Lesson 5 - NetLibrary
I'm interested in scrapbooking, and I love the "Idiot's Guide" books, so I was thrilled to find the Idiot's Guide for scrapbooking. I didn't even know there was one. I looked at several pages, and there were colorful illustrations. It is so easy to search for a specific item in either the Contents section or the Index. There is also a section with definitions of scrapbooking terms. I might also add that the short videos about using NetLibrary were very informative and easy to understand.
I did a keyword search for "fitness"--and found another Idiot's Guide--this time for yoga. It was kind of a coincidence, because last week my doctor recommended yoga for me. Little did I know that I would find great information on yoga in NetLibrary!
I checked out Nebraska for Discovery Exercise 3 and found 88 books. In looking at the titles, a person would find plenty of reading about Western history.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Lesson 4 - Gale Virtual Reference Library
I searched the same medical condition that I used in Proquest and received 39 hits. I found some very good information in The Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health. I liked the ReadSpeaker feature. I could just close my eyes, relax, and listen. Another great feature is the availability of different languages. I think this would be especially useful for our Spanish-speaking patrons. Everyone always seems to be in need of medical information at some time.
I checked for foods with zinc and was able to find them also in The Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health. Sources mentioned were oysters (not sure I need zinc that bad), beef, chicken, turkey, milk, cheese, yogurt, and (surprisingly) pure maple syrup. In searching for literary criticism of The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin, I looked in Literary Themes for Students: The American Dream (under "Criticism"). It referred to Mark Twain's humor being "deadpan at its best" in The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin and that it was his funniest book.
All in all, The Gale Virtual Reference Library is a definite "go to" whether it be for a common everyday question or an involved term paper.
I searched the same medical condition that I used in Proquest and received 39 hits. I found some very good information in The Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health. I liked the ReadSpeaker feature. I could just close my eyes, relax, and listen. Another great feature is the availability of different languages. I think this would be especially useful for our Spanish-speaking patrons. Everyone always seems to be in need of medical information at some time.
I checked for foods with zinc and was able to find them also in The Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health. Sources mentioned were oysters (not sure I need zinc that bad), beef, chicken, turkey, milk, cheese, yogurt, and (surprisingly) pure maple syrup. In searching for literary criticism of The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin, I looked in Literary Themes for Students: The American Dream (under "Criticism"). It referred to Mark Twain's humor being "deadpan at its best" in The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin and that it was his funniest book.
All in all, The Gale Virtual Reference Library is a definite "go to" whether it be for a common everyday question or an involved term paper.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Lesson 3 - Proquest
I did a basic search for a medical condition (I'm a self-diagnoser!) and came up with 39 items, which I would consider "reliable" info. When I "Google" a medical term, I have to wade through a lot of things that do not seem factual. Proquest is like a "SUPER SIZE" magazine rack! I e-mailed a couple of articles to myself, which was so easy to do. I was also impressed with the "Search Alert" feature. I looked at the listing of publications and couldn't believe how many there were. I noticed one that did not have any info past the year 2000, so apparently the list must change every so often. I did a journal search for "library" and checked out a few articles there too. There is so much information out there!!. Proquest is DEFINITELY something I will be using from home.
I did a basic search for a medical condition (I'm a self-diagnoser!) and came up with 39 items, which I would consider "reliable" info. When I "Google" a medical term, I have to wade through a lot of things that do not seem factual. Proquest is like a "SUPER SIZE" magazine rack! I e-mailed a couple of articles to myself, which was so easy to do. I was also impressed with the "Search Alert" feature. I looked at the listing of publications and couldn't believe how many there were. I noticed one that did not have any info past the year 2000, so apparently the list must change every so often. I did a journal search for "library" and checked out a few articles there too. There is so much information out there!!. Proquest is DEFINITELY something I will be using from home.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
SIRS Discoverer
I am once again amazed by all of the available resources that I never knew about before. And the information that is provided is "solid"--as one of the videos indicated. I looked up Shaun White and was impressed by the various resources (Weekly Reader, Boys Life, etc.). The colorful icons for such things as reading level and photos make the navigation easy. Most of the articles were "Moderate" reading level--very easy to understand. With this type of labeling, you wouldn't find yourself reading something that was too complicated (and possibly becoming discouraged with your project). It was interesting to note that Shaun White's nickname was "Tomato"--because of his red hair. The articles really emphasized how young he was when he got started. I especially liked the Classroom Ready Monthly News, which had questions and answers at the end. It serves as a good review of the article.
