The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and Penguin Random House are pleased to present the Speaker Spotlight Fall Series! Join us on Thursday, October 29th at 7:00 PM (ET) in conversation with Ben Rhodes, author of All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches (Random House)—a sweeping history of the United States

Our children are struggling. Schools, once alive with human connection, are now dominated by screens and digital tools. The result is unmistakable: declining performance, fractured attention, and the slow erosion of rigorous thought. For the first time in recent history, children are falling behind previous generations on many key measures of cognitive development. In The

The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and Penguin Random House are pleased to present the Speaker Spotlight Fall Series! Join us in conversation with Daisy Hernandez, author of Citizenship: Notes on an American Myth (Hogarth)—a provocative, personal, blazingly intelligent examination of one of the most vexing questions facing the United States today: Who is, and should be,

What do children really need to thrive in an increasingly digital world? On August 25, join Jonathan Haidt and Jared Cooney Horvath for a live virtual conversation about technology, learning, attention, and child development, hosted by Random House. The discussion will explore: • What research reveals about technology and learning • Why more technology doesn’t

Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary by exploring the people, ideas, and events that continue to shape our nation. This guide invites educators to use literature, primary sources, and inquiry-based classroom activities to help middle and high school students explore America’s history, consider diverse perspectives, and reflect on their role as informed and engaged citizens. This guide

The Penguin Random House Education Middle School and High School Digital Collections feature outstanding fiction and nonfiction from the children’s, adult, DK, and Grupo Editorial divisions, as well as publishers distributed by Penguin Random House. Peruse online or download these valuable resources to discover great books in specific topic areas such as: English Language Arts,

As the school year draws to a close, it’s time to start thinking about utilizing leftover school funds before they expire. Why not focus on allocating remaining dollars to resources that directly impact student success? Increasing access to diverse, relevant, high interest texts at various reading levels is a perfect way. Explore Penguin Random House

With summer nearly upon us, experience a dynamic new way to put fun back into the classics with these selections from Campfire Graphic Novels. Based in New Delhi and bringing books to North American readers since 2010, Campfire has published over 85 distinctive stories for middle and high school students ranging from innovative renditions of

Need help ramping up your independent reading time? Download our comprehensive handbook written by Laura Robb, Independent Reading Matters. Based on research-based practices and decades of classroom experience, the handbook provides educators with practical tips to: Self-select “good fit” books students can read and enjoy Apply reading strategies to improve critical thinking Summarize fiction and

Interview in April 2026 by Claire Kelley, Seven Stories Press, with Jonathan Kozol author of We Shall Not Bow Down: Children of Color Under Siege, An Invocation to Resistance. You have long argued that educational inequality is not inevitable but the result of political decisions. Why do you think the idea that inequality is “natural”

Join us Wednesday, February 25, 2026 @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EST for   The Mental Health of Teenage Girls: Causes, Challenges, and Support   Teenage girls are facing a significant mental health crisis, marked by alarming increases in feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation. This crisis stems from a complex mix of

Educators have raised concerns about students’ growing disconnection from the natural world as academic pressures and screen-based learning increases. Coined by Richard Louv as “nature-deficit disorder,” this loss of direct contact with nature has meaningful implications for students’ health, learning, and long-term environmental stewardship. Integrating nature writing and outdoor experiences into the classroom offers a