Engage Your Kids with Seussical Activities

ReadingRockets.org, AdLit.org, and the NEA Offer Loads of Fun for
Reading and Learning with Dr. Seuss

"You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child." -Dr. Seuss

The theme is green for a very special Read Across America celebration this year. NEA's Read Across America campaign is showcasing The Lorax book as well as NBC/Universal's movie The Lorax. 

Check out tree-themed art, science, and poetry activities in Reading Rockets' The Lorax Family Literacy Bag, all of which are great fun for sharing at home, in the K-2 classroom, a Scout meeting, or an afterschool program.

AdLit.org offers additional activity ideas and resources to help you bring Dr. Seuss into the secondary classroom and to celebrate Read Across America with older readers.  Also be sure to check out suggestions for making reading meaningful through public service.

And don't forget the  NEA's Read Across America digital toolkit overflowing with resources and materials to make the most of your own reading party, filled with downlable activities, stickers, poetry, reading sheets, and MORE!

Have fun READING America!

NCBLA Recomends: A Family Outing!

The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance Encourages You to Take Your Children to the Many Great Museums Across the Country for Fun and to Broaden Their Worlds!

Every state has amazing museums that offer fascinating exhibits, great activities that will expand your child's universe-- and bring you closer together as a family! Be sure and check with your local library because many offer free family passes that will cover the admission costs to your local museums. 

A sampling of current museum shows across the country: 

The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry

http://www.msichicago.org/ 

The U-505 Submarine Exhibit: 

On June 4, 1944, a German submarine known as U-505 was prowling off the coast of West Africa on a hunt for American and Allied ships, when depth charges from the USS Chatelain blasted the dreaded U-boat out of hiding. It was the end of a violent run for U-505, which had terrorized the Atlantic Ocean as part of a massive U-boat campaign that almost altered the outcome of World War II.

The Museum of Science and Industry invites you to step inside the real U-505—the only German submarine in the United States, and, now, a national memorial to the 55,000 American sailors who gave their lives on the high seas in WWI and WWII.

The San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art

http://www.sfmoma.org/

ArtGameLab

Imagine a selection of crowdsourced games designed by SFMOMA's community, for SFMOMA's community. Last summer the museum put out an open call for inventive but simple and low-cost game ideas. Visitors can view the results in the Koret Visitor Education Center, and pick up instructions for prototype games to be played in the museum's galleries and other public spaces.
You are invited to participate in this experiment. Do you have an idea for a fun and engaging new activity in SFMOMA's galleries? Add your voice to the dialogue by visiting the exhibition's game design station. Watch SFMOMA's social media channels for gaming-related activities at the museum. Come play!

Seattle Museum of Flight

http://www.museumofflight.org/

Space: Exploring the New Frontier

Imagine yourself at the beginning of the 20th century with visionaries like rocket pioneer Robert Goddard. Watch the launch of Russia’s Sputnik, the world’s first satellite, and see how it captured the attention of the entire planet. Bring the Space Shuttle in for a safe landing at the Kennedy Space Center. Land the lunar module on the Moon and join Apollo astronauts in an exploration of the moon’s surface. Share the experiences of astronauts from the Pacific Northwest and climb inside a full size replica of the International Space Station’s Destiny Research Laboratory. Discover how Mission Control works to keep astronauts safe, see the only Mars Viking lander left on Earth and so much more!

To learn more about the history of space exploration, check out our series of articles originally published in the Seattle Times in 2007, coinciding with the opening of Space: Exploring the New Frontier:

Houston Children's Museum 

The Invention Convention

http://www.cmhouston.org/

Step into a workshop of gadgets and gizmos where kids create, concoct and construct contraptions and use their imagination to become inventors! Dream-up and design in a workshop filled with half-finished contraptions, bins of spare parts, project tables, schematics and various instruments from floor to ceiling. Experiment with LEGO® bricks, propellers, magnets, batteries, switches and buzzers through facilitated, hands-on experiments and mini-workshops.

Massachusetts' 

Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 

http://www.carlemuseum.org/Home

Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson
December 3, 2011 - May 6, 2012
Testing the Ice by Sharon Robinson, an educational consultant for Major League Baseball and vice chairman of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and illustrated by the award-winning Kadir Nelson is a story about her father, baseball legend Jackie Robinson. The original art for the book as well as numerous preliminary sketches will be on view in the museum’s Central Gallery from December 13, 2011 until May 6, 2012. It will complement the art, also by Nelson, for We Are the Ship, a history of the Negro Leagues, which will be in the East Gallery from February 7 until June 10, 2012.

