MEDIA CLASS
MEDIA CLASS
It is here were the journey begins to the media world. This class offers techniques in chromakeying (blue screen) to creating animations. You come to this classroom to expand your imagination and really go in depth into the series of complex work that goes into making a movie. There are no limits for movie, you take an idea and do almost anything with it. Here in media class, you discover all the wonderous possibilities you can do simply with a microphone and a video camera.
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MEDIA 101
GEOGRAPHY AWARENESS WEEK HIGHLIGHTS SPECTACULAR DIVERSITY OF THE AMERICAS
02 Dec 00:19
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WASHINGTON (Nov. 14, 2008)--National Geographic invites budding explorers on a seven-day "tour" of the marvelous cultures and natural wonders of the Americas during Geography Awareness Week 2008, Nov. 16-22. Geography Awareness Week is part of Geography Action!, an annual conservation and awareness program for schools and students in grades K through 12, designed to educate and excite youngsters about the world's natural, cultural and historic treasures. This year's spotlight on the Americas is National Geographic's third leg of a five-year journey focusing its geographic lens on five world regions.
At the Geography Action! Web site (nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction), teachers can find an assortment of resources, including hands-on activities; downloadable lesson plans and maps; a free, downloadable Americas map kit with tips for creating a jumbo-sized map of the Western Hemisphere; and links to additional resources on the Americas.
"Our compelling maps, activities, lesson plans and educational resources on the Americas will help students and teachers learn about these extraordinarily diverse continents," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic executive vice president of Mission Programs. "Web resources give students and teachers the necessary tools to understand the varied cultures and history of the Americas, the importance of their local regions, and the larger issues of relationships among people, places and environments."
Geography Action! is a program of National Geographic Education & Children's Programs, which provides grants, training, hands-on activities and support for educators and organizations.
At the Geography Action! Web site (nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction), teachers can find an assortment of resources, including hands-on activities; downloadable lesson plans and maps; a free, downloadable Americas map kit with tips for creating a jumbo-sized map of the Western Hemisphere; and links to additional resources on the Americas.
"Our compelling maps, activities, lesson plans and educational resources on the Americas will help students and teachers learn about these extraordinarily diverse continents," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic executive vice president of Mission Programs. "Web resources give students and teachers the necessary tools to understand the varied cultures and history of the Americas, the importance of their local regions, and the larger issues of relationships among people, places and environments."
Geography Action! is a program of National Geographic Education & Children's Programs, which provides grants, training, hands-on activities and support for educators and organizations.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS -- NOVEMBER 2008
02 Dec 00:19
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DRESSED FOR THE WEATHER You probably dress differently in winter and summer. Some animals do, too. The Arctic fox, snowshoe hare, collared lemming, ptarmigan and ermine are dark in color during summer, but put on coats of white for the winter season. This color change in fur and feathers is for camouflage and helps these Arctic animals survive in their snowy environment. National Geographic Kids describes the biological process behind the color change as well as other winter adaptations that help the animals stay warm, search for food and escape from predators. Page 34.
BLIND AMBITION National Geographic Kids meets a young man who refuses to let his blindness slow him down. With a good sense of humor and his guide dog leading the way, he "can accomplish just about anything," including running the sound board for school plays, playing paintball and even playing golf. "Trying something you've never done before definitely can be scary. But that's true whether you're blind or sighted. My thinking is, you can't say no until you try. There's always a way to do whatever it is that you want to do," he says. Page 40.
THE GREEN LIST Preserving the planet helps all living things, and making a difference can be easy. National Geographic Kids suggests six small actions you can take to make a big difference: Use fewer napkins to cut down on waste; save 4.5 gallons of water a day by avoiding just one flush; don't let leftovers go to waste eat them; leave your shoes at the door to avoid tracking unwanted fertilizers, lead and toxic cleaners into your home; close the bathroom door when taking a bath to keep bath water warmer longer; and travel by train this holiday season to reduce carbon emissions. Page 14.
