Live Chat- Sesame Workshop
April 26, 2012 by
We have a wonderful, vibrant and resourceful community growing over at the Random House Read & Play community. Hope you will join us to discuss all things books, crafts, play and reading! You can find me there as a community leader, co-hosting live chats and sharing a post here and there… stop by and say hi or chime in to one of the many ongoing discussions in the forum!
Live chats are hosted by the Random House Read & Play Community Leaders, Random House and Blog Frog. Our next live chat will be held tonight with Sesame Workshop and Dr. Rosemarie Truglio!
It’s easy to join the Live Chats
When: Thursday 4/26 7pm EASTERN
Where: Right here, at the bottom of this post!
Dr. Rosemarie T. Truglio is the Senior Vice President of Education and Research at Sesame Workshop (formerly Children’s Television Workshop). Dr. Truglio is responsible for the development of the interdisciplinary curriculum on which Sesame Street is based, and oversees all educational research pertaining to the development of Sesame Street content.
Dr. Truglio and her team oversaw the research conducted on the upcoming Elmo’s Big Birthday Bash! – A Step Into Reading App with kids between the ages of 3 and 5 and their parents. Her team was also heavily involved in the design and review process to ensure the app met the Workshop’s educational and literacy standards/pedagogy.
Dr. Truglio also develops and reviews the content across all Sesame Street media platforms and products. Since March 2009, she also oversees the educational content and research for The Electric Company currently on PBS Kids Go!
Before joining Sesame Workshop in 1997, she was an Assistant Professor of Communication and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Through her research, she investigated the effects of television on the cognitive and social development of children and adolescents. She has written numerous articles appearing in child and developmental psychology journals; presented her work at national and international conferences; conducted media literacy workshops, and has appeared on numerous broadcast, cable, and radio network news and talk programs, including “The Today Show”, “Good Morning America”, CNN Headline News’ “Showbiz Tonight”, and NPR’s “Morning Edition”. Dr. Truglio is co-editor of “G is for growing: Thirty years of research on children and Sesame Street” (2001) published by Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.
- Visit SesameWorkshop.org for more information
Live Chat with Mary Pope Osborne
April 17, 2012 by
Have you joined the new Read and Play Community? Random House and The BlogFrog have created a fun and resourceful community for us to connect with fellow moms, educators and authors. You wont want to miss the Live Chats with your favorite authors, we have some exciting chats coming up.
Our home is all a buzz about the next live chat. My boys have read every book in the Tree House series and have some fun questions lined up to ask author Mary Pope Osborne!
It’s easy to join the Live Chats
1. Become a community member here and chat from the community or here from this blog post.
When: TUESDAY 4/17 3:30PM EASTERN
Where: Right here on this blog post!
Mary Pope Osborne was born into adventure. Her dad was in the army, so every year or two her family would move to a different state, or even a different country! By the time she was fifteen, Mary had lived in thirteen different houses and gone to eight different schools!
Writing children’s books was a perfect career for Mary because she could still travel all over the world – but be back home in time for dinner. She has written almost a hundred books, including biographies, mysteries, picture books, novels, and retellings of fairy tales and world mythology.
The books that have taken Mary to to the most places are the Magic Tree House series. With Jack and Annie, she has traveled through time – from the prehistoric land of dinosaurs to the imaginary world of Camelot. But one of the greatest adventures of Mary’s writing life is the creative journey she takes with her readers, meeting them in person in schools and bookstores and reading the wonderful stories and letters they send. This, Mary says, is true magic.
- Read more about Magic Tree House & play the games at MagicTreeHouse.com
- Learn more about Mary and see how she’s connecting with schools at MTHClassroomAdventures.org
Live Chat with Children’s Book Authors Tonight 4/12
April 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Random House has created a new Read and Play Community to connect moms, educators and authors to share ways to keep our children reading and having fun!
Live chats with community leaders and Children’s book Authors will be hosted by the Random House Read & Play Community.
It’s easy to join the Live Chat
1. Become a community member here and chat from the community or this post here on Social Savvy Mom.
Our next live chat will be right here on Social Savvy Mom as well as in the Random House Read & Play community!
Join me Tonight at 9pm Eastern, Newbery Award Winning authors, Rebecca Stead and Clare Vanderpool join us to chat about their favorite books, writing, and answer your questions!
