Britannica School is more than an online encyclopedia. See for yourself during our free trial.

Barb and I have been in the market for a new encyclopedia database since, oh, last year. We like to make sure we’re getting you the best stuff. Keith West suggested Britannica School—a product of Encyclopedia Britannica—after he learned from a colleague in his grad school class that it offered diverse content at varied reading levels appropriate for his special education students. It offers that and much more. ​

Here’s a quick list of features to check out during our trial, which lasts between now and April 22 (login information below):

1. Double-click dictionary: Literally double-click on any word and the Merriam-Webster entry for that word will pop up.
2. On This Day: Recommended for social studies classes, it’s basically a “This Day in History” blurb.
3. Science in Pictures: A photo and caption about a science-related topic. Perhaps an interesting bell ringer idea for science classes.
4. Compare Countries: Allows students to select two countries and quickly compare and contrast interesting statistics and facts about each one.
5. In Their Words: Interesting quotes from interesting people. Here’s the one I saw when I clicked on the tab today:

“Whenever a man’s friends begin to compliment him about looking young, he may be sure that they think he is growing old.”— Washington Irving (born April 3, 1783—died November 28, 1859)
I told you. Interesting.

1. Current events: Articles and information about events that happened as recent as yesterday!
2. Research planner: Tools to help students organize their research.
3. MLA and APA citations.
4. Web’s Best Sites: Each time a student visits an article, a link in the lefthand sidebar brings them to a page that lists credible websites where they might gather additional information.
5. Biographies.
6. Primary sources, articles, and media, including videos and images.
7. Educator portal: Access to lesson plan ideas aligned with standards (Click on “My Britannica” and use username: bolapr1 and password: cloud435).
8. And more.

Now through April 22, please take 10 minutes to see how Britannica School might support your teaching. You won’t be disappointed. No time? Then email Barb and/or me a specific assignment, and we’ll do the digging for you and let you know if we think this database is worth your while.
Here’s how to login:
URL: http://school.eb.com
Username: bolapr1
Password: cloud435