School Library Journal» PBS

Pick of the Day: Constitution USA with Peter Sagal | DVD

SLJ — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 13:00:27 +0000

ConstitutionUSAwith Peter Sagal. 2 DVDs. 4 hrs. Prod. by TPT National Prods. and Insignia Films. Dist. by PBS Dist. 2013. ISBN 978-1-60883-901-8. $29.99.
Gr 9 Up–Sagal, the find-humor-in-our-everyday-lives NPR host, broadly examines our Constitution in both historical and contemporary contexts in a manner that will transfix viewers. Metaphorically traversing the country on a red, white, and blue Harley-Davidson, his goal is to recount the perspective of the document’s development as well as to examine it in terms of today’s critical issues. “A More Perfect Union,” the first segment, describes the intriguing manner in which our federal system of government was determined and issues facing us today as a result of federal, state, and local control questions. “It’s a Free Country” studies the Bill of Rights, and the controversies surrounding those individual freedoms in today’s society are detailed. The Fourteenth Amendment, passed after the Civil War to guarantee equal protection for individuals and groups, and its subsequent landmark impact is the focus of “Created Equal.” Finally, Sagal leads a discussion about the vitality of this remarkable document from the perspective of the 21st-century social and political milieu in “Built to Last.” The nicely paced presentation uses a variety of presentation techniques, such as graphics and humor, to connect with today’s students. There’s also an effective balance of commentary from constitutional scholars as well as ordinary citizens impacted by this document. Several bonus sections add to its usefulness, particularly commentary by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Each chapter includes the scene selection option. English language subtitles and a Spanish language audio are optional. Both classroom teachers and media professionals will find this a popular addition to every school’s collection.–Dwain Thomas, formerlyLakeParkHigh School,Roselle,IL

Pick of the Day: Silicon Valley (DVD)

SLJ — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:00:47 +0000

Silicon Valley (American Experience Series). DVD. 90 min. Prod. by WGBH Educational Foundation. Dist. by PBS Dist. 2013. ISBN 978-1-60883-836-3. $24.99.
Gr 9 Up–The post-World War II era was a dynamic one in all aspects of American life, but perhaps none more so than in the fledgling technology that was impacting both our personal and economic realms. Just as our country’s creativity helped develop innovations to win the war, it continued to thrive, especially in electronics, space exploration, and computerization after the war. After the shock of Russia’s launch of the first Earth satellite, national energy became focused on pushing our domestic research even more. Farmland in the Santa Clara Valley outside San Francisco became ground zero for a number of emerging and expanding companies. This well-crafted program details the manner in which this growth occurred by focusing on Robert Noyce, a young physicist who surrounded himself with dynamic businessmen and creative scientists to light the fire of the electronic explosion that established America as the world’s leader in innovation. Particularly interesting is the manner in which these businesses adopted their unique sense of corporate culture in which creativity rather than traditional business convention was paramount. The producers utilize an incredible variety of vintage photographs and live-action footage, interviews with those who played roles in the movement, as well as commentary by historians to help viewers place the quick-paced revolution into perspective. Chapter/scene selection and English-language subtitles are optional. This stellar program will be quite useful in a number of classroom settings as well as for individual research or casual viewing, especially by those with a curiosity about how today’s technology revolution actually began.–Dwain Thomas, formerly of Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL

‘TED Talks Education’ to Air May 7 on PBS

Rocco Staino — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 01:42:40 +0000

Bill Gates, John Legend, and Sir Ken Robinson are among some of the bigger names joining TED next week to discuss education and the dropout crisis in the nonprofit conference series’ first ever televised special, which will air May 7 on PBS. The event—which brought together teachers, learning experts, education researchers and more—was recorded before 800 educators at the Brooklyn Academy of Music earlier this month; here’s a preview of what was on the agenda.

Host John Legend at the taping of TED Talks Education. Photo by Joe Sinnott, courtesy of WNET.

John Legend, the nine-time Grammy Award winner who calls himself a cheerleader for liberal arts education, hosted the proceedings. Legend has worked closely with educators and sits on the boards of Teach for America, Stand for Children, and the Harlem Village Academies.

The presenters were a mix of educators and social activists.

Rita Pierson, a teacher from Houston, TX, kicked-off the event by reminding attendees that education reform should be about human connections and relationships. “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like,” she said.

Microsoft founder and “impassionate optimist” Bill Gates addressed the fact that the USA is globally in fifteenth place in educational achievement. He stressed that teacher evaluation offers “little useful feedback” and said he feels “our teachers deserve better.” He also noted that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation believes that “everyone needs a coach” and is investing in meaningful evaluation methods.

