October 2008

• Arkansas Studies
• Art, Music
• Counseling, Guidance
• Early Childhood

• Grants, Awards, Scholarships
• Health, Safety, Fitness
• History, Social Studies

• Library, Literature
• Math, Science
• Professional Development

“WHERE WE STAND: AMERICA’S SCHOOLS IN THE 21ST CENTURY”
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wherewestand/

Find out more about globalization, teachers, testing, achievement, No Child Left Behind, finance, election 2008 and other features.

ARKANSAS STUDIES

MYSTERY OF THE MAYAN MEDALLION EXHIBIT NOW APPEARING IN LITTLE ROCK AT THE MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY
www.arkansasdiscoverynetwork.org

The secrets of an ancient world await as you enter the ancient world of Palenque, Mexico, where the Maya prospered for thousands of years. The Mystery of the Mayan Medallion will be at the Museum of Discovery from now until December 14. The exhibit is making its way across the state thanks to the Arkansas Discovery Network, a network of seven discovery center partners funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.

You will be transported to Palenque, where an archaeological team has mysteriously disappeared from a dig site while investigating rumors of a priceless jade medallion buried in the ruins. Students and teachers can follow the clues the team left behind to locate the precious medallion. But, visitors are urged not to forget to heed the warning signs to avoid the same fate.

The Mystery of the Mayan Medallion was developed by The Arkansas Discovery Network specifically for Arkansas and the Network’s partner museums. This exhibit uses the mystery and intrigue of the Mayan empire to explore math, science and history in a unique and interesting way sure to capture the attention of all who visit. It is aligned with several of the state education frameworks for science, history, and math. For field trip information, call Beth Nelsen at the Museum of Discovery (501- 396-7050 or by email at bnelsen@amod.org.

For more information on the Mayan Medallion and the Arkansas Discovery Network, go to.

Linda Meyers
Arkansas Discovery Network
c/o Museum of Discovery
500 President Clinton Ave., Suite 150
Little Rock, AR 72201
501-396-7050 ext. 118

ART AND MUSIC

A MOST UNUSUAL CONCERT

Prepare your students for a most unusual concert – the New York Philharmonic will be coming to you from North Korea. This cooperative effort will involve WNET public television in New York, ABC News correspondent and a variety of government officials. This might be a great connection to geography and political science lessons. The program should air in early March 2009.

ART IN THE 21ST CENTURY SLIDE SHOW
http://www.pbs.org/art21/#

Click on the Art in the 21st Century slide show to introduce students to artists and slides of some of their work. From this site, you can also view clips of the PBS series. The flexibility of the site allows you to select for classroom use or assign for research and classroom presentation.

COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE

PBS PARENT GUIDE HELPS STUDENTS GET SETTLED INTO SCHOOL
http://www.pbs.org/parents/special/backinschool.html?utm_source=newsletter1&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20080912

This guide includes information about parent-teacher partnerships, homework hints, dealing with bullies, the difference in boys’ brains and girls’ brains, school topics for tweens, and includes a variety of hands-on activities.

PBS PARENTS “RAISING GIRLS” GUIDE PROVIDES NEW INSIGHTS

This new guide tells everything you want to know about girls' brains, bodies, friendships and more. It also offers strategies on how to help them grow up to be powerful, self-confident and self-aware.

SOURCE: PBS Previews
http://pbs.org/previews/

EARLY CHILDHOOD

AETN STAFF PRESENT PARENT WORKSHOPS

AETN Early Childhood staff is working with childcare centers to provide workshops for parents and childcare professionals. AETN has a long commitment to providing the resources needed to help children learn. For information about scheduling a workshop, contact education@aetn.org.

PROGRAMS BY FOCUS AREA

PROGRAM	TIME MON.-FRI.	AGE	FOCUS
Arthur	7:00 a.m.	6-9 years	Reading, writing, social skills
Between The Lions	6:00 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.	4-7 years	Reading
Big Comfy Couch	12:30 p.m.	PreK	Cognitive, social, emotional and physical development
Caillou	2:00 p.m.	3-6 years	Social skills
Clifford Big Red Dog	9:30 a.m.	4-7 years	Social skills
Curious George	8:00 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.	3-5 years	Science, engineering, math
Cyberchase	4:30 p.m.	8-12 years	Math
Dragon Tales	11:00 a.m.	2-7 years	Social skills
Fetch with Ruff Ruffman	4:00 p.m.	6-10 years	Social skills, problem solving
It’s A Big, Big World	10 a.m.	3-6 years	Life science, geography
Martha Speaks	7:30 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.	4-7 years	Reading
Maya & Miguel	6:30 a.m.	6-11 years	Spanish language, social skills
Mr. Rogers	noon	3-5 years	Social skills, self-esteem
Reading Rainbow	1:00 p.m.	4-8 years	Reading
Sesame Street	10:00 a.m.	2-4 years	Reading, math, social skills
Sid the Science Kid	8:30 a.m.	3-6 years	Science
Super WHY!	9:00 a.m.	6-8 years	Reading
Word Girl	3:30 p.m.	6-8 years	Reading
Word World	11:30 a.m.	6-8 years	Reading

FREE PBS KIDS INTERACTIVE SITES BY AGE LEVEL
http://pbskids.org/

This site connects children to interactive online activities.

