Advance excellent teaching with Annenberg Media.

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*** In the Spotlight for December ***
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 -  Build Cultural Literacy This Holiday Season
 -  Now Available on DVD
 -  This Month on the Channel
 -  Connect Learning With More Special Days
     o World AIDS Day
     o Special Education Day
     o National Communicate With Your Baby Day
     o National Migrants Day
     o International Language Week

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*** BUILD CULTURAL LITERACY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON ***

The holiday season symbolizes peace, joy, and renewal. But it can also pose dilemmas for educators as religious observances come up against the separation of church and state and increasingly diverse student populations. One way of celebrating is to focus on understanding the cultural significance of specific holidays and the history and customs of different faiths and traditions.

> "Bridging World History" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/bwh1.html> explores the historical contributions and development of several faiths. The topics of Unit 5, "Early Belief Systems," include Shinto, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, and the ethical/philosophical codes of Confucius and Greek thinkers; Unit 7, "The Spread of Religions," discusses the origins and dissemination of Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.

> For historical background on Christianity, watch "Early Christianity" and "The Rise of the Church," Programs 11 and 12 of "The Western Tradition" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/west2.html>. The programs also discuss prevailing Jewish thought and practices of the time, as well as continuities between Judaism and Christianity.

> Observe a talk about Judaism by a rabbi invited into a 6th grade classroom in "A First Impression of Judaism" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/cowl3.html>, in "Teaching 'The Children of Willesden Lane'" -- new in 2006.

> "The Africans" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/africa4.html> Program 3, "New Gods," looks at African religions, religious symbolism, and the impact of trends toward secularization. The program presents footage of Ethiopian Christian rites, Muslims prayers and festivities in Zanzibar, and various African folk practices. "The Africans" can be purchased online at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/africa5.html>.

> In "Celebrations of Light," Program 8 of "Social Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library, K-12" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/ssl6.html>, watch a K-1 lesson connecting diverse traditions -- St. Nicholas Day, St. Lucia Day, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa -- with a Cherokee legend about the winter solstice to tie it all together. Find teaching ideas and standards on the series Web site <http://learner.org/redirect/december/ssl7.html>.

> See a comparison of Japanese and U.S. New Year's celebrations in "Happy New Year," Program 22 of "Teaching Foreign Languages K-12: A Library of Classroom Practices" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tfll8.html>. Find support materials on the series Web site <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tfll9.html>.

> For specific ways of building cultural/intercultural competence in your students, see "Rooted in Culture," Workshop 5 of "Teaching Foreign Languages K-12 Workshop" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tflw10.html>.

For discussing religious freedom and constitutional issues --

> See a ninth-grade civics lesson about freedom of religion in Workshop 1 of "Making Civics Real: A Workshop for Teachers" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/civic11.html>. On the series Web site <http://learner.org/redirect/december/civic12.html>, find links to the actual lesson plan, lesson materials, information on relevant Supreme Court Cases, and an interactive quiz on religious freedom and the First Amendment.

> "The Merrow Report" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/merrow13.html> Program 24, "The Search for Values," examines the issue of purging school curricula of religious references -- whether or not a dangerous "values vacuum" has been created in the process, parents rights in deciding their children's ethical foundations, and different approaches to providing moral education. This program airs on the Channel December 26 at 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

For a list of viewing options, go to <http://learner.org/redirect/december/view14.html>.


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*** NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD ***

As we continue to expand our video collection, the following titles have now become available on DVD:

> "The Arts in Every Classroom: A Workshop for Elementary School Teachers" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/arts15.html>

> "Engaging With Literature: A Workshop for Teachers, Grades 3-5" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/ewlw16.html>

> "Essential Science for Teachers: Earth and Space Science" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/space17.html>

> "Essential Science for Teachers: Life Science" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/life18.html>

> "Essential Science for Teachers: Physical Science" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/physci19.html>

> "The Expanding Canon: Teaching Multicultural Literature in High School" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/canon20.html>

> "Minds of Our Own" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/minds21.html>

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For more information about a series, click on "Overview."


