JK Rowling releases children's book 'The Ickabog' online for free
JK Rowling is rolling out a new stand-alone story for free online, The Ickabog. The best part - kids ages 7-12 can submit artwork to a contest. Winning art may be included in the printed version that will be available this fall. Click the picture at left to read Ms. Rowling's announcement.
Access the first chapter, released Tuesday, May 26, by clicking the "Fred the Fearless" page picture here, at left. Ms. Rowling will be posting a chapter (or two, or three) every week until July 10. For more information visit https://theickabog.com/en-us/home/
Best picture book digital stories: The Emmy Award Winning Storytime Online
Click the Storyline Online picture box above to join over 100 million children from all over the world as they stream videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. Readers include Viola Davis, Chris Pine, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, James Earl Jones, Betty White and dozens more.
Grades 3 & 4: Read a seed packet! Click on picture for the Edible Schoolyard lesson.
Did you know that seed packets contain a wealth of information on how to grow the seeds they contain? This lesson will introduce you to gardening vocabulary terms that will assist you in reading seed packets. Knowing how to read a seed packet will help you become a great gardener!
Storytime: Scheduling with Scaredy Squirrel
With schools closed across the country due to the coronavirus, many of us are used to distance learning. This has been a big adjustment. You probably miss seeing your friends and teachers and ordinary parts of the school day, like lunch or recess. You might also miss — without realizing it — the routine that school brings to your life.
A school-day schedule helps us structure our time. It tells us when the day begins and ends, and how to spend all the hours in between. The school day builds in time for learning, movement, and play, creativity, eating and taking breaks, too. Without a routine, a day at home can feel long. Luckily, there are steps you can take to create a daily routine that works for you . You'll want to make sure your routine allows you time for both productivity and rest. Check out the story about Scaredy Squirrel, a creature who loves having schedule, by clicking his schedule. Then draw a picture of your learning at home routine, like the one above, and send it to me at [email protected].
Every family is unique, so talk with a family member about what would make the best schedule for you. Together, you can write down a list of what needs to get done in a single day then draw your picture.
A school-day schedule helps us structure our time. It tells us when the day begins and ends, and how to spend all the hours in between. The school day builds in time for learning, movement, and play, creativity, eating and taking breaks, too. Without a routine, a day at home can feel long. Luckily, there are steps you can take to create a daily routine that works for you . You'll want to make sure your routine allows you time for both productivity and rest. Check out the story about Scaredy Squirrel, a creature who loves having schedule, by clicking his schedule. Then draw a picture of your learning at home routine, like the one above, and send it to me at [email protected].
Every family is unique, so talk with a family member about what would make the best schedule for you. Together, you can write down a list of what needs to get done in a single day then draw your picture.
Storytime: Week of May 4, Free audio and activities from Magic Tree House - and if you missed the Harry Potter link below, check it out.
Magic Tree House Home Adventures program kicked of Monday, April 17. Follow Jack & Annie for 4 weeks of fun. Each Monday they will feature a new theme from the books, along with games, activities, recipes, and MORE! Check at Monday mornings for the next month to find out the first week’s theme! This week's is animals. Click the picture above to access the page. Be sure to scroll down to the free listening library to hear some of your favorite stories.
Harry's magic world is here: Week of April 27
The R.E.S. Library home page notes how to sign up for Audible for free, but clicking the excerpt above will bring you to Audible's Harry Potter page. Common Sense Media says the best age to start these books at is age 8. Check out what they have to say about it: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone.
Don't mess with magic without prepping. Click the photo above to check out the guide for newbies.
Story time: Week of April 20, Try The Crazy Story Pirates Podcast - 34 minutes of silly stories & songs written by kids.
Kids as authors
Story Pirates is a group of world-class actors, comedians, improvisers and musicians who adapt stories written by kids. Clicking the photo above will take you apple.com to listen, but you can also find the podcast on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OHMYcZChEVgTx2jz0yzze?si=H5FfSr1eQiuUiXIUTmMOfQ
Story Pirates is a group of world-class actors, comedians, improvisers and musicians who adapt stories written by kids. Clicking the photo above will take you apple.com to listen, but you can also find the podcast on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OHMYcZChEVgTx2jz0yzze?si=H5FfSr1eQiuUiXIUTmMOfQ
Story time: Week of April 13, Narrator Theme - & also, a crabby alligator
Elements of a story/Picture book fiction
The role of a narrator is to tell a story. Most of the time, the narrator differs from the main characters in a story. Not in "Snappsy The Alligator." Listen to this clever work of fiction by clicking on the cover, and hear a fun example of the saying, "There's two sides to every story." Oh, and there will be lots of foods that start with the letter "P."
