Save the date
“NASA’s ‘Amazing Space’: Using Hubble Space Telescope Images in the Classroom” is being presented by the Smithsonian Online Education Conference series on August 14 at 4 pm EDT as part of a STEM education collaboration between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). An overview of the science behind the Hubble Space Telescope will be presented by Dr. Frank Summers, an astrophysicist at STScI. Dan McCallister, an education specialist at STScI and a former middle-school teacher, will show attendees how to use these resources to engage students in learning about the essential ideas of earth and space sciences. Register now.
Penguin Young Readers Group Award
Online applications for the 2014 Penguin Young Readers Group Awards are being accepted by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Grants Administration Committee. Up to four children’s librarians working at a school or public library can receive a $600 stipend to attend their first American Library Association (ALA) Conference to be held in Las Vegas, June 26–July 1, 2014. To apply, you must be a personal member of ALSC and ALA, have less than 10 years but more than one year experience as a children’s librarian, and never have attended an ALA Annual Conference. Applicants will be judged on their involvement in ALSC and other professional/educational associations, new programs or innovations started in the library, and library experience. Check out all the requirements and apply by October 18, 2013.
Coming to a theater near you
The much-awaited film adaptation of Artemis Fowl is finally being developed by the Walt Disney Studios. The screen play is being written by Michael Goldberg (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) and Harvey Weinstein will produce it. The film will be based on the first two titles in the series by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl and Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident). The release date has not yet been announced. Artemis Fowl is 12 years old, a genius, a millionaire, and a criminal mastermind. The series has more than 21 million copies in print. “This is a special project for me because my children absolutely love this book,” notes Weinstein.
Kwame Alexander’s He Said/She Said
In advance of the November 2013 publication of his new young adult novel, He Said/She Said (HarperCollins), author Kwame Alexander is offering a free beach-themed toolkit for libraries and schools. The kit includes activity suggestions for beach-themed book release parties. The book is a teen love story that also deals with social issues. There’s also a contest related to the release of the book geared towards high school students between the ages of 15 and 19. Here are the categories: Best Social Issue Poster Message by a Girl, Best Social Issue Poster Message by a Boy, Best He Said/She Said Book Review by a Girl, Best He Said/She Said Book Review by a Boy, Best He Said/She Said Book Cover Design by a Girl, Best He Said/She Said Book Cover Design by a Boy, Best He Said/She Said Book Illustration by a Girl, Best He Said/She Said Book Illustration by a Boy, Most Effective Social Media Engagement by a Girl, Most Effective Social Media Engagement by a Boy. Prizes include autographed copies of the book, gift cards, and more. Be sure to check out the contest rules and complete an entry form. Entries must be received by December 20, 2013, and winners will be notified by January 17, 2014.