K – 5th Grade Resources

If you are a K-5th grader, or the parent of a K-5th grader, you have your hands full.  From nightly homework to soccer practice to science fair projects to remembering to eat five fruits and vegetables a day, you are going from morning till night.  Included here are a few links to learning activities and games,  and a list of additional resources you can use find extensive and age-appropriate information on specific topics to help you simplify your informational pursuits.

Learning Activities

International Children’s Digital Library – The mission of the International Children’s Digital Library is to support the world’s children in becoming effective members of the global community – who exhibit tolerance and respect for diverse cultures, languages and ideas — by making the best in children’s literature available online free of charge.  Includes a collection of 4346 books in 54 different languages.

Kratt’s Creatures – Brought to you by PBS, use this site to learn all about animals and the world they (and you!) live in, includes videos and custom “missions” for your exploring pleasure!

CyberChase Online – A companion to PBS’s new animated math adventure series, Cyberchase, this site features interactive games and activities intended to foster math literacy and problem-solving skills.

Destination Modern Art – Brought to you by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this interactive guide allows children learn about art while playing games.  Also includes an “idea” button which teaches children to interact with the art by allowing them to creat their own.

National Geographic Kids! – Brought to you by National Geographic, this website allows kids to learn about the world they lives in through videos, games, stories and activities.

Reading is Fundamental – This fun and interactive site is brought to you by Reading is Fundamental, the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit children’s literacy organization, which aims to teach kids that read reading is the fun in fundamental!  Featuring games, activity labs and read-along books, this resource provides hours of adventure into the world of reading.

SparkTop – The people at SparkTop know that no two children learn exactly alike, and provides this website as a resource where kids who learn differently can create, play and connect with other children.

StoryPlace – A bilingual digital library for kids, with resources in spanish and english, including reading lists and print-out activities, this site is intended mostly for elementary-aged children.

Maya & Miguel – Brought to you by PBSkids, this bilingual website for kids provides games, coloring pages and recipes in both English and Spanish.

Additional Resource Guides

Kids.gov – A resource for kids in grades K – 5th and 6th – 8th, including information on such diverse topics as the arts, careers, government, math, fitness and more!  Also includes resources for parents and educators.

Dewey Browse – Dewey Browse is a comprehensive resource of authoritative websites geared for the K-12 audience.  Arranged using the Dewey Decimal Classification system, this website will help you to help yourself find information on any topic you can think of.

IPL Kidspace – Brought to you by the people who brought you the Internet Public Library, including resources for sports and activities, art, health and reading.

IPL Teachers and Parents – You love being there for your kids, but sometimes you don’t know where to start to be the most amount of help.  The Internet Public Library is here for you, including the subsections of resources for parents and teachers found in each of the main sections of Kidspace.

Preschool and Kindergarten Resources

If you have a child who is not yet in school, or if you work in a preschool program, chances are you are always looking for things to do to keep those preschoolers happy and occupied.  Here are a few great resources that focus on the educational potential of the internet to mold those sweet little brains into thriving, vibrant and intelligent beings.

Activity Resources

The World of Victor – Multilingual site which features memory games, matching games, songs (en francais), mazes and hide and seek!

Between the Lions – A fun and interactive learning site brought to you by PBSkids, provides games designed to teach kids about word sounds, shapes and colors.

Teacher Quick Source – Though this resource is tailored to meet the needs of educational professionals, it is ripe with activity ideas for parents who want to help develop their children’s skills in language, mathematics and creative arts; also includes activities guides for aiding in the physical development in fine motor skills, proper hygiene, etc. etc.  Browsable by topic and age group, this extensive resource will give you and your young one a head start on learning!

Everything Preschool – Similar to the above resource, Everything Preschool includes information on lesson plan guides for education professionals, as well as songs, coloring pages and “craft recipes” such as homemade play-dough!  Browsable by topic and theme.

