Science Monster (http://www.sciencemonster.com)

common sense media says

Space-themed educational site needs technological boost.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this educational site is designed teach kids about some tough scientific concepts. The main focus is on space, including the solar system, how objects move through space, gravity, and inertia. These concepts are described with easy-to-follow explanations aimed at schoolkids, and some have games or interactive demos to help make the points easier to grasp. There’s no questionable content on the free site, though the features may not prove too compelling to the average student. The site is affiliated with the popular coolmath.com educational page.

Educational value: The entire site is devoted to teaching kids about space and science. It has interactive features designed to help explain some complicated subjects, such as gravity, inertia, and flight.
Positive messages: Scientific concepts need not be intimidating, and learning how they work can be fun.
Consumerism: There are advertisements on the site, and the operators ask visitors not to block them.

More on Science Monster

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about science education. Do you think Web sites like this are a good way to learn? Does your school encourage people to visit educational web sites?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
The lessons and interactive features on ScienceMonster do a good job of explaining these tough concepts, but they may have trouble attracting an audience. The problem is the very basic presentation: the pages feature large blocks of text that may not hold the attention of the average student who’s more familiar with action movies, quick-edit music videos, and interactive Web sites. The games, too, are less than cutting edge and may not be appealing to kids with so many better options for online gaming. However, there is an audience for this site: students researching a paper or studying for a test may find this site to be exactly what they need. Casual visitors, however, have more fun options.

This review was written by Will Wade
 
 

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mcguire217
kid, 10 years old
 
It is very high school

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About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age