UDLib/SEARCH
A state-funded collaboration between the Delaware Department of Education and the University of Delaware Library providing online magazines, journals, encyclopedias and training for all Delaware K-12 public schools
A state-funded collaboration between the Delaware Department of Education and the University of Delaware Library providing online magazines, journals, encyclopedias and training for all Delaware K-12 public schools
For the younger grades, it is often easier to direct students directly to content or guide them through "point and click" steps than having students search for articles. Please be aware that spelling matters in these databases, and misspelled words will end in zero results.
For example, PebbleGo Social Studies has a section dedicated to "Being a Good Citizen" that discusses topics like activism, protests, and more. You can direct your students to the homepage of PebbleGo Social Studies and have them click on the appropriate icon. For students who might not be able to fully read and comprehend, PebbleGo and PebbleGo Next always default to reading the screen based on where the user's mouse hovers. To turn off these hover sounds, you can go to the top right of the screen under "Capstone" and click on the sound icon to turn it off or back on.
At this age, many teachers will supply students with articles instead of having students find the information they need. PebbleGo does not operate like a traditional database, meaning that there is not an exhaustive array of articles. It might be easier for you to individually explore sections rather than search directly for topics. For example, in PebbleGo Social Studies, there is not an article available about the Civil War, but you can find articles on the Civil Rights and Racial Segregation under "The United States," then click on "U.S. History".
For some of the slightly older students, Gale In Context: Elementary might be a great place to start. One of the best ways to discover information about the culture and history of Black and African people before slavery in America is to use the recommended databases on the Elementary School Resources tab. Sample results for "Africa" and "African" include:
Here is an example of this search using Gale In Context: Elementary database:
Although these results are relevant, you should not stop there! Once you are within an article, you can scroll down below the main article to find Book Chapters, Magazines, News, and Biographies to support your research. You don't have to depend only on the autofill options for your searches. Play around with different keyword combinations, click enter, and explore the resources the database returns. Younger students may benefit from the autofill options when they may not have the vocabulary needed to do more complicated searches.
Not all elementary school databases are created for the same level of student. Some databases are geared more toward K-2nd grade and some are intended for 3rd-5th grade students who read at a higher reading level. While Gale in Context: Elementary is mostly gears toward K-2nd graders, this database can be used for older students who have a lower reading level. Similar keywords can be used in the databases indicated for 3rd-5th graders to retrieve results in a higher reading level:
For example, PebbleGo Next has an article discussing African Kingdoms and Empires:
Britannica School: Middle, a database that is also appropriate for middle school students, can also be used for 3rd-5th grade students who read at a higher level. By searching for words such as "African Music", students will discover articles that will inform them about traditional African music culture:
The Reading Level option at the top left of the screen will allow you to lower or raise the reading level to best meet the needs of the student. Britannica School: Elementary will take you to the Middle-level article, and Britannica School: Middle will continue to keep you within the Middle-level module.
The Britannica, Gale In Context, and SIRS databases often provide different reading level options, so that students can access the content at a level that is most comfortable and appropriate for them.
For example, in the screenshot below, you can see that Britannica Elementary has two different reading levels that students can switch between at the top right of the article. If a student were to click on "Reading Level - 2," they would be directed to the Middle School version of the database.
PebbleGo databases do not always have overlapping content, but many similar topics will be searchable in both PebbleGo and PebbleGo next so that students can find content at their reading level. Remember: students are free to use whichever database, regardless of the level.
Are you interested in finding out exactly what Lexile level databases are using? Visit the guide, "Content Based on Reading Level" for more information.