You have to be in it: The 2013 Samsung K–12 “Return on Intelligence” Gift Programs have been announced by Samsung Techwin, a manufacturer of document cameras. The Superhero Program competition encourages students to prepare a 1–3 minute digital video (camera phone quality is acceptable) in which they portray their favorite historical character. The deadline for entries is May 31. The contest is opened to students in grades K–12 and the video will be judged on presentation performance, character and content accuracy, and content quality. The winner will receive $500 and the student’s class will get a SAMCAM 760 document camera.

To enter the Scholarship Program, high school students must write an essay of no more than 300 words in response to the question: What do you think about technology advancements and how they will change the way we learn in the future? Is it for the better? The deadline for submissions is May 15. Essays will be judged on the basis of original thinking, relevance to the real world, and writing quality. All applicants must be sponsored by a teacher. Five winners will be announced on May 31 and will receive a $1,000 award.

Under its 2013 Grant Program, ten teachers will each have the opportunity to win a SAMCAM 760 document camera for use in school by writing a fun lesson plan of 100 words or less in which they use the camera. The deadline for submissions is May 1, The top 20 finalists will then have to submit a video showing their lesson in the classroom using the SAMCAM 760. Ten winners will be selected on June, and their school district will also keep the camera.

Freebies

Teaching guide: Hurry up and get your free copy of Brother Sam and All That: Historical Context and Literary Analysis of the Novels of James and Christopher Collier (Clearwater Pr., 1999) from AudioGO. The lessons compiled in this companion teaching guide provide teachers and librarians with information about how to use historical fiction in the classroom—just what the Common Core Standards require—and tips for teaching the novels by James and Christopher Collier. AudioGO publishes audiobook and ebook versions of more than 50 novels by James and Christopher Collier, including the classroom favorite, My Brother Sam Is Dead. The first 100 people to email michell.cobb@audiogo.com will receive this teaching guide at no cost.

Publishing News

Trade picture books: This spring, Capstone Young Readers, an imprint of Capstone, is launching a collection of fully illustrated picture books. “We are excited to introduce a range of picture books in both paper-over-board and trade paperback formats,” says Ashley Andersen Zantop, Group Publisher and General Manager. “We believe that quality illustrated titles provide an important stepping stone to reading and an opportunity to inspire imagination, creativity, and a love for good books.” The titles and series scheduled for publication in February 2013 are: Flood by Alvara F. Villa, “Princess Heart” series written and illustrated by Molly Martin, “The Other Side of the Story” series by Nancy Loewen (classic fairy tales), and Charlotte Gullain’s “Animal Fairy Tales” series.

And more picture books: Hank Finds an Egg (ages 3–8) written and illustrated by Rebecca Dudley will be published by Peter Pauper Press in May 2013 as their initial venture into publishing children’s trade picture books for children. The wordless picture book tells the story of a young boy who finds an egg on the forest floor, helps it return to its home in a tree, and is rewarded by his new forest friends. Three additional titles are scheduled for publication: Bruce Arant’s Sheep Won’t Go to Sleep! (Fall 2013), Digby Differs by Miriam Koch (Fall 2013), and Sarra J. Roth’s Not the Quitting Kind (Spring 2014). If you’re a picture book author, Peter Pauper Press is accepting unsolicited submissions online, or you can send your manuscript to Mara Conlon, Senior Editor, Peter Pauper Press, 202 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10601.

Peter Pauper Press has been publishing gift books, references, travel guides, children’s activity books, and other products for adults since it was founded in 1928.

Children’s Lit Conference

Digital Lit: Librarians, teachers, and others who love books are invited to attend e-Looking Glass: Children’s Literature in the Digital Age, a full-day conference to be held at Carthage College Hedberg Library in Kenosha, WI, on April 13, that will explore “how books are being reinvented to create visual and interactive experiences that printed books cannot provide.”  Topics will include the changing landscape of texts (interactive ebooks, book apps, learning products, and online communities), how to integrate this new technology into the classroom, and the design and development of these new types of books. Among the speakers are Brandon Oldenburg, award-winning illustrator and co-founder of Moonbot Studios; Umesh Shukla, animation director and founder of Auryn, a digital publisher of apps; Denise Johnson, author of The Joy of Children’s Literature; William H. Teale, Professor of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago; and others. Undergraduate continuing professional education credit is available. The cost to attend the conference is $65, and $40 for students. You can register online. The cost of one credit hour is $50; to view the syllabus, contact Marilyn Ward at mward@carthage.edu.