WORLD'S WACKIEST HOUSES National Geographic Kids checks out five extreme homes around the world. In Mexico City, Mexico, a family home is shaped like a shark; the sky's the limit in Benoit, Miss., where a retired Boeing 727 was converted into a home; in Arni, Switzerland, an architect has built more than 70 eco-friendly earth houses designed to save energy; in Olympia, Wash., a two-level tree house spreads out across seven trees; and in Henderson, Nev., a lucky contest winner won a real house that was built exactly like the Simpsons' cartoon home. Page 20.
AMAZING ANIMALS National Geographic Kids meets a team of therapy animals, including a savannah cat, a traveling camel, a singing horse and a talking parrot, giving comfort and care to hospital patients and nursing home residents in Sonoma, Calif. Page 18.
National Geographic Kids, a multitopic, photo-driven magazine for 6- to 14-year-olds, empowers its readers by making it fun to learn about the world. It has received numerous industry awards, including the Periodical of the Year award in 2005 and 2006 from the Association of Educational Publishers. Published 10 times a year, National Geographic Kids has a circulation of 1.3 million and is available by subscription for $19.95 a year and on newsstands for $4.99 a copy. Its Web site is at kids.nationalgeographic.com.
BLIND AMBITION National Geographic Kids meets a young man who refuses to let his blindness slow him down. With a good sense of humor and his guide dog leading the way, he "can accomplish just about anything," including running the sound board for school plays, playing paintball and even playing golf. "Trying something you've never done before definitely can be scary. But that's true whether you're blind or sighted. My thinking is, you can't say no until you try. There's always a way to do whatever it is that you want to do," he says. Page 40.
THE GREEN LIST Preserving the planet helps all living things, and making a difference can be easy. National Geographic Kids suggests six small actions you can take to make a big difference: Use fewer napkins to cut down on waste; save 4.5 gallons of water a day by avoiding just one flush; don't let leftovers go to waste eat them; leave your shoes at the door to avoid tracking unwanted fertilizers, lead and toxic cleaners into your home; close the bathroom door when taking a bath to keep bath water warmer longer; and travel by train this holiday season to reduce carbon emissions. Page 14.
WORLD'S WACKIEST HOUSES National Geographic Kids checks out five extreme homes around the world. In Mexico City, Mexico, a family home is shaped like a shark; the sky's the limit in Benoit, Miss., where a retired Boeing 727 was converted into a home; in Arni, Switzerland, an architect has built more than 70 eco-friendly earth houses designed to save energy; in Olympia, Wash., a two-level tree house spreads out across seven trees; and in Henderson, Nev., a lucky contest winner won a real house that was built exactly like the Simpsons' cartoon home. Page 20.
AMAZING ANIMALS National Geographic Kids meets a team of therapy animals, including a savannah cat, a traveling camel, a singing horse and a talking parrot, giving comfort and care to hospital patients and nursing home residents in Sonoma, Calif. Page 18.
National Geographic Kids, a multitopic, photo-driven magazine for 6- to 14-year-olds, empowers its readers by making it fun to learn about the world. It has received numerous industry awards, including the Periodical of the Year award in 2005 and 2006 from the Association of Educational Publishers. Published 10 times a year, National Geographic Kids has a circulation of 1.3 million and is available by subscription for $19.95 a year and on newsstands for $4.99 a copy. Its Web site is at kids.nationalgeographic.com.
STUDENTS FROM MAINE ISLANDS TO GO ON ASSIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO DOCUMENT LOCAL COMMUNITIES
02 Dec 00:19
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WASHINGTON (Oct. 14, 2008)A group of Maine students will have the unique opportunity this month to document their communities of Vinalhaven and North Haven Islands under the direction of National Geographic contributing photographers Amy Toensing and Matt Moyer during a National Geographic Photo Camp. From Monday, Oct. 20, to Wednesday, Oct. 22, the high schoolers will photograph, edit and design a portrait of their experiences on the islands. The Photo Camp is presented in partnership with the Island Institute, an organization that supports the islands' communities and helps preserve the region's biodiversity.
During the three-day workshop, the young photographers will explore the natural environment of the two geographically close island communities. Toensing and Moyer will brief the students on photographic vision, equipment and technique and guide them through the process of creating a story through photography and writing, working with cameras and laptop computers provided by National Geographic. The students will create a multimedia show, using the images, which will convey the students' perception of the experience.