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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 specific broadcast dates and times. Consult the full broadcast schedule <http://learner.org/redirect/december/sched22.html> for many more programs and partial series airing in December.

ARTS
> "Exploring the World of Music" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/music23.html>

EDUCATION THEORY & ISSUES
> "Minds of Our Own" (K-12) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/minds24.html>

FOREIGN LANGUAGE & ESL
> "Connect With English" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/cwe25.html>

LITERATURE & LANGUAGE ARTS
> "Making Meaning in Literature: A Video Library, Grades 6-8" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/mmll26.html>

MATHEMATICS
> "Against All Odds: Inside Statistics" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/odds27.html>
> "Learning Math: Measurement" (K-8) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/meas28.html>

SCIENCE
> "Teaching High School Science" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/hisci29.html>

SOCIAL STUDIES & HISTORY
> "The Constitution: That Delicate Balance" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/const30.html>
> "Human Geography: People, Places, and Change" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/geog31.html>
> "Rural Communities: Legacy & Change" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/rural32.html>
> "Seasons of Life" (college/high school) <http://learner.org/redirect/december/sol33.html>

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Find general information about the Annenberg Channel -- including free licensing -- at <http://learner.org/redirect/december/chnl34.html>.

Be sure to download the Channel Program Guide <http://learner.org/redirect/december/guide35.html>, available in PDF format. The Guide contains satellite and signal information, plus daily and month-at-a-glance program schedules.

With a broadband Internet connection, watch the online Channel simulcast <http://learner.org/redirect/december/watch36.html>, also closed captioned <http://learner.org/redirect/december/watch37.html>.


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

World AIDS Day (December 1)

Treatment following HIV infection is now allowing more and more people to live with the virus, but there is still no cure for AIDS. The resources below can help you teach students about this still deadly, global disease. This year's theme for World AIDS Day is accountability, with the slogan "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise."

> Dawn Marcal, a woman who unknowingly contracted HIV and transmitted it to her infant daughter, puts a human face on the disease. Learn from her efforts to teach young people about risks of infection in "Living With AIDS--and Teaching," Program 27 of "The Merrow Report" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/merrow38.html>.

> Confronting death is part of the experience of learning one is HIV positive. In "Death: A Personal Understanding" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/death39.html> Program 3, "Facing Mortality," Dr. Greg Robinson talks about facing his own mortality after discovering he is HIV positive. In Program 8, "Grief and Bereavement," 15-year-old Jennifer Newman shares her grief over the loss of her mother -- and the fear of losing her father and brother -- to AIDS.

> The biology and genetics of HIV infection are covered in "Rediscovering Biology: Molecular to Global Perspectives" Session 6, "HIV and AIDS" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/hiv40.html>. Don't overlook this case study <http://learner.org/redirect/december/hivcase41.html>, "The Genetics of Resistance to HIV Infection."

> Look at HIV and AIDS in the African context with "The Power of Place: Geography for the 21st Century" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/geog42.html> Program 9, "Strength to Overcome." Then watch "Teaching Geography" Workshop 5, which offers links to Video on Demand, a detailed lesson plan with background information, and a program transcript (under "Programs and Activities") on the series Web site <http://learner.org/redirect/december/geog43.html>.


Special Education Day (December 2)

> The theory of multiple intelligences put forth by Harvard Professor Howard Gardner has had a major impact on both teaching methods and assessment of student ability. For background information as well as application at the elementary and high school levels, watch "The Learning Classroom: Theory into Practice" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/theory44.html> Session 4, "Different Kinds of Smart: Multiple Intelligences." In Session 3, "Cognitive Processing," special education teacher Kris Neustadter explains her use of visual aids with 9th and 10th-grade math students. Links to the workshop guide and more are available on the series Web site <http://learner.org/redirect/december/theory45.html>.