Under the "Country Facts" feature, I looked up Jamaica. It brings up a very organized outline of information. I especially liked the way the history was listed in order with just brief descriptions. I also noticed that it shows the country's flag. When I clicked on "Country Facts," I was surprised at HOW MANY countries were listed! I didn't realize there were so many.
I looked up a map of the Great Plains for 1600-1750 (under the U.S Historical section). It showed with different colors what areas were forest and woodland, short/tall grass, etc. Maps like this would be helpful in studying U.S. history.
I looked up Shaun White under "Pictures" in the "Database Features" section and found three pictures. I tried clicking on "Dictionary," but nothing would load (probably something wrong on my end).
SIRS Issues Researcher
Because "bullying" is so much in the news, I chose that as my leading issues. I liked the topic overview--a good starting point--and found the "Terms to Know" section helpful. We hear these terms all the time but might not know exactly what they mean. The "Further Research" column on the right side makes it so easy to find out more. How I wish we would have had these resources way back when I was in school. I dreaded doing any type of research project back then. Now it would be actually kind of fun.
Under "Curriculum Pathfinders," I chose Math Games. Under "Figure This--Math Challenges for Families," there were some fun games using numbers. Once again, the information presented is so colorful and appealing, making learning fun.
I am once again amazed by all of the available resources that I never knew about before. And the information that is provided is "solid"--as one of the videos indicated. I looked up Shaun White and was impressed by the various resources (Weekly Reader, Boys Life, etc.). The colorful icons for such things as reading level and photos make the navigation easy. Most of the articles were "Moderate" reading level--very easy to understand. With this type of labeling, you wouldn't find yourself reading something that was too complicated (and possibly becoming discouraged with your project). It was interesting to note that Shaun White's nickname was "Tomato"--because of his red hair. The articles really emphasized how young he was when he got started. I especially liked the Classroom Ready Monthly News, which had questions and answers at the end. It serves as a good review of the article.
Under the "Country Facts" feature, I looked up Jamaica. It brings up a very organized outline of information. I especially liked the way the history was listed in order with just brief descriptions. I also noticed that it shows the country's flag. When I clicked on "Country Facts," I was surprised at HOW MANY countries were listed! I didn't realize there were so many.
I looked up a map of the Great Plains for 1600-1750 (under the U.S Historical section). It showed with different colors what areas were forest and woodland, short/tall grass, etc. Maps like this would be helpful in studying U.S. history.
I looked up Shaun White under "Pictures" in the "Database Features" section and found three pictures. I tried clicking on "Dictionary," but nothing would load (probably something wrong on my end).
SIRS Issues Researcher
Because "bullying" is so much in the news, I chose that as my leading issues. I liked the topic overview--a good starting point--and found the "Terms to Know" section helpful. We hear these terms all the time but might not know exactly what they mean. The "Further Research" column on the right side makes it so easy to find out more. How I wish we would have had these resources way back when I was in school. I dreaded doing any type of research project back then. Now it would be actually kind of fun.
Under "Curriculum Pathfinders," I chose Math Games. Under "Figure This--Math Challenges for Families," there were some fun games using numbers. Once again, the information presented is so colorful and appealing, making learning fun.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
First of all, I have loved World Book since I was in grade school. In my mind, it's the best "brand name" for accurate information.
LESSON 1A - WORLD BOOK SCHOOL EDITION
The first thing I noticed is how bright and cheerful the pages are in World Book Kids, which makes you want to "dig in." I researched "skunk," mainly because we have a few in our area. I found out that they are active at night and sleep during the day--usually--we had one that apparently had its nights and days mixed up. Anyway, the bad-smelling liquid is called "musk," and before a skunk sprays, it stamps its front feet and hisses or growls. Another really neat feature in the Kids edition is all of the activities you can access (there's a square to click on at the top that says "Activities"). There are a LOT of useful ideas for both home and library. There are many times that I would use the Kids version when I just needed some very basic information. Lastly, the "Read Aloud" feature is outstanding. Technology keeps amazing me.