The role of a narrator is to tell a story. Most of the time, the narrator differs from the main characters in a story. Not in "Snappsy The Alligator." Listen to this clever work of fiction by clicking on the cover, and hear a fun example of the saying, "There's two sides to every story." Oh, and there will be lots of foods that start with the letter "P."
Story time: Week of April 6, Dinosaur Theme:
Nonfiction/Science
Teeny skull trapped in amber belongs to smallest dinosaur ever found
By Washington Post, adapted by Newsela staff
Published:03/24/2020
Text Level:2
A very tiny dinosaur was found. It may be the smallest dino ever.
It was as tiny as a hummingbird. This dinosaur had fangs, though. It lived 99 million years ago.
The skull was found in Myanmar. It is a country in Southeast Asia.
The dino was named Oculudentavis khaungraae. The second word is its species. This is the group it belongs too. It is named after Khaung Ra. Mr. Ra gave the skull to China's Hupoge Amber Museum. Amber is tree sap that hardens. The skull was found inside amber. It had a toothy beak, too. Both were described in a new study. It was published in the journal Nature on March 12.
Even Smaller Than A Hummingbird Skull
The skull is about one-fourth of an inch long. It could fit on top of a triple-A battery. That is smaller than a hummingbird skull, said Lars Schmitz. He studies fossils at California's Keck Science Center. Mr. Schmitz led the study. Birds are living dinosaurs. Bee hummingbirds are the tiniest birds around today. The newly discovered dinosaur compares in size to the bee hummingbird.
It has large eyes. The skull was rounded. Its nose was slim. All are traits of dinosaurs. The skull looks like a mix between a lizard and a bird. Scientists did not have a skeleton to study, though. So, they do not know if the dinosaur could fly.
Lawrence Witmer is a dinosaur expert. He was not involved with the study. The skull has bony plates, Mr. Witmer says. The plates seem to fit together, he notes. Such a pattern is a hint. The dinosaur was probably an adult, Mr. Witmer says.
Seeing well was important to this animal, Mr. Schmitz said. Its skull has a large eye hole. It suggests the dinosaur hunted during the day.
"A Little Hummingbird-Like Critter With Teeth!"Each Oculudentavis jaw had about 60 sharp teeth. The dinosaur probably ate insects, Mr. Schmitz said.
The small dinosaurs likely would have lived alongside the bigger dinos. There were dinosaurs of many shapes and sizes, says Rebecca Hunt-Foster. She is a scientist at Dinosaur National Monument. It is in Utah.
Though it was little, the dino was probably fierce. Small creatures can often be fighters, said Hunt-Foster. Hummingbirds are an example. They often bully other birds away from flowers.
Imagine "a little hummingbird-like critter with teeth!" Hunt-Foster said. "Can you imagine a flock of these guys?"
Reproduced with permission. Copyright © 2020 Washington Post. All rights reserved.
Story time: Week of March 30. Dog Theme
A dog is mayor of a town - a true story from Newsela
Nonfiction/social studies
By Matthew Cantor
The mayor of Idyllwild, California, is the town's top dog. He was only 11 weeks old when he started. He spends most days meeting voters. He does it wearing only a tie and hat. That is because he is a dog!
Mayor Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller II is 6 years old. He is a dog on a mission. "He would like to see peace on Earth," said Phyllis Mueller. Ms. Mueller works for Max. She is also his human companion.
It is not an easy job. Ms. Mueller and Max go out into the public every day, even in bad weather.
The first mayor was Max I. He was elected in a fundraiser. The candidates were all pets.
Max I died in office. He had no puppies. Ms. Mueller looked for his relatives. She found Max II living nearby. Ms. Mueller went to meet him. He posed for her. Ms. Mueller thought he was perfect for the job.
She found other relatives in Ohio. They came to help him.
"He loves everybody," Ms. Mueller said. People have asked whether Max could run for president.
The U.S. Constitution does not ban dogs from running. However, candidates must be at least 35 years old. Dogs don't live that long.
As for his political party, Ms. Mueller said Max is independent. "He loves everybody," she said.
By Matthew Cantor
The mayor of Idyllwild, California, is the town's top dog. He was only 11 weeks old when he started. He spends most days meeting voters. He does it wearing only a tie and hat. That is because he is a dog!
Mayor Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller II is 6 years old. He is a dog on a mission. "He would like to see peace on Earth," said Phyllis Mueller. Ms. Mueller works for Max. She is also his human companion.
It is not an easy job. Ms. Mueller and Max go out into the public every day, even in bad weather.
