review websites

6
eThemes Subscription Cost: No Published by: University of Missouri Authors/ Selectors: LIS graduate students Key Features Search by grade level or topic Links are all kid-friendly and content rich No Overall Comments: eThemes describes itself as easy access to “content-rich, kid- friendly” resources. Although eThemes is no longer being updated, eThemes is an invaluable resource to educators. Over 30,000 resource links are provided for grades 1-12. Most of the resources I found were not that different from those that could be accessed via a simple Google search. The benefit is eThemes presents these links without the hassle of scrolling past advertisements that are not only distracting but also potentially inappropriate. Searching solely by topic is a little tricky because you have to pay attention to the intended grade levels for each source. However, if you search first by grade then find a topic from the alphabetized list, you can be sure the resources will fit your age group.

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Page 1: Review websites

eThemes

Subscription Cost: No

Published by: University of Missouri

Authors/Selectors:LIS graduate students

Key Features

Search by grade level or topic

Links are all kid-friendly and content rich

No advertisements to sort through

State Standards accessible

Overall Comments:

eThemes describes itself as easy access to “content-rich, kid-friendly” resources. Although eThemes is no longer being updated, eThemes is an invaluable resource to educators. Over 30,000 resource links are provided for grades 1-12. Most of the resources I found were not that different from those that could be accessed via a simple Google search. The benefit is eThemes presents these links without the hassle of scrolling past advertisements that are not only distracting but also potentially inappropriate. Searching solely by topic is a little tricky because you have to pay attention to the intended grade levels for each source. However, if you search first by grade then find a topic from the alphabetized list, you can be sure the resources will fit your age group.

This site also features information regarding state standards for 9 states. Rather than simply providing links to state education websites, eThemes provides word for word standards within the website. I appreciated this a great deal, as it would save a lot of time that could be better spent actually finding resources and planning lessons.

Page 2: Review websites

netTrekker Key Features

Colorful interface Advanced search

features, such as age filter

Ability to search specifically for web resources, images, or people

Overall Comments:

netTrekker describes itself as providing “only the best content on the web” to “address different learning styles and academic needs in all K-12 grade levels and subject areas.” The website seems truly committed to this goal, adding special features to address readability of resources and ensure that there are a variety of resources and activities available for any given topic.

The interface is fancier, which is typical of subscription resources. I appreciated the ability to easily click between elementary, middle, and high school levels while searching. There wasn’t a difference in the content partners advertised for each level—BrainPOP seemed to dominate the screen for each. The recommended search terms that popped up for each level did differ slightly, but that is to be expected, as 1st graders wouldn’t necessarily study poetry in the same manner as a high school senior.

I wasn’t as impressed with this site when I actually started searching. A slight change in terminology produced entirely different resources. Finding what I intended was much more difficult than I would want. I expect that with a little practice and refining my search skills specifically to this site, the benefits paying for a subscription might become clear.

Page 3: Review websites

EdShelf Subscription Cost: No

Published by: EdShelf

Authors/Selectors:Members (typically

educators)

Key Features

Colorful interface Advanced search

filters Ratings of tools

based on ease of use, effectiveness, and engagement

Overall Comments:

EdShelf is a “socially-curated” discovery engine for digital tools to support teaching and learning. This means that fellow educators can create digital shelves to store tools, and the more times a tool gets shelved, the more “popular” it becomes. Finding and sharing tools through professional contacts (fellow teachers in the trenches) is one of the most beneficial ways to find new resources.

With so many ways to search and filter for specific resources, users are certain to find new tools all the time. Each tool is accompanied by a description, reviews from fellow educators (who have actually used the tool in their classrooms), and ratings teachers would actually care about (like how engaging it is to students and how easy—or difficult—the program is to learn).

If you want to start your own shelf, you must create an account. Simply searching through the site for tools and reviews does not require an account, however. This website would be a necessity for any educator, especially those in schools transitioning to (or in the midst of) a 1:1 digital program. Don’t waste any more time searching for tools—EdShelf provides exposure to some of the best tools to support content and lessons, and more tools are added every day.

Page 4: Review websites

SweetSearch

Finding Dulcinea

Key Features

Simple, easy to use Widget available for

website Resembles Google

search, so students will be familiar with interface

Overall Comments:

Sweet Search 4 Me (the elementary version of Sweet Search) was down when I tried to use it. However, it is very similar to Sweet Search (the high school version).

This site only searches websites cleared by what Sweet Search has deemed “internet research experts.” Translated, we are talking about librarians, teachers, and ________. The results are prefaced by advertisements from GoogleAds, which are annoying but not inappropriate (at least, for the search I conducted). The results were disappointing, however. Many of the websites that came back for my search would have been more appropriate for elementary students. I cannot, for example, imagine my 17 year old students enjoying visiting Fern’s Poetry Club (from PBS) to publish their poetry.

This would not be my first choice to use in a research project with students.

Subscription Cost: No

Published by:

Page 5: Review websites

Kidtopia

Subscription Cost: No

Published by:

Overall Comments:

This website claims to bring users “the best information on the Web for any topic, employing human insight and methodical review.” Though the homepage is a bit busy, this site is much more what I would expect from a search engine tool. It seems more appropriate for upper levels (rather than elementary). I tried many search terms and continued getting results that would not be suitable for an elementary lesson. However, I can see this sitebeing a tremendous asset to high school students, college students, and professionals.

Key Features

News stories featured on homepage

“On This Day” column

Ability to expand or reduce search pool

Web Guides assist teachers in navigating the web effectively and efficiently

Key Features

Vibrant appearance Easily searchable

Subscription Cost: No

Published by: Infotopia

Authors/Selectors:School Librarians, Teachers, and Educational Consortia

Page 6: Review websites

Key Features

Vibrant appearance Easily searchable

Overall Comments:

This website is created by school librarians and intended to be used by elementary educators. At first glance, I was really impressed by this website. It was colorful, engaging, and easy to maneuver. There were many great resources included and each category offered a variety of tools to reach different learning needs and goals.

However, I wasn’t impressed with searching using the search bar. Google custom searches still present advertisements at the top of the results, meaning more junk to scroll through. Unfortunately, most free sites do not offer a way around this. If you are not searching for a specific term, but want to explore a general topic, this site is wonderful.