Sutherland Shire Libraries Staff News

Practise

Is the same for each of the 5 resources

• Picture Books Online is a collection of classic picture books from Era Publications.
• It takes a little time to load...be patient.
• The categories are Eerie Tales, Picture Books, Readalong, Traditional Tales, Wings and Wings Language which does not appear to be active (it's for those of ESL)

• Children can read the story or listen while it is read to them and there are activities associated with each story, drawing and picture creation as well as quizzes and other activities.
• Each title is given a short synopsis and is given a reading age.
• Books look like books and each 'page' needs to be turned, by using arrows at the bottom. They can be easily started, stopped etc.
• Requires Puffin

• Very much a teaching 'english' and a remedial tool, good for tracking progress.
• Develop English literacy skills while playing games
• Over 10,000 exercises to make literacy fun. 
• Parents need to be involved especially at the lower levels.
• Progress can be tracked and 'free' games can only be played once enough credit points are earned.
• Literacy Planet covers key areas of English literacy:
• Pre-Reading, Phonics, Reading, Vocabulary, Spelling, Grammar & Comprehension very comprehensively.

• To begin using Literacy Planet parents will need to create a student account for each child. 
• The library account is JC2466 ....plum98. Use this to practise.
• This account allows you to track your child's progress and they will receive motivational rewards.
• Once the student accounts have been created you will be emailed a unique login for each child.
• Whenever your children return to Literacy Planet they can login to their personal account and continue from where they left off.
• Tell customers to write down their user name and password as the only way to find it out again is to ring them, in Queensland. (This is due to privacy issues as they are children's accounts!)
• It will not allow further people added to the one barcode after the first signup...so join all the kids in the one family at once, if their progress is to be tracked!!

• To play in the Arcade, one needs to earn credits.
• So don't forget the books, they can be enjoyed without having to do any work.!!!
• Competitive children will love this.
• Requires Puffin

• A less structured approach to learning, giving the learner more choice than Literacy planet.
• A library of educational stories, games, videos, comics, jokes, poems, puzzles and activities.
• Ziptales is a reading program for children aged 6-12 focused on literacy, primary education, games and edutainment. 
• Fully aligned to the Australian Curriculum (English)
• All primary levels (Foundation to Grade 6)
• Teach a love of reading.

• Developing literacy : catering for the Early Years - Preschool to Year 2. There are190 texts, divided into 12 different cataegories eg. puppet plays, make & do, Australian Curriculum English
• Extending Literacy: Middle & Upper Primary - Year 3 - Year 6. ther are 400 texts, divided into 23 categories eg. choose your own adventure, skill builder, myths and legends, yucky!

• Easy to access, just type in your barcode and you are away!
• The books are developed for the online environment. Pictures appear as one reads the story or they 'do' what the text is talking about
• Requires Puffin

• This is learning, well disguised as fun.
• Over 120 online learning games involving literacy, numeracy and problem solving for 3 to 6 year olds. Children, parents and teachers can quickly and easily access fun yet educational activities and games that promise to educate and entertain young children.
• Quickly and simply give small children an interactive online game to occupy them. The bonus is they are learning the basics without a whiff of it seeming educational.

• The activities range across literacy, numeracy and problem solving, including: Letters - Shapes & Sounds, Phonics, Numbers, Basic calculation, Shapes, Maze games, Cause and effect games, Mouse Skills
• It is bright and exciting from the first minute, even waiting for the games to load is designed to keep a small person interested.
• BusyThings works on iPhone and Android without the Puffin browser, the view is different and there are fewer 'games', but essentially is the same

• Every movement of the mouse elicits a sound. The icons increase as the mouse runs over them.
• There are very few written instructions, it waits for the user to click on something to see what happens, or uses spoken instructions.
• Does not require Puffin

• Trek’s Travels offers narrated stories, interactive games, and original videos that teach critical early childhood themes, including numbers, shapes, colors, opposites, and more.
• Welcome to Reading provides leveled reading practice to develop and strengthen phonics, vocabulary, phonemic awareness, and comprehension skills.
• Know It is a child’s first online encyclopedia. Know It provides a richly visual interactive encyclopedia that will captivate early learners with nonfiction topics of interest and importance to them.

• As well as books it has songs, videos, games and activities.
• It grades by reading level.
• It reads aloud the various options as the mouse runs over them.
• Requires Puffin