Circle Round is a storytelling podcast geared to children aged 4–10. Created and produced by parents of young children, Circle Round tells carefully selected folktales from around the world. The stories are adapted for today’s children into 10- to 20-minute diverse episodes that delve into topics such as kindness, persistence, and generosity. For example, in “The Queen’s Gift”—a story from Africa, the Middle East, and the Caucasus—a prince's newfound weaving skills come in handier than he ever imagined. In the Galician folktale “The Dancing Goats,” an aspiring musician dreams of making the whole world dance. Notable voices bring the stories to life with the help of a public radio host/reporter as narrator. A composer for the stage and screen creates original music for each story. The episodes are adapted and written specifically for Circle Round.
Each month we publish blogs and several newsletters full of digital learning, funding, professional growth, social media, and STEM resources. Below are items from our blogs and newsletters that educators turned to the most in February.
The We Are America Project has engendered powerful, honest stories by high school students about their lives in America. The project was started by 18 students from Lowell High School (in Lowell, Massachusetts), who are working with teachers and young people across the country to define what it means to be American.
The 2021 National African American Read-In (AARI) begins on February 1. AARI is the nation’s first and oldest event dedicated to diversity in literature.