Advance excellent teaching with Annenberg Media.

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*** In the Spotlight for December ***
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 -  Important Telecourse Policy Change
 -  Now Available on DVD
 -  Channel User Spotlight: Richland, WA
 -  Exploring Holiday Themes
 -  This Month on the Channel
 -  Award-winning Show About Dirt
 -  Weird Weather Woes
 -  Connect Learning with More Special Days
     o World AIDS Day
     o Special Education Day
     o National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
     o International Mountain Day
     o Human Rights Day, Bill of Rights Day, and Human Rights Week

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*** IMPORTANT TELECOURSE POLICY CHANGE ***

Annenberg Media video courses may be used free of charge as telecourses by not-for-profit educational institutions from fall 2005 through summer 2006. However, beginning with the fall 2006 term, we will be charging a license fee for their use as telecourses. A telecourse is defined as a video series and associated materials used as a complete credit or non-credit college course. A list of our instructional series used as telecourses can be found at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/telecourse1.html>.

For details on this change in our policy, including fee information, please sign up to receive the electronic Annenberg Media Telecourse Bulletin at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/bulletin2.html>. You can also obtain information on our Web site at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/telecourse3.html> or by calling 1-800-LEARNER.

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*** NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD ***

We are steadily expanding our list of series available on DVD. Please make note of the new additions:

> "A Biography of America" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/boa4.html>

> "Social Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library, K-12" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/sslib5.html>

To purchase any series, click on the right-hand link to "Buy Videos and Materials."

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*** CHANNEL USER SPOTLIGHT: RICHLAND, WA ***

Residents of Richland, a city of nearly 45,000 in eastern Washington, find the Annenberg Channel's programming a welcome addition to their CityView Cable Channel 13. In addition to the televised meetings for the city council, parks and recreation commission, and planning commission, viewers can learn international Spanish as they follow the Spanish language instructional series, "Destinos," or better understand the essentials of a host of other subjects from economics to the arts.

Michael Charboneau, Richland's cable communications coordinator, likes Annenberg programming for a number of reasons. [Read more... <http://learner.org/redirect/december/spot6.html>]

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*** EXPLORING HOLIDAY THEMES ***

December is a time for celebrating, reflecting, and building community. We have a number of resources that provide background knowledge and find common ground among specific traditions:

> "Early Christianity," Program 11 of our series "The Western Tradition" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/west7.html>, adds historical context to the idea behind Christmas. The program also covers Jewish thought and movements of the era.

> The weeklong celebration of Kwanzaa -- from a word meaning "first fruits of the harvest" in Kiswahili -- was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga with the aim of reasserting cultural ties with Africa. To learn more about African culture, watch "The Africans" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/africa8.html>, available for purchase at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/africa9.html>.

> In "Celebrations of Light," Program 8 of "Social Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library, K-12" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/sslib10.html>, K-1 teacher Eileen Mesmer teaches about St. Nicholas Day, St. Lucia Day, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa through the common theme of light and a Cherokee legend about the winter solstice. Find teaching ideas and standards on the series Web site at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/mesmer11.html>.

> "Connect With English" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/cwe12.html> Episode 44, "Gifts," depicts typical American customs and includes a brief student discussion of the holiday season in the United States.

> "The Expanding Canon: Teaching Multicultural Literature in High School" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/canon13.html> Workshop 1, "Reader Response: Pat Mora and James Welch," shows a lesson based on the poem "Christmas Comes to Moccasin Flat," which contrasts holiday ideals with lived realities in an American Indian community. See the series Web site <http://learner.org/redirect/december/hslit14.html> for a link to the Workshop Guide, which includes the full poem on page 26.

> In "Teaching Foreign Languages K-12: A Library of Classroom Practices" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tfllib15.html> Program 22, "Happy New Year!" a Pacific Northwest high school Japanese class learns about cultural practices associated with New Year's celebrations in Japan and compares those with celebrations in the U.S. and elsewhere.

> "Rooted in Culture," Workshop 5 of "Teaching Foreign Languages Workshop" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tflws16.html>, examines how teachers can move their students beyond cultural practices, such as holiday celebrations, to a deeper understanding of the culture behind them.

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*** THIS MONTH ON THE CHANNEL ***

The following series begin this month on the Annenberg Channel. Be sure to scroll down on the linked pages for broadcast dates and times. Consult the full broadcast schedule <http://learner.org/redirect/december/schedule17.html> for many more programs and partial series airing in December.

ARTS
> "Art of the Western World" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/artww18.html> (Check schedule for program order.)
> "A World of Art: Works in Progress" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/worldart19.html>

EDUCATION ISSUES
> "Minds of Our Own" (K-12) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/minds20.html>

LITERATURE & LANGUAGE ARTS
> "Engaging with Literature: A Video Library, Grades 3-5" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/elemlit21.html>
> "Making Meaning in Literature: A Video Library, Grades 6-8" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/meaning22.html>
> "Signature: Contemporary Writers" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/sig23.html>

MATHEMATICS
> "Teaching Math: A Video Library, 5-8" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/mathlib24.html>

SCIENCE
> "Journey North" (K-12) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/jnorth25.html>
> "The World of Chemistry" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/chem26.html> (Note hiatus in January.)

