Resources

The NEA Foundation Offers Three Grants with February Review

On behalf of NEA, The NEA Foundation offers Fine Arts Grants to members. Available to K–6 school art specialists through local NEA affiliates, the grants allow fine arts educators to create and implement programs that promote learning for students at risk of school failure. Click here for more information on eligibility and for guidelines. Apply by February 1, 2006, for NEA Fine Arts Grants.

Innovation Grants and Learning & Leadership Grants are available for all subjects, including the arts, literacy, science, and technology. Grant amounts are either $2,000 or $5,000. More than 1,500 grants have already been funded. Read about recent projects on the Foundation's Web site, and then submit your own idea.

Practicing K–12 public school teachers, education support professionals, and higher education faculty and staff at public colleges and universities are encouraged to apply.

Applications are due by February 1, 2006, for both Innovation Grants and Learning & Leadership Grants.

Recipients will be notified by June 15, 2006. Applications are accepted on an ongoing, year-round basis, so it's never too late to apply. Proposals received after February 1 will be considered in the next grant review.

Applying for a grant is easy, so why wait? Visit the NEA Foundation website today for more information, including guidelines and a downloadable application. Or call 202-822-7840.

Revitalize Yourself in the Arts

Are you so busy teaching an arts discipline that you never have time to actually do your own art? The Surdna Foundation invites arts teachers from specialized, public arts high schools to apply for its Arts Teachers Fellowship Program. Fellows design individualized courses of study, immerse themselves in their own creative work, interact with other professional artists, and stay current with new practices in order to revitalize their connection wth the arts they teach. Twenty awards of up to $5,000 each will be made with a $1,500 award to the fellow's school to support post-fellowship activities. The application deadline is November 18, 2005. Click here for more information.

A CyberMission for students

Sponsored by the U.S. Army, e-CYBERMISSION is a Web-based competition that allows teams of students in grades 6–9 to apply what they've learned in math, science, and technology to solve problems within their own communities. Students conduct research and experiments to test their hypotheses, work with community leaders, and communicate with online CyberGuides—army experts in science, math, and technology. Teams compete for regional and national awards, including EE Savings Bonds, plaques, certificates, medals, and travel expenses to the national judging in Washington, D.C. Registration continues until December 12, 2005.

Picture Your Way to a Grant

Olympus America, Inc. and Tool Factory are sponsoring a student photo contest and offering classroom grants for projects using Olympus digital camera technology and Tool Factory's project building software. Prizes include cameras, software, and workbooks. Deadlines for both programs are December 30, 2005, and June 2, 2006.

Educators can also receive help, free-of-charge, in writing a CCLC 21st Century Grant (federal monies earmarked for community learning centers, after-school programs, or community-based enrichment projects) if their school meets certain criteria and the proposal uses Olympus and Tool Factory products. On average, funding is $1,000 per pupil across 3–5 years. Click here for info about all programs.

Teach Safety with Got 2B Safe!

To help teachers and parents educate children on ways to avoid dangerous situations that could lead to abduction, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Honeywell have partnered to develop a program called Got 2B Safe!

As part of the initiative, awards will be given that recognize the best classroom lesson plans created by teachers using four basic rules of child safety.

Prizes include classroom makeovers and gift certificates for school supplies worth as much as $1,000. The deadline for submission is December 31, 2005. Visit the Honeywell website for more information, plus child-friendly tips, games, and downloads.

Environmental Excellence Awards

The 2006 Seaworld/Busch Gardens/Fujifilm Environmental Excellence Awards recognize outstanding efforts of K–12 teachers and students working together at the grassroots level to preserve and protect the environment. Projects must be sponsored by a formally recognized school group.

Prizes include $10,000 in cash, camera film, T-shirts, and travel expenses to Seaworld in Orlando.

The entry deadline is November 30, 2005. For more information, applications, and a look at winning teams and projects, visit the Seaworld Web site.

Take Note

Ways To Teach Tolerance

Tolerance.Org, a Web project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, provides free educational materials that promote respect for differences and appreciation of diversity. Projects of note include:

• Mix It Up! Nowhere are the boundaries of group membership more clearly drawn than in the school cafeteria. Encourage kids to challenge the social climate on November 15 by stepping out of their comfort zone and eating lunch with different people. Go to www.mixitup.org for a free starter kit, downloadable posters, and much more.
• One World Poster Set. Designed to help students think about their responsibilities to each other, this kit includes 10 color posters and a standards-based teacher's guide with lesson plans for every grade. Order your free kit at www.tolerance.org/teach/resources/posters.jsp.
• One Survivor Remembers. Gerda Weissman was 15 years old—an ordinary teenager—when the Nazis came for her. Unlike so many, Gerda survived the horrors of the Holocaust.

