Oral history teaching opportunity

In honor of Veterans Day, this month's StationBreak highlights resources for teaching about the experiences of soldiers who served in different U.S. wars. In particular, AETN's "In Their Words" oral history project is an exceptional resource for teaching about World War II veterans via primary sources - the veterans' own words. Students will be engaged as they hear the firsthand accounts of everyday people concerning all aspects of the war. The project includes a documentary, website, and workshop for teachers.

Veterans Day programming

This Veterans Day AETN will air a number of programs to commemorate the holiday:

2 p.m. - "Mormon Tabernacle Choir Salutes Our Armed Forces"
3 p.m. - "Coming Home"
4 p.m. - "Navy Heroes of Normandy"
5 p.m. - "World War II: Saving the Reality"
6 p.m. - "National Veterans Creative Arts Festival" (Taped in Fayetteville in 2011)
7 p.m. - "National Salute to Veterans 2012"
10 p.m. - "In Their Words: Their Journey: A Veteran's Tribute Tour"
11:30 p.m. - "Honor Flight"

"In Their Words: Their Journey: A Veteran's Tribute Tour" will air at 10 p.m. This portion of the award-winning project was created when AETN arranged for 47 veterans from across the state to visit the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., and documented their experiences. The film includes the oral history of four of the projects' participants.

Teacher resources

"In Their Words," AETN's World War II oral history collection, contains more than one hundred hours of testimony that can be accessed via the project's website. The interviews are searchable by veterans' general information, service information, and/or tour of duty. Further, stories can be searched based upon phase of the war, perspective, and whether the story is humorous, emotional, or opinionated.

Resources for teaching about World War II, including a timeline, maps, statistics, and a collection of lesson plans for a variety of subject areas, are also available on the site. Additionally, there is information about the homefront experience, including the war effort, radio programs, pop culture, and internment camps.

Resources available via AETN/PBS LearningMedia

"Perspectives on the Morality of Killing in Wartime" - This lesson plan (located under the Support Materials tab) explores the morality of killing in wartime through video clips from the film "Soldiers of Conscience." It is designed for students to learn about opposing arguments on the topic so that they may develop their own opinion and defend it in writing or in a debate.

"Coming Home From War" - This lesson plan utilizes clips from the film "The Way we Get By" and the film's accompanying website. The program is about a group of volunteers who have greeted nearly a million troops at an airport in Maine. Through the resources and activities in this lesson plan, students will compare and contrast the homecoming experiences of soldiers who served in World War II and the wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

The Servicemen's Readjustment Act - Images of the original document, as well as a transcript and background essay, are available.

Professional development

Available from ArkansasIDEAS, the course "In Their Words and Differentiation Across the Curriculum" explains everything an educator needs to know to make the most of AETN's "In Their Words" website. Employing differentiated instruction is discussed, as well.

Additionally, ArkansasIDEAS houses the following courses from ASCD:

• "Differentiated Instruction: An Introduction"
• "Differentiated Instruction: Learning More"
• "Differentiated Instruction: Responsive Instruction"
• "Differentiated Instruction: Using Assessment Effectively"

There is much more available from ArkansasIDEAS regarding differentiation. Just search the catalog with the key word "differentiate."

What's New

AETN, in partnership with the Arkansas Arts Educators, will host Portfolio Day 2012 Saturday, Nov. 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the network headquarters, 350 South Donaghey Avenue, Conway. The event is designed for high school students interested in pursuing a post-secondary education in an art-related degree program. Representatives of more than 20 colleges and universities throughout the region will be on hand to review students' portfolios and discuss programs and scholarship opportunities. Students are encouraged to select 10 to 15 pieces of their best work, using slides or photographs to show large two and three-dimensional and/or sculptural pieces. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., they will be able to meet with as many representatives as they choose. Students should be able to discuss the techniques and media they have used, as well as what influenced their creative processes. For more information, email dkoops@aetn.org.