The Tampa Museum of Art

http://www.tampamuseum.org/

Romare Bearden: Southern Recollections

January 28 - May 6, 2012

The Tampa Museum of Art is pleased to present Romare Bearden: Southern Recollections, an exhibition of approximately 80 works of art that span the career of this internationally renowned artist. Bearden (1911-1988) is widely regarded as one of the most important African-American artists who worked in the United States during the 20th century. He has been the focus of many solo exhibitions, including presentations at the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art. In 1987 he was awarded the National Medal of the Arts by President Ronald Reagan.

St. Louis  Museum of Transportation 
http://transportmuseumassociation.org/

ROADS, RIVERS, & RAILS
Transportation of the Civil War
Opening March 6, 2012

THE WHISTLE STOP - Presidential Travel by Train
 

Opens March 6, 2012
Runs through Inauguration Day - 2013

 

The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance OUR WHITE HOUSE: The Best Book for President's Day!

Happy Birthday George!

Today we celebrate George Washington's birthday and what better way to celebrate it than by reading and sharing the NCBLA's book, Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out with your kids! The exquisite illustration of George Washington to your left, was done by Bagram Ibatoulline, and is just one of the many incredible illustrations of American Presidents and their families that appears in our book. 

This week, many kids across the country have a school break. In the midst of recreational  activities, you might want to consider taking a family field trip to one of the many presidetial historical sites throughout our country-- February is the month we celebrate our presidents, after all! To find out what presidetial historical site is nearest you, go to the NCBLA's Our White House website, and visit our presidential field trip page and click on the any state at: http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/fieldguidestate.html

Pack a lunch, take the kids, and have your own American history day! For tips on how to make the day a success go to:  http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/fieldguidefam.html.

In Case You Missed It!

Boston Globe Article Profiles This Year's Newbery Medal Winner Jack Gantos!

Author Jack Gantos in the Reading Room at
the Library of Congress in September 2011.
Photo by Richard Groth.

Journalist James Sullivan writes in "A Newbery winner at last, "Already the recipient of many honors for his books, which are favorites among educators and librarians for their ability to lure those coveted 'reluctant' readers, last month Gantos was awarded the Newbery Medal, the highest honor in children’s literature, for his latest book, Dead End in Norvelt. Several factors contributed to his Newbery selection, Gantos figures. Part of it could be his longevity; now 60, he’s been writing books since the late 1970s. Part of it could be the fact that he had already amassed quite a bit of 'swag,' as he calls it. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key (1998), the first book in that series, was a finalist for a National Book Award. In 2001, Gantos was a Newbery finalist for Joey Pigza Loses Control. The author also won several awards, including the Printz and Sibert honors, for Hole in My Life (2001), perhaps his most unusual book, in which he wrote frankly about a bad decision that landed him in prison in his early 20s. Mostly, though, Gantos believes Dead End in Norvelt, an oddball murder mystery involving a boy and a stack of obituaries about the town founders, is deserving of the award. 'I don’t feel like I just barely lipped it in over the rim,' he says with an impish grin."

To read the entire article, click here.  

To learn even more about Jack Gantos and all his fabulous books, visit his website. 

Did you know Jack Gantos is a contributor to The Exquisite Corpse Adventure? 

To learn more about this fun and engaging progressive story game, click here.

Presidential Trivia of the Week

Presidential Trivia Questions to Share
with the Young People in Your Life!

Copyright (c) 2008 Wendell Minor

Are YOU playing presidential trivia?!  In honor of this year's presidential campaign, the NCBLA is posting three presidential trivia questions each week. Check out this week's questions and have fun sharing the questions and answers with the kids in your life!

This Week's Trivia Questions

1. Which American president bred his own hunting dogs with French hounds that had been shipped to him as a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette?
2. In today's presidential campaigns, candidates are always traveling, and sometimes they may visit several states in one day in their efforts to reach voters. But presidential campaigns did not always involve such extensive travel. Which presidents won the election by campaigning from the front porches of their homes?
3. Which First Lady is credited with saving important papers and a portrait of George Washington from the White House before British soldiers arrived to burn it down in the midst of the War of 1812?

A go-to resource for discovering more about America's presidents is the NCBLA's interdisciplinary anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, and it's coordinating educational website OurWhiteHouse.org! An incomparable collection of essays, personal accounts, historical fiction, poetry, and a stunning array of original art, Our White House offers a multifaceted look at America’s history through the prism of the White House.

 Answers and Information for Learning MORE!