ABCya! – Contains a variety of activities related to drawing, counting, categorizing, letter recognition, and mouse manipulation.  Browsable by learning/grade level and activity.

Funschool – Free, fun learning activities for preschool through second grade; includes word games, alphabet games and coloring pages.

First Palette: Arts and Crafts Site for Kids – Browsable by theme, this website is an online guide to crafts for kids, including pictures, printable templates and recipes.

Click Magazine – An interactive website for kids to learn, play and explore

Additional Resource Guides

American Library Association’s Great Websites for Kids – Guide to great websites for kids, browsable by categories such as mathematics & technology, sciences, social sciences, art and history.

Preschool Online Resource – Includes guides to selecting preschools in your area, as well as resources for educational activities and games for children.

Resources for Parents and Teachers

American Library Associations Guide to Sites for Parents, Teachers and Caregivers – A long list of resources for those who are most involved in the development of children.

Colorin Colorado – a bilingual website for parents and teachers of English Language Learners. “Teachers who work with English as a Second Language learners will find ESL/ESOL/ELL/EFL reading/writing skill-building children’s books, stories, activities, ideas, strategies to help PreK-3, 4-8, and 9-12 students learn to read.”  Includes loads of articles, a glossary, and age-appropriate book lists.

Technology

If you are struggling to figure out how technology is relevant in the education of children, the following resource may help you in your quest

Early Connections: Technology in Early Childhood Education – Sets out to determine the role of technology in early childhood education; their primary focus is on how and when technology best fits into the learning of young children.  Browsable by age group.

Technology & Young Children – Includes guides on using technology in the classroom, and at home, guides for software selection and resources for online activities for children.

National Association on the Education of Young Children – “The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8.”

Resources for Questions about Words and Writing

If you are writing a paper and need to brush up on your citation basics; if you are writing a poem and need a rhyming word or a synonym; if you are reading shakespeare and things aren’t quite making sense  — these resources are for you.

The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University

Rich in a variety of writing resources for writers at all levels, the OWL at Purdue is sort of one-stop shopping for answers to your writing questions.  They offer more than 200 free resources on topics such as “Writing and Teaching Writing, Research, Grammar and Mechanics, Style Guides, ESL (English as a Second Language), Job Search and Professional Writing”.  Here is a list of some of their most popular resources:

Purdue OWL Writing Exercises – including exercises on grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentence style and sentence structure — everyone can benefit from a little brush up on their grammar skills!

APA Formatting and Style Guide – if you are a high school or college student writing a paper in a social science course (including psychology, history, anthropology, education, geography, law, sociology, etc etc), you will need to become familiar with the American Psychology Association’s citation guidelines, and this is a great place to do it!

MLA Formatting and Style Guide – if you are a high school or college student writing a paper in a humanities or liberal arts course (including philosophy, literature and religion), you will need to become familiar with the Modern Language Association’s citation guidelines, and this is a great place to do it!

Workplace Writing – look here for tutorials on writing resumes, cover letters, personal statements (for academic applications), and email etiquette, as well as tips on writing curriculum vitae.

English for Speakers of Other Languages – whether you are teaching English to foreign language speakers, or are a foreign language speaker yourself, this is a great resource for you!  It includes guides on the grammar and mechanics of English, provides sample practice exercises, and guides for writing to different, international business communities.

Guides for Parents – if you are a parent, chances are your child is turning to you for advice on how to write book reports, research papers and poetry, and chance are you haven’t done any of these things for quite a while.  Don’t worry, though — OWL is here for you, too.  They have gone ahead and created a list of resources specifically designed to target your problem areas.  So take a deep breath, dig in, and prepare for the well-earned onslaught of “World’s Greatest Mom” and “World’s Greatest Dad” mugs, hats and t-shirts.

 

Dictionaries and Thesauri

On the internet, dictionaries are basically a dime a dozen, but here are a few of our favorites:

Rhyming Dictionary – if you are a poet and you know it, and are in search of the perfect word to rhyme with polyglot, this website is for you!  With a dictionary of over 93,000 words and six options for rhyme types — you will never find yourself at a loss for the perfect word again.

