For Kids

STEM Tuesday– The Human Body — In the Classroom

By on February 11, 2020   /   Articles, Common Core & NGSS, Curriculum Tie-in, For Kids, For Parents, For Teachers, Human Body, STEM Tuesday  

STEM Tuesday CoSTEM Costume Contest

 

This month we’re peeling back the layers to take a look inside the human body! In the body, trillions of unique cells work together to form the tissues, organs, and body systems that allow you to run and jump, laugh and cry, and feel pain and joy.

The books we’re highlighting this month dive into how the body works to sustain life. They are a great starting point for different sciences activities and discussions in the classroom. Here are a few to try:

 

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org Science Comic: The Brain – The Ultimate Thinking Machine by Tory Woollcott and Alex Graudins

Another title in this popular graphic novel series that focuses on science topics. Readers will explore the ultimate thinking machine – our own brain! How our brains evolved, how our brain controls our senses, how we remember things, and more.

  • Discuss why it is important to know how your brain works. What modern technologies do scientists use to study the brain? How did scientists study the brain before modern technology? How did this limit their knowledge?
  • Have students build a model neuron. Have students study a picture of the neuron and experiment with different ways and materials to create the neuron model. Use several neurons to model a neural network.

 

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org Human Cloning by Kristi Lew 

This title for older readers explores the use of cloning and the depiction of human cloning in science fiction.

  • Have students debate the pros and cons of human cloning. Assign groups of students to each side of the issue and have them research points that support their position.
  • Discuss the concerns over the way genetic advances and technology are being used now and in the future. When does human intervention into the basic genetic code of life go too far?

 

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org Random Body Parts: Gross Anatomy Riddles in Verse by Leslie Bulion and Mike Lowery

With puzzles and fun verse, Leslie Bulion introduces human anatomy to middle-grade readers.

  • Have students choose a body part to research. With the information they learn, students can then create their own human body poetry and puzzles.
  • Have students swap the puzzles they created with classmates to see if they can solve each other’s riddles with the clues provided.

 

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org Human Movement: How the Body Walks, Runs, Jumps, and Kicks by Carla Mooney and Samuel Carbaugh

This book delves into how our bodies work when we play sports, dance, and walk. There are plenty of STEM projects, informative sidebars, and fun facts throughout the chapters.

  • Have students pick a type of movement – running, jumping, dancing, etc. Then have them prepare a flow chart that shows how the body creates this movement. What body systems are involved? How does the body know what to do? What actions and reactions occur to create the movement? What forces are involved?
  • What happens when an injury occurs to the body? How does this affect movement? Have students research a common injury such as a broken bone, sprained ankle, pulled muscle, torn ACL, etc. Then have them prepare a presentation on the injury’s affect on the body and movement.
  • Try one of the many STEM activities in the book!

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Carla Mooney loves to explore the world around us and discover the details about how it works. An award-winning author of numerous nonfiction science books for kids and teens, she hopes to spark a healthy curiosity and love of science in today’s young people. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, three kids, and dog. When not writing, she can often be spotted at a hockey rink for one of her kids’ games. Find her at http://www.carlamooney.com, on Facebook @carlamooneyauthor, or on Twitter @carlawrites.

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CUB ~ Cynthia L. Copeland Shares Her New Graphic Memoir & Enter A Giveaway!

By on January 30, 2020   /   Author Interviews, Fiction, For Kids, For Librarians, For Teachers, For Writers  

Hi Everyone! I’m thrilled to have New York Times bestselling author Cynthia L. Copeland with us. It’s also pretty cool that we have a copy to give away, so make sure to scroll to the bottom for information on how to enter.

Okay, I can’t wait another minute to show you her latest release!

*lowers voice* It has pictures…😍

CUB by Cynthia L. Copeland


Released: January 7, 2020
Age Range: 8 – 12

A laugh-out-loud funny and empowering graphic memoir about growing up and finding your voice.

Twelve-year-old Cindy has just dipped a toe into seventh-grade drama—with its complicated friendships, bullies, and cute boys—when she earns an internship as a cub reporter at a local newspaper in the early 1970s. A (rare) young female reporter takes Cindy under her wing, and Cindy soon learns not only how to write a lede, but also how to respectfully question authority, how to assert herself in a world run by men, and—as the Watergate scandal unfolds—how brave reporting and writing can topple a corrupt world leader. Searching for her own scoops, Cindy doesn’t always get it right, on paper or in real life. But whether she’s writing features about ghost hunters, falling off her bicycle and into her first crush, or navigating shifting friendships, Cindy grows wiser and more confident through every awkward and hilarious.

