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Educators are facing the implementation of the new Common Core State Standards and the expectation to use technology to engage and motivate students to learn these standards.
Big Universe has been proven to meet these diverse needs of educators, students, and parents by serving as a highly engaging online literacy community. It continues to provide strong support of the Common Core State Standards while maintaining a student-driven, online presence. Big Universe supports the new Common Core State Standards Initiative through its alignment to the College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards in the areas of reading, writing, language, speaking, and listening.
Learn more about the comprehensive literacy program from Big Universe in our Overview Webinar. You can sign up for any of our informational webinars directly through our Webinar Page. Pre-registration is required.
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Since 1984, the National Parent Teacher Association has designated the beginning of May to celebrate those that make a difference in the lives of children and young adults every day–Teachers! Big Universe would like to recognize all the teachers and educators out there for making a difference in the lives of children and young adults, as well as show our appreciate for all that they do.
I think any adult can look back on their childhood years and remember their favorite teachers; the ones who went one of their way to help them understand and do their best work. Teachers make an incredible impact on young lives and it’s only right that we take this week to celebrate them.
To celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week in the classroom, you can read a book about a teacher such as Thank You, Mr. Falker, Miss Nelson is Missing, or a Magic School Bus story with Ms. Frizzle. These stories are all concentrate on keeping the teacher central to the story. Encourage classroom discussion on why these teachers are so important. You can also have your class use a few of these writing lessons.
- Compare a favorite teacher to a teacher from a book with the Venn Diagram.
- Write a letter to a favorite teacher using the WRITE section of Big Universe.
- Create your own book about a special teacher using the WRITE section of Big Universe
No matter which activities you do with your class this week, take a moment and remember how special you are, and how even small words of encouragement from a teacher can stay with that child for the rest of their life.
Join Us on Wednesday, April 24th from 3:30-4:30 EDT for a webinar that will overview the comprehensive learning platform from Big Universe.
Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/838844312
Please join us for a general overview of Big Universe. We will go over the basic features in our Read, Write, Share, and Manage sections. Also, benefits and common classroom uses will be discussed. Learn more about Big Universe in this 45 minute demo.
Title: Big Universe Overview Webinar
Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Time: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM EDT
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
Mac®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.6 or newer
Mobile attendees
Required: iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phone or Android tablet
Posted on April 14, 2013 by Marni McNiff in Big Universe News, Classroom Ideas, Writing.
Tags: book design, brainstorming, editing, endings, illustration, Revision, short story, story structure, teacher, writing contest
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Short stories can leave a lasting impression on young readers long after the last word on the page is read. With much success after our first Nature Writing Contest, Big Universe is excited to announced its Short Story Competition. So what steps can you take to help your students create some terrific short story entries? We’ve listed a helpful few tips that we hope will encourage your students to create books that will make a lasting impression.
Memorable Titles
While the bulk of creativity goes into the story, students should also remember the importance of a strong title. A title can be that initial thing that catches the eye of a contest judge. It might be just unique enough to arouse curiosity. This is not to say that students should come up with unique titles that have little or nothing to do with their short story. It’s important that a title reflect the story as a whole.
One example of an eye-catching title is Attack of the Bully Bug. At first glance, one can gather the story is about bullying, but with a bug involved, it won’t be your average bully.
A Strong Beginning
As they say in publishing, you need to hook the reader right from the beginning. Careful consideration should be given to the beginning of a short story. The quality of the writing should stand out from the first line. It’s 
important to remember that a short story is really a snapshot of time. There shouldn’t be much need for back-story to get your story moving. Encourage your students to plunge the reader straight into the action.
The opening paragraph sets the tone and pace for your short story. From the very beginning of Sassafras, we see the main character skunk is hiding, but we don’t know why. Then through early dialogue the reader learns he doesn’t want to come out and play because he’s afraid of what others will think of his smell. Right away the reader gets to know this main character and understands his dilemma.
A Memorable Main Character
Students should take the time to create a strong main character. This character can be anything from a boy or girl to a dolphin or lizard. The field is wide open for students to use their imagination and come up with a character that readers will enjoy. The common thread between strong main characters is that they have something the reader can relate to. For example, in Wings of Change, the main character is a caterpillar named Anew who happens to be afraid of change. Along with learning the life cycle of the caterpillar to the butterfly, children can relate to Anew’s fear of not wanting to change because he likes himself just the way he is.
