What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that there's nothing but valuable (OK, sometimes not really "valuable" as much as very cool: Do you know why curveballs curve?) information for students of all ages on this well organized education portal. Most of the links will take kids off the site, but where they land is harmless and educational. Minimal text-only ads are usually related to the topic you've clicked on. It's just unfortunate that they look so much like the other legit content links on the site.

Families can talk about why it's often better to go to a trusted site like HomeworkSpot than to Google to find the best age-appropriate, reliable information. What are the benefits of having search engines and sites designed just for kids? What are safe sites to browse? How can you tell which sites you can trust? Parents can also explain why curiosity about the world can enrich our lives (and help us do better in school!).

Common Sense Media Review
Got questions? Dig right in to this extensive collection of Web sites broken down by subject and age group to find the answers. Not only can you get straight-up homework help on HOMEWORKSPOT.COM, but you'll also get related news and links to other wonderful sites. In the section for middle schoolers, for example, you'll find links to sites on geographic bees, immigration, and countries of the world. Similarly, the science section directs students to sites on weather, chemistry, and how stuff works. The reference desk area is a gateway to dictionaries, atlases, almanacs, and encyclopedias. Take your learning offline with the fun -- and educational -- suggested things to do, such as downloadable maps you fill in. And, don't miss the writing tips to help with essays and book reports. Soon you'll be saying, "What homework? It's all done!"

Other sites for curious minds include SocialStudiesforKids.com and WorldAlmanacforKids.com.

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