“Copeland’s first graphic novel for kids successfully integrates the right balance of coming-of-age issues into those arising from her early-’70s setting; many of the latter are eerily similar to those that the country is still experiencing . . . This tale of middle-grade angst and self-consciousness is laced with humor and nostalgia.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

***

Doesn’t this sound like a well-rounded middle grade book? And to top it off . . . *lowers voice* It has illustrations . . . They are soooooo awesome, too.

Let’s give a huge Mixed-Up family hello to Cynthia!

Hi, Cynthia. I’m so glad you were able to stop by for a visit. I am beyond fascinated with graphic novels, and the fact that CUB is a memoir as well is made of awesomeness. Let’s begin with what inspired you to create your main character Cindy?
Cub was inspired by my experiences as a cub reporter in Connecticut in the early 1970s, and I tried to keep my character very close to the person I was in seventh grade. As the story begins, twelve-year old Cindy is very attached to her childhood best friend, Katie, even as Katie is gravitating toward the “cool and cruel” crowd. When Cindy’s favorite teacher connects her with a young, hip female journalist, Cindy begins her evolution from a quiet, somewhat insecure wallflower to a confident pre-teen who finds her voice, and is able to assert herself in both professional and social situations.

I’m sure a lot of middle schoolers will be inspired by Cindy’s fortitude.

How else do you think middle grade readers will relate to her?
Even though the story takes place nearly half a century ago, the pre-teen social issues Cindy faces are timeless. She initially tries to “play dead” to avoid the mean girls (“the predators”), but this plan falls apart when “the predators” discover she has her first boyfriend, and they try to do everything they can to break up the relationship.

Uh-oh. . .

Readers will cheer Cindy on as she finds a loyal group of friends who stand up for one another, at the same time that she becomes more proficient in and excited about newspaper reporting and looks forward to seeing her very first stories and photographs in the newspaper.

This is really inspiring.

Any suggestions on how young writers like Cindy can get involved in writing for their local communities?
Aspiring young writers should offer to cover events taking place at their schools for their local newspapers! Local news coverage is in crisis today, as advertisers spend their money elsewhere, and readers look to other (oftentimes unreliable) sources for information. Young journalists who write about school sports, club activities, or other events in a thorough and accurate way are providing a real service to the community – as they improve their own writing skills.

What do you hope young readers take with them from reading CUB?
I hope readers grasp the importance of journalists and journalism in our democracy. The truth matters, and our society can’t function without independent sources of accurate information. It’s not easy to be a journalist today – and that’s exactly why we need persistent and thoughtful journalists now more than ever.
I also hope that kids realize how important it is to pursue something they feel passionately about outside of school. Outside interests offer balance as well as perspective, and help kids see that even though daily social interactions can feel very high-stakes, there is a big world beyond the middle school hallways.

Without sharing spoilers, can you share something unique about Cindy’s story journey?
The self-confidence that Cindy gets from her experiences as a cub reporter not only help her as she covers stories and takes photos for the paper, but her newfound courage leads her to pursue a very interesting and creative summer job!

I really enjoyed this book. *lowers voice* And . . . it has graphics! 

What do you feel (or from your experience) is the importance of graphic novels in middle grade literature?
Graphic novels serve such an important role in middle grade literature, and I’m delighted that they are finally getting the attention and respect they deserve! This format helps kids read “up” because the images provide context for new vocabulary words. Visual storytelling also helps readers empathize with characters, as they look into the faces of those in the story. Young readers use critical thinking skills to understand how words and art combine to tell a complete story. And perhaps most importantly, kids naturally gravitate to graphic novels and are excited to read them!

Yes, it does help them read “up”. Love this!

What can authors do to help promote graphic novels in the classroom?
Authors can visit or Skype into classrooms and discuss the process of visual storytelling, and can help teachers find ways to incorporate their work into the curriculum. In Cub, for instance, I not only show journalists at work, but I highlight social issues that are relevant today: Earth Day, which celebrates its fifty-year anniversary this April, was intended to bring attention to environmental protection; the Equal Rights Amendment, first proposed in 1923, is still not a part of our Constitution; political turmoil at the top levels of our government persists; and unpopular wars rage on across the world.