Story Structure
A good story has a beginning, middle, and end. Even with limited words, short stories need to have an ending. A reader does not want to be left wondering what happened. To end a short story, there needs to be some sort of conflict resolution. A character has a problem and then solves it–the end. Simple, right? If it was simple, everyone would be an author. Crafting a story takes time and involves a good deal of pre-planning. One way of doing this story planning is through the use of a story map to brainstorm ideas. This type of brainstorming allows students of all ages to plan out the events and details of their stories.
Book Design
With the many unique features in the WRITE section of Big Universe, your students can bring their story to life. Students can animate their text and create different background that are eye-catching to young readers. The use of pictures can also help tell your story. Younger students may not yet have a strong vocabulary for storytelling, and pictures can be a integral part of telling their tale.
Attention to Detail
So the story is finished and the work is done. Not so fast! Any writer will tell you that editing and revising a story can be the most complex part of the writing process. It’s important that students go back and check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Have they used the correct punctuation throughout the story? As a reading and writing tutor, I use this part of the writing process to have students look up words when they aren’t sure use of the correct spelling. Teaching a child to their resources whether it be a dictionary or the computer to look up the correct spelling, teaches a lot more than just the spelling of one word. It teaches children that when they don’t know the correct answer, the best thing to do is look it up!
We are very excited to kick off our Short Story Competition and look forward to many exciting, intriguing, touching, adventurous, and/or funny entries from your students. We also invite your to review the winners of our past Nature Writing Contest.
Additional Reading:
Dawn Publications is dedicated to inspiring in children a deeper understanding and appreciation for all life on Earth. We aim to help parents and teachers encourage children to bond with the Earth in a relationship of love, respect, and intelligent cooperation, through the books we publish and the educational materials we offer online. Dawn Publications offers books that are perfect for early readers, elementary and middle school students. Most books have been leveled and meet the core English and Science standards. The catalogue from Dawn Publications features books for children and young adults ages 3-16.
We had the chance to sit down with Sandy Philpott, Director of Marketing at Dawn Publications in the latest blog for our Big Universe Publisher Spotlight series.
Big Universe: We’d love to hear about what you’re doing at your company. What are some of the most popular items that you’ve published in the last three years?
Sandy Philpott: Dawn Publications has been connecting children and nature since 1979. Our books catch the attention of children and excite them about discovering the wonders of the natural world. With beautiful illustrations and engaging text, these titles introduce a wide range of natural science, from the Arctic to the rainforest, from honeybees to whales, from the water cycle to the food chain, from the mystery of migration to the magnificence of metamorphosis. Plus for older children there are biographies of environmental heroes, and an award-winning book on the science behind climate change. One of the most popular items published in the past 3 years is In the Tree, Honey Bees not only as core curriculum in schools but also for adults who are becoming more aware of Bees importance.
Big Universe: In looking at the current front list and the upcoming season, are there any specific themes that you’ve focused on in the catalogue?
Sandy Philpott: Most of our themes are focused on nature, animals and our interconnectedness. However, these past few seasons have been dedicated to gardening and healthy eating. Most people recognize that we have a problem in this country with children’s eating habits. So how do we go about convincing children and their parents that eating healthier is worth the effort? Books like What’s in the Garden? , Jo MacDonald Had a Garden and Molly’s Organic Farm can be part of the solution.
Big Universe: Do you have a personal favorite from the current catalog that isn’t getting lots of ‘buzz’? What is it about that book that sets it apart for you?
Amy’s Light is one of my favorite books. It’s realistic digital art taken from real photographs of the author/illustrators daughter, Amy and the beautiful poetic style with which he tells the story is what sets it apart. The book trailer will give you a real flavor for the book.
Big Universe: What is the book that has been the biggest surprise to you (can be a sleeper, new series that has gone like wildfire, a book that was the cover but not as popular as others, etc.)?
Sandy Philpott: Gobble, Gobble which was released the Fall of 2011 was a real surprise. It outsold every other book that season and ended a recession year on a high
note!
Big Universe: What’s next for your company? Are there changes coming in the following year? Do you have any new series or product lines that you’d like to share with us?
Sandy Philpott: The biggest shift for Dawn Publications is our transition from doing only print books to more and more digital ebooks and apps. Our award-winning and ever popular “Over In” series will have a new book added to the collection this Fall called “Over in a River” – making this book #6 in the series. We will also be working with digital illustrators to create some realistic artwork for books such as Noisy Frog Sing-Along coming Fall of 2013 and Meadow Mouse coming Spring of 2014. These books will work well for translating into ebooks and interactive Apps.
