Website Review: Type Terms

TYPE TERMS is a website explaining terminology related to typography.

The website’s entry page displays the word “terminology” with active links for over a dozen key terms. Each link provides an animated visual and a definition. Users can then return to the menu or navigate forward or backward through additional terms.

Librarians will find this website an interesting addition to the computer science curriculum. Weave the website into a lesson focusing on word processing, page layout, and typography.

To visit the website, go to https://www.supremo.tv/typeterms/.

Book Review: We Are Growing!

WE ARE GROWING! by Laurie Keller is a hilarious beginning reader about a patch of grass.

As a group of grass, weeds, and insect characters discuss their growth, they’re unaware that a mower is about to change their lives.

Librarians will find that children immediately relate to the goofy characters and situation. Teachers will enjoy the fun word play and possibilities for vocabulary connections. In addition, this book is the 2017 winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel award.

To learn more about Mo Willems, go to http://www.mowillems.com/
To learn more about Laurie Keller, go to http://www.lauriekeller.com/

Published by Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Hachette on September 20, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Technology Review: DOGOnews

DOGOnews is a website and app resource focusing on current events, news, and nonfiction articles for students and teachers.

The website consists of short articles. Most of these informational stories contain numerous images. Vocabulary words that may be unfamiliar to youth are highlighted and link to pop-up definitions and examples. Each article ends with reading comprehension questions, a critical thinking challenge, and vocabulary. A game helps readers review the vocabulary. While the website contains limited, education related advertising, it’s not distracting to readers.

Tabs lead users to articles about news, books, or movies. Within the news category, students can choose from science, sports, social studies, world, green, entertainment, fun, and other categories. They can also narrow by grade levels including K-3, 3-5, 3-8, and 3-5. This is useful when accessing articles that are appropriate for particular reading and interest levels. Within the book category, students can choose clubs, series, freebies, or seasonal works. Books are also organized by genre and reading level. Within the movie category, children can browse by categories such as mystery or animation.

The website also offers special features for students and teachers. Students can create their own avatar, earn badges, share articles, and write articles. Teachers can set up classroom accounts and make assignments.

The app works much the same way as the website. The easy-to-navigate app contains access to over 3,000 articles across the curriculum. Articles are categorized by grade level. Clicking on highlighted works leads to definitions and places are linked maps. Lesson plans are connected to national standards.

Librarians will find this easy-to-use resource is useful in reading activities. It’s also valuable for informational reading in the subject areas such as social studies and science.

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

To download the app, go tohttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dogonews/id740364862.

Website Review: Scholastic News - Election 2016

SCHOLASTIC NEWS: ELECTION 2016 provides timely, youth-friendly information and resources about the US presidential election.

The Home page provides links to the project’s key elements.

The Latest News page includes short articles about current events related to the presidential campaign, an interactive timeline of events, and a map showing state elections.

The Kid Reports area features youth reports including questions and answers, behind-the-scenes, and other topics of interest.

The Election Central section provides useful vocabulary associated with the election, a fun infographic showing the election process, and a Meet the Candidates page featuring the candidates.

Librarians will find this to be an age-appropriate way to introduce children to the key concepts associated with the presidential election. The user-friendly format will draw student interest. Use the short articles for informational reading activities.

Use the timeline, map, and infographics to discuss different ways that information can be presented. Invite youth to create their own visuals to share their understandings.

To visit the website, go to http://election.scholastic.com/.

App Review: The Human Body

THE HUMAN BODY from Tinybop is an engaging and entertaining educational app that introduces the body systems to children including both senses and organs.

Through a highly-visual, interactive interface, students are encouraged to explore information about the nervous, skeletal, respiratory, circulatory, digestive, muscular, urogenital, and immune systems. Although no verbal or written instructions are provided, users will quickly figure out that tapping, dragging, and swiping icons will provide information and start animations. For instance, tapping the mosquito sends it flying across the screen causing a bite that sends a signal to the brain. Dragging flowers to the nose shows how the olfactory bulb in the brain is stimulated.

Students will enjoy exploring the many animated layered and closeups.

Many students have difficulty correctly labelling diagrams of the human body. This app provides a fun way to practice anatomy vocabulary. Students drag the labels related to a particular body system onto the model and are provided with audio reinforcement.

This app is chuck-full of extras that are easily missed, so students should be encouraged to tap and swipe all over the screen. For instance, swiping the heart side to side reveals a cross-section showing inside the heart. Clicking the parts of the brain reveals visuals associated with their functions. Dragging a leg demonstrates how the achilles tendon works.

The app allows an adult to establish a separate account for each user. A detailed settings area allows users to choose from dozens of languages, select an avatar, and control sound and visual elements.

Excellent for both library and classroom tablets, this app is likely to be popular with elementary science teachers, parents, and science savvy kids.

It’s easy to miss the outstanding, detailed handbook. An introduction is provided to each body system along with explanations of the icons and interactive elements available in that section of the app. Discussion questions are provided to jumpstart a conversation about the body system. To download the handbook, go to http://tinybop.com/handbooks.

To extend the experience, join Tinybop’s social media content.

To learn more, go to http://tinybop.com/apps/the-human-body.

App Review: Chicktionary

CHICKTIONARY: A GAME OF SCRAMBLED WORDS is a fun spelling and vocabulary-building word game app. Students create as many words as possible out of seven letters. The game was been around awhile, but the 2014 version has many more levels and options such as timed and untimed modes.

While this free app is geared to elementary students, it’s fun for all ages. Although in-app purchases are an option, they aren’t necessary to play the game. Although the sound can be annoying, it’s easy to just turn it off.

Special chickens, golden eggs, and other surprises make the game fun as children continue to play over time. Bonus letter hints are available so players won’t get frustrated. Another way to avoid frustration is for children to work in pairs or teams.

Ads are displayed between games, but these can be removed by contacting the company about an education edition.

To download the iOS app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/…/chicktionary-for-ipad/id365374807.
To download the Android app, go tohttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details….