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*** In the Spotlight for January ***
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- 2009: Year of...
- Linking to Current Events
- Connect Learning with Special Days
o New Year's Day
o Martin Luther King Day
o Inauguration Day
o Universal Letter-writing Week
o Financial Wellness Month
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*** 2009: YEAR OF... ***
Two-thousand nine feels like the beginning of a new age, with a new U.S.
presidency on the horizon and major changes in the economy signaling uncertain
times to come. Along with these big changes, the New Year also brings new areas
of emphasis in learning and awareness.
The following are topics that will be officially recognized in 2009, along with
resources on our Web site that you may find useful in exploring the themes:
> Year of Science
Explore our instructional video series on chemistry
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series61.html>, earth science
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series78.html>
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series49.html>, physics
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series42.html>, biology
<http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/>, microbiology
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series121.html>, neuroscience
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series142.html>, and environmental science
<http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/>, plus series specifically designed
for teacher professional development
<http://www.learner.org/channel/chnnl_workshops.html>. Also see our science
interactives
<http://www.learner.org/interactives/> for unique learning experiences.
> Year of the Gorilla
What do we humans have in common with gorillas? Quite a lot, according to the
DNA! Find out more with the ninth unit of Rediscovering Biology: Microbial to
Global Perspectives
<http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/units/humev/>. In the Animations &
Images section, find an image of a gorilla against a foliage backdrop.
Interested in living amongst the gorillas? Be inspired by celebrated ethologist
Jane Goodall and her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees. Dr. Goodall is
featured in the introductory program of Journey North
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series127.html>.
> International Year of Astronomy
Our physics series The Mechanical Universe...and Beyond
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series42.html> explains the movements of
the heavenly bodies in mathematical terms; watch programs 20 through 25 for
content covering equinoxes, orbits, gravity, space travel, and related theories.
Less technical accounts for conveying information to younger students can be
found in Essential Science for Teachers: Earth and Space Science
<http://www.learner.org/courses/essential/earthspace/> Programs 7 and 8,
which consider children's own theories about the moon and solar system. The
fourth and sixth programs of Planet Earth
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series49.html> travel through our solar
system and examine the intimate connection between Earth and Sun.
Unfortunately many students have failed to understand even the most basic
astronomical concepts. A Private Universe
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series28.html> considers why this is so,
beginning with Harvard graduates' mistaken ideas about the relationships between
the motions of heavenly bodies and the seasons here on Earth. To test your own
knowledge, visit our Teacher's Lab
<http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/pup/> and take a quiz. Then have your
students tune in to astronomy directly with this set of moon activities and
resources
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/lala/moonj.html>.
> International Year of Natural Fibres
Consider the natural status of today's cotton -- watch "Genetically Modified
Organisms"
<http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/textbook/gmo/gmo_5.html>, which
discusses genetically modified plants including cotton. On the same Web site,
read about a novel use of cotton cloth
<http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/units/infect/experts/colwell.html>
-- to filter water in communities without water purification systems. The online
textbook for The Habitable Planet: A Systems Approach to Environmental Science
Unit 7
<http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=7&secNum=0>
discusses major issues in the growing of natural crops for fiber and food. And
to find out what kind of plant stuff rayon and cotton fibers are actually made
of, visit the Shedding Light on Science Web site
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/sheddinglight/highlights/highlights5.html>.
Natural fibers are woven into history. Read about clothing in medieval Europe in
our Middle Ages interactive
<http://www.learner.org/interactives/middleages/clothing.html>, and visit
the American Passages archive to see traditional Native American cotton and wool
cloth on elaborate dolls of the Huron tribe
<http://www.learner.org/amerpass/slideshow/archive_search.php?number=8113&fullsize=1>.
Also in the American Passages archive are historical images of people picking
cotton, such as this one
<http://www.learner.org/amerpass/slideshow/archive_search.php?number=5510&fullsize=1>.
The manufacture of cloth during industrialization had important social
implications; find one illustrative example in "The Lowell System," the third
workshop of Primary Sources: Workshops in American History
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/primarysources/lowell/introduction.html>.
And fabric itself has both reflected and affected the fabric of society; read
about it in this interview with vintage reproduction fashion designer Anna Marie
Von Firley
<http://www.learner.org/courses/amerhistory/units/15/video/transcript.html>.
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Use our Video on Demand feature
<http://www.learner.org/view_programs/view.programs.html> to view programs
free of charge.
