Name:L.A. Times: Kids’ Reading Room
Brief Description of the Site:
Think of it as a high-interest E-magazine for the elementary school set. The frequently updated page offers a variety of interesting subjects, such as a five-part profile of Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong or a five-part re-telling of the legend of the chocolate tree. Then there’s the Question Corner featuring young peoples’ answers to questions such as “How would you stop traffic jams?†“The Kids’ Reading Room†offers brief stories about topics of interest, such as a best friend who moves away, and “Book Reviews by Kids†offers just that, plus the chance for students to submit original brief reviews. There’s also a “hear-the-story-read†feature but it may not work with all computers.
How to use the site:
This is a good site for free reading, and since the stories are brief, requiring very little on-screen time, even a one-computer classroom can make use of them. Another possibility is to have your students read the Question Corner responses as a warm-up and then respond or make additional suggestions. It’s also a good place for the transitioning ESL student to practice reading and comprehension skills. Students may also want to read the brief book reviews and then create their own.
