I must admit, I don't often go to World Book Online but it does have some useful tools that could be used for tweaking and enhancing school reports. World Book Online is broken into several different editions- World Book Kids, World Book Student, World Book Discover, etc. Each edition provides access to information appropriate for specific age groups.
First, I looked at the "Maps and More" section of the Kids edition which is for grades K-5. This section allows students to discover information about various states or countries as well as providing good physical maps of the world. You can also click links on the map that give further information. There is also a section that has outline maps and flags representing the states or countries.
In World Book Student, I looked at the SD link under "explore". This page had several links to SD facts and biographies of famous personalities. You could find out the economy, history, climate, etc.
Next, I tried Ebook Center where I pulled up the text of Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales. Along with the text, more information about the author is provided. You can print, save or email sections to yourself as well as have the ebook read aloud. It is also available in several languages. This would be very useful for ESL children or children with learning/reading difficulties.
I really liked looking at the museums in the World Book Explores Virtual Tours. It is a great way to see displays at different museums that you cannot visit in person.
Overall, I think World Book Online is a great resource for K-12 and public libraries. It can be used for reports or for further investigation on topics.
