Title of website or software: Scholastic Publisher/Website address: http://www.scholastic.com/home/ Target audience: This website has a large target area.

It has sections for teachers, students, and parents. Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): The website includes games for all ages, reading tips and recommendations, and lesson plans. Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): The website is designed more for language arts teachers and has a range of lesson plans. It has book recommendations and reading tips. The games are interactive and geared towards some curriculum. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This website can be used in the classroom individually or at home. Extra supplements: The website has printouts, lesson plans, videos, and a huge selection of books that can be ordered. Description of website: When the website is opened there are three tabs at the top of the page. One for parents, one for teachers, and one for students. Under the teacher tab there are plenty of reading resources as well as lesson plans. Under the parents tab there are blogs, videos, activities and printables. Under the students section there are games, videos, message boards, and reading tips and recommendations. Opinion of Website: The website is visually appealing and is evenly spaced. It has a wide selection of games and printouts for reading and language arts. It has reading recommendations and videos for students of all ages and message boards available. The teacher section has a wide variety of resources including lesson plans, information on book fairs, videos, and printable activities. This website is valuable more for teachers than for parents or students. I did not find many games that would keep a student's attention for long. The parents section had some useful information but I felt that I had to dig to find some useful information. Pass or fail: Pass

Title of website or software: Fact Monster Publisher/Website address: http://www.factmonster.com/ Target audience: This website does not specifically list an age group that the website is targeted towards. It seems to be more fitting for the middle school to high school ages. Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): This website is full of information (encyclopedia, almanac), games, and quizzes. Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): This website can fit into curriculum in many ways. It has information for almost every subject and it is on a level that the students can easily understand and follow. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This website can be used in the classroom to access the information or at home to play the games. Extra supplements: The website has a homework center designed to help students with all of the major subjects including, grammar and writing skills, as well as geography. Description of website: The website is designed for students to research and gain knowledge on a wide range of subjects. It also give them tips and helps them with specific areas they may have issues with. It has games for every subject and it also has quizzes in many of the subjects. Opinion of Website: I would highly recommend this website for the classroom. It has a large amount of information that a teacher can use for lesson plans in the classroom. The range of topics and information is remarkable. The website is extremely easy to navigate and is visually appealing. The games are interesting and held my attention. The quizzes give appropriate responses with correct/incorrect answers and some of them offer links for further information regarding that question. I found this website to be very valuable. Pass or fail: Pass

Title of website or software: Virtual Middle School Library Publisher/Website address: http://sldirectory.com/studf/language.html#top Target audience: This website is designed to help students from grades K-12. Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): Critical thinking, games, practice in several subjects. Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): This website offers an abundance of information on many subjects. It has information for Arts and Music, Biographies, Language Arts, Science, Mathematics, Tips on writing reports and Social Studies. There are many ways that the information available can fit into curriculum. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: The website seems to be better suited for the classroom. Extra supplements: None found Description of website: The website design is lacking in visual appearance and seems pretty bland. Once you dig into the site it offers an plenty of information on several subjects. Some links will direct you to other websites and some links will take you further within Virtual Middle School Library. It has a huge section on biographies and section for games and other fun sites. Opinion of Website: I found some of the information found on this website useful but I didn't necessarily like the amount of steps it took to find some of it. I did not think that the website was visually pleasing and it seemed to have a lot of blank space. I did like the amount of people with biographies that the site listed, but I did not like the amount of times that it took you to different sites. Also, I was unimpressed with the amount of pop up ads that showed up during my time on the site. Pass or fail: Fail

Title of website or software: Prongo Publisher/Website address: http://www.prongo.com/ Target audience: This website is geared towards children ages 3-12. Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): The website has games, children jokes, and brain teasers. Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): This website can fit into a computer time option during school hours but I would not use it for a specific subject. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This website would be okay to use during computer time at school or at home. Extra supplements: This website does not have any extra supplements available. Description of website: This website is small and does not have a large variety of activities. It does have a section for children appropriate jokes, game directed to ages 3-12, and brain teasers. It is easy to navigate. It has a parent section but does not have any activities or print out. It does speak to parents about talking to their children about the dangers of putting their private information on the internet. The games are easy to play with clear instructions. They give appropriate responses with correct/incorrect answers. Opinion of Website: Overall, I was not impressed with this website. It had a couple games that were decent and fun to play but I did not find it valuable to associate with my classroom or to recommend it to parents. There was not enough educational resources available to considerate this website helpful. Pass or fail: Fail

