ARKANSAS STUDIES

AETN'S AWARD WINNING  “HISTORIC BRIDGES OF ARKANSAS” AVAILABLE AS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE

Some bridges standing in Arkansas are nearly as old as the state  itself, but each year several of these structures are being lost to the ravages  of time and the demands of a modern roadway system.  In order to preserve these monuments for  generations to come, AETN partnered with the Arkansas Highway Department to  produce this documentary and online professional development course through  Arkansas IDEAS system.

This 2005 AETN production received Telly awards for  television productions.  The Telly Awards  included more than 12,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents.  In addition, this production won The Award of  Excellence from the prestigious Videographer Awards.

The program will air on AETN's educational Scholar channel  Saturday, Dec. 20, 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

NEW PROGRAM ABOUT THE  BUFFALO RIVER TO AIR ON AETN IN FEBRUARY

“The Buffalo Flows” is a one-hour documentary showcasing America’s first  national river.  “The Buffalo Flows” is  the first of many features in a yearlong celebration of Arkansas’s national and state parks to  coordinate with Ken Burns’ “The National Parks” series.  Watch for more broadcast information.

NEW LESSON PLAN   FOR LAKE  BREWER WATERSHED

A new lesson plan has been added  to the Arkansas Geographic Alliance Website. To review this lesson plan, go to arkansasgeographicalliance.com, click on  the Lesson Plan button, then on the Arkansas Geographic Alliance Lesson Plans  and Other Items link. This lesson plan explores the geography of the Lake Brewer  watershed by using the Five Geographic Skills. Lake  Brewer is the source from which the  City of Conway  derives its domestic water supply. This lesson plan can be adapted for grades 7  - 12.

Thanks to Dr. Brooks Green, Professor and Chair, UCA Department of Geography

ART AND MUSIC

GREAT  PERFORMANCES “CARNEGIE HALL OPENING NIGHT 2008:
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/  
  Grades: 6-12

Carnegie Hall opening night  concert features the San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael  Tilson Thomas, in an all-Bernstein program; with Dawn  Upshaw, Thomas Hampson and Yo-Yo Ma.

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

AMERICAN MASTERS “ANNIE LEIBOVITZ: LIFE THROUGH A LENS”
  http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/

Annie Leibovitz has produced  some of the most iconic images of the last 30 years and is,  arguably, America's  most influential woman photographer. She has shot  the rich and famous, the profound and powerful, the  exceptional and notorious.

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

NOVA “ART AUTHENTICATION” SHOWS INTERPLAY OF SCIENCE AND ART
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/0302/02.html

This 13-minute video will help students understand the use  of number patterns to authenticate masterpieces.  What is the role of the computer?

GREAT PERFORMANCES “DANCE IN AMERICA: SAN FRANCISCO BALLET'S  NUTCRACKER”
   
  While “The Nutcracker” first premiered in St.   Petersburg over a century ago, the ballet – and its  beguiling Tchaikovsky score – did  not receive its first full-length production in America  until the San Francisco Ballet presented the magical work in its entirety in  1944. This Christmas season, join GREAT  PERFORMANCES in the City by the Bay for San Francisco Ballet's dazzling new interpretation of the  holiday favorite, inspired by the San Francisco 1915 Pan-Pacific Exposition.  Hosted by Olympic gold medalist and native San Franciscan, Kristi Yamaguchi and  choreographed by artistic director Helgi Tomasson, this production features magnificent scenic  design by Michael Yeargan and opulent costumes by Martin Pakledinaz.

RICHARD TUCKER OPERA “SALUTE TO AMERICAN MUSIC”
  Monday, Dec. 15,  2008, 8:30-10 p.m.

From Avery  Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center,   New York, NY, this broadcast is a  concert in honor of the late American tenor Richard Tucker.

COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE

IT'S MY LIFE “CHEATING“
    http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/parents/resources/cheating.html
  Grades: 3-8
  Identify behaviors that count as  cheating. Explore cheating issues, such as copying  homework, copying material from the Internet and sharing answers on  a test.

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

WHAT MAKES A GOOD  CLASSROOM?
  http://www.pbs.org/parents/readinglanguage/articles/goodclassroom/main.html

This site will help parents and educators identify the  qualities that make a classroom right for learning.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

OUTSTANDING PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN

PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! programming  are among the most education-rich offerings on television, according to a new  report released by independent research and advocacy organization Children Now. With a carefully-selected  schedule packed with engaging series designed to boost four key areas of  childhood development – cognitive (including literacy, science, technology and  math), social, emotional and physical (guiding kids towards healthy living) – PBS  continues to be America's  top broadcaster for high-quality, educational children's programming.

