Tag: ISTE

Image of dramatic clouds over the ocean off the coast of South Carolina.
Giveaways, Resources, News and Updates

August News – Giveaways | Official Launch Date!

Julie Darling

Last week I was in South Carolina with a friend where these big, dramatic skies made me think of opportunities…possibilities…stories yearning to be told. I’ve been working on another writing project. A novel this time. It’s been in the works for years, actually.

I’d mostly set it aside this past year because I was completing a Google Project Management Certificate (which I finished in June!) and putting the final touches on my forthcoming book series which now has an official launch date!

Setting aside those two big projects has given me a little more headspace to come back to the novel, and now that I’ve told you all about it, I have to finish it, right?!

I hope this late Summer inspires you to come back to those projects that still have your heart.

September 30th, 2024 is the release date!

September 30th, 2024 is the official launch date for our new 3-book series! These can be purchased as a set or individually.

They’re available now for pre-order on Amazon.

Book Giveaway!

I’m celebrating the official release date with a giveaway of my first book! Between now and July 31st like/reshare the giveaway announcement here, on Facebook, Instagram or X, then complete this 4-question form. The randomly selected winner will be notified on August 1st.

Want a second entry? Sign up for my newsletter by July 30th for the link to a second chance to win. Good luck!

Book I’m Reading.

While waiting in the Charleston airport, with a delayed flight, I decided I didn’t want to read any of the three hardcover books I’d dragged along with me and instead went to the airport bookstore, where I found HBR’s The Year in Tech 2024 on the paperback, bestsellers shelf.

It covers a huge swath of the tech world including essays on neurotech, Web3, AI, XR and the Metaverse. Of particular interest to those of you who attended ISTE may be an essay on ChatGPT written by keynote speaker Ethan Mollick. His new book Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI is currently on my to-be-read pile.

That’s it for now! See you back here next month for book launch details!

Image States that I'm Presenting at ISTELive24
Resources, News and Updates

Read | Write | Tech – June 2024

Julie Darling

This June I’m gearing up for two big events!

I’ll be presenting at the 2024 ISTE conference and Ann Arbor SummerFest in the same week! I’ll also be giving away signed copies of my first book, Social-Emotional Learning Using Makerspaces and Passion Projects at both. I’d love to see you there!

June also means Summer reading! Scroll down for details about programs and websites for kids and adults, alike.

There will not be a July newsletter, while we concentrate on book launch and book tour event planning. Sign up for the emailed newsletter here for this content, plus special book launch giveaways and discounts delivered directly to your inbox!

If you missed my National Children’s Book Week: CS For Young Readers panel presentation last month, the recording is now available here.

June Presentations – More Details

On Monday, June 24th from 3-4 p.m. I’ll be presenting Teaching CSTA K-2 Standards Using Books, Games and Songs at the 2024 ISTE conference in Denver, CO. This session will be in-person, live-streamed and recorded, for ISTE conference participants. You’ll need to register for the in-person and/or virtual conference to attend.

On Friday, June 28th from 5-8 p.m. you’ll find me with illustrator D. J. Cools and Booksweet in the KidZone tent at A2SF, giving a sneak preview reading from our forthcoming titles, Little Hackers and Little Computer Scientists, singing the Debugging and Silly Password songs from the Guidebook and teaching kids about binary, ciphers and cybersecurity vocabulary. Enter the in-person drawing for a signed copy of Social-Emotional Learning Using Makerspaces and Passion Projects and a basket of makerspace supplies. Free event.

Summer Reading Resources

AI powered Sona gives you recommendation based on book descriptions that you type in.

Literature Map asks you to enter the name of an author you like and then creates a map of other authors you may also enjoy.

Which Book gives you curated recommendations which can be selected by region of the world, mood, character, plot and bestsellers.

The American Library Association puts together recommended Summer reading lists compiled for Pre-K through 8th grade. You can access the lists here.

Barnes & Noble has a Summer Reading program for kids in grades 1st-6th as well as suggested Summer reading lists for all ages.

If you’re feeling nostalgic, Pizza Hut does in fact still have their read books for free pizza program for Pre-K-6th graders. It’s called BookIt. You can find more details and enroll here.

Don’t forget about independent bookstores and your local public library! They also have fantastic Summer reading contests, prizes and incentives (and everything is free)!

If you’re looking for additional reading ideas, the Library of Congress has great reading lists from every state, you can peruse the 2024 compilation here. Consider taking a walk in your area and exploring some of the Little Free Libraries! You can locate many of them on this Little Free Library World Map.

