Advance excellent teaching with Annenberg Media.

-------------------------------------------------------
*** In the Spotlight for June ***
-------------------------------------------------------

 -  Linking to Current Events
 -  Learner.org -- Now a Brochure!
 -  Habitable Planet Users' Comments Requested
 -  Have a Foreign Language Summer
 -  Connect Learning with Special Days
     o Start of the Hurricane Season
     o Birthday of Paul Gauguin
     o Flag Day
     o Nature Photography Day
     o World Refugee Day
     o National HIV Testing Day
     o Effective Communications Month

-------------------------------------------------------
*** LINKING TO CURRENT EVENTS ***

No Child Left Behind Law Sees Little Change in Achievement Gap

Since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, questions have been raised about the efficacy of the law -- particularly with regard to its stated goal, to "close the achievement gap." Although test scores have improved, they have done so across the board, so that the gap in achievement between white students and black and Hispanic students remains great, especially in the upper grades.

Annenberg Media has a number of resources that could help you build students' literacy and math skills at the elementary and middle school levels:

> Our Teaching Reading K-2 workshop http://www.learner.org/workshops/readingk2/ and video library http://www.learner.org/libraries/readingk2/ are good places to find research-based methods of building student literacy in the early years. The two series cover a range of school settings, and provide specific strategies for bilingual settings.

> Teaching Reading 3-5 Workshop http://www.learner.org/workshops/teachreading35/ includes video workshops and coordinated activities, as well as programs showing individual classrooms where teachers model effective strategies.

> The Missing Link: Essential Concepts for Middle School Math Teachers http://www.learner.org/workshops/missinglink/ addresses the mathematics achievement gap between American students and their counterparts in other countries.

> Upper elementary students should be able to express themselves in writing. Inside Writing Communities, Grades 3-5 http://www.learner.org/workshops/writing35/ lays out the essential features of a supportive classroom environment for developing strong writing skills.

> In our series Teaching Math: A Video Library, K-4, http://www.learner.org/resources/series32.html teachers reveal their strategies for improving their students' understanding of mathematical concepts. The related resources listed on that page may also be of interest.

> For a broader view of the issues surrounding education and student achievement, particularly in math and science, watch Looking at Learning...Again, Part 1 http://www.learner.org/workshops/lala/ and Part 2 http://www.learner.org/workshops/lala2/ .

---
New Ideas on the Chemical Origins of Life on Early Earth

As reported in the journal Nature, chemist John D. Sutherland at the University of Manchester, England, has experimental evidence that two of the nucleotides that make up RNA molecules could have developed via chemical means on early Earth. Learn about other scientific ideas of how life may have formed on Earth.

> Harvard professors Andrew Knoll and Ann Pearson discuss what fossils can tell us about the interplay between the chemistry of early Earth and the earliest life forms, and how the rise of oxygen allowed life to flourish, in the first program of The Habitable Planet http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=1&secNum=0 -- "Many Planets, One Earth."

> Try our DNA interactive http://www.learner.org/interactives/dna/ to learn about the characteristics of DNA and RNA, and the role of RNA in the process of genetic transcription.

> In Workshop 6 of Reactions in Chemistry, "The Chemistry of Life," http://www.learner.org/workshops/chemistry/workshop6/ NASA scientist Lou Allamandola offers an alternate theory of life's chemical origins -- that organic molecules were transported to Earth from stellar clouds in outer space.

> Unseen Life on Earth: An Introduction to Microbiology http://www.learner.org/resources/series121.html peers back through time in Program 6, "Microbial Evolution," to explore the characteristics of primitive Earth and how the first life forms may have evolved billions of years ago.

> Watch The World of Chemistry http://www.learner.org/resources/series61.html Program 24, "The Genetic Code," for the basic chemistry of DNA and RNA, as well as an explanation of how the tiniest alterations in the genetic code results in abnormal protein structures -- causing the symptoms of genetic disease.

-------------------------------------------------------
"I love these guys, these volcanoes, and there are only two ways -- either you like them or you hate them. I like even the sulfur smell. So this is an environment that really makes me excited thinking and dreaming of the primitive earth. It's very stimulating for me."  -German microbiologist Karl Stetter on the Italian island of Vulcano, in Unseen Life on Earth


-------------------------------------------------------
*** LEARNER.ORG -- NOW A BROCHURE! ***

Annenberg Media has developed a handy brochure for professional development leaders, teacher coaches, and resource teachers to let their colleagues know about the wealth of professional development resources they can find on Learner.org for FREE. The compact (4x7") brochure shows the steps for accessing video and other resources at Learner.org. To view a copy of the brochure, go to: http://www.learner.org/about/learnerbrochure.html and click on the brochure link.

If you would like to receive multiple copies of the brochure in packs of 50 or 100, send an email to pdbrochure@learner.org and include the following information:

- Your name
- Your institution
- Your mailing address (can be your home address, if that is more convenient)
- The phone number that matches the mailing address (for UPS shipments)

Please also let us know where you are going to use the brochures (conference, staff development, etc.) and the date by which you need to receive them.


