ARKANSAS STUDIES

ARKANSAS STATE PARKS WELCOME YOU AND YOUR  CLASS
  http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/education/#welcome

Arkansas State    Parks and museums are a teacher's paradise. They are probably  the most-used "non-traditional classroom" in Arkansas. Arkansas State Parks are an  important part of Arkansas's  education system.

MAP OF THE TRAIL OF TEARS THROUGH ARKANSAS
  http://www.anpa.ualr.edu/trail_of_tears/indian_removal_project/illustratedmap/map.htm

The Sequoyah  Research Center American Native Press Archives provides an online map with links  to photos of sites along the way.

OLD STATE HOUSE OF ARKANSAS
  http://www.oldstatehouse.com/general_information/history/overview.asp

What do the Old  State House of Arkansas and the Kentucky  capitol building have in common?  Why did  Arkansas  legislators threaten construction workers with bodily harm?  Find out the answers to these and other  questions at this Web site.

ART AND MUSIC

GREAT CONVERSATIONS IN MUSIC
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2091
  Library of Congress

Follow interviews with  distinguished musicians and composers.   Host is Eugene Istomin (1925-2003), one of the world's most admired  classical musicians.  The series includes  conversations with Mstislav Rostropovich, Yo-Yo Ma, Milton Babbitt, and  others.  Topics include piano performance  technique, modern contemporary music, the essence of the string quartet, the  influence of master teachers, and lessons from the great virtuosos of the past.

SOURCE: FREE Resources from Federal Agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

ART BEAT AT SCHOOL “VAUDEVILLIAN, HERE WE COME!” LESSON PLAN
    http://www.opb.org/education/atschool/lesson.php?rowid=58
  Grades: 3-8

This Oregon Public Broadcasting  site shows students the many aspects involved with creating a fair using  vaudeville as the main performing art. Create characters made from papier  mache, learn about parades and organize a school event.

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

COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE

SHOULD PARENTS HELP WITH HOMEWORK?
  http://www.pbs.org/parents/goingtoschool/helping_homework.html

Homework is an important part of a  child's education, but many parents are confused about how best to handle it.  They know not to do the assignments for the children, but when is it okay to  assist? How can parents help them do it without a struggle?

EARLY CHILDHOOD

PBS PARENTS GUIDE TO EARLY MATH “TIME TO MOVE”
    http://www.pbs.org/parents/earlymath/grades_games_timetomove.html
  Grades: PreK-2

Practice measuring and reading  information in a chart. Measure the lengths of fish and compare the lengths  with the lengths of fish listed in a chart.

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

PBS PARENTS “GIVE YOUR CHILD A MANNERS MAKEOVER”
    http://www.pbs.org/parents/experts/archive/2008/11/give-your-child-a-manners-make.html
  Grades: PreK-5

Cindy Post Senning, Ed.D. is  Emily Post's great-granddaughter and an expert on children and manners. She's  leading a discussion about helping kids with etiquette.

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

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

STUDENT ATHLETE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
    http://sammy.bodybymilk.com/index.php
  Maximum Award:  $7,500
  Eligibility: Grade 12 student athletes in a state-accredited private or  public high school
  Deadline:  March 6, 2009

Twenty-five  student-athletes will win the Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year (SAMMY)  Award, which entails a scholarship and a spot in a Milk Mustache ad to run in USA TODAY.

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

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.

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

ING UNSUNG HERO AWARD
    http://www.ing-sa.com/us/stellent2/groups/dc/documents/
  companylobinformation/001143.pdf
  Maximum Award:  $25,000
  Eligibility:  Educators in accredited K-12 public or private schools
  Deadline: April 30,  2009

This awards program  recognizes innovative and progressive thinking in education.

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

COMCAST FOUNDATION DIVERSITY-ORIENTED  PROGRAMS
    http://www.comcast.com/corporate/about/inthecommunity/foundation/comcastfoundation.html
  Maximum Award:  $500,000
  Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations operating within communities that  Comcast serves
  Deadline:  N/A

The  Comcast Foundation is awarding grants to maximize the impact of community  investments so they yield tangible, measurable benefits to the neighborhoods  Comcast serves and the people who live there. The Foundation's primary focus is  in funding diversity-oriented programs that address literacy,  volunteerism, and youth leadership development.

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

GRANTS FOR FORMAL K-12 EDUCATION
    http://www.rgkfoundation.org/#programs
  Maximum Award:  $25,000
  Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations
  Deadline:  N/A

RGK  Foundation awards grants within education to programs that focus on formal K-12  education (particularly mathematics, science and reading), teacher development,  literacy, and higher education.