Happy Reading! – Julie

Resources, News and Updates

Read | Write | Tech Newsletter

Julie Darling
Read. Write. Tech.
Volume 1
January 2024
A photo I took on a walk around this time of year, a few years back.
Happy New Year from gray, cold Michigan, where everything feels…dormant. That’s what I love about early January, to me everything also feels possible. It’s a perfect time to curl up with a book, a warm beverage and have a little space to think. I hope that’s how you feel too. I hope you get a chance to slow down, and some headspace to recalibrate. Some time to be cozy, warm and perhaps even daydream a bit.
This is the very first of a monthly (or so) newsletter of my thoughts and resources related to librarianship, writing, making, reading and technology. Probably not all at the same time (although you never know)!
If you have ideas for books and resources I should consider including in my upcoming newsletters, or just want to say hello, I’d love to hear from you!  Feel free to email me at authorjuliedarling@gmail.com
January Resources
Resources to celebrate MLK Day Freedom’s Ring, King’s I Have a Dream Speech – Animated From Standford.edu.
This scrolling text features animated extras, including a spoken recording of the I Have a Dream speech, contextual images, and song. 17 minutes and 8 seconds (although you can skip through it if you’d like).

Kid Explorer: Who Was MLK, Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Presented by a kid, this video covers a lot of ground in 4 minutes and 15 seconds. This would likely work well for upper elementary school and older students. Make sure to preview first, to determine if it will work for your learner(s).

University of Michigan’s MLK Symposium 2024 In-person and live streamed events from the University of Michigan, for their annual MLK Symposium.

Tech Tools to Try
Common Sense Education has developed free lessons for K-12 to effectively teach about Internet safety, digital citizenship and more. The lessons are grade-banded, age-appropriate and comprehensive.

Alice is a free download for 3D worldbuilding. It can be used to teach the fundamentals of computer science and/or an introduction to the Java programming language. This one is SUPER engaging and fun (includes a full The Sims™ character builder). Since it’s image rich, the download takes up space (i.e. this won’t work on a phone or Chromebook).
Speaking Events
Image credit: MACUL, Bill Van Loo. Pictured: Bill Van Loo, Sarah Van Loo and Myself
MACUL 2024 Conference
March 13th-15th
Grand Rapids, MI.
I’ll be speaking on Friday 3/15 at 11:30 a.m. EST

ISTE 2024 Conference
June 22nd-26th
Denver, CO.
I’ll be speaking at Monday 6/24 at 3 p.m. EST

I’ll be speaking at both conferences about teaching the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) K-2 standards using books, games and songs. These talks are based on my 3 book series (forthcoming – Summer 2024); Little Hackers, Little Computer Scientists and Supporting the Development of Computer Science Concepts in Early Childhood: A Practical Guide for Parents and Educators.
As a Gen Xer who enjoys reading books featuring technology, I loved Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. It’s the story of two video game designers and how friendship can change and evolve over the course of decades. It also touches a little on the experience of women in male-dominated industries. Have you read it? Maybe we should start a book club?!
I recently received an exciting package in the mail. It came all the way from Japan! Yotsuba&! Is one of my favorite all-ages graphic novels. This copy is written in the original Japanese format (which I bought for a friend). The English-language version is readily available here. The whole series is really lovely.
Books My Students Loved
Some stuffies spent the night at our school and got up to shenanigans.
Just before Winter break we completed our district-wide Great Lakes Great Books competition (a Michigan-based, student choice award). K-5 students got to vote across the district (organized by one of my fabulous colleagues!) and were able to vote for their favorite selection for the actual award, regardless of the bracket winners. We’ll find out who won the official award in the Spring! In the meantime, we also voted as a district. Students learn about our district-level winners next week. Since you’re getting this sneak peek, please keep it a secret until this Friday (when all students will have heard who won during their library classes)!
District Winner for K-2nd Grades: Knight Owl by Christopher Denise
A whimsical, delightful book about bravery and unlikely friendship. Knight Owl also won a Caldecott Honor for the fabulous illustrations.
District Winner for 3rd-5th Grades: The Sweetest Scoop: Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Revolution by Lisa Robinson and Stacy Innerst
A picture book biography about the founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. This book is entertaining, engaging and will make you want to eat ice cream…even when there’s snow on the ground.
Interested in More From Me?
Want an autographed copy of my book Social-Emotional Learning Using Makerspaces and Passion Project? You can order one here through Booksweet!
Never want to miss a book release? Follow me on my Amazon author page for updates.
A cumulative list of books mentioned in the Read. Write. Tech. newsletters can be found here.
January 2024 Newsletter Read | Write | Tech