Infonews n°315 from 11/11/2007

A la Une this week, fashion bullying in US middle school. Then everything revolves around Thanksgiving : a week of hunger and homelessness awareness before, Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day after, and in the middle, lots of ideas to celebrate Thanksgiving and teach about the natives, the Pilgrims, and the traditions through pictures, audio, videos and texts. Then technicians will find useful information in those two guides from NASA about life in space, politic fans will learn a lot from this site about the US elections and sportsmen will discover the Olympic flame which just started towards Beijing. At the end, a guide for new teachers with tips and advices to create a happy but efficient atmosphere in your class.

have a nice week!
Christine Reymond

Sommaire

A la Une : Middle School fashion bullying

Middle School fashion bullying (from MiddleWeb's "Of Particular Interest")

In the Calendar

National Veterans Awareness Week (November 11-17)
National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week
Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day : November 22nd and 23rd

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is each year on the 4th Thursday in November. In 2007 it'll be on November 22nd.
Webquests, quizzes and games
Thanksgiving history
Speech triggering pictures
Cartoons
The Pilgrims
Native Americans
The story of the Corn Husk Doll, how to make one and other handicrafts
Traditional food and Recipes
Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York
Ready to use material for the class
Pages of links in the US
Pages of links in France

Resources for Science and Technology

'Suited for Spacewalking' and 'Space Food and Nutrition' Educator Guides

Resources for Secondary School

Election 08 Presidential Election (from [LII New This Week] November 1)
How Olympic Torches Work (from [LII New This Week] November 1)
Torch Relay, Beijing 2008 (from [LII New This Week] November 1)

Teaching Practice

Special resources for new teachers ( (from MiddleWeb's "Of Particular Interest")


A la Une : Middle School fashion bullying

Middle School fashion bullying (from MiddleWeb's "Of Particular Interest")

"Aryana McPike, a sixth-grader from Springfield, Ill., has a closet full of designer clothes," begins a recent story in the Wall Street Journal.
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119326834963770540.html?mod=dist_smartbrief
"But her wardrobe, carefully selected by a fashion-conscious mother, hasn't won her friends at school. Kids in her class recently instructed her that she was wearing the wrong brands." The story quotes guidance counselors and psychologists who say that fashion bullying is "reaching a new level of intensity as more designers launch collections targeted at kids." As a result, an increasing number of school and community programs that address girl-on-girl bullying are recognizing the sizable role clothing plays in girls' identity and ensuing peer pressure. Read this blog for an interesting take on this story from a middle school FACS teacher:
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/place_at_the_table/2007/11/fashion_bullies_1.html
[ you can link this article to Buy Nothing Day, bullying, role model, etc...]

In the Calendar

National Veterans Awareness Week (November 11-17) (from [ECP] ED Review (10/26/07) http://www.edu-cyberpg.com )

National Veterans Awareness Week (November 11-17) reminds schools to invite veterans into their classrooms in the days leading up to and following Veterans Day (November 11). Veterans are asked to share their experiences and teach short lessons about the history and significance of Veterans Day, helping students reflect upon the ideals of liberty, freedom, and democracy. For more information, go to :
http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/.
Note: A school kit, with sections for students and teachers, may be downloaded at
http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/schoolkit.asp

National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (from [LII New This Week] November 1)

Details about this awareness event, held annually one week prior to Thanksgiving, where "a number of schools, communities and cities take part in a nationwide effort to bring greater awareness to the problems of hunger and homelessness." Includes background about the week and a downloadable planning manual. Co-sponsored by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness.
http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24762
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/getinvolved/projects/awareness/

Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day : November 22nd and 23rd

Thanksgiving is on November 23rd, see the special section below.
Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving, a day when traditionally everybody in the US goes shopping : there are special prices, discounts and sales on that day. It is also the first day of the Christmas shopping season. Some say that it is called black Friday because it was the first good day for retailers, so they were no longer in the red at the bank, but back in the black, some others that it is because of the giant traffic jams on that day.
Black Friday
http://retailindustry.about.com/od/abouttheretailindustry/g/black_friday.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_(shopping)
Buy Nothing Day has been invented by the Culture Jammers de Adbusters, who fight consumerism and capitalist behaviour which will eventually lead our planet and our children to destruction. You have certainly already used adbusters' spoof adds ( against smoking and alcohol), you may also know their campaign against excessive TV watching (No TV Day), here is Buy Nothign Day, to react against Black Friday.
Buy Nothing Day on Adbusters (Canada), with a nice poster
http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/
http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/downloads/BNDVisa_24th.pdf
in the UK : http://www.buynothingday.co.uk/
in Japan : http://www.bndjapan.org/
in Denmark : http://www.bnd.dk/english.htm
Wikipedia's page is interesting and full of information
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Nothing_Day
On You Tube, you can find two interesting videos:
Buy Nothing ad (you can link it to pollution or to third world conditions)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uK0_jwyh_0
And an interview of Kalle Lasn Editor from adbusters on CNN (with the above advertisement at the beginning)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8uZEjAsR94

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is each year on the 4th Thursday in November. In 2007 it'll be on November 22nd.