Title of website or software: Kid Numbers Publisher/Website address: http://www.kidsnumbers.com/ Target audience: This website is designed for students grades 1-8. Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): The website is set up for skill building for the students. Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): This website would be helpful to guide a student if they were having trouble and might need practice with a specific type of math problem. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This website can help with tutoring students in the classroom environment. Also, if the parents want to help students become stronger with a particular skill, they can use this site at home. Extra supplements: None found Description of website: The website starts off at kidsnumbers.com and when you select a specific grade it takes you to www.ixl.com, where you will find the list of grades to choose from. Once you choose a grade, it will offer a list of skills that are broke down further into categories. Once a category is chosen sample problems will appear. If the answer was incorrect, the site gives the correct answer and also offers an explanation to find the correct answer. Opinion of Website: I found that this website would be useful if a student were having issues with a specific type of math problem. There aren't any games available and not too much to keep a student's attention. This website is helpful, but I would probably only recommend this site if a student was significantly falling behind in the class. Pass or fail: Pass

Lesson Plan Idea Format 10 Points Grade Level & Subject Area _7th grade Social Studies_________ Common Core Framework: (_____/2 points) RH. 6-8.2 determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinion. Objective (What are the students going to accomplish): (_____/1 point) The students will use the internet to research information and create a power point about the information. Materials: (_____/1 point) The student will need to use a computer, Microsoft Power Point, and the factmonster.com website. Procedure: (_____/5 points) Access factmoster.com on the schools computer, click on United States section, click on Profiles of Each State underneath The Fifty States section. Choose a state to do the project over (must be approved by me) and select the state, read over the information listed and choose enough information to create a 5 slide power point regarding the state. Create a power point containing the information about the state. Assessment (How will the students show you that the objective has been met): (_____/1 point) The student will give a presentation to the class about their chosen state. Total: _____/10 points

Lesson Plan Idea Format 10 Points Grade Level & Subject Area _7th grade Social Studies_________ Common Core Framework: (_____/2 points) RH. 6-8.2 determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinion. Objective (What are the students going to accomplish): (_____/1 point) The students will use the internet to research information and create a power point about the information. Materials: (_____/1 point) The student will need to use a computer, Microsoft Power Point, and the factmonster.com website. Procedure: (_____/5 points) Access factmoster.com on the schools computer, click on United States section, click on Profiles of Each State underneath The Fifty States section. Choose a state to do the project over (must be approved by me) and select the state, read over the information listed and choose enough information to create a 5 slide power point regarding the state. Create a power point containing the information about the state. Assessment (How will the students show you that the objective has been met): (_____/1 point) The student will give a presentation to the class about their chosen state. Total: _____/10 points

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: ____Annenberg Learner______http://learner.org/______________

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Yes

No

Notes

X
X Tried wrong answers. Clicking randomly.

x x X

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software Did you get lost? Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? Did you like the content?

The site informs you when you have an incorrect answer and gives hints for the correct answer. The site would give praise and encouragement for correct answers. Once one level was completed, you could advance to the next.

x x

Visually appealing to the appropriate age group 7 th and 8th grade. Graphics would appealing and worked properly. Evenly spaced.

x x

Easy to navigate

x x

Some games need clearer directions. Content is clearly related to the curriculum and also has a large variety of subjects and grade levels.

Where there bells and whistles? If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) x

Directions were vague in one area but could be useful in the classroom. Also has lessons plans available.

Additional Comments (can use back if you need to)

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: Annenberg Learner

Version (if applicable):

Publisher/Website address: http://learner.org/

Target audience: This website is good for teachers and students of all grades.

Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): This websites had lesson plans, drill games, foreign language, interactive activities, and other outside sources that can be accessed.

Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): It can be used for teachers of all subjects to help with lesson plans. This website can be used at home, in the classroom as a group, in the classroom individually, or anywhere the teacher or student has access to it.

Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This website can be used at home, school, or anywhere the teacher or student has access to it.

Extra supplements: This website has movies, print outs, print out activities, and many other resources.

Description of website: This website is very professional and geared towards older children, parents, or teachers.

Opinion of Website: This website is easy to navigate, though it can be vague. Some of the directions could have been a little clearer. The content is clearly related to the curriculum. It has a large variety of subjects and grade levels.

Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: __arcademics.com Free Version 2013__________________________

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Yes

No

Notes Work with the program until you know every aspect. Be able to distinguish between bells and whistles and actual content. What did you try? During games I tried to push wrong buttons and escape or backspace. None of those actions made the software glitch.

x
x x The software notified me if I gave a wrong answer.

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software

x x

At this point, you do need to analyze it. Just look at it overall. It is confusing upon first glance of the home screen because it appears as though you may have to pay. After you scroll down you see the free version, which is great. Overall The software seems great for kids of any age.

Did you get lost? x Could you always get where you wanted to

go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software?

x Did you like the content? x Content is clearly related to the curriculum

Where there bells and whistles? x If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) Additional Comments (can use back if you need to) x

This website is great and very similar to hoodamath. Many of the games are the same. We like this site because you can choose the target grade level of the games that are offered.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: Arcademics

Version (if applicable): Free Version 2013

Publisher/Website address: http://www.arcademicsskillbuilders.com/

Target audience: Grades K-6

Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): It offers grade specific games.

Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): They offer mathematics and language arts curriculum.

Possible environment(s) to use software or website: Class computer time would be a good time to use this. Parents can also use it to keep track of their childrens progress. Extra supplements: Teachers can use it to monitor students scores.

Description of website: This website is full of games for students in grades K-6. The only thing is you need to scroll down where you can click on free version. This is a version that can be paid for, but it is not necessary to use the website.

Opinion of Website: This website is great and it is nice that a teacher can use it to monitor their students progress. It is also great because you can choose the target grade level that is needed.

Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: __Fun Brain 20002013_____________________________________

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash?

Yes

No

Notes Work with the program until you know every aspect. Be able to distinguish between bells and whistles and actual content. What did you try? Pushing random buttons. The only button that would cause any reaction was the backspace button. The only thing that would happen when that button was pushed is that it would return to the previous page.

Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software

x x At this point, you do need to analyze it. Just look at it overall. There was a lot going on and links seemed to be all over the place. The homework help section isnt found unless you scroll all the way to the bottom in fine print. Overall

Did you get lost? x Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? x Did you like the content? x Where there bells and whistles? x If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) Additional Comments (can use back if you need to) x

I only got lost a little, until I became more used to the software.

Overall it was a great website. Some of the games were a little dull and not educational. Content is clearly related to the curriculum Content is related to the curriculum (Math, Reading, Spelling, and Grammar), except for the playground area. It is just busy games.

Some of the bells and whistles were distracting and caused a bit of confusion. If the site were a little less flashy, I believe it would make it easier to navigate.

I like the software because it is beneficial to grades k-8. It also has homework help for anyone needing it. It really is a great site. The only bad thing is some of the games are a bit drab and not very educational. Everything else seemed great.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: Fun Brain

Version (if applicable):

Publisher/Website address: http://www.funbrain.com/

Target audience: Grades K-8

Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): There are games for reading, critical thinking, and math. There are also books to read.

Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): This can be used to teach math, reading, spelling, and grammar.

Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This project can be used for individual computer time at home or in the classroom, projects, or assignments. Extra supplements: There are online books for reading. It also has a Parents Page where the parents can find subject specific games to set up for their children. It also has resources and printable activities and a Teachers Page that shows how to incorporate them into the curriculum.

Description of website: The website was kid-friendly, visually pleasing, and easy to navigate. It has games for ages K-8 and books/comics for older children. The website was separated into nice categories.

Opinion of Website: This was a very fun and educational site that was easy to navigate.

Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: _kidsknowit.com________________________________________

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Yes

No

Notes Work with the program until you know every aspect. Be able to distinguish between bells and whistles and actual content. What did you try? I tried to hit random buttons on the keyboard as I was playing the game to see if it would mess anything up or make the page crash. Nothing happened.

x
x x

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software

x x

At this point, you do need to analyze it. Just look at it overall.

Overall There are many options such as worksheets. Games, videos, and additional websites offered for all subject areas.

Did you get lost? x Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? x Did you like the content? x Where there bells and whistles? x If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Some of the content was too distracting. A few of the games were too busy and made it hard to concentrate on the task. Plus, some of the graphics in the games seem outdated. Content is clearly related to the curriculum x

Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) Additional Comments (can use back if you need to)

I would use the website for all the educational amenities except for the games.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: Kids Know It

Version (if applicable):

Publisher/Website address: http://kidsknowit.com/

Target audience: Grades K-8

Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): There are games, movies, music, and posters pertaining to all subject areas. Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): There are all subjects covered that can be easily used in school based curriculum. For example: There are movies about Lewis and Clark that can be used in History class.

Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This website could be used in the classroom as a group to show some of the educational movies, individual time on classroom computer, or at home for independent practice.

Extra supplements: It has songs to help the students learn subjects and also has many historical quotes.

Description of website: This site is very colorful and bright. It looks more appealing to younger users than to older users.

Opinion of Website: The overall look of the website is all over the place. It is bright and colorful, but all the bells and whistles are too distracting. The graphics in the games seem outdated and too busy. We agree that the website would be greatly beneficial for all the other resources other than the games.

Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: Kidsites.com 19972013___________________________________

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Yes

No

Notes Work with the program until you know every aspect. Be able to distinguish between bells and whistles and actual content. What did you try? Backspacing, entering numbers, clicking on multiple links at once. The only thing that makes anything happen is backspacing. It sends the player back to the previous page.

x x

There are no responses

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it?

The only type of response is being sent to the outside website that you choose through this website. x

At this point, you do need to analyze it. Just look at it overall.

x When you were navigating through the software Overall There really isnt much to navigate through

Did you get lost?

x Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? x Did you like the content? x Where there bells and whistles? x If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) Additional Comments (can use back if you need to) x

Content is clearly related to the curriculum .Some of the links located in this website are very educational. That is the only content this website has; outside sources.

The website has an area specific to girls. Although, it states that some boys may enjoy playing the game too. There is not any area stated to be specific to boys.

I would use it as a resource to find websites that would be beneficial to my students or me.

There isnt anything to this website other than links to other websites. That could be beneficial, but does not leave me with a reason to use it in my classroom. I would only use this site as a source to find other websites.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: Kid Sites

Version (if applicable):

Publisher/Website address: kidsites.com

Target audience: It relates closely to middle school or higher.

Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): There are many different links under each subject area. This specific site does not really offer anything.

Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): It fits all curriculum, depending on which website that is chosen from it.

Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This website could be used at home for parents to find resources to help children. This website could also be used for teachers to find projects or websites to use for the classroom. The student may also enjoy the website to play on and conduct research.

Extra supplements: There are links to many websites for students, parents, and teachers.

Description of website: This is a website that contains links to other websites based on the subject you are interested in viewing and exploring.

Opinion of Website: None of our members were too impressed by this website. It is informational, but there is really nothing to it. All the good stuff is not actually on this websites. Links have to be clicked to navigate to a new website. It is also prejudice towards boys. It has a girls section, but not a boy section.

Pass or fail: Fail

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: ___Ilike2learn.com______________________________________

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Yes No Notes

 Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

I clicked randomly. I tried to click on two or more things at once. It did not crash or freeze up.

x x For the map quizzes, if I got a wrong answer it would light up red to let me know and after the 2nd try it would give the answer. After that it would randomly repeat the questions I got wrong so that I could learn them. Yes it would light up green if they were right. And navigating this site was very easy to do.

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software

x x

As far as just looking at it, the site was dull and needs to look more appealing for students. It looks boring and it is very basic looking.

Overall it is a very basic program that is easy to use.

Did you get lost? Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? Did you like the content? X

X X The quizzes are a great way for students to study and learn geography. x

Where there bells and whistles? If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) X

There is nothing I saw that would be considered prejudice.

I think it would be great to have students use it to learn and practice for quizzes on geography.

Additional Comments (can use back if you need to)

The only place for this site would be in a geography setting.

Pass
Title of website or software: I like 2 learn Version (if applicable): Publisher/Website address: http://www.ilike2learn.com Target audience: 4th to 8th grade

Did Not Pass

Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): It only has world geography quizzes on this site. Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): The way I could see this fitting into a curriculum is for students to take the quizzes if they had a geography test they needed to study for. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: In a Geography class, students may be tested on their knowledge of knowing where the counties are located on the map. These map quizzes would be great to help students study and learn the location of counties in an area. Extra supplements: The site has quizzes on different mountain ranges and quizzes over the rivers and other bodies of water of the world. Description of website: Very pain. There is not much color to this website and while it is very easy to navigate, it needs more to make it more appealing to students. Opinion of Website: Although this website looks a little dull, I think it would be great practice for students to use in order to learn the locations for countries and bodies of water. The only down side to this website is that it would only be useful in a geography type lesson or class. Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: ___www.digitalhistory.uh.edu___________________

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Yes

No

Notes

X
X I clicked randomly. I tried to click on two or more things at once. It did not freeze on me. I did get an error one the page while trying to view the Do History tab

x X X Yes it would light up green if they were right. And navigating this site was very easy to do.

