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This week, I was excited to attend the launch event for The Roadmap to Educating for American Democracy. At a time when school districts are focused on delivering curricular essentials . . . At a time when school districts have seen a 50-year erosion of civic education schools—to the point that the federal government now […]

The post Making civics a priority: “The Roadmap to Educating for American Democracy” appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

More publishers are loosening copyright restrictions given the ongoing state of remote learning. Abrams, HarperCollins, and Peachtree join Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster in extending permissions for online story time and classroom read-aloud videos to June 30, 2021. 

Presented by the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI), in partnership with SLJ, the Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards offers grants to Title I schools to purchase literary fiction and nonfiction books that inspire a love of math. The application period opens today.

The essence of the demand for freedom is the need of conditions which will enable an individual to make his own special contribution to a group interest, and to partake of its activities in such ways that social guidance shall be a matter of his own mental attitude, and not a mere authoritative dictation of […]

The post Choosing Choice Boards appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

Flash Facts is a new collection of short comics about science and technology featuring DC superheroes. Here's an exclusive preview of "Home Sweet Space" with Supergirl, written by Cecil Castellucci.

We're exited to launch SchoolLibraryNJ, a evolving project designed to address inequitable access to resources for K12 schools and libraries and to present the value of librarians in digitally curating resources for teaching and learning.

The post Launching SchoolLibraryNJ (and some models beyond) appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

High school students transformed children's books into 3-D printed creations that could help visually impaired youth experience the stories.

I suppose it’s something we simply know. But I suspect it’s something we don’t explicitly teach. Reading is more than an enjoyable and enriching experience. Reading is self-care. At a time when they don’t see their friends . . . At a time when some are reluctant to turn their cameras on and share their […]

The post Reading is Self-Care appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

Curricular bazaar Teachers Pay Teachers has never been more popular. But questions about quality, cultural insensitivity, and plagiarism beg expert guidance. Consider your librarian.  

Use these tools to engage students of every age in Hour of Code, planned for the week of December 7-13.

Companies continue to respond to the pandemic's impact on educators and students; NCTE is taking proposals for next year's convention; the Educator Jobs Fund Act of 2020 is proposed in the senate; and Simon & Schuster plans new graphic novels for young readers.

Innovative ways to use technology to keep students engaged and on track during the pandemic.

The Blissful Coding Club, started by a New Jersey teen to foster STEM engagement in underrepresented communities, expanded with help from Carnegie Mellon students. 

It’s never been easier to explore those questions you have about authors and illustrators and books. TeachingBooks’ new free Chrome extension makes moving from your Google search about anything, including children’s or young adult lit, to its rich and engaging digital content. And because founder and publisher Nick Glass has made access to TeachingBooks available […]

The post TeachingBooks Launches Free Chrome Extension appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel back in time to witness the birth of the universe? Or traverse the depths of the ocean for a close encounter with a great white shark? Now, you can—and all from the comfort of your own home.

The survey showed school librarians using creative approaches to deliver superior library services, leading on tech innovation, collaborating with colleagues, and strengthening relationships with students.

It's not the web it used to be and our traditional approaches to teaching about it no longer make sense. In fact, we teach strategies that often fail our students.

The post Enough with the CRAAP: We’re just not doing it right appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

A longtime stalwart is back. Scholastic Book Fairs is relaunching for the pandemic age, with some options.

A crash course on the ebook purchasing and vendor landscape.

With humor, song, and fact-filled history, these audio productions help kids understand the workings of democracy. 

At a time when a professional version of a Dear Abby is most needed, our past AASL presidents offer to personalize and scale their leadership, providing timely advice and time-honored vision.

The post Reach out!: Web-Based Advice Service for School Librarians appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

With the world in the grip of a deadly pandemic that has raised more questions than scientists can answer, it is more imperative than ever that young children pursue STEM/STEAM fields. Building children’s confidence to ask questions, make guesses, think creatively, and reach for knowledge in subjects typically regarded as “too hard” is critical.