1. George Washington. In "Presidential Menageries: George Washington, Hound Dogs, and Super Mules," Mary Brigid Barrett writes, "George Washington bred hunting dogs, and his papers at the Library of Congress note that he wanted to breed 'a superior dog, one that had speed, sense and brains.' In the mid-1780’s, aware of Washington’s intense interest, Marquis de Lafayette Washington’s French friend and ally during the Revolutionary War, sent him seven massive hounds. ... The French hounds were reportedly so fierce Washington assigned a servant to monitor their meals because they tore each other apart fighting over their food. He crossed these French beasts with his own black and tan hounds to create a new breed—the American Foxhound." To read the entire article on OurWhiteHouse.org, click here. 
2. James Garfield and William McKinley. The construction of railroads enabled presidential candidates to travel easily from state to state throughout the nineteenth century, but even with mass transportation widely available two candidates made the unusual decision to campaign from home. James Garfield welcomed hundreds of flag-waving visitors–many of them simply curious to see an actual presidential contender–to his home in Mentor, Ohio. From his front porch, Garfield spoke to the people while his wife served cold drinks on the lawn. Garfield won the 1880 election, so in 1896 fellow Ohio native William McKinley followed his lead and invited voters to his home in Canton. McKinley’s campaign was much more controlled, however. His staff insisted on evaluating potential visitors rather than allowing unpredictable crowds of Americans to show up in the front yard for a rowdy party. McKinley was also carefully briefed in advance regarding the topics he was to discuss with his pre-approved visitors of the day. The front-porch strategy was successful for McKinley even though his opponent made hundreds of speeches to millions of people around the country. McKinley’s win cannot be attributed simply to his staying at home, however. Many Republican leaders spoke around the country on his behalf. Plus, his campaign manager raised millions of dollars, which allowed them to produce substantial amounts of advertising, including flyers printed in several foreign languages so that new immigrants could read them. Learn more in "Persuading the People: Presidential Campaigns" on OurWhiteHouse.org. 
3. Dolley Madison. In "Dolley Madison Rescues George Washington" in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, Don Brown writes, "Dolley doesn't hesitate to show her grit. She has promised the president to protect important government documents housed in the president's mansion and is determined not to abandon them to the British. To the boom of nearby cannons, she packs the papers into the only carriage she can find. She is about to race away to safety when she remembers a portrait of George Washington." Be sure to read the entire essay in Our White House, and for more about Dolley Madison, check out "Primary Sources: Dolley Madison's Letter to Her Sister About the Burning of the White House" on OurWhiteHouse.org.

Our White House is available
in both hardcover and paperback from Candlewick Press.
Ask for it at a library or bookstore near you!

And be sure to check out the companion educational website, OurWhiteHouse.org, which provides expanded book content that includes additional articles, resources, activities, and discussion questions related to book topics as well exclusive resources and articles regarding the presidency, presidential campaigns, and presidential elections.

MORE Book Recommendations for Black History Month

Celebrate Black History Month Throughout the Year with Books and Learning Resources

For parents, grandparents, homeschoolers, and other adults who live and work with children, finding the right book for your kids can be challenging. In honor of Black History month, we've rounded up a few authoritative reading lists and other resources to help you share African-American heritage with the young people in your life...in February as well as throughout the year!

The New York Times Black History Bookshelf recommends some compelling choices, including the picture book When Grandmama Sings by Margaree King Mitchell and illustrated by James E. Ransome, as well as Best Shot in the West: The Adventures of Nat Love by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick L. McKissack, illustrated by Randy DuBurke. To read the entire list, click here.

The Black History Month page on ReadingRockets.org provides not only recommended books, but also video interviews with authors, poets, and illustrators; activities for home and classroom; and other resources.

For older readers, check out the extensive themed lists on AdLit.org, which include Multicultural Stories, More Multicultural Stories, and the winners of the Coretta Scott King Awards, which recognize outstanding books by African American writers and illustrators.

For even more learning resources, check out the Black History Month page on Thinkfinity.org, which includes lesson plans, activities, and other resources, such as the NAACP Interactive Timeline and the Spotlight on African-American Scientists.

Conference for Teachers and Librarians to be Held at JFK Library

A Sense of Wonder:
Stories of Nature, Science & History
Scheduled for April 5

In 1962, astronaut John Glenn’s historic orbital flight captured the public’s imagination and spurred an ever-growing fascination with rocketry and outer space on the part of America’s youth. That same year, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring warned that overuse of chemical pesticides was endangering the web of life on planet Earth. Her book helped to launch an environmental movement, stirring young people’s interest in ecology and in caring for the natural world. 

As we recall these landmark events of 50 years ago, gather with other teachers and librarians to consider how stories of nature, science and history can be used to inspire today’s students with both a sense of wonder and conscientious stewardship.
Featured speakers will include Sy Montgomery, Anita Silvey, Catherine Thimmesh and Wendell Minor.