Decades later she devotes her life to helping others understand the dangers of hate and extremism. Go to www.tolerance.org/teach/ resources/survivor. jsp for information and free classroom materials, including a 40-minute documentary film and a teacher's guide with standards-based lesson plans.

If you find these resources worthwhile, check out Teaching Tolerance, a free online magazine published twice a year by Tolerance.org that showcases innovative tolerance initiatives in schools across the country. The fall 2005 issue looks at school bus bullying, teaching the Holocaust, helping immigrant students cope with "dual identity," and more. Read this award-winning publication.

Survivors and Everyday Heroes

Trauma is not limited to those whose lives are forever changed by high-profile disasters. Every year, in towns and cities across the nation, teachers and other school staff experience the heartbreak of trauma or loss. It can be a sudden, unexpected death of a student, a colleague, a student's parent, or other event. The more common traumas often don't make the news, as did Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, or Columbine. Yet, they impact the lives of everyone who lives and works together each school day. Whether exposed directly or through the lives of students, we see more of life's challenges than most people will ever know.

That exposure can take a toll on our health and well-being. So, how can we protect our own mental health—and that of our students—when challenged by trauma or loss?

The NEA Health Information Network offers resources that can help. Visit their Web site to download materials to help school staff and students cope with trauma, including Dealing with Trauma and Loss: Practical Strategies for Enhancing Resilience.

National Inclusive Schools Week

In classrooms and communities throughout the nation, educators, students, and families will celebrate National Inclusive Schools Week from December 5–9. Sponsored by the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative and Education Development Center, in partnership with NEA, this event highlights the progress schools have made in delivering a quality education to all students—particularly those with disabilities and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. It's also an excellent time for school communities to discuss how they can continue to improve their ability to educate all children and youth.

The theme, "Bridging the Gap: Achievement for All," focuses on how schools and districts are narrowing the disparity in performance between individual groups of students. Kits to celebrate the event and promote inclusive practices are available for download. Of particular interest are resources on how to translate into practice research on closing the achievement gap.

Free Abduction Video and Organizing Kit

The Good Knight Network is offering an abduction awareness video and/or organizational kit free to NEA members throughout the year. The video is for concerned citizens; the kit is for police departments, schools, and other organizations. The film walks the viewer through 10 deceptions that criminals use to abduct and victimize kids. Call 301-595-8989 to request a copy.

Super-Sized Video

Educators can now buy an educationally enhanced version of the Oscar-nominated Morgan Spurlock film, Super Size Me. The cautionary food tale centers on the medical effects of a fast food-driven lifestyle, and explores the link between junk food and obesity by focusing on Spurlock's sustained 30-day diet of nothing but fast food.

Distributed by Hart Sharp Video, the enhanced DVD version is suitable for grades 6–12 and has been developed to promote students' awareness of their personal responsibility for their health by exposing them to relevant information, engaging them in hands-on activities and lessons, and facilitating appropriate discussions.

The DVD, rated PG, comes complete with a teacher's guide, printable lesson plans, student handouts, pop-up factoids, and a trivia quiz. Curriculum areas addressed include behavioral studies and life skills, setting goals, diet and nutrition, changing habits, exploring media literacy, and more. Click here for more information or to order the $39.99 DVD.

Human and Civil Rights Awards

You're invited to participate in NEA's 40th Annual Human and Civil Rights Awards Dinner, July 1, 2006, in Orlando, Florida. Please join us to:

• celebrate the 40th anniversary of the merger of the American Teachers Association and the National Education Association,
• honor individuals and affiliates for their human and civil rights contributions,
• celebrate NEA's multicultural roots,
• recharge ourselves for the work ahead.

But don't just attend the dinner. Get involved by nominating an individual, organization, colleague, or affiliate for an award. Complete your nomination form online. Note these dates:

• December 1, 2005—Deadline for submission of award nomination forms to NEA Human and Civil Rights
• January/February 2006—Selection of awardees by the NEA Executive Committee, based on recommendations by the Human and Civil Rights Committee.

For more, contact: Sabrina Williams, NEA Human and Civil Rights, NEA, 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036-3290.

