Topic: Annenberg Media
Advance excellent teaching with Annenberg Media.
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*** In the Spotlight for June ***
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- 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
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*** 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/ .
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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.
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"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
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*** 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.
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*** 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!
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*** 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.
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Watch our video programs free of charge through Video on Demand. Find
out more: http://www.learner.org/view_programs/view.programs.html
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*** 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.
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