Broadcast Schedule for Children’s Programs
Monday-Friday

A.M.
6:00	Between the Lions
6:30	Maya & Miguel
7:00	Arthur
7:30	Martha Speaks
8:00	Curious George
8:30	Sid the Science Kid
9:00	Super WHY!
9:30	Clifford the Big Red Dog
10:00	Sesame Street
10:30	Sesame Street
11:00	Dragon Tales
11:30	WordWorld
P.M.
Noon	Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood
12:30	Big Comfy Couch
1:00	Reading Rainbow
1:30	Between the Lions
2:00	Caillou
2:30	Curious George
3:00	Martha Speaks
3:30	Wordgirl
4:00	Fetch with Ruff Ruffman
4:30	Cyberchase

GRANTS, AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

READER'S DIGEST FOUNDATION: 'MAKE IT MATTER' GRANTS
    http://www.efundraising.com/Readers-Digest-Foundation.aspx?partner=grantsalert
    Maximum Award: $100,000
    Eligibility: Anyone can submit a story; grant recipients must be 501(c)(3) organizations
    Deadline: Jan. 1, 2009

Reader's Digest Foundation "Make It Matter" Grants will identify people whose stories of giving back inspire others. The foundation will donate funds to a nonprofit organization that is associated either with a particular story or cause. Selected stories will appear every month in a new "Make It Matter" column in Reader's Digest and at www.rd.com, beginning in April 2009.

SOURCE: PEN WEEKLY NEWSBLAST http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_grants.asp

LIBERTY MUTUAL: RESPONSIBLE SPORTS COMMUNITY GRANTS
    http://responsiblesports.com/community_grants/community_grant_details.aspx
    Maximum Award: $2,500
    Eligibility: youth sports organizations
    Deadline: Nov. 30, 2008

Liberty Mutual Insurance Company Responsible Sports Community Grants support equipment upgrades, facility repairs, and scholarship programs for families in need of assistance.

SOURCE: PEN WEEKLY NEWSBLAST http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_grants.asp

Grant Sources

Forecast of Finding for the U.S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html
PEN WEEKLY NEWSBLAST http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_grants.asp This site includes grant opportunity, Web links, deadlines, eligibility and maximum grant amounts
EducationMoney.com
Federal Grants http://grants.gov allows you to search by category, you do not need to register to search for grant opportunities
http://grantsalert.com/

These sources will help locate foundation, government and other grant opportunities. It’s best to start when you have some time to invest, because one thing frequently leads to another link.

Grant Writing Tips and Tools

If you want factual information about grant writing and samples, be sure to visit the Guide for Writing a Funding Proposal by S. Joseph Levine, Ph.D., Michigan State University, at http://www.learnerassociates.net/proposal.
“SHOW ME THE MONEY: TIPS & RESOURCES FOR SUCCESSFUL GRANT WRITING” http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev039.shtml

HEALTH, SAFETY AND FITNESS

PBS KIDS SPROUT PROMOTES GOOD HEALTH
http://www.sproutonline.com/sprout/home/jump.aspx

This Web site connects parents and professionals to resources that help children learn healthy habits for living. There is also a parent discussion board. Join the fun and stay healthy.

RESEARCH YOUR HEALTH TOPICS AT ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
http://www.archildrens.org/resources/

Check out this reliable source of medical information on topics. The parenting section on the http://www.archildrens.org/resources/parenting_arkansas.asp sub-site connects parents to current and past issues of Parenting in Arkansas magazine.

HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES

VISIT AN ONLINE EXHIBITION AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY
http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/exhibition.cfm?key=38&exkey=87

Be sure to visit the latest online exhibition and introduce your students and their families to this very inexpensive tour of historical riches.

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY INCLUDES MORE THAN 2,400 STUDENTS
http://www.nationalhistoryday.org/Contest.htm

June 2008, more than 2,400 students participated in the National History Day (NHD) contest, with participants from the United States, American Samoa, Guam and the Department of Defense schools in Europe.

For Nearly 30 Years, NHD has been improving history education while providing students with important research tools, critical thinking skills, a sense of historical context, and an improved ability to communicate. These skills not only help students succeed in college, but will be carried into the workplace and beyond.

COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG ELECTRONIC FIELD TRIPS SCHEDULE
http://www.history.org/trips/
Teacher Resources: http://www.history.org/history/teaching/index.cfm
Electronic Field Trips: http://www.history.org/history/teaching/eft.cfm

Take students on a field trip through time and place. Visit Colonial Williamsburg in this resource-rich program and Web site.

