Advance excellent teaching with Annenberg
Media.
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*** In the Spotlight for September ***
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- Linking to Current Events
- Distance Learning
- Connect Learning with Special Days
o Labor Day
o Constitution Day
o Banned Books Week
o National Hispanic Heritage Month
o National Rice Month
o National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
o National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Prevention Month
- Join the Journey South
- Signature and Fokus Deutsch Series Retiring
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*** LINKING TO CURRENT EVENTS ***
New Emphasis on Testing
As a new administration in the White House takes over, continued emphasis is
being placed on teacher and student performance and assessment.
> School Testing--Behind the Numbers
http://www.learner.org/resources/series186.html is an hour-long panel
discussion in which administrators, experts, journalists, policymakers,
teachers, parents, and students offer competing interpretations of test scores
in the imaginary state of "Idyllia."
> An interesting discussion comparing American students' performance in math and
science with that of other countries -- and offering insights into causes and
solutions for lagging performance -- can be found in "The International
Picture," Workshop 8 of our series, Looking at Learning...Again, Part 1.
http://www.learner.org/workshops/lala/ The series Web site includes a list
of background readings.
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Influenza
According to a recent estimate by the President's Council of Advisors on Science
and Technology, up to half of the U.S. population could become infected with the
H1N1 influenza virus, or "swine flu," over the coming season. A new vaccine is
being developed to help minimize the impact of the virus.
> To better understand how influenza infects its host, see this animation
http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/archive/animations/hires/a_infect8_h.html
from our Rediscovering Biology series. This animation
http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/archive/animations/hires/a_hiv1_h.html
from the same series gives a general overview of the human immune response.
> Primary Sources: Workshops in American History offers an historical view of
public health policy and infectious disease in America in Program 7, "Disease
and History: Typhoid Mary and the Search for the Perfect Control."
http://www.learner.org/workshops/primarysources/disease/introduction.html
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Success of Online Courses
A study conducted on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education has found that
online classes yield superior results to face-to-face instruction. A copy of the
report can be downloaded in PDF format:
http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf
> For information about our instructional video series that can be used as
distance learning courses, see our Distance Learning FAQ:
http://www.learner.org/telecourses/
> To embark on your own course of online learning, see our teacher professional
development workshops and courses:
http://www.learner.org/channel/chnnl_workshops.html
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*** DISTANCE LEARNING ***
The fall 2009 semester is here! The new school year brings new beginnings that
should include using Annenberg Media video and related materials as offerings
for distance learners. News and reminders noted below:
//What's New//
Coming fall 2009. (Available for licensing spring 2010) Art Through Time: A
Global View, a new 13-part series that includes a free online text, guide, and
coordinated Web site. Call 1-800-LEARNER (532-7637) or email
distancelearning@learner.org for a free preview.
Video on Demand. Users no longer need to enter a user name and password to view
video on learner.org. Using our online streaming service has never been easier!
And coming soon, we'll be moving to Flash video which will improve access for
both our PC and Mac users.
//Important Reminders//
- We would like to remind colleges that a licenses fee is required for the use
of Annenberg Media video courses for distance learning.
- The following distance learning courses are each supported by an in-depth
coordinated Web site -- complete with an accompanying guide or textbook -- to
enhance teaching and your students' learning experience: American Passages,
Bridging World History, Democracy in America, Ethics in America and Ethics in
America II, The Habitable Planet, The Learning Classroom, Mathematics
Illuminated, and Rediscovering Biology.
- Our DVDs and online VoD are closed captioned. Audio-described DVDs for your
visually impaired students are available upon request.
- Fall 2009 is the last semester to license our German language course Fokus
Deutsch. As of December 31, 2009 we will no longer be able to offer this course
as an option to you or your students.
//Special Incentives//
- Our Summer 2009 special incentive on math and science courses is coming to an
end as of September 30th, so act now to take advantage of this special offer.
For schools currently licensing Against All Odds: Inside Statistics or College
Algebra/Algebra: In Simplest Terms, we are offering a 20% discount on your
license fee to adopt our new course, Mathematics Illuminated. For schools
currently licensing Earth Revealed or Planet Earth, we are offering a 20%
discount on your license fee to adopt our new course, The Habitable Planet: A
Systems Approach to Environmental Science.
- Ethics in America. We have combined the licensing for the original Ethics in
America and Ethics in America II. This will allow you to use any of the
hypothetical cases from either series to create an exciting course highlighting
new and historical debates from eminent leaders in government, business,
science, and academia.
- In view of the current economic situation facing everyone this year, there
will be no price increase for licenses. Also, if you have not already done so,
don't forget to order your DVDs in time for the 2009/2010 school year to get our
special pricing for students enrolled in a distance learning course.
