February 2008

AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2 ON AETN FEB. 6 AND 13
  Lesson plans: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aalives/educators.html
  Program descriptions: http://www.thirteen.org/pressroom/release.php?get=2761

AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2 profiles some of the most  accomplished African Americans of our time when Henry Louis Gates  Jr. returns with AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2.  This year, Maya Angelou, Morgan Freeman, Peter Gomes, Linda Johnson Rice,  Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Tom Joyner and Tina Turner take part in the acclaimed  four-hour documentary that hopes to inspire millions to  consider the importance of their own heritage.

Using a combination  of storytelling and science, the series uses genealogy and DNA to trace their  roots down through American history and back to Africa. And in a unique twist, one ordinary individual,  selected from more than 2,000 applicants, will join Professor  Gates and this distinguished group on the life-changing quest for their  roots.

The  programs air:

Wednesday,  Feb. 6, 2008, 8-10 p.m. “The Road Home/Way Out of No Way”

Wednesday,  Feb. 13, 2008, 8-10 p.m. “We Come From People/The Past Is Another Country”

WONDERS OF THE AFRICAN WORLD WITH PBS
  http://www.pbs.org/wonders/

Join  host Henry Louis Gates, Jr., to tour this site and explore the wonders of Africa.  Travel the  Black Kingdoms  of the Nile, the Swahili Coast, the Slave  Kingdoms, the Holy Land, the Road to Timbuktu and the Lost  Cities of the South.

ALL IS NOT LOST WITH  PBS

Is there a PBS program no longer airing that you would like  to include in assignments?  More than  1,800 PBS programs and specials have award-winning comprehensive companion Web  sites on PBS.org. 

ARKANSAS STUDIES

WORKING TO KEEP ARKANSAS THE NATURAL   STATE
  http://www.armasternaturalist.org/

This Web site will connect you with a variety of  opportunities to become an Arkansas Naturalist in Central   Arkansas.  Are there similar  opportunities in your area of the state?   Please share that information in StationBreak News by contacting education@aetn.org.

HISTORIC WASHINGTON STATE PARK  OFFERS PROGRAMMING FOR SCHOOLS GROUPS
    http://historicwashingtonstatepark.com
  Questions  or descriptions for other upcoming programs: melony.cumbie@arkansas.gov
   
  Historic Washington State Park  offers historic programming for school groups each day Tuesday through Friday.  Listed below are upcoming themed weeks for schools for the next quarter. Cost  for the historic tours and programming is $5.50 per student.  Extended  programming and overnight lodging is also available for educational groups of  all types including staff development. Reservations may be made by contacting  870-983-2660.

 
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ART AND MUSIC

TOUR THE WORK OF  SELECTED AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTUSTS AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM  OF ART
  http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/ggafamer/ggafamer-main1.html

Take this virtual tour and examine the work of these nine  artists.

A MUSICAL MIX LESSON  PLAN FROM PBS
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/education/plan_tenors_overview.html
  Grades: 6-12

Exercise critical thinking skills by conducting background  research and create an imaginary television segment based on the tenor trio  Cook, Dixon and  Young.  Research different musical  genres, construct a musical program and explore various aspects of diversity in  the arts.

LET THE WORLD IN:  PRINTS BY ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2004
  National Gallery of Art
   
  Take a look at prints and the development of  this American artist who rose to prominence in the  1950s.  Rauschenberg's prints brought  commonplace objects and representational images back into  the avant-garde.  His approach helped  steer print studios in new directions.

SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from  federal agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

NGAKIDS STILL  LIFE
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2005
  National Gallery of Art

This site allows kids of all ages to compose their own still life paintings (on  the Web) using images of fruits, flowers, and other objects  and artistic elements.  Experiment with perspective,  size, and spatial  arrangements; add textured brushstrokes.  See a slideshow of 38 still life paintings.  Identify common elements;  try to guess the artists who painted them.

SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from  federal agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

TEACHER  WORKSHOPS: ARTS
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2010
  Department of Education

Check here for presentations and handouts from summer workshop sessions  on emergent literacy, music, and poetry; improving visual  and verbal literacy; integrating dance and literature; and  designing embedded assessments for the K-12 classroom.
      
  SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from  federal agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

 
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COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE

LET'S TALK:  RUNAWAY PREVENTION CURRICULUM
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2011
  National Runaway Switchboard, Department of Health and  Human Services

This material is designed to help educate youth about alternatives to running  away.  It is presented in 14 modules  offering lessons to help teachers and  community-based organizations lead discussions with youth.  Topics include communication and listening,  adolescent development, personal influences, peers, families,  roles and responsibilities, runaway reality, and  more. 
      
  SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from  federal agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

SELECT VIDEOS THAT ENCOURAGE  POSITIVE CHOICES
    http://www.pbs.org/teachers/healthfitness/inventory/mentalemotionalhealth-68.html
  Grades: 6-12

PBS has a selection of videos and clips to enhance positive  choices by students.  Included are:
  1-Cliques Online: Stereotypes (grades 6-12)
  2-Dealing with Anger (grades 3-8)
  3-Dealing with Death (grades 3-8)
  4-Depression (grades 3-8)
  5-Dying to Be Thin (grades 6-12)
  6-Embarrassing Moments (grades 3-8)
  7-Inside the Teenage Brain (grades 6-12)
  8-Middle School (grades 3-8)
  9-Pet Therapy (grades 3-9)

“5 GIRLS: ISSUES AND ANSWERS FOR TEENS” LESSON PLAN
    http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2001/5girls/intheclassroom/lesson2.html
  Grades: 6-12
  Explore and analyze teenage issues that could increase the risk of making  poor lifestyle decisions. Seek solutions to a teenage concern and create a  practical self-help publication.

EVERYDAY WAYS TO  TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT RESPECT
  http://www.pbs.org/parents/inclusivecommunities/differences.html

Find out  how you can encourage children to appreciate those different from themselves  and prepare them to live peaceably in a diverse world.

RAISE EMOTIONALLY  STRONG BOYS
  http://www.pbs.org/parents/raisingboys/emotion.html?campaign=parentsnews_2_boyemotion

Despite  what you may have heard, big boys do cry. So how do we help them  understand that they can be masculine — and have feelings too? Learn expert  strategies to help boys become emotionally strong young men

ARTHUR: A  "LOST" LIST
    http://pbskids.org/arthur/parentsteachers/activities/acts/lost_list.html
  Grades: Pre-K-2
 
  Explore feelings of fear and anxiety, and make a list of what you should do if  you are ever lost.

SOURCE: PBS Online

NEWSHOUR  EXTRA “A CLOSER  LOOK: UNEMPLOYMENT” LESSON PLAN
    http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/economics/unemployment.html
  Grades: 6-12

Analyze the  effects of unemployment nationwide and locally, and understand what it means to  be unemployed and who makes up this population. Use current data and local  unemployment rates to create graphs, publications and presentations.

SOURCE: PBS Teachers Newsletter
  http://www.pbs.org/teachers/preferences/

 
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EARLY CHILDHOOD

CRANK UP FROG'S RHYMING MACHINE
  http://pbskids.org/wordworld/characters/game_frm.html?campaign=parentsnews_3_frogrhyme

In WordWorld, words come alive, words save  the day, and words become a child's best friend. Now you and your preschooler  can help frog gather new words for his rhyming machine. How many WordThings can  you collect to fill the box?

SOURCE: PBS Parents
  http://pbs.org/parents/preferences/index.html

ARTHUR “BABIES” ACTIVITY
    http://pbskids.org/arthur/parentsteachers/activities/acts/babies.html
  Grades:  PreK-2

Explore the  proper way to care for, play with and treat babies by practicing with dolls or  stuffed animals. Role-play diapering, feeding, singing to and playing with an  imaginary baby.

HELP GEORGE SORT SHAPES
  http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/games/i_love_shapes/i_love_shapes.html?campaign=parentsnews_3_sortshapes

Curious  George has an important job: he needs your child's help sorting shapes as they  move down the conveyor belt. Don't let George fall behind! This game presents  the cognitive challenge of scanning the moving objects to find certain  characteristics.

SOURCE: PBS Teachers Newsletter
  http://www.pbs.org/teachers/preferences/

SESAME STREET:  COLOR ME HUNGRY
  http://pbskids.org/sesame/letter/colormehungry.html

Grover and  Cookie Monster learn about fruits and vegetables.

