NCTE
   Teachers and Students Together: Living Literate Lives . . . Is the theme of the 2010 NCTE Annual Convention, November 18-21, in exciting Orlando, Florida. Don't miss the perfect opportunity to join thousands of K-12 teachers, college faculty, and other education professionals to hear award-winning speakers, attend idea-packed sessions, share best practices, and test the latest teaching materials, all while enjoying the beautiful Florida sun in November. What are you waiting for? Register today! CLCD will be exhibiting in Booth 1219.

E. B. White Read Aloud Awards
   The Association of Bookseller for Children, established the E. B. White Read Aloud Awards in 2004, honor books that reflect the universal read aloud standards that were created by the work of the author E.B. White in his classic books for children: Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. In the first two years of the award, a single book was selected.In 2006, in recognition of the fact that reading aloud is a pleasure at any age, the award was expanded into two categories: Picture Books, and Older Readers. The 2010 award winner have been announced Read Aloud Awards.

LOCUS Awards
   If you love science fiction and fantsay, you will want to know who won this years LOCUS award. Visit announcement to get access to all the categories including the winner in the Young Adult category--Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld.

Primary Sources
   The School Talk article "Primary Sources: Portals to the Past" (E) (pages 5-6) encourages teachers to use primary sources to deepen students' understanding of historical events and the people who participated in them.

Writing in the Social Studies Classroom
"Writing in the    Social Studies Classroom" (M), from Voices from the Middle, describes eight writing assignments that were the key activities of a nine-week history unit. In addition to suggesting ways to use primary sources in the classroom, the article concludes that writing helps students comprehend, apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information.

Using Primary Sources
   Interested in using diaries, letters, photographs, legal records, speeches, essays, biographies, and autobiographies? Check out "Using Primary Sources to Build a Community of Thinkers" (S) from English Journal to find out how "primary sources and nonfiction [can] offer valuable opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and critical thinking in all fields of study."

Book Print and Media Awards from ALA
   It is not just the Caldecott and Newbery Awards, but many others that make up the very important lsits of books for children, young adults and libraries. Visit ALA to learn all about them. The calendar of the ReadWriteThink.org provides links to and ideas for teaching with winning titles.

AASL Adopts "School Librarian" as Official Term for the Profession
   The AASL board of directors voted in favor of the move on Saturday during the American Librarian Association’s midwinter meeting in Boston. And that means “school librarian” will be used in all of the profession’s advocacy efforts and publications, including reports and press releases. The change comes after those in the profession have spent decades referring to themselves as library media specialists and teacher-librarians. Media specialist was coined in the early 1970s, replacing the traditional “school librarian,” and the word library, was added later to clarify the profession. Teacher-librarian is a title longtime used in Canada and emphasizes the teaching role of the librarian. California has codified teacher-librarian as its official title.

Waiting for Superman
   Waiting for Superman looks at what Gates and director Davis Guggenheim say is a U.S. public school system in shambles. "Waiting for Superman examines the crisis of public education in the United States through multiple interlocking stories—from a handful of students and their families whose futures hang in the balance, to the educators and reformers trying to find real and lasting solutions within a dysfunctional system. The Social Action campaign for Waiting for Superman will work with advocacy organizations, foundations and policy-leaders to offer initiatives for people to explore and be a part of long-term strategies that offer systemic changes. It will also engage audiences in immediate, tangible actions to help students in under-performing schools achieve better educational outcomes." Visit Waiting for Superman to learn more.

Safe and Vital Communities
   The Allstate Foundation supports national and local programs in three focus areas. Safe and Vital Communities programs address catastrophe response, youth anti-violence, neighborhood revitalization, or teen safe driving. Economic Empowerment programs address financial and economic literacy, insurance education, or empowerment for victims of domestic violence. Tolerance, Inclusion, and Diversity programs address teaching tolerance to youth, ending hate crimes, or alleviating discrimination. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations. Deadline: rolling. To learn more visit Allstate Foundation

Free Teaching Resource
   Recently the U.S. Department of Education launched a new and improved version of the much acclaimed web site, Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE). FREE provides educators with lesson plans, primary documents, science visualizations, math challenges, literary works, paintings, music manuscripts and many other vital classroom resources. The tool also combines important educational elements culled from the Library of Congress, Smithsonian, National Science Foundation, NASA, National Archives, and other federal agencies. Free Teaching Resources