Dictionary of American Regional English – is one of the pictures hanging on your wall slightly anitgodlin?  Was the meal you had last night larruping-good? If you’re not sure, you might want to check out the Dictionary of American Regional English for a hint.  Though not terribly extensive as an online resource, offering only 100 regional sample words, volumes one, three and four are available for in-library use at the Martin Library Reference Desk.

Online Etymology Dictionary – have you ever wondered where words come from?  Etymology is the study of the history of words, and it might be the right resource for you.  Browsable by first letter as well as being searchable, this website will help you to embrace your inner word-nerd.

Plain Old Dictionary – sometimes you just cannot remember what a word means.  Go ahead and look it up.  No one’s watching.

Plain Old Thesaurus – if you are looking for a synonym or antonym, for whatever reason, turn to this trusty resource.

Dictionary of Quotations – an apt quotation is sometimes the best opener for an essay or paper; cut right to the heart of the matter with this database, searchable by author, subject or keyword.

Job Hunting Resources

Are you unemployed, thinking about changing careers, looking to move on from your current job, or just curious about what’s out there?  These resources may be of help to you.

Resume Builder – first things first – have you updated your resume recently?  This site provides examples of resumes, as well as templates and tips for creating your resume.

Job Hunt – an in-depth, searchable database that also provides links to networking resources, information on safe job hunting and searches by profession.

Indeed – this simple and searchable job database compiles job listings from a large number of job sites; also provides information on average salaries for your career (or proposed career) as well as the posting trends and competition for your job.

Pennsylvania Jobs – a database of job listings across Pennsylvania; searchable by job category and region.  Also provides information about job fairs and “hot jobs”.

Commonwealth Workforce Development System – “CWDS links businesses and individuals to Pennsylvania’s workforce development and independent living services offered through these agencies”; searchable by job listing and location.

Career Builder – a well-known name in job hunting, this site provides extensive job listings, a forum in which to post your resume, and some job searching tutorials.

Monster – another big name in job hunting, monster provides a variety of resources, such as social networking, snapshots of job profiles, and advice about interviewing, resume building and writing cover letters.

Craigslist – job listings direct from employers; separates listings by day they were posted.

Government Jobs – are you a veteran, student, current government employ, or just someone looking for the security a job in the government would offer?  If so, this is the site for you!

Government Documents

If you are looking for information that is in the holdings of the government, including information about labor statistics, national parks or recent supreme court cases — you are in luck!  A lot of government documents are available to the public.  While traditionally most government documents have been published by the Government Publishing Office (or GPO) and held in repositories such as public and special libraries, much of this information is now being published online, and is available through the following links*:

Handy Government Publications

Government Science Portal – science.gov is a searchable collection of “over 40 databases and 1,950 selected websites, offering 200 million pages of authoritative U.S. government science information, including research and development results”; also browsable by topic

Disability Information – a wide variety of information that pertains to the differently-abled community, including information about how to obtain benefits, employment, education and disabled rights.

Senior Citizens Resources – a variety of resources for senior citizens, including information on housing, health and end-of-life issues.

Federal Recreation Information – searchable by activity, state, and range of dates.  Also provides up-to-date pest alert information.

Historical Statistics of the United States – brought to you by the Cambridge University Press, includes historical statistics on many aspects of American life from colonial times to the present.

For Kids – an educational tool to teach kids about the government, divided into two different grade levels, with a separate section of resources for educators.

Guides to the U.S. Government

Core Documents of U.S. Democracy – including the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Emancipation Proclamation, Congressional records, Supreme Court decisions and much, much more!

Google Uncle Sam – hosted through Google, Google Uncle Sam allows you to conduct subject searches for information from the federal as well as state legislation.