This conference is scheduled for April 5 from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. It is presented by the John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.  

To download the conference brochure and registration form, click here.

Presidential Trivia of the Week

Learn and Have Fun Sharing Presidential Trivia with the Young People in Your Life

 

In honor of this year's presidential campaign, the NCBLA is posting three presidential trivia questions each week. Why not test your knowledge? You can share the questions while driving to basketball practice, during a Scout meeting, or while finishing the family chores. 

This Week's Trivia Questions

1. Americans in primary states have been inundated with TV commercials promoting--or denigrating--all of this year's hopefuls for the Republican nomination. Which presidential candidate was the first to promote his candidacy using TV?
2. Which president proclaimed "The Star-Spangled Banner" to be our national anthem?  
3. Which president was so well-known for his silent nature that during a dinner party a guest teased that she had bet a friend she could entice the president to say more than five words during the meal, to which he answered, "You lose?"

A perfect resource for discovering more about America's presidents is the NCBLA's interdisciplinary anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, and it's coordinating educational website OurWhiteHouse.org! An incomparable collection of essays, personal accounts, historical fiction, poetry, and a stunning array of original art, Our White House offers a multifaceted look at America’s history through the prism of the White House.

Answers and Information for Learning MORE!

1. Dwight Eisenhower.  In 1952 Dwight Eisenhower became the first candidate to exploit the new technology of television by appealing to voters in a series of 20-second commercials that showed Eisenhower answering questions posed by citizens on the street. Though many idolized the war hero, these TV ads demonstrated Eisenhower's ability to communicate easily with ordinary people. Learn more in "Persuading the People: Presidential Campaigns" on OurWhiteHouse.org.  
2. Herbert Hoover. In 1931 Hoover, our thirty-first president, elevated "The Star-Spangled Banner" to the highest level. He signed legislation making "The Star-Spangled Banner" the national anthem of the United States.  Learn more in "Star Spangled Presidents" by Helen Kampion on OurWhiteHouse.org. 
3. Calvin Coolidge. In "The Eloquence of 'Silent Cal,'" Katherine Paterson writes, "There are many such stories about Calving Coolidge sitting through entire social events without uttering a word. He himself said: 'If you don't say anything, you won't be called on to repeat it.' And at another time, 'I have never been hurt by what I have not said.'" To read the complete article on OurWhiteHouse.org, click here.

Our White House is available in both hardcover and paperback from Candlewick Press. Ask for it at a library or bookstore near you!

And be sure to check out the companion educational website, OurWhiteHouse.org, which provides expanded book content that includes additional articles, resources, activities, and discussion questions related to book topics as well exclusive resources and articles regarding the presidency, presidential campaigns, and presidential elections.

In Case You Missed It!

Children's Lit Expert
Maria Salvadore Discusses
Extensive Appeal of Multicultural Books

In the Reading Rockets.org blog article titled "We're all hyphenated Americans," children's literature expert Maria Salvadore shares a recent teaching experience in which a group of parents recognized the value of reading multicultural books to their children. 

Salvadore says, "What this suggests is that books introduce readers to myriad people of all backgrounds — even in homogeneous communities. Children need to see themselves and meet others. These books must have a universal appeal, an emotional authenticity, and enough story to keep readers engaged."

Maria Salvadore is is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland, reviewer for School Library Journal and Capitol Choices, and former member of the American Library Association's Notable Children's Book Committee. Her weekly blog "Page by Page" explores the best ways to use kids' books both inside and outside of the classroom. To read the entire article, click here. 

Celebrate Presidents' Day Throughout February!

Libraries, Websites, and Books Offer Engaging Learning Opportunities During Presidents' Month

Presidents’ Day is February 20. How can we share stories of the American presidency with our children?  Check out the following resources for multiple ideas to help you and the young people in your life take a closer look at all our presidents. 

Visit a Presidential Historic Site or Library
More than twenty states boast presidential birthplaces, historic homes, libraries, and museums. The NCBLA's educational website OurWhiteHouse.org offers a comprehensive guide to finding these fabulous places, listed by state in "Field Trip Guide! Presidential Birthplaces, Houses, and Libraries."

Check Out Special Activities at Local Museums
Many presidential libraries and museums are offering child-friendly and family-oriented activities to commemorate Presidents’ Day. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston is hosting a week-long celebration beginning Thursday, February 19, which will include "You Be the President" interactive activity, "Celebrate! presents Djembe dell'Arte - African Dance and Drumming," and other events. Click here to view the complete calendar.