ALPHABET  KITCHEN: E - EDIBLE SPIDERS
    http://pbskids.org/mayaandmiguel/english/parentsteachers/activities/feng.html
  Grades: K-5
 
  Examine the characteristics and behavior of spiders, and write a poem about  spiders. Enhance lessons about the letter E with a video and recipe for  "Edible Spiders."

SOURCE: PBS  Online

BETWEEN THE  LIONS BOOKPLATE
  http://pbskids.org/lions/printables/misc/bookplate.html

Proclaim a  favorite book with a print-and-color label.

READING  RAINBOW COMMUNITY  MAP
  http://pbskids.org/readingrainbow/parents_and_teachers/activity_139.html

Trace a path  through your neighborhood with a community map.

BERENSTAIN BEARS:  OUR FAMILIES LESSON PLAN
    http://pbskids.org/berenstainbears/caregiver/outreach.html
  Grades: Pre-K-2
 
  Present information about the family cultures of families in the classroom. Identify  similarities and differences among families, and explore the value of embracing  other people's cultures.

SOURCE: PBS Online

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

This site connects children to interactive online  activities.

PROGRAMS	AGES
Barney	6 months-3 years
Teletubbies	1-4 years
Sesame Street	2-4 years
Berenstain Bears	2-7 years
Dragon Tales	2-7 years
Curious George	3-5 years
Mister Rogers	3-5 years
Boobah	3-6 years
Caillou	3-6 years
It’s a Big Big World	3-6 years
JAKERS!	4-6 years
Between the Lions	4-7 years
Clifford	4-7 years
Reading Rainbow	4-8 years
ZOOM	5-11 years
Arthur	6-9 years
Postcards from Buster	6-9 years
FETCH!	6-10 years
Maya & Miguel	6-11 years
Cyberchase	8-12 years

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GRANTS, AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

GRANTS TO REDUCE  ALCOHOL ABUSE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS DEADLINE THIS MONTH
    http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2008-1/010308a.html
  Estimated range of awards:  $250,000-$450,000
  Eligibility: LEAs that do not  currently have an active Grants to Reduce  Alcohol Abuse grant
  Project Period: up to 36 months
  Deadline: Feb. 19, 2008

Applications may be made online at the Grants.gov site.

IMPROVING LITERACY  THROUGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES GRANTS
    http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/index.html
  Deadline: April 21, 2008

Previous recipients from Arkansas  include Hot Springs School District, Brinkley  School District, Little   Rock School District  and Dollarway School   District in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, and Augusta  School District and Hoxie School District  in FY 2006.

NEW SCIENCE  SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE AT UALR
  Information: www.ualr.edu/sciencescholarship
  Applications: www.ualr.edu/admissions/
  Awards: up to $40,000 over four years ($10,000/year), plus Pell Grants

There is a new science scholarship  program available at UALR funded by the National Science Foundation.  A minimum of 18 scholarships will be awarded  to majors in biology, chemistry or geology.

ELEMENTARY AND  SECONDARY SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAMS
    http://www.ed.gov/programs/elseccounseling/index.html
  Deadline: March 27, 2008

This program provides funding to LEAs to establish or expand  elementary and secondary school counseling programs, with special consideration  given to applicants that can:

 

• Demonstrate the greatest need for counseling  services in the schools to be served;
•  
• Propose the most innovative and promising  approaches; and
•  
• Show the greatest potential for replication and  dissemination.

GILDER LEHRMAN SUMMER  SEMINARS
    http://www.gilderlehrman.org/teachers/seminars1.html
  Awards: $400 stipend, books and  teaching resources, room and board
  Eligibility: Public, parochial and  independent school teachers, National Park Service rangers
  Deadline: Feb. 15, 2008

These seminars are designed to  strengthen participants’ commitment to high quality history teaching.  Seminars provide intellectual stimulation and  a collaborative context for developing practical resources and strategies to  take back to the classroom.