*Readers – please read Cynthia’s answer again. It contains so much wisdom about inspire young readers and getting them to read.*

Lastly, would you share one piece of writing advice for our reading writers out there?
Read the kinds of books you think you’d like to write. And read critically: If you didn’t like a book, ask yourself why. Is it the pace you don’t like, or the character development, or the ending… ? What would you have done differently if you had been the author?

Definitely thought-provoking advice! Thank you so much for sharing Cindy and her journey through CUB. It’s been a pleasure. All the best to you always, from your Mixed-Up family…

About the Author

Cynthia L. Copeland has written over 25 books. CUB is her first graphic memoir for young readers. “I’ve always wanted to write about this period in my life,” she said. “The social pressures of middle school today (then junior high) are remarkably similar, and some of the political events feel eerily similar.” In CUB, young Cindy has a front row seat to many of the hot-button issues of the day including a shocking, protracted White House scandal, the fierce fight for gender equality, and the burgeoning environmental movement.     Website | Publisher

                                ***

Want to WIN your own paperback copy of CUB? Hop over to Twitter to retweet/follow/like THIS Tweet; giveaway US only. Winner announced on Twitter, February 7, 2020.

Thank you for reading! Now, go out and purchase CUB, and give it to a middle grade reader that needs to be inspired. You won’t be disappointed.

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A tribute to E.L. Konigsburg

By on January 17, 2020   /   Articles, For Kids, For Librarians, For Teachers  

The eyes of the children’s literature world will be on Philadelphia on Monday, January 27 as the year’s most outstanding books for children are recognized at the American Library Association’s annual Midwinter Meeting.

Beginning at 8 a.m., more than 20 awards will be announced, including the Newbery, Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Printz, Schneider Family, Pura Belpre and Stonewall awards.

The eyes of the authors and illustrators whose works are in contention will be on their phones, waiting for that predawn phone call, from one of the committee members involved in this momentous decision.

According to Newbery Medal winner Linda Sue Park, who received the award in 2002 for her beautiful story, A Single Shard, there are only five authors who have received that life-altering phone call twice. Yep, you read that right. Twice.

They are;

Joseph Krumgold, And Now Miguel, (1954) and Onion John (1960)

Elizabeth George Speare, The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1959) and The Bronze Bow (1962)

E.L. Konigsburg, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1968) and The View from Saturday (1997)

Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia (1978) and Jacob Have I Loved (1981)

Lois Lowry, Number the Stars (1990) and The Giver (1994)

And, there is just one author who, when she picked up the phone in 1968, learned that she was not only the Newbery Medal winner, but also a recipient of the Newbery Honor book award as well for her title, Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley and Me, Elizabeth.

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Shop your local indie bookstore

That person is none other than the author who inspired and continues to inspire this group of middle-grade authors, E.L. Konigsburg.

She was born Elaine Lobl in New York City, one of three daughters. The family moved to various mill towns in western Pennsylvania. Elaine, who graduated at the top of her high school class, made a nontraditional choice (for women of that time) and attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon) and studied chemistry. She continued her graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh. A job opportunity in Florida for her husband led to a science teaching position at a private school. The nature of her career path changed as she both became a mother to three children, born between 1955 and 1959, and her growing family moved to Port Chester, N.Y. Elaine felt inspired to pursue a more creative path, revisiting her childhood passions for writing and painting. As Elaine offered in an interview in a piece in Reading Teacher in 1998, she wanted to “write something that reflected my own children’s growing up.”

The rest is history.

In The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Claudia says to Mrs. Frankweiler that “you should want to learn one new thing every day.”

Mrs. Frankweiler responds, “I think you should learn, of course, and some days you must learn a great deal. But you should also have days when you allow what is already in you to swell up inside of you until it touches everything. And you can feel it inside of you. If you never take time out to let that happen, then you accumulate facts, and they begin to rattle around inside of you. You can make noise with them, but never really feel anything with them. It’s hollow.”

Here’s to allowing all that we know to swell up inside of us until it touches everything.

As a side note, having written, Virginia Hamilton: America’s Storyteller, note that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Mark your calendar to follow the ALA’s awards via live webcast on Facebook or by following #alayma on Twitter.

 

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