Compass Newsletter: Family Edition Back-to-School 2011

View in Web browser. Find Us: Back-to-School 2011 Issue • Play Like a Paleontologist • MapMaker Interactive • Financial Literacy for Families • NG Kids 2012 Almanac Image Video Download Featured Resource Back-to-School Mini-Site It's time to hit the books again. Our partner Thinkfinity has released a mini-site "chalk"-full of activities for educators and students of all grade levels. National Geographic Education has contributed reference materials that bring geography, science, and social studies to life. Our top picks for other family-friendly resources are 1) Wonderopolis's Wonder of the Day—It's like eHow.com for kids; 2) EconEdLink's Afterschool portal—Check out the Goods and Services activity for elementary students and the Parent Guides; and 3) Thinkfinity's collection of interactives for K–12. Good luck back at school! Current Event Connection September 11 Anniversary Pentagon workers offer dramatic accounts of their experiences. Talk about this important event in U.S. history with your kids.   Upcoming Events International Literacy Day Celebrate International Literacy Day on Sept. 8 by reading at home, and donating old books to charity—find more ideas at Reading.org.   Featured Content   Profile Paul Sereno This paleontologist digs for dinosaurs; watch a new presentation, and download it from iTunes™ for your next report.   Activity Sediment Fossil Surprise Dig for your own fossils just like paleontologist Paul Sereno—except these fossils can be eaten when you're done!   Encyclopedic Entry U.S. Census Census data helps determine funding for English language development and school meal programs.   Map MapMaker Interactive Impress your teacher! Complete your homework using our interactive mapping tool. Featured Opportunities   Bee Registration It's time: Make sure your child's school is registered for the 2012 National Geographic Bee.   Find Us on Facebook Like our page to connect with other learners and get insider tips from National Geographic Education. Hot Topics Reading Cultural Diversity Financial Literacy Photography Website Favorites Mapping Multimedia What Is Geo-Literacy? Activities & Projects More to Explore 2012 Kids Almanac This New York Times best seller is a colorful page-turner that excites youngsters about their world and everything in it.   Earthducation Follow the Earthducation team as they travel to seven continents in four years, exploring how education influences the future of our planet.   Sound Bites Geographic Quote "All persons know some geography, and I venture to think that many of the animals do also." —John K. Wright, geographer   Reader Comment "I like the idea of being able to show children the importance of our planet on different levels. Children can see and learn about the world around them when family members and teachers show them as much as they can about life on earth." —NatGeoEd.org website visitor   Poll What are your favorite features of the new National Geographic Education website? We'll share the results next month.       Photographs courtesy Michael Nichols (Image, Cultural Diversity, Multimedia), Wild Chronicles (Video), Mark Thiessen, NGS (Back-to-School Mini-Site, Activities & Projects, Geographic Quote), TSgt. Cedric H. Rudisilli, courtesy U.S. Air Force (September 11 Anniversary), National Geographic Live! (Paul Sereno), Mike Carina (Sediment Fossil Surprise), U.S. Census Bureau, Public Information Office (U.S. Census), Cedar Attanasio, NGS (MapMaker Interactive), Becky Hale, NGS (Bee Registration), NG Education (Find Us on Facebook), Douglas Klostermann, My Shot (Reading), Mike Liley, My Shot (Financial Literacy), Mary Crooks, NGS (Photography, What Is Geo-Literacy?), National Geographic Maps (Mapping), NG Books (2012 Kids Almanac), Learning Technologies Media Lab (Earthducation). If you received this email from a friend and would like to subscribe to this or other National Geographic emails, click here. Unsubscribe | Change Email Address | Update Email Preferences | Privacy Policy | Mission Statement | NGS Customer Service Click the unsubscribe link above to be removed from our email program, or send your request to… National Geographic; Attn: E-newsletter Program; 1145 17th Street N.W.; Washington, D.C. 20036. Copyright © 2011 National Geographic Society. All Rights Reserved. iTunes™ is trademarks of Apple Inc. To ensure that you receive your National Geographic emails, please add ngs@newsletters.nationalgeographic.com to your address book now.