to https://www.facebook.com/MissionUS.