Winman Library: Research Resources

Explore AskRI Databases

Go to www.askri.org or click on the image above.

If you are a Rhode Island resident, AskRI.org has a variety of free resources available to you!

Databases included are:

• World Book 
• Explora
• History Reference Center
• Biography Reference Center
• Points of View Reference Center

Many of these databases have a "read to me" feature and a citation generator which can be very helpful when doing research!

World Book Student includes engaging content, built-in features, and fun tools specifically designed to make knowledge accessible and easy-to-find for kids in middle school. Includes features like Behind the Headlines and an extensive Biography Center. Search by time period, nationality, gender, and more to narrow your selections.

World Book Online Encyclopedia for background information and topic ideas:  World Book Advanced Link

The home page features changing content designed to spark inquiry such as Did You Know? and Today in History which offer fun facts about interesting topics.

• Make learning fun with hundreds of educational games & awards. Users can earn awards or compete to beat their own best score!
• Integrations with eBooks, if included in the subscription.
• World Book Explains videos, which feature experts answering questions on high-interest topics.
• Research tools such as How to Do Research and My Research help users navigate the research process and digitally organize sources.

Here are additional resources you can use if you are researching endangered animals:

• Earth's Endangered Creatures
• National Geographic
• United States Environmental Protection Agency
• Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
• National Wildlife Federation
• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
• PBS Nature Works
• World Book Student 
• Animal Fact Guide

Designed with students in mind, Explora provides a safe, trustworthy environment for students to look up articles and facts for research papers, class projects or homework. 

Use RI's PBS Learning Media to find information on many different subjects and topics and engage through the use of audio recordings, documents, interactives, videos, and more!

Middle Search Plus is a full-text database providing popular middle school magazines and reference books. Covering subjects such as history, current events, science and sports, it also includes thousands of biographies and primary source documents, plus over a million photos, maps and flags.

 Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Dictionary.com 

Culturegrams, Kids Edition: Learn more about the world around you. Each report contains images, historical timelines, and fun facts, along with sections on history, population, “life as a kid,” games and sports, education, and more. 

Culturegrams, States Edition: Features colorful, easy-to-read reports oriented to young users that describe the diversity and history of each U.S. state and the District of Columbia. Each report includes maps, flags, and symbols, as well as sections on history, economy, geography, population, Native Americans, and recipes.

FactMonster Almanac

Provides entertainment and educational resources; combines the contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas, and several almanacs loaded with statistics, facts, and historical records.

An Online Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, and Thesaurus.

The Original Online Geography Resource.  WorldAtlas is one of the largest publishing resources in geography and other topics it covers, including sociology, demography, environment, economics, politics, and travel.

National Geographic's MapMaker Interactive is an online mapping tool that allows teachers and students to explore the world using map themes, data, and tools. Our online map makes it easy for students to visually explore and interact with our interconnected social and physical Earth systems.