Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/61011
Resources and Opportunities Constituting America invites K-12 students to enter 'We Students with a passion for American history and our nation's founding principles are encouraged to enter the "We the People 9.17 Contest." The non-profit foundation Constituting America offers prizes and scholarships for original stu- dent speeches, songs, short films and public service announcements on the U.S. Constitution Contest winners also receive a trip to Philadelphia and national exposure as "future leaders." "Constituting America's mission is to get America's youth and citi- zens engaged in learning about America's founding principles," said actress and talk radio host Janine Turner, who founded the the People 9.17 Contest' non-profit foundation with Co- Chair Cathy Gillespie in 2010. "We hope students will seize this oppor- tunity to share their thoughts on America's founding principles through music, film, video, art and more." Last year's winning entries are available on the foundation website at www.constitutingamerica.org along with detailed information on contest rules and specific constitu- tional themes to be addressed in each category. Entries may be sub- mitted to: Constituting America, We the People 9.17 Contest, P.O. Box 1988, Colleyville, TX 76034. All entries must be postmarked by July 4, 2012. EPA and Scholastic offer free Spanish version of "The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Up" The Environmental Protection Agency and Scholastic have released a Spanish-language ver- sion of the book, El Autobus Mágico – necesita una limpieza. "The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Upmakes the science of clean air fun," said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. "Translating the book into Spanish is a great opportunity to engage new audiences." Spanish is spoken by almost 37 million people as their primary lan- guage spoken in the home, and is the second most spoken language in the United States. In The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Up, the children and Ms. Frizzle explore the pollution emit- ted from their own diesel school bus and learn how to reduce the emis- sions as they find themselves travel- ing through a diesel engine. Through reading the story, thou- sands of children have joined the book's fictional teacher, Ms. Frizzle, as she takes her students on field trips and scientific adventures. For more information on how to obtain the English and Spanish ver- sions of the book at no cost, go to http://www.epa.gov/otaq/school bus/. If you're looking for something engaging to do, the Trail of the Lorax awaits at the zoo! tions and surprising facts about orangutan life, these elements will bridge the two worlds, enabling children to see the reality behind Dr. Seuss' parable. The "Trail of the Lorax" runs On Saturday, March 31st, the Philadelphia Zoo in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises L.P. opened a new exhibit, "Trail of the Lorax," an engaging exhibit that educates visitors on conservation and saving wildlife. "Trail of the Lorax" consists of eight informational stations and a dynamic two-story active play and exploration space known as "Lorax Loft." Combining Seussian illustra- through October 31, 2012. For more information on the Philadelphia Zoo, as well as to pur- chase and print tickets online, go to www. philadelphiazoo.org. Reading ASSIST Institute presents CORE Conference Reading ASSIST Institute pres- ents the CORE (Creating Opportunities for Reading Excellence) Conference at the Dover Sheraton, November 17, from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. This one day conference will focus on reading in the Common Core State Standards. Keynote speakers will include Louisa Moats, author of Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) and Straight Talk about Reading; and Anita Archer, co- author of Effective and Efficient Teaching and noted lecturer on Explicit Instruction. Sessions will address reading instruction for children Pre-K through 8, including ELL. Early registration from May 1- June 15, is $195. After June 15, it jumps to $245. Continental break- fast and lunch will be provided. Special limited-attendance ses- sions will be held for school and district administrators. In-service credit is available. The National Gallery of Art's kids site, www.nga.gov/kids/kids. htm, is offering Interactive CDs to kids of all ages. The CDs contain updated versions of some of their most popular online children's pro- grams. Individual titles include: Brushster, Dutch House, Faces & Places, Jungle, Photo Op, Sea-Saws, Still Life, and an eighth Art Zone "combo" disc. These applications do not require an internet connection, and are ideal for teachers without "wired" class- rooms. NGAkids CDs may be bor- rowed through the Gallery's Learning Resources portal. There is no charge, but registration is required. Items described on this page are not always endorsed by the Association, but are provided for your information. 22 March/April 2012 DSEA ACTION! www.dsea.org