Common Sense Note
Parents need to know StudyJams! is a fun, educational subscription-based Web site from Scholastic for grades 3-6. It costs $9.95 a month or $99 a year (for teachers, it's cheaper); a 14-day free trial is available, but you have to give your credit card information to sign up for the trial. The site ad-free, and there's no objectionable content. The best part: Kids are guided through homework problems with slideshows, quizzes, and other activities and can earn points for finishing lessons, which they can use to create songs in the Jam Studio.
Families can talk about why it's often better to go to a kid-safe site than to a general browser to find the best age-appropriate, reliable information. What are the benefits of having search engines and sites designed just for kids? What are safe sites to browse? How can you tell which sites you can trust?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Susan Yudt
Kids in grades 3-6 who need homework help will find fun activities and useful tutorials on Scholastic's site STUDYJAMS.SCHOLASTIC.COM. Four animated characters walk kids through dozens of science and math lessons (or "Jams") that include multimedia content like slideshows, quizzes, and even karaoke. Kids can earn points by reading content and doing activities; once they've earned enough points, they can head over to the Jam Studio to mix and record MP3 tracks using samples of rock, hip-hop, dance, and more. The site also includes an encyclopedia and a guide to state history.
By offering lessons in different forms -- photos, narration, text, activities -- StudyJams! accommodates kids with various learning styles and reinforces information. The math lessons are particularly helpful, guiding kids through each step of a problem with a detailed voiceover and virtual blackboard. (Parents who can't remember how to convert decimals to fractions will get an excellent refresher course.) The Jam Studio is a cool reward for getting through lessons, though kids may find it a little challenging to figure out. The site's only major downside is that it costs parents $9.95 a month, or $99 a year.
Other good educational sites include Britannica.com, HotMath.com, and EcoKids.ca.
Reviewed: 03/25/2008
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Sexual ContentThe encyclopedia contains entries on sex, abortion, and homosexuality, which are all addressed in an educational, age-appropriate way. |
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CommercialismStudyJams! costs $9.95 a month or $99 a year for parents, $7.95 a month or $79 a year for teachers. A 14-day free trial is available. |
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Educational ValuePlenty! Teaches math and science in a fun, interactive way. |
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