> The application of multiple intelligences theory to foreign language instruction is demonstrated in "Teaching Foreign Languages K-12 Workshop" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tflw46.html> Session 6, "Valuing Diversity in Learners" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tflw47.html>.

> For an example of how honors students and special education students can collaborate to the benefit of all, see "The Art of Teaching the Arts: A Workshop for High School Teachers" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/art48.html> Workshop 3, "Addressing the Diverse Needs of Students" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/art49.html>.

> "Teaching Reading K-2 Workshop" Workshop 6, "Differentiating Instruction" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/readw50.html> discusses how to address the needs of readers at many skill levels.

> "The Merrow Report" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/merrow51.html> focuses its investigations on special education programs -- successes and failures -- in Program 17, "What's So Special About Special Education?"


National Communicate With Your Baby Day (December 5)

> "The Whole Child: A Caregiver's Guide to the First Five Years" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/child52.html> Program 2, "Let's Talk About It," explores the process of language acquisition and how caregivers can increase young children's language competence. This series is also available in Spanish/en español <http://learner.org/redirect/december/nino53.html>.

> For a review of psychologists' research surrounding children's development of language skills, watch "Discovering Psychology: Updated Edition" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/psych54.html> Program 6, "Language Development." Other programs in the series may also be of interest.

> "The Mind: Teaching Modules" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/mind55.html> offers several clips that shed light on emerging communication skills: Program 13, "Capabilities of the Newborn"; Program 14, "Infant Cognitive Development"; Program 15, "Social Development in Infancy"; Program 23, "Infant Speech Sound Discrimination"; Program 24, "Language Predisposition"; and Program 25, "Human Language: Signed and Spoken."


International Migrants Day (December 18)

> Consider issues of migrant workers and U.S. border policy with "The Power of Place: Geography for the 21st Century" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/place56.html> Program 2, "Boundaries and Borderlands." Also watch Program 21, "Population Geography," which includes the segment, "Mexico: Motive to Migrate." Yet another view of immigration is offered by Program 25, "Ethnic Fragmentation in Canada." For further discussion, click on "Enter the Series Web Site."

> "Human Geography: People, Places, and Change" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/hgeog57.html> Program 8, "A Migrant's Heart," focuses on one man's experience as an example of how migration affects identity. Jatinder Verma, who is of Indian descent, was born in East Africa, and left for England at the age of 14, describes his experience of being caught between worlds and the need to "reinvent" oneself.

> See "Social Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library" Program 24, "Migration From Latin America" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/ssl58.html>, for an example of a real high school lesson on the topic.

> Explore historical migrant issues through literature with "American Passages: A Literary Survey" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/apass59.html> Program 12, "Migrant Struggle," and Program 2, "Exploring Borderlands."

> For literature addressing the experience of migrants in the U.S., consider the works of authors featured in "Teaching Multicultural Literature: A Workshop for the Middle Grades" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tml60.html> and "The Expanding Canon: Teaching Multicultural Literature in High School" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/canon61.html>.

> "Teaching 'The Children of Willesden Lane'" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/cowl62.html> considers how to address moral issues in decisions to help -- or not help -- refugees and those in dire need internationally.


International Language Week (December 15-21)

> This International Language Week, expand on your foreign language teaching repertoire with our research-based series, "Teaching Foreign Languages K-12 Workshop" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tflw63.html>, and the coordinated video library <http://learner.org/redirect/december/tfll64.html>.

> Learn a new language or brush up on one you studied in school using our free Video on Demand: Spanish <http://learner.org/redirect/december/spanish65.html>, French <http://learner.org/redirect/december/french66.html>, or German <http://learner.org/redirect/december/german67.html>.

> Our ESL series "Connect With English" <http://learner.org/redirect/december/cwe68.html> begins on the Channel this month. For the schedule, click on "Broadcast Dates."


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