Youth Services Find-It!

It's All About The Olympics

2008-07-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

Have you dreamed of winning a gold medal at the Olympics? Are you anxious to know if the Olympics will ever come to your state? What do you know about te origins of the Olympics? How about current games and competitors? Check out these sites!

BBC Ancient Greece

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ancientgreece/olympia/index.shtml

Explore Olympia at the time of the games.

Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

http://en.beijing2008.cn/

Official Website of the Olympic Movement: Beijing Games

www.olympic.org/uk/games/beijingindex_uk.asp

Everything you want to know about the 2008 Summer Games.

The Real Story of the Ancient Olympic Games

http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/olympics/olympicintro.shtml

Compares ancient and modern Olympic games on several issues.

U.S. Olympic Committee Kid's Base Camp

www.usoc.org/kids/Athens/site/

Cartoon videos, coloring pages, games, and lesson plans.

USA Junior Olympic Skills Competition

http://www.jrolympicskills.com/

Learn about opportunities to compete in events sponsored by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

History of . . . Comics and Graphic Novels

2008-05-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

Wish that history was funny? It can be when you are studying the history of comics and graphic novels. Check out the biographies and political debates that have always surrounded both types of books. Check out the best teen review site while you are at it -- so you can have more to compare.

http://www.ipl.org/div/procrast/graphicnovels/gnsHistBasics.html
Get the history and basics about graphic novels. Who really inspired them? How are they related to comics? What different types of graphic novels are there?

http://www.comic-art.com/history/history1.htm
Learn about the years of comic history. Biographies of famous artists.

http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/grd/resguides/comic/controv.html
Were comics as controversial as graphic novels?

http://www.noflyingnotights.com/
A graphic novel review site for teens. Also includes a new section (sidekicks) for younger readers.

Drug Use and Abuse

2008-04-23T05:51:00.000-07:00

It's not just about collecting old facts about drug use. It's about being street smart and learning how to handle peer pressure. Check out these sites to know the true lingo, the real side effects, and ways to sidestep people that just don't get it! (Do you know what percentage of teens don't take drugs??)

Freevibe.com is a great site for getting up to date statistics on drug abuse, as well as teen feedback on current topics.
Freevibe.com was created for the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, a program of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Freevibe’s goal is to provide teens with the knowledge and personal empowerment to reject drug use.
http://www.freevibe.com/Drug_Facts/index.asp

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/straight/intro.htm
This site is actually a book, put together by a “teen posse” (sponsored by the DEA – U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration). Each chapter is about a specific drug—discussing street names, facts, and legal issues surrounding the drug. Also included are teen activities that might be good for teen forum or discussion groups.

Also look at the DEA teen site http://www.justthinktwice.com/ for more formal, definitive facts, and a look at the effects of drugs on individuals. Also featured is a segment on hot topics in the news regarding drugs.

http://www.thecoolspot.gov/
Geared to younger teens and students. Only a few facts about alcohol – but a lot of survey type information that positively reinforces the idea that most teens do not drink (you are not alone)! Features include animated scenes that recreate peer pressure situations and “Know your No’s”, a guide to help you say no comfortably. This side was noted as a “find it site” because of the excellent self-help “healthy mind & body” links, in addition to more links to a few well-chosen research sites that provide hard facts for school projects.The Cool Spot was created for kids 11-13 years old by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

http://teens.drugabuse.gov/index.asp
A great interactive site that will inspire you to come up with new angles on research topics. Facts, first-person accounts about drug abuse, games, and challenges. Especially helpful is a searchable glossary of terms that may come up in drug research. Middle-schoolers and all teens should stop here. Sponsored by the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

http://www.drugabuse.gov/Infofacts/Infofaxindex.html
More facts and figures – but these are clearly updated and articles provide additional links for other sources. Not a “fun site”, but great for providing hard core statistics about demographics of use and $$$ spent on drug use and education.