The News Literacy Project is offering a four-part professional development series; Choose Your Own Adventure in ebooks; a new Capstone platform; the final days to apply for the Bechtel Fellowship; and more in this edition of News Bites.

Digital book displays help students and patrons find the perfect title.

Educators deliver STEM lessons students can engage with from home. 

Historical researchers rejoice! We can now freely search more than 1.5  images from American newspapers dating from 1789 through 1963.    LC Labs’ newly launched  Newspaper Navigator leverages machine learning and the substantial digitized resources of the Library’s Chronicling America website. For decades, Chronicling America has allowed users to discover the text of newspapers in its […]

The post New from the Library of Congress: Newspaper Navigator appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

As the pandemic continues, no one knows for certain what the classrooms of 2021 will look like. But robust content offerings and distance learning tools can go a long way toward helping educators feel confident that they are as prepared as possible for a successful new school year.

Inspire tweens and teens to get creative by making and photographing hand puppets

The post Puppets! They’re Not Just for Storytime: Creative Digital Media Fun, with a Shark Puppet appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association will use the money to fund a one-day forum to strengthen support for Black/African American MLIS students; students fight censorship in Texas and Alaska, and more.

In what felt like a very different, and very inspiring kind of binge-watching, I just experienced all 12 episodes of the new Netflix series, Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices. It was indeed a celebration. The series features prominent Black authors, artists and celebrities reading children’s books that highlight the Black experience. Books were carefully selected around […]

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Literacy is the business of librarians. Supporting coding using the pedagogy of maker education is part of our work.

Seven months of learning loss. That’s the impact wrought by the pandemic, and low-income, Black, and Latinx children stand to suffer the most. Some cities are adapting the pod concept, working with community partners to serve at-risk students.

The award-winning author partnered with Adventure Academy, a subscription-based digital education platform, to inspire kids to write.

 Meet kids where they are—on the red-hot video-sharing app.

Just published: a fabulously useful tool for back-to-school professional learning and professional development. With the excitement of a tech-tools smackdown, it promises to have far longer legs and far stickier value. The Epic eBook of Web Tools & Apps, will serve as a digital palette or dashboard to remind you and your partner educators of […]

The post The Epic eBook of Web Tools and Apps: a new crowd-sourced manual for back-to-school and beyond appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

Over the summer, I’ve been picking up a few little tools to add to my existing kit for enhancing online teaching and learning. Here are a couple of my current faves. What’s nice about these and so many other recent tools we are introducing in schools is that they present real-life functionality. They introduce the […]

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This playlist includes episodes with imaginative stories, scientific facts, ongoing discoveries, and lessons about the interplay between entertainment and science.

Educators' unions and parents joined together to sue the state's governor and department of education commissioner over on-site learning at public schools, TikTok launches media literacy campaign, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation releases new online resources, and LibraryPlus has new CEO, comics offering, and apps in this edition of News Bites.

This year, National History Day is open as a virtual showcase. The thoughtful project-based research of students around the country is up for display and for study and for inspiration. The 2020 NHD theme was Breaking Barriers in History. And, this year, the celebration broke a few barriers itself. NHD Executive Director, Dr. Cathy Gorn, […]

The post National History Day: Now virtual and gloriously open appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

How are school librarians preparing to serve students in fall 2020? Your participation will help SLJ tell the story. 

Experimenting with fantasy, historical fiction, science fiction, or other genres, kids can write a new world that leaves COVID-19 behind—or address the pandemic head-on and go deep into emotions and experiences.

Broadcasting is increasingly filled with citizen-generated content. But being a media producer also brings responsibilities.

Captions are important. Why caption? They are especially important with so many of us reaching our learning community remotely. As we gear up for a September filled with unknowns, it might be a good idea to develop some agile strategies for addressing and enhancing our flipped or hybrid options. Captions make video more accessible for […]

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Like many of my educator colleagues, I’ll confess to having been a webinar junkie under quarantine. Like many of my edtech colleagues across the world, a couple of weeks back I attended Wakelet Community Week. I was already sold on the free, flexible collaborative platform. As an early adopter, I’ve used Wakelet to curate conferences […]

The post Wakelet: Way to do a conference! (and a heck of a lot more) appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

The redesigned database with a focus on elementary students, Gale in Context: Elementary, aims to provide individualized instruction for kids in the classroom and at home. 

