November 2008

ARKANSAS STUDIES

IT STARTED HERE: EARLY ARKANSAS AND THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE
  Broadcast date/time:  Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008, 6:30-7 p.m.

In the  autumn of 1815, two federal land surveying teams met in a swamp between the  mouths of the Arkansas and St. Francis Rivers  and marked the initial point for the territory   of Louisiana. The rest of  the lands of the Louisiana Purchase, all the way to the Canadian Border, were  surveyed and originated from that remote delta region of eastern Arkansas. Surveyors  established a starting point in this headwater swamp for land surveys of the  states of Arkansas, Iowa,  Minnesota, Missouri,  and the Dakotas.

There are  teaching materials available at www.lapurchase.org and approved by Department of Education with grade 5-8 emphasis. 

IN THEIR WORDS “THEIR JOURNEY: A VETERAN’S TRIBUTE TOUR”
    http://thewar.aetn.org/theirjourney
  Broadcast date/time:  Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008, 2-3:30 p.m.

The  Arkansas Educational Television Network arranged for 47 World War II veterans  from across the state to travel to Washington,   D.C., to visit the National World  War II Memorial in a four-day "Tribute Tour" in June. That trip has  now been made into a 90-minute documentary that will premiere Sunday, Sept. 23,  at 5 p.m. on AETN.

MEN AND WOMEN OF DISTINCTION “JUDGE  MORRIS ARNOLD”
  Broadcast dates/times:  Monday, Nov. 17, 2008, 9:30-10 p.m.
  Friday, Nov. 21,  6:30-7 p.m.
  Wednesday, Nov. 26,  2008, 6:30-7 p.m.

Born in Texarkana  and descending from a long line of lawyers, Judge Morris Arnold is a person of  distinction in Arkansas  for his work as a Federal Judge and his research into Colonial Arkansas. Judge  Arnold's early career in law involved English legal history, a topic he taught  at several universities, including Harvard. Arnold  returned to Arkansas  to teach at UALR before being appointed US District Judge for the Western  District of Arkansas in 1985.

In 1992 Arnold was appointed to the 8th Circuit Court  of Appeals where his brother, Richard Arnold had sat as a Judge since 1979. But  Arnold is also  the state's resident expert on Colonial Arkansas. Traveling around the world to  France and Spain, Arnold dug  deep into the archives to uncover what life was like in 17th century Arkansas and has  provided the state with a treasure trove of lost history.

TROUBLED WATER AIRS ON SCHOLAR CHANNEL
  Broadcast date/time: Saturday,  Nov. 15, 20087, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Scholar Channel
  Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008, 7-8  a.m., Scholar Channel

This 60-minute AETN produced  documentary traveled across the state to learn more about the potential for a  water crisis.  This program is made  possible in part by funding from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.

DELTA DREAMS AIRS ON SCHOLAR CHANNEL
  Broadcast dates and times: Tuesday,  Dec. 16, 2008, 12-1 a.m.
  and Saturday, Dec. 20, 2008, 2-3  a.m.

Delta Dreams is a story  that is told primarily by a cross section of the men and women, young and old,  who live in the Helena-West Helena community. They include planters and  farmers, businessmen and teachers, high schools and college students, working  people and small business owners, community leaders and people trying to escape  poverty.

The  program presents a portrait of the town as it was in its glory day, a  description of how and why it declined, the formation of a plan for recovery by  the community in conjunction with Southern Bancorp and the Walton Foundation;  the efforts of local people to start new businesses including building tourism  around the town’s history and tradition of music; the troubled and present  racial history of the community; and the efforts to overcome the devastating  effects of poverty through education.  This program is made possible in  part by funding from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.

KIDS AND FAMILY FUN  AT THE ARKANSAS  STATE PARKS
  http://www.arkansaskids.com/

Check out this fun Web site to learn about things as diverse  as a mushroom workshop, the Easter Egg Hunt, watermelon festivals and other  interesting activities.  “Caroling in the  Forest” will be Dec. 13, 2008. 