-------------------------------------------------------
*** HABITABLE PLANET USERS' COMMENTS REQUESTED ***

Annenberg Media would like to hear from any users of the video or Web materials from The Habitable Planet: A Systems Approach to Environmental Science. We would especially like your comments on the effectiveness of the materials with students or for professional development. Please send any comments by June 24, 2009 to info@learner.org . Thank you!


-------------------------------------------------------
*** HAVE A FOREIGN LANGUAGE SUMMER ***

Summer is a good time to make use of a foreign language for travel or for pleasure.

> The second unit of Teaching Foreign Languages K-12 Workshop, http://www.learner.org/workshops/tfl/ "Person to Person," focuses on interpersonal communication and how teachers can encourage more student interaction in the target language. Workshop 8, "Engaging with Communities," presents opportunities for students to use language skills with native speakers in their local communities.

> In Teaching Foreign Languages K-12: A Library of Classroom Practices, Unit 21 http://www.learner.org/libraries/tfl/italian/digennaro/ an Italian class shares email descriptions of their homes and schools with students in Cagliari on the island of Sardinia.

> For an exploration in German, watch Fokus Deutsch http://www.learner.org/resources/series104.html Episode 15, which shows a dinner scene and reviews vocabulary about food. See Episode 34 for words related to modern German cuisine. Please note that our streaming video for Fokus Deutsch will be available through the end of 2009.

> Destinos http://www.learner.org/resources/series75.html Episodes 12-18 look at the Spanish words for naming and describing food found in shops.

> French in Action http://www.learner.org/resources/series83.html Episodes 24-26 cover food and restaurant interactions.

---
Watch our video programs free of charge through Video on Demand. Find out more: http://www.learner.org/view_programs/view.programs.html


-------------------------------------------------------
*** CONNECT LEARNING WITH SPECIAL DAYS ***

Start of the Hurricane Season (June 1)

> The Habitable Planet: A Systems Approach to Environmental Science, Unit 2 http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=2&secNum=0 describes hurricanes in Section 7 of the online textbook; MIT Professor Kerry Emanuel http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/scientist/scientist.php?shortname=emanuel explains what a hurricane is and how it forms.

> To better understand the forces that influence our weather, visit our Weather interactive http://www.learner.org/interactives/weather/ which covers hurricanes and other powerful storms.

> Dr. Kerry Emanuel explains what computer models and an energy systems approach can reveal about the behavior of hurricanes in Science in Focus: Energy, Workshop 6, "Energy and Systems." http://www.learner.org/workshops/energy/workshop6/icon4.html  The page links to Dr. Emanuel's own home page, which offers additional information on hurricanes, tracking models, and various resources related to cyclonic storms.


Birthday of Paul Gauguin (June 7)

> On the 161st birthday of Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin, watch Art of the Western World http://www.learner.org/resources/series1.html Program 7, "A Fresh View--Impressionism and Post-Impressionism," to learn more about the work of Gauguin and his contemporaries.


Flag Day (June 14)

> Read the article "Star Spangled Moccasins: The American Flag in Native American Culture" http://www.learner.org/amerpass/unit05/context_activ-4.html  Then search the American Passages archive for more historical flag-related items.

> Observe Wendy Ewbank's middle school lesson on the symbolism of the flag and First Amendment rights in "Landmark Supreme Court Cases," http://www.learner.org/libraries/socialstudies/6_8/ewbank/ Program 20 of Social Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library, K-12.

> On the Web site for Making Civics Real: A Workshop or Teachers, read a student discussion http://www.learner.org/workshops/civics/workshop5/studentperspec/patriotism.html about patriotism and the American flag in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Click on "Workshop Session" to view the related video.

> The Evaluating Evidence interactive http://www.learner.org/courses/amerhistory/interactives/thesis/ on the Web site for America's History in the Making includes an item on the Confederate song "Bonnie Blue Flag," which praises South Carolina's pro-secession flag of 1860. Includes music and lyrics.


Nature Photography Day (June 15)

> Find photographs of migratory birds, caterpillars, butterflies, gray whales, blue crabs, manatees, and other wildlife in North America on the Journey North Web site. http://www.learner.org/jnorth/  Watch coordinated videos http://www.learner.org/resources/series127.html that show how teachers and their students can participate in this unique exploration of seasonal change.

> Photographs of different life forms can be found on the Web site for Essential Science for Teachers: Life Science. http://www.learner.org/courses/essential/life/

> Science in Focus: Shedding Light on Science http://www.learner.org/workshops/sheddinglight/ includes three sessions relating to light, color, and visual perception, plus online activities that explore photography and how cameras work.


World Refugee Day (June 20)

World Refugee Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2000 to promote awareness of the vast numbers of refugees worldwide. This year's theme is "Real People, Real Needs."

> Learn about the stories of Jewish child refugees through Teaching 'The Children of Willesden Lane' http://www.learner.org/series/cowl/ which presents lessons based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane. The book tells the true story of Lisa Jura, who escaped from Nazi persecution on the eve of World War II.

