February 2012

CAT IN THE HAT MARATHON AND LIBRARY TOUR IN ARKANSAS

Tune into AETN for the Cat in the Hat-A-Thon, a two-hour event premiering on PBS KIDS March 2. AETN will host screenings of "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!" and a visit from the Cat costume character in Little Rock, El Dorado and Jonesboro Feb. 20-24. The Cat in the Hat-A-Thon celebrates the National Education Association�s Read Across America initiative, an annual motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss. The two-hour marathon features four episodes of "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!"

ARKANSAS STUDIES

ARKANSAS HISTORY RESOURCE HUB AVAILABLE ONLINE
http://www.arhistoryhub.com/

The Arkansas History Hub is described as an interactive tool that assembles resources from history institutions across the state into a centralized, easy-to-use website.

It allows teachers to exchange ideas, enhance their lesson plans and download classroom materials about Arkansas history.

A short video at http://player.vimeo.com/video/27878665?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&autoplay=1 will introduce you to the Hub.

ART AND MUSIC

GREAT PERFORMANCES “VIENNA PHILHARMONIC SUMMER NIGHT 2011”
http://video.pbs.org/video/2089656909
The Vienna Philharmonic brings you an evening of entertainment conducted by Valery Gergiev and featuring the works of Franz Liszt, Niccolo Paganini, Modest Mussorgsky, and Johann Strauss.

COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE

“HIDDEN WOUNDS” HELPS ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF SELF-CUTTING
http://www.aetn.org/education/productions/hiddenwounds

Do you suspect that a student may be self-cutting? This site can help you address the problem.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

INSPIRING KIDS TO LOVE THEIR DIFFERENCES
http://www.pbs.org/parents/experts/archive/2012/01/inspiring-kids-to-love-their-d.html

Many kids have a particular characteristic that makes them unique. While they may feel that's a bad thing, parents can help them learn to embrace the beauty and power those differences bring. Visit this site to see how to begin.

SOURCE: PBS Parents Magazine

HELP FOR PARENTS TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN

Parents can select programs from the list below to help their children learn basic concepts. If a seven year-old child is having trouble with reading and writing, the list will show Arthur, Between the Lions, Electric Company, Martha Speaks, Super WHY, Word Girl and Word World as appropriate resources. By going to the program Web sites, parent and child can play the games, do the activities, color the activity pages and explore the world of reading together.

PROGRAMS BY FOCUS AREAS

PROGRAM	AGE	FOCUS
Arthur http://pbskids.org/arthur/	6-9 years	Reading, writing, social skills
Between The Lions http://pbskids.org/lions/	4-7 years	Reading
Caillou http://pbskids.org/caillou/	3-6 years	Social skills
The Cat in the Hat http://pbskids.org/catinthehat/	4-6 years	Social skills
Clifford the Big Red Dog http://pbskids.org/clifford/index-brd-flash.html	4-7 years	Social skills
Curious George http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/	3-5 years	Science, engineering, math
Cyberchase http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/	8-12 years	Math
Dragon Tales http://pbskids.org/dragontales/index_sw.html	2-7 years	Social skills
Electric Company http://pbskids.org/electriccompany/#/Home/	6-9 years	Reading
Fetch with Ruff Ruffman http://pbskids.org/fetch/	6-10 years	Social skills, problem solving
Martha Speaks http://pbskids.org/martha/	4-7 years	Reading
Maya & Miguel http://pbskids.org/mayaandmiguel/flash.html	6-11 years	Spanish language, social skills
Mr. Rogers http://pbskids.org/rogers/	3-5 years	Social skills, self-esteem
Sesame Street http://pbskids.org/sesame/	2-4 years	Reading, math, social skills
Sid the Science Kid http://pbskids.org/sid/	3-6 years	Science
Super WHY! http://pbskids.org/superwhy/#	6-8 years	Reading
Word Girl http://pbskids.org/wordgirl/	6-8 years	Reading
Word World http://pbskids.org/wordworld/index_flash.html	6-8 years	Reading

CHILD DEVELOPMENT TRACKER
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/
A child's development is unique and complex. Although children develop through a generally predictable sequence of steps and milestones, they may not proceed through these steps in the same way or at the same time. A child's development is greatly influenced by factors in his or her environment and the experiences he or she has.
The information provided by this tool is considered by experts as a representation of "widely-held expectations" for what an average child might achieve within a given year. Please consider this in the context of your child's unique development.

SOURCE: PBS Parents

GRANTS, AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

DHS HS–STEM CAREER DEVELOPMENT GRANTS (CDG)
http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=2dLMPd1dlYJzQvvwvppj84HG2LdvFbLrPnLLpyTyNxrQyN0LR22H!347337819?oppId=138893&mode=VIEW

Eligible institutions include U.S. accredited four-year colleges and universities with an existing and/or proposed homeland security-related science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (HS-STEM) research and/or education programs.

