Tuesday Tips March 23, 2016

TECH TIP:  Athenir Search Engine

I worked with Tara Birkett's Non-Fiction class this week on their research papers, and we used Athenir during the initial phase of research when they were developing their topics and seeking out keywords and possible avenues to explore.  Athenir is a new visual search engine.  As you can see from the screenshot, you put in your topic, then on the left is a very cool visual depiction of possible categories for your search topic.  On the right are some top websites.  You can also just select "News" and it will give you the top news stories related to your search topic.  If you double click on one of the color break downs on the left, it brings you deeper into that category and other possible keywords and topics to explore.  Athenir is a great tool for students to use during this first phase of research.
BOOK TIP:  Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

This is book two of The Grisha Trilogy.  The series follows, Alina, a young woman who discovers she is the Sun Summoner, a position of power and strength in her homeland of Ravka.  But in order to maintain power, she must fight the Darkling.  A suspenseful story with lots of action to keep you turning pages.