SOCIAL STUDIES & HISTORY
> "Growing Old in a New Age" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/age27.html>

Catch the live stream of the Channel at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/stream28.html>, closed captioned at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/streamcc29.html>.

If your school is interested in receiving the Annenberg Channel, go to <http://learner.org/redirect/december/license30.html> for information on free licensing.

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*** AWARD-WINNING SHOW ABOUT DIRT ***

We're pleased to share with you that one of our programs -- "Earth's Solid Membrane: Soil" of the series "Essential Science for Teachers: Earth and Space Science" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/essearth31.html> -- has earned both a Silver Davey Award from the International Academy of Visual Arts <http://www.daveyawards.com/> and the Chris Statuette from the Columbus International Film and Video Festival <http://www.chrisawards.org/regularindex.html>.

The program asks: If a volcanic island starts out as a slab of solid rock, how does soil end up covering it? As real science teachers travel to Hawaii to investigate this mystery, students are asked to give their theories. Knowing how children think about soil helps teachers address preconceptions in their teaching.

So, if you're a K-6 science teacher, consider "Earth's Solid Membrane: Soil" as fertile ground for growing your knowledge!

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*** WEIRD WEATHER WOES ***

The start of December marks the official end of the hurricane season. But this year's record-breaking run of destructive storms has left many wondering, "What's wrong with the weather?" Several of our resources ponder the origins -- and future direction -- of the Earth's weather and climate.

> In "Planet Earth" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/planet32.html> Program 3, "The Climate Puzzle," scientists seek answers to a multifaceted mystery -- what caused the ice ages, how Venus's greenhouse effect may have parallels on Earth, and what Antarctica's ice rivers demonstrate about Earth's climate.

> Visit our "Weather" exhibit <http://learner.org/redirect/december/weather33.html> for information on powerful storms, weather forecasting, and a list of excellent links related to weather <http://learner.org/redirect/december/weather34.html>.

> Our series "Earth Revealed" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/earth35.html> also addresses the climate of Earth in Program 15, "Weathering and Soils," and Program 23, "Glaciers." Consult the broadcast schedule <http://learner.org/redirect/december/earth36.html> for programs airing in December.

All of these programs can be viewed at our Web site FREE through Video on Demand. Go to <http://learner.org/redirect/december/view37.html> for technical requirements and how to get started.

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*** CONNECT LEARNING WITH MORE SPECIAL DAYS ***

World AIDS Day (December 1)

As scientists scramble to find a cure, HIV and AIDS continue to ravage populations in Africa and throughout the world, with tens of thousands suffering in the U.S. alone. We have several programs that can help you learn and teach about the disease.

> "Living With AIDS--and Teaching," Program 27 of "The Merrow Report" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/merrow38.html>, features Dawn Marcal, a woman who contracted AIDS and transmitted it to her daughter, then committed herself to teaching young people about avoiding the risk of HIV infection.

> Learn the biology of the virus with "Rediscovering Biology: Molecular to Global Perspectives" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/bio39.html> Session 6, "HIV and AIDS"; Web site <http://learner.org/redirect/december/hiv40.html>. On the same site, see this case study <http://learner.org/redirect/december/hivcase41.html>, "The Genetics of Resistance to HIV Infection."

> The second part of "Strength To Overcome," Program 19 of "The Power of Place: Geography for the 21st Century" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/poplace42.html>, discusses the devastating AIDS epidemic in Kenya and elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa.

> Workshop 5 of "Teaching Geography" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/geog43.html> offers additional information about AIDS in Kenya, plus a real classroom lesson on the subject as an example of teaching about medical geography. Download the lesson plan in Word or PDF format from the series Web site at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/lesson44.html>.

> In "Death: A Personal Understanding" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/death45.html> Program 3, "Facing Mortality," Greg Robinson, M.D. talks about facing his own mortality after discovering he is HIV positive. In Program 8, "Grief and Bereavement," 15-year-old Jennifer Newman talks about the grief of losing her mother -- and the fear of losing her father and brother -- to AIDS.

Special Education Day (December 2)

> "What's So Special About Special Education?", Program 17 of "The Merrow Report" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/merrow46.html>, considers successes and failures of special education programs through the experiences of children and their parents.

> See how teachers' application of Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences has transformed their teaching in "The Learning Classroom: Theory into Practice" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/theory47.html> Session 4, "Different Kinds of Smart: Multiple Intelligences." In Session 3, "Cognitive Processing," special education teacher Kris Neustadter discusses her use of visual aids with 9th and 10th-grade math students. Find links to the workshop guide and more on the series Web site at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/learning48.html>.

> "Teaching Reading K-2 Workshop" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/reading49.html> addresses the needs of readers at many skill levels. In particular, see Workshop 6, "Differentiating Instruction" and this page <http://learner.org/redirect/december/reading50.html> on the series Web site.

