Helpful Sites

BOOKSTORES

Alibris
alibris.com
"Books you thought you'd never find." Reasonably priced.

Amazon
Amazon.com
Just about every children's or resource book, CD & DVD, you'll ever want! Provides fast & reliable service.

Barnes & Noble
barnesandnoble.com
or
bn.com
Just about any & every book, CD or DVD, you'll ever want!

Recorded Books, LLC
recordedbooks.com
"The premier publisher of audio books since 1979." Provides an enormous collection audio books, with a special section for children & educators.

The August House
augusthouse.com
"August House is the highly-acclaimed & award-winning multimedia publisher of children's stories, folktale anthologies & resource books." In business for 25 years.

Yesterday's Classics
yesterdaysclassics.com
Headquarters for the best classic literature for children from the golden age of children's literature, the era from 1880-1920.

 

CHILDREN'S THEATRE

American Alliance for Theatre & Education
aate.com
Promotes standards in theatre education; Guide to Costume & Scenic Design for Theatre for Young Audiences; members organization; event calendar; publications & journals.

Brigham Young University Theatre Arts Program
tedb.byu.edu/resources
Currently being constructed, site will include monologue & scene idea; links & classroom activities.

Classroom Lesson Plans
childdrama.com/lessons.html#e
Creative drama activities including: improvisation; pantomime & role play.

Educational Theatre Association
edta.org
"The Educational Theatre Association and its International Thespian Society branch have been working since 1929 to honor excellence among students of theatre and support the work of theatre educators." Publishers of Dramatics, the monthly magazine for theatre students & teachers & Teaching Theatre, the quarterly journal for theatre educators.

Grade Six Arts Education
http://sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/artsed/g6arts-ed/g6rproae.html
Drama guidance for early middle school classrooms.

International Drama Education Association
idea-org.net
Theatre education projects; journals; network; library; Every 3 years international theatre education teachers, scholars & arts meet at a World Congress.


CHILDREN'S THEATRE IN UTAH

Alpine

Resonance Theatre
resonancestorytheatre.com
Resonance Story Theatre creates programs, plays and specialized storytelling experiences designed to foster connection, education and imagination.

Cache Valley

Opera for Children
operaforchildren.org
Opera star, Michael Ballam's creation to bring opera to children. "Utah Festival Opera hires and trains professional artists to work side-by-side with teachers in the classroom as the students: write original stories; create dialogue for the characters; compose music for the entire work; create visual works for scenery, sets and costumes; audition; rehearse; and perform their own original opera." This program is also available outside Utah.

Unicorn Theatre
centerforthearts.us/unicorntheatre.htm
Children's community theatre at its best! Find schedule of drama classes for youth & theatre production's schedule.

 

ESPECIALLY FOR EDUCATORS

Arts Education Partnership
aep-arts.org
"The Arts Education Partnership provides information and communication about current and emerging arts education policies, issues, and activities at the national, state, and local levels."

Association of American Educators
aaeteachers.org
..."largest national, non-union, professional teacher association, advancing the profession through professional development, teacher advocacy and protection, as well as promoting excellence in education..."

Children & Nature Network (C&NN)
childrenandnature.org
“A back-to-nature movement to reconnect children with the outdoors is burgeoning nationwide.” --- USA Today. Find classroom tools, programs and ideas to help "accelerate the growth of children and nature movement."  

ELiteracy, LLC
e-literacyonline.com
"...high-quality professional development products and courses for early elementary teachers."

National Science Teachers Association
nsta.org
Foremost organization & network to teaching science to children.

National Endowment for the Arts
nea.gov
"An independent federal agency supporting artists and arts organizations and bringing the arts to all Americans." Find programs, funding & suggested lesson plans & activities.

National Education Association
nea.org and neafoundation.org
A members organization of over 3 million strong "crusading for the rights of all educators & children"; publications; network for teachers since 1857. "The Foundation offers grants and programs that support educators' efforts to close the achievement gaps, increase classroom innovations, provide professional development, and salute excellence in education."

No Child Left Inside
nclicoalition.org
The No Child Left Inside Coalition is composed of environmental, educational, and public health organizations, businesses, civic organizations and other public enterprises, all dedicated to ensuring a comprehensive education for all.

The Baldwin Online Children's Literature Project
mainlesson.com
Bringing Yesterday's Classics to Today's Children"

ReadWriteThink
readwritethink.org
A division of the International Reading Association offering teacher development & classroom activities.

Youth Storytelling
youthstorytelling.com
Guru & forerunner of youth storytelling in America, Kevin Cordi provides a great resource for teachers; motivation & reasons to promote storytelling for youth; great articles; teller calendar.

 

FOLKLORE

Click for our Folklore Section!

 

LITERACY

ira.org
International Reading Association
A library of articles, publications & recommendations for the teacher & the reader.


NATURE EXPLORATION

 

Audubon
audubon.org
Audubon's mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.  Engages millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences.

 

Children & Nature Network (C&NN)
childrenandnature.org
Encourages & supports people & organizations working nationally & internationally to reconnect children with nature.

 

Green Hearts: Institute for Nature in Childhood
greenheartsinc.org
Learn about what makes great nature play; why it is important & how you can restore it in your child's daily life.