Thanks  to Margaret Herrick, Social Studies Specialist, Arkansas Department of  Education

NEH THOMAS JEFFERSON:  PERSONALITY, CHARACTER AND PUBLIC LIFE INSTITUTE
    http://www.thomasjeffersonpersonalitycharacterandpubliclife.org
  Awards: Stipends of $3,000
  Institute dates: July 13 - Aug. 8,  2008
  Deadline: March 3, 2008

The first three weeks of this National  Endowment for the Humanities institute will be residence at Boston University.  The fourth week will be at Monticello.   Activities include presentations by leading Jefferson scholars, as well  as field trips to the Massachusetts Historical Society and Adams National   Historical Park.

Thanks  to Margaret Herrick, Social Studies Specialist, Arkansas Department of  Education

THE CHRISTOPHER  COLUMBUS AWARDS PROGRAM
    http://www.christophercolumbusawards.com/  
  Maximum Award: $25,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Walt  Disney World to attend the program’s National Championship Week
  Eligibility: teams of students in grades 6-8
  Deadline: March 17, 2008

This awards program combines science and technology with  community problem-solving.  Students work  in teams with the help of an adult coach to identify an issue they care about  and, using science and technology, work with experts, conduct research and put  their ideas to the test to develop an innovative solution.

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

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HEALTH, SAFETY AND FITNESS

FRONTLINE LESSON PLAN  EXAMINES HEALTH ISSUES
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/diet/
  Grades: 6-12

Identify health issues facing  Americans today and evaluate one's own food consumption.  Examine the USDA food pyramid and the impact it may have had on  weight gain and explore the impact of body image on young  people.

PBS KIDS HEALTH INITIATIVE FIGHTS CHILDHOOD OBESITY
    http://www.pbs.org/aboutpbs/news/20071203_healthinitiative.html
  Grades: K-12

This innovative multi-platform children’s health initiative  encourages kids and families to make healthy choices and help reverse the  rising rates of childhood obesity.

SOURCE: PBS Teachers Newsletter
  https://secure.connect.pbs.org/wbupload/Tnewsletter1216.htm

AMERICAN MASTERS:  ALICE WATERS: YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT LESSON PLAN
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/education/lesson24_overview.html
  Grades: 3-8
 
  Examine eating habits and determine how one can eat food that is healthier and  tastier. Develop a proposal and multimedia presentation about improving the  quality of food in the school.

SOURCE: PBS Online

THE GREAT  PANDEMIC
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2003
  Department of Health and Human Services

Examine the 1918 outbreak of the Spanish flu, which killed  an estimated 675,000 Americans and 30 to 50 million people  worldwide.  Learn about life in the U.S.  in 1918, the nation's health and medical care, and what happened when the pandemic struck.  Find out  how people fought it, the legacy it left, and what happened in your  state.  See photos, newspapers,  and other primary documents.  Read  biographies of key individuals.
      
  SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from  federal agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

PBS PARENTS “RESOLVE TO EAT SMART AND STAY HEALTHY”
    http://www.pbs.org/parents/parenthelpers/healthyfood.html
  Grades:  PreK-5

New Year's  resolutions aren't just for grown-ups. The start of 2008 brings an excellent  opportunity to talk with kids about how to make positive changes in their own  lives, including making healthy food choices. The key is to get them involved  in the process.

SOURCE: PBS Teachers Newsletter
  http://www.pbs.org/teachers/preferences/

GETTING CHILDREN  INVOLVED IN STAYING HEALTHY

• http://www.pbs.org/parents/parenthelpers/healthyfood.html?campaign=parentsnews_1_eatsmart
• http://www.pbs.org/parents/talkingwithkids/health/healthy.html?campaign=parentsnews_2_stayhealthy

Teach your child to stay well by  practicing healthy habits, including healthy  eating. Making a  game out of activities like hand washing and tooth brushing will keep the whole  family strong and smiling.

SOURCE: PBS Parents
  http://pbsparents.org

MAKING THE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE EVEN BETTER
  http://www.pbs.org/parents/goingtoschool/support_learner.html?campaign=parentsnews_2_supportlearn

Learn how to  help kids plan their time, get excited about learning, and make the most of  school.

SOURCE: PBS Parents
  http://pbs.org/parents/preferences/index.html

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HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES

EYES ON THE PRIZE II: AN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE SPECIAL PRESENTATION
  http://pressroom.pbs.org/programs/american_experience/eyes_on_the_prize.eps

This series takes an in-depth look at the civil rights  movement from the death of 14-year-old Emmett Till in Money, Miss., and the  Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott school desegregation, the march from Selma to  Montgomery and the Voting Rights Act.   