Read, Research, Question, Learn!
Delve deeper into America's past in the NCBLA's art and literature anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, available at bookstores and libraries near you!

On the companion educational website OurWhiteHouse.org, check out children's literature expert Maria Salvadore’s extensive list of book and website recommendations online in "Presidents, the President’s House, and More: A Select List of Books (and a Few Web Sources) for Children and Young Adults."

Discover what you might have in common with American presidents and what unusual critters have resided in the White House with them in "Presidents Are People Too!" and "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My" both by Heather Lang. 

Review classroom activities and resources in "Great Presidents" on Thinkfinity.org.

Play a Game of Presidential Trivia!
Do you know which president was the first to live in the White House? (Hint: It wasn’t George Washington!) Do you know which president served the shortest term? (Hint: He was president for 31 days in 1841.) Do you know which presidents have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize? 

Make up your own presidential trivia game by digging into amazing Presidential Facts. Find the answers to these questions and make up even more questions using the essays about presidential job requirements, campaigns, and PETS—all on the NCBLA's educational website OurWhiteHouse.org!

And check back here each week for the NCBLA's weekly trivia questions, being posted throughout this year's presidential campaign! To see the first week's questions, click here. To see the second week's questions, click here. 

February is Black History Month

Celebrate African-American History
with Books!

Share the inspirational story of how slave Frederick Douglass found his way to freedom one word at a time in Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass by Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by James E. Ransome. This picture book biography chronicles the youth of Frederick Douglass, one of the most prominent African American figures in American history. Douglass spent his life advocating for the equality of all, and it was through reading that he was able to stand up for himself and others. Award-winning husband-wife team Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome present a moving and captivating look at the young life of the inspirational man who said, “I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong.”

Book Lists, Activities, and Other Resources!

To check out the The Horn Book's recommendations of new books to celebrate Black History month, click here. 

Don't miss the Black History Month page on ReadingRockets.org, which provides not only recommended books, but also video interviews with authors, poets, and illustrators; activities for home and classroom; and other resources. 

Explore classroom lessons, activities, and other resources on Thinkfinity.org. 

Presidential Trivia of the Week

Presidential Trivia Questions to Share with Your Class, Family, or Friends!

In honor of this year's presidential campaign, the NCBLA is posting three presidential trivia questions each week. Why not take a few minutes to share these trivia questions with your family, class, or group of young people and see what they know?! 

This Week's Trivia Questions

1. Who was the only presidential candidate to ever be elected by a unanimous vote?
2.  Which president considered himself to have been a "sissy" as a child, having said, "If there was any danger of getting into a fight, I always ran?"
3. Which president was the first one to throw the first pitch in a major league baseball game?

A perfect resource for discovering more about America's presidents is the NCBLA's interdisciplinary anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, and it's coordinating educational website OurWhiteHouse.org! An incomparable collection of essays, personal accounts, historical fiction, poetry, and a stunning array of original art, Our White House offers a multifaceted look at America’s history through the prism of the White House.

Answers and Information for Learning MORE!

1. George Washington. When it came time for the newly born United States to elect its first president, everyone knew George Washington was the best man for the job. Not only had Washington led the Continental Army to victory in our fight for independence from the British, he had also presided over the Constitutional Convention that gave birth to our new democratic government. Washington had proven himself to be not only a strong leader, but a national hero. No campaign was needed to convince anyone. Washington therefore ran unopposed and was subsequently elected unanimously–not once, but twice in 1789 and 1792.  To learn more, click here to read "Persuading the People: Presidential Campaigns" on OurWhiteHouse.org. 
2.  Harry Truman. Truman's poor vision and glasses prevented him from playing sports. His mother forbade him from roughhousing, so he spent most of his free time playing the piano and reading history books. Truman experienced his first combat when he fought in World War I. There he impressed many with his courage and his ability to lead. He called upon these strengths in 1945, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died, and Truman was thrust into the presidency. To learn more about our president's imperfections, click here to read "Presidents Are People Too!" by Heather Lang on OurWhiteHouse.org. 
3. William Howard Taft. Taft threw the first pitch at a game in Washington's American League Park on April 14, 1910. To learn more about presidents' connections to baseball, read "The First Pitch" by Stephanie True Peters and illustrated by Matt Tavares in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out.  

Our White House is available in both hardcover and paperback from Candlewick Press. Ask for it at a library or bookstore near you!

And be sure to check out the companion educational website, www.OurWhiteHouse.org, which provides expanded book content that includes additional articles, resources, activities, and discussion questions related to book topics as well exclusive resources and articles regarding the presidency, presidential campaigns, and presidential elections.