CLIFFORD “FAMILY  PUPPETS”
    http://pbskids.org/clifford/parentsteachers/activities/believe_in_yourself/03_believe_in_yourself.html
  Grades: PreK -2
  Explore family dynamics by  making paper sack puppets that look and "act" like the  members of your family. Share what you like best about yourself, your  parents and your siblings, and demonstrate each person's skills  and talents in a puppet show.

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

“BOREDOOM BUSTERS”  HELP PARENTS
  http://www.pbs.org/parents/parenthelpers/boredom.html

These ideas help parents and caregivers battle boredom for  children.  Practical advice can save the  day.

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

JAMES H. ATKIUNSON  AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE TEACHING OF ARKANSAS  HISTORY
  Award: $1,000 and framed certificate
  Eligibility: Elementary or secondary teacher of Arkansas  History
  Deadline: March 1, 2009

This award is given in honor of James H. Atkinson, founder  and twice president of the Pulaski County Historical Society and editor of the  journal for more than ten years.   Entrants must complete four copies of the official entry form.  For a copy of the form, contact the  Association.
  Arkansas Historical  Association
  Department of History
  Old Main 416
  University of Arkansas
  Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
  479/575-5884

GRANTS FROM PEN WEEKLY NEWSBLAST

Source for the  following grant information is:
    PEN  WEEKLY NEWSBLAST 
http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_grants.asp 
  This  site includes grant opportunity, Web links, deadlines, eligibility and maximum  grant amounts.

KNOWLES SCIENCE  TEACHING FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP
    http://www.kstf.org/teaching_fellowships_home.aspx
  Eligibility: Individuals who have earned at least a  bachelor’s degree in a biological science, physical science, mathematics or engineering  before the fellowship begins June 2009
  Maximum Award: 5 years of professional and financial support  valued at $150,000
  Deadline: Jan. 14, 2009

These fellowships are awarded to qualified young men and  women committed to teaching high school science and mathematics in American  schools.

HORACE MANN   COLLEGE COURSE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR EDUCATORS
    https://www.horacemann.com/resources/scholarships/default.aspx
  Eligibility: Educators employed by U.S. public and private schools  with at least two years of teaching experience
  Maximum Award: $5,000
  Deadline: March 12, 2009

This program provides scholarships for educators to take  college courses.

ALLSTATE GRANTS FOR  NATIONAL AND LOCAL PROGRAMS
    http://www.allstate.com/foundation/funding-guidelines.aspx
  Eligibility: 501( c )(3) organizations
  Maximum Award: Varies
  Deadline: N/A

Grants are awarded in three areas:

  1) Safe and Vital Communities:  catastrophe response, youth anti-violence, neighborhood revitalization or teen  safe driving.
  2) Economic Empowerment:  financial and economic literacy, insurance education, or empowerment for  victims of domestic violence.
  3) Tolerance, Inclusion and  Diversity: teaching tolerance to youth, ending hate crimes or alleviating  discrimination

HEALTH, SAFETY AND FITNESS

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY
  http://www.pbs.org/parents/teachersourcetips/schoolbus.html

Riding a school bus can be an exciting experience for a  child, but it does require some special safety care.

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

GO FOR THE GOLD  WITH CYBERCHASE
  http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/cyberolympics/?campaign=parentsnews_3_cyberolympics

Let your child compete for the gold in the Cyberchase Olympics. Click to let the games begin!

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

HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES

EDITORIAL CARTOONS  PROVIDE UNIQUE LOOK AT SOCIAL STUDIES
  http://hti.osu.edu/opper

The Opper Project Web site provides social studies instructors with the information  necessary to introduce students to using editorial cartoons as primary sources.  Named after Ohioan Frederick Burr Opper, the first great American-born  cartoonist, the Opper Project is an online collection of historic editorial  cartoons.

The cartoons, which span over  one-hundred years of American history, are organized topically with associated  lesson plans. Maintained by the Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library  and History Department, this Web site provides middle school,  high school, and college instructors with lesson plans and  classroom materials.

All the cartoons are evocative  and teachable, and the topics available include a wide variety of central  historical events and periods, including Reconstruction, American Imperialism, immigration,  several reform and rights movements, and American involvement in international  conflicts.

SECRETS OF THE PARTHENON PROVIDES CROSS-CURRICULUM HISTORY AND MATH STUDY
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/parthenon/program.html

Step back in time  to discover the social, civic and aesthetic principles that prompted and  enabled the ancient Greeks to design and build the Parthenon with its unusual  angles and visual references.  Discover  the democratic process that enabled the Parthenon to be built.