The first mayor was Max I. He was elected in a fundraiser. The candidates were all pets.
Max I died in office. He had no puppies. Ms. Mueller looked for his relatives. She found Max II living nearby. Ms. Mueller went to meet him. He posed for her. Ms. Mueller thought he was perfect for the job.
She found other relatives in Ohio. They came to help him.
"He loves everybody," Ms. Mueller said. People have asked whether Max could run for president.
The U.S. Constitution does not ban dogs from running. However, candidates must be at least 35 years old. Dogs don't live that long.
As for his political party, Ms. Mueller said Max is independent. "He loves everybody," she said.
Story time: Week of March 23. Cat Theme
This story is humorous fiction offering advice while you are home, from a cat's point of view.
Tips from My Cat
By Nikki Palumbo
March 19, 2020 via The New Yorker,
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/quarantine-tips-from-my-cat?utm_source=onsite-share&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=onsite-share&utm_brand=the-new-yorker
Photograph by Gary S. Chapman / Getty
Get plenty of rest.
Sleep—anywhere. On or beneath the bed, in a sunny spot, under the covers, by the window, upside-down, on the couch, in the middle of the floor, on top of the refrigerator, in the closet, on your back, in a ball, in a box.
Keep active.
Knock a bunch of coins or small bottles off a table to see how far they bounce and roll. Chase your own tail. Sprawl on top of a good book. Get scared by something—anything—and race out of the room.
Bathe regularly.
Clean behind your ears. Now do it again.
Communicate with friends and family.
Start screaming at 6 a.m., for no reason, at anyone within hearing distance. Yowl at the birds. Walk across (or lie down on) a computer keyboard. Cry in front of the closed door to a room you’re not supposed to be in anyway. Bite a phone. Yell into your full bowl of food.
Maintain a balanced diet.
Eat small meals, three to fourteen times a day. Dump food onto the floor for variety. Put your entire hand in a bowl of popcorn but then decide it’s not what you want. Steal a piece of turkey from an unattended sandwich.
Stay hydrated.
Drink plenty of water, ideally directly from a running faucet.
Take on a project.
Hide all of your toys under the couch. Shred loose pieces of paper. Pull apart your roommate’s chair. Rub your hair on every article of clothing you can find. Pee in a box and then completely cover it up.
Meditate.
Stare at a spot on the wall or ceiling for six minutes.
Practice social distancing.
Stay away from humans. Hiss if you have to.
Tips from My Cat
By Nikki Palumbo
March 19, 2020 via The New Yorker,
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/quarantine-tips-from-my-cat?utm_source=onsite-share&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=onsite-share&utm_brand=the-new-yorker
Photograph by Gary S. Chapman / Getty
Get plenty of rest.
Sleep—anywhere. On or beneath the bed, in a sunny spot, under the covers, by the window, upside-down, on the couch, in the middle of the floor, on top of the refrigerator, in the closet, on your back, in a ball, in a box.
Keep active.
Knock a bunch of coins or small bottles off a table to see how far they bounce and roll. Chase your own tail. Sprawl on top of a good book. Get scared by something—anything—and race out of the room.
Bathe regularly.
Clean behind your ears. Now do it again.
Communicate with friends and family.
Start screaming at 6 a.m., for no reason, at anyone within hearing distance. Yowl at the birds. Walk across (or lie down on) a computer keyboard. Cry in front of the closed door to a room you’re not supposed to be in anyway. Bite a phone. Yell into your full bowl of food.
Maintain a balanced diet.
Eat small meals, three to fourteen times a day. Dump food onto the floor for variety. Put your entire hand in a bowl of popcorn but then decide it’s not what you want. Steal a piece of turkey from an unattended sandwich.
Stay hydrated.
Drink plenty of water, ideally directly from a running faucet.
Take on a project.
Hide all of your toys under the couch. Shred loose pieces of paper. Pull apart your roommate’s chair. Rub your hair on every article of clothing you can find. Pee in a box and then completely cover it up.
Meditate.
Stare at a spot on the wall or ceiling for six minutes.
Practice social distancing.
Stay away from humans. Hiss if you have to.
A cat & dog short from Pixar - Academy Award-nominated short, "Kitbull," roughly 9 minutes of scruffy joy. Click the picture to watch.
"Peep and the Big Wide World," Episode 1: "That's a Cat." Peep is a newly hatched chicken who goes on daily adventures with his friends Chirp the robin and Quack the duck. The pals live a large urban park they call "the big wide world" and is the setting for all their lessons. Peep learns specific science concepts on his travels, while the series also incorporates real kids playing and experimenting in their own big wide worlds.