Webquests, quizzes and games

http://warriors.warren.k12.il.us/dburke/firstthanksgivingwebq.html ( replace the link for question 1 by : http://members.aol.com/calebj/squanto.html )
http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/
http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/feast/play.htm
http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/daily_life/index.htm

Thanksgiving history

- texts
http://www.holidays.net/thanksgiving/ ( history of thanksgiving and harvest festivals since antiquity, for intermediates)
http://www.thanksgiving.org/usa.html (textes pour upper intermediates and advanced)
http://pilgrims.net/plymouth/thanksgiving.htm (id)
http://www.victorianas.com/thanks/native.html (a painting and an interesting text, with the point of view of the natives)
http://www.hazelwood.k12.mo.us/~cdavis01/webquests/kpw/ (for beginners)
- vidéos from History Channel
http://www.history.com/media.do?action=clip&id=history_holidays_thanksgiving_broadband&gclid=CLiuiqbLmIgCFSPfXgodrgPrQQ
and of course the cartoon "History of America" with the South Parks on Michael Moore's site for Bowling for Columbine
http://www.bowlingforcolumbine.com/media/clips/index.php

Speech triggering pictures

- *** the "Saturday Evening Post" covers since 1923 (including Rockwell's painting, but with many others)
http://www.curtispublishing.com/gallery/categories/thanksgiving.htm
- the First thanksgiving ( traditional painting by Jenny Brownscombe)
http://www.intaglio-fine-art.com/images/trf301.jpg
- in the same vein, the painting that is in many school books : the first Thanksgiving by Gerome Ferris (1915)
http://www.artprintcollection.com/images/FerrisTheFirstThanksgiving1915.jpg
- the traditional Norman Rockwell painting "Freedom from hunger"
http://www.normanrockwellvt.com/NewsletterIssues/FreedomfromWant.htm
- the same, plus the head of Bill Cosby added
http://www.worth1000.com/entries/22000/22068_w.jpg
- a photo of a table with all the dishes ready
http://www.am-utils.org/~aditya/images/Thanksgiving-1/Thanksgiving-1%20001.jpg

Cartoons

http://www.offthemark.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving02.htm
http://cagle.com/news/Thanksgiving05/ ( with links to current events)

The Pilgrims

- The Mayflower, the wanpanoag, life in Plymouth (pictures and texts)
http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/History/history.php
- Plymoth plantation (homeworkhelp on the site of the museum)
http://www.plimoth.org/kids/homeworkHelp/
- Original : A Pilgrim Conversation
after exploring pages describing the everyday life of the Pilgrims, students will imagine a conversation between 2 Pilgrims.
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/page/3247.html
- Pilgrim unit : 7 lesson plans, with worksheets (pilgrim facts cards)
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/thanksgiving/lesson-plan/793.html?detoured=1
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/discovery/american-colonies/785.html?detoured=1

Native Americans

http://www.comanchelodge.com/indian-nations.gif (with a map showing where all the different tribes lived)
http://www.nativetech.org/ (all the things antive americans did with their hands : lodgings, food, ornaments, handicrafts, etc.)
http://lve.scola.ac-paris.fr/anglais/nativeamericansarticle.php (a text for intermediates and above, with worksheets)

The story of the Corn Husk Doll, how to make one and other handicrafts

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art21493.asp (story)
http://www.teachersfirst.com/summer/cornhusk.htm ( drawings and step by step instructions for beginners)
http://www.nativetech.org/cornhusk/corndoll.html (handicraft)
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/Byrnes-celebrations/appendix.html
Interesting history and handicraft. In the same vein, see the dream catchers:
http://www.nativetech.org/dreamcat/dreminst.html

Traditional food and Recipes

- audio (4'6")
"NPR's Scott Simon talks with Earl Mills Sr., Chief Flying Eagle of the Mashpee Wampanoags and author of the Cape Cod Wampanoag Cookbook. The Wampanoags broke bread with the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving in 1621, on Plymouth Plantation. Mills talks about what was eaten at that meal." (no script, but a phone interview of a chief chef (Indian and cook) who talks about traditional food for Thanksgiving and mentions raccoon and the recipe for a nice cranberry desert.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4180281
- video
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/et_hd_thanksgiving/0,1972,FOOD_9845,00.html ( a table set for thanksgiving, with interactive links to the recipe of each dish, plus videos how to prepare Mister Turkey and other dishes)
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/special/minisite/thanksgiving-main/ (for children (and their parents) : fun recipes in videos, decorations for the table, etc.)
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving ( recipes, videos, plus planning and entertaining)

Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York

the official site, with the route, photos and a history of the parade
http://www.nyctourist.com/macys_menu.htm
a photo of some floats in the parade
http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/061106/061106_parade_vmed_2p.widec.jpg
a special float (History Channel wind up float)
http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2006/10/18/post_110.php

Ready to use material for the class

- Thanksgiving Wordsearch
http://www.abcteach.com/Thanksgiving/wordsearch.htm
- a Thanksgiving puzzle
http://blackdog4kids.com/holiday/thanks/crossword/print.html
Ready-to-use handouts
- Harvest Ceremony: Beyond the Thanksgiving Myth
This document "assists teachers in preparing lessons about the first Thanksgiving. The study guide includes information on which Native peoples met the first European immigrants in 1621, the harvest celebration, the Wampanoag today, the importance of corn, and instructions on how to make Johnny cakes." From the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Il pourra convenir tel quel à des élèves de niveau B1 ou plus.
http://americanindian.si.edu/education/files/harvest.pdf
- Facts and figures from the U.S. Census Bureau
Thanksgiving Day Facts and statistics about turkeys, cranberries, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, holiday shopping, places named Plymouth, and more.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/010763.html

Pages of links in the US

- Education World (all levels)
http://www.educationworld.com/holidays/archives/thanksgiving.shtml
- Classbrain (coloring pages and other material for young beginners).
http://www.classbrain.com/artholiday/publish/thanksgiving.shtml
- A page of links from an American school teacher:
http://marilee.us/seasonal.html#Thanksgiving

Pages of links in France

- Infonews (for intermediates)
http://lycees.ac-rouen.fr/pascal/infonews/themes/thanksgivingkids.htm
- Michèle Henry's page (for all levels, but especially beginners and lower intermediates)
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/Henry/thanks.htm
- English pages from académie de Paris
http://lve.scola.ac-paris.fr/anglais/fetes11.php#tg
- English pages from académie de Versailles
http://www.ac-versailles.fr/pedagogi/anglais/civi/thanksgiving.html

Resources for Science and Technology

'Suited for Spacewalking' and 'Space Food and Nutrition' Educator Guides
(from [ECP] Educational CyberPlayGround K-12 Science http://www.edu-cyberpg.com )

Suited for Spacewalking Educator Guide
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Suited_for_Spacewalking_Educator_Guide.html
This NASA educator guide for grades 5-12 focuses on the technology behind spacesuits. Briefly discussed are the space environment, the history of spacewalking, NASA's current spacesuits and the work that astronauts do during spacewalks. This guide includes classroom activities, a glossary and a list of other NASA resources.
Space Food and Nutrition Educator Guide
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Space_Food_and_Nutrition_Educator_Guide.html
Space food research meets the challenge of providing food that tastes good and travels well in space. The activities in this NASA educator guide for grades K-8 emphasize hands-on and cooperative involvement of students as they explore the unique problems of keeping astronauts happy and healthy in space.

Resources for Secondary School

Election 08 Presidential Election (from [LII New This Week] November 1)

News and analysis about the 2008 presidential election. Features material about candidates (with links to stories, photos, video and audio clips, and related websites), and the "Democratic Candidate Mashup," in which users build their own debate by selecting video clips from different candidates on topics such as Iraq, health care, and education. Also includes fundraising data, and a summary of where each candidate stands on selected issues. From Yahoo News.
http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24444
http://news.yahoo.com/fc/US/2008_Presidential_Election

How Olympic Torches Work (from [LII New This Week] November 1)

Background about the Olympic torch and the torch run that ends in the Olympic arena and symbolizes the beginning of the Olympic Games. Covers history, design, science behind the flame, torch construction, the lighting of the torch, the relay, and related topics. From How Stuff Works.
http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24795
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/olympic-torch.htm

Torch Relay, Beijing 2008 (from [LII New This Week] November 1)

Information about the torch relay for the 2008 Olympics held in Beijing. Provides general information about the relay, which starts in March 2008, and details about the selection process for the torch bearers (criteria and methods, allocation), the torch relay route (including an interactive map of the route), and the torch design. Site available in Chinese, English, and French. From the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad.
http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24793
http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/

Teaching Practice

Special resources for new teachers ( (from MiddleWeb's "Of Particular Interest")

MiddleWeb continue to add new resources to our special page for teachers who are just beginning their classroom careers. Among recent additions: A link to Teacher Magazine's Teaching Secrets (including "How to Smile Before Christmas") and Ask the Mentor pages; the U.S. Department of Education's helpful guide, "What to Expect Your First Year of
Teaching"; ideas for new math teachers; and lots of tips from first-year expert Harry Wong. Check back often.
http://www.middleweb.com/mw/PartInt/PartIntNewTchr.html


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lycée Blaise Pascal, Rouen, France
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