The Student edition is a very appropriate advancement from the Kids edition. It expands with additional information useful for older children. I learned that skunks spray up to 12 feet--I really thought it was farther than that. I also used the link for Magazine Articles and found that to be a good tool for additional info.
In the World Book Advanced, I researched Jamaica. It was very easy to navigate. I would definitely use Advanced to check out any possible vacation spot. I was even able to play some Jamaican popular music. Another nice feature of Advanced is the area entitled "In the Headlines."
World Book Discover's "Read Aloud" feature is wonderful for patrons who are not good readers of English. Also, I was amazed at the number of languages the text can be translated to.
LESSON 1b - WORLD BOOK PUBLIC LIBRARY EDITION
The Online Info Finder has a wealth of topics on the front page. I researched "skunk" again and found much more information than in World Book Online for Kids. I also noticed that Online Info Finder has an area for Current Events, which apparently is updated each day.
I think that patrons planning vacations would learn a lot from the World Book Online Reference Center. I again researched Jamaica, and you find solid, accurate information. There is also access to magazine articles about the country. It would be so much easier to research a country on this site instead of doing a general search on the internet.
LESSON 1c - WORLD BOOK FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDITION
I know very few Spanish words, but I was totally impressed with the Spanish edition. I tried the "Read Aloud," and again I was amazed. I check out animals simply going by the pictures. I think that our Spanish-speaking population would be amazed with this Foreign Language Edition, as well as anyone learning Spanish--even if you just wanted to know enough of the language to visit there.
LESSON 1A - WORLD BOOK SCHOOL EDITION
The first thing I noticed is how bright and cheerful the pages are in World Book Kids, which makes you want to "dig in." I researched "skunk," mainly because we have a few in our area. I found out that they are active at night and sleep during the day--usually--we had one that apparently had its nights and days mixed up. Anyway, the bad-smelling liquid is called "musk," and before a skunk sprays, it stamps its front feet and hisses or growls. Another really neat feature in the Kids edition is all of the activities you can access (there's a square to click on at the top that says "Activities"). There are a LOT of useful ideas for both home and library. There are many times that I would use the Kids version when I just needed some very basic information. Lastly, the "Read Aloud" feature is outstanding. Technology keeps amazing me.
The Student edition is a very appropriate advancement from the Kids edition. It expands with additional information useful for older children. I learned that skunks spray up to 12 feet--I really thought it was farther than that. I also used the link for Magazine Articles and found that to be a good tool for additional info.
In the World Book Advanced, I researched Jamaica. It was very easy to navigate. I would definitely use Advanced to check out any possible vacation spot. I was even able to play some Jamaican popular music. Another nice feature of Advanced is the area entitled "In the Headlines."
World Book Discover's "Read Aloud" feature is wonderful for patrons who are not good readers of English. Also, I was amazed at the number of languages the text can be translated to.
LESSON 1b - WORLD BOOK PUBLIC LIBRARY EDITION
The Online Info Finder has a wealth of topics on the front page. I researched "skunk" again and found much more information than in World Book Online for Kids. I also noticed that Online Info Finder has an area for Current Events, which apparently is updated each day.
I think that patrons planning vacations would learn a lot from the World Book Online Reference Center. I again researched Jamaica, and you find solid, accurate information. There is also access to magazine articles about the country. It would be so much easier to research a country on this site instead of doing a general search on the internet.
LESSON 1c - WORLD BOOK FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDITION
I know very few Spanish words, but I was totally impressed with the Spanish edition. I tried the "Read Aloud," and again I was amazed. I check out animals simply going by the pictures. I think that our Spanish-speaking population would be amazed with this Foreign Language Edition, as well as anyone learning Spanish--even if you just wanted to know enough of the language to visit there.
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