Summer Reading Bridge at Rincon Library: Students can have fun practicing their reading skills with volunteer reading tutors. They can drop-in and sign-up the day of for a 30-minute reading session. The program runs Monday through Thursday, 2 – 4 p.m. until August 1, 2024. For more information call the Rincon Library at 925-373-5540.

The Rincon Library’s Homework Help program offers free afterschool homework help for students TK through High School. Adult volunteer homework coaches will assist students with homework or math and reading practice. Homework Help runs during the school year, except during school breaks. (See the library’s events calendar or the LVJUSD School 2024-25 School Year Calendar.) For more information call the Rincon Library at 925-373-5540.

• Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 3-5 p.m.
• Wednesdays from 2-4 p.m.

Doing research? The links below also provide reliable information on common elementary and junior high school assignments. Some require a library card when accessing outside of the library.

View the handout "But My Teacher Said I Couldn't Use the Internet" to see why library databases and e-resources are different.

Digital Research Resources

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Academic

• ProQuest Homework Central Research resources for students of varying ages. Includes:
  
  • CultureGrams - Info about world countries, the United States and Canadian provinces.
  • eLibrary - Multimedia content for beginning and intermediate researchers.
  • SIRS Discoverer - Collection of subjects and topics aimed at enabling younger students complete research assignments.
  • SIRS Issues Researcher - ProCon database for students and educators.

Accelerated Reader (AR) Lists

• AR BookFinder™
  Results on book searches display ATOS and interest levels, fiction/nonfiction, summaries, and more. After finding appropriate books for students, search our Library Catalog to see if the books are available.

Ancient Civilizations

• Ancient China
  Learn about Taoism, explore daily life in four different Chinese dynasties.

• Ancient Egypt
  The site is divided into ten 'chapters' which address themes or topics relevant to ancient Egypt. The ten 'chapters' are presented on a menu page where the user can choose a chapter by clicking on the word or icon relating to that chapter.

• Ancient Greece
  The BBC created this fun, interactive site on Ancient Greece.

• Brief History of Assyrians
  Includes geography, language, religion, and a detailed history of Assyrians.

• Daily Life in Ancient Civilizations
  This site provides basic information and links for the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, and China, with an additional section on Early Man.

• Maya Civilization
  From the BBC education site, this page explains who the Mayans were, where they lived, and what they did.

• National Geographic Kids
  Full issues of National Geographic Kids magazine as well as National Geographic Kids books, videos, and images.

• The Romans
  From the BBC education site, this page explains who the Romans were, what the empire and the republic were, and presents the emperors, senators, Roman leisure, education, and religion. Also includes maps.

Animals

• Animal Bytes (San Diego Zoo)
  All about animals. Search by category, habitat, or location created by the San Diego Zoo.

• Animal Diversity Web
  Includes information on distributions, natural history, conservation, and economic importance, along with pictures and sounds.

• National Geographic Kids
  Full issues of National Geographic Kids magazine as well as National Geographic Kids books, videos, and images.

• National Wildlife Federation
  Articles in English and Spanish from Ranger Rick; and a homework help section. Use the search box to find the information you need.

• Timeline of Dinosaurs

Astronomy

• Amazing Space
  Learn about astronomy, space, telescopes, stars, discoveries. Includes “Tonight’s Sky” constellations, deep sky objects and planets.

• Explore with NASA
  Astronomy-themed fun facts, videos, and pictures compiled by NASA with links to quizzes and activities for kids to do, learn, and play.

• National Geographic Kids
  Full issues of National Geographic Kids magazine as well as National Geographic Kids books, videos, and images.

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B

Biographies

• Gale in Context: Biography
  Find out about people living or dead. Authors, athletes, stars and scientists are all here. There are often pictures of the person as well. You can get reference books and current magazine articles.

• People Index
  Very short biographies of people in world history. Especially useful is the clickable timeline. To return to a previous page, click on the "X" in the top right corner of current page.

Biology

• Gale Interactive: Science
  With 200+ interactive sessions and self-quiz options in biology, chemistry, and earth/space science, this Gale visual tool offers students the ability to explore and manipulate 3D science models to perform virtual labwork on.

• • National Geographic Kids
    Full issues of National Geographic Kids magazine as well as National Geographic Kids books, videos, and images.