                                                                                                                               

Feb. 3, 2008	1 p.m.	“The Time Has    Come (1964-66)”
	2 p.m.	“Two    Societies (1966-68)”
Feb. 10, 2008	1 p.m.	“Power!    (1967-68)”
	2 p.m.	“The Promised    Land (1967-68)”
Feb. 17, 2008	1 p.m.	“Ain’t Gonna    Shuffle No More (1964-72)”
	2 p.m.	“A Nation of    Law (1968-71)”
Feb. 24, 2008	1 p.m.	“The Keys to    the Kingdom (1974-80)”
	2 p.m.	“Back to the    Movement (1979-mid 1980s)”

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “GRAND CENTRAL” AIRS FEB. 4

On the morning of  Jan. 8, 1902, a southbound commuter train traveling through a smoky, congested  tunnel in New York City’s  Grand Central Depot slammed into the real of another train, instantly killing  17 people, and injuring 38.  A  self-taught engineer’s innovative response to that crisis ultimately gave birth  to one of America’s  greatest architectural and technological monuments – Grand Central  Terminal.  When the terminal opened on  Feb. 12, 1913, it began a new era in travel.

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “KIT  CARSON” AIRS FEB. 18

Using rich archival  materials, this program looks into the contradictions that comprised the life  of Kit Carson.  Hero of dime novels, the  actual Carson  was fluent in Spanish and five Indian languages.  Tune in to find out how Carson helped spur a migration that would  change the West forever.

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE ANDREW JACKSON STUDY RESOURCES
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/07_jackson/index.html

If your class was intrigued by the complex personality of  the nation’s seventh president explored in the January 2008 broadcast of American Experience “Andrew Jackson,”  you can build on that interest by using this PBS teaching resource.  This site provides a general overview of Jackson, a description of  the era, domestic policy, foreign affairs and presidential politics.  You can also connect to the sites for other  presidents.

PBS KIDS AFRICA SEARCH FOR THE TREASURE OF THE MAGIC CALABASH
  http://www.pbs.org/wonders/Kids/quest/index.htm

Search the continent of Africa  and answer these questions to find the missing pieces that fell to earth.

TEACHER  WORKSHOPS: HISTORY
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2009
  Department of Education

This site offers presentations and handouts from summer workshop sessions  on the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails, Western expansion (1820-1850),  geography, effective practices in teaching history, using historical  documents in the classroom, the largest FBI file in the U.S.,  the Holocaust, teaching social studies to limited English  proficient students, teaching adolescents how to evaluate  history, and why Ben Franklin didn't fry (discovering  electricity the way history did).
      
  SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from  federal agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

WITH EYES OPEN:  UNDERSTANDING THE CYCLICAL NATURE OF LIFE LESSON PLAN
    http://www.pbs.org/witheyesopen/after_teachers_k5.html
  Grade Range: K-5
 
  Understand the cyclical nature of life, and examine the way things in the  natural world live, die or change form. Examine conceptions of the afterlife in  various cultures exploring myths, stories, poetry and burial customs.
 
  SOURCE: PBS Online

MAPS, MAPS, MAPS

Thanks to Maggie  Herrick, Social Studies Specialist, Arkansas Department of Education for these  map resources:

•  
• WorldAtlas.com provides facts, flags, and maps including every  continent, country, dependency, island, major city, ocean, province, state, and  territory on the planet! http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/world.htm
• 
   
• MapMachine Student Edition has photos, facts, and fun at:  http://java.nationalgeographic.com/studentatlas/
• 
   
• Education Place: Outline Maps may be printed and copied for  personal or classroom use: http://www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/
• 
   
• Map Lessons: The Route to Improved Geography Skills features  lessons to teach students about landforms, the global economy, maps from space,  and more. http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson287.shtml
• 
   
• National Atlas is a federal source for national maps and  geographic information that contains an online map maker, dynamic maps,  printable maps, articles, free geographic data, and more:  http://www.nationalatlas.gov/
• 
   