U.S. Government Publications

Legislative Branch Publications

GPO Access – information about Congressional actions

Congressional Record – information about what is happening in the house and senate

Thomas – named for Thomas Jefferson, this handy tool will help you to follow the progress of bills, their statuses, schedules and reports, debates about them in the Senate and House of Representatives, the roll call votes, and the text of the laws once they have passed.

Executive Branch Publications

Presidential Library System – includes information regarding the relationship of the presidency to the other branches of government.

Federal Register – an important resource for current events, the Federal Register provides information about presidential publications such as executive orders and proclamations, rules and agency notices.  Additionally, if you are looking for information about government-funded programs, this website might be the place for you.

• Department of Education

Department of Education – providing information regarding the most recent education policies, financial aid information education publications and grants

Educational Resources Information Center – ERIC is a database of educational literature, educational research and provides information on improving practices in learning, teaching, and research.

Gateway to Educational Materials – information about lesson plans, curriculum units and additional educational resources

National Center for Education Statistics – provides access to nationwide statistics on education

• Department of Labor

Department of Labor – provides access to information about disability, wages, and unemployment insurance.

Occupational Safety and Health Standards – provides information about the regulation of health standards in the workplace.

Bureau of Labor Statistics – including information about the Consumer Price Index.

• Department of Interior

Department of Interior – if you are looking for information on fish and wildlife, including endangered species and wildlife refuges, maps from the U.S. Geological Survey, or National Parks, this website is your key to enlightenment.

• Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Health and Human Services – information on diseases and wellness, aging, drugs and food.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – information on travelers’ health, immunizations and vaccination, and injury prevention

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – information about Medicare, regulations and guidelines and children’s health insurance programs

Food and Drug Administration – information regarding drug recalls and safety alerts, medical devices, cosmetics and much more!

National Institutes of Health – the National Institute of Health is the national leader in conduction medical research; they also publish MEDLINEplus – an important source for consumer health information

• Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce – includes links to and information about the Bureau of the Census, Bureau of Economic Analysis, the International Trade Organization – which provides information about U.S. trade industry, policies and outlook, and the Minority Business Development Agency.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – information about weather and climate, including weather advisories, such as hurricane and tornado alerts.

• Department of State

Department of State – with information regarding U.S. embassies and consulates, travel and international issues, including information about countries – the land, people, history, government, economy, communications, transportation, and military

• Library of Congress

Library of Congress – the Library of Congress provides resources to Congress and the American people by preserving its collection of knowledge for future generations — it houses the Copyright Office, where you can search copyright records, or find out how to register a copyright.  Check out the American Memory Project for text and images about multitudinous aspects of American history, including Women’s history, African American history, immigration, culture and folk life.

Judicial Branch Publications

Supreme Court – information about the history of the supreme court, biographies of its members, and the Opinions of the Supreme Court.

Find Law – a free, searchable database for Supreme Court decisions since 1985.

Statistical Resources

Statistical Abstract of the United States – a compilation of statistics from every United States government agency, including information about population, health, education, labor, law enforcement and housing.

FED-Stats – a searchable interagency database of statistics, listed by topic, agency, state or city, with links to agency databases for further information about statistics.

Bureau of the Census – information on population, housing, economic and geographic data.

Bureau of Economic Analysis – statistical information on topics such as the gross domestic product, balance of payments, international trade and personal income.

Bureau of Labor Statistics – like the title says: labor statistics, information on the consumer price index, import/export indexes, wage statistics, demographics about the work force, and career information; information is organizable by state.

National Center for Health Statistics – health statistics on a variety of health issues

Directories

U.S. Government Manual – a useful resource for information about government departments and agencies, including chief officials, addresses, phone numbers and a summary of the areas of responsibility.

Congressional Directory – directory of congressional staff members

* For a more comprehensive list of publications and information about them, see Reference and Information Services in the 21st Century, published by Neal-Schuman 2006.  Authors Kay Ann Cassell and Uma Hiremath