Free online resources help educators bring National Hispanic Heritage Month lessons to life
Verizon Thinkfinity.org Provides Teachers, Parents, Students and After-School Programs With Thousands of Engaging Educational Resources
From the stories of the Spanish missions, to the artists of the Mexican Revolution to the little-known story of the Bracero guest worker program, Hispanic Heritage Month offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the diverse history and important contributions Latinos have made to American culture.
To help educators pique their students’ interest in Hispanic-American history and celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Verizon Thinkfinity.org will offer a rich collection of free lesson plans, activities and educational resources to educators on a special section of its home page.
Verizon Thinkfinity.org contains thousands of free, engaging educational resources that make learning fun. Lesson plans, in-class activities and homework help can be found quickly and searched by grade level, keyword or subject.
Among the resources available in the Verizon Thinkfinity Hispanic Heritage section are:
– Mission Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion and the Spanish Mission in the New World – In this Picturing America lesson, students explore the historical origins and organization of Spanish missions in the New World and discover the varied purposes they served. Focused on the daily life of Mission Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion, the lesson asks students to relate the people of this community and their daily activities to the art and architecture of the mission. For students in grades 6-8. http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=780
– Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942 -1964 – This lesson examines the program and experiences of Bracero workers and their families. A little-known chapter of American and Mexican history, the Bracero program was originally created to fill labor shortages during
World War II. Between 1942 and 1964, approximately 2 million Mexican men came to the U.S. on short-term labor contracts, making it the largest guest-worker program in U.S. history. For grades 6-12. http://braceroarchive.org/teaching
– Five Artists of the Mexican Revolution — In this lesson, students research the major events and personalities in the Mexican Revolution and explore how they influenced the art created at that time in Mexico. Using guided directives, students learn about the relationship between art and history. Students can complete this lesson in English or in Spanish. For grades 9-12. http://www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2253/
– Latino Poetry Blog: Blogging as a Forum for Open Discussion — In this lesson, students use critical-thinking skills to analyze Latino poetry. Students then refine writing skills as they respond to their peers’ poetry analyses on a class blog. Students have the option of making the blog public, thus encouraging good Internet etiquette and further analysis with people outside of school. For grades 9-12. http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=1160
“Hispanic Heritage Month presents a tremendous opportunity for students to learn more about the wonderful, rich history of Hispanic-Americans and Latin America,” said Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston. “Through Verizon Thinkfinity, teachers receive quick and free access to a multitude of educational resources to bring the stories of Hispanic-American history to life.”
In addition to providing standards-based resources from the nation’s leading educational organizations, Verizon Thinkfinity.org also offers a comprehensive professional-development program that allows teachers to sign up for free online or face-to-face training to learn how to make the most of Verizon Thinkfinity tools.
Content for Verizon Thinkfinity is provided through a partnership between the Verizon Foundation and 11 of the nation’s leading organizations in the fields of education and literacy: the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Council for Economic Education, International Reading Association, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Center for Family Literacy, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Council of Teachers of English, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, National Geographic Society, ProLiteracy and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
Source: Verizon
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End of School Year Prompts Families to Evaluate Education Choices
iQ Academy Arizona Offers Tuition-Free, Online Education Option
As the school year draws to a close, many families are already exploring and evaluating education options for the upcoming school year. The growing popularity of online education in particular is opening up a whole new horizon of educational choices for Arizona students. Schools such as iQ Academy Arizona offer a high-quality, tuition-free, middle and high school education that provides small group instruction and one-on-one support from certified teachers – all conducted online using a laptop provided by the school.
“Any student living in Arizona can take advantage of this online education option,” said Dodie Gildea, Program Manager of iQ Academy Arizona, “including previously homeschooled students, athletes, performers and others with special needs as well as students seeking Advanced Placement courses or electives unavailable in their local school district. iQ Academy is focused on providing Arizona students the highest quality education to provide a solid foundation for pursuing their passions and future goals.”
iQ Academy Arizona, a Lake Havasu Unified School District #1 program in partnership with KC Distance Learning, Inc., is currently enrolling students for the 2009-10 school year. The accredited online public high school, and middle school, enrolls students from diverse backgrounds and provides them with a high-quality, tuition-free, hands-on education. The award-winning curriculum offers core courses such as English and math, along with extensive Advanced Placement (R) classes. Unique curriculum offerings – such as virtual science labs and a wide-range of foreign language courses for everything from Spanish to Chinese – provide students with unparalleled educational opportunities.