Participants, their families and community members are invited to a presentation of the students' work on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 4 p.m. at Waterman's Community Center, 12 Main Street, North Haven, and at 7 p.m. at Vinalhaven High School, 22 Arcola Lane, Vinalhaven.
Following the Photo Camp, four students will be selected to be youth ambassadors for Pop!Tech, an acclaimed ideas summit held each fall in Camden, Maine, exploring the new ideas, technologies and forces of change shaping our future. During the conference, Oct. 23-25, the student ambassadors will have the opportunity to learn from and participate in sessions with eminent thought leaders and change agents. The student also will present their multimedia show from Photo Camp and photograph the Pop!Tech presenters and conference fellows. Their images from the conference will displayed during the Pop!Tech closing gala on Oct. 25.
"We hope that Photo Camp 2008 will provide students with a unique lens on the world and help expand their awareness of the environment and their impact on it," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic's executive vice president, Mission Programs. "We are honored to participate in this endeavor."
The theme of the Photo Camp is environment and conservation, and the aim is to draw attention to youth perspectives on their generation's connection to the natural world.
EVOLT SLR cameras for the Photo Camp have been provided by Olympus Imaging America Inc. Memory cards have been donated to the Photo Camp program by PNY Technologies.
In addition to Toensing's work for National Geographic magazine, she has covered editorial assignments for various national and international publications and private corporations since 2000. Her photographic stories intimately render the lives of ordinary people, and her images have received honors in International Pictures of the Year competitions. In 2003 Toensing was named Photographic Alumni Fellow at The Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, where she worked on a portrait of Muslim teenage girls living in Western culture.
Moyer's photographic work in Egypt, New York City and Iraq focuses on the people behind the news story, and he was named a Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow for the 2007-2008 academic year at the University of Michigan.
National Geographic Missions Programs is sponsoring other Photo Camps this year in Taos, N.M.; Rajasthan, India; Chesapeake Bay; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, S.D.; Costa Rica; Appalachian Trail; New York City; Santa Monica, Calif., and Miami, in partnership with VisionWorkshops of Annapolis, Md. Visit nationalgeographic.com/photocamp for more information.
The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 325 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.
The Island Institute is a membership-based nonprofit that serves as a voice for the balanced future of the islands and waters of the Gulf of Maine, particularly the 15 year-round island and working-waterfront communities along the Maine coast. More information is available at islandinstitute.org.
Pop!Tech is a renowned ideas summit and social innovation network dedicated to accelerating the positive impact of world-changing people and ideas. The organization is known for its visionary Pop!Tech conferences, engaging media productions and the innovative social change programs that it fosters worldwide. "Pop!Tech 2008: Scarcity and Abundance" will be held Oct. 23-25, 2008, in Camden, Maine, and will be simulcast live on www.poptech.org.
During the three-day workshop, the young photographers will explore the natural environment of the two geographically close island communities. Toensing and Moyer will brief the students on photographic vision, equipment and technique and guide them through the process of creating a story through photography and writing, working with cameras and laptop computers provided by National Geographic. The students will create a multimedia show, using the images, which will convey the students' perception of the experience.
Participants, their families and community members are invited to a presentation of the students' work on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 4 p.m. at Waterman's Community Center, 12 Main Street, North Haven, and at 7 p.m. at Vinalhaven High School, 22 Arcola Lane, Vinalhaven.
Following the Photo Camp, four students will be selected to be youth ambassadors for Pop!Tech, an acclaimed ideas summit held each fall in Camden, Maine, exploring the new ideas, technologies and forces of change shaping our future. During the conference, Oct. 23-25, the student ambassadors will have the opportunity to learn from and participate in sessions with eminent thought leaders and change agents. The student also will present their multimedia show from Photo Camp and photograph the Pop!Tech presenters and conference fellows. Their images from the conference will displayed during the Pop!Tech closing gala on Oct. 25.
"We hope that Photo Camp 2008 will provide students with a unique lens on the world and help expand their awareness of the environment and their impact on it," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic's executive vice president, Mission Programs. "We are honored to participate in this endeavor."
The theme of the Photo Camp is environment and conservation, and the aim is to draw attention to youth perspectives on their generation's connection to the natural world.