> "Teaching Reading K-2: A Library of Classroom Practices" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/readlib51.html> Program 12, "100 Days of Reading," features a classroom with students of different physical and learning abilities. Visit the series Web site at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/readlib52.html> for coordinated materials.

> "Teaching Foreign Languages K-12 Workshop" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tflws53.html> Session 6, "Valuing Diversity in Learners" (<http://learner.org/redirect/december/tflws54.html> on the series Web site), discusses ways of accommodating diverse learners by applying multiple intelligences theory and action-based research.

> "The Art of Teaching the Arts: A Workshop for High School Teachers," <http://learner.org/redirect/december/hsarts55.html> Workshop 3, "Addressing the Diverse Needs of Students" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/hsarts56.html>, shows real classroom teaching designed to accommodate different skill levels and learning styles. In one segment, high school arts honors students and special education students collaborate on a mask-making project; find this segment approximately 26 minutes into the program.

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7)

> To review the events surrounding the attack on Pearl Harbor, watch "A Biography of America" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/boa57.html> Program 22, "World War II." Then try an activity on the Biography of America Web site <http://learner.org/redirect/december/boa58.html> -- "You Decide: Japanese American Internment?"

> "The Western Tradition" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/west59.html> Program 48, "The Second World War," also analyzes the events of World War II.

> Learn about the rise of Japan as a military and imperial power with "Bridging World History" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/bwh60.html> Unit 22, "Global War and Peace." Find more on the series Web site at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/bwh61.html>.

> Read poems about the Japanese American internment in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/hslit62.html> ("Drawing the Line" by Lawson Fusao Inada) and <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tmlws63.html> ("In Response to Executive Order 9066" by Dwight Okita).

International Mountain Day (December 11)

The theme for this year's International Mountain Day is "Sustainable Tourism for Poverty Alleviation in Mountain Areas." Take a virtual tour of highlands around the world with our resources for teachers:

> Watch "The Power of Place: Geography for the 21st Century" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/poplace64.html> Program 21, "Population Geography." The second segment (advance to 15:15 into the program) focuses on the Maya Indians of Guatemala’s highlands -- victims of "continuing conquest" -- who must subsist on increasingly inadequate farmland.

> Learn about the people of Dagestan in Russia's Caucasus Mountains in the second case study of "Russia," Workshop 6 of "Teaching Geography" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/geog65.html>. Explore left-hand links for regional maps, the featured lesson plan, and an interactive activity on the series Web site at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/geog66.html>.

> Familiarize yourself with the physical science of mountains with "Earth Revealed" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/earth67.html>, particularly Program 7, "Mountain Building," and Program 16, "Mass Wasting."

> For K-6 teaching, see "Essential Science for Teachers: Earth and Space Science" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/essearth68.html> Session 5, "When Continents Collide," and Session 6, "Restless Landscapes."

Human Rights Day (December 10), Bill of Rights Day (December 15), and Human Rights Week (December 10-16)

President Bush first declared Human Rights Day, Bill of Rights Day, and Human Rights Week in December of 2001 as a means of advocating human rights everywhere and celebrating the "universal principles of liberty and justice" that are central to our national self-definition.

> The series "Democracy in America" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/dia69.html> (Web site <http://learner.org/redirect/december/democ70.html>) covers various topics in civics and U.S. government. The Bill of Rights is discussed throughout, particularly in Program 4, "Civil Liberties: Safeguarding the Individual," and Program 5, "Civil Rights: Demanding Equality." Program 5 airs on the Channel December 17 at 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

> "Ethics in America" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/ethics71.html> uses the Socratic Method to interrogate officials and public figures on the tensions between our guaranteed rights and moral responsibilities -- at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. Check the broadcast schedule for programs airing in December.

> Another excellent resource is "Making Civics Real: A Workshop for Teachers" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/civics72.html>. Workshop 1, "Freedom of Religion," shows a classroom simulation of a First Amendment court case. Find lesson plans, related articles, a link to Video on Demand, and more on the series Web site at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/civics73.html>.

> Our Emmy Award-winning series "The Constitution: That Delicate Balance" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/const74.html> presents real debates among well-known political, legal, and media professionals on many issues related to the U.S. Constitution.

> Find a link to a concise list of democratic beliefs and values at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/values75.html>, on the Web site for "Social Studies in Action: A Methodology Workshop, K-5."

> Browse the programs of "Social Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library, K-12" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/sslib76.html> and the series Web site <http://learner.org/redirect/december/sslib77.html> for lessons on relevant topics and coordinated support materials.

> For historical perspective on the idea of universal human rights, see "The Enlightenment and Society," Program 35 of "The Western Tradition" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/west78.html>.

Browse our resources using the drop-down menus at the top of <http://learner.org/redirect/december/home79.html> for other series that may be of interest, or use the open search tool to find "human rights" or other phrases or keywords. On each resulting page, remember to click on the amber-colored link to "Enter the Series Web Site," where available, for access to many more teaching resources.


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