“Our extensive and unique curriculum provides students access to a complete set of standards-based, media-rich courses and offers opportunities that they may not have in a traditional school setting,” said Gildea. Experienced teachers, certified in Arizona, deliver dynamic classroom instruction online, and teachers and a learning coach provide individualized support to students via email, phone, and chat. Students also benefit from virtual homerooms where they regularly meet with teachers and peers to ask questions and share ideas. iQ Academy Arizona students receive textbooks required for their courses and optional use of a laptop computer. As in traditional public schools, these learning tools are provided to students at no cost for as long as they are enrolled in iQ Academy Arizona.
iQ Academy Arizona will host a series of open houses in the summer throughout the state, where teachers, current students and their parents will be available for prospective students and parents to ask questions about this unique education option. Those interested will be able to see a demonstration of how the school operates and what a virtual classroom looks like.
iQ Academy Arizona is an online program of Lake Havasu Unified School District #1 that offers an alternative to traditional classroom-based learning: a tuition-free virtual middle and high school that meets the needs of students and families while setting the highest standards of academic quality. iQ Academy is the only online school with over 30 years of distance learning experience. Certified teachers provide small-group instruction and individualized support, and students benefit from frequent interaction with teachers and peers. The program serves students in grades 6-12, offering a standards-based, media-rich, challenging curriculum for both college and career-bound students. Graduates earn a high school diploma from iQ Academy Arizona and Lake Havasu Unified School District #1 that is accepted at colleges and technical schools throughout the U.S.
www.iqacademyaz.com
Source: iQ Academy Arizona
London’ s Cuisine Worst in Europe, but Capital Boasts Best Free Attractions
TripAdvisor Survey Reveals Highs and Lows of European Cities
It may be home to some of the world’s finest chefs, but London’s cuisine has been voted the worst in Europe, in a survey of travellers’ perceptions of European cities by TripAdvisor(R), the world’s most popular and largest travel community.
Yet whilst the capital’s food may fail to whet travellers’ appetites, its feast of cultural sights and open spaces meets with approval. London emerged as the best European city for both free attractions and public parks in the survey of 2,376 European travellers. As one TripAdvisor reviewer writes, “I have travelled quite a lot and there are NO parks in the world like the ones in London, especially St James’ Park.”
Copenhagen took the accolade of Europe’s cleanest city, whilst London was crowned the dirtiest, for the second year running. One TripAdvisor reviewer writes, “When I went to London last I was looking for a bin at Victoria Station. I couldn’t find one so asked security and they told me to just throw it on the floor.”
Travellers also ranked London the most expensive city in Europe, whilst Prague was voted the best bargain. And when it comes to architecture, Barcelona boasts Europe’s finest, whilst Warsaw has the ugliest, with one TripAdvisor reviewer noting that, “There really isn’t much to see architecturally… The castle, which is located in the square, was uninteresting. There was also this huge ugly building, which is the Ministry of Sciences – that was ugly but BIG.”
BRITONS STILL PLANNING TRIPS TO EUROZONE
Despite the strength of the euro, the survey reveals that a staggering 93% of British travellers intend to travel within Europe in the coming year (beyond their own country) – higher than their Spanish counterparts (90%), the French (91%) or Italians (91%).
However, when it comes to travel budgets, Britons exercise the most caution. More than one in two Brits (57%) will stick to a tighter budget than on previous European jaunts, compared to 30% of French travellers, 38% of Italians and 48% of Spanish.
Luke Fredberg, TripAdvisor spokesman, says, “Europe’s capital cities all have their highs and lows, but no other continent offers travellers’ such a wealth of culture and sights within such short distances. Despite London emerging as the dirtiest and most expensive city, its fantastic free attractions prove that you don’t need to be a millionaire in order to enjoy the capital.”
