May 2011

StationBreak

May 2011

ARKANSAS STUDIES

THE EDGE OF CONFLICT: ARKANSAS IN THE CIVIL WAR
http://www.aetn.org/programs/edge_of_conflict

The Edge of Conflict is a 90- minute documentary that tells the story of Arkansas in the Civil War from 1860-1865. Using photographs and present-day images from significant sites around the state, combined with the words of historians and people who lived and fought here during the war, the program attempts to help Arkansans recover a neglected history and to remember that even today, the war is still around us. The program begins with a brief history of the settlement of Arkansas which may prove useful for classroom presentations.

The program provides a retelling of the Battle of Pea Ridge (Elkhorn Tavern), March 7-8, 1862, one of the most ill-conceived and bloodiest battles in Arkansas’s Civil War history.

EXPLORING ARKANSAS VIDEO SEGMENTS

If you are looking for something specific about Arkansas to share with your class, you may want to check these videostreamed programs.

DATE	SEGMENT	TOPICS
May 2010 http://watch.aetn.org/video/1485885103
Old Spanish Treasure Cave	1	Northwest Arkansas, Old Spanish Treasure Cave, Gravette, Spanish conquistadors, Native American, archaeology, hidden gold, treasure, George Dunbar, mining, bats, fossils
Petit Jean State Park Seven Hollows Trail	2	Petit Jean State Park, Seven Hollows Trail, first state park, 1923, the Grotto, waterfall, natural stone arch, streams, pictographs, Eastern Collared Lizard (mountain boomers), rattlesnakes, fire aftermath
Parkin Archaeological State Park	3	Northeast Arkansas, Parkin Archaeological State Park, Native American, head pots, archaeology, Mississippian era, Mississippian Indian, June 1541 Hernando De Soto visit, Casqui, mounds, platform mounds, research lab, corn, agriculture, drought, climate, collapse
Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge	4	Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge, Little Red River, John Hancock Insurance Company, water management, migratory fowl, water fowl, bottomland hardwood, rice, duck food, geese (Blue, Snow, Canada, White Fronted), Northern Pin Tail Duck management
*April 2010* http://watch.aetn.org/video/1457605735
Pedestal Rock Scenic Area	1	Pedestal Rock scenic area, bluffs, ice caverns, ancient geology, Ozarks, rock formation, ancient riverbed
Ozark National Forest	2	Ozark National Forest, Sam’s Throne, camping facilities, Sam Davis, recreation
Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge	3	Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas River, Levee Trail, Native American, Osage, Cherokee, Holly Brown, bottomland, Army Corps of Engineers, water fowl, geese (Snow and Canada), eagles
Big Creek Natural Area	4	Big Creek Natural Area, pool and ripple system, watershed, Little Red River, White River, Mississippi River, Riparian Forest,
March 2010 http://watch.aetn.org/video/1434966482
Forked Mountain	1	Forked Mountain, Ouachita National Forest, the Chimney, Lower Forked Summit, South Fourche River Valley, legend, Native American, Quapaw, Osage
Wapanocca Wildlife Refuge	2	Wapanocca Wildlife Refuge, Mississippi flyway, Wapanocca Lake, driving tour, Ox Bow Lake, water fowl, migratory songbirds, cypress swamp, grasslands, Nash Buckingham, Chickasaw, De Soto, Native American artifacts, mallards, geese (white fronted, snow and Canada), wood ducks, agricultural fields, hardwoods, Mississippi River Delta Region
Devil’s Den State Park	3	Devil’s Den State Park, mountain biking, Fossil Flat mountain biking trail, Northwest Arkansas, Lee Creek, Lake Lincoln trail
North Sylamore Creek Hiking Trail	4	North Sylamore Creek hiking train, Blanchard Springs recreation area, bluffs, waterfalls, remnants of old homesteads, botanical features, overlooks, Ozark hills and hollows, Mountain View
February 2010 http://watch.aetn.org/video/1402752157
Ozark Adventure Race	1	Ozark Adventure Race, Northwest Arkansas, Lake Fort Smith, Devil’s Den, Chester, urban adventure race, fitness, orienteering, zip lines, mystery challenge event, navigating with map and compass, team effort
Lake Enterprise	2	Southeast Arkansas, Lake Enterprise, cypress trees, Spanish moss, Louisiana/Arkansas, Indian mound, archeological discoveries, skiing, bass fishing, white perch, brim, catfish, fishing gear
Ozark Railway Adventure	3	Ozark Railway Adventure, Arkansas Missouri Railroad, Van Buren to Winslow, 1900s railroad cars, 1950s dining car, Missouri Pacific Railroad, Arkansas River, Winslow Tunnel, railroad trestles, Briscoe Railroad, Fort Smith, Chester

ART AND MUSIC

AMERICAN MASTERS “JOHN MUIR IN THE NEW WORLD”
http://video.pbs.org/video/1883108297

Saving nature from the destructive demands of man was John Muir’s life work. Muir struggled against the philosophy of his strict Calvinist father who felt nature was depraved and the only thing that was important was life after death. He transitioned from inventor to explorer, wanting to see all the world offered. Share the experiences of this exceptional voice for natural wonders and their power to heal human spirit.

COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE

“THE FALL OF FREDDIE THE LEAF” LESSON PLAN
http://www.pbs.org/witheyesopen/afterk5.PDF

This K-5 lesson plan helps teachers explain the cyclical nature of life. Discussing death with children requires sensitivity and an willingness to adopt multiple approaches to framing that discussion.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

THE POWER OF PLAY
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopment/imaginative-play.html

Child development experts are beginning to understand why free play is so important for children. It's another way nature helps them grow.

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

CAROL M. WHITE PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
http://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2011-1/032911b.html
Eligibility: Eligible Applicants: (a) LEAs, including charter schools that are considered LEAs under State law, and CBOs, including faith-based organizations provided that they meet the applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. (b) The Secretary limits eligibility under this discretionary grant competition to LEAs or CBOs that do not currently have an active grant under the PEP program. For the purpose of this eligibility requirement, a grant is considered active until the end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.
Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$750,000
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $479,000
Estimated Number of Awards: 77.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 13, 2011

The Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) provides grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) to initiate, expand, and improve physical education for students in grades K-12. Grant recipients must implement programs that help students make progress toward meeting State standards.

JOHNSON SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
http://www.jsf.bz/index_new.asp

From this site you will be able to identify colleges and universities receiving scholarship funds with specific information about those scholarships.

TRANSITION TO TEACHING GRANT
http://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2011-1/033011c.html
Eligibility: A State educational agency (SEA); a high- need LEA; a for-profit or nonprofit organization that has a proven record of effectively recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers, in partnership with a high-need LEA or an SEA; an IHE in partnership with a high-need LEA or an SEA; a regional consortium of SEAs; or a consortium of high-need LEAs.
Estimated Range of Awards: National/regional projects: $450,000-$750,000 per year; Statewide projects: $300,000-$650,000 per year; and Local projects:$150,000-$450,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: National/regional projects: $600,000 per year; Statewide projects: $475,000 per year; and Local projects: $300,000 per year.
Estimated Number of Awards: National/regional projects: 1-3; Statewide projects: 3-5; and Local projects: 5-16.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 29, 2011
Date of Pre-Application Meeting: April 18, 2011
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 31, 2011

The Transition to Teaching program encourages (1) the development and expansion of alternative routes to full State teacher certification, as well as (2) the recruitment and retention of highly qualified mid-career professionals, recent college graduates, and highly qualified paraprofessionals as teachers in high-need schools operated by high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), including charter schools that operate as high-need LEAs.

GRANTS FROM PEPSICO FOUNDATION FOR HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND EDUCATION
http://www.pepsico.com/Purpose/PepsiCo-Foundation/Grants.html
Eligibility: Must be registered and have an official tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the equivalent with its primary focus in:

Health
Environment
Education

Grant Amount: Requests of $100,000 or more follow a letter of interest process
Deadline: Rolling

The foundation’s focus areas and priorities include:

Health – Food security, improved and optimum nutrition, energy balance
Environment: Water security, sustainable agriculture, adaptive approaches to climate change
Education: Access to education and training for the underserved, women’s lmpowerment

Grant Sources

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

PBS TEACHERS HEALTH AND FITNESS RESOURCES
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/healthfitness/

PBS Teachers Health & Fitness content has been contextualized within the grade-subject pages on the new PBS Teachers site. To access Health & Fitness resources, use the grade-subject pages or click on the links at this site.

HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES

MISSION US INTERACTIVE GAME
www.mission-us.org

Developed by a team of current and former American History classroom teachers, historians from the American Social History Project, researchers from the Educational Development Center’s Center for Children & Technology, professional video game designers, and WNET staff, MISSION US centers on a series of free, standards-based, quest-themed online video games designed for classroom use by students in grades 5-9. The games are part of an expansive network of resources including teacher materials and classroom activities, supplementary web-based interactives, and a user-friendly system for teachers to track and assess students’ progress. Through dynamic, innovative and interactive gameplay, students engaged in MISSION US “choose their own adventures” as they navigate historic settings, develop relationships with key figures, investigate primary source documents, witness pivotal events, and ultimately decide their fate in the face of history. The first game in the series is available online at www.mission-us.org.

LIBRARY, LITERATURE AND READING

MASTERPIECE THEATRE “SOUTH RIDING” AIRS MAY 1, 8 AND 15 AT 9 P.M.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/southriding/index.html

A lively new headmistress brings progressive ideas to a conservative girls’ school in Depression-era Yorkshire, sparking conflict – and a powerful attraction – with a stern, brooding landowner rooted in a troubled past. With its pounding surf and grinding poverty, “South Riding” presents a hardscrabble community still crippled from World War I, and its transformation, when infused with hope, through modernization, poetry and even love. This is a three-part series of 60-minute programs.

MATH AND SCIENCE

CAN SMART GRIDS PREVENT POWER SHORTAGES
http://video.pbs.org/video/1801235533

How does the electrical grid currently work? How could the proposed smart grid adjust power usage to keep things running with fewer resources?

WHAT COMPELS THE OUTBACK PELICANS TO THE AUSTRALIAN DESERT
http://video.pbs.org/video/1848571615

What would cause these fish-eating birds to travel to the arid Australian interior? Join scientists and film crews as they follow and observe this strange behavior.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

FREE AETN IDEAS PORTAL 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. Participants in the workshop will earn three technology professional development hours.

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!