Gates’ talk didn’t set well with some members of the audience. “Bill Gates is not an educator and does not represent (or fund) directions in education that are in the best interest of teachers,” Bob Drake, a chemistry teacher and a member of the Educational Services Advisory Committee for New York City’s public television station WNET, told School Library Journal.

Bill Gates at the taping of TED Talks Education. Photo courtesy of TED/Ryan Lash.

Nevertheless, the focus of Gates’ comments was on trend for the event. “Testing shouldn’t be the dominate culture of education,” concurred Sir Ken Robinson, an inspirational speaker on creativity whose 2006 TED Talk is the most popular in TED history. In his presentation, he faulted No Child Left Behind for promoting “conformity” and “low grade clerical work,” which he said creates an educational culture that de-professionalizes teachers. “Command and control is what’s wrong with education,” he added, noting that, rather than “a climate of control,” we should be fostering a “climate of possibility.”

Sir Ken Robinson at the taping of TED Talks Education. Photo courtesy of TED/Ryan Lash.

For Amanda Akdemir of the Mt. Pleasant-Blythedale Union Free School in Westchester, NY, the event was “both inspiring and motivational.” She told SLJ, “Every teacher [should] watch the talk and be reminded of the power we hold in our careers to transform the future of this country.”

TED is a nonprofit created in 1984 devoted to “Ideas worth spreading.” Initially it brought together people from the technology, entertainment, and design fields, but has since broadened its scope.

Pick of the Day: The Man Who Saved the World (DVD)

SLJ — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:00:32 +0000

The Man Who Saved the World (Secrets of the Dead Series). DVD. 60 min. Prod. by Bedlam Prods. Dist. by PBS Dist. 2012. ISBN 978-1-60883-788-5. $24.99.
Gr 10 Up–Re-enactments and testimony from eyewitnesses and experts explain that the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crises was far more dangerous than ever imagined. When two superpowers challenged one another, the world came close to nuclear destruction. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Adlai Stevenson, confronted the Soviets with the discovery by U.S. intelligence of ballistic missiles in Cuba. At the same time, the Soviets were concerned about U.S. missiles in Turkey. Four Soviet submarines were dispatched with “special weapons” possessing the power of the nuclear bomb that had destroyed Hiroshima. Eighty-five percent of the U.S. Atlantic fleet, including 40 U.S. destroyers, four aircraft carriers, and over 350 aircraft were determined to prevent the Soviets from establishing a base for offensive warfare in Cuba. Tensions had escalated to the breaking point when Soviet submarine B-59 prepared to fire its “secret weapon.” However, the launch required more than the two halves of the key possessed by the submarine captain and its political officer. The commander of the fleet, Vasili Arkhipov, had the third piece required to fire the nuclear torpedo and refused to do so because he had already witnessed the horrible death caused by nuclear exposure. Had the torpedo been launched, the U.S. would have sent their readied aircraft to the Soviet Union to drop nuclear bombs, and our world would never have been the same. documentary demonstrates how one man changed the course of history. Students and teachers of U.S. history and currents affairs will be thoroughly engaged by this film that will stimulate discussion about current concerns of nuclear arsenals throughout the world.–Ann Weber, Bellarmine College Prep., San Jose, CA

Lambda Book Awards, Audie Award Finalists Announced | News Bites

Phyllis Levy Mandell — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:30:04 +0000

And the Winner Is…

The Lambda Literary Foundation (LFF) announced the finalists for the 25th annual Lambda Literary Awards—the Lammys. These Awards will recognize the best lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) books of 2012. This year, there were a record 687 submissions from 332 mainstream publishers, academic presses, LGBT publishers, and emerging publish-on-demand technologies. The finalists were selected by more than 90 booksellers, book reviewers, librarians, authors, and previous Lammy winners and finalists.

There are 22 categories in the competition—21 for adults and one for children/teens. There were ten finalists in the LGBT Children’s/Young Adult category: Adaptation by Malinda Lo (Little, Brown), The Adventure of Tulip, Birthday Wish Fairy by S. Bear Bergman and Suzy Malik (Flamingo Rampant), Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (S & S), Ask the Passengers by A. S. King (Little, Brown), Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills (Flux), Every Day by David Levithan (Knopf), Kiss the Morning Star by Elissa Janine Hoole (Amazon), The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily m. danforth (HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray), Personal Effect by E. M. Kokie (Candlewick), and Silhouette of a Sparrow by Molly Beth Griffin (Milkweed).

Winners will be revealed during a ceremony on June 3, at Cooper Union’s Great Hall in New York City.

