Introduction:
We subscribe to many databases for children. They reside, for the most part, under the Homework subject heading on the Research page. They allow access to encyclopedia’s, country information, videos, timelines, newspapers, television transcripts, diagrams, photos, poetry, science projects, and more. You can access information appropriate to the reading level of the customer and limit by the type of media required. The information could be used in a report or project, or by a teacher in the classroom. Explore them and see if you can find the answers to these questions.
Resource List
eLibrary Curriculum (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program.)
Encyclopedia of Animals (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program
Facts on File Science Online*
MAS Ultra: School Edition (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*
Middle Search Plus (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*
Primary Search (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*
Student Research Center (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*
Gale Virtual Reference Library*
Science Fair Project Index (and other resources on the Kidspage Homework section)
1) I need a video on photosynthesis. And I need to write a one page paper on it.
Can you help me find articles on polar bears. I need to know everthing! I am in 4th grade. Search again adding a lexile level of 300 – 500. (The child’s teacher needs a science experiment about polar bears.)
To post your answers, just click on the "comment" link at the bottom of this message.
18 comments:
Just testing for someone. Jackie
I need a video on photosynthesis. And I need to write a one page paper on it.
Information was found on Facts on File Science Online* A video was found depending at what level of the explanation of the plant cell, etc. Also a one page paper can be written from this website as well. Video was also found. Run Time: 4:08 minutes
Plants, like animals, reproduce, evolve, and adapt. Plant cells contain structures not found in animal cells, including cell walls and chloroplasts that contain chlorophyll used during photosynthesis.
Citation Information
Text Citation: "Plant Cells and Photosynthesis." Science Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://0-www.fofweb.com.catalog.houstonlibrary.org:80/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin= FMG026356&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 8, 2008).
Video Citation: "Plant Cells and Photosynthesis." Life Processes of Plants. Films Media Group. WMV video file. Science Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://0-www.fofweb.com.catalog.houstonlibrary.org:80/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin= FMG026356&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 8, 2008).
2) It’s Polar Bear Day at the Library!
Can you help me find articles on polar bears. I need to know everthing! I am in 4th grade. Search again adding a lexile level of 300 – 500. (
Articles on polar bears may be found on several databasess, some are:
1. Encyclopedia of Animals (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program.
2. Facts on File Science Online*
3. Kids Search (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*
4. Primary Search (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program):
Primary Search provides full text for nearly 70 popular, magazines for elementary school research. All full text articles included in the database are assigned a reading level indicator (Lexiles), and full text information dates as far back as 1990.
5. The child’s teacher needs a science experiment about polar bears. InfoTrac OneFile was used in locating several:
1. Polar Bears: Suited to The Cold.(how polar bears are adapted to their environment; science experiment).Science Matters: Adaptations, Wind, Space and Energy Sources, a Weekly Reader publication. Weekly Reader Corp. Jan 1993. p4(2). (281 words)
• Full-text
2. Adapting to Temperature.(how a female polar bear protects her cubs from the cold; science experiment).Science Matters: Adaptations, Wind, Space and Energy Sources, a Weekly Reader publication. Weekly Reader Corp. Jan 1993. p6(2). (275 words)
• Full-text
3. Polar Bears in Jail! (Adaptation Matters).(why polar bears are trapped when they wander into town; science experiment).Science Matters: Adaptations, Wind, Space and Energy Sources, a Weekly Reader publication. Weekly Reader Corp. Jan 1993. p2(3). (494 words)
• Full-text
3) I am writing a report about Syria. I need at least 5 different sources and I am in 8th grade.
1. Country Studies/Area Handbooks extensive information on Syria can be found on this database.
2. Middle Search Plus (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)
1392 articles found
3. MAS Ultra: School Edition (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)* 4413 articles found
4. Student Research Center (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)* More articles may be found, and this database for country report..
5. Gale Virtual Reference Library* Information may be found in this database.
4) There is a story or maybe a poem about a boa for kids. Do you have it? I think someone is being munched on in it.
LitFINDER* Database used to find poem Boa Constrictor by Shel Silverstein.
Boa Constrictor
Oh, I'm being eaten
By a boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor,
I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor,
And I don't like it--one bit.