Grant Resources

Arkansas Department of Education grant listings http://arkansased.org/programs/grants.html
Technology grant information at http://www.vernier.com/grants/fulllist.html
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.

FREE makes it easier to find teaching and learning resources from the federal government at http://www.free.ed.gov/.

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

TALKING TO KIDS IN THE AFTERMATH OF SCARY NEWS
http://video.pbs.org/video/1946355245

This discussion can help dealing with children about scary news in age-appropriate ways. Help children deal with loss.

HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “CUSTER’S LAST STAND”
http://video.pbs.org/video/2186572157/

See how Custer’s sense of the dramatic shaped his career. This program takes a look at Custer’s personal life. How did his wife’s desire for the romantic determine her reaction and support for Custer when he was punished by the army? On the brink of financial ruin, Custer makes some fateful decisions.

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE
http://video.pbs.org/video/1580409782

Retrace the steps and decisions that caused a collision of New World and Old World values to shape the current outcome.

MEXICO & PERU: A HIDDEN RACE
http://video.pbs.org/video/1915580662

Trace the ethnic origins in Mexico and Peru. How did the heritage of slavery shape the development of these two nations?

COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG ELECTRONIC FIELD TRIPS SCHEDULE
http://www.history.org/history/teaching/eft/eft_upcoming.cfm

Teach American history with the new Electronic Field Trip season. This year’s live, interactive lessons explore the ratification of the US Constitution, Westward expansion, The War of 1812, slavery, as well as the rights of women and youth.

“When Freedom Came”

Broadcast premiere
February 16, 2012

Everyone knows Abraham Lincoln freed all the slaves . . . or did he? Freedom came to enslaved people over the course of many months and years — and it arrived in different ways in different places. Discover how enslaved Americans made everyday choices during the Civil War that helped bring about their freedom.

“Remember the Ladies”

March 15, 2012

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.

“Rights of Youth”

April 19, 2012

Imprisonment, whipping, forced transportation, and even death were some of the punishments that courts sentenced children to in the eighteenth century. Witness how justice was administered at a time when criminal laws and sentencing guidelines made few or no exceptions for children.

Colonial Williamsburg online Teacher Community: http://www.history.org/history/teaching/index.cfm

LIBRARY, LITERATURE AND READING

Viewer Favorites Return to Masterpiece Classic
Downton Abbey Season 2 January 8 to February 19, 2012	Downton Abbey season 2 resumes the story of aristocrats and servants in the tumultuous World War I era. The international hit is written by Julian Fellowes and stars Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern, and Hugh Bonneville, plus a drawing room full of new actors, portraying the loves, feuds, and sacrifices of a glittering culture thrown into crisis.
Great Expectations April 1 & 8, 2012	Widely considered one of the greatest novels by Charles Dickens, Great Expectations tells the story of Pip the battered orphan boy, who rises from blacksmith's apprentice to gentleman under the patronage of a mysterious benefactor, who assures him of "great expectations
The Mystery of Edwin Drood April 15, 2012	An adaptation and completion of Charles Dickens' last novel left unfinished at the halfway mark at his death, The Mystery Of Edwin Drood is a psychological thriller about a provincial choirmaster's obsession with 17-year-old Rosa Bud and the lengths he will go to attain her.
Birdsong April 22 & 29, 2012 at 9pm	An adaptation of Sebastian Faulk's novel about lovers torn apart by World War I. Eddie Redmayne (The Pillars of the Earth) plays Stephen Wrayford, whose pre-war affair with Isabelle Azaire (Clemence Poesy, Harry Potter films) has an enduring effect on him as he fights in the trenches.
40 YEARS OF MASTERPIECE LOCATIONS http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/locations/index.html From the majestic Highclere Castle used as the setting for Downton Abbey to the untouched village of Lacock, featured in Cranford and Return to Cranford, Masterpiece has showcased some of the most splendid locations in Great Britain and around the world. Now, for the first time, explore some of the most beloved and intriguing Masterpiece locations and add your own comments and travel tips.

MATH AND SCIENCE

PBS LEARNING VIDEO FOR THE CLASSROOM: TENTHS AND DECIMALS
Grades: 3-6
Video runtime: 3:12

The CyberSquad uses decimals to replace railroad track at http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/content/vtl07.math.number.dec.tendecimal/.

NOVA “DEADLIEST VOLCANOES”
http://video.pbs.org/video/2182459039

This episode describes the basics of volcanic eruptions, as well as the differences displayed by these deadliest of volcanoes. Related resources include an “Anatomy of a Volcano” and scientists look to outer space technologies for volcano warnings.

PLAN B: MOBILIZING TO SAVE THE PLANET
http://video.pbs.org/video/1864227276

Could food shortages bring down our civilizations? Climate and environmental changes are on the verge of reshaping our world. Lester Brown shares the indicators we need to keep in mind as we make decisions.

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