Biology homework no problem with a virtual frog

By CATHERINE MASTERS

A bewildering array of websites exist which can help children with their homework.

One intriguing topic surfaced while browsing the database of websites available at the website Teachers @ work.

Clicking on the biology section takes you to a range of links, one of which is headed "a frog dissection you can carry out without all the blood."

Clicking here then takes you to a virtual frog dissection kit where children can take a virtual trip studying the anatomy of a dead frog.

The bonus is, as the title says, there is no blood. Come to that, there are no nasty odours either.

The site also rates these sites and the virtual frog dissection, aimed at children aged 8 to 10, gets fours and fives in the content, presentation and age ratings.

A New Zealand site offering a homework package for children is found at the Auckland City Library web page.

Kaye Lally, the library's child and youth specialist, says it is important for the library to have a presence not just in the physical world but also in the virtual world.

"We've got 17 physical libraries - and this library, which is actually open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, anywhere in the world. You can come and access some of our things."

It has a Kids Page, and in there is a Homework Machine which takes children to many other links on topics librarians think are important, such as current events and inventions.

"Things we know kids get in their homework, because of course we're used to dealing with homework questions in our 17 real libraries after school and we know how impossible some homework questions are when teachers set them when they know the answers.

"Some of this will tell you about things that are good in our collection to do with homework and some will be links that take you on beyond, for instance looking at astronomy and space, so we've got the link to the observatory straight from there, as well as books about space in our collection."

Book Dog has lists of books for children to look at under headings such as scary stories or war stories.

Hot Books and Cool Authors lists books such as the Harry Potter series.

And another section allows children to ask a question of a librarian - questions answered include who wrote Winnie the Pooh? and where can I find info on turtle breeding?

Kaye Lally says it is a very handy site for children - and has New Zealand content.

The site selected from a huge range of material and made sure the links were reliable, credible and still available.

Links


Teachers @ work

Virtual frog dissection kit

Auckland City Library Kids page