Helping Iraq's Children

During and after Operation Iraqi Freedom, American soldiers passing through Iraqi villages were horrified at the conditions of Iraqi schools, which had been severely neglected under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. Corralled in sweltering, one-room buildings without air conditioning, fans, windows, solid floors, or even toilets, Iraqi students lack even the rudimentary supplies that American children take for granted. Libraries and books are almost nonexistent. Without these basic tools of education, Iraqi children face an uphill struggle to learn.

Moved by the plight of these children, many American soldiers are working on their days off to gather supplies sent by family members, friends, and various groups and take them to villages. Their efforts have been met with gratitude from local Iraqis and their children, who now have access to the basic tools of education.

Inspired by these soldiers, actor Gary Sinise and author Laura Hillenbrand founded Operation Iraqi Children, a grassroots program to provide concerned Americans with a means to reach out to Iraqi students and help support our soldiers' efforts to assist the Iraqi people.

Through the School Supply Kit Program, American children, church groups, and other organizations can help Iraqis by gathering school supplies in local drives, assembling them in kits according to instructions, then sending them to the OIC Warehouse for transport to Iraq, where U.S. soldiers will take them to Iraqi villages.

To find out how to participate in Operation Iraqi Children through fund-raising, mailing supply kits, or making a donation, visit the OIC Web site.

In Print
	Teaching Reading and Science Written by experienced science educators Karen Rohrich Ansberry and Emily Morgan, Picture-Perfect Science Lessons: Using Children's Books to Guide Inquiry, Grades 3–6, contains 15 standards-based, ready-to-teach science lessons that integrate science and reading in a natural way for young learners. Drawing on diverse and high-quality picture books, this volume covers a broad spectrum of science content and provides lesson plans with reproducible student pages and assessments. 304 pp.
	Bringing Up Boys After learning that boys receive at least 70 percent of D's and F's given to students in the United States, constitute 80 percent of all high school dropouts, and are involved in 90 percent of classroom discipline problems, authors Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens set out to learn why boys are facing rough times in school. In The Minds of Boys: Saving Our Sons from Falling Behind in School and Life, the authors use biological research and more than 20 years of classroom experience to present a detailed plan of how to most effectively teach boys. 368 pp.
	An Incorrigible Kitty Learns to be Himself Rotten Ralph learns the pitfalls of competition in the comical story Best in Show for Rotten Ralph by Jack Gantos and Nicole Rubel. The ever popular Ralph discovers the value of working hard to achieve his goals even when the odds are stacked against him. More importantly, our favorite feline finds that foibles can become strengths, and that being himself is always the best course of action. Ages 6–8. 48 pp.
	Meet the Press Building Bridges with the Press: A Guide for Educators by Julie Blair, an experienced Education Week reporter, offers practical advice for schools on how to develop solid relationships with the press and do a better job of getting out the real news about education. This manual offers tips on organizing press conferences, heading off public relations crises, pitching stories, and working with photographers. It also describes behavior that no school should tolerate from any member of the press. An excellent resource for principals and district communications officials. 96 pp.
	A Royal Ruckus When a young prince bumps his head playing ball, chaos breaks loose in the castle as everyone scrambles to find a bandage for His Royal Highness. The Prince has a Boo-Boo makes learning to read fun and engaging. From the I'm Going to READ series, this brightly illustrated picture book comes with a 50-word bank that helps beginning readers increase vocabulary and improve phonetic skills. It also provides a list of suggestions on how to use the word bank to help readers retain their new vocabulary. Ages 4–6. 21 pp.
	A Warning to Landlords Kids will giggle through this classic Japanese folk tale about a stubborn, miserly landlord and his satisfying come-uppance. Retold by Allen Say, Under the Cherry Blossom Tree uses simple, charming illustrations woven with short bouts of text to narrate how the unfortunate landlord's ingestion of a cherry pit leads to free fish and a lovely pond for the poor villagers. 32 pp.
	Getting through Tough Times Set in the 1930s, Marian Hale's first novel, The Truth About Sparrows, tells the gripping story of the Wynn family as they endure hardships brought on by the droughts and economic devastation of the Great Depression. This grim, yet uplifting story explores the theme that even though times may be tough, the bonds of friendship and family can overcome obstacles. Hale's unforgettable characters and vivid imagery make historical fiction accessible and engaging for young readers. 260 pp.
	Why does that painting look like scribbles? Art may sometimes seem impenetrable, but don't let that stop you from exploring it and sharing your discoveries with children. Enhance your appreciation and theirs with How to Talk to Children About Art, a simple, easy-to-use primer by Francoise Barbe-Gall. From Fra Angelico to Jackson Pollock, this volume features 30 well-known paintings in a question-and-answer format that provides historical background, explains genres, and helps adults answer common questions kids ask about art. The guide is divided into sections by age group (5–7, 8–10, and 11–13 years) and provides age-specific tips to further help adults as they share their love of art with children. It also offers suggestions for planning a successful museum visit. 208 pp. $16.95 from Chicago Review Press. To order, call 800-888-4741.

