For Parents

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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Cover Reveal, Two Book Giveaways & Interview with Laurie Friedman

By on January 29, 2020   /   Author Interviews, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, Giveaways  

We’re lucky to have a cover reveal and two giveaways…for an exciting new middle grade novel by Laurie Friedman with illustrations by Heather Burns. Just wait until you see the full cover toward the bottom of this post. It’s amazing!!!

Laurie Friedman is the author of over fifty critically acclaimed picture books, chapter books, and novels for young readers including the bestselling Mallory McDonald chapter book series, The Mostly Miserable Life of April Sinclair teen journal-format series, and many rhyming picture books, including the Love, Ruby Valentine series. She is also a frequent speaker at schools across the country. Her latest book, The Campaign, a middle-grade novel about two best friends who run against each other for class president will be available in libraries and through booksellers in September 2020.

You can find out more about Laurie and her books, get information on school visits, and sign up for her newsletter on her website. Interact with Laurie on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit Mallory’s Facebook page.

 

Welcome back to the Mixed-Up Files, Laurie! We’re thrilled to reveal the cover of your upcoming middle grade novel, The Campaign. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. 

What inspired you to write The Campaign? 

 

Great question! With the upcoming presidential election, I started to think about campaigns and how I might write about them in a way that would be fun and meaningful for middle-schoolers. I also wanted to capture the sense of drama that inevitably surrounds all campaigns. What could be more dramatic than two best friends who run against each other for president of their class? As is the case in many elections, the gloves come off! I want readers to see that no elected position is worth having if you have to fight dirty to get it.

 

That definitely sounds dramatic—and something every tween should read.

What do you think are the best ways to teach children and teens about politics? Are there any websites you think teachers would like to use with their students? 

 

Another great question! I think it’s important for kids to realize that their voices and opinions matter. Getting involved with local issues that mean something to them—both at school and in their communities—is a great place to start. Also, following the news is something that can start at a young age. Many of the media outlets have websites dedicated to providing news to students. My personal favorites are CNN 10 which provides a ten-minute recap of important daily news stories and the New York Times Learning Network which has all kinds of classroom resources.

 

Thanks for the helpful resources! When will The Campaign be released…and what are you looking forward to the most during school visits? 

 

 

The Campaign will be out in September, just in time for the national election. I always look forward to school visits and talking to kids about two of my favorite topics–reading and writing. I incorporated bits of history and fun facts about past presidents and what they did as leaders into The Campaign. I’m looking forward to including a trivia quiz (with prizes!) into my school talks.

 

 

I’m sure teachers and media specialists will love all the fun facts. And your school talks sound both informational and fun!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us? 

 

Talking about books is one of my favorite topics, so I could go on all day! Ha! Don’t worry, I won’t. The bottom line here is that I feel strongly a leader should be a good listener and recognize when someone has a good idea that might be even better than their own. I don’t like polarization. Whether it’s a school or a country, we should all be working together, not against each other. My hope is that The Campaign will be viewed as a fun read that also gets that message across to students.

 

I wish everyone would work together instead of against each other, and am so glad you wrote The Campaign. Thank you for visiting us, Laurie—and revealing your amazing cover.

And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for…the cover reveal of The Campaign! I absolutely love it. Congrats, Laurie. 

 

Amanda Adams has always dreamed of running for class president. Her mom is a member of Congress and her dad is a political strategist who manages her mother’s campaign. Politics is in her DNA. She has the perfect VP in mind for the school ticket—her best friend Meghan Hart. But when Amanda finds out that Meghan has political ambitions of her own, these two best friends suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of the aisle, and, as each girl mounts her campaign, it’s clear the gloves are about to come off. As the rest of their classmates begin to choose sides, the girls realize how they carry themselves over the coming weeks will have a lasting impact on the outcome.

 

Laurie Friedman is giving away TWO signed copies of The Campaign! The first Rafflecopter giveaway is open to everyone. The second is only open to teachers and media specialists. Laurie will send the books as soon as they’re available…and the lucky winners can read The Campaign before it’s released!

Giveaway winners will be posted on Saturday, February 8. Good luck!

*This giveaway is only available in the U.S. and Canada.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Insights from Evaluating my New Year’s Writing Resolutions

By on December 18, 2019   /   Articles, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers, Writing  

I’m really good at creating writerly/life goals every January.