You can view all of the titles from Dawn Publications that are available on Big Universe here.
Star Bright Books is an independent publishing company dedicated to producing the highest quality books for children. Deborah Shine established the press in 1994 with the goal of making “Great Books for Great Kids.”
Star Bright recognizes that to inspire a life-long love of books, it is important for children to begin building that relationship at the earliest possible age. They believe that all children should see themselves in print and we make a concerted effort to include children of all colors, nationalities, and abilities in our books. In addition to seeing themselves, children should also hear familiar language in the books they choose. In pursuit of that goal, we publish engaging books in twenty languages.
We had a chance to chat with Publisher Deborah Shine in the latest of our publisher spotlight reviews.
Big Universe: What are the age ranges and levels you focus on at Star Bright?
Deborah Shine: Star Bright publishes books for all ages of children, from birth to middle grade. Many of their board books have been selected as best books for babies and toddlers by various venerate literacy institutions. However, pre-K to early elementary grade (3rd Grade) is where our concentrated readership lies. We are the publisher of the “We Love First Grade” series by Miriam Cohen, books that have become a “must” series for educators and parents to share with young students. Other notable books for pre-K to early elementary readers are Brian Wilidsmith’s picture books. Animal characters in his stories teach compassion and tolerance, and with such brilliantly colored illustrations, they are a visual feast as well!
Big Universe: We’d love to hear about what you’re doing at your company? What are some of the most popular items that you’ve published in the last three years?
Deborah Shine: Isabel Hill’s Building Stories and Urban Animals have been a hit among young readers. These books explore the familiar yet, overlooked buildings in the neighborhood (NYC for these books). You can see many buildings decorated with animals in the facades or elsewhere. Why? You will find it out when you read the book! Buildings have faces and stories 
just like us! If we look at them carefully, they tell us their stories and histories.
We publish books in many other languages, not just in English. We believe that all children should see themselves in print, and we make a concerted effort to include children of all colors, nationalities, and abilities in our books. Readers love our books for that reason. In addition to seeing themselves, children should also hear familiar language in the books they choose. So, we publish engaging books in more than twenty languages. And these books have been the most sought after books from families who migrated to America with young children.
Big Universe: In looking at the current front list and the upcoming season, are there any specific themes that you’ve focused on in the catalog?
Deborah Shine: Many of our titles are geared toward responding to STEM and SEL. “We Love First Grade” series is strongly recommended books for Social and Emotional Learning. You can find most titles in the “We Love First Grade” series on Big Universe. We are also building a strong nonfiction list, books that are educational, fun and meaningful. Our focus is on the fields of zoology, math, history, and biography.
Big Universe: Do you have a personal favorite from the current catalog that isn’t getting lots of ‘buzz’? What is it about that book that sets it apart for you?
Deborah Shine: They are not from the current list. We think Lorna Balian’s books deserve a much wider audience, and we are eager to talk about her books. They are wonderfully imaginative, and sweet tales, yet with a very clever twist that children are sure to fall for. Many readers say that they read her books when they were young, and as a parent, aunt, or teacher, they want children to experience the joy they felt when they read Balian’s books.
Many of her stories celebrate unique American culture and holidays. She has books for Valentine’s Day, Groundhog Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas! Sundaywas St. Patrick’s Day. Check out Lorna Balian’s Leprechauns Never Lie from Big Universe site or your local libraries. A leprechaun is caught by a lazy girl, who is searching for gold. But this mischievous wee man’s not a pushover. You will see Loran Balian’s delightful twist at the end. Children and adults alike will love the tale.
Big Universe: What is the book that has been the biggest surprise to you (can be a sleeper, new series that has gone like wildfire, a book that was the cover but not as popular as others, etc.)?
Deborah Shine: It’s not a surprise per se. But we are very heartened and happy that Cradle Me has received warm, enthusiastic, and wonderful reviews from librarians, educators, booksellers, and the Native American communities. It’s a book that celebrates Native American tradition and families, showing how mothers carry their babies safely, comfortably and close to them in cradle boards.
Big Universe: What’s next for your company? Are there changes coming in the following year? Do you have any new series or product lines that you’d like to share with us?
Deborah Shine: Isabel Hill is doing another wonderful architectural book for children. This time it’s on Washington D.C. Washington D.C is full of wonderful, historical buildings. We are excited about what her new project will bring us!
