Critical Analysis and Writing
By Raven Tyler, Assistant Editor with Online NewsHour and a former high school English and Journalism teacher

• Objective: The objective of this lesson plan is use famous quotes/aphorisms about fear or anxiety as a springboard for conversation about war and terrorism. Students will then create their own quote/aphorism and share and compare interpretations with other classmates who have chosen the same topic. The original quotes/aphorisms can be compiled into a classroom "Book of Quotes." This lesson includes warm up, pre-writing and discussion questions, and a writing activity.

• Grade level: 9-12

• Estimated class time: 1-2 class periods

• Materials: A copy of the handout with selected quotes, a copy of Bartlett's Quotations or access to the Internet (Bartleby.com), dictionaries, paper, pen.

• Handout: List of anxiety quotes, warm up questions, discussion questions, and pre-writing questions

• Website resource:Bartleby.com

Correlations to National Standards

Introductory and Developmental Activity: Have students answer the warm-questions on the handout, then review as a class.

Warm-up questions

1. What are quotations? Aphorisms? Explain the differences between the two.
2. Why do you think people use quotations or aphorisms to explain certain situations?
3. Can you think of any of your favorite quotations? Share with the class.

*Guided practice activities*

Pre-writing activity: Have students answer the discussion questions individually, then as a class reviews the answers. Introduce the word anxiety and explain to students that it is normal to feel anxiety and that it can increase during times of uncertainty. Students will create their own web cluster defining the word, supplying related words and examples of times students have felt some form of anxiety.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you feel any anxiety about the U.S. entering into a war with Iraq? Why? Why Not?
2. What are some ways that your school and/or community are dealing with the war in Iraq? Are there specific plans or precautions being taken?
3. Do you feel a direct impact, indirect impact, or no impact at all?

Writing activity: Next, provide students with the handout of selected quotes about anxiety. Have the students select one of the quotes for interpretation. Students will first answer the five-prewriting questions, then write a 200 to 250-word response using the answers to the prewriting questions. Students should use the dictionary to define any words in the quote they don't know.

Prewriting Questions:

1. Why did you choose this quote/aphorism?
2. What was the author trying to convey with his/her quote/aphorism?
3. People often use quotes/aphorisms to help explain a topic. Do you think it is an effective way to communicate?
4. Do you think this quote/aphorism relates to the US war with Iraq?
5. Compare/contrast anxiety and fear.

Handout--Anxiety Quotes

• "Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom." Soren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher
• "Anxiety is the beginning of conscience, which is the parent of the soul but is not compatible with innocence." Angela Carter, British author
• "A free spirit must be able to surmount anxiety time after time." Mason Cooley, U.S. writer
• "Anxiety is not fear, being afraid of this or that definite object, but the uncanny feeling of being afraid of nothing at all. It is precisely Nothingness that makes itself present and felt as the object of our dread." William Barrett, U.S. philosopher, editor
• "The natural role of twentieth-century man is anxiety." Norman Mailer, U.S. author
• "Anxiety is interest paid on trouble before it is due." Dean Inge, U.S. author
• "Anxiety weighs down the human heart, but a good word cheers it up." Bible: Proverbs 12:25

*Independent activities/Assessment*

Classroom assignment: Students will become the authors of their own "famous and witty" quote. As a class, students should create a list of "abstract" terms, (i.e., love, independence) then choose a "top ten" list. After students have completed their interpretation, divide students into groups with other students who chose the same quote to interpret. Have the students then share their different responses with each other and discuss. Compile the responses into a classroom "Book of Quotes."

Correlations to National Standards:

MCREL Thinking and Reasoning Standards:

Standard 1-Understands and applies the basic principles of presenting an argument
Standard 2-Understands and applies basic principles of logic and reasoning
Standard 4-Understands and applies basic principles of hypothesis testing and scientific inquiry
Standard 5-Applies basic trouble-shooting and problem-solving techniques
Standard 6-Applies decision-making techniques

MCREL Life Skills, Working with Others Standards:

Standard 1-Contributes to the overall effort of the group
Standard 4 -Displays effective interpersonal communication skills
Standard 5 - Demonstrates leadership skills

MCREL Language Arts-Reading Standard 6, Level 10 Relates personal response or interpretation of the text with that seemingly intended by the author.

Author Raven Tyler is an Assistant Editor with Online NewsHour Extra and is a former high school English and Journalism teacher. To find out more about opportunities to contribute to this site, contact Leah Clapman at extra@newshour.org.

RVD # 5 Scientific American Frontiers - It's a Kid's World: Body Sense

Study the elasticity of springs and time the improvement of new skills.

Subject: Health & Fitness, Science & Technology
Grade Level: High, Middle
Topic: Gravity & Forces
Resource Type: Lesson Plan

It's a Kid's World: Body Sense

How do babies learn to reach, kick, crawl and walk? In this story, we'll meet a psychologist exploring possible answers to that question by measuring infants who bounce up and down in a baby jumper. Other psychologists have long been fascinated by the same query, and have proposed various theories to explain why humans do what they do. Some rare archival footage from the 1930s looks at a classic study of twins, and a modern-day researcher computes muscle patterns.

ACTIVITY 1: GOING UP?
The recoil of infant bouncing systems depends upon the elasticity of support components. Some bouncing systems use metal coils; others are made of rubber-like materials. When these supports are stretched, the potential energy of the system is increased. When released, the potential energy transforms into the kinetic energy of the spring's contraction. This activity gives you a chance to investigate the elasticity of a metal coil toy, the ever-popular Slinky.