Book awards: The winners of the 27th annual Ezra Jack Keats New Writer and New Illustrator Book Awards have been announced by the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation in partnership with the de Grummon Children’s Literature Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi. The New Writer Award went to Julie Fogliano for And Then It’s Spring (Roaring Brook/Neal Porter Bks.), about a boy and a dog who plant a garden after months of snow. The New Illustrator Award was given to Hyewon Yum for Mom, It’s My First Day of Kindergarten (Farrar/Frances Foster Bks.) whose illustrations capture the emotions of the parents and the child by changing size and color.

Additionally, New Writer Honor awards went to Mara Rockliff’s My Heart Will Not Sit Down (Knopf), Jennifer Lanthier’s The Stamp Collector (Fitzhenry & Whiteside), and Don Tate’s It Jes’ Happened (Lee & Low). New Illustrator Honors were awarded to K.G. Campbell’s Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters (Kids Can) and Sanjay Patel’s Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth (Chronicle).

The awards ceremony will be held on April 11 at The University of Southern Mississippi during the University’s Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival. Winners receive an honorarium of $1,000 and a gold medallion.

“The Book Award was created to bring attention and recognition to new artists who carry on in the spirit of Keats,” said Deborah Pope, Executive Director of the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation. “The jury looks for new books of beauty that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world.”

Founded by the late Caldecott award-winning author and illustrator, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation “ supports arts and literacy programming in public schools and libraries across the country, with the goal of bringing the joy of reading and learning to all children while highlighting the importance of diversity in children’s book.” The de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi is one of the of the leading research centers in the field of children’s literature in the U.S.

Audiobook award finalists: The 2013 Audie Awards finalists have been released by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). The Awards, honoring distinction in audiobooks and spoken word entertainment, are given in 28 categories for children, teens, and adults. The winners will be recognized at the Audies Gala at the New York Historical Society in New York City on May 30. The event will be emceed by writer Daniel Handler.

There are three categories devoted entirely to audiobooks for children and teens. In the Children’s Titles for Ages 8–12 category, the finalists are: The Cheshire Cheese Cat by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright, narrated by Katherine Kellgren and Robin Sachs (Listening Library); The Freedom Maze by Delia Sherman, narrated by Robin Miles (Listening Library); Same Sun Here by Silas House and Neela Vaswani, narrated by the authors (Brilliance Audio); Wonder by R. J. Palacio, narrated by Diana Steele, Nick Podehl, and Kate Rudd (Brilliance Audio); Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz, narrated by Davina Porter (Recorded Books).

In Children’s Titles for Ages Up to 8, the finalists are: The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe’s Very First Case by Alexander McCall Smith, narrated by Adjoa Andoh (Listening Library); Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion by Mo Willems, narrated by the author, Cher, and Trixie Willems (Weston Woods); A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, narrated by David de Vries (Weston Woods); Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig, narrated by James Earl Jones (S & S Audio); We Are America by Walter Dean Myers, narrated by Dion Graham and a full cast (Live Oak Media).

The finalists in the Teen category are: The Diviners by Libba Bray, narrated by January LaVoy (Listening Library); Dodger by Terry Pratchett, narrated by Stephen Briggs (HarperAudio); Enchanted by Alethea Kontis, narrated by Katherine Kellgren (Brilliance Audio); The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, narrated by Kate Rudd (Brilliance Audio); and Inheritance by Christopher Paolini, narrated by Gerard Doyle (Listening Library).

“It is always an exciting revelation to see which titles have been nominated, especially as the number of titles produced in audio each year is growing so rapidly,” said Michele Cobb, President of the APA. “Yet again, this year’s finalists do not disappoint. With an outstanding host, an amazing list of potential winners, and a gorgeous venue, we look forward to once again celebrating excellence in audio publishing.”

Do Your Students Know a Super Hero?

Writing contest: Be a Super Hero, Read! is a writing contest for kids in grades 3–6 sponsored by DC Entertainment and Capstone. Children are encouraged to write about a real super hero in their lives who has amazing human qualities such as courage, generosity, or imagination. Entries must be approved by the child’s librarian, teacher, parent, or guardian. Judging criteria includes originality, creativity, and heroism displayed.

Be sure to check out the contest rules and how to enter. Entries must be received by April 15.

The top five finalists will be selected by the contest judges. Starting on May 15, kids across the country will have the chance to vote online for their favorite. The entry that receives the most votes will be selected as the grand prize winner, which will be announced at Book Expo America in New York City on May 30.

The first prize winner will receive a trip for four to tour Warner Bros. Animation Studios and DC Entertainment offices in California, a collection of DC comics, and Capstone merchandise. The hero described by the winner will get $2,500 to donate to his or her favorite registered non-profit charity. The five finalists will receive a set of Capstone’s “Man of Steel” chapter books.

