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Media.
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*** In the Spotlight for December ***
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- Celebrate Diversity Through Holidays
- The Channel: End of an Era
- This Month on the Channel
- Connect Learning with More Special Days
o National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
o Monkey Day
o Bill of Rights Day
o Learn a Foreign Language Month
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*** CELEBRATE DIVERSITY THROUGH HOLIDAYS ***
The peace and joy emphasized during the holiday season is best brought about
through cultural knowledge and mutual recognition. This month, make it a point
to increase your understanding of the historical and cultural foundations of
various traditions. Major observances include the following:
- Hanukkah (December 4-12; Jewish)
- Eid-ul-Adha (December 20-22; Islamic)
- Christmas (December 25; Christian)
- Kwanzaa (December 26-January 1; African American)
- New Year's Day (January 1; National)
> Learn from Rabbi Meir Feldman as he speaks to a 6th grade class in "A First
Impression of Judaism"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/cwl1.html>, the third Chapter and
Classroom Video of "Teaching 'The Children of Willesden Lane.'"
> For a glimpse into Muslim society and cultural practices, watch the programs
of "The Power of Place: Geography for the 21st Century"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/pop2.html>, such as Program 8,
which looks at Islam in the Caucuses, and Program 11, which visits Chinese
Muslims in the city of Lanzhou.
> With "Bridging World History"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/bwh3.html>, trace the historical
paths of several faith traditions. Unit 5, "Early Belief Systems," discusses
Shinto, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Confucianism, and Greek thought. Unit
7, "The Spread of Religions," discusses developments in Buddhism, Christianity,
and Islam.
> Compare Japanese and American New Year's celebrations in "Happy New Year"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/tfll4.html>, Program 22 of
"Teaching Foreign Languages K-12: A Library of Classroom Practices."
> Start building cultural awareness early with ideas from "Celebrations of
Light"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/ssl5.html>, Program 8 of "Social
Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library, K-12." The featured K-1 lesson
finds connections between St. Nicholas Day, St. Lucia Day, Christmas, Hanukkah,
and Kwanzaa with the help of a Cherokee winter solstice legend.
> "The Western Tradition"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/west6.html> offers historical
background on Christianity in Program 11, "Early Christianity," and Program 12,
"The Rise of the Church," which also discuss continuities between Judaism and
Christianity. Program 16, The Fall of Byzantium," briefly considers the
contributions of Islam to Western civilization.
> See the parallel developments of Christianity and Western art and architecture
in the programs of "Art of the Western World"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/art7.html>.
> "The Africans"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/afr8.html> Program 3, "New Gods,"
looks at several aspects of African religious life. The program presents footage
of Ethiopian Christian rites, Muslims prayers and festivities in Zanzibar, and
African folk religion. Other programs in the series cover cultural practices
throughout the African continent. "The Africans" can be purchased online at
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/afr9.html>.
--
With a broadband Internet connection, you can use our Video on Demand feature to
view programs free of charge. Visit our FAQ
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/faq10.html> for more information.
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*** THE CHANNEL: END OF AN ERA ***
After many years and much research and consideration, we are announcing that the
Annenberg Channel will cease operations at midnight on September 30, 2008. Note
that after the Channel is discontinued, our programs will continue to be offered
on our Web site through Video on Demand.
Ending our satellite broadcasts will allow us to focus on developing the most
up-to-date and flexible technologies for delivering excellent professional
development resources. Although this decision has not been easy, we believe it
is ultimately in the best interests of our end users and educators who benefit
from our programming.
All of our programs with current broadcast rights will be featured on the
Channel multiple times before broadcasting ceases so that Channel licensees and
satellite broadcast viewers may record the programs for future use. Please check
Attachment A
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/a11.html> for the broadcast rights
expiration dates for our video series; programs may be rebroadcast only until
the rights expire.
We are gratified to have had the opportunity to provide the Annenberg Channel
over the years and serve so many teachers and their students through this
medium.
For more information about how you may be affected by the upcoming changes, see
the Annenberg Channel Licensee FAQ
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/liq12.html>.
For general information about the Channel, go to
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/chn13.html> and explore the
left-hand links for details. For answers to questions not addressed in that
section, please read our FAQ pages on Channel Access and Licensing
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/cal14.html> and Channel Schedule
and Programming
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/csp15.html>.
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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 pages linked below for the broadcast dates and times of
specific programs. Consult the full broadcast schedule
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/sch16.html> for many more programs
and partial series airing in December.