MATERIALS

• Slinky coil toy
• Meter stick
• Tape
• Stack of books
• Thin board
• 50gm brass mass (or use modeling clay)

PROCEDURE

1. Count off about 20 rings from the bottom of the coil. Open the coil at this point and insert a thin board. Be careful not to bend or damage the coil structure.

2. Place the board on the edge of a table, so that the rings of the coil hang freely. Steady the overhang by placing a stack of books on top of the thin board.

3. Secure a mass (approximately 50gm) to the bottom of the coil. The coil should stretch several centimeters.

4. Tape the meter stick alongside the coil. Use tape to mark the bottom of the coil on the meter stick.

5. Pull the coil down 3cm. Release and observe the highest point of its recoil. Record this value in a table that records:

LENGTH OF STRETCH (from starting position)and LENGTH OF RECOIL (from starting position)

6. Repeat step 5 using these stretch distances: 6cm, 9cm, 12cm, and 15cm.

QUESTIONS

• What happens to the recoil as you increase the length of the coil stretch? (it increases)

• What is the relationship between the stretch and recoil? (the spring recoils about the same distance as the stretch)

• Why did you secure the 50gm mass to the coil? (you needed to stretch the coil to produce a compressible space for the recoil)

EXTENSIONS

The ratio of a spring's stretch or compression to the amount of applied force is expressed mathematically by Hooke's Law: F equals kx. F equals the applied force; x is the amount of stretch or compression; and k equals the spring constant. After completing this activity, review Hooke's Law. Then, solve for the spring constant of the Slinky.

Compute the frequency per minute of your coil toy by counting the number of times it bounces in five seconds, then multiply by 12 (when a weight equal to that of a baby is put in the jumper, its "natural frequency" is calculated at 79 times per minute).

ACTIVITY 2: LEARNING TO MOVE

A baby doesn't just wake up one day and walk. That baby has spent months experimenting with movements and practicing different ways of moving its muscles. As you see on Frontiers, babies need to learn many things before they can walk; they especially need to practice coordinating their muscles. When you learn a new skill, you also need to practice and give yourself time to perfect the muscle patterns. Measure how practice helps you run faster with this activity.

POWER PRACTICE

MATERIALS

• Stopwatch
• Measuring stick
• Cloth strip

CHALLENGE

1. Divide your class into teams of four students each. Designate a timekeeper for each team.

2. Have each team measure and mark off a racecourse 20 meters long.

3. Have each member run the course without any prior practice. Record the runner's time.

4. Allow each team member to practice running for one minute and then run the course a second time. Record the new time.

5. Have each team member repeat the course a third time. Record the time.

6. Select two team members to run the course as a three-legged race. Secure the right leg of one student to the left leg of the other student. Have them run the course without practice and record the time.

7. Have the other two-team members practice running the course as a three-legged runner and then run the course. Record the time.

8. Each of the three-legged groups should practice moving together for one minute, and then race again. Record the new times.

9. All groups should practice moving together again for one minute and then race the course. Record the times.

QUESTIONS

• How did the one-minute practice affect the running times of individual students?
• How did one-minute practices affect the running times of three-legged teams?
• Explain the role of practice in the two types of races.
• What are some of the discrete skills the three-legged teams must learn?
• What are some different ways a baby practices learning to walk?

EXTENSIONS

1. Calculate a runner's speed using the formula: speed equals distance/time. Use your team's data to determine each member's speed in meters per second, feet per second, kilometers per hour and miles per hour.
   (Note: your science textbook probably contains conversions between metric and English units. If not, consult another reference source.)

2. Graph the collected data. The x-axis should display the trials. The y-axis should illustrate the speed of individuals and groups in miles per hour.

3. Apply a similar sequence of practice to learning another skill, such as juggling, hopping on one foot, flipping POGs, writing your signature with your non-dominant hand or shooting baskets. What is the role of practice in learning? Can you correlate the amount of practice time with an improvement in the ability to perform the task?

4. Imagine that a baby is a robot. Draw a flow chart that will instruct the baby on how to get from point A in the room to point B, or, from the table to the door. How many muscles will the baby have to coordinate to perform the task? Is it more efficient for the baby robot to crawl, scoot across the floor, walk by holding onto tables and other objects or walk unaided?

RVD# 6 Scientific American Frontiers

Life's Big Questions: Where Did Life Come From?
Students follow biologists Norman Pace and Sue Barns as they search for answers as to the origin of life in the boiling hot springs of Yellowstone.
Subject: Science & Technology
Grade Level: High, Middle
Topic: Genetics & Evolution
Resource Type: Lesson Plan

Scientists have long questioned where and when life emerged on our planet. Alan Alda joins biologists Norman Pace and Sue Barns as they search for answers in the boiling hot springs of Yellowstone. The discovery that microscopic creatures can survive in these extreme conditions, along with DNA analysis, suggests that these organisms may be similar to the earliest life forms on Earth. (Note: Organisms in the spring are not true bacteria, but a group of living creatures discovered only recently.)

ACTIVITY 1: Just How Tough Are Bacteria?
Many scientists believe that the earliest forms of life existed all over primitive Earth in conditions very similar to the ones you saw in the Yellowstone hot springs. If life can exist at high temperatures, then is it possible that simple, modern terrestrial bacteria might have inherited some of the traits associated with the more ancient forms? Let's find out.

MATERIALS

• small pot
• hot plate
• water
• forceps
• carrot slice
• petri dish or sterile jar
• filter paper