Teen Eating Disorders

2008-03-01T06:13:00.000-08:00

Whether you are trying to research eating disorders, or know someone that might have a problem, these sites will help you to get some basic knowledge of the symptoms of these diseases. Be sure to ask your librarian for more information -- here's a subject where books offer more recent and readable research for teens!

http://www.girlpower.gov/girlarea/bodywise/eatingdisorders/index.htm
A site for younger girls that gives short, clear-cut explanations of what eating disorders are, stories about girls who have battled them, and tells who to contact for help about suspected disorders.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/thin/
For those who like multimedia presentations of research – this is the online companion to a PBS special “Dying to Be Thin”. Hear first person accounts of the disease and click on resource links to gain additional information.

http://www.anred.com/stats.html
ANRED: anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders. This site is not teen friendly, and a bit hard to navigate. However, if you are looking for serious information with updated statistics, it is worth the hassle. Get a librarian or someone to help if you can’t unearth what you need.

http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/p.asp?WebPage_ID=294
From the National Eating Orders Association, again this site is not targeted towards teens. But, it provides a wealth of information including articles specifically targeted towards women of color and men and boys – often overlooked groups in the research.

It's Black History Month

2008-02-05T06:01:00.000-08:00

Stop doing the same presentations every year! Look through these sites to find hundreds of African American authors, artists, scientists, and musicians.

http://www.bham.wednet.edu/bio/biomaker.htm
The Biography Maker. Wonder how to start writing that biography? This site explains what a biography is, and gives you prompting hints about how to search out facts and write an interesting report. Sponsored by a Washington public school district.

http://www.thehistorymakers.com/index.html
African Americans who have made history are biographied here. The history makers are sorted by topic (Art Makers, Law Makers, Science Makers, etc.) or my date, and every day there is a new "this date in history."

https://webfiles.uci.edu/mcbrown/display/faces.html
The Faces of Science: African Americans in the Sciences
Great website from Princeton University that features lists of scientists from the past and present, including biologists, chemists, and inventors. Each name links to a biography (some long, some short) and possible additional resources.

http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/
A multimedia website that includes a list of 200 notable Black Americans, including entertainers, scientists, activists, and artists. Click on several videos to hear short history clips, or page through 50 notable achievements by Black Americans.
Some annoying advertising – but the site is worth overlooking that fact.

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/bhmbios1.html
This is an interesting list of “Notable African Americans” that includes people such as Maya Angelou, Ernie Banks, and Boyz II Men. This list may be helpful for those looking for an unusual person to write about. Most are very short biographies but have several good links of additional resources.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aaworld/reference/articles.html
African American World. 300 articles sponsored by PBS that feature prominent African Americans and topics associated to Black history. A good starting point for brief biographies, as these articles are from the online Encyclopedia Britanica.

http://kids.yahoo.com/directory/Around-the-World/Countries/United-States/Cultures-and-Traditions/African-American/Biographies
Browse these websites featured at Yahoo for Kids and you will encounter bio information about artists, authors, scientists, and more. Top sites features a forensics coach that teaches high school students, and a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Facts About Our United States

2008-01-28T05:44:00.000-08:00

Do you have 50 questions about a state you don't even live in? Are all the books checked out?
Try these resources to locate maps, culture, climate, and government information.

http://www.ipl.org/div/stateknow/

Kidspace at the Internet Public Library offers a quick way to click on the state and bring up most facts younger students might need. Older students should make use of the government links for additional information. An interesting feature is "Famous People from the State". Did you know Walt Disney was born in Chicago?

http://www.50states.com/
Click on your state and learn about climate, sports teams, government, commerce, and more. Flags, state birds, and capitals available here!

http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/00000.html
Federal census statistics from every state. Do you want to know how many people there are under the age of 18 in California versus Illinois? Easy to read!

http://www.statemaster.com/index.phpFor the older student. This site allows you to compare statistics across multiple states. For example: crime rates, education levels, geography, etc.