On the Web

Jazz Up Your Classroom

The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz has developed "Jazz in America," an Internet-based jazz curriculum for social studies, American history, and music classes. The fifth-, eighth-, and 11th-grade curricula include eight, 50-minute class lessons to be taught as part of social studies or American history courses. The curriculum presents a historical overview; examines characteristics of various jazz styles; highlights contributions of important performers and composers; and explores the social, economic, and political contexts. Other educational items, including a comprehensive jazz resource library, downloadable student handouts, a teacher's manual, and assessments can also be found on the Web site.

Exploring the Nanoworld

The University of Wisconsin, with support from the National Science Foundation, has developed online teaching modules to help teachers incorporate nanotechnology into high school chemistry and middle school technology classes. High school modules explore X-ray diffraction and scanning probe microscopy, shape-memory alloys, light-emitting diodes, and ferrofluid. Middle school modules explore magnetism, memory metals, and help answer the question, "how do we 'see' what we cannot see?" Modules include overviews, curriculum suggestions, lesson plans, guided notes, experiments, and assessments.

Career Planning the Fun Way

Three hundred middle school students from around the country worked on the Funworks Web site, created by the Education Development Center, to link students' interests and hobbies to future careers. The site includes a career quiz, information and resources on different types of jobs, career-related games, and a section for educators.

A Site for Media Specialists

This area of the PBS TeacherSource Web site provides a number of resources for librarians and media specialists, including free MARC records for PBS programming that you tape off-air, dozens of recommended books and sites for all grade levels and subject areas, full TV schedules for upcoming PBS programs, copyright and taping rights information, access to more than 4,000 free lesson plans and activity ideas, and more.

Heads Up from NEA Member Benefits

Are You Medicare-Aware?

The new Medicare law provides for a choice of prescription drug plans under Medicare Part D. It also includes additional "medigap" coverage options through Medicare supplement options K and L, which are designed primarily for healthy individuals.

If you are currently participating in NEA MemberCare® Medicare Supplement Plan Option H, I, or J, and you have not received an envelope marked "Federally Required Notice" that communicates the Medicare Part D options, please call 1-800-637-4636 to request it.

Over the next few weeks, current participants and many other NEA members age 65 and over will also receive a packet of materials explaining the new Program options K and L. Visit www.neamb.com/medicarevid for more information or call 1-800-637-4636 to obtain an enrollment kit.

Give the Gift of Gab to a family member or friend this holiday season with a wireless phone package from NEA Cellular. Teens, in particular, will enjoy the latest generation (have we gone beyond 'X' yet?) cell phone. And did we tell you that the phone* is free, and comes with free accessories, and free shipping and handling?

You get your pick of phones from top name brands like Nokia, Motorola, and Sony Ericsson and calling plans from leading carriers including Cingular Wireless, Verizon Wireless, Liberty Wireless, and T-Mobile. There are wireless phones and plans to suit every need! Get more information online or call toll-free, 1-866-327-2219. Happy holidays!

*Phone free after rebate.

