Common Sense Media

     I explored both the Common Sense Media website and the app and found both to be useful for teachers and for parents, or anyone who cares for children. The website especially provides great resources for teachers, including opportunities for professional development. They provide information on ebooks and on digital resources as well as reviews that are helpful for determining whether a resource will be helpful and appropriate for use in classrooms of students at each age level. They provide other tools such as videos and posters to help teachers educate students on how to be responsible users of technology and how to stay safe on the internet.
     The app is especially good for parents and other caregivers, but is still useful for educators. It allows the user to personalize a profile based on their children and provides recommendations of age appropriate books, movies, games, and other resources. It also has a useful search feature that gives ratings on books, movies, apps, etc. I liked the rating system used because it was not limited to a few parent reviews or system of stars. Rather, it  rates in multiple categories such as violence, consumerism, educational value, etc. It also gives examples of topics that families can use in conversation about the resource. Overall, i think Common Sense Media is the best resource I have seen so far when it comes to rating children's resources and entertainment.