Past Issues

• In Focus: Dive into summer learning
• Books & Authors: Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
• For Teachers: To tweet or not to tweet?
• For Parents: Surviving the science fair
• Research & News: The long term cost of the achievement gap
• Community: Letters from the White House contest winners!

In Focus

Summer at the Library

You're a children's librarian with a great summer reading program at your public library. What's the best way to generate buzz and get families to participate? Start with the local schools! Talk with your school principals to schedule classroom visits before summer break. And collaborate with the school librarians to compile the 'best summer reading list ever.'
More summer tips for librarians >

One Teacher's Story: Things I Do to Invite Summer Reading

No more required summer reading lists! Encourage kids to look forward to summer as a relaxed time to catch up on all the reading they didn't have time for during the busy school year. From our friends at Choice Literacy.
Go to article >

What a Good Summer Program Looks Like

How can parents be smart consumers when shopping for summer programs? Here's a helpful checklist from the Center for Summer Learning.
See summer program checklist >

Ron Fairchild, executive director of the Center, discusses the components and benefits of quality summer programs (excerpted from our webcast, Summer Reading).
Watch video >
Go to Summer Reading webcast >

Books & Authors

Zen and the Art of Storytelling: Our Video Interview with Jon Muth

Can misfortune become good luck? What is the cost of anger? Writer and illustrator Jon Muth (Zen Shorts) introduces children to some of life's big questions in his quiet, lyrical picture books. Listen in as Muth talks about his artistic process: "I repaint and repaint and repaint and rewrite and rewrite." Until it feels right.
Watch video interview >

Books to Honor Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

A book can open new windows to the world. Read the true story of Billy Wong, the Chinese-American matador; take a journey with a young Tibetan boy and his yak in a retelling of the classic 'tortoise and the hare' tale; or listen to the rhythms of a Thai lullaby.
Browse booklist (from our sister site Colorín Colorado) >
See all APA Heritage Month resources >

Daily Children's Literature Quiz

Enter today's children's literature quiz for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to Amazon.com!
Go to quiz >

For Teachers

'Seeing' the Sounds of Speech

When young children are learning to make correct speech sounds, listening is not always enough. Teachers can help by actually showing kids what their mouths needs to do to make those sounds. Reading expert Dr. Louisa Moats explains, in this video clip.
Watch video >

Literacy Resource Kit

The Center for Literacy Studies at the University of Tennessee created a wonderful literacy resource kit designed for teachers to share with parents. The kit has sections on reading development, activities for building reading skills, information on ways to improve home-school communication, and a section for parents of children with special needs.
Go to literacy resource kit >

Do You Tweet? Nine Reasons Why Teachers Should Use Twitter

We're using it around here at Reading Rockets. Laura Walker, a blogger about education and technology, compiled a pretty compelling list of nine ways teachers could benefit from using Twitter. See what you think!
Go to Twitter article >

For Parents

How Well Does My Child Hear and Talk?

Most children are able to listen to simple stories, songs, and rhymes by the time they are one to two years old. However, every child is unique and has an individual rate of development. Learn more about the developmental milestones for hearing, understanding, and talking — and where to get help if you are concerned.
Go to article >

Parents' Choice Award-Winning Audio

Interested to learn what audio books are recommended for kids at various ages? Need some new music in the car? Be sure to see which audio won the Parents' Choice gold and silver awards.
Go to website >

'Tis the Season… for Science Fair Projects!

Erupting volcano? Food colored chrysanthemum? Sink or float? If you find yourself contemplating these or other science fair projects, our friends at Education.com might have a few new suggestions for you. Learn what makes a good science fair project, do's and don'ts and links to other reputable science resources.
Browse article >

Research & News

Nation's Report Card Just Out

The National Center for Education Statistics published the long-term trend assessments given in the 2007-2008 school year for students at ages 9, 13, and 17. In reading, average scores increased at all three ages since 2004. In comparison to 2004, average reading scores were higher in 2008 for White students at all three ages, for Black students at ages 9 and 13, and for Hispanic students at age 9. More detailed analysis and results from the mathematics assessment are in the full report.
See full NAEP report >

What Does the Achievement Gap Cost Our Nation?

A new report describes the impact of low achievement levels in our schools on our economy. This happens through lower wages, higher incarceration rates and poorer health. Evidence examined by the McKinsey Group suggests that the gaps can be closed. The authors provide five themes for future thought and research.
Read McKinsey report >

Reading and Math Software Study: Few Effects Found

For the second year in a row, a large federal study designed to test whether the use of computer software produced significant learning differences yielded few results that show improvement in student scores. Researchers studied 10 software programs; only one, LeapTrack, produced significant improvements in students' test scores across both years of the study.
Read software study results >

Community

Letters from the White House Winners' Circle!

Séances in the Red Room, a ladybug in the punch, and a ticklish rug in the Oval Office are just a few of the things you'll find in the winning Letters from the White House. We were thrilled that more than 1,500 students from all over the country sent in letters or journal entries. These students explored the history of America and tapped into their own creativity by imagining and writing about the experience of living or working in the Executive Mansion. Congratulations to all the participants!
See winners and print 'certificates of participation' >

What Book Got You Launched?

Do you remember that one special book from when you were a child? It just grabbed you — maybe because it was funny, or frightening, or you loved the characters, or it just seemed to know you and speak to what was going on in your own life. We'd like to have you share the first book that launched you as a lifelong reader with all our Reading Rockets friends.
What book got you launched? >

Memorable Quote

"I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework."

A Sneak Peek at What's Coming Up

website in early June and find more summer reading and learning ideas for kids, parents, and teachers — plus new resources on tutoring.
Go to home page >

About Reading Rockets

Reading Rockets is a national educational service of WETA, the flagship public television and radio station in the nation's capital. The Reading Rockets project is comprised of PBS television programs, available on videotape and DVD; online services, including the websites ReadingRockets.org, ColorinColorado.org, LDOnLine.org, and AdLit.org; and professional development opportunities such as teleconferences and webcasts.

Reading Rockets is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. The goal of the project is to provide information on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help. Learn about easy ways you can link to us to let others know about the many free resources available from Reading Rockets.

All the best from Reading Rockets:

• Noel Gunther, Executive Director
• Christian Lindstrom, Director, Learning Media
• Shalini Anand, Technical Web Manager
• Kelly Andrews, Project Coordinator
• Lydia Breiseth, Project Associate
• Katie Chase, Associate Editor
• Tina Chovanec, Director, Reading Rockets
• Kelly Deckert, Associate Manager, Online Media
• Laurie Fry, Publicist
• Ashley Gilleland, Producer
• Sun Kim, Web Associate
• Joanne Meier, Ph.D., Research Consultant
• Laura Schreiber, Project Associate
• Rachael Walker, Outreach Consultant

Newsletter editors: Joanne Meier and Tina Chovanec