EVOLT SLR cameras for the Photo Camp have been provided by Olympus Imaging America Inc. Memory cards have been donated to the Photo Camp program by PNY Technologies.
In addition to Toensing's work for National Geographic magazine, she has covered editorial assignments for various national and international publications and private corporations since 2000. Her photographic stories intimately render the lives of ordinary people, and her images have received honors in International Pictures of the Year competitions. In 2003 Toensing was named Photographic Alumni Fellow at The Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, where she worked on a portrait of Muslim teenage girls living in Western culture.
Moyer's photographic work in Egypt, New York City and Iraq focuses on the people behind the news story, and he was named a Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow for the 2007-2008 academic year at the University of Michigan.
National Geographic Missions Programs is sponsoring other Photo Camps this year in Taos, N.M.; Rajasthan, India; Chesapeake Bay; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, S.D.; Costa Rica; Appalachian Trail; New York City; Santa Monica, Calif., and Miami, in partnership with VisionWorkshops of Annapolis, Md. Visit nationalgeographic.com/photocamp for more information.
The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 325 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.
The Island Institute is a membership-based nonprofit that serves as a voice for the balanced future of the islands and waters of the Gulf of Maine, particularly the 15 year-round island and working-waterfront communities along the Maine coast. More information is available at islandinstitute.org.
Pop!Tech is a renowned ideas summit and social innovation network dedicated to accelerating the positive impact of world-changing people and ideas. The organization is known for its visionary Pop!Tech conferences, engaging media productions and the innovative social change programs that it fosters worldwide. "Pop!Tech 2008: Scarcity and Abundance" will be held Oct. 23-25, 2008, in Camden, Maine, and will be simulcast live on www.poptech.org.
TAOS, N.M., STUDENTS TO GO ON ASSIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO DOCUMENT NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
02 Dec 00:19
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WASHINGTON (Oct. 6, 2008)National Geographic magazine contributing photographer Lynn Johnson will give a group of Taos High School students a unique opportunity to establish a personal connection to the environment through photography during National Geographic Photo Camp 2008. From Thursday, Oct. 9, to Sunday, Oct. 12, the students will photograph, edit and design a portrait of the natural world and the environmental issues of their community. The Photo Camp is presented in partnership with the Blackstone Ranch Institute, a nonprofit located in Taos, N.M., that supports pioneers of environmental change worldwide.
During the four-day workshop, the teenagers will explore the region, documenting portraits of the Taos Pueblo Indians as well as the area's agriculture, architecture and landscape. Johnson will brief the students on photographic vision, equipment and technique and guide them through the process of creating a story through photography and writing. The young photographers will create a multimedia show using the images as a catalyst for discussing their experiences.
"We hope that Photo Camp 2008 will provide students with a unique lens on the world and help expand their awareness of the environment and their impact on it," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic's executive vice president, Mission Programs. "We are honored to participate in this endeavor."
Participants, their families and community members are invited to a final presentation of the students' work at 5 p.m. on Oct. 12, at the Harwood Museum of Art, 238 Ledoux St., Taos.
The theme of the Photo Camp is the environment and conservation, and the aim is to draw attention to youth perspectives on their generation's connection to the natural world.
EVOLT SLR cameras for the Photo Camp have been provided by Olympus Imaging America Inc. Memory cards have been donated to the Photo Camp program by PNY Technologies.
In addition to Johnson's work for National Geographic magazine, she has covered editorial assignments for various national and international publications and private corporations. Her photographic skills allow her to take pictures that are intimate and enlightening. Johnson has won numerous awards, including Picture of the Year Award from the National Press Photographers Association and four World Press Photography Awards.
National Geographic Mission Programs is sponsoring other Photo Camps this year in Rajasthan, India; Chesapeake Bay; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, S.D.; Costa Rica; Appalachian Trail; Camden, Maine; New York; Santa Monica, Calif.; and Miami, in partnership with VisionWorkshops of Annapolis, Md. Visit nationalgeographic.com/photocamp for more information.
The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 325 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.