This is no time to be suggesting more work for any exhausted educator. Nevertheless, this is the perfect time to suggest going just one step further. Please write an annual report. Now, more than ever, it matters. For some of you, this is a regular, end-of-year ritual from which you pull on notes, photos, and […]

The post Write a report. appeared first on NeverEndingSearch.

Pets are important companions during the pandemic. Tune into these pet- and animal-focused podcasts for some extra comfort and some fun, too.

With students learning from home, Denver Public Schools' ebook and audio checkouts topped 51,000 in April. Here's how librarians are making that happen. 

Target, Seattle Public Schools, and the Free Library of Philadelphia have something in common. All have been sued for having websites or digital tools that fail federal accessibility standards for individuals with disabilities. Knowing the rules of 508 compliance is important for school librarians, who are often responsible for tech, including maintaining website content.

Children lead the conversations in many of these informative, family-friendly episodes about the novel coronavirus. The first of a 10-part series of curated podcast playlists on different topics.

A panel of experts shared the best digital resources for better remote learning on SLJ's recent webcast Digital Resources for K-12: Learning in the Age of COVID.

Twenty-five school libraries have earned $700 grants in the new funding program from Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in partnership with School Library Journal.

These virtual experiences can closely connect to the curriculum, whether that means chatting with an astrophysicist or visiting the Schindler factory in Poland.

More than 1,000 librarians responded to School Library Journal's survey, offering insight into the profession during remote learning forced by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Here is the full report on our findings.

For educators, a lot has changed amid a global pandemic—and at the same time, much hasn’t. 
 

“Imagine Your Story” is the focus of this year’s Collaborative Summer Library Program. These podcasts for elementary, middle, and high school students will keep their imaginations active. 

Four strategies to decode messaging and motive in meme design.

For school librarians planning for a return to in-school programming, peers share their AR/VR programming, mistakes made along the way, and the best way to incorporate the mixed reality edtech into the library and classroom.

Librarians have always been champions of student privacy. It’s vital to step up and provide rules for e-learning.

Georgia middle school library media specialist Kathy Schmidt created a basic tutorial and some practical tips for Flipgrid.

New Jersey high school librarian Elissa Malespina offers her insight on Smore—the basics plus some ways for librarians to use it effectively.

New Jersey high school librarian Elissa Malespina offers her insight on Wakelet—the basics plus some ways for librarians to use it effectively.

Focusing on what kids can access without broadband and where they congregate online, school districts strive to engage all students.

Navigating bookstore and school closures, publishers innovate while helping those in need. The Internet Archive's National Emergency LIbrary draws backlash.

Schools and libraries closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak may open Wi-Fi networks for use by the general public without jeopardizing E-rate funding.

These free and affordable learning options allow library professionals to follow their interests and dig deeper into new approaches.

As educators turn to remote programming and classroom management due to the COVID-19 outbreak and school closures, ed tech providers are offering free access. Here’s a list. 

A group of college, university, and public librarians released a statement outlining why they believe the extraordinary circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic meet qualifications for fair use within copyright law. 

The relatively low-priced subscription service offers an opportunity to try out a large selection of newly released titles.

Strategies to help students determine determine whether a video has been altered include analyzing what motivates people to create fakes in the first place. 

Addressing technology’s negative impact on parent/child engagement and group participation.

The partnership benefits the New Jersey students, who are learning accessible design and to create with empathy and imagination, as well as the blind and visually-impaired kids, who not only get to play the games but have a voice in the process.

Nine tech-forward librarians name their favorite digital tools. 

The SXSW EDU community is optimistic, forward-thinking, and purpose-driven with a shared goal of impacting the future of teaching and learning.

Aimed at early elementary school students, PebbleGo offers wide-ranging ready reference, with an emphasis on accessibility that strengthens the ease of interaction for students with physical and cognitive challenges.