Teen Depression

2008-01-15T17:53:00.000-08:00

Teen depression is a topic that needs to be talked about. Join people who are trying to get the word out about what it feels like and where to get help.

http://www.totallystressedout.com/
Learn how to relax and deal with everyday stress at home and school. To the point instructions for treating your mind and body better.

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/feeling_sad/depression.html
Do you know what depression feels like? Read about several teens who are feeling tired, sad, and not themselves and how they cope with themselves and their. Find out what things trigger depression, and find out how to get help.

http://www.nostigma.org/students.php
This Mental Health site devotes much of its space to students, and includes: frequently asked questions about people in your life that are suffering, symptoms of trouble, how to be an activist, and an extensive list of who to contact for help. Talks frankly about how many people are affected in some way.

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_teen_teenagers.htm
Positive advice on how to beat depression – and where to turn for help if you can’t. Linked resources explain what treatment is like if necessary.

http://suicidehotlines.com/
A hotline for suicide prevention and for help with emotional crises. National and statewide phone numbers for teens who need to talk to someone.

It's Almost Election Time!

2008-01-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

It is almost election time! Here's a place to learn all about past presidents and their families, and about the election process.

http://www.ipl.org/div/potus/
Presidents of the United States by Internet Public Library. A source for points of interest including election results, notable events, and personal biographies.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/
What better source of presidential information than the White House? Find interesting facts, full biographies, and videos. Also has news information about the current president.

http://ap.grolier.com/
Profiles on the past and present presidents as well as on many hopeful candidates in past elections. Also included is information on first ladies, vice presidents, and the electoral process.

http://www.kidinfo.com/American_History/Presidents.html
A resource for photographs of past presidents and a direct link to the inaugural speeches. Especially interesting is the list of presidential gifts received from foreign dignitaries.

http://pbskids.org/democracy/
For middle-schoolers. Most interesting part of site is to see how government affects your everyday life. Also a section on the voting process that challenges you to understand who has actually been able to vote through history.

http://www.presidentschildren.com/list.htm
Wonder what you would be like if your parent was in the White House? Read about the children of past presidents.

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/?id=20004&lvl=F
Would you like to contact your president? Check here for email and snail mail addresses..

http://www.ipl.org/div/farq/POTUSFARQ.html
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the presidents form the Internet Public Library. Which presidents were related, who is believed to be haunting the White House, and more.

http://reference.howstuffworks.com/political-parties-american-encyclopedia-channel.htm
There has not always been just “Democrats” and “Republicans”. Read about past political parties in the U.S.

Holidays Around The World

2007-12-15T17:04:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for information on how to celebrate a holiday in another country? These websites will teach you about culture and traditions around the world.

http://www.nativeamericans.com/Thanksgiving.htm
Find out the real story of Thanksgiving from the Native American viewpoint.

http://www.caslt.org/research/christmas4.htm
A website that provides links to Christmas time holiday traditions around the world. Link to sites that tell about Poland, Mexico, Sweden, and more. (Beware: one or two sites contain too many ads.)

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/newyearcelebrations.html
A good summary of New Year’s traditions that also links to the history of the holiday. (Watch out for annoying ads.)

http://kids.yahoo.com/directory/Around-the-World/Holidays
Log on to this great site that lists 400 links to holidays around the world. Find one alphabetically, by month, or just browse interesting postings.

http://www.history.com/genericContent.do?id=53343
The History of the Holidays. Part of the History Channel site, this page offers facts, figures, maps, history, and a video for Chinese New Year, Cinco de Mayo, Mardi Gras, Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, Labor Day, Passover, and more.

http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday7.htm
Chanukkah. Tells the story of Hanukkah, the traditions, the music, and some simple recipes.

http://www.history.com/minisites/kwanzaa/
One holiday sponsored by the History Channel, this site explains the history of Kwanzaa, along with details about the seven principles and symbols. Watch a video that illustrates the symbolism.

http://www.tike.com/celeb-kw.htm
Everything About Kwanza. This site provides a pronunciation guide for symbols, and details about decorating for and celebrating the holiday.

http://www.whyeaster.com/
This site allows you to link on the flags of other countries to discover what their Easter traditions are.

http://library.thinkquest.org/15384/
The Science Behind Fireworks. Learn the history, construction, physics, and chemistry behind those rockets we love on the holiday.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fireworks/
The Anatomy of a Fireworks Display. See the science behind each piece of the rocket.
Then learn the names of each display.