 

Let's Move!
letsmove.gov/outside/index.html
Join First Lady MIchelle Obama along with doctors, teachers, land managers, community leaders and others in this nationwide campaign to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity by reconnecting in nature.

 

Nature Rocks
naturerocks.org
Find nature activities and tools to help guide & plan your adventures.

 

No Child Left Inside
nclicoalition.org
The No Child Left Inside Coalition, comprised of environmental, educational, public health organizations, businesses, civic organizations and other public enterprises, all dedicated to ensuring a comprehensive education for all.

 

 REI
rei.com/expertadvice/articles/camping+kids.html
How to make your next or first camping trip with your children a success.


PUPPETRY

Folkmanis Puppets
folkmanis.com
"The most innovative, creative, puppet maker in the world!" Looking for quality-made puppets? Folkmanis can provide finger-size fun to stage magic! Site includes printable puppet shows; store locations & resources for puppeteers. In business since 1976.

International Puppetry Organization
unima-usa.org
"Promoting international friendship through the art of puppetry."

Jim Henson Foundation
hensonfoundation.org
"The place to find out what's happening in contemporary puppet theatre."

Puppeteers of America
puppeteers.org
Event calendar; regional guild links; puppetry store; resources including puppetry in education.

 

PUPPETRY IN UTAH

utahpuppetry.com
Member site for puppeteers & ventriloquists.
Great links & organization calendar.

bcfineartscenter.org
The Brigham City Fine Arts Center Museum is located at 58 S 100 W; phone: 435-723-0740
Performance & workshop calendar; also storytelling groups & contests.

utahmarionette.org
Lehi City's puppetry school.
Puppetry resource center; educational programs to preserve & promote the art of puppetry; schedule of puppet theatres & classes.

 

STORYTELLING

(See also "Favorite Storytellers" )

Beauty and the Beast Storytellers
beautyandthebeaststorytellers.com
Mitch Weiss & Martha Hamilton have been telling from the early '80's. You can trust their knowledge & advice; a enormous library of books & recordings are offered for teachers & children.
Storytelling & workshop calendar; a wealth of info for teachers, including study guides & storytelling games & for children.

Call of Story
callofstory.org
One hour TV special broadcast -- a collaboration of national known tellers: Syd Lieberman; Carmen Deedy; Rex Ellis; Dovie Thomason-Sickles; Donald Davis & Waddie Mitchell at their best! Worth watching for entertainment & storytelling tips!

International Storytelling Center
storytellingfestival.net
Since 1973, this Center has organized the National Storytelling Festivals. You'll find scheduling of events; educational resources & a history of this organization.

National Storytelling Network
storynet.org
Official home (Jonesborough, Tennessee), to the 1st official national storytelling organization. Now worldwide, members can join a local guild; find a plethora of useful tools including a directory of national storytellers; subscribe to Storytelling Magazine (offered 5 times per year); publicize your wares (if you are a storyteller); ck their event calendar for worldwide & regional events; apply for available grants & awards for work &/or projects.

Pirates in Pajamas
piratesinpajamas.com
Discover the possibilities of storytelling with Steffani Raff as she offers tools, products and a variety of workshops for the classroom.

The Rachel Response: Storytelling Adventures
Rachel Hedman
rachelhedman.com
Sign up to receive free monthly tips & trends!

Ultimate Storytelling Guide
storytellingsite.com
David Sidwell, a full-time professor & Director of the Theatre Education Program at Utah State University for 11 years, focusing on children's theatre and drama education for students. Currently he teaches as an adjunct professor for USU & is the Program Director at the American West Heritage Center in Wellsville, Utah.
Lesson plans, workshops for students & educators, oral history articles, additional links & much, much more!

 

STORYTELLING IN UTAH

Now Playing Utah
nowplayingutah.com
Art events calendar (including storytelling) under the "Spoken & Written Word," & "Festivals & Special Events," & "Kids & Family."

Orem Public Library
http://lib.orem.org
801-229-7436  

Timpanogoes Storytelling Festival
timpfest.org
Update your calendar with 2 of the largest storytelling events in Utah: the Festival in August & the Winter Conference in February

Utah Storytelling Guild
utahstorytellingguild.org
(under construction; basic info available is valid)
State of Utah chapter of the National Storytelling Network -- a way to stay connected.
Utah directory of tellers; up-to-date (when up) statewide calendar; listing of local chapter meeting times & places; subscription site for bi-monthly newsletter.

Utah Storytelling Guild Chapters
Ben Lomond - funnygrandma258@yahoo.com
Bridgerland - dsidwell@awhc.org
Olympus - julie.barnson@gmail.com
Timpanogos - steffaniraff@gmail.com

Utah Arts Council
arts.utah.gov
Arts programming; funding; local artists

Youth Storytelling Program
rachelhedman.com
State liaison for youth tellers for Utah; Rachel's available workshops & performances.

 

WRITING

 

OPWFT
oldpeoplewritingforteens.wordpress.com
grown-ups blogging about their craft; author interviews.

Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators
scbwi.org
An international organization dedicated to publication of children's writers & artists.