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C

California

• Calisphere
  The Missions, Gold Rush, and much more including pictures. Provided by the University of California.

California Missions

• California Missions
  Facts about each mission from the California Missions Foundation.

• California Missions Resource Center
  Facts about each mission from Pentacle Press.

• California Mission E-Books
  The same books as you would find in print, but use them online. After you choose a book, you will see the record for it. When you click open, you need to put in missions as the username and missions as the password.

Cells

• Gale Interactive: Science
  With 200+ interactive sessions and self-quiz options in biology, chemistry, and earth/space science, this Gale visual tool offers students the ability to explore and manipulate 3D science models to perform virtual labwork on.

• BrainPOP Cells
  Learn all about cells by viewing an educational film, reading the Q&A, and doing the topically related quiz and activities.

China (Ancient)

• Ancient China
  Learn about Taoism, explore daily life in four different Chinese dynasties.

Controversial Topics

• Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints
  Start here for information, statistics, and different opinions on many subjects. Look here if you need to offer several ideas about an issue.

Countries

• Countries of the World
  Contains country profiles including details on geography, people and society, economy, energy, communications, transportation, and military. Click on country button to link to a country's entry. The World Factbook is a public domain website from the CIA for grades 5 and up and may be used freely by anyone at anytime without seeking permission so long as it is cited when used.

• Country Studies / Area Handbook Series
  Developed by the Library of Congress, the Country Studies handbooks cover demographic, political, and social information on countries around world

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D

Day in History

• This Day in History
  Find out what happened on today's date in previous years, or enter your birthdate or other day you want to learn more about.

• Discover & Go
  Learn hands on with free and discounted passes to local museums and cultural institutions for library cardholders.

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E

Egypt (Ancient)

• Ancient Egypt
  The site is divided into ten 'chapters' which address themes or topics relevant to ancient Egypt. The ten 'chapters' are presented on a menu page where the user can choose a chapter by clicking on the word or icon relating to that chapter.

Encyclopedias

• Encyclopedia Britannica School
  Find informational articles on a wide range of subjects designed at three different reading levels, allowing students to move easily to material of higher or lower comprehension levels as needed for K-6, middle school and high school. Includes an automated translation tool for over 50 languages, as well as quick dictionary definitions and audio pronunciation – helpful for English language learners.

• Encyclopedia Britannica Escolar
  Provides various subject information for K-6 and middle school in Spanish. Escolar articles are original works, not translations.

Endangered Species

• Animal Info
  Detailed information about each endangered animal, including habitat, diet, behavior, threats and reason(s) for decline.

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Division of Endangered Species
  A site full of information about endangered animals. Use the "search our site" function to find information on a specific animal.

Environment

• Climate Kids
  Find answers to questions on global climate change in sections on weather, air, the ocean, fresh water, carbon, energy, plants and animals and technology. Includes educational games, activities, crafts, videos and info on green careers.

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F

Flags

• Flag Institute's World Flag Database
  Need a picture of the flag of Kazakhstan? Whatever the country you're studying, you can probably find an image of its flag here.

• Flags of the World
  Find large color images of national flags accompanied by a description. The World Factbook is a public domain website from the CIA for grades 5 and up and may be used freely by anyone at anytime without seeking permission so long as it is cited when used.

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G

Greece (Ancient)

• Ancient Greece
  The BBC created this fun, interactive site on Ancient Greece.

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H

History

• Gale in Context: U.S. History
  Uncover information on hundreds of the most significant people, events, and topics in U.S. history from a variety of sources.

• Gale In Context: World History
  Uncover information on hundreds of the most significant people, events, and topics in world history from a variety of sources.

• This Day in History
  Find out what happened on today's date in previous years, or enter your birthdate or other day you want to learn more about.

Human Body

• Gale Interactive: Science
  With 200+ interactive sessions and self-quiz options in biology, chemistry, and earth/space science, this Gale visual tool offers students the ability to explore and manipulate 3D science models to perform virtual labwork on.

• Human Anatomy Online - InnerBody.com Click here for those reports about the muscular, digestive, and other body systems. Interactive pictures show the systems and describe their functions.

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I

Inventions and Inventors

• How Stuff Works
  How Stuff Works is a great place to come to learn about how things work in the world around you.