Rebecca Stead grew up—and still lives—in the same neighborhood in which When You Reach Me takes place. She is the author of the award-winning and critically acclaimed First Light (Wendy Lamb Books). She lives very happily with her husband and two sons. Rebecca’s next book, Liar & Spy, releases this summer on August 7th.
Clare Vanderpool’s first novel, Moon Over Manifest is set in the fictional small town of Manifest, Kansas, which is based on the real southeastern Kansas town of Frontenac, home of both of her maternal grandparents. Drawing on stories she heard as a child, along with research in town newspapers, yearbooks, and graveyards, Clare found a rich and colorful history for her story. Clare lives in Wichita, Kansas, with her husband and their four children.
Below is a list of the amazing line up of future live chats
Tuesday, April 17 Live Chat w/ Mary Pope Osborne, 1:00 PM EST
Thursday, April 19 Live Chat w/ Carl Hiaasen & Disc. Calvin Coconut, 9:00 PM EST
Tuesday, April 24 Live Chat w/ John Stephens, 1:00 PM EST
Thursday, April 26 Live Chat w/ Sesame Street, 9:00 PM EST
Tuesday, May 1 Live chat w/ Tom Leveen, 1:00 PM EST
Thursday, May 3 Live chat w/ Judy Blume, 9:00 PM EST
Tuesday, May 8 Live Chat w/Tad Hills, 9:00 pm EST
Thursday, May 10 Live chat w/ Devon Kinch, 9:00 PM EST
Tuesday, May 15 Live chat w/ RJ Palacio & RH School/Library, 1:00 PM EST
Thursday, May 17 Live chat w/ Trudy Ludwig, 9:00 PM EST
Tuesday, May 22 Live chat w/ Kate Klimo, 1:00 PM EST
Thursday, May 24 Live Chat: Cooking! Call out Bon Appetit, Time: TBD
Tuesday, May 29 Live chat w/ Lissa Price, 1:00 PM EST
I hope you can join us and celebrate life long reading and learning!
A Few Good Green Living Tips
April 11, 2012 by
We teach our boys to be good stewards of the many blessings God has given them, this includes our home and our environment. We have been intrusted with this beautiful place we call home and it is our responsibility to make sure the earth is not just used and exploited but conserved or stewarded.
Here are a few good green living tips from our home to yours….
- Watch consumption patterns for energy and water needs and curb unnecessary consumption. Turn off lights when they are not being used, turn off water while brushing teeth, only wash clothes when you have a full load. Use rain water to water gardens.
- Reduce the amount of solid waste generated by reusing and recycling. We use a small compost pile for old food, and anything else that can go in it such as guinea pig and hamster waste and bedding. Don’t use disposable cups and products when possible. Buy a favorite water bottle or coffee mug and use it on the go.
- Live off the land, grow your own gardens, plant trees, fruit and veggies! You can use the smallest area to create a vibrant, robust garden. A raised garden or garden pots work great too. Why garden? Taste, safety, cost and health. Not to mention that if each of us ate just one meal a week composed of locally and organically raised meats and/or produce, we could reduce oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week?
- Donate it! Don’t throw out your old clothes, kitchen items or furniture… donate it to your local Salvation Army or church. They will usually pick up for FREE!
Remember, small changes make a big difference!
Haven’t you heard that orange is the new green? Seventh Generation and Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax have joined forces to inspire families to conserve the earth’s resources with conscious consumption. Created with your family, future generations and the environment in mind, Seventh Generation is the natural choice for high-quality and effective products that preserve the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets and people in your home–as well as the world outside. Make a difference by choosing Seventh Generation products, now offering free shipping for orders over $50. As the Lorax says, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
How do you live like the Lorax? Tell Seventh Generation below and be entered to win a Green Your Home prize pack!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Seventh Generation. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.
Who, What, Where, When and Why of Pinterest
April 9, 2012 by 4 Comments
Did you know that Pinterest is now the third most popular social network on the web, behind Facebook and Twitter.
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a content sharing service that allows members to “pin” images, videos and other objects to their pin-board.
Pinterest users can upload, sort and manage images, known as pins, and other media content through collections known as pinboards. Pin-boards are generally themed so that pins can easily be organized, categorized, discovered and followed by other users.
If you are already on Pinterest please leave your URL or username in the comments below so I can follow you.
