Group+5

__Emily Hacker's Website Evaluation__
This is the link to my rubric:

This is the first website I evaluated:[|AAA Math]

The first website I evaluated is called AAA Math. I really like this website because you can sort by subject or by grade. Since we are going into early childhood education I explored the games for this age group. They are really easy to use and fun for the children. It challenges them to learn and use their math skills. The website does not show who it is affiliated with, but just shows the name of the author. I don’t think it necessarily means that it is not a good website though. Though there seems to be google ads on some of the pages. The site is easy to maneuver through for the students. There are also a lot of good tools for teachers too. Once you click on the grade you are interested in it has all of the subject areas in order that you just click on. It leads to where you can practice and play games that make the students practice the skills they need to or what they are learning at that time. This website is not only useful for math skills, but other subjects as well. It includes extra practice for spelling, vocabulary, and even geography. The children can do the on line activities in class or at home. There are few advertisements on the site, and the site is not user friendly for younger students since all the links are based on words they may not be able to read, therefore the teacher will have to pull up the proper site ahead of time. -AT

The second website I evaluated:[|King's List of On-line Math Activities]

The next website I evaluated is called King’s **. This site has different math site links compiled within it. Once you get to the home page there is a list of different categories you can click on. Then it leads to the topic where you can choose from many games for your students to play. The site does not tell who the author is, but it leads to many different websites who are affiliated with credible sources. This website has many categories to learn and play games with. The games are very easy for the children to use and practice their math skills. The site says what grade/age group that the link is good for. This is a good site to use for all grade levels and is fun for children. They do not even realize that they are doing math which is really important. You want your students to not even realize they are learning because they will then learn even more.

This is a site that provides links to other sites with academic activities. I think that young children would have a hard time navigating the site on their own, and they would need parent or teacher assistance. I do think that the site is a good launching site for teachers who are looking for online activities within a specific subject matter. I think that the site is simple aesthetically, but the language is not conducive to young children. AZ **

Amber Zarnecki's Website Evaluation
This is the link to my rubric:

This is the first website I evaluated: [|BBC- Schools Science Clips]

The first website I evaluated is called BBC- Schools Science Clips. I really like this site because it is interactive. It is also organized by age group and different areas of scientific exploration such as “growing plants”, “light and dark” and “sound and hearing”. The language is correct for each age group, for example “pushes and pulls” is used as the title for the section on inertia and friction. The directions are read aloud along with the text direction which is proper support of young readers. The activities challenge students to think about concepts in science, and they allow them to see how different actions create different results. There are not any advertisements and the site is easy to navigate. The negative aspect of the website is that the directions are read with a slight British accent which might confuse young children. The site is run by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which is a reputable institution.

I also liked this website a lot. Young children will be able to use this site very easily. The activities are challenging, but also fun for the students. The students will still be learning even though they are just playing a game. It’s very important for students to learn in a fun way and by providing this site to students it will do just that. -EH

This is the second website I evaluated: [|Ma Hubbard's Create-A-Reader]

The second website I evaluated is called Ma Hubbard's Create-A-Reader. This was also an interactive site. It is organized by letters, numbers and activities; also it is organized by upper and lowercase letters and Arabic and Roman numerals. The site is mostly autonomous after a selection is made in the subject matter. The direction is vocalized though computer audio and it enunciated clearly and is easy to understand. The activities are suitable for the early childhood age group and easy to follow along with. The site also provides printables for parents and teachers for further practice. There is no advertising on the site and it is run by America Online (AOL) which is a reputable institution.

I enjoyed this site since it encourages young children to practice basic skills they should be acquiring, such as telling time, letters and numbers. The fact that the website interacts and talks to the user will immediately get the attention of the students, and they will be more apt to continue the exercises. The print outs would also be beneficial since they promote small motor growth. -AT

Ashley Trembath's Website Evaluation
My rubric:

The first website I evaluated: [|Bananaboo] Bananaboo is an excellent website that supports education for young children. The website says children ages 4-8 will enjoy the activities, however, I feel that 8 year olds would quickly become bored. The site offers puzzles, stories, cut outs, crafts, coloring pages, jokes, and even recipes. All these activities lead to the development of knowledge for young students. Teachers and parents should encourage the child to participate in the website. The cut outs support small motor skills, as well as the coloring pages. The puzzles provide the students with the opportunity to problem solve, and the stories and crafts allow the students to show their creative side. Also, the recipe page provides an activity that can support a healthy, nurturing bond with the child and parent. I also enjoyed the website since there was no apparent bias, few advertisements, and it has been currently updated, leading to the fact there were few limitations. I will use this website in my classroom by printing off the worksheets for my students to complete, and allowing the students to explore the site by themselves during free time.

I liked the puzzels because they would be helpful for children who are still developing fine motor skills. The toot tooting seemed a bit inappropriate for a school setting. The site seemed more like an afterschool activity than an educational tool to me. AZ

This website seems to have a lot of activities for students to do. The site is good for parent and child interaction, but also a site that children can explore by themselves. They are learning through different games, puzzles, and there are also stories they can read. The cool thing is that other children write these stories. There is also a safety test that the teacher can print off and students can complete. Overall I think this is a great interactive site for children. -EH

The second website I evaluated: [|Crayola] Crayola.com is a great website. Although the activities are limited to coloring pages, games, and a card maker the children can actually do online, it had wonderful printouts. It also has a whole section devoted to teachers and parents. Under “Early Childhood Experiences” it gives the educator ideas for arts and crafts, building blocks, language and listening, outdoors, pretend play, puzzles and games, and science and nature. A few limitations to the site is it loads somewhat slowly, and there are a myriad of advertisements to persuade the visitor to purchase Crayola merchandise. Also, although it is for younger students, some of the language is advance for the age group I would like to teach. Therefore, I will have to demonstrate how to use the website beforehand. I will use this website in the classroom by borrowing a few ideas from the educators section. It also allows parents and teachers to create certificates for the children. I will also let my students play the games on the website in their free time.