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*** LINKING TO CURRENT EVENTS ***
The Presidential Inauguration
> Before the inauguration of Barack H. Obama on January 20, 2009, review the
workings of the institution of the U.S. presidency with "The Modern Presidency:
Tools of Power"<http://www.learner.org/courses/democracyinamerica/dia_7/>,
Program 7 of Democracy in America. Downloadable readings include the insightful
writings of Alexis de Tocqueville, Alexander Hamilton (from the Federalist
Papers), Andrew Jackson (On Indian Removal), and Abraham Lincoln (The
Emancipation Proclamation).
> The first three programs of our Emmy Award-winning discussion series The
Constitution: That Delicate Balance
<http://www.learner.org/redirect/january/constitut40.html> discuss executive
privilege; covert action; and the nomination, election, and succession of the
president.
> Read this interview with veteran reporter Helen Thomas
<http://www.learner.org/catalog/extras/interviews/hthomas/ht04.html> to
learn about media coverage of the White House.
> For a discussion on race and the implications of the election of the first
African American president, see America's History in the Making Unit 20,
"Egalitarian America"
<http://www.learner.org/courses/amerhistory/units/20/>. Explore the full
range of Web-based resources to review developments in racial divisions and
integration, as well as the role of mass media in shaping the political
landscape. The text chapter includes the article, "The Many Facets of Brown:
Integration in a Multiracial Society," plus examples of ethnic mobilization and
a discussion of President Kennedy's response to the Civil Rights movement.
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The Earth
Surprising discoveries about Earth's interior and exterior are advancing
scientists' understanding of the planet. On December 16, scientists announced
that breaches in Earth's magnetic field -- much larger than previously known to
occur -- have let in a blast of solar wind. Another group of researchers have
discovered two huge masses or "superpiles" of molten rock they believe have
remained stable for hundreds of millions of years, playing a role in continental
movements.
> Try our Dynamic Earth interactive
<http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/>, which investigates
plate tectonics, continental drift, and the layers of Earth's interior.
> The 26 programs of Earth Revealed
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series78.html> cover major geology topics
including magnetic fields and volcanism.
> Elementary teachers can enhance their knowledge and teaching of various earth
science concepts with Essential Science for Teachers: Earth and Space Science
<http://www.learner.org/courses/essential/earthspace/>.
> To better understand the physics of magnetism, watch "Gravity, Electricity,
and Magnetism," Program 11 of The Mechanical Universe...and Beyond
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series42.html>. Click on Lesson
Descriptions for a list of topics covered.
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Cold Enough For You?
"January is here, with eyes that keenly glow,
a frost-mailed warrior striding a shadowy steed of snow,"
wrote poet Edgar Fawcett about this often frigid month. Make good use of your
time indoors by learning more about how the weather works.
> Find out what forces operate our global weather system in Shedding Light on
Science. Workshop 7, "Sun and Seasons"
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/sheddinglight/workshop7.html> explains how
uneven heating of the earth is responsible for our seasons, and Workshop 8,
"Wind and Weather"
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/sheddinglight/workshop8.html> explores
mechanisms that set the air in motion and cause weather.
> The oceans play a huge role in the heating and cooling of the earth and
provide the greatest CO2 offset. The Habitable Planet, Program 3,
"Oceans"
<http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=3&secNum=0>
explains the El Niņo phenomenon and reveals the heroic efforts of phytoplankton
in the
oceans.
> Understand the difference between weather and climate by watching (the
original) Planet Earth, Program 3, "The Climate Puzzle"
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series49.html>.
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*** CONNECT LEARNING WITH SPECIAL DAYS ***
New Year's Day (January 1)
> "Happy New Year!"
<http://www.learner.org/libraries/tfl/japanese/birkland/> -- Program 22 of
Teaching Foreign Languages K-12: A Library of Classroom Practices -- features a
Japanese language lesson about New Year's celebrations in Japan. The Web site
also includes foreign language teaching and learning standards, and additional
resources.
The New Year is a time for resolutions!
> What does it take to stay motivated so you achieve your resolutions? Watch
Discovering Psychology: Updated Edition, Program 12, "Motivation and Emotion"
<http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/12/e12expand.html>. Other
programs in the series may also be of interest.
> Motivate your students to meet their own learning goals using the teaching
approaches discussed in "Expectations for Success: Motivation and Learning"
<http://www.learner.org/courses/learningclassroom/session_overviews/motiv_home12.html>,
Session 12 of The Learning Classroom: Theory Into Practice.
> This year, resolve to learn a new language, or pick up where your college
language courses left off. For Spanish, watch Destinos: An Introduction to
Spanish
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series75.html>; for French, we have French
in Action
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series83.html>; and for learning German,
there's Fokus Deutsch
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series104.html>, which also offers a link
to the video transcripts. Our language video series are based on immersion
methods.
