CNN Films Launches DINOSAUR 13: A Live Webcast for Schools – hosted by Scholastic
Teachers Can Register Now for the Live CNN Films: DINOSAUR 13 Webcast with
CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper, to be Held December 5, 2014 at 1:00pmET
When a team of paleontologists near Faith, South Dakota, began collecting the bones of a dinosaur in August of 1990, they were surprised to find that they’d stumbled upon a rarity: a virtually complete, articulated skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex. CNN Films and Lionsgate will air a documentary about the discovery and the subsequent controversy surrounding it on CNN on December 11 at 9 p.m. ET and 11 p.m. ET. To provide context and provoke classroom discourse about the DINOSAUR 13 documentary before the telecast, CNN Films is presenting a live webcast for high school students on December 5 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. Teachers can register for the DINOSAUR 13: A LIVE WEBCAST, to be moderated by CNN’s Anderson Cooper and hosted by Scholastic, at www.scholastic.com/dinosaur13.
“At Scholastic, we’re always working toward new ways of getting students excited about information and good storytelling,” explains Ann Amstutz Hayes, Senior Vice President, National Partnerships, Scholastic. “The DINOSAUR 13 education program builds on this idea, and complements the film with rich, interactive resources that promise to challenge and inspire students and educators alike.”
The “DINOSAUR 13: A LIVE WEBCAST” will feature an in-depth panel discussion of fossil hunting and the “Sue” Tyrannosaurus rex discovery with paleontologist Peter Larson, the film’s director, Todd Miller and National Park Service paleontologist Vincent Santucci. To enhance the classroom experience of the webcast, supplemental educational materials developed by Scholastic will be made available for participating classrooms. The supporting materials will assist teachers in exploring the science of paleontology, debating diverse perspectives on a single story, strengthening media literacy and critical thinking skills, and assessing credible sources across various media, including documentary films.
“We all grow up fascinated by dinosaurs and I still am, so I’m really excited to be a part of this webcast,” said Cooper, “I hope this film inspires kids everywhere to explore and learn about the world around them.”
For more information about DINOSAUR 13 broadcast on December 11 at 9 p.m. ET and 11 p.m. ET on CNN, visit cnn.com/dinosaur13. To register for the live webcast and access the free classroom materials, visit scholastic.com/dinosaur13.
About DINOSAUR 13
When paleontologist Peter Larson and his team from the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research collected “Sue” in 1990, it was the find of a lifetime. It was the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus rex found to date. Todd Miller’s documentary explores the ensuing 10-year battle among the federal government, Native American nations, museums, and competing paleontologists in a fascinating, complex tale of how Larson and his team not only fought to keep their beloved dinosaur—but their freedom as well.
About CNN Films
CNN Films produces and acquires documentary feature films for theatrical exhibition and distribution across CNN’s multiple platforms. Amy Entelis, svp of talent and content development and Vinnie Malhotra, svp of development and acquisitions, oversee the strategy for CNN Films. For more information about CNN Films, please visit www.cnn.com/CNNFilms and follow @CNNFilms via Twitter.
About CNN
CNN Worldwide is a portfolio of two dozen news and information services across cable, satellite, radio, wireless devices and the Internet in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Domestically, CNN reaches more individuals on television, the web and mobile devices than any other cable TV news organization in the United States; internationally, CNN is the most widely distributed news channel reaching more than 271 million households abroad; and CNN Digital is a top network for online news, mobile news and social media. Additionally, CNN Newsource is the world’s most extensively utilized news service partnering with hundreds of local and international news organizations around the world. CNN is division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company.
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