New York,
NY (June
7,
2005) --
Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, and the American Museum of Natural History, one of the world’s preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions, are partnering to promote science literacy among students in grades 3 through 10. The Scholastic/American Museum of Natural History Science Explorations program will bring the expertise of the museum’s 200 world-class scientists, state-of-the-art research laboratories, an astonishing collection of more than 32 million specimens and cultural artifacts, and timely special exhibitions to classrooms nationwide. Recurring features in Scholastic’s classroom magazines, SuperScience® (grades 3–6) and Scholastic Science World®(grades 6–10), and at Scholastic.com, the leading Web site for students and teachers of grades pre-K–12, will engage students and teachers with authentic, hands-on science investigations with real scientists, primary documents, genuine artifacts, and standards-based science inquiries based on the Museum’s resources.
The new Science Explorations program featured in SuperScience and Science World and at Scholastic.com will present the latest scientific discoveries of the Museum’s experts, offer information from special exhibitions in the New York City–based Museum and explore a range of topics in the coming school year including biodiversity, insects, reptiles and frogs, space, gems and minerals, and invertebrates. Students and teachers will also be able to dig further on each topic by visiting Scholastic.com and www.amnh.org, where they can participate in online investigations with scientists and find interactive tools, online activities, additional images, research and a wealth of information to extend their learning.
“Scholastic is honored to partner with the American Museum of Natural History, a renowned and respected learning institution, to engage students in the latest discoveries in science and provide educators with an exciting way to help students get interested in authentic science learning,” said Dick Robinson, Chairman, President and CEO, Scholastic. “The specialized, scientific information, images and individuals that the American Museum of Natural History will share with Scholastic’s readers are sure to fascinate students, build their understanding of important scientific concepts, and expand their knowledge of the world around them, while fostering reading comprehension, critical thinking and problem solving skills.”
For the program’s debut in May 2005, SuperScience, Science World and Scholastic.com introduced students to Mark A. Norell, Chairman of the Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History. Through magazine articles and online publishing activities, students learned about the discoveries of ancient dinosaur fossils found in Liaoning Province in China, which form the basis of the new special exhibition at the Museum, Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries. The Scholastic/American Museum of Natural History Science Explorations program will continue in the magazines and online throughout the 2005-2006 school year.
“We are thrilled by this terrific partnership that unites Scholastic and the American Museum of Natural History—two trusted leaders in the field of education,” said Ellen V. Futter, President of the American Museum of Natural History. “The Museum is especially pleased to further extend the reach of its treasure trove of resources to children, teachers, and families nationwide through Scholastic’s extraordinary network.”
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and a leader in educational technology. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company’s Internet site,
www.scholastic.com.
Since its founding in 1869, the American Museum of Natural History has advanced its global mission to explore and interpret human cultures and the natural world through a wide-reaching program of scientific research, education, and exhibitions. The institution houses 45 permanent exhibition halls, one of the largest natural history libraries in the Western Hemisphere, and a permanent collection of more than 32 million specimens and cultural artifacts. With a scientific staff of more than 200, the Museum supports research divisions in Anthropology, Paleontology, Invertebrate and Vertebrate Zoology, and the Physical Sciences. In addition, the Museum’s Web site, www.amnh.org, extends its collections, exhibitions, and educational programs to millions more beyond the Museum’s walls.