//Talk to Us//
- We look forward to hearing from you and receiving your enrollment numbers for
the fall semester. You can send them via email directly to Nancy Williams at
nwilliams.learner@gmail.com .
- Visit us! We will be at The 31st National Media Market, October 4-8, 2009 in
Lexington, Kentucky
http://www.nmm.net and The 15th Annual Sloan-C Conference on Online
Learning, October 28-30 in Orlando, Florida
http://www.sloan-c.org/conference/index.asp where we will focus our
presentation on the past, present, and future of distance learning with the
inclusion of video as a key component. If you are unable to attend either event,
email us
distancelearning@learner.org and we will be happy to coordinate a session
with your school.
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*** CONNECT LEARNING WITH SPECIAL DAYS ***
Labor Day (September 7)
The first Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882. The
observance, organized by the Central Labor Union in New York as a day of rest
for working persons, was later moved to the first Monday in September.
While most other countries celebrate labor day on May 1 of each year, U.S.
President Grover Cleveland supported a September date to avoid associations with
the Chicago Haymarket riot in May of 1886. He signed a bill into law making the
September Labor Day observance a federal holiday in 1894.
> "Industrializing America,"
http://www.learner.org/courses/amerhistory/units/14/ Unit 14 of America's
History in the Making, looks at how industrialization required new labor markets
and spawned the rise of the labor movement.
> A Biography of America, Unit 17, "Capital and Labor"
http://www.learner.org/biographyofamerica/prog17/ takes a look at historic
labor developments in the U.S.
> For a look at how industrialization changed society -- drawing women into the
labor force and, later, the labor movement -- see "The Lowell System: Women in a
New Industrial Society,"
http://www.learner.org/workshops/primarysources/lowell/introduction.html
Program 3 of Primary Sources.
> See how larger economic issues drive labor migrations in Europe and America in
Program 5 of Inside the Global Economy.
http://www.learner.org/resources/series86.html
> Get a better understanding of the development and role of labor unions with
Economics U$A
http://www.learner.org/resources/series79.html Program 22, "Labor and
Management."
> Consider the impact of employment and labor issues on a more personal level
with Growing Old in a New Age
http://www.learner.org/resources/series84.html Program 9, "Work, Retirement,
and Economic Status."
> See how labor issues have impacted literature in American Passages: A Literary
Survey, Unit 12, "Migrant Struggle."
http://www.learner.org/amerpass/unit12/ Also see context activities for
Unit 11, "Modernist Portraits,"
http://www.learner.org/amerpass/unit11/context_activ-2.html which address
the impact of industrialization on the lives of workers.
Constitution Day (September 17)
Observe Constitution Day -- both as a means of raising your students' interest
in constitutional issues and to fulfill the requirement of all educational
institutions receiving funding through the U.S. Department of Education. Find
the original announcement of Constitution Day in the Federal Register
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/retrieve.html (volume 70, page 29727).
The following resources pertaining to the Constitution can be incorporated into
your school's program:
> Our Emmy Award-winning series The Constitution: That Delicate Balance:
http://www.learner.org/resources/series72.html features panel discussion on
constitutional issues by distinguished personalities in government, media, and
law.
> America's History in the Making:
http://www.learner.org/courses/amerhistory/ looks at the early development
of the U.S. system of government. See Unit 4, "Revolutionary Perspectives," and
click on OAH Talking History to listen to the radio programs "Revolutionary
Mothers" and "Washington's Slaves." Then see Unit 20, Egalitarian America, for a
look at more recent constitutional issues.
> See how key figures in law, media, government, religion, military, health
care, and business puzzle through controversies introduced using hypothetical
cases and the Socratic method. Watch Ethics in America
http://www.learner.org/resources/series81.html and Ethics in America II.
http://www.learner.org/series/ethics2/
> Listen to lectures while watching historical footage in Democracy in America.
http://www.learner.org/courses/democracyinamerica/ The series Web site has
downloadable readings that include the writings of Frederick Douglass, Thomas
Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Niccolo Machiavelli, Thomas Paine, and Alexis de
Tocqueville.
> Making Civics Real: A Workshop for Teachers:
http://www.learner.org/workshops/civics/ presents effective high school
lessons and access Web-based materials including student and teacher
perspectives, essential readings, and primary source documents.
> Learn about the beginnings of the U.S. Constitution in "A New System of
Government," Program 5 of A Biography of America.
http://www.learner.org/biographyofamerica/
> Programs in The Western Tradition
http://www.learner.org/resources/series58.html relevant to the Constitution
include Program 5, "The Rise of Greek Civilization," Program 6, "Greek Thought,"
Program 37, "The American Revolution," and 38, "The American Republic."
