Website and app reviews

By Nigel Paull


ALIA National Simultaneous Storytime

www.alia.org.au/nss
Get prepared for National Simultaneous Storytime, which is occurring in both Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday 23 May. The book for this year is Hickory Dickory Dash, written by Tony Wilson and illustrated by Laura Wood. The website includes background information, merchandise details, downloads and teachers’ notes.
SCIS no. 1842145

Asia Education Foundation

www.asiaeducation.edu.au
An initiative of Asialink at the University of Melbourne, the Asia Education Foundation provides teachers with access to curriculum resources, networks, programs and professional learning to ‘develop Asia capability for Foundation to Year 12 students in Australian schools’. Specific information for parents is also provided.
SCIS no. 1040032

ASIC’S moneysmart

www.moneysmart.gov.au/teaching/teaching-resources
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has developed a range of financial literacy resources for primary, secondary and community educators. Subject matter is aligned to the Australian Curriculum and the resources feature digital activities, units of work and teachers’ guides.
SCIS no. 1844486

Education world

www.educationworld.com
Although it has a US focus, this website provides an array of interesting opportunities for teachers to broaden their teaching horizons. Of particular relevance are technology articles and new technology tools, webquests, classroom management tips, and a variety of classroom games.
SCIS no. 1024927

Elections — School resources

www.elections.org.nz/resources-learning/school-resources
New Zealand’s Electoral Commission website for schools presents teachers and students with resources regarding the electoral process, responsibilities in a democracy, and ideas to encourage belief and confidence in electoral participation. All material is aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum.
SCIS no. 1842202

International days

https://en.unesco.org/celebrations/international-days
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) celebrates a variety of UN international days that relate to its fields of competence. Using the information and links available, teachers can select days in 2018 that fit curriculum needs. Examples include World Book and Copyright Day, World Oceans Day, and International Youth Day.
SCIS no. 1845351

National Library of Australia — Eresources

www.nla.gov.au/app/eresources/list/free
The National Library of Australia has approximately 250 freely available e-resources, including websites, indexes, databases, e-journals, subject guides and full-text journals on a variety of topics. School library staff would benefit from becoming familiar with this content.
SCIS no. 1842227

PETAA teaching resources

www.petaa.edu.au/imis_prod/teaching-resources
Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA) has an array of material that is pertinent to all primary teachers and linked to the Australian Curriculum. Material includes units of work, professional development videos, webinars, professional papers, and details of authors and illustrators who will visit schools.
SCIS no. 1844446

Powtoon

www.powtoon.com
Teachers wishing to engage students, or the wider school community, with engrossing, animated videos should investigate this resource. The drag and drop templates are quick and effective.
SCIS no. 1750572

SCIShow kids

www.youtube.com/channel/UCRFIPG2u1DxKLNuE3y2SjHA
Diverse science topics for curious primary students are brought to life in short videos by the presenter Jessie and her robot rat. The content is appealing and age-appropriate.
SCIS no. 1844473

ScratchJr

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/scratchjr/id895485086?mt=8
ScratchJr, designed for students aged 5–7, has been developed from the Scratch programming language. Using ScratchJr, students snap blocks together to make characters move and sing. This not only helps students learn to code but also augments their maths and literacy skills.
SCIS no. 1725022

SymbalooEdu

www.symbalooedu.com
Teachers or students wishing to organise, save and share resources from the cloud may find this visual management tool meets their specific needs. Information can be managed and retrieved from any device. Enhanced versions attract a fee.
SCIS no. 1796285

The website and apps selected for review are often of a professional nature and should be initially viewed by teachers and library staff to determine suitability for students. The links, content and address of these sites are subject to change.

Nigel Paull

Nigel Paull

Teacher librarian

North Coast, NSW