“Our teams are excited to collaborate with DC Entertainment for this contest. We’re thrilled to give children an opportunity to appreciate the ‘super powers’ of their real-life heroes and to expand their literacy skills while doing it, “noted Ashley Andersen Zantop, Capstone Group Publisher and General Manager.

Music to Their Ears

Streaming music: March is Music in Our Schools Month. And what better way to celebrate than with the addition of a streaming music service to PBS Kids Play!, an online subscription cross-curricular learning program. PBS Kids Play! features characters from PBS Kids and interactive games for children in preschool through the first grade. To reinforce lessons for children, streaming music has been added to the program for subscribers. The first 25 music tracks are from the PBS Kids program Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and the web-original series Fizzy’s Lunch Lab. Later this year, additional songs from other PBS Kids series will be added.

According to a recent news release, the songs are “designed to aid memory recall, reinforce key developmental and language themes, and encourage body movement for healthy development. The initial offering includes songs that address social and emotional skills and nutrition.

Freebies

Book giveaway: To celebrate the two-year anniversary of their Books in Bloom blog, Mackin Educational Resources is giving away books every Friday in March. It’s easy to enter the book drawing. Just go to the contest blog and leave a comment on the contest post with the title of the best book you’ve read in the past month.

The Books in Bloom blog, written by Mackin’s professional collection development librarians, highlights high-quality, current fiction and nonfiction K-12 books. Mackin Educational Resources has provided preschool–12 books, online databases, audiobooks, video resources, and other library and classroom materials from more than 18,000 publishers to schools for nearly 30 years.

Pick of the Day: The Dustbowl (DVD)

SLJ — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:00:20 +0000

The Dustbowl. 2 DVDs. 4 hrs. Prod. by The Dust Bowl Film Project. Dist. by PBS Dist. 2012. ISBN 978-1-608883-718-2. $24.99.
Gr 9 Up–Ken Burns, whose name is synonymous with the highest quality of documentary filmmaking, has turned his camera’s eye to the environmental and economic catastrophe that struck America’s heartland in the 1930s. After detailing the calamity’s prelude involving the easy credit available to farmers and the general lack of respect for the ecology of the land, the production methodically retraces the stages which led to the devastation of the agriculture-based society of our nation’s midsection and our glacially paced recovery during the already disastrous Great Depression. Highlighted are the effects on the everyday lives of a cross-section of people as well as how the turndown distressed our country on a broader level. As is typical of Burns’s other masterpieces (including Civil War, Prohibition, and Baseball), he utilizes a rich variety of stunning vintage photographs, black-and-white film footage, commentary by historians, and—most moving of all—the personal reminiscences of those who actually witnessed the events. The angst and frustration felt by the people of the Plains was as intense as their determination to persevere, even to the point of relocating their families; it was this strength of spirit that led them to become what has been called the “Greatest Generation” as the threat of a future war loomed. The program has a number of viewer-friendly options: scene selection, English and/or Spanish subtitles, video description for the visually impaired, and a full Spanish narration. Bonus sections include an expansion of the personal narratives as well as a short behind-the scenes review. (An accompanying book is also available, although it is was not previewed.) A must-have for all libraries.–Dwain Thomas, formerly Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL

Pick of the Day: The First Ladies (DVD)

SLJ — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:54:16 +0000

The First Ladies. 2 DVDs. 7 hrs. PBS Dist. 2012. ISBN 978-1-60883-724-3. $34.99.
Gr 7 Up–Five of the most influential and controversial First Ladies are profiled in this production. The segments on Dolley Madison and Eleanor Roosevelt feature narration accompanied by photographs and re-enactments of historic events. The biographies of Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, and Nancy Reagan are principally first person narratives that also incorporate commentary by historians, relatives, and friends with video footage of the time. Dolley Madison is considered our nation’s first First Lady because she was the first of the presidents’ wives to play a role in the politics of the time and formed alliances to help her husband’s political agenda. Eleanor Roosevelt, both admired and controversial, was considered the most powerful woman in America. She advocated for the disadvantaged and influenced America’s social policies. Lady Bird Johnson called her husband’s attention to the marginalized in our country and was influential in advocating for civil rights. Betty Ford was always honest, especially when it came to sharing her battles with breast cancer and substance abuse. Nancy Reagan added strength to the role of First Lady and was a gatekeeper for her husband and his closest confident. Students will learn about the events, attitudes, and politics of the times through the lives of women who made a difference. An excellent choice for American history classes.–Ann Weber, Bellarmine College Prep., San Jose, CA