Informational texts: XBOOKS is a nonfiction language arts program from Scholastic for middle school students that offers informational texts in both print and digital formats that cover science and social studies topics. XBOOKS is an interactive program that features print and online components to build student proficiency in reading, writing, and thinking critically about informational texts. The collection, developed and written by master teachers Dr. Jeffrey Wilhelm and Laura Robb, aligns with Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and is divided into five high-interest areas: Strange, Medical, Forensics, Total War, and Tyrants. For each strand, there’s a lead book, three reader’s choice books that can be used for small group or independent reading, and five stretch texts for students to expand their knowledge and reading comprehension. Multimedia content on the XBOOK website includes five introductory strand videos, book preview videos, class blogs, quizzes, interactive, and games. Among the titles are N.B. Grace’s It Came from the Swamp, D.B. Beres’s Sticky Evidence, Anna Prokos’s DNA Doesn’t Lie, and Candy J. Cooper’s Reporting from Iraq. Scholastic is offering a free trial. A one-year classroom site license (30 seats) provides access to all the print components as well as the digital learning platform.

Save the Date

Children’s literature program: The Port Washington (NY) Public Library is offering a yearlong series of special events to celebrate its 120th anniversary, including two focused on children’s literature. On November 4, 2012 at 1:30 pm, “Past, Present and Future: Insiders Look at Children’s Literature in the 21st Century will be presented as a discussion led by author/artist Jane Zalben. Among the panel of librarians, authors, artists, and publishers are Rita Auerbach, Sandra Jordan, Leonard Marcus, Renee McGrath, Neal Porter, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, and Caroline Ward. This illustrious group will examine questions about the future of children’s literature, such as: What is the influence of multimedia and electronic publishing? Where is the book in all this? How will professionals provide children with literature that inspires a lifelong love of reading? A reception and book signing will follow the discussion. In addition, there will be an exhibition of original art by renowned children’s book illustrators Brian Floca, Roxie Munro, Jerry Pinkney, Sergio Ruzzier, Amy Schwartz, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Jane Zalben, and others in the library’s main gallery from November 1 to 30.

Calling All Authors

YA mystery novels: The Poisoned Pen Press has created its first imprint, The Poisoned Pencil, dedicated to publishing mysteries for young adults. They are looking for manuscripts from authors of traditional and cross-genre novels featuring protagonists between the ages of 12 and 18. If you have written a YA mystery novel of 45,000 to 90,000 words, The Poisoned Pencil would like to hear from you. Authors, both adults and teens, are encouraged to submit their manuscript to the publisher for consideration. What to avoid: serial killers, excessive gore or horror, vampires or other heavy supernatural, sci-fi, or fantasy content. According to the editors, the publisher encourages “off-beat approaches and narrative choices that reflect the complexity and ambiguity of today’s world.” Check out the submission guidelines that provide information about content, cover letter, synopsis, and manuscript requirements.

Now Playing

World cinema: During International Education Week, November 12-17, 2012, Global Film Initiative (GFI) is offering high schools in the United States and Canada free access to screen their Global Lens world cinema series in the classroom. The Global Film Initiative was created to promote cross-cultural understanding through the medium of cinema. The Global Lens series is comprised of more than 75 award-winning feature films from around the world. By simply emailing GFI at education@globalfilm.org, you can make your school part of this event. And, in addition to screening the films, your school will get the actual DVDs for free. The films, such as Buffalo Boy (Vietnam) and The Kite (Lebanon) are narrated in their native language with English subtitles.

International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Department of Education “to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.”

Technology Grants

Video contest: By entering Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow contest, your school can win a technology grant worth thousands of dollars. The contest, open to 6th–12th grade public school teachers across the United States, asks teachers and their students to create a video to answer the challenge: “Show how STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) can help improve the environment in your community.” There are two parts to the challenge. First, teachers must fill out an application by October 31, and answer the following questions: How would you use the project to raise student interest in science, math, or the environment? How would you engage your students to enthusiastically participate in this project? Describe the school’s students’ need for technology. Seventy-five teachers chosen as semi-finalists will receive the tools necessary to make their video: a Samsung camcorder, a Samsung laptop, an Adobe Element bundle, and a quick start guide provided by Adobe. Teachers must use the products provided to produce the video—and the package is theirs to keep. The top 15 videos will be voted on by consumers, select Samsung employees, and a panel of education experts. Five schools will win technology grants worth $110,000 and be honored at an awards ceremony; ten schools will win technology grants worth at least $40,000.