We are also building a Beginners Reading series––with simple words and rhymes, yet with interesting and smart plots, so that children who are beginning to read won’t be frustrated with big words or bored with too simple storylines.
What you can ever expect from Star Bright Books is high quality. The story, the illustration, and the message. We are very excited about our E-books. You will see more of our books on Big Universe and other places, including the Apps store.
Big Universe would like to thank everyone who participated in our first writing contest. We were so impressed by the wonderful entries from students in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. It was obvious that a lot of time and work went into the entries. We would also like to thank our judges, children’s author Rick Walton and children’s librarian Meredith DeSousa for their time and effort.
You can visit our contest page and read all of our winning entries here.
First Place Winners
Seng Gwen Graham, a second grade student from Portland Oregon, had the winning entry in our Kindergarten through Second Grade age group with her book, I Love Diatoms. Seng took a unique topic and brought it to life with pictures and information.
Elena Valencia was the top winner in our Third through Fifth Grade age group with her book, The Little Magic Tree. Elena’s book brought together a bit of magic with a sense of realism, that magic can’t solve every problem. She is in Roze Alvidera’s third grade class at St. Joachim School in Hayward, California.
With so many wonderful entries, we also chose the following runners-up and honorable mentions.
Runners-Up – Grade K-2
My Tank by Andrew Spinosa (Grade 2, Teacher Ashley Ramsay) from Sevierville Primary School in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The Four Pigs and the Bear by Kyle Page (Grade 2, Teacher Denise McLaughlin) from the Merrimack School District in Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Runners-Up Grades 3-5
Nature by Jacqueline Jaran (Grade 4; Teacher Christine Davol) of Gilford Elementary School in Gilford, New Hampshire.
Nature Alliterations by Kaylee Wild (Grade 5; Teacher Jennifer Lee) of Knox County Schools in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Honorable Mentions
Fred the Gorilla by Andrew Green (Grade 2, Teacher Denise McLaughlin) of Merrimack School District in Merrimack, New Hampshire.
The Four Seasons by Maya Stubbs (Grade 1, Teacher Denise McLaughlin) of Merrimack School District in Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Journey of the Midnight Wolf by Sofia Quintal (Grade 4, Teacher Denise McLaughlin) of Merrimack School District in Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Buster’s Coffee by Brady Rund (Grade 4, Teacher Allison Randolph) of Nineveh Hensley Jackson School Corporation in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Story Behind the Story
With four winning books from Merrimack School District in New Hampshire, we had a chance to ask Computer Technology Educator Denise McLaughlin how she went about having her students work on their entries. Here is what she had to say:
“When I learned about the Big Universe Contest, I invited every teacher in our school to pick one student from their classroom to participate. They chose students who really loved to write. The whole event was a pretty long process. All the students came to my room routinely three days a week from the beginning of January up to February Winter Break. I had three first graders, two second graders, two fourth graders, and one third grader.
I pretty much followed the suggestions in the contest email on the first day with all the students. We brainstormed what nature meant to them and compiled a group list that I projected on the white screen. Then we previewed member created books on nature as well as professionally created books in the nature category. After viewing some of the books, the students added more ideas about nature to their lists.
The next couple of times we met we did some visualization exercises to get the kids to understand how powerful verbs and adjectives can be in writing. We sat around in a circle. I would suggest a setting in nature such as a pond for example. Then the kids would go around the circle taking turns contributing what they would hear, smell, see, touch, and feel if they were at the setting. We virtually brought the settings to life to the point we almost felt as if we were really there. The students then took and applied this exercise to their own settings in their stories. I gave them a graphic organizer that had the five senses written on it. They filled in adjectives and verbs that brought their setting to life.
Soon after that the students began their rough drafts. We would take the time during our meetings to pause and share what they were writing with the whole group. Sometimes the group members would ask clarifying questions and make suggestions. It was totally up to the authors whether to accept the suggestions or not.
Once the students were done with their drafts, they would read them to me. I would ask them questions if anything seemed really unclear. This would allow them to draw out their details and go back and edit their stories. All the students typed their original rough draft in Microsoft Word. Students don’t naturally want to go back and edit their writing, especially by hand. Using Word made the process painless. They simply cut, paste, or typed in their revision.
Once they completed their stories, I asked them to go back and break their stories up into pages. I told them to to try group sentences so an illustration would go with what the sentences depicted. They were then ready to use the Big Universe Write program to input their stories. First, they typed out all their pages and then went back to illustrate them. Some of the students were able to find exact matches of what they envisioned for their illustrations in the Big Universe clipart gallery. They absolutely loves previewing the many choices that were available to them. Other students’ illustration ideas were too specific, so they used KidPix or Microsoft Paint to create their drawings and then uploaded them to their books.”