ARTS
> "Connecting With the Arts: A Teaching Practices Library, 6-8"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/cwal17.html>
> "Exploring the World of Music" (college/high school)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/mus18.html>
EDUCATION THEORY & ISSUES
> "Looking at Learning...Again, Part 1" (K-12)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/lla19.html>
> "Looking at Learning...Again, Part 2" (K-12)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/lla2_20.html>
> "Minds of Our Own" (K-12)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/own21.html>
LITERATURE & LANGUAGE ARTS
> "Engaging With Literature: A Video Library, Grades 3-5"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/ewll22.html>
> "Making Meaning in Literature: A Video Library, Grades 6-8"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/mmll23.html>
> "Signature: Contemporary Writers" (college/high school)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/sig24.html>
> "Teaching Reading, K-2: A Library of Classroom Practices"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/rk2l25.html>
MATHEMATICS
> "Mathematics Assessment: A Video Library, K-12"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/mass26.html>
> "Teaching Math: A Video Library, 5-8"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/58ml27.html>
> "Teaching Math: A Video Library, 9-12"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/912ml28.html>
> "Teaching Math: A Video Library, K-4"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/k4ml29.html>
SCIENCE
> "Planet Earth" (college/high school)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/plan30.html>
> "Science K-6: Investigating Classrooms"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/k6sc31.html>
> "Teaching High School Science"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/hssci32.html>
> "Unseen Life on Earth: An Introduction to Microbiology" (college/high school)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/uns33.html>
SOCIAL STUDIES & HISTORY
> "A Biography of America" (college/high school)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/boa34.html>
> "Death: A Personal Understanding" (college/high school)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/dea35.html>
> "Democracy in America" (high school)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/dia36.html>
> "Human Geography: People, Places, and Change" (college/high school)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/hgeo37.html>
> "Out of the Past" (college/high school)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/past38.html>
> "The Power of Place: Geography for the 21st Century" (high school/college)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/pop39.html>
> "Rural Communities: Legacy & Change" (college/high school)
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/rural40.html>
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Watch the Channel simulcast online -- closed captioned -- at
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/cc42.html>.
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*** CONNECT LEARNING WITH MORE SPECIAL DAYS ***
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7)
The significance of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, is still
felt today.
> For an account of the Pearl Harbor attack and its aftermath, watch "A
Biography of America" Program 22, "World War II"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/boa43.html>, and explore the
unit's Web-based resources.
> Find a literary perspective on the aftermath of Pearl Harbor in the poetry of
Lawson Fusao Inada
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/exp44.html>, part of "The
Expanding Canon: Teaching Multicultural Literature in High School."
> The establishment of internment camps for U.S. citizens of Japanese decent
following the attack on Pearl Harbor is discussed in the article "With Justice
for All: From World War II to the Civil Rights Movement"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/apass45.html> on the American
Passages Web site. Related discussion questions and archive items are listed
below the article.
Monkey Day (December 14)
> What's so special about monkeys? Explore "Rediscovering Biology: Molecular to
Global Perspectives" Unit 9, "Human Evolution"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/rbio46.html>. The online textbook
discusses the evolution of evolutionary theory from Darwin to the present era,
and seeks an answer to the question, "What kind of ape are we?"
> "Visual Information Processing: Elementary Concepts," the eighth module of
"The Brain: Teaching Modules"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/brain47.html> offers a brief
glimpse into what scientists have learned about the human visual apparatus
through their work studying monkeys.
> In the American Passages archive, see Shoshan's "Monkey Reaching for the Moon"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/mmoon48.html> -- a Japanese print
-- and images such as this one
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/scopes49.html> related to the
famous Scopes Monkey Trial, which challenged the teaching of Darwin's theory of
evolution in the classroom.
Bill of Rights Day (December 15)
The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights.
These ten amendments began as twelve "articles" authored by James Madison in
1789, the last ten of which were ratified by three-fourths of the States in
1791. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed December 15 to be Bill of
Rights Day in 1941, marking the 150th anniversary of the Bill's ratification.
The observance has been officially recognized by U.S. presidents ever since.
> Read the Bill of Rights
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/ahist50.html> on the Web site for
"America's History in the Making." Click on "Back to Theme Page" for a link to
the related video program as well unit resources, which include the teaching
unit "The Evolution of the Bill of Rights" in PDF format.
> For a brief overview of the import of the Bill of Rights, explore "Democracy
in America" Unit 4, "Civil Rights: Safeguarding the Individual"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/dia51.html>. Also use the
drop-down menu to visit Units 1 and 3, which discuss the Bill of Rights in the
Topic Overview sections.
> See "Landmark Supreme Court Cases"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/ssl52.html> in our "Social Studies
in Action" K-12 video library. The Lesson Background section summarizes Supreme
Court rulings on individual rights.
> Find references to the Bill of Rights and the importance of specific
amendments throughout the workshops of "Making Civics Real: A Workshop for
Teachers"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/civic53.html> -- starting with
Workshop 1, "Freedom of Religion."
Learn a Foreign Language Month
Language skills are increasingly important in this era of globalization. This
month, embark on learning a foreign language -- and make a New Year's resolution
to keep it going!
> Spice up your foreign language teaching with ideas from "Teaching Foreign
Languages K-12 Workshop"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/tflw54.html> or by observing
teachers in the related video library
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/tfll55.html>. Featured classrooms
demonstrate effective teaching of Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese,
Latin, Russian, and Spanish.
> For Spanish, watch "Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/dest56.html> -- our extremely
popular drama series that has helped countless viewers to capture the language
and understand the rich culture of Spanish-speaking countries.
> "French in Action"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/fia57.html> introduces Pierre
Capretz's immersion method, engaging viewers in active learning through stories
and visual instruction.
> Look to "Fokus Deutsch"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/fokus58.html> to learn German with
Professor Bob Di Donato and the story of Marion and her family. Transcripts
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/ftran59.html> are also available
online.
> If English is your foreign language, watch "Connect With English"
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/december/cwe60.html> to brush up on
speaking skills, comprehension, and knowledge of North American culture.
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