ART AND MUSIC

FROM THE TOP: FOUND SOUND
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/fromthetop/for-teachers/season-2/201/found_sound.php
  Grades: 6-12

Compose and  record a "found percussion" piece using materials at hand in the  classroom, your body and rhythms identified in the environment.

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

COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE

MOVING BEYOND “MEAN  GIRLS”
  http://www.pbs.org/parents/experts/archive/2008/10/moving-beyond-mean-girls...

Lyn  Mikel Brown, an author and expert on girls' social and psychological  development, is discussing the "mean girls" phenomenon and how girls  can move past it. Learn strategies to support the best in all girls.
    FREE “EMPOWERING PARENTS”  SCHOOL BOX
http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/involve/schoolbox/index.html
  The U. S. Department of Education  has developed a publication, "Empowering Parents School Box: A Tool To  Equip Parents For the School Year," that it is distributing free of  charge. The school box contains three booklets: What Parents Need to Know,  Taking a Closer Look, and Learning Checklists; a brochure: Examples of  Resources; a poster: Empowered Parents Stay Involved With School; a bookmark;  and a door hanger.
  The school box provides tips on  working with children from birth to high school; guidelines for taking  advantage of free tutoring opportunities; steps for selecting a high-quality  school; ways to get involved in children's schools; information about financial  aid and scholarships; and resources for improving learning. It also includes  success stories of schools where parent involvement made a difference.
  SOURCE: PEN WEEKLY  NEWSBLAST 
http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_grants.asp

EARLY CHILDHOOD

ENCOURAGING CREATIVITY
  http://www.pbs.org/parents/creativity/np_elements...

Young children are naturally creative because they haven't  yet learned conventional ways of thinking about the world. How can you  encourage this creativity in the very young -- and help them retain that spirit  of exploration as they grow?

SOURCE:  PBS  Parents
  http://www.pbs.org/parents/

PROGRAMS BY FOCUS AREAS

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

GRANTS, AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

GRANTS FOR NATIVE PLANT LANDSCAPING
    http://www.for-wild.org/sfecvr.html
  Eligibility:  Schools, nature centers, non-profit educational organizations
  Deadline: Nov. 15,  2008

Small monetary  awards available for the purchase of native plants and seeds.

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

SEAWORLD/BUSCH GARDENS:  ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS
    http://www.swbg-animals.org/conservation-matters/eea/about.htm
  Eligibility: Grades  K-12 schools and community organizations
  Maximum award:  $10,000
  Deadline: Nov. 26,  2008

Awards recognize  outstanding grassroots efforts by students and teachers to protect and preserve  the environment.

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
  Eligibility: Youth  sports organizations
  Maximum award:  $2,500
  Deadline: Nov. 30,  2008

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

HEALTH, SAFETY AND FITNESS

IN THE MIX “ECSTASY”
    http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/educators/ecstasy_guide.html
  Grades: 6-12
  Consider the  physical, emotional and legal realities of using the drug Ecstasy. Find out how  decreased levels of seratonin, caused by Ecstasy use, affect mood, memory,  sleep and sensitivity to pain.

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

CYBERCHASE “MAZE & MARBLES”
    http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/timekeeping/timekeeping.html
  Grades: K-2

Practice  hand-eye coordination while trying to get marbles through a maze while the  clock is ticking.

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

HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES

NEWSHOUR AND PBS PARTNER WITH YOUTUBE FOR “VIDEO YOUR VOTE” AND  FREE FLIP CAMERA
  eberryman@newshour.org

Do you have  students in your classes who are voting for the first time? Do you want to get  a free Flip camera? The NewsHour and  PBS are partnering with YouTube on an exciting new project called "Video  Your Vote," which will look at the health of democracy in America  by focusing on issues surrounding voting and attitudes towards voting.