• Technology Timeline
  This site presents a timeline from 1750 to 1990s of American inventions and innovative achievements. Click on the invention or achievement on the timeline to learn more about it.

• Who Invented The...?
  A list of inventions and who invented them. Scroll down the page to see a list of inventions, their inventor and the year they were invented.

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L

Language Learning

• Dino Lingo eBooks
  Bilingual language learning stories for kids on OverDrive in English and Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Russian, Persian, Spanish, Tagalog, or Vietnamese. Simple sentences that are easy to read and understand. A great source for building vocabulary.

• Pronunciator
  There are lessons in every Pronunciator level that are particularly useful to young learners in 60 languages. Look for the Kids icon on Pronunciator lessons, those contain content that is kid-tested and kid-approved.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

• America Heads West
  Join Lewis & Clark on an interactive adventure where students become privates in Lewis & Clark's Corps of Discovery.

• Lewis and Clark
  This site is a comprehensive resource Lewis & Clark's expedition. It includes in-depth historical and biographical information. Livermore History

Livermore

• Livermore Heritage Guild
  See pictures and learn facts about historic Livermore local structures and famous people such as Robert Livermore.

• Livermore Rodeo
  Learn the history of the Rodeo by selecting the "Gallery" button.

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M

Maps

• Regional and World Maps
  Contains a variety of JPG and PDF maps, by geographic region, covering the entire globe. Also available are World maps, a World Oceans map, and a Time Zone map. The World Factbook is a public domain website from the CIA for grades 5 and up and may be used freely by anyone at anytime without seeking permission so long as it is cited when used.

Maya

• Maya Civilization
  This site covers cosmology and religion, writing and hieroglyphics, calendar and more.

Mesopotamia

• Brief History of Assyrians
  Includes geography, language, religion, and a detailed history of Assyrians.

Missions

• See California Missions

Museum Passes

• Discover & Go
  Learn hands on with free and discounted passes to local museums and cultural institutions for library cardholders.

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R

Rome (Ancient)

• The Romans
  From the BBC education site, this page explains who the Romans were, what the empire and the republic were, and presents the emperors, senators, Roman leisure, education, and religion. Also includes maps.

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S

Science

• Interactive Science
  With 200+ interactive sessions and self-quiz options in biology, chemistry, and earth/space science, this Gale visual tool offers students the ability to explore and manipulate 3D science models to perform virtual labwork on.

• Lawrence Hall of Science
  UC Berkeley's public 24/7 Science kids page includes a variety of science experiments and activities, games and citizen science opportunities.

• Science Buddies
  Empowers K-12 students, parents, and teachers to quickly and easily find free science project ideas and help in all areas of science from physics to food science and music to microbiology.

• Science Projects Books

Social Studies

• Encyclopedia Britannica School
  Find informational articles on a wide range of subjects designed at three different reading levels, allowing students to move easily to material of higher or lower comprehension levels as needed for K-6, middle school and high school. Includes an automated translation tool for over 50 languages, as well as quick dictionary definitions and audio pronunciation – helpful for English language learners.

• Encyclopedia Britannica Escolar
  Provides various subject information for K-6 and middle school in Spanish. Escolar articles are original works, not translations.

State Reports

• 50 States and Capitals
  For each of the 50 states there is a map, and all the basic information you might need to know sSuch as song, congresspersons, population, and other vital statistics.
  Middle School

• Stately Knowledge
  These web pages will help you find out the basic facts of any state in the Union, including Washington, D.C.

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T

Test Prep / Support

• tutor.com
  Free online tutoring with library card and computer or mobile device with Internet access. K-12 homework help in math, science, English, social studies and AP test support; Princeton Review expert SAT/ACT test prep. This resource is generously funded in memory of Yu-Li Pan, by his family.

  • FAQs
  • Tech Support

Tutoring

• tutor.com
  Free online tutoring with library card and computer or mobile device with Internet access. K-12 homework help in math, science, English, social studies and AP test support; Princeton Review expert SAT/ACT test prep. This resource is generously funded in memory of Yu-Li Pan, by his family.

  • FAQs
  • Tech Support

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U

United States

• America's Library
  The Library of Congress site for "kids and families" is a great resource for assignments about the United States.

• Gale in Context: U.S. History
  Uncover information on hundreds of the most significant people, events, and topics in U.S. history from a variety of sources.

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