> Teaching Geography, Workshop 4 http://www.learner.org/workshops/geography/wkp4intr.html features the 9th-grade class of Ungennette Brantley Harris, whose lesson focuses on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and what it means to live as a refugee in occupied territory.

> See the artistic group projects created by Mavis Weir's 10th-grade students in "Migration From Latin America," http://www.learner.org/libraries/socialstudies/9_12/weir/ Program 24 of Social Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library, K-12. The class discusses the different reasons for immigration to the United States and the obstacles faced by immigrants and refugees. Click on About the Class and Lesson Background for information about migration trends in six Latin American countries; click on Watching the Video to stream the video program.


National HIV Testing Day (June 27)

> The Habitable Planet considers the HIV/AIDS pandemic within the context of population trends. This map http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/visual/visual.php?shortname=adult_hiv on the series Web site shows HIV/AIDS rates in Africa in the year 2000. Use the link to the online textbook for additional information.

> Read the case study, "The Genetics of Resistance to HIV Infection," http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/casestudy/hiv.html to better understand how a small number of people naturally resistant to HIV could help scientists find a cure. Then explore the wealth of information in Session 6, "HIV and AIDS." For a discussion of the impact of HIV/AIDS on Africa, read this interview http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/units/hiv/experts/garrett.html with Laurie Garrett, author of the books The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance and Betrayal of Trust: The Collapse of Global Public Health. Finally, see Unit 3 of the online textbook for a discussion of HIV and phylogenetics.

> The importance of getting tested is underscored by the experience of physician Greg Robinson, who discovered he was HIV positive. His story is featured in Death: A Personal Understanding http://www.learner.org/resources/series108.html Program 3, "Facing Mortality." Also see Program 8, "Grief and Bereavement," which looks at AIDS from a family member's perspective.

> "Health, Mind, and Behavior," http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/23/e23expand.html Program 23 of Discovering Psychology: Updated Edition, examines psychological and social factors in the transmission of HIV and its progression to full-blown AIDS.

> Learn about the geography of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa by watching The Power of Place, Program 19. http://www.learner.org/powerofplace/page19.html  The related unit in Teaching Geography http://www.learner.org/workshops/geography/wkp5intr.html looks at ways to teach about AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa.


Effective Communications Month

> In "Teaching Persuasive Writing," http://www.learner.org/workshops/middlewriting/prog4.html Program 4 of Write in the Middle: A Workshop for Middle School Teachers, teachers Jenny Beasley and Jack Wilde present their lessons on writing editorials and persuasive writing. Find lesson plans and samples of real student work in PDF format.

> An understanding of one's audience is absolutely essential to successful communication. In the program "Different Audiences," http://www.learner.org/workshops/hswriting/workshops/workshop3/ high school teachers, educators, authors, and students discuss the importance of the writing process, how to identify the audience, different audiences and how to address them, and related topics. From Developing Writers: A Workshop for High School Teachers.

> Fifth-grade teacher Laura Alvarez guides her students through techniques of debate and persuasion, plus research and organizational strategies, in "Social Justice and Action," http://www.learner.org/workshops/tml/workshop7/ Workshop 7 of Teaching Multicultural Literature: A Workshop for the Middle Grades.

> Effective rhetorical strategy depends on a sound understanding of psychology. Learn more about how the human mind works with Discovering Psychology: Updated Edition. http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/  In particular, see Program 6, which looks at language development and social communication, and Program 8, which explains factors affecting motivation and emotions.

> See how communication fosters an understanding of mathematical ideas and the language of mathematics in the "Communication" programs of Teaching Math: A Video Library, K-4 http://www.learner.org/resources/series32.html and Teaching Math: A Video Library, 9-12. http://www.learner.org/resources/series34.html

> The programs of News Writing http://www.learner.org/resources/series44.html cover public relations writing, feature writing styles, and column and editorial writing among other topics. Read the related News Writing Interviews, http://www.learner.org/catalog/extras/interviews/ in which celebrated columnists give their views on writing, news, humor, and more.

> Learn ways to help your students communicate more effectively in a foreign language. Watch "Delivering the Message," http://www.learner.org/workshops/tfl/session_03/ Workshop 3 of Teaching Foreign Languages K-12 Workshop, which looks at elements of an effective oral or written presentation.

> Teachers encourage high school students to communicate genuinely and creatively through dance and visual media in "Fostering Genuine Communication," http://www.learner.org/workshops/hsarts/program6/ Workshop 6 of The Art of Teaching the Arts.


******************************
You are receiving this email update either because our records show you asked to be placed on our mailing list, or a colleague forwarded a copy to you. Each month, subscribers will receive a message highlighting the news, events, and programming of Annenberg Media, as well as ideas for using our resources in the classroom.

If you wish to subscribe to this list, please send email to mailto:updates-subscribe@learner.org  To be removed from this list, send email to mailto:updates-unsubscribe@learner.org from the same address that was originally subscribed. If you encounter any problems subscribing or unsubscribing, or if you have any questions, contact us at mailto:info@learner.org .