BOOKS BY NEA MEMBERS
	Caveman Art Teacher By Jeff Dombek An author, illustrator, and art teacher combines his talents in this humorous book. Written for a transitional reading level, the tale is crafted as an early chapter book of about 2,500 words. In it, Fullerton Lane Elementary School is visited by Mr. Caveman, who announces himself as the new substitute art teacher. With wild hair, limited vocabulary, and animal skins for clothes, Mr. Caveman makes quite an impression on the stunned second graders, who wonder what can be learned from such an outlandish person. 24 pp.
	Getting in the Game By Dawn FitzGerald While most girls her age are starting ballet and cheerleading, Joanna Giordano finds her calling in ice hockey. Unfortunately, as the only girl on her middle school's team, she faces opposition from the principal, students, other parents—even her best friend. Joanna struggles to defend her dream while dealing with the growing-pains all seventh-grade girls face. Written by a substitute teacher, this work of adolescent fiction follows the trials of a spirited tomboy in a classroom filled with future homemakers. 136 pp.
	Grave Rubbings: New and Selected Poems By Ann M. DeVenezia This collection of 80 poems reflects the rich history of an Italian family in the Rose City of Madison, New Jersey, by a descendent who honors their memory. DeVenezia, a retired English teacher and poet, gives the biographies of 31 family members buried in Saint Vincent Martyr Cemetery. With chapters named after roses patented in Madison, DeVenezia organizes the poems according to historical and emotional undertones in this very personal vignette. 163 pp.
	Ten Ways to Motivate Kids By Glenn M. Fay Jr. Written by an experienced high school teacher, researcher, and father, this book strives to answer the perennial question: How can we motivate kids to be more successful in school and in life? The book is a concise review of stories, research, and strategies that focus on developing knowledge, skills, and supportive relationships, and helping kids find personal meaning in their learning. 70 pp.

On TV

Rx for Survival, A Global Health Challenge

PBS, November 1–3, 9–11 p.m. ET/PT. Check local listings.
This fascinating, six-part series gives viewers a short course in public health, from the 19th century to the present. Episode One introduces the "Disease Warriors"—19th century scientists such as Louis Pasteur who developed germ theory and created a powerful new weapon against disease—the vaccine. "Rise of the Superbugs" describes advances in antibiotics and the swell of bacteria resistant to them. Later episodes explore the delivery (or not) of antibiotics, vaccines, and other vital treatments to Third World countries; mosquito-borne illnesses; disease prevention; and global outbreaks. A related project is Rx for Child Survival, which will raise funds to help poor children from Nepal to Mali survive past age five. Two aid organizations, CARE and Save the Children, have joined the campaign. More information for students is available on their website.

Save Our History: Yellowstone National Park

History Channel, November 4, 6 a.m. ET.
Explore how ecologists and the National Park Service are working to preserve Yellowstone from the threats of pollution, sprawl, and tourists, while still keeping it accessible to visitors. Can be taped and used in the classroom for two years. Teaching materials are available on their website.

American Experience—Victory in the Pacific

PBS, November 7, 9–11 p.m., ET, check local listings.
This is an encore broadcast of a two-hour documentary about the last days of the Pacific War. The story begins on the night of March 10, 1945, when a wave of Allied firebombers hit Tokyo. Despite huge devastation, Japanese leaders did not yield. In fact, Japanese warships were on a rescue mission sailing toward Okinawa, the island dotted with hidden caves that became a killing ground for Americans and Japanese. After 82 days, the Japanese were defeated, more or less. But Truman came to realize that Okinawa was only a precursor to what an invasion of Japan would be like. In July, the Potsdam Declaration called on Japan to surrender or risk "prompt and utter destruction." But in Tokyo, the government ignored it. Only after the Soviet Union entered the war on August 8, two days after an atomic bomb destroyed Hiroshima, did the cabinet consider surrender. With comments from Japanese historians and a focus on the Soviet Union's role, this documentary takes a deeper look at how the war finally ended. More information can be found on their website.

Concepts in Algebra

Discovery Channel, November 17, 5 a.m. ET.
Arabic numerals and algebraic concepts, including variable expressions, equations, and functions, are explained in this hourlong program. It can be taped and used in the classroom for one year with teaching materials available on their website.

Biography—George Washington: American Revolutionary

A&E, November 23, 7 a.m., ET.
This episode of the popular Biography series explores Washington's life and career, focusing on the 10-day period in 1776 when he altered the course of the Revolutionary War. Can be taped and used in the classroom for two years with teaching materials available on their website.

TLC Elementary School—Problem-Solving: Math I

TLC, November 25, 6 a.m. ET.
A look at ancient Rome in its prime, how scientists solve tough problems, and tips on using lists and tables to organize information. This 30-minute show is part of a series designed for grades K–6 that consists of segments edited from original documentaries. Tape it and use it in your classroom for two years, with teaching materials available on their website.

Hamlet

Hallmark Channel, November 28, 3 a.m., ET. Check local listings.
This two-part film adaptation of Shakespeare's classic tragedy, starring Campbell Scott and Blair Brown, is set in America at the turn of the 20th century. Can be taped and used in the classroom for one year. Teaching materials are available at www.historychannel.com/ classroom.

On TV listings are provided by KIDSNET, a national resource for children's media in Washington, D.C., and by Cable in the Classroom's Access Learning magazine.