This non-profit website explains the science behind current events for grades 5-12, but most students will struggle to use this site independently. The website uses a traditional adult news website format to address current media topics and explain the related science. The home page has approximately five story headlines and summaries, and students can click to read a lengthy one page article on the topic with accompanying photos and historical explanations. Students can browse for archived articles, book reviews, and images, and adults can find articles and activities by common core standards. While the concept of this site is wonderful, most students will be reluctant to use this site independently. The page layout and graphics look as if they were designed for adults, not students. The stories are lengthy and use challenging vocabulary with no option to look up definitions. Even the article subjects are not student-friendly, with topics and photos that are disturbing and/or uninteresting such as "why people murder" or "chronic pain". This website is best only for mature, older students who have a keen interest in science.

• Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
• Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
• Presents educational concepts accurately
• Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
• Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
• Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
• Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

• Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
• Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
• Visually appealing to children in the target age range
• Provides virtual rewards or incentives after meeting specified goals or objectives
• Provides a "break activity" between academic problem sets
• Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
• Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

• Has a free or trial version
• Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
• Provides an age-appropriate tutorial/first time users can work independently
• Student should be able to use independently after first use
• Has a multi-player option to foster in-person collaboration or cooperation
• Multiple users can save a profile
• Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
• Can play without sound and not distract others
• Students can save work between sessions
• Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
• Requires registration before using the first time
• Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
• Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
• Overall - Easy to use

• Anxiety
• Themes that might disturb sensitive students (death, blood, slime)
• Age inappropriate amount of work which could overwhelm or discourage students
• Attention
• Age inappropriate amount of work which could overwhelm or discourage students
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Requires recall of text information without audio or visual reinforcement
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• General Information
• Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
• Organization
• Age inappropriate amount of work which could overwhelm or discourage students
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Students might need support with navigation
• Reading Basics
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Reading Comprehension
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Reading Fluency
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Verbal Reasoning
• Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Visual Discrimination
• Words used during activity can be too small or difficult to read
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Requires recall of text information without audio or visual reinforcement
• Students might need support with navigation
• Vocabulary
• Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
• Working Memory
• Requires recall of text information without audio or visual reinforcement
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Students might need support with navigation