Online Learning Resources

5th grade students are exploring alternative energies by inquiring into renewable and non-renewable natural resources, sources of energy, and sustainability of energy systems.

Searchasaurus (EBSCO) is proving to be an excellent source of kid-friendly magazine articles for their ongoing portfolio project that documents their readings, discoveries and reflections. As part of the embedded research components, students are required to locate and analyze relevant, current, and readable sources of information.

Click to view 5th Grade-Sharing the Planet + Searchasaurus

Searchasaurus has the capability of easily narrowing searches by format type. Lexile levels for readability are listed next to each article. 5th graders are able to determine immediately whether an article is within a 750-950 range that is typical for grade-level text, or will offer a greater or lesser challenge to them. They can sort by 'Date Descending' (pull-down option at top right of screen) and view articles with most current ones now at top. They are also easily creating citations with the source information readily listed at the top of each article, as well as using Bibme to create citations independently. 

  

Searchasaurus is just one of many excellent online resources available to our students as part of HISD subscriptions. Download or print the brochure above and visit the ROE Library site  for additional options to access high-quality learning resources for students' projects and assignments! (A printed brochure including necessary unpublished passwords will be coming home with students this week).