> Search for historical artifacts -- images, documents -- related to the
Constitution in the American Passages archive.
http://www.learner.org/amerpass/slideshow/archive_search.php Our special
slideshow tool also allows you to create one or more presentations using items
from the archive.
More free video programs and other materials for your Constitution Day events
can be found on the Annenberg Classroom Web site.
http://www.annenbergclassroom.org/ Video programs are closed captioned in
several languages including Arabic, French, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese,
Russian, and Spanish.
Banned Books Week (September 26-October 3)
> In Search of the Novel
http://www.learner.org/workshops/isonovel/ enlivens the teaching of ten
commonly taught novels, some of which have been banned for one reason or
another. The series also features J.K. Rowling and several other famous authors.
> Celebrate freedom of speech, as guaranteed in the First Amendment to the
Constitution, by broadening the range of voices your students read. Teaching
Multicultural Literature: A Workshop for the Middle Grades
http://www.learner.org/workshops/tml/ introduces teachers and their students
to 25 authors of different backgrounds and perspectives.
> Discover new ways to encourage an early interest in diverse literature with
our "envisionment-building" series based on the research of Dr. Judith Langer --
the Engaging With Literature workshop
http://www.learner.org/workshops/engagingliterature/ and video library
http://www.learner.org/libraries/engagingliterature/ for grades 3-5, and the
Making Meaning in Literature workshop
http://www.learner.org/workshops/makingmeaning/ and video library
http://www.learner.org/libraries/makingmeaning/ for the middle grades. The
workshops offer teachers' views on the best ways of presenting literature to
their students, while the video libraries are rich in classroom footage.
> The Expanding Canon: Teaching Multicultural Literature in High School
http://www.learner.org/workshops/tml/ introduces the writing of diverse
authors according to four approaches to teaching, outlined on the series Web
site.
National Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, established to
coincide with seven Latin American countries' anniversaries of independence. As
you prepare your lessons for the month, draw on our resources related to the
unique history, experience, and cultural heritage of Hispanic Americans.
Social studies:
> Who is considered Hispanic? Read a document from the 2000 census
http://www.learner.org/workshops/primarysources/census/docs/c2000.html
explaining the Hispanic category and how it interacts with "race."
> The first two units of America's History in the Making,
http://www.learner.org/courses/amerhistory/ "Pre-Columbian America" and
"Mapping Initial Encounters," provide history of the Native people of North and
Central America.
> Bridging World History
http://www.learner.org/courses/worldhistory/units.html traces ancient
Mesoamerican trade routes and the civilizations of the Maya and Inka. Search the
archive to find images by region and/or time period.
> "Latin America"
http://www.learner.org/workshops/geography/wkp2intr.html considers
population issues and factors in migration, and then shows a classroom lesson on
the topic. The series Web site includes lesson plans, program transcripts,
National Geographic standards, and a Guatemala slide show.
> The sophisticated civilizations of the Aztecs, Incas, and Maya are explored in
Out of the Past,
http://www.learner.org/resources/series45.html narrated by actor Stacy
Keach.
Literature and art:
> Learn from first-hand author insights in Teaching Multicultural Literature: A
Workshop for the Middle Grades.
http://www.learner.org/workshops/tml/ The series features Alma Flor Ada,
Judith Ortiz Cofer, and other distinguished writers, as well as footage of
accomplished teachers interacting with students in the classroom.
> The Expanding Canon: Teaching Multicultural Literature in High School
http://www.learner.org/workshops/hslit/ offers high school lessons focusing
on the works of Rudolfo Anaya, Graciela Limón, Pat Mora, and Tomás Rivera.
> American Passages: A Literary Survey
http://www.learner.org/amerpass/ discusses the work and influences of
several Latino and Chicano authors. In particular, see Units 1, 2, 12, and 16.
> Read an essay about race, culture, identity, and American academia by
Professor Victor Villanueva
http://www.learner.org/workshops/hswriting/workshops/workshop2/bootstraps.html
and Judith Ortiz Cofer's poem "Hispanic Barbie With Accessories"
http://www.learner.org/workshops/hswriting/interactives/notebook/workshop8/read.html
on the Developing Writers Web site.
> The provocative, political works of painter/activist Judy Baca and performance
artist Guillermo Gómez-Peña (program intended for older students and adults) are
showcased in A World of Art: Works in Progress.
http://www.learner.org/resources/series64.html
Language and culture:
> Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish
http://www.learner.org/resources/series75.html introduces the lands and
cultural practices of Spanish-speaking countries while immersing viewers in the
language.
