Teaching Channel News for December 2012

This month, Teaching Channel Presents and PBS LearningMedia bring you more new and innovative ideas for inquiry-based teaching, integrating the arts, and meeting the Common Core literacy standards. Here are December topics and themes:

Week 1:  Connecting the Arts to Academics [Episode #210:  Dec. 2-8] — See a wide range of lessons from first grade to high school where students learn about math, science, discipline, leadership, and foreign languages through the arts. Preview.  For more arts resources,  check out these media-rich resources from PBS LearningMedia:  Collective Improvisation  and WPA Murals.

Week 2:  High School English [Episode #211:  Dec. 9-15] — See how teachers are working to implement the Common Core State Standards. Preview.   PBS Learning Media resources include:  Media Arts: Critical Viewing: Cigarette Ads and The People, Yes.

Week 3:  Season One Rebroadcast [Dec. 16-22] — See highlights of videos that cover topics incluidng defining bullying for parents, students who are tried in a youth court by peers, and helpful leson plan ideas for new and veteran teachers.  From PBS LearningMedia:  A Day in the Life and Stop Bullying. . .Take a Stand.

Week 4:  Season One Rebroadcast [Dec. 28-29] See how two teachers create amazing classroom environments for their students.  PBS Learning Media resources include:  Critical Thinking and Problem Solving in Advanced Manufacturing and Center for Sustainability at Penn State University Tour.

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Arts-Rich Curricula from PBS LearningMedia

A recent eSchoolNews’ article reported that students in West Virginia who took more than the required number of art classes scored higher on Westest math and reading scores and on the ACT PLAN exam, a preparatory test to the actual ACT.  If you strive for an arts-rich curriculum (including foreign language, movement, etc.), here are just some of the lesson plans/videos from more than 1000 PBS LearningMedia art resources:

Storytelling: Performance and Art (Grades 4-6) In one of four storytelling lessons, students explore how stories can be told without words, such as through performance and art.

Writing to Publicize an Event – The Cultural Day Festival on Sapelo Island (Grades 4-12) Students create posters to publicize the Cultural Day Festival on Sapelo Island, Georgia.

Art in the Muslim World (Grades 5-12) Students explore basic elements of Islamic art, learn about the origin and styles of the specific art of Islamic calligraphy and create their own piece of artistic calligraphy.

Identifying Cultural and Ethnic Values – Dance Theatre of Harlem (Grades 6-12) Students compose an historical landmark dedication to the Dance Theatre of Harlem that includes some of the cultural and ethnic values of the school.

Do you have a story about how a particular PBS program works well in your teaching/integrating the arts? Please email us your work and ideas; we have some lovely thank you prizes to share!

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