Lesson 5/February 2015

ProQuest

1.  Oh my there are a lot of variables you can pick and choose from.  Takes some time to look through them but you can really narrow down your results by using the drop downs on the left hand side.  This however will take much less time than if you'd have to look through the thousands of articles not relevant to the students search.  I'm sure the student will be very happy with the results she can narrow down to. 

2.  Ok, I've been working on this about every day this week. It's like I have a block and I can't get past it.  I'm going to let it go for now, come back later.  Any hints or tips would be great though!

Thanks to Jane I was able to work through this, I tend to forget quotation marks.  The newest installment is

Michigan Public Service Commission Submitted Comments to the Federal Communications Commission in Response to the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Declaratory Ruling Requesting Input

Targeted News Service [Washington, D.C] 05 Feb 2015. 

It's mostly about Michigan but it references Hurricane Sandy and how libraries on the East Coast had helped to get information out and keep running after the event.  There were plenty of articles that you needed to really sift through to get to what you wear looking for, but you could find it.  I know I would rather live through another blizzard like the one a few years ago than go through a hurricane.

Lesson 4/February 2015

SIRS Discoverer
1.  First thing I had to do was find a chart of the Lexile numbers as I really don't work with them too much.  After doing so and figuring where this child would fall, I did the advanced search and put in 200-600 where you can limit the Lexile parameters.  In doing so, while searching solar system, I only found 2 articles.  One was on the sun and the other on Saturn.  I expanded the upper Lexile to 700 and two more articles appeared.  Hopefully these will be enough for what the child needs.

2.  The 2 searches you can do are the word search or use the subject tree.  I found it much easier to use the word search as you get there in fewer steps.  I did however find it interesting that there were a different amount of hits for basically the same search.  Under graphics, for instance, a word search gets you 151 hits and the subject tree (science, geography & geology, volcanoes) gives you 184 hits. 

SIRS Issue Researcher
1.  Once again, easy site to search.  Use the list to pick suicide and there you go.  Not only do you get articles (which are separated by newspaper, magazine, ect.) on the subject but also have easy access to the history of it.  The Pros and Cons section would help these teachers quite a bit i would think.  This would be better than Google since it doesn't give you a lot of junk, it's more specific to what you're looking for.  Especially the way it is organized.

2.  I find that using the topics given to you easier.  I tried putting in water restrictions and didn't get any viable hits.  Again, the Pros and Cons sections would be helpful either way to the citizens.

Lesson 3/February 2015

1. English Language Arts Skills Improvement where you can do both informational and literature practice tests.  The tests not only improve your reading skills but also are quite informational (I had to try one of course).  I also think that the practice essays would be helpful as writing is also a good way to learn.

2.  The Career Center is a super place for adults to find help with just about anything they need help with.  Build Your Workplace Skills would be the place to start for this person, just about everything she'd need to brush up on is here.  I would also highly recommend looking at the Interview with Confidence area under the Job Search and Workplace Skills.  Your interview is your first impression on a future employer and the most important.  

3.  The Career Center is also where i would send this person.  You can look at the different careers, find out what nursing or pharmacy really involves.  There are a couple different spots, Guidance and Learn about a career where you can go to read about your possible new profession.  

Wish there had been something like this when I was trying to decide what I wanted to do with my life.  Not that I'm complaining about what I do, I love what I do.

Lesson 2/February 2, 2015

ChiltonLibrary

Extremely easy to use and navigate.  Even as someone who is lucky just to know how to check the oil I'd feel pretty confident using this site to repair/change something on a car.  The instructions are what I'd call 'dumbed down' so that anyone could use it, step by step.  The videos are great for people who need to see how something is done rather than read about it.  After all, we all learn differently.  I believe the part number for the transaxle is A131L.   I've tried to suggest this site to some of our male patrons who come in looking for the manuals and unfortunately most of them what the book.  I will keep trying however.

Mango Languages

I would have him take a look at the list of languages to make sure the specific one he wants is available.  After that show him how to set up and account and learn away.  Mango makes it so easy to maneuver their site.  Reminds me that i once started to learn Spanish and should get back to it. :-)

TumblebookLibrary

Tumblebooks is such a fun site.  I do, however, find myself playing more games than anything else.   Searching is pretty simple, put in author, title, subject or genre to get results.  So, for the kid looking for mysteries, simply type in mystery and show him what's available.  For the STEM story time I would suggest Bones Never Lie by Elizabeth MacLeod.  I think forensics is an interesting topic for people of any age and learning history never hurts.