Next Week

Next week, I will be on vacation. Starting in October, I will review what everyone else will be looking at: monsters and scary stories.

On the road again...

Netstate.com

Netstate.com at http://www.netstate.com/

Plot: A listing of all fifty states. Each state's page offers an overview, history of nicknames, additional resources, and state symbols (birds, flowers, fossils, gems, etc.). The pages also include links to school listings, news, and the economy.

Genre: Geography, History, Websites

Reading Level: Tween-friendly, but some aspects may be suitable for older students.

Similar Titles: 50States.com, Fact Monster: The Fifty States

Personal Thoughts: Easily one of the most inclusive and accessible state resources. Many popular topics, such as state birds, include additional pages explaining the reason for the state's choice as well as basic information about the object. A very useful resource for history and geography reports. 

Kids' Corner: Animals

Kids' Corner: Animals at http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/classification/kc_classification_main.htm

Plot: The site presents easily understood information about animal biology. The site leads to image-heavy pages describing mammals, amphibians, birds, fish, and reptiles, as well as information on special topics, such as warm versus cold blooded. An easy introduction to animal classification.

Genre: Animals, Websites

Reading Level: Grades 3-6

Similar Titles: Kidzone: Animal Classes, Science Learning: Living Things - Families

Personal Thoughts: The website is a friendly way of assisting students with initial lessons on animal classification.

American President: A Reference Resource

American President: A Reference Resource at http://millercenter.org/president

Plot: A website presented by the Miller Center through the University of Virgina. The site lists all 42 presidents of the United States. Selecting a president leads to basic information and a portrait, but also links to biographies, images, and fellow leaders during the presidency.

Genre: History, websites

Reading Level: Aimed at adults; however most of the information is comprehensible to tweens.

Similar Titles: The Presidents: The White House

Personal Thoughts: A good resource for tweens with U.S. History reports. 

Some Helpful Websites

School is truly in session, so next week, we'll look at some helpful websites.

No, it's not summer yet.

Antarctic Journal: Four Months at the Bottom of the World

Dewey, Jennifer. Antarctic Journal: Four Months at the Bottom of the World. New York : HarperCollins Publisers, 2001.

Plot:  Ms. Dewey gets invited to spend four months in an Antarctic research center. She records major events through a series of sketches and journal entries. Travel issues and clothing layers find description, but so do penguins, seals, fish, and krill. Interactions with scientists and sunburns also find mention. The text offers a personal look at life on the ice continent.

Genre: Geography, Science

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: My Season with Penguins: An Antarctic Journal; Mud Matters: Stories from a Mud Lover

Personal Thoughts: A pretty, enjoyable view of personal experiences in the Antarctic. The author's notes reflect the seriousness of the work, as well as the humanity within the workers. I recommend the title for those seeking a human and scientific title.

Side Note: I have no idea how I am going to get that blanket away from Jerome.

How to Survive in Antarctica

Bledsoe, Lucy Jane. How to Survive in Antarctica. New York : Holiday House, 2006.

Plot: Journalist Lucy Jane Bledsoe managed to reach Antarctica through a grant for writers and artists. She fell in love with the wilderness, and visited several other times. The book offers a record of her trips, as well as stories and advice for survival. For example, she outlines how to create a polar-worthy emergency shelter, adjust cold-weather clothing, and avoid crevasses. She also offers more personal stories, such as a trip to an abandoned airplane and a visit to an active volcano. The text offers a realistic and exciting view of Antarctic culture, wildlife, history, and travel.

Genre: Adventure, Geography, Survival

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Life Under Ice, Polar Explorers for Kids

Personal Thoughts: The title offers a brief overview to modern polar travel. Photographs complement the text-heavy title, adding context and illustrations. Impressively, Bledsoe manages to address the adventurous aspects of travel without glossing over the need for respect, rules, and order at the Pole. The book is a useful read for tweens with a desire to understand current activity in the far south.

Side Note: Bledsoe did not mention the need for a soft, fluffy blanket, but Jerome likes it anyway.