As a social studies educator, I chose to explore the website Time for Kids. Although the magazine Time for Kids requires a yearly subscription, the accompanying website does not require an active subscription to the magazine. There is no log in required and adult supervision is not necessary. Although the magazine is advertised for grades 2-6, some of the online articles have reading levels up to grade 9.
There are so many ways that this website could be incorporated into the social studies classroom. Students can read and report on current events happening in the U.S. and around the world, participate in polls about topics ranging from best summer movie to using cell phones in national parks, and watch videos on a variety of topics. My favorite feature on this website is called "Around the World," where students can pick from over 65 different countries to explore. Each country's page provides facts about the country, pictures from that country, and even a virtual sightseeing guide. There are also history timelines for each country and a "Day in the Life" section where a child living in that particular country is interviewed about their day to day life.
There are so many pros about this website, especially from a social studies point of view, and I really couldn't find a con. Although a subscription to the magazine might offer additional resources, the website does not block any of the listed features from non-subscribers.
That does sound like a great resource! I will be teaching social studies for the first time this year, so having access to something like this without a subscription would be a great benefit. Learning about other countries is great, but I really like the idea of seeing it through the eyes of kids that live in those countries. Most of us don't have a clue how other people actually live outside of the United States.
ReplyDeleteWhen I taught fourth grade, I paid for a class subscription to the TIME for Kids magazine. My students LOVED reading it in their free time and it was the hot item to put into their book boxes for Read to Self time. Unfortunately, I had no clue about this website! That seems like a missed opportunity. But, I am glad to know about it now, even though I am currently teaching 1st. I will definitely pass this website along to the current upper elementary teachers at my school.
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