Well, what do you know?
It's nibblin' my toe.
Oh, gee,
It's up to my knee.
Oh my,
It's up to my thigh.
Oh, fiddle,
It's up to my middle.
Oh, heck,
It's up to my neck.
Oh, dread,
It's upmmmmmmmmmmffffffffff . . .
Shel Silverstein
Extra Credit!
Define and identify two regions of alpine tundra.
Information was found in the following database: Facts on File Science Online*
Tundra is also present at other places on the Earth's surface where conditions are sufficiently cold, particularly on high mountaintops often far from the polar regions. Here also, the very highest peaks are bare of any vegetation and the packed ice of glaciers may occupy the valleys at high altitude. Below this ice zone lies the alpine tundra, again forming a ring between ice and forest.
Alpine tundra is, of course, more scattered over the face of the Earth, wherever high mountains are to be found, from the Arctic to the equator. In the Americas, alpine tundra is found most abundantly in the mountain ranges of Alaska; in the Rockies, Cascades, and Sierra Nevada in the west of North America; and down the Andes chain of western South America. In Europe, the mountains of Scandinavia and Scotland bear tundra vegetation, as do the Alps and Pyrenees. In Asia there are high mountains, the Caucasus, to the west of the Caspian Sea, but the continent is dominated by the massive Himalayas, the great mountain plateau of Tibet, and the ranges running eastward through Mongolia to the northeastern regions of Russia. In Africa the Atlas Mountains lie on the north and the Drakensberg Mountains in the far south; between them are several very high mountains almost on the equator in East Africa, and also in Ethiopia. Other isolated high mountains are scattered around the world, as in Mexico and Japan.
Record URL:
http://0-www.fofweb.com.catalog.houstonlibrary.org:80/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin= BETDR0001&SingleRecord=True.
1. re: Photosynthesis video
I went to Facts on File Science Online and typed "photosynthesis" in the basic search box. Several tabs appear over the search results. I clicked on the "Images, Videos & Animations" tab to narrow my results. The first video is called "Plant Cells and Photosynthesis."
2. re: Polar Bears
The Encyclopedia of Animals has an article on polar bears, but I couldn't limit the lexile score (as far as I could tell). I could limit the score using Primary Search and found 8 articles on polar bears within the 300-500 range.
I used InfoTrac OneFile to find science experiments on polar bears, and while they seem simple, I'm not sure what the actual grade level is. I typed in "polar bear experiment" and came up with three results. Each link contains an article and science experiment. The experiments deal with adapting to cold weather, camouflage, and whether body heat can melt snow or ice.
Question 1. I used "Facts on File Science online", typed in photosynthesis and the results gave aricles and videos. This may not be the best source since there were no limiters by lexile or grade but it did give videos.
Question 2A- I used "Kid Search" -detailed search, narrowed the search to lexile 300-500 and found 12 articles
B. I used "Kids Search", teacher resources and typed in arctic region and experiment but did not limit the age group. I found a primary article by Instructor Magazine that fit.
Question 3. I used the "Student Research Center", typed in the term Syria, narrowed my search by lexile,magazines, newspapers, books and encyclopedias, photos, full text and maps and flags. The results were 421. Next, i narrowed the search further by eliminating the mags and newspapers and the results were 6.
Question 4. -I knew the author was Shel Silverstein. I tried "LItFinder" using the term boa and poems and nothing. Then I tried the search again using boa constrictor and found the poem by that title and Shel Silverstein.
3. re: Syria
The Country Studies/Area Handbooks seems the obvious first place to go. I chose "Syria" from the "Choose a Country Study" drop down menu, which resulted in a profile on Syria that includes general information on the country, its history, society, economy, government and national security.
I tried eLibrary Curriculum next. I went down to "Advanced Search Options" and clicked on "Select a Topic Area to Search." Then I chose the "Countries of the World" link under the "Regional Studies" heading and from there clicked on "Syria" under the "Asia" heading. The result is a list of topics such as Country Facts and Overview, Geography, and History. The advanced search option also allows one to narrow down by grade level.