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

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM GRANT PROGRAM  FOR THE NATURAL SCIENCES
    http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=pg&p=AboutLowes/outdoor/index.html
  Maximum  Award: $2,000
  Eligibility:  K-12 public schools in the United    States
  Deadline:  N/A

Lowe's  Charitable and Educational Foundation, International Paper and National Geographic Explorer! Magazine have teamed up to create an outdoor classroom grant program whose focus is to  engage students in hands-on natural science experiences and allow enrichment  opportunities across the core curriculum.

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

HEALTH, SAFETY AND FITNESS

1918 KILLER FLU VIRUS REVIVED
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3318/02.html

Why would a  researcher want to revive the most deadly virus in history?  What does the 1918 killer flu virus have in  common with the Avian flu of today?  Take  a deeper look at these issues in this 13-minute online video. 

NEW TOOLS BATTLE HURRICANES
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3204/02.html

Predicting a  hurricane's intensity is notoriously difficult, but new tools that may make it  easier are presented in this 12-minute online   Take the online quiz.

DID YOU KNOW? 29 STEPS TO  PHYSICAL FITNESS “GET MOVING”
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/takeonestep/resources/didyouknow.html

Physical activity is one of life's  non-negotiables. Our bodies need it, and nothing can replace all of the  positive effects it has on your health. But contrary to popular belief,  exercise doesn't have to be a big, scary, sweaty deal. You don't need a lot of  special equipment, cool clothes, tons of money, or even great skills to get a  good workout. Limber up your brain with these fast exercise facts, and take one  step toward a healthier body, mind, and future!

HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES

“BEYOND OUR BORDERS” SERIES ON AETN SCHOLAR  CHANNEL

This 30-part series  takes the viewer on a virtual journey around the Earth.  Each episode focuses on a specific country  and its people.  Airs 8-9 a.m. beginning  Jan. 5, 2009.

HOW OUR LAWS ARE MADE
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2092
  Library of Congress

This site outlines the steps by  which an idea can become federal law.   Topics include Congress, sources of legislation, forms of congressional  action, the role of committees, reported bills, calendars, consideration and  debate, congressional budget process, engrossment and message to Senate, Senate  action, final action on an amended bill, bills originating in Senate,  enrollment, presidential action, and more. 

SOURCE: FREE Resources from Federal Agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

CLIFFORD “BEING DIFFERENT IS A-OKAY”
    http://pbskids.org/clifford/parentsteachers/activities/have_respect/03_have_respect.html
  Grades: K-2

Explore the lives and  accomplishments of historical figures who have helped fight slavery and racism  in America.  Explain what characteristics make them unique, and describe your own unique  traits and skills.

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

JOHN AND ABIGAIL ADAMS
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2095
  National Endowment for the  Humanities

This site provides the American Experience program about John  and Abigail Adams.  It offers insights  into the birth of American democracy, the American Revolution, life in the  colonies, the Founding Fathers, the branches of government, lawmaking, and  politics.  Learn about key people and  events: John and Abigail, John Quincy Adams, Benjamin Franklin, King George  III, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, the Boston Massacre, the  Revolutionary War, the Continental Congresses, the Presidency and Vice  Presidency, the Alien and Sedition Acts, and more.

SOURCE: FREE Resources from Federal Agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

GREAT LODGES “THE BLACKFEET OF GLACIER   NATIONAL PARK” LESSON  PLAN
    http://www.pbs.org/opb/greatlodges/educators/
  Grades: 6-8

Explore Blackfeet culture.  Create a teepee, mocassins (or other clothing), drums or art.

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

ONE LIFE: THE MASK OF LINCOLN
   http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2090
  National Portrait Gallery,  Smithsonian Institution

This online exhibit of 30  portraits celebrates the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln  (1809-1865).  Portraits show the changing  face that Abraham Lincoln presented to the world as he led the fight for the Union.  Select  "audio tour" to hear answers to questions, such as: How did Lincoln try to manage the  explosiveness of the Emancipation Proclamation?   How does a photo at his second inaugural (March 4, 1865) foreshadow his  death?

SOURCE: FREE Resources from Federal Agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

THE DEMOCRACY PROJECT “PRESIDENTIAL PLACES QUILT” LESSON PLAN
    http://pbskids.org/democracy/educators/presidentialplaces.html
  Grades: 3-8

Create "quilt squares"  illustrating historical stories and landmarks in Washington, D.C.  that have particular associations with past presidents. Combine the squares  into a quilt.