The Blackstone Ranch Institute in Taos, N.M., is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to create positive environmental changes worldwide. The organization supports those who are engaged in solution-oriented conversations about the most important environmental challenges of our time. Participants in institute programs address urgent concerns such as global warming, water supply, air quality, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, biodiversity and population growth, and challenge themselves to come up with innovative steps for the way forward.
During the four-day workshop, the teenagers will explore the region, documenting portraits of the Taos Pueblo Indians as well as the area's agriculture, architecture and landscape. Johnson will brief the students on photographic vision, equipment and technique and guide them through the process of creating a story through photography and writing. The young photographers will create a multimedia show using the images as a catalyst for discussing their experiences.
"We hope that Photo Camp 2008 will provide students with a unique lens on the world and help expand their awareness of the environment and their impact on it," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic's executive vice president, Mission Programs. "We are honored to participate in this endeavor."
Participants, their families and community members are invited to a final presentation of the students' work at 5 p.m. on Oct. 12, at the Harwood Museum of Art, 238 Ledoux St., Taos.
The theme of the Photo Camp is the environment and conservation, and the aim is to draw attention to youth perspectives on their generation's connection to the natural world.
EVOLT SLR cameras for the Photo Camp have been provided by Olympus Imaging America Inc. Memory cards have been donated to the Photo Camp program by PNY Technologies.
In addition to Johnson's work for National Geographic magazine, she has covered editorial assignments for various national and international publications and private corporations. Her photographic skills allow her to take pictures that are intimate and enlightening. Johnson has won numerous awards, including Picture of the Year Award from the National Press Photographers Association and four World Press Photography Awards.
National Geographic Mission Programs is sponsoring other Photo Camps this year in Rajasthan, India; Chesapeake Bay; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, S.D.; Costa Rica; Appalachian Trail; Camden, Maine; New York; Santa Monica, Calif.; and Miami, in partnership with VisionWorkshops of Annapolis, Md. Visit nationalgeographic.com/photocamp for more information.
The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 325 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.
The Blackstone Ranch Institute in Taos, N.M., is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to create positive environmental changes worldwide. The organization supports those who are engaged in solution-oriented conversations about the most important environmental challenges of our time. Participants in institute programs address urgent concerns such as global warming, water supply, air quality, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, biodiversity and population growth, and challenge themselves to come up with innovative steps for the way forward.
NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM LAUNCHES KIDS' ONLINE GAME 'PLUTO'S SECRET'
02 Dec 00:19
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WASHINGTON (Oct. 1, 2008)--The National Geographic Kids Web site has rocketed into a new universe of gaming with the launch of "Pluto's Secret," a sophisticated, multi-level, online adventure game available now at www.nationalgeographic.com/kids.
"Pluto's Secret" joins hundreds of videos, interactive features, games, stories and recently launched blogs on the site, which was designated a 2008 Parents' Choice Recommended award winner in August. All the content on www.nationalgeographic.com/kids is created specifically for kids and tied to the National Geographic mission of inspiring viewers to care about the planet.
"Pluto's Secret," geared for 8- to 14-year-olds, marks the debut of two animated characters named Nat and Geo (Nathan and Georgia) -- young explorer friends who met in school and have become inseparable -- and their monkey pal Gordo.
Nathan is a nature-lover. He loves ecology, trees, animals and everything that has to do with nature. Georgia is a science buff; she likes chemistry, physics and astronomy. Together, they travel across our solar system, solving missions that unlock information that will eventually reveal why Pluto is no longer considered a planet. Along they way, they must run planetary obstacle courses -- running, jumping and manipulating gravity to avoid lava spouts, gas clouds and melting blocks of ice. On each planet, Nat and Geo meet a robot scientist who helps them get closer to answering the big question about Pluto. Players toggle between playing as the Nat and Geo characters, using each for their unique game-play abilities to complete game tasks quickly.
"This is a very immersive game with arcade- and console- quality graphics and environments, said Michelle Sullivan, executive producer of the National Geographic Kids Web site. "But we also designed the game to ignite the spark of learning in our growing online audience of kids who look to the NatGeo Kids' Web site for in-school and after-school engagement."
The site continues to add to its slate of new interactive features, including more games, videos and several kid-penned blogs. Year-to-date, unique visitors to www.nationalgeographic.com/kids are up 33 percent, according to internal Omniture statistics. Page views have grown by 68 percent in the same period.