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software

X x

The look of the site is appealing and is more for an older age group and looks professional.

It has tabs that give direction and one can easily find what they are looking for.

Did you get lost? Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? Did you like the content? X

X X

Very up-to-date Yes. It has so much that can be used in a classroom that would be appropriate to use x

Where there bells and whistles? If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it

It does not have bells and whistles for games but it has music that one can listen to.

X x

They were appropriate and did not get in the way.

There is nothing I saw that would be considered prejudice. It does however have a discussion on slavery and womens suffrage and cultural groups but not in a negative way. I do plan to use it in a classroom setting.

more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) Additional Comments (can use back if you need to) I was impressed and I found it very entertaining and interesting.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: Digital History Version (if applicable): Publisher/Website address: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu Target audience: 4th to 8th grade Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): It has great information on many topics, from the first Americans to the 21st century. It has textbook information, documents, films, music, pictures, essay questions, virtual exhibitions and lessons for teachers. Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): I can easily see myself using this site for my history class. Because it has such a while range of information and actives for both students and teachers, it could be a very useful tool in teaching curriculum. Activities such as the videos and virtual exhibitions for almost any time period would be great to use for a lesson and the textbooks and quizzes could be used in the classroom as well. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: In a History class for example, I would use this site to show videos and documentaries on the civil war. The site has textbook information I could use and quizzes over the civil war that I could use. Extra supplements: This site has links to other sites that could be used that have great information on different topics. It also has lesson plans for teachers. Description of website: The site looks professional. I like the overlook of it. I like that it does not have an overflow of colors or look like it is made for younger children but it does not look boring. Opinion of Website: I am very impressed with this website. I like that it has so many areas to view. Although it does not have games, I feel that it doesnt need them and that it will be more appropriate for an older age group and a better site to use for a classroom setting. Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: ___www.sheppardsoftware.com

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Yes

No

Notes

x
X I clicked randomly. Worked properly

x x x Quizzes would let me know if I got the wrong answer Yes, the quizzes would tell me if I was right, the games may make sounds to indicate I did something right, and I could easily get to where I wanted to go.

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software

x x

The look of the site is for a younger group but looks appealing, up-to-date, and any group could use the site.

It has tabs that give direction and one can easily find what they are looking for.

Did you get lost? Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? Did you like the content? X

X X

The site is easy to use and navigate, and did not lag. Yes. It has games that can help students learn terms and content that could be taught in the class. It does have bells and whistles for the games.

Where there bells and whistles? If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting)

x x

They were appropriate and did not get in the way. They let me know if I got a question wrong or right.

There is nothing I saw that would be considered prejudice.

I dont think I could use it in a classroom lesson, but it could be used for practice and students to play with.

Additional Comments (can use back if you need to)

I found it educational. It can be used for any age group and it has many subjects to choose from.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: Sheppard Software Version (if applicable): Publisher/Website address: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com Target audience: Pre K to 8th grade Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): It has games tutorials and quizzes. Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): The way I could see this fitting into a curriculum is for students to play games to learn U.S government terms and names. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: While learning the states, student could use the tutorial on the states that show where they are, what region they are, and state information. There is also a game of the US capitals. Students could use this for studying and it gives their scores when they are finished. Extra supplements: The site has quizzes, puzzles, maps, and pictures. Description of website: This site is kid friendly, is not plain, and is neatly organized. Opinion of Website: Although this website could be used for a younger group, it could still be useful in using it for students to study or for practicing terms. I could use it for ideas and it would be great for students to study with, but I do not think I could use it in a class lesson. Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: ___The Smithsonian www.si.edu/museums

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Yes

No

Notes

x
X I clicked randomly. Worked properly

x x x Yes, the quizzes would tell me if I was right and I could get to where I wanted to go easily.

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing?

The site has a great look that is both professional and up-todate. The only thing I did not like was that on one page, it has a lot of blank space and I dont think it is supposed to.

Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software Did you get lost? Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? Did you like the content? Where there bells and whistles? If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) x x X

It has tabs that give direction. Because there is so much on this site, one could get lost or not find what they are looking for.