However, I’m terrible at evaluating these New Year’s resolutions. I rarely reflect on what obtaining or letting go of aspirations might mean.

For 2020, I’d like to start a new tradition of spending just as much time evaluating last year‘s goals as in the creation of this year‘s goals.

I’m going to take you step-by-step in what I hope will be new tradition of evaluation and reflection. I hope to come away with helpful take-aways.

Looking back at 2019, I see that I met my physical goal of walking and going to the gym 3 to 4 times a week.

This says to me I was serious about taking care of my physical needs. I can applaud myself, yes? Well, sure. In fact, unless it was rainy or I had morning appointments, I walked every day. However, when I went to the gym, I often focused on reading my book on the elliptical versus challenging myself.

Take-away: I can do better. Sweat more. Be more in the moment.

For reading, I pledged to read more wonderful novels such as The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart and Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras. I did this. Yet I could a much better job of reviewing books after reading them. I want others to review my books on Goodreads, and I need to do the same for my colleagues.

Take-way. Read wonderful books. And support authors by reviewing their books.

I promised to keep up with my grading (I teach college). And while I had the best intentions, by somewhere in the middle of the semester, I started to get two weeks behind. Yes, I can do better. But also sometimes not working means that I am engaging in self-care. There are periods when not keeping up with a certain obligation is actually a good thing, especially if there’s some sort of pressing situation.

Take-away. It’s okay to slow down. It’s okay sometimes not to meet a goal.

I met almost all of my marketing goals. However, I’m flagging a problem. With an educator, I wrote an honesty curriculum based on issues that come up with my chapter book series Ellie May. Yet, I haven’t posted it on my website or really made the curriculum available. It shows that just making a goal isn’t what counts. How did that help you accomplish a benchmark? How did it meet expectations?

Take-away. It’s not just the goal that counts. It’s often the follow-through that’s more important.

I look at my writing goals and I’m pleasantly surprised. I met five out of the seven goals. I polished and revised three picture books, one of which I sold. I came up with new picture book ideas for Tara Lazar’s Storystorm. Additionally, I got to the end of a science fantasy MG, which I’ve been working on for eleven years. This felt like a big win because it’s a project I always put on the backburner. Plus, it’s outside of my comfort zone and has helped me stretch as a writer.

Take-away. Consider why a goal is actually important to you.

I didn’t write any part of my contemporary Jewish-themed middle grade. Why? Well, honestly,I didn’t get to it. And I’m not emotionally prepared for the themes in this book. It’s okay. I will write this book when I’m ready. I’m not right now–that’s my truth and okay with it.

Take-away. Consider why you didn’t meet a particular goal and decide if you are okay with that reason.

I did work on two middle grades that were a welcome surprise–two books in the Kate the Chemist series with Dr. Kate Biberdorf. Dragons vs. Unicorns comes out this April with Philomel Books followed by The Escape Room. Fifth grader Kate uses chemistry (my favorite science) to solve everyday problems and mysteries. I’m super proud of these books. Working with Dr. Kate and the team at Philomel has been unapologetically blissful and added so much writing fun to my life.

Take-away. You can’t plan everything. And that’s just fine.

That one is so important. I will repeat it. You can’t plan everything. For me, there were some health issues that came up as well as some challenging conditions brought about by wildfires. But every challenge has gifted me with new insights and prompted me to live more joyfully.

2020. This myopic writer is definitely looking forward to a year with clearer vision.

Hillary Homzie is the author of Ellie May chapter book series (Charlesbridge, 2018), Apple Pie Promises (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2-18), Pumpkin Spice Secrets (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2017), Queen of Likes (Simon & Schuster MIX 2016), The Hot List (Simon & Schuster MIX 2011) and Things Are Gonna Be Ugly (Simon & Schuster, 2009) as well as the Alien Clones From Outer Space (Simon & Schuster Aladdin 2002) chapter book series. During the year, Hillary teaches at Sonoma State University and in the summer she teaches in the graduate program in childrens’ literature, writing and illustration at Hollins University. She also is an instructor for the Children’s Book Academy. She can be found at hillaryhomzie.com and on her Facebook page as well as on Twitter.

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