In our district, I find this site to be useful for Elementary students and staff. The websites featured are great .... being a tech coordinator, I know they will be educational and trusted sites, so students are safe in searching.This is a great tool to use with the smart board as the classroom teacher can show the features, familarize & demonstrate to their students how the site works before students are assigned their project.
This site is useful for not only articles, but the added features of pictures,or activites within their report.
Students can search according to publication date and know the reading levels. Thus it gives each student, no matter their reading level, a feeling of accomplishment and understanding for thier article.
The SIRS-Issues Researcher is utilized by our High School English/Speech teacher for "all" her high school students. The students love it as the research is all at their fingertips.
If a student has difficulty in finding a subject area they are able to choose a topic.
Each topic is by catogories.The Pros & Cons of a subject, website links,along with the ability to understand the quick search, search syntax, search methods, sorting, etc. assist in building good research skills.
The Curriculum Pathfinders, under the data base featue, goes along with our teaching of 21st Century Skills. It reinforces staffs lesson plans in the areas of Math, Scienc, Social Studies, Language Arts, Fine Arts and Health.
Wihtin the toolbox feature the powerpoint presentation could be utilized as a rubric & the research guide for critical thinking, is superior for a student to use in doing a research project!
Wow, Katie, you almost sound like a SIRS commercial! We're glad your school is using and liking SIRS. We have heard from other teachers that using SIRS has improved students' research breadth and quality. Thanks for the comments.
ReplyDeleteKatie, thanks for the great report on SIRS. I look forward to using it my classroom. I'll be sure to let you know how it works.
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