X X x

The site did not lag and has a lot to look at. Yes. It has a few games, lots of information, and lesson plans. It does have bells and whistles for the games.

They were appropriate and did not get in the way. They let me know if I got a question wrong or right.

There is nothing I saw that would be considered prejudice.

I could use it in the classroom and the lesson plans could also help me understand how to use this site better for the classroom.

Additional Comments (can use back if you need to)

I found it educational. It can be used for any age group and it has many subjects to choose from.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: The Smithsonian Version (if applicable): Publisher/Website address: http://www.si.edu Target audience: 4th to 8th grade Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): It has great information on many topics, it has games, but is mostly for information and exploring. Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): It has topics on history, cultures, and places that could be used in a History or a Geography class. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: I can see myself using this by looking at the lesson plans and if they line up with the curriculum, then I could possibly use them in the classroom. Students could also explore different topics and could use this site for projects. Extra supplements: This site has links to other sites that could be used that have great information on different topics. It also has lesson plans for teachers. Description of website: The site looks professional and kid friendly. The only problem is that some pages have a lot of blank spaces is if it were a glitch. Opinion of Website: I could use this site for the classroom. Possibly for students to gain information for a project or a lesson, but as far as games I would not recommend. They were hard to find and because there is a lot of information on this site, it was difficult to navigate. Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: ___National Geographic www.nationalgeographic.com

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Yes

No

Notes

x
X I clicked randomly. Worked properly

x x x Yes, the quizzes would tell me if I was right and I could get to where I wanted to go easily.

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software Did you get lost?

x x

The site has a great look that is both professional and up-todate. No pages with blank spaces and it was student friendly It is student appropriate.

It has tabs that give direction. x x

Because there is so much on this site, I could see some students getting lost or not find what they are looking for, bu while I was on this site, I did not get lost.

Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? Did you like the content? Where there bells and whistles? If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting)

X X x

The site did not lag and has a lot to look at. Yes. It has games, lots of information, great pictures of places and people, and videos. It does have bells and whistles for the games.

x x

They were appropriate and did not get in the way. They let me know if I got a question wrong or right.

There is nothing I saw that would be considered prejudice.

I could use the videos and the pictures for lessons and students could use this site for more information on subjects.

Additional Comments (can use back if you need to)

I found it educational. It can be used for any age group and it has many subjects to choose from. Has pictures that would be great to use in the classroom and videos if they when with the curriculum.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: National Geographic Version (if applicable): Publisher/Website address: http://www.nationalgeographic.com Target audience: 4th to 12th grade Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): It has great information on many topics, and has games videos, and pictures. Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): It has topics on geography. It could fit into a lesson by using the pictures and games. Also the magazines could be a great use for students. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: I can see myself using this by using the videos to go with the lesson and students could use this for information. Extra supplements: This site has pictures of places that could be used for exploring. The magazines would be great for students to view and use for references . Description of website: The site looks professional and kid friendly. The only problem is that after a while of viewing the site you need to create an account or sign in. Opinion of Website: I could use this site for the classroom, possibly for students to gain information for a project or a lesson. The videos I would like to use as well as the pictures. The only problem I have with this site is the creating an account. This could be a problem for students. Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: __Hoodamath.com _(Word)__________________________________

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Yes

No

x
x

Notes Work with the program until you know every aspect. Be able to distinguish between bells and whistles and actual content. What did you try? I typed or input wrong answers to some of the questions on the games. The software recognized it immediately. Also, I tried to confuse the software by clicking on multiple things at once. The only thing it did was open new windows that could easily be closed.

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it?

x
At this point, you do need to analyze it. Just look at it overall.

x When you were navigating through the software Overall Navigation is very simple.

Did you get lost? x Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? x Did you like the content? x Content is clearly related to the curriculum The content was very much related to the area of curriculum that was chosen. x This software was a lot of fun to play with

Where there bells and whistles? x If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it

There were many exciting aspects of all the games.