To create "Pluto's Secret," National Geographic collaborated with Sarbakan (www.sarbakan.com), a leading casual game development studio based in Qubec City, Canada. Over the last 10 years, Sarbakan has supplied a wide range of industries with cross-platform games and interactive content for clients such as Nickelodeon, Warner Bros, Hasbro, DaimlerChrysler, Viacom, Playfirst and RealArcade. In addition to providing clients with licensed game production services, Sarbakan also offers titles based on its own roster of intellectual properties, including past successful online products such as "Good Night Mr. Snoozleberg," "Firechild," "Arcane" and "Steppenwolf" and brand-new console titles like "Wordmaster" and the upcoming "Dig It Up."
National Geographic Digital Media (NGDM) is the multimedia division of National Geographic Ventures, the wholly owned, taxable subsidiary of the National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest educational and scientific nonprofit organizations. At the forefront of the digital media revolution, NGDM publishes Nationalgeographic.com; delivers multimedia content to digital consumers; manages content partnerships across broadband, mobile, gaming and other consumer digital platforms; and provides video and film footage to commercial, theatrical, education and other digital footage markets.
"Pluto's Secret" joins hundreds of videos, interactive features, games, stories and recently launched blogs on the site, which was designated a 2008 Parents' Choice Recommended award winner in August. All the content on www.nationalgeographic.com/kids is created specifically for kids and tied to the National Geographic mission of inspiring viewers to care about the planet.
"Pluto's Secret," geared for 8- to 14-year-olds, marks the debut of two animated characters named Nat and Geo (Nathan and Georgia) -- young explorer friends who met in school and have become inseparable -- and their monkey pal Gordo.
Nathan is a nature-lover. He loves ecology, trees, animals and everything that has to do with nature. Georgia is a science buff; she likes chemistry, physics and astronomy. Together, they travel across our solar system, solving missions that unlock information that will eventually reveal why Pluto is no longer considered a planet. Along they way, they must run planetary obstacle courses -- running, jumping and manipulating gravity to avoid lava spouts, gas clouds and melting blocks of ice. On each planet, Nat and Geo meet a robot scientist who helps them get closer to answering the big question about Pluto. Players toggle between playing as the Nat and Geo characters, using each for their unique game-play abilities to complete game tasks quickly.
"This is a very immersive game with arcade- and console- quality graphics and environments, said Michelle Sullivan, executive producer of the National Geographic Kids Web site. "But we also designed the game to ignite the spark of learning in our growing online audience of kids who look to the NatGeo Kids' Web site for in-school and after-school engagement."
The site continues to add to its slate of new interactive features, including more games, videos and several kid-penned blogs. Year-to-date, unique visitors to www.nationalgeographic.com/kids are up 33 percent, according to internal Omniture statistics. Page views have grown by 68 percent in the same period.
To create "Pluto's Secret," National Geographic collaborated with Sarbakan (www.sarbakan.com), a leading casual game development studio based in Qubec City, Canada. Over the last 10 years, Sarbakan has supplied a wide range of industries with cross-platform games and interactive content for clients such as Nickelodeon, Warner Bros, Hasbro, DaimlerChrysler, Viacom, Playfirst and RealArcade. In addition to providing clients with licensed game production services, Sarbakan also offers titles based on its own roster of intellectual properties, including past successful online products such as "Good Night Mr. Snoozleberg," "Firechild," "Arcane" and "Steppenwolf" and brand-new console titles like "Wordmaster" and the upcoming "Dig It Up."
National Geographic Digital Media (NGDM) is the multimedia division of National Geographic Ventures, the wholly owned, taxable subsidiary of the National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest educational and scientific nonprofit organizations. At the forefront of the digital media revolution, NGDM publishes Nationalgeographic.com; delivers multimedia content to digital consumers; manages content partnerships across broadband, mobile, gaming and other consumer digital platforms; and provides video and film footage to commercial, theatrical, education and other digital footage markets.
Yahoo! Weather - Santa Ana, CA
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Haze, 63 F
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Mon - Partly Cloudy. High: 75 Low: 50
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Full Forecast at Yahoo! Weather
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