https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019 What is your favorite database to use in instruction and why? en-us 2019-02-23 17:39:52 UTC 2019-10-14 15:24:49 UTC hello@padlet.com http://d20uo2axdbh83k.cloudfront.net/20140212/8d7b988f10f3090b71191878c625e718.jpg https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/394792570 I am a big fan of Common Sense Media. Not only do I love it as a parent and teacher when selecting appropriate media for my children and students, but their digital citizenship resources and curriculum are fantastic. It is free, which is a big bonus, and they have lessons for every age. Their lessons incorporate everything you need including videos, slide show presentations, practice activities, worksheets, and more. ]]> 2019-10-08 01:46:53 UTC https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/394792570 agr64 https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/395391130 I really value EBSCO's Points of View Reference Center database.  Even if students aren't working on an argumentative assignment, it's helpful to remember that there are multiple ways of looking at an issue.  Points of View presents an overview of a topic along with points and counterpoints, each supported by a bibliography. It also provides primary sources, newspapers, magazines, journals, books, and biographies for students to peruse when learning about an issue. ]]> 2019-10-09 02:29:41 UTC https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/395391130 cmh345 https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/395391737 2019-10-09 02:33:11 UTC https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/395391737 galeharrigan https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/395947414 Hands down my favorite is NoveList K-8.  I use it all the time.  When students (or patrons) are looking for read--a-likes, it helps to log into this database and see what is suggested.  I like that the matches are listed with reasons.  Readers could enjoy a book or series for any number of reasons. Identifying that reason and finding that factor in another book is key to a successful read-a-like suggestion. 
I also like that NoveList includes the covers right up front. Many of us remember things visually, it is a much quicker solution to confirm the book a child is describing by showing the cover. It also details the nitty gritty. You can find the subject matter, tone, pacing, suggested grade level, and character descriptions all in a concise layout. This helps with the time crunch of a student who is interested in getting a book, but is having difficulty decided and is on the verge of giving up. Having an interface that is easy to navigate and find the information quickly in order to get the book in the child's hands might make the difference on whether or not he/she chooses a book that day. And I it breaks my heart when a child leaves empty handed, so I want the database to bring the information I need right up front to facilitate me helping the student right in that moment. ]]> 2019-10-10 03:19:36 UTC https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/395947414 https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/395953478 I love PebbleGo! It works so well for my youngest students because of the visual cues and audio capabilities that make it accessible for my pre-readers and readers alike. The pictures make it easy for them to find what they want to research without needing to recognize all the words, and the kids can have the article read to them while highlighting the words so they get recognition practice. The articles are appropriate, detailed, and interesting, and the kids love the videos and other AV links included. They also have a more advanced option for older elementary students, which is also a useful tool. ]]> 2019-10-10 03:57:35 UTC https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/395953478 https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/396473454 I use BookFlix quite often in the library. I love that it has fiction and nonfiction pairings that the students enjoy along with both videos of books and digital books. The site itself also offers options such as having the words read to you or reading yourself, as well as the stories being available in Spanish. 
Using BookFlix, I am able to have a full lesson with extension activities on the computer for vocabulary, comprehension, and sequencing. When students complete the activity, it is quick and easy to see that they have mastered the skill and allow them to move on. It is so easy to navigate that my students will often go between stories and games without any issues. ]]> 2019-10-11 00:30:38 UTC https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/396473454 https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/396861383
I’m at the high school level and I love GALE’s Opposing Viewpoints. Vermont subscribes to a number of GALE databases, so our students are able to access these databases for free. Opposing Viewpoint is a pro/con, current events type database.  The home page has new topics divided into broader subcategories like, “Health and Medicine” “Law and Politics,” etc. If you click on one of these topics or search for a topic, on the landing page there is generally an overview and then a breakdown of the different types of resources for the topic: audio, video, statistics, professional journals, news, etc. Students can link to Google or Microsoft in GALE and save the articles they find directly to their personal drives. At the article level students can highlight the articles, translate them, listen to them, make them larger fonts. When you search you can easily filter by date, lexile, etc. There is a “search within” feature to add a word to help narrow your search. The database gets used across multiple subjects and levels from Freshman Wellness to Senior Contemporary Issues.

]]> 2019-10-11 19:30:19 UTC https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/396861383 cnw40 https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/397219592 I like using BrainPOP Jr. BrainPOP Jr. It has movies on all content areas. Students can click the movie of their choice and learn about such topics as writing, animals, math, etc. with animated characters that the students like. Because it is in movie format, the students are able to rewind as well as see a visual of what they are learning. The movies also offer closed caption options. Many times I use BrainPOP Jr. to introduce concepts.]]> 2019-10-14 01:13:42 UTC https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/397219592 https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/397252051 I really love using a combination between Academic Search Premier and, more currently, NoveList. I used to work at an academic library, Centenary University, and students would ask me how to search for detailed information to use and work on projects—but that is not all. They would also sometimes ask me to help suggest a topic to fit their project or paper. As I couldn’t directly give them a topic to work on, I would use Academic Search Premier as a tool to help them create a topic using deductive reasoning. I would pull up articles about a specific topic and/or subject then show them the results. If students were not sure how to begin I would give them examples of how to use article information to fuel the information for a paper so that they would still choose by themselves but also feel well prepared. As I have been working at a public library for the past few years now, I have noticed that I lean towards using NoveList the most since it is just so helpful with suggestions and book recommendations. I would imagine that using it in a school would be a good idea if the suggested age range for the books selected match up. I will have to try this in conjunction with Common Sense Media in my field internship at some point.   ]]> 2019-10-14 03:39:42 UTC https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/397252051 https://padlet.com/joycevalenza/databasesSpring2019/wish/397472095 I have been using PebbleGO Next a lot recently, because they have good information about indigenous tribal nations of the U.S., their history, and their current lives and culture. I have been using it this month particularly, for Indigenous Peoples research.
I use NoveList K-8 very frequently. It has a good "read alike" suggestion feature for readers advisory, and is a good source for series books and author information.

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