PRIMARY DOCUMENTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND  THE NEW NATION, 1763-1815
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2093
  Library of Congress

Explore images and descriptions  of George Washington's Commission as Commander in Chief (1775), Virginia  Declaration of Rights (1776), Articles of Confederation (1777), Treaty of  Alliance with France (1778), Northwest Ordinance (1787), Washington's First  Inaugural Address (1789), Judiciary Act of 1789 (1789), Jay's Treaty (1794),  Alien and Sedition Acts (1798), Louisiana Purchase (1803), and more. 

SOURCE: FREE Resources from Federal Agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

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

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.

IN SEARCH OF MYTHS AND HEROES “JASON & THE GOLDEN FLEECE”
    http://www.pbs.org/mythsandheroes/
  Grades: 9-12

The Greeks have given the world  its greatest body of myths, including the myth of Jason, an epic tale of the  hero's quest and the ancestor of Star  Wars and Lord of the Rings. Jason  is presented with a "mission impossible": to sail into the unknown to  find the Golden Fleece. He is saved by the priestess Medea and her magical  arts, but her love comes at a high price. A fairy tale? Or was there a real  voyage?

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

CRACKING THE MAYA CODE
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/mayacode/program.html

This 5-part online  video series recounts the history and deciphering of ancient Maya  hieroglyphs.  Of particular interest is  chapter 3.  Working  behind the Iron Curtain, Russian linguist Yuri Knorosov posits that Maya glyphs  may represent sounds, but his ideas are discredited in the West.

MASTERPIECE THEATRE CLASSICS SCHEDULE

OVERNIGHT EDUCATIONAL SERIES BLOCKFEED  RESUMES WITH SPANISH LANGUAGE SERIES

The entire 52-part  Annenberg Spanish language series “Destinos An Introduction to Spanish” will air Jan 6-22, 3-5 a.m. on AETN.  Series is available to record and use in the  classroom.

MATH AND SCIENCE

SCIENCE BULLETINS
  http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2088

These bulletins provide  visualizations and stories of recent developments in earth science, climate  change, biodiversity, human biology, evolution, and astrophysics.  See visualizations for learning about sea ice  changes, coral reefs, desertification in Africa, origins of our moon, Mars,  invasive species, undomesticated horses, human imagination, our genes and  geography, cancer's evolutionary tree, facial expressions, a "wiring  diagram" of the brain, human longevity, and more.

SOURCE: FREE Resources from Federal Agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

ENDURING RESOURCES FOR EARTH SCIENCES EDUCATION
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2086
  National Science Foundation

This is a database of materials  for teaching earth science concepts.   Created by teachers and earth scientists, the database includes maps,  documents, and other resources for teaching about earthquakes, volcanoes,  rocks, oceans, plate tectonics, hyrdrothermal systems, earth's magnetic  field,geological time, and more.

SOURCE: FREE Resources from Federal Agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

MATHTEK “YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE”
    http://www.edu-core.org/external/mathtek/resources/display.asp?id=262&subj=resources
  Grades: K-5

Explore estimation as a tool  that can be used in mathematics and practice making good estimates.

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

SCIENCE OF SPECTROSCOPY
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2096
  National Aeronautics and Space  Administration

Examine this wiki-based effort  to tell the story of spectroscopy – the use of light to study matter.  Find answers to questions about the basic  theory of light, energy, and the electromagnetic spectrum.  What is light?  How is it created?  How does it affect matter?  What is energy? 

Learn about everyday  applications of spectroscopy, including CAT scans, Mars exploration, MRIs,  microwaves, sunscreen chemistry, the chemistry of vision, uses of lasers, and  more. 

SOURCE: FREE Resources from Federal Agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

NOVA “HITLER'S SUNKEN SECRET”
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/hydro/
  Grades: 6-12

One of the most daring  clandestine operations of World War II was the 1944 sinking of the Norwegian  ferry Hydro with its cargo of "heavy water," destined for the Nazis'  secret atomic bomb project. Although the mission was declared a success, no one  has ever established if the special shipment was actually on board. NOVA plunges 1,300 feet beneath a remote  Norwegian lake to find the answer.

OCEAN SERVICE EDUCATION
    http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2094
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric  Administration

   Select online tutorials on corals, currents, estuaries, geodesy (global  positioning), pollution, and tides; case studies on an oil spill and an  invasive species (Lionfish); two mysteries for young students (grades 3-5) to  solve; and dozens of lesson plans on climate change, coral reefs, currents,  ecosystems, estuaries, global positioning, habitat management, marine  sanctuaries, navigation, ocean exploration, pollution, tides, and more.

SOURCE: FREE Resources from Federal Agencies
  http://www.free.ed.gov/

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.

Workshop Schedule
    January – May, 2009

For registration, please call  1-800-488-6689, or email to 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!