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008 9 a.m. and noon	The Will of the People (premiere) One of the bitterest presidential campaigns in U.S. history is part of a surprising lesson for a 21st-century student. Thomas Jefferson explains how negative campaigning, partisan politics, and contested elections have been part of our political system since the earliest days of the republic.
Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 9 a.m. and noon	Yorktown Explore the story of the key turning point in the Revolutionary War. Follow the people who converged on the village of York in October 1781: the military leaders, common soldiers, and civilians whose lives were changed forever by this siege. Learn why Yorktown was the place where American independence was finally secured.
Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008 9 a.m. and noon	Making History Live (premiere) What makes history come alive? Take a behind-the-scenes look at how historical African American character portrayals are created for Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area. From research through performance, experienced museum interpreters share their techniques for bringing the past to life.
Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009 9 a.m. and noon	In Pursuit of Science Enter the exciting world of early American scientists and their discoveries. Follow a young colonial boy in his exploration of science and the world around him. Discover the important scientific exploration that took place in the early years of America.
Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009 9 a.m. and noon	Freedom Bound Choice, hope, and escape from slavery are highlighted in stories spanning three centuries. Examine the options for slaves willing to risk their lives for freedom. Where could they run? Whom could they trust? Learn how these answers changed over time, from the American colonies’ first slave laws to the Underground Railroad before the Civil War.
Thursday, March 26, 2009 9 a.m. and noon	Remember the Ladies In 1776, Abigail Adams requested that her husband, future president John Adams, “remember the ladies” when establishing the government and laws of the new nation. Examine the roles, responsibilities, and daily activities of early American women.
Thursday, April 23, 2009 9 a.m. and noon	Soldier of Liberty Enlist in the 2nd Virginia Regiment with young recruit Nathaniel Hutcheson and experience the everyday life of a soldier during the American Revolution. March into battle with Nathaniel as he encounters for the first time the noise, confusion, and horror of war.

LIBRARY, LITERATURE AND READING

AMERICAN MASTERS DATABASE
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/database_literature.html

If you are looking for a resource-rich database of authors, check this database with authors from Baldwin to Vidal.

TEACHING DICKENS AS A SERIAL WRITER
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/olivertwist/teachers_guide.html

Dickens was a writer of “page turners” – fast-paced cliff hangers that relied on an eager audience to buy the latest newspaper edition to find out what happened to the characters and stories so cleverly crafted by this master. Bring that excitement to the classroom. Do your students have their own favorite serial writers? Can they be compared and contrasted to Dickens? Would students like to write their own cliff-hanger?

READING AND LANGUAGE ARTS, GRADES K-2
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/readlanguage/inventory/listeningcomprehension-k2.html

You have a choice of five lesson plans to help you teach listening comprehension to your young students. Other options at this site include three online activities .

MATH AND SCIENCE

WATCH NOVA ONLINE
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/programs/

Navigate this site to find the subject area that interests you and your students and watch programming online.

NASA BRINGS YOU THE WONDER OF SPACE
http://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Test yourself with these weekly problems from NASA.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ARKANSAS CURRICULUM CONFERENCE, NOV. 13-14, 2008
http://www.uark.edu/~k12info/ACC/ACC2008/index.html

The Arkansas Curriculum Conference 2008 will be held in Little Rock on Nov. 13 and 14, 2008..

FREE AETN IDEAS PORTAL AND AETN VIDEOSTREAMING WORKSHOPS

AETN offers free professional development workshops for Arkansas teachers.
The Arkansas IDEAS Workshop walks educators through all educational resources offered by AETN and a hands-on experience using the IDEAS portal.

AETN Videostreaming Workshop will help educators understand the full range of features videostreaming offers. Participants in either workshop will earn three technology professional development hours.

Date	Workshop Schedule
Oct. 2, 2008	AR IDEAS 8:30-11:30 am	AETN Videostreaming 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Nov. 6, 2008	AR IDEAS 8:30-11:30 am	AETN Videostreaming 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Dec. 5, 2008	AR IDEAS 8:30-11:30 am	AETN Videostreaming 1:00-4:00 p.m.

The scheduled workshops will be held in the AETN Computer Lab, 350 S. Donaghey Ave. Conway, AR 72034. To register, please call 1-800-488-6689, or email education@aetn.org. We also conduct workshops at schools around the state at no cost to the school district. You can contact us to schedule one for your school today!

As with all professional development courses, allowing in-service credit is at the discretion of the superintendent, principal or other official designated by your district/school. Although courses have been approved by ADE as appropriate for professional development, you will still need to confirm the credit status of the course at a local level.

To make arrangements for either or both workshops at your school or district for a minimum of 10 participants, contact Daoming Chen, 1-800-488-6689, or dchen@aetn.org.