I enjoyed them and they were very appropriate. x

None of the content seemed to be at all prejudice. x

more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) Additional Comments (can use back if you need to)

This software was very fun, appropriate, and educational. It has games for all subject areas. I will definitely use this in my class. The only downside is it is called Hoodamath. There are more than just math games.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: Hoodamath Word

Version (if applicable): N/A Publisher/Website address: http://www.hoodamath.com/games/word.html

Target audience: This website is appropriate for children of all ages, especially children from Kindergarten through middle school Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): This is an educational gaming website Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): Although this report is about hoodmath word, there are all other curriculum games offered on the website. Each subject has its own tab at the top of the browser page. This website can be used for all curriculum and all games are appropriate and fitting. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This website can be used at home to help students study, for parents to play and freshen up on skills to help their children, and in the class setting for individual computer time. I can also see this website being used in computer class for students to occupy time. Extra supplements: The website offers blogs and tutorials. Description of website: When entering hoodamath.com, you are automatically brought to the home screen that is filled with games. The top of the page has all the different subject areas. To navigate and play games for different subjects all you have to do is click one of the tabs and you are brought there automatically. When you click on the Word tab you are brought to the area with games for practicing

parts of speech, sentence structure, spelling, and many others. The website is very colorful and has large print, so it is easy to read. Opinion of Website: I think this website is great! The games are fun and engaging. Some of the games even offer being able to play against other people online. For privacy and security reasons names are given to you or you can make up your own. I even had fun playing the games. Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: _Stellarium_0.12.2___

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Yes

No

Notes Work with the program until you know every aspect. Be able to distinguish between bells and whistles and actual content. What did you try? This website can be very touchy. Many of the different keys do things, such as G gets rid of the ground setting. The operator needs to be careful to not push anything without knowing what it will do or they can get easily turned around.

x x

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software

x x

At this point, you do need to analyze it. Just look at it overall. In the beginning, until the user gets used to it, it is not appealing because there is no explanation about it. It is just a screen with a display of a field. Overall x

Did you get lost? x Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? x Did you like the content? x Where there bells and whistles? x If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) Additional Comments (can use back if you need to) Content is clearly related to the curriculum x

x This software is geared more towards older children and adults. Younger children would find it too confusing and not very interesting.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: Stellarium

Version (if applicable): 0.12.2

Publisher/Website address: sourceforge.net

Target audience: This software is geared towards teenagers through adults.

Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): It is a realistic planetarium for the computer.

Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): This can be used in Astronomy or in science class to discuss the planets, atmosphere, and space. It shows the different constellations with constellation are that can be turned on, and many other aspects of space and Earth.

Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This website can be used in the classroom by the teacher, at home by a student or parent, or by the student to discover more aspects of space.

Extra supplements: There is a blog where users can discuss the software.

Description of website: This software is a realistic planetarium for the computer. It uses real time or you can set your time to the future or to the past. It shows an abundant amount of details of space and Earth. There are many different possibilities of ways to use the software. It conveys 3D images.

Opinion of Website: I like the software but it can be very tricky to manipulate around. It takes a while to get used to the quirks of the software and some of the options can be a little testy. One must have previous, and sometimes extensive, knowledge of Space Science before operating the software, depending on what task you are using it for. I would not recommend using this for small children. I wouldnt introduce it to children under high school age.

Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: _Earth Week________________________________________

Question: Have you played so that you really know every Yes No Notes Work with the program until you know every aspect.

aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Be able to distinguish between bells and whistles and actual content. What did you try? I tried hitting backspace and several random keys.

x x There were no answers to be given on this website.

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? x Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software x Did you get lost? x Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? x Did you like the content? x x x

At this point, you do need to analyze it. Just look at it overall. Some of the ads that pop up are inappropriate for children.

Overall

Content is clearly related to the curriculum

Where there bells and whistles? x If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) Additional Comments (can use back if you need to)

I find it a shame about some of the ads. The content and news on the website is very interesting and educational. This website would be a great tool for students to use to come up

with ideas for a report or project.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: Earth Week

Version (if applicable): N/A

Publisher/Website address: earthweek.com

Target audience: This website targets elementary school children and up.

Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): It is a news website. There are articles uploaded weekly about things all over the world.

Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): This would be great to use for a science or geography class.

Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This website could be used during library time or class time to teach about all the different things that are going on around us. It could also be used at home for leisure time. Teachers could use it to formulate a lesson plan.

Extra supplements: There are images of the Earth that can be played with.

Description of website: This website is dedicated to world news. They offer a broad range of topic areas and many fun and interesting stories of information. The possibilities seem endless on what a person could find to research and learn about on this website.

Opinion of Website: I absolutely loved it. There is a map that has icons that can be clicked on and it will tell you interesting facts. There is a very broad range of topic areas that are covered. It really is a great little website. The only thing I do not like is some of the ads that are displayed. One of them advertised a Showtime Network movie that had the word sex in it. Other than that I dont have a problem with it.