NATIVE AMERICAN FILMMAKERS SHARE THEIR  STORIES
  http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wgbh/events.eventsmain?action=showEvent&eventID=812938

ReelNative  gives voice to contemporary issues of Native American people across the  country. Ranging in age from 14 to 55, the ReelNative filmmakers generously  share their stories of self-discovery, personal or professional growth,  familial relationships, and tribal issues. Quirky, touching, funny, and  profound, these films reveal the diversity of contemporary Native experience  and the resilience of Native people and culture.

Watch  for more information about the series, the AETN production of Arkansas’s First People, storytelling  events, and Web site resources.

WORK STARTS ON NEW VISITOR  CENTER FOR PEARL   HARBOR MEMORIAL

In 1941 the U.S.  Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor suffered a  catastrophic blow from a sneak attack by Japanese forces.  Years later survivors of that attack helped  with the groundbreaking for the original visitor center for the Pearl Harbor  Memorial.  The center is now being  replaced because the visitor center was built on reclaimed land and water is  seeping into its basement, eroding the building.

Help your students  understand the importance of this attack.   What happened?  Why was it important  to have a memorial at this site?  How  much was destroyed?  How many people died  in this attack?  Why did the Japanese  make the decision to attack? 
   

We must always remember our  history.  While there were painful  lessons learned, it is also the source of our inner strength and our  spirit.  We must never allow that torch  to flicker out.
 
U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Hawaii
  World War II Veteran

For a better  understanding of that war and the people who fought it, be sure to visit AETN's In Their Words Web site at http://www.intheirwords.org/. 

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

LIBRARY, LITERATURE AND READING

PBS MEDIA LITERACY
  http://www.pbs.org/teachers/media_lit/index.html

How do you help your students succeed in a media-filled world? Do they know  how media is created? Can they analyze the messages that inform, entertain, and  sell to us everyday? Have they created their own media messages?

PRESENTING JAMES  AGEE’S “A DEATH IN THE FAMILY” FOR THE CLASSROOM
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/americancollection/death/tguide.html
  Grades: 9-12

Study the life and work of James Agee. Determine the extent to which James Agee's  characters in "A Death in the Family" are real or idealistic, and  explore Agee's themes of grief, religion, music and coming of age.

READING AND EMERGENT LITERACY SKILLS
  http://www.pbs.org/teachers/readlanguage/inventory/readingemergentliteracyskills-35.html

This PBS Web site has 63 resources for grades 3-9.  Check for other grade levels by going through  the “Reading & Language Arts” access point.

MATH AND SCIENCE

STEVE BARNES: A CONVERSATION  WITH RICHARD LEAKEY
  Friday, Dec. 19,  2008, 6:30-7 p.m. and
  Thursday, Dec. 25,  2008, 6:30-7 p.m.

Join Steve Barnes  conversation with Richard Leakey, a famous scientist in his own right and son  of paleoanthropologists Louis and Mary Leakey. 

NOVA “THE  RACE FOR ABSOLUTE ZERO”
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/zero/program.html
  Tuesday, December  23, 2008, 8-10 p.m.

In addition to  watching the broadcast on AETN, students can watch these ten segments online at  the Web site identified above.  Students  will be able to join the search for absolute zero.

NOVA PROGRAM EXPLORES FRACTAL GEOMETRY
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/

 “Hunting the Hidden Dimension” presents the  path-breaking fractal concepts of Benoit  Mandelbrot.  Students who think “outside  the box” may be fascinated by this approach to mathematics.  The program delves into the ways fractals are  used in video special effects, cancer research, the measurement of sea coasts,  the design of fabrics and other aspects of life.

To  view all five chapters of this program, visit
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/program.html

PBS PARENTS GUIDE TO EARLY MATH “TICKETS PLEASE”
    http://www.pbs.org/parents/earlymath/grades_games_tickets.html
  Grades: PreK -2

Explore different number  combinations that add up to the same number. Leveled for one-digit  and two-digit sums.

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

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

THE TRIP FOR A  LIFETIME TRAVEL STUDY
  Location: National University  of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
  Seminar: “Education in Ireland”
  Credits: 6 Graduate Credits
  Dates: July 2-25, 2009
  Contact:  E-mail lilysky@ncia.net or call Barney Keenan,  NUI Coordinator, 603-466-2972

Join the 2009 Travel/Study Program for Teachers and  Administrators at the National University of Ireland  in Galway.   This will be a comparative study of Irish and American educational  systems.

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.