> Teaching Foreign Languages K-12: A Library of Classroom Practices
http://www.learner.org/libraries/tfl/ offers eight programs on teaching
Spanish language and Latin American culture.
National Rice Month
> In The Power of Place: Geography for the 21st Century,
http://www.learner.org/powerofplace/ the first half of Program 12 shows how
Japanese rice farmers battle harsh weather to save their crops. The second half
of Program 13 shows how Vietnam has enhanced its rice growing system to become
one of the world's largest rice exporters.
> Agricultural entomologist Peter Kenmore discusses the importance of rice
production, the use of pesticides and integrated pest management, farmer field
schools, and the role of science in rice farming in this interview
http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/scientist/transcripts/kenmore.html
> This brief clip
http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/visual/animation.php?shortname=anm_rice_yields
shows that a dramatic decrease of pesticide use by Indonesian rice farmers did
not decrease yield. For an extended discussion of natural pest control in rice
production in the U.S. and abroad, watch the full program:
http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=7&secNum=0#
> See three different rice varieties here,
http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=7&secNum=4#rice_varieties
along with an explanation of how their structure can affect yield. Also see this
picture of conventional and golden rice side by side.
http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/visual/visual.php?shortname=rice From
the Habitable Planet Web site.
> Can nature's rice be improved through genetic manipulation? Read about the
idea behind genetically modified "golden rice" in this interview
http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/units/gmo/experts/toenniessen.html
with Dr. Gary H. Toenniessen of the Rockefeller Foundation Rice Biotechnology
Research Program. For a different view of golden rice, read this interview
http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/units/gmo/experts/nestle.html with
New York University professor Marion Nestle.
> This historical image
http://www.learner.org/amerpass/slideshow/archive_search.php?number=4112&fullsize=1
shows two African American women hulling rice with a mortar and pestle.
> Read how the adoption of Champa rice in the 11th century transformed Chinese
agronomy in this article in PDF format.
http://www.learner.org/courses/worldhistory/support/reading_7_3.pdf From
Bridging World History.
> This work of art
http://www.learner.org/courses/worldhistory/archive.html?f_itemNumber=3895&return=16-3
depicts transplanting and irrigating of rice in China.
National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
> Learn about the genetics of sickle cell anemia in the online text for
Rediscovering Biology: Molecular to Global Perspectives, Unit 9.
http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/textbook/humev/humev_8.html Find a
description of what happens at the cellular level in Unit 2.
http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/textbook/proteo/proteo_4.html
> The statistics of sickle cell are discussed through the cases of two families
in "Binomial Distributions," Program 17 of Against All Odds: Inside Statistics.
http://www.learner.org/resources/series65.html Advance to 16:45 into the
program to watch the segment.
National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Prevention Month
> The biology of drugs, neurotransmitters, and addiction are discussed in the
online textbook for Rediscovering Biology, Unit 10:
http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/textbook/neuro/neuro_8.html Watch the
associated program
http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/units/neuro/index.html# for
additional information.
> Learn about different approaches in clinical psychology with this interactive
http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/therapeutic/practice.html on
alcoholism. From the Discovering Psychology Web site.
> The Mind: Teaching Modules
http://www.learner.org/resources/series150.html includes several video clips
about brain mechanisms involved in addiction and treatment.
> For a look at addiction from a psychopathology perspective, watch "Substance
Abuse Disorders," Program 6 of The World of Abnormal Psychology.
http://www.learner.org/resources/series60.html
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Learn about our free Video on Demand:
http://www.learner.org/view_programs/view.programs.html
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*** JOIN THE JOURNEY SOUTH ***
Give your students hands-on experience with nature by participating in Journey
South, the fall portion of our Journey North program
http://www.learner.org/resources/series127.html for K-12 students and
teachers -- just in time to track southward migrations. The Journey North
portion of the program begins in the spring, as flowers bloom and birds and
other animals move north for the summer.
This unique international program puts students in touch with students in other
countries as together they track wildlife migrations and seasonal growth and
change. The series Web site
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/ explains this season's projects and how your
class can participate.
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*** SIGNATURE AND FOKUS DEUTSCH SERIES RETIRING ***
Please note that the rights to the series Signature: Contemporary Writers have
expired and could not be renewed. The series will therefore no longer be
available at Learner.org, effective immediately.
We would also like to remind you that after December 31, 2009, Annenberg Media
will no longer distribute Fokus Deutsch: An Introduction to German Language and
Culture,
http://www.learner.org/resources/series104.html either on DVD or as a video
stream. Those who wish to purchase a copy of the series can now do so at a 30%
discount. Series can be ordered through 1-800-LEARNER or through this page on
our site:
http://www.learner.org/catalog/series104.html .
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