A “nopin” HTML meta tag was released by Pinterest on February 20, 2012 to allow websites to opt out of their images being pinned.
If you are new to Pinterest, have yet to join or are still trying to figure out how Pinterest can benefit you as a content marketer, the two info-graphics below are a must see!
Click on the images to expand.
Curious George Twitter Dance Party #CuriousGeorgeMoms
March 20, 2012 by 1 Comment
Calling all Curious George fans!! Exercise your creativity! Do your children love to dance? I have four little monkeys of my own who never seem to stop dancing, they choreograph their own routines and perform them for us. Dance is a wonderful form of expression and exercise for adults and children alike!
George is celebrating the arts with his first ever Curious George Dance Contest! Video tape your children sharing their best moves to the theme song of Curious George for a chance to be featured on a Curious George DVD. They might even win a visit from George himself! You can read details and learn more about this fun contest here!
To kick off this first ever Curious George Dance Contest, Latina Bloggers Connect, WGBH and PBS Kids are throwing a Twitter Dance Party!
CG (R) & (C) 2012 Universal Studios and/or HMH. All Rights Reserved. FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY.
Twitter Party Details
Theme: Curious George Twitter Dance Party
Date: Wednesday, March 21st
Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm EST / 10:00am – 12:30pm PST
Where: On Twitter with the Hashtag #CuriousGeorgeMoms
Hosts: @OhMariana @Sarann @SocialSavvyMom @MamaLatina @SassyScorpYM Moderated by @LBConnect Special Guest @dorotheagillim (Media Producer for WGBH Kids)
Prizes: Three winners! Two $50 Michael’s Gift Cards and One Kindle Fire
RSVP twtvite.com/curiousgeorgedance and https://www.facebook.com/events/296412587098658/
Tweetchat - http://bit.ly/pFn6Jr
TweetGrid – http://bit.ly/wlaHX7
This post is sponsored in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and WGBH. All opinions expressed in this article are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.
Health Resources From Centrum’s #NutritionPossible
February 13, 2012 by 9 Comments
Walking down the Vitamin isle at an grocery store can seem a bit overwhelming, there are so many different brands, vitamins and supplements to choose from. How does one know which vitamins are most beneficial? Do you know what is lacking from your diet that you might need to supplement?
The makers of Centrum® know that navigating the supplement aisle can be confusing and choosing the right foods to make sure you’re getting everything in your diet can be challenging. NutritionPossible.comcwas created to make nutrition information easy to access and understand. Everyone is different and our lives and needs are constantly evolving, so NutritionPossible.com provides tools and information to help you sort through the abundance of information and figure out what’s right for you. It’s a simple tool in a confusing landscape and focuses on three key areas -
Supplements -The key to nutrition is making sure you are getting the right nutrients. NutritionPossible.com has the information you need to make more informed choices about how to enhance your diet with supplements.
Food & Diet – Sorting through all the different information about what to eat and how much can be overwhelming. The goal is to help you identify the right nutrient–packed foods to include in your diet.
Exercise & Lifestyle – Taking the right supplements and eating right, while a great start, is never enough. That’s why the site provides a mix of practical and creative suggestions for things everyone can do to improve their health and well-being.
All of this can be done with a simple assessment test on NutritionPossible.com.
I took the assessment test and I have to admit, it was right on. I need to work on my sleeping habits, try to get in a 20 minute power nap and work on eating more veggies and fish.
Once you have completed your own assessment on NutritionPossible.com, you download a $10 coupon for Centrum® products.
GIVEAWAY:
I am giving away a $25 AMEX gift card courtesy of NutritionPossible.com
Entering the giveaway is EASY ~ To enter the giveaway by taking the assessment on NutritionPossible.com, and share something you didn’t know you were lacking in the comments below. Click here to view full Giveaway details!
Deadline: This is a one day contest and will end tonight Feb 13th at 11:00pm Central
Winner will be chosen via Random.org and posted tonight at 11:15 pm!
Disclosure: I am participating in a sponsored campaign hosted by One2One Network. I received incentives and am eligible for prizing. While all opinions stated are my own, I make no claims about NutritionPossible.com as a product or its effectiveness.
The winner of the $25 Amex Gift Card is Candy!! Congratulations!!