TRIPADVISOR’S EUROPEAN CITIES SURVEY: RESULTS OVERVIEW
Best Free Attractions: 1. London (35%) 2. Rome (9%) 3. Barcelona (9%)
Most Over-Rated: 1. Paris (25%) 2. London (12%) 3. Dublin (6%)
Most Under-Rated: 1. Krakow (7%) 2. Bruges (6%) 3. Edinburgh (5%)
Friendliest Locals: 1. Dublin (15%) 2. Amsterdam (14%) 3. Edinburgh (8%)
Least Friendly: 1. Paris (36%) 2. London (17%) 3. Moscow (6%)
Most Boring: 1. Brussels (14%) 2. Zurich (9%) 3. Dublin (6%)
Most Tourist Traps: 1. London (30%) 2. Paris (15%) 3. Rome (10%)
Most Romantic: 1. Venice (29%) 2. Paris (21%) 3. Rome (11%)
Most Expensive: 1. London (23%) 2. Paris (19%) 3. Venice (8%)
Best Bargain: 1. Prague (16%) 2. Amsterdam (9%) 3. Istanbul (8%)
Best Nightlife: 1. London (27%) 2. Amsterdam (17%) 3. Barcelona(11%)
Cleanest: 1. Copenhagen (9%) 2. Zurich (8%) 3. Stockholm (7%)
Dirtiest: 1. London (36%) 2. Paris (9%) 3. Athens (7%)
Best cuisine: 1. Paris (18%) 2. London (17%) 3. Rome (13%)
Worst cuisine: 1. London (10%) 2. Moscow (7%) 3. Warsaw (6%)
Best Architecture: 1. Barcelona (15%) 2. Rome (14%) 3. London (12%)
Ugliest Architecture: 1. Warsaw (8%) 2. Berlin (7%) 3. Brussels (6%)
Best Public Parks: 1. London (50%) 2. Paris (7%) 3. Barcelona (6%)
Best Dressed: 1. Paris (26%) 2. Rome (23%) 3. Madrid (8%)
Worst Dressed: 1. London (20%) 2. Dublin (6%) 3. Moscow (6%)
2,376 European travellers participated in the survey, including 638 British travellers
Source: TripAdvisor
IBHS Cautions Businesses to Prepare for Flu Pandemic; Provides Free Self-Assessment Tool to Rate Readiness
The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is cautioning businesses and nonprofit organizations to examine their ability to operate in the event of a flu pandemic.
With the federal government declaring Swine Flu a public-health emergency, IBHS says it would be wise to prepare now for the possibility of closures or other impacts a pandemic could have on operations.
“Evaluating specific risks and planning well beforehand for a variety of potential emergencies that could disrupt day-to-day business is critical, no matter how big or small a company may be,” states IBHS President and CEO Julie Rochman. “Fortunately, most catastrophes can be managed with advance, effective preparation – and that means having a well-thought out action plan with specific, appropriate policies, resources and contingencies.”
The Top 5 IBHS pandemic preparedness steps include:
1. Determine when to curtail employee travel, domestically and internationally.
2. Develop business continuity policies that provide work-at-home options.
3. Address sick leave policies, since people with swine flu or those attending to relatives may need to be on leave longer that the current policy allows.
4. Consider the impact a shutdown of public transportation or the loss of basic utilities would have.
5. Determine at what point the organization would need to close its doors.
IBHS has created a self-assessment tool for business owners and managers who can rate their readiness for a flu pandemic by answering nine basic questions. http://www.disastersafety.org/resource/resmgr/pdfs/pandemic_flu.pdf
This tool was adapted from the IBHS Open for Business(R) planning and preparedness program and its suite of free resources. For more information visit the IBHS web site www.DisasterSafety.org.
IBHS is an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization supported by the property insurance industry. The organization works to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other risks to residential and commercial property by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices.
Source: Institute for Business & Home Safety
New Guide to Geothermal Energy Available to Download Free
If you have questions about geothermal energy, the Geothermal Energy Association has issued a new report that will provide you with answers. Geothermal 101: Basics of Geothermal Energy Production and Use, edited by Leslie Blodgett and Kara Slack of GEA, covers the essentials of geothermal energy from electric power to residential heat pumps. “Whether you are an educator, student, policymaker, or industry specialist, this report will serve as a guide for your geothermal education,” noted Leslie Blodgett, co-editor of the report.
Ever wonder how a geothermal power plant works? Want to know more about how geothermal energy can help reduce global warming? Curious about where geothermal resources are located? This 50-page guide will help you find the answers to these and many other questions. It includes 30 charts, tables, maps, and pictures to help the reader understand the power behind one of the fastest growing renewable technologies — the power of the earth’s heat.
Today the U.S. has about 3,000 MW of geothermal electricity connected to the grid. In addition, as of August 2008, almost 4,000 MW of new geothermal power plant capacity is under development. Worldwide, geothermal energy supplies more than 10,000 MW to 24 countries and now produces enough electricity to meet the needs of 60 million people.
“There is a tremendous interest in geothermal energy and its largely untapped potential to help address our energy and climate problems,” noted Karl Gawell, GEA’s Executive Director. “GEA hopes that making this report available will help tap the creativity and imagination of thousands of people to help expand the use of this natural energy source.”
“We have worked hard to make the report readable, while still being thoroughly researched and reviewed,” commented co-editor Kara Slack. The report includes simple definitions, descriptions, and figures and cites key national reports that provide further information. Information and references have been updated with the most recent materials. “Whether you are new to the basics or have been working in the field for years, this report provides valuable information,” she added.
The report is currently available on GEA’s Web site in parts at http://www.geo-energy.org/aboutGE.asp and is available to download in PDF format at http://www.geo-energy.org/publications/reports.asp.