Big Universe would like to congratulate all of our winners, and we look forward to our next writing contest. Keep those terrific books coming!
Bearport Publishing believes that books with good writing and amazing photos are irresistible to kids. They also believe that providing kids with books they want to read is one of the surest ways to foster reading achievement. These two principles guide the development of all our curriculum-aligned nonfiction titles for children in grades PreK-8.
The high-interest nonfiction books from Bearport help get kids excited about reading, even if they are struggling or reluctant readers. They are focused on topics that appeal to young readers, such as animals, sports heroes, and scary places. With every book, Bearport pays close attention to text length, vocabulary, and picture-text match.
We sat down with Valerie Yaw, Associate Marketing Manager at Bearport Publishing, for the latest in our Publisher Spotlight series.
Big Universe: We’d love to hear about what you’re doing at your company. What are some of the most popular items that you’ve published in the last three years?
Valerie Yaw: Last year, we introduced Science Slam, an early science literacy program for PreK-3. The six series in this program encourage real scientific inquiry through activities, experiments, and critical-thinking questions.
Science Slam has been well received, with recommendations from School Library Journal, Booklist, and the National Science Teachers Association. It’s been very popular with educators—I think a lot of teachers and librarians are looking for books that cover these important curriculum topics in a way that’s fun and engaging for kids.
Big Universe: In looking at the current front list and the upcoming season, are there any specific themes that you’ve focused on in the catalog?
Valerie Yaw: The Common Core State Standards are a major shift in education, so we’ve been focusing on the needs of teachers and librarians as they implement the new standards. Bearport’s high-quality nonfiction is a natural fit with the standards’ emphasis on informational text.
We’ve also expanded our digital offerings. Bearport has introduced unlimited-access ebooks for schools and libraries, as well as multi-touch ebooks available through Apple’s iBookstore. We’re also delighted to work with Big Universe, which is such a wonderful resource for students and teachers.
Big Universe: Do you have a personal favorite from the current catalog that isn’t getting lots of ‘buzz’? What is it about that book that sets it apart for you?
Valerie Yaw: I love our new America’s Hidden Animal Treasures series, which features some rarely seen animals like ringtails and roseate spoonbills. The books highlight real scientists working in the field, and it really shows kids how cool science can be.
Big Universe: What is the book that has been the biggest surprise to you (can be a sleeper, new series that has gone like wildfire, a book that was the cover but not as popular as others, etc.)?
Valerie Yaw: Our bestsellers are usually on high-interest topics like dogs and football, so I was excited that a series on plants was our bestseller from the fall season. Plant-ology is a great series that brings a fresh, lively approach to a familiar topic—and with titles like Meat-Eating Plants and Freaky Plant Facts, you can see that it has a lot of kid appeal!
Big Universe: What’s next for your company? Are there changes coming in the following year? Do you have any new series or product lines that you’d like to share with us?
Valerie Yaw: I’m excited about the new series we have planned for the fall. We’ll have three new animal series in the Science Slam program. Another series that I can’t wait to see is We Work! Animals with Jobs—all about animals helping people!
Please join us for a general overview of Big Universe. We will go over the basic features in our Read, Write, Share, and Manage sections. Also, benefits and common classroom uses will be discussed. Learn more about Big Universe in this 45 minute demo.
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Time: 4:30-5:15 PM EST
Space is limited. Register Now!
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/494409976
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
Mac®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer
Mobile attendees
Required: iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phone or Android tablet
Big Universe congratulates the two winners from our iPad Mini giveaway. We were very excited to do this special promotion and now that both winners have been contacted, we can make the official announcement of who they are.
Suzy Kitchen
The winner of the Big Universe iPad Mini giveaway for newly subscribed customers is Suzy Kitchen. Suzy is the Challenge Enrichment Specialist at Woodrow Wilson School at the Binghamton School District in Binghamton, New York.
Thomas Plecnik
The winner of our iPad Mini giveaway for customers who completed the Big Universe survey was Thomas Plecnik. Thomas is the Instructional Facilitator at Gaston County Schools in Gastonia, North Carolina.
We are very excited to name these winners, and we hope they enjoy their new iPads complements of Big Universe. Read what they both have to say about Big Universe on our
testimonials page.