Pass or fail: Pass

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: _Khan Academy________________________________________

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure that it does not crash.
Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

Yes

No

Notes Work with the program until you know every aspect. Be able to distinguish between bells and whistles and actual content. What did you try? During the self tutorial I gave wrong answers to see what would happen. I tried pushing random buttons and backspace.

x x

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software

x At this point, you do need to analyze it. Just look at it overall. x Overall x

Did you get lost? x Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? x x Three thumbs up!

Did you like the content? x Where there bells and whistles? x If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) Additional Comments (can use back if you need to)

Content is clearly related to the curriculum

I loved them! They are really cute and motivational!

This is a great website for Mathematics teachers from probably middle school and up! This is by far my favorite website I have found.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: Khan Academy

Version (if applicable): N/A

Publisher/Website address: khanacademy.org

Target audience: Any person Middle School aged and above.

Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): There are learning tutorials for all subjects. It is also a teaching website with an option to sign on and learn at your own pace through quizzes.

Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): It can easily fit into the curriculum!

Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This software has a multitude of uses. Teachers can have students sign up and can monitor their progress. Parents can use it at home to sharpen their own mathematical or other skills. Students can use it at home to sharpen skills or to get help with questions they may not understand. Extra supplements: This website is packed so full of supplements I am not sure I can fit it all on one page. There is a part that you can sign on personally and train mathematics skills and earn badges and emails. There is a teachers option to have students log on and practice mathematical skills. The teachers are able to view the progress of the students. There is access to videos for all other subjects to aid in learning things that they may not know or are a little shady on. There are many more options, as well. Description of website: This is a learning website, mostly geared toward mathematics, but has some guide for all other subjects. Opinion of Website: This website is absolutely wonderful! I signed myself on to brush up my mathematical skills and help me learn things that I may not have yet. I had so much fun on the website and got hooked taking the quizzes. I found it so much fun as I completed one quiz after another. I would highly recommend this website to anyone! Pass or fail: PASS

Example of a Mini Checklist For Software: _PBS Kids________________________________________

Question: Have you played so that you really know every aspect? Did you try doing things that were wrong or things that the software did not expect? Need to see what happens if the user does things that are incorrect or are not the usual responses. Try to make it crash in order to make sure Yes No

Notes Work with the program until you know every aspect. Be able to distinguish between bells and whistles and actual content. What did you try? I tried answering questions incorrectly, pushing buttons that were wrong, navigating quickly, and I even tried getting lost.

that it does not crash.

Did the software crash? Did you get an appropriate Response if you did something Incorrectly?

x x

When you did what was expected or correct, was there an appropriate response? i.e., If you answered correctly, did the software let you know? If you tried to get to another part of the program, did you action take you were you wanted? Just by looking at the screens, are they appealing? Is there something that bothers you when you look at it? When you were navigating through the software

x x

At this point, you do need to analyze it. Just look at it overall.

Overall x

Did you get lost? x Could you always get where you wanted to go (forward and backward)? Did you like using the software? x Did you like the content? x Where there bells and whistles? x If yes: Did you like them? Did they get in the way? Were they appropriate? Does the program convey images of equity Free of prejudice regarding race, sex and religion; content is diverse and is not slated to any cultural group Did you like the software enough to evaluate it more? (Did you like the software enough to use it within an educational setting) Additional Comments (can use back if you need to) x Content is clearly related to the curriculum x

This is a very fun website for children from a very young age through Middle School.

Pass

Did Not Pass

Title of website or software: PBS Kids Version (if applicable): N/A Publisher/Website address: pbskids.org Target audience: Pre K- Middle School Types of software (drill, game, critical thinking): There are games, videos, stories, and short cartoon clips Curriculum (how does it or can it fit curriculum): It can easily fit into the curriculum, especially teaching children to pay attention to the dialogue of a story. Possible environment(s) to use software or website: This can be used in the classroom during independent computer time, by the teacher to show videos to the class, by parents to help young children comprehend material, or by the student to play and learn on. Extra supplements: There is a link for parents and teachers. The link leads to a page that shows printable activities, craft ideas, healthy meals, and so much more. Description of website: The website is bright and colorful with many different options to choose. It is fun to look at and navigate through. Opinion of Website: I love this website, especially for younger children. I have used with for my children ever since they were very small and it has helped them grasp the concept of navigating the computer. Pass or fail: Pass