Quick & Easy Tuscan Style Beef & Vegetables Soup by Bertolli
February 12, 2012 by 3 Comments
As a mother who works from home and homeschools 4 boys, I try to make dinner meals as quick and easy as possible, without sacrificing nutrition and taste. I am not one to make frozen meals as hubby is not very fond of them but when the opportunity arose to take the Bertolli Weeknight Meal Special Challenge…. I said YES! Why not? I will try anything that offers to make dinner meals and planning a tad easier.
I took a trip to my local grocer and found four different flavors of frozen soups… Chicken Minestrone , Roasted Chicken & Rotini Pasta , Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken, and Tuscan-Style Beef & Vegetables. I decided to go with the Tuscan Style Beef & Vegetables, tender beef, mushrooms, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots and celery with bow-tie pasta in a savory broth.
I made bread rolls to go with the soup and our meal was complete; the entire meal took less than 30 minutes to make and serve. I’m happy to report that our entire family really enjoyed the meal. The soup cooked down easily and smoothly, the vegetables stayed crisp and fresh, not soggy or falling apart as with some frozen meals. I did add some Tony Chachere’s Original Creole seasoning, we are in Louisiana and we like our foods with a BAM of spice!
More about the Bertolli Meal Soups:
· Bertolli® Frozen Meal Soups are hearty and fresh-tasting with vegetables, meats, pasta and herbs individually flash frozen at the peak of freshness.
· Bertolli® Frozen Meal Soups are available in the frozen aisle, and can be prepared on your stovetop in minutes.
· With robust flavors and rich textures, new Bertolli® Frozen Meal Soups are available in four varieties: Chicken Minestrone, Roasted Chicken & Rotini Pasta, Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken, and Tuscan-Style Beef with Vegetables.
I was compensated by Bertolli to participate in the Weeknight Meal Special Challenge. As always, all opinions are my own!
Who? Comics for iPad – Walt Disney & Jane Goodall – #CleverWhoComics
January 31, 2012 by 3 Comments
Thank you to who?Comics for sponsoring this post and encouraging my child to read biographies in comic book form! Please click here to learn more about the app. And follow who? Comics on Twitter for updates!
Our family was blessed with a new iPad2 for Christmas so we have been learning as much as we can, trying out new apps and striving to solely use the iPad for educational purposes. As a homeschool mom, I love finding fun, creative ways for the boys to learn and the more they read the better!
So when I was presented with the opportunity to test out a new educational “Who? Comics” app for children ages 8 and up, I jumped all over it! Our boys love to read and they especially like reading comics but I have had a hard time finding the appropriate comics for their ages. Who? Comics are biographies written about some of our most popular leaders and historical figures, they are both educational and entertaining. Who? Comics did a great job of finding the balance between teaching the facts and keeping children’s attention through fun story telling. The comics are in depth and somewhat long, they read out more like a chapter book with around 150 pages.
My 9 yr old, Micah, choose two comics to read, Walt Disney and Jane. Both comics were funny, sad, entertaining and fun to read for my son. There were a few times where the translation of the comic was confusing and Micah had to ask me for help or he was able to figure out what the sentence should have been and he moved on. I found my 9 year old giggling to himself as he read, he especially liked the Jane Goodall comic. I would suggest reading the comics before hand to make sure they are appropriate for your family. I did catch a couple pages of this comic having to do with chickens and where eggs come from that I made my boys skip because I thought it was completely irrelevant to the story and had foolish words that we do not encourage our boys to use.
The app was originally created in Korea, thus the problems with translation but it was not bothersome enough to turn him off from reading further. Who? Comics is trying to correct any translation problems so that the comics are accurate and correct for English speakers.
The app is very easy to navigate once it is downloaded, you will have a bookshelf where you keep your purchased comics and you can purchase new comics within the app. There are also badges that children can collect through reading achievements and they can find hidden badges with each comic.
The illustrations are nice, my boys thought they were great.
We really enjoyed being able to reference the timeline when one of the boys had questions or for review.
My boys enjoyed the Who? comics, glad to have found another great resource to keep my boys reading. We are looking forward to reading some of the other biographies in the collection.
You can view a short video to learn more about Who? Comics here.
Thank you again to who? Comics for sponsoring my post. Please click here to learn more about the app. Visit who? Comics for updates. I was selected for this opportunity by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own. #CleverWhoComics #spon
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