Using Kids Search, I located articles dealing with Syria by first clicking on the "Geography" icon. I checked the box for "Countries of the World" and typed "Syria" in the Find box.
Middle Search Plus allows one to narrow by lexile number if known. I searched for "Syria" and got articles on the subject.
I also tried the Student Research Center database. I checked the box for "Country Reports", limited to full text articles only and chose the lexile score of 850-1100, which is 6th-8th grade. I typed "Syria" into the Find box and didn't get any results! I tried it again without a specific lexile score and found an overview article on Syria with the lexile score of 1150, which isn't too far above the 8th grade level. The article gives a general profile and information on Syria's culture, geography, economy and government.
Finally, I tried Gale Virtual Reference Library. I typed "Syria" into the Basic Search box. The first hit is a country overview that overall seems more advanced than the 8th grade level but at the same time has some information that I didn't notice in the other articles I found. The overview's emphasis is on religion and also includes information about modes of dress and dietary practices.
1. Video on photosynthesis - click on Facts On File Science Online. Keyword search on "photosynthesis". There are many articles listed. The first one is a good, general article from the Encyclopedia of Weather and Climate. There is plenty of information from these articles for a one page paper.
Click on the "Images, Videos and Animation" and you will find a video called "Plants and Photosynthesis".
4. re: Boa
I went to LitFinder and clicked on "Children's Literature" under the "By Genre" heading. Then I typed in "Boa" in the basic search box. I clicked on "View all poem matches" when I didn't find a match within the top 5 results. The poem is "boa constrictor" by Shel Silverstein, from Where the Sidewalk Ends, and starts off with the line, "Oh, I'm being eaten..."
It's faster to find if you type "boa constrictor" into the search box instead of just "boa".
Extra Credit. Re: Alpine Tundra
I went to Facts on File Science Online and did a basic search for "alpine tundra". The first result is the definition I need and states that an alpine tundra is an "alpine grassland area above the tree line on mountain ranges."
The second result is a video on alpine tundras, and the third is a chart called "Selection of Northern Hemisphere Mountains Bearing Alpine Tundra" and lists the following alpine tundras: Brooks Range, Alaska; Scotland; European Alps; Sierra Nevada, California; Himalayas; and Mt. Kenya, East Africa.
4. Children's poem about a boa
Select Litfinder
Search for "boa" in Poems
Answer - "Boa Constrictor" by Shel Silverstein from "Where the Sidewalk Ends"
Julia
1) I need a video on photosynthesis. And I need to write a one page paper on it.
www.houstonlibrary.org
select catalog tab
keyword search using “photosynthesis” and material “video”
The most interesting sounded to be The Magic school bus gets planted [VHS videorecording]., but there is only 1 copy. Next most interesting was Biology experiments [electronic resource] that can be downloaded.
also
www.houstonlibrary.org
select research tab
select homework
select Facts on File Science Online
search photosynthesis
search maps, videos and animation
there are 4 videos
Since the age is unknown, I used the Encyclopedia Britnica Online School Edition. (HPL main page, Research, Encyclopedias..) for information on the paper. There are articles for all age school groups.
2) It’s Polar Bear Day at the Library!
Can you help me find articles on polar bears. I need to know everthing! I am in 4th grade. Search again adding a lexile level of 300 – 500. (The child’s teacher needs a science experiment about polar bears.)
www.houstonlibrary.org
select research tab
select homework from databases
select Kid’s Search
search “polar bear”
there are many selections. HPL also has books on polar bears.
www.houstonlibrary.org
select research tab
select homework from databases
select Primary Search and lexile reading 300-500
there are 8 listings, one is a recipe for fun food – a polar bear snack that kids can make
3) I am writing a report about Syria. I need at least 5 different sources and I am in 8th grade.
www.houstonlibrary,org
select research tab
select homework from databases
select country studies
select Syria from dropdown box
this presents 5 chapters dealing with various aspects of the country. each is by a different author.
4) There is a story or maybe a poem about a boa for kids. Do you have it? I think someone is being munched on in it.
www.houstonlibrary.com
select research tab
select homework from databases
select litfinder
chose poems tab
search “boa constrictor”
there is a poem called “boa constrictor”. the site only lists first and last line, but it appears that the author, Shel Silverstein, is being eaten.
