Resource of the Week - SecretBuilders

SecretBuilders is a virtual world for children ages 5-14. Children are immersed in a virtual world where they learn about historical figures and literary characters through conversation, quizzes, games, and quests. Additionally, children are encouraged to build the site by submitting ideas about new lands, places, puzzles, activities, and more. SecretBuilders also features an online magazine, allowing children to publish their writing and comment on others' writings. Various contests (in art, writing, design, and more) are also featured.

A Teacher's Console is available, allowing teachers to set up student accounts and assign activities. Detailed information may be found in the Teachers section, including testimonials and ideas for using SecretBuilders in the classroom.

For more resources like this, please check out the eLIS Digital Resources Collection.

Resource of the Week - iNudge

iNudge is a music creation widget. Users select up to eight sound patterns and use the mouse to draw notes on each matrix, creating original music and allowing for experimentation with sounds and rhythms. The iNudge creation below is by eLIS' own Matt Griffin.

Each iNudge may be shared with others via email, embedding onto websites or blogs, or spread through online communities and social networks. Shared iNudges may be edited by others, allowing for collaboration.

For more resources like this, please visit the eLIS Digital Resources Collection.

Resource of the Week - Lure of the Labyrinth

Lure of the Labyrinth is an educational game designed for middle school pre-algebra students. Students are on a mission to rescue a lost pet and must solve math-based logic puzzles in order to find their pet and defeat the monsters. The For Educators section features a wealth of information including a game handbook, correlations to standards, lesson plans, planning resources, and professional development videos.

Be sure to check out the Digital Resources Collection for more sites like this!

Resource of the Week - Prezi

Prezi is a zooming presentation tool, designed to combine visualization and digital storytelling with presentation. Instead of using slides, Prezi provides a large canvas and zooms from point to point along the presenter's defined pathway. Prezis may contain combinations of text, images, videos, and PDF files.

In order to fully understand the program, it is recommended to view the interactive guide, which provides an amazing overview of the program and how it works. Additionally, the Learn section of the website contains interactive guides, a detailed Getting Started Manual, tutorial videos, and presentation videos.

A Prezi demonstration video may be found below:

Be sure to visit the eLIS Digital Resources Collection for more resources like this.