Brief Description of the Site:
There's the hard copy of Scientific American, and then there's the online version. The wealth of information makes this online publication a powerful science resource. The search engine within the ScientificAmerican.com site worth the visit alone. There's the News section and an In Depth link that draws upon the magazine's archives for articles that have been published extensively examining topics. One can browse by date or by topic. There's a "Bookstore" of reviews related to science and technology publications as well as a "Best Seller" section to peruse on science and technology. There's far more than one can read at one sitting, so placing it in one's Favorites will make return visits easier. The reading level is geared to high school although there are sections that are appropriate for middle and elementary school.
How to use the site:
This site is a treasure trove of science and technology information. The range of articles is vast, but there are some personalizing links worthy of note. The "Ask an Expert" link offers the opportunity to send in questions that, due to the volume of questions they customarily receive, are answered on the site and not individually. Scientific American advises that it will not do homework for you, and reserves the right "to edit questions for clarity". There are some great questions already up on the site that might be of interest to elementary students, such as:
- Why do we put salt on icy sidewalks in the winter?
- What are the physical and chemical changes that occur in fireworks?
- Why are planets round?
- What causes a mirage?
Questions appearing on the site are hyperlinks to the answers the experts provide. There are "Current Questions" and then they are sorted by subject, such as astronomy, biology, chemistry and computers. Environment, mathematics, medicine and physics, to name just a few. ScientificAmerican.com is a wonderful online science and technology publication; consider adding it as a science and technology search engine for student exploration.