Went to www.google.com and searched “boa constrictor” poem “shel silverstein”. It sent me to http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/boa-constrictor/ for a full text of the poem.
Elizabeth Porter
Alpine tundra
www.houstonlibrary.org
select research
select homework
select Facts on File Science Online
search “alpine tundra”
there are 16 topics, terms, and principles
Tundra, Biomes of the Earth was particularly interesting. It defines arctic and alpine tundra and their locations and much more. Interesting charts, maps, and graphs
1. I need a video on photosynthesis. And i need to write a one page paper on it.
Facts on File Science Online: Basic search, photosynthesis, next screen clicked on tab, "Images, Videos and Animation," next screen found a video titled, "Plant Cells and Photosynthesis."
Next,clicked on tab, "Topics, Terms and Principles," found definitions/essays on photosynthesis.
3. Report about Syria for an 8th grader using 5 different sources.
1. Database: Country Studies/Area Handbook.
2. InFoTrac OneFile: Magazine articles
3. HPL catalog: books about Syria
4. Website: Kids Page click on Homework Sites, then click on Geography, next screen a list of websites for kids, went to the National Geography site and found a current map of Syria.
5. World Book Encyclopedia
4. There is a story or maybe a poem about a boa for kids. Do you have it? I think someone is being munched on in it.
LitFinder: Under the heading of "Kids Korner," clicked on animals, next page clicked on snakes,results 9 items none about a "Boa." Did a Basic Search typing "Boa," results, 3,515 items, TOO MANY. Ask Children's Librarian, her answer, Shel Silverstein, Boa Constrictor.
Extra Credit!
Facts on File Science Online
Basic Search - Alpine Tundra
Results - (28)Topics, Terms & Principles (3) Images, Videos and Animation.
Selected - Alpine Tundra-definition
The grassland area found above the tree line on mountain ranges.
Record Citation: Wyman, Bruce, and L. Harold Stevenson. "alpine tundra." The Facts On File Dictionary of Environmental Science, Third Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Science Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://0-www.fofweb.com.catalog.houstonlibrary.org:80/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin= DEST0206&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 31, 2008).
Back to my list of results, I clicked on, "geography of the tundra," (essay)
Alpine tundra is, of course, more scattered over the face of the Earth, wherever high mountains are to be found, from the Arctic to the equator. In the Americas, alpine tundra is found most abundantly in the mountain ranges of Alaska; in the Rockies, Cascades, and Sierra Nevada in the west of North America; and down the Andes chain of western South America. In Europe, the mountains of Scandinavia and Scotland bear tundra vegetation, as do the Alps and Pyrenees. In Asia there are high mountains, the Caucasus, to the west of the Caspian Sea, but the continent is dominated by the massive Himalayas, the great mountain plateau of Tibet, and the ranges running eastward through Mongolia to the northeastern regions of Russia. In Africa the Atlas Mountains lie on the north and the Drakensberg Mountains in the far south; between them are several very high mountains almost on the equator in East Africa, and also in Ethiopia. Other isolated high mountains are scattered around the world, as in Mexico and Japan.
Record Citation: Moore, Peter D. "geography of the tundra." Tundra, Biomes of the Earth. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2006. Science Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://0-www.fofweb.com.catalog.houstonlibrary.org:80/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin= BETDR0001&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 31, 2008).
I just want to inform all concerned that every time I try to publish an answer to these questions, the blog tells me I have an incorrect password. So I will try again after an attempt to publish this note. Jonathan Sherman, Cataloging
Photosynthesis- To find a video about photosynthesis, I went to Facts on File Science Online and used the following pathway. Videos and animations--Biology--Plant cells and photosynthesis.
2. Polar bear video-I went to EBSCOhosts kids search and searched polar bears. The results were categorized graphically with icons. To seach by lexile level, I went to EBSCO Host Research Databases and entered the reading score in the search box.
3. Report on Syria-Possible sources include I. Country Studies website II. EBSCO host Research Databases. III. elibrary curriculum edition, Countries of the World. Data is organized into many categories, from Archaelogy to maps.
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