• USGS Learning Web: What Do Maps Show?  This site contains  several activities are presented to assist in teaching the concepts of reading  maps.  It includes a Teacher's Guide. http://interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/teachers/mapsshow.htm

COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG ELECTRONIC FIELD TRIPS SCHEDULE
  http://www.history.org/trips/

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

Thursday, Feb. 7,       9 a.m. and noon	No Master    Over Me         Ann Ashby tells the story of her life as a free black during the days    of slavery. Discover how she and her husband, Matthew, made a life for their    family: Matthew purchased his wife and children and had them freed. This is    the story of balancing between slave and free communities in a poignant    reminder of what our freedom is really worth.
Thursday, March 6,       Noon only	Treasure    Keepers (premiere)         You’ve seen their work in every museum—but what do conservators really    do? Learn how conservators prevent or slow the damage caused by “agents of    destruction.” Explore how and why preserving history is important for future    generations.
Thursday, April 10,       9 a.m. and noon	The    Industrious Tradesmen         Follow the lives of several journeymen fresh from their    apprenticeships in trades and business as they learn how skill and    opportunity will impact their careers. Discover which ones will achieve their    dreams and become masters of their own shops.

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LIBRARY, LITERATURE AND READING

MARCH 1 DEADLINE FOR ARKANSAS POETRY  OUT LOUD CONTEST
  http://arkedu.state.ar.us/commemos/custview.cgi?filename=3551

Poetry Out Loud is a program organized by the Arkansas Arts  Council in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry  Foundation. Poetry Out Loud encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great  poetry through memorization and performance. Through this program, students in  grades 9-12 are given assistance in developing strong public speaking skills  and in building self-confidence. All statewide high schools are invited to  participate in the contest.

ZORA NEALE HURSTON  PLAYS EXAMINE THE FOLKLORE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN SOUTH
    http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2020
  Library of Congress

These ten manuscripts went unpublished until their discovery  in 1997.  They reflect the life  experience, experience, travels, research and folklore of author,  anthropologist and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960).

SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from  federal agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION: RESEARCH AND BEST  PRACTICES
  http://www.pbs.org/teachers/librarymedia/tech-integration/index.html

How does the integration of technology and media improve instruction and  student learning? This PBS collection of recent research and best practices  provides answers and can help you plan the best approach for your students.

PBS PARENT’S GUIDE TO WRITING  AND LANGUAGE
    http://www.pbs.org/parents/readinglanguage/writing/main.html
  Grades: Pre-K-2

Tour a portfolio of  writing samples by one child from babyhood to third grade that help illustrate  how writing develops naturally as well as the relationship between reading and  writing.  Consider literacy signposts at  each level.

SOURCE: PBS Teachers Newsletter
  https://secure.connect.pbs.org/wbupload/Tnewsletter1216.htm

MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION PRESENTS “ KNOWING POE: SECRET  WRITING”
    http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/writer/secret.asp
  Grade Range: 6-12
 
  Learn about Edgar Allan Poe's love of secret writing and cryptograms, learn how  the secret code in his story "The Gold Bug" was created, read an  excerpt of the story and try your hand at solving some secret codes.

SOURCE: PBS Online

MARK TWAIN  PROJECT ONLINE
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2008
  MTPO, National Endowment for the Humanities

This site offers more than 2300 letters from Twain's correspondence between  1853 and 1880.  The ultimate aim of this  project is to produce a digital critical edition, fully annotated, of everything  Mark Twain wrote.   

SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from federal  agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

AMERICAN MASTERS “TRUMAN CAPOTE: OTHER VOICES, OTHER ROOMS” LESSON PLAN
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/education/lesson2_overview.html
  Grades: 6-12
 
  Learn about characterization in writing, and write a short story.

SOURCE: PBS Online

NEW SERVICE FOR  EDUCATORS AND PARENTS OF ADOLESCENT READERS IN GRADES 4-12
  http://adlit.org/

This new  service focuses  on helping students from grades 4-12 read and write better. AdLit.org offers  research-based articles, instructional material for classroom teachers, tips for  parents, book recommendations, exclusive interviews with top authors and a free, monthly e-newsletter  called Word Up!