MATH HELP FOR ALL AGES

2007-12-07T04:51:00.000-08:00

Do you need some practice on something you went over in school today? Did you forget one step in that algebra problem? Do you wish you had someone to "check" your work? How about a crash course in beginning banking or a place to calculate just about everything? Check these sites out -- and return to them often for practice. (Some are game -- honest it could be fun!)

Need help now? Check out Park Forest Public Library's Live Homework Help.
It's "open" daily from 3:00pm to 8:00pm. You must have your library card ready to access the helpline.

A Plus Math @ http://www.aplusmath.com/
An interactive web site that helps students with math skills. Math games and online math word finders. Online flash cards, work sheets, and homework checker. Printable tools also available. Features addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, fractions, basic algebra, and money.

CoolMath @ http://www.coolmath.com/home.htm
Advertised as an “amusement park of math designed for fun” and targeted towards ages 13-100, however kid, parent, and teacher sections feature math helps for kindergarten and up! Many math games including simulated lemonade stand. Math puzzles, flash cards, and practice problems. Online graphing and arithmetic calculators and more calculation tables.

Create A Graph @ http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx
Want to make your reports look like an A+? Kids 7 & up can quickly learn to make bar graphs, pie and line graphs.

Fun Math Lessons @ http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/Lessons/
For grades 4-8, this site uses fun everyday samples to give math help. Cut up a pizza to practice fractions, rent a car on vacation to practice using math tables, figure out chili recipes while practicing ratios.

Finance Freak @ http://www.financefreak.com/
For students who are starting to make or spend money, this site covers different options in banking, lessons in opening a checking account or acquiring debit and credit cards, investing basics, facts about credit scores, and loan calculators. Written in no-nonsense language for teens. (Disclaimer –Beware the many ads.)

Mathematics in Movies @
http://www.math.harvard.edu/~knill/mathmovies/index.html
Just for fun! This site shows you movie clips where math plays an important role in the plot! Includes Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and the Simpsons.

Evaluating Web Sites/Is This For Real?

2007-12-05T17:29:00.000-08:00

Anyone can write or post on the Internet. So how do you know if what you are reading is true? Check out these websites for tips on deciding if what you are looking at is written by someone who knows what they are talking about, is current information, and is not just trying to change your mind or sell you something! Don't be fooled by bad information!

http://www.bpl.org/kids/Evaluate.htm
For middle-schoolers. Sponsored by the Boston Public Library, this site tells you what to look for if you are trying to decide if you can use the web for school reports.

http://www.kidsclick.org/
Play it safe! Use a search engine that has librarian -approved sites. 100’s of topics to choose from that link to sites that are appropriate for elementary school searchers. Older teens may find some useful information as well.

http://www.ithaca.edu/library/training/think.html
ICYouSee: T is for Thinking
“A Guide to Critical Thinking About What You See on the Web”
A quick check list for teens that distinguishes “web pages” from “pages on the web”, and teaches students how to determine the “intent” of the site. Also includes a brief reference on “citing the site”.

http://www.lesley.edu/library/guides/research/evaluating_web.html
This site is not colorful or fun – but it will provide older teens with all the tools and criteria for evaluating web sites. Examples of sites are given with tips for judging authenticity, purpose, objectivity, and more.

http://www.factchecked.org/StraightFromTheSource.aspx
Older teens. Writing about political or government issues? Read this to help you decide if your sources are unbiased or “slanted”.

http://freefulltext.com/"provides direct links to over 7000 scholarly periodicals which allow some or all of their online content to be viewed by ANYONE with Internet access for free (though some may require free registration)." Use this to check and see if those annotated articles you found with no text might be available for free reading here!