They are  looking for classrooms across the country to participate and receive a free  Flip camera. Each class will record and upload 10 short videos about the voting  experience, contributing to a special YouTube pool of clips on the topic. If  interested, send an email to eberryman@newshour.org with your name, email, and short description of your class and what you'd like  to do.

SLAVERY AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA: THE CHALLENGE OF FREEDOM
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/
  Grades:  9-12

Students  follow the life of Robert Smalls, a South    Carolina slave, through the Civil War, Reconstruction  and beyond. Morgan Freeman narrates.

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

KEN BURNS  AMERICAN STORIES “THE STATUE OF LIBERTY”  LESSON PLAN
    http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/statueofliberty/educators/
  Grades: 3-8

Define liberty and understand  how a concept can be embodied or personified in a statue. Study  the poem "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus in which the Statue  of Liberty "speaks" to us.

SOURCE: PBS Teachers
  teachers@pbs.org

“FLYING SOLO WITH MY DIGITAL CAMERA” LESSON PLAN
    http://uw.kqed.org/edresources/plan.php?id=38
  Grades: 3-5

Learn about  the experiences of several Latin-American immigrants who have recently moved to  the U.S. Create a classroom book of digital photographs that tells the stories  of immigrants you know.

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

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.

LIBRARY, LITERATURE AND READING

GEORGIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING: SALSA  PLAYROOM “PIZZA GAME”
    http://www.gpb.org/public/education/salsa/index.jsp?pcode=sequence
  Grade: K-2

Practice  Spanish vocabulary related to a variety of foods by placing foods into a pizza  when prompted. Demonstrate knowledge of Spanish words for apple, tomato, ice  cream, candy, cheese, milk, French fries, hamburger and more.

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

 “THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP”

How does a master of serial writing create such enduring and  believable characters that crowds in America waited on the docks to find out  “Is Nell dead” and attracted unprecedented numbers of readers.  Masterpiece  Theatre will present a production of Charles Dickens’ “The Old Curiosity  Shop” in 2009.  This may be a challenge  for your own students to delve deeper into the work and the times of Dickens.  Watch for future broadcast information. 

MATH AND SCIENCE

 FREE NATURE VIDEO AVAILABLE FOR EDUCATIONAL  USE
  http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/database.html

NATURE Online, the award-winning Web companion to PBS’ broadcast series is now  offering educators more than 40 downloadable video segments that can be shared  with students and colleagues in any kind of free, educational presentation.

NATURE’s video segments, ranging in  length from approximately 30 seconds to 5 minutes, may be incorporated into  standards based lesson plans. The segments can be downloaded to personal  computers or compatible viewing devices; usage is restricted to the United States  only. In addition to video segments, there are hundreds of still images that  are shareable, printable and saveable.

MATH CAN TAKE YOU PLACES “WORLD TRAVELER BINGO”
    http://www.mathcantakeyouplaces.org/teachers/games.lasso
  Grades: 3-5
  Solve measurement  problems, including conversion problems, and answer measurement conversion  questions to cover spaces on a World Travel Bingo card.

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

NOVA “MONSTER OF THE  MILKY WAY”
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blackhole/
  Grades: 6-12

NOVA mounts a mind-bending investigation into one of the most bizarre  corners of cosmological science: the truth about black holes.

“COOK WITH CAILLOU” PROJECT
    http://pbskids.org/caillou/parentsteachers/act_cook1.html
  Grades: PreK

Cook or bake  from simple recipes, measure recipe ingredients and work cooperatively to  follow the recipe.

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

NOVA “KINGS OF CAMOUFLAGE”
    http://www.pbs.org/search/redir/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/camo/
  Grades: 6-12

Cuttlefish  are some of the strangest animals on the planet.  These shape-shifting creatures can hypnotize  their prey, impersonate the opposite sex, and even kill with lightning fast  speed. More accomplished masters of disguise than any chameleon; they have a  remarkable ability to change their skin color -- even their shape -- to blend  into most any background.

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

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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.

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.