MASTERPIECE  THEATER LITERARY  HISTORY TIMELINE
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/learningresources/literary_timeline.html#
  Grades: 9-12

Explore a  broad overview of the concurrent lifetimes of major authors during the  two-hundred-year period between 1800 and 2000. Examine information about authors  and their major works.

SOURCE: PBS Teachers Newsletter
  http://www.pbs.org/teachers/preferences/

NEW MASTERPIECE THEATRE

In January, 2008, Masterpiece Theatre introduced  a new look, new scheduling, and the first of three new hosts.  Gillian  Anderson made her debut as the host of Masterpiece  Classic on The Complete Jane Austen,  the showcase of all six of Austen's novels.

A new Masterpiece Classic host is not the only change to the  series.  The schedule now breaks the year into three  "seasons," each with its own host, stunning graphics and fresh take  on the series' famous theme music. In winter and spring, Masterpiece Classic will feature signature period dramas. In  summer, Masterpiece Mystery! will  present the best British mysteries, and in fall, Masterpiece Contemporary will show dramas set in modern times.

JAKERS! THE  ADVENTURES OF PIGGLEY WINKS “MY GRAND  STORY”
    http://pbskids.org/jakers/parentsteachers/activities/mygrandstory.html
  Grades: K-2

Listen to  stories about when an adult was young, write down the stories, decorate them  and send them to the adult.

SOURCE: PBS Teachers Newsletter
  http://www.pbs.org/teachers/preferences/

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MATH AND SCIENCE

NATURE “THE DESERT LIONS”
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/desertlions/
  Grades: 6-12

The world's  most extraordinary population of lions lives in the Namib Desert on Africa's  wild and forbidding Skeleton   Coast.  Philip Stander, a Namibian carnivore  specialist, first spotted these desert lions in the mid-1980s, watching in  disbelief as a lioness killed a fur seal in the waves and dragged it five miles  inland to feed her cubs. Twenty years later, the lions reappeared, giving him a  second chance to unravel their secrets.
   
  SOURCE: PBS Teachers Newsletter
  http://www.pbs.org/teachers/preferences/

NOVA “KRYPTOS: SEND A SECRET MESSAGE”
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3411/03.html
  Grades: 3-8

Use this  automatic encoder to write a note, encode it and send it to a friend for  decoding. Put an encoded message into the interactive to have it automatically  decoded.

SOURCE: PBS Teachers Newsletter
  http://www.pbs.org/teachers/preferences/

MEET THE GREENS –  LESSONS IN GREEN LIVING
  http://meetthegreens.pbskids.org/?campaign=list_thegreens?campaign=parentsnews_3_greens

THE GREENS is a new site for kids about sustainability and green living. The same  people who brought you Arthur and ZOOM want to get kids thinking about the world and their place in it  through animated online episodes, a kid's blog, and other updates.

SOURCE: PBS Parents
  http://pbsparents.org

NATURE: THE SEEDY SIDE OF PLANTS
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/plants/
  Grades: 6-12
 
  How does plant life accomplish the complex task of reproduction? Travel  around the globe--through lush  rainforests, arid deserts and backyards--to explore the remarkable ways that  plants have adapted to the unique conditions of their environment in order to  flourish.

SOURCE: PBS Online

EXPLORE BIOLOGICAL  MOLECULES, SELF-ASSEMBLY AND DNA
    http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2016
  Concord Consortium, National Science  Foundation

Watch  macromolecules and discover how things can assemble themselves on the molecular  level.  Learn how genetic information  stored in DNA is read by cells and used to build the proteins cells need.

SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from  federal agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

CYBERSURGERY LESSON  PLAN
    http://www.pbs.org/safarchive/4_class/45_pguides/pguide_605/4565_cyber.html
  Grades: 6-12

Explore remote robotic surgery and describe how a surgeon  can operate on a patient from any distance.   Create a simple version of a stereoscope to demonstrate the phenomenon  of generating three-dimensionality using left and right eye images.

SOURCE: PBS Teachers Newsletter
  https://secure.connect.pbs.org/wbupload/Tnewsletter1216.htm

TEACHING WITH  DATA SIMULATIONS
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2007
  SERC, National Science Foundation

Help students visualize abstract statistical concepts and see dynamic  processes behind the gathering, analysis, and interpretation of  statistics.  Each sample activity  includes instructions, teaching tips, assessment ideas, and  references. In one activity, students design a blind taste test of two sodas.  In another, students learn that larger sample  sizes produce better estimates and develop an appreciation  for factors affecting sampling variability.     

SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from  federal agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

“CAILLOU THE  ARCHITECT” INTERACTIVE ACTIVITY
  http://pbskids.org/caillou/immersivegames/?gameID=2
  Grades: Pre-K-2

Combine logic and creativity by  exploring various elements of architecture and decoration in  this interactive game. Build and decorate a virtual dollhouse by  clicking on an object and dragging it to the appropriate  place in the online "construction site."

“I LOVE SHAPES” LESSON PLAN
    http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/games/i_love_shapes/
  Grades: Pre-k-2

Curious George has a job and he needs help sorting shapes  and colors as objects go down the conveyor belt.

SOURCE: PBS Teachers Newsletter
  https://secure.connect.pbs.org/wbupload/Tnewsletter1216.htm

PEDAGOGY IN  ACTION
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2006
  SERC, National Science Foundation

Review more than 25 pedagogic techniques for teaching sciences  to undergraduates: case-based learning, game-based learning,  making and testing conjectures, peer review quantitative writing, role  playing, using spreadsheets, and others.  Find more than 600 learning activities in  biology, environmental science, geography, geoscience, math, and physics. 
      
  SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from federal  agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

“OUTFITTING A FIGHTER PILOT” INTERACTIVE  ONLINE ACTIVITY
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/warplanes/pilot.html
  Grades: 6-12

Students will learn  about the 40 pounds of flight gear used to keep pilots safe at 60,000 feet and  more than 1,875 miles per hour or what he needs in case he has to eject.

SOURCE: Companion  site to NOVA “Missing in MiG Alley”

THE CASE METHOD OF TEACHING SCIENCE
    http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2012
  State University of New York, National  Science Foundation

This  site provides case studies for use in teaching anatomy, chemistry, environment,  evolution, medicine and health, microbiology, molecular biology and genetics,  physics and engineering, plant science, psychology and other sciences.

SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from  federal agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

TIDES AND WATER LEVELS
    http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2019
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric  Administration

Examine the complex  systems that govern the movement of tiles and water levels.  Learn what causes tides, what determines  their frequencies and variations and how they are monitored and measured.

SOURCE: FREE (Federal  Resource for Educational Excellence) Web site of teaching resources from  federal agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

FREE AETN IDEAS PORTAL  AND AETN VIDEOSTREAMING WORKSHOPS

Times:
  8:30-11:30 a.m. workshops for  Arkansas IDEAS education portal
  1-4 p.m. workshops for AETN  Videostreaming

Dates:
  Feb. 14, 28, 2008
  March 13, 27, 2008
  April 10, 24, 2008
  May 8, 22, 2008

To register for one or more of  the workshops, or for more information, call 1-800-488-6689 or send e-mail to education@aetn.org.

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.

PBS TEACHERLINE  LAUNCES NEW WEB SITE
  http://www.pbs.org/teacherline/

This new Web site is designed to offer simpler, faster, and  more reliable access to professional development courses and all the resources  and information that learners rely on from PBS TeacherLine.

Learners will be able to easily find and manage their  professional development portfolio, participating PBS TeacherLine stations will  be able to easily order courses and enroll learners, and the general public  will be able to quickly learn more about PBS TeacherLine and all of the  professional development opportunities that are available through public  broadcasting.

TEACHER TO RANGER TO TEACHER PROGRAM IN NATIONAL  PARKS THIS SUMMER
    http://www.nps.gov/wupa/forteachers/trt.htm

Under this program,  selected teachers spend the summer working as park rangers, often living in the  park. They perform various duties depending on their interests and the needs of  the park, including developing and presenting interpretive programs for the  general public, staffing the visitor center desk, developing curriculum-based  materials for the park, or taking on special projects.

Then, during the  school year, these teacher-rangers bring the parks into the classroom by  developing and presenting curriculum-based lesson plans that draw on their  summer’s experience. In April, during National Park Week, teacher-rangers wear  their NPS uniforms to school, discuss their summer as a park ranger, and engage  students and other teachers in activities that relate to America’s  national parks.

 
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