Google Shared Stuff http://www.google.com/s2/sharing/resources/static/html/help.htmlGoogle's answer to del.icio.us allows you to create a Shared Stuff page, email the page, with a custom message, or post the page to other social bookmarking sites.

My Science Fair Project Is Due When?

2007-12-01T04:39:00.000-08:00

Tired of seeing the same old boring experiments every year at the school fair? Or do you have an idea -- but no clue about how to do the research and write up? Check out these sites for inspiration and guidance. Then -- go to the MATH HELP posting to find cool way to do grafts and charts to go along with your presentation.

Science Fair Central from Discovery Education @ http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/elmers/250projectideas.html
250 Science Project Ideas sponsored by Elmer’s Glue.
Also check out http://www.cdli.ca/sciencefairs/ for hundreds more ideas. Both of these sites feature lists of usable ideas. You will have to do the research yourself once you are inspired.

The Science Club @ http://scienceclub.org/
This site offers science project ideas for all levels. In addition, direct links are provided to “Ask a Scientist” sites. Samples of these links include those sponsored by Argonne National Laboratory and Scientific Americans. Check out the “Fun Science Sites”.
Special Note: Here is a direct link to a page at the Science Club site that gives you an easy explanation of how to think about a project, including forming a hypothesis and dreaming up experiments. http://scienceclub.org/~sciclub/cgi-bin/scifair/hint.html
Authored by a non-profit educational corporation.

The Free Science Fair Projects Network @
http://www.free-science-fair-projects.com/science-project-basics.aspx
Another direct link to great explanations of how to start and lay out your science project. Questions answered include: what is the research question, what is a hypothesis, how to gather materials, how to write up the procedure, how to read results, and how to write a conclusion.

More Sites to Inspire Your Science Fair Project:

CyberFair @ http://www.isd77.k12.mn.us/resources/cf/
A directory of virtual online science fair exhibits.

Exploratorium Science Snacks @ http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/
Miniature versions of some of the most popular exhibits at the Exploratorium Science Museum in San Francisco. Directions for creating your own exhibits and experiments at home. Experiment with polarized sunglasses, create laser Jell-O, and find out why milk makes you sick!

HOWTOONS @ http://www.howtoons.com/
Howtoons are cartoons that show kids of all ages "How To" build things. Each illustrated episode is a stand-alone fun adventure accessible to all. Saul Griffith and Joost Bonsen started and incubated the Howtoons Project while graduate students at MIT. At this site you will see a blog featuring unusual inventions and cool links to science sites. Graphic comic-type illustrations guide you to articles and links about space, bubbles, nature, drawing, and more!

Resources for Librarians, Parents, and Teachers looking for additional fun science activities that are interactive. Possible uses: After-school science club, virtual science club, or science tournaments.

Kinetic City @ http://www.kineticcity.com/
Kinetic City, Mission to Vearth: provides an interesting and coherent set of science activities structured within the framework of an adventure game. Students learn fundamental science concepts through online and hands-on 'missions,' which utilize a variety of teaching strategies, cleverly adapting real-world issues (pollution, energy consumption) to a virtual setting. For Grades 3-5

OLOGY @ http://www.ology.amnh.org/
Presented by the American Museum of Natural History for kids ages seven through twelve, is based on the premise that "everyone wants to know something," and is designed as a place for kids to explore, ask questions, get answers, meet Ologists, play games, and see what other kids are interested in. With age-appropriate content in archaeology, astronomy, biodiversity, genetics, marine biology, paleontology, and physical science.

Urban Bird Studies @ http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/urbanbirds/index.html
As they learn about birds, students can collect data for research projects, becoming members of an international community of scientists. Games and activities. Good for answering questions about how do I collect data for experiments or to supplement nature programs.