Martin Luther King Day (January 19)
> America's History in the Making Unit 20, "Egalitarian America"
<http://www.learner.org/courses/amerhistory/units/20/> -- new in 2008 --
looks at the struggles for civil rights from the 1940s to the 1970s. Be sure to
explore the unit's text and audio resources.
> Look back at the social milieu 1960s including the Civil Rights Movement and
the work of Dr. King within the context of broader historical developments in A
Biography of America
<http://www.learner.org/biographyofamerica/prog24/>.
> Social Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library, K-12
<http://www.learner.org/libraries/socialstudies/> introduces ways of
teaching students to overcome their differences and develop a sense of community
in the session, "Unity and Diversity." In "Leaders, Community, and Citizens,"
first-grade teacher Cynthia Vaughn shows how concepts of equality and fairness
can be incorporated into a general social studies lesson.
> See this picture of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
<http://www.learner.org/amerpass/slideshow/archive_search.php?number=2254&fullsize=1>
in the American Passages archive.
> Observe an engaging classroom lesson on the book "The Watsons Go to Birmingham
-- 1963" by Christopher Paul Curtis in Workshop 5 of Teaching Multicultural
Literature: A Workshop for the Middle Grades
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/tml/workshop5/>. Find another lesson on
the same book
<http://www.learner.org/libraries/makingmeaning/makingmeaning/dramatic/> in
Making Meaning in Literature: A Library of Classroom Practices.
> Teachers introduce their 4th-, 5th-, and 6th-grade students to literature
about Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement in Engaging with
Literature: A Video Library, Grades 3-5
<http://www.learner.org/libraries/engagingliterature/> Programs 6, "Building
Community," and 8, "Finding Common Ground."
Universal Letter-writing Week (January 8-14)
> The effectiveness of letter writing in social action is demonstrated in
Teaching Multicultural Literature: A Workshop for the Middle Grades, Workshop 7,
"Social Justice and Action"
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/tml/workshop7/teaching3.html>.
> Teachers Gloria Hamilton and Damond Moodie engage their students in letter
writing activities in Write in the Middle: A Workshop for Middle School
Teachers, Workshop 2, "Making Writing Meaningful"
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/middlewriting/prog2.html>. Damond Moodie's
lesson includes links to student work in PDF format.
> Session 3 of The Expanding Canon: Teaching Multicultural Literature in High
School
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/hslit/session3/> offers James Baldwin's
"The Fire Next Time" as an example of how personal letters can be transformed
into powerful, purposeful prose. For the text of "The Fire Next Time," download
the Workshop Guide for Session 3 in PDF format, accessible directly at
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/hslit/support/guide3.pdf>.
> In crafting your letter-writing assignments, draw ideas from the creative
response activities in American Passages: A Literary Survey, Unit 12, "Migrant
Struggle"
<http://www.learner.org/amerpass/unit12/creative_respns.html>.
> To help you get your students writing, remember The Top Ten Myths of Writing
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/hswriting/workshops/workshop1/myths.html>.
> Search the American Passages archive
<http://www.learner.org/amerpass/slideshow/archive_search.php> using search
term "letter" to find -- and even read -- images of original handwritten
documents, such as this one
<http://www.learner.org/amerpass/slideshow/archive_search.php?number=1725&fullsize=1>
by President Lincoln urging equal treatment of soldiers regardless of race.
Refine search by time period or other criteria.
> Our Historical and Cultural Contexts interactive
<http://www.learner.org/interactives/historical/> illustrates the importance
of letters to understanding history. Have students do the interactive and then
give a letter-writing assignment that will allow students to "write history" in
a letter.
> Read the text of historically significant letters in the America's History in
the Making archive
<http://www.learner.org/courses/amerhistory/resource_archive/> using search
term "letter."
> Watch the series "Voices & Visions"
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series57.html> to understand the lives of
major American poets including Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost through their
letters to others.
Financial Wellness Month
> Observe excellent lessons on financial responsibility in the fourth program of
The Economics Classroom: A Workshop for Grade 9-12 Teachers
<http://www.learner.org/workshops/economics/workshop4.html>. Watch teacher
Marc Johnson's True or False game that dispels his students' misconceptions
about financial success. Then click on Workshop 8, "Growth and
Entrepreneurship," for material addressing young entrepreneurs, business and
finance, and patents and copyrights.
> Economics U$A
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series79.html> and Inside the Global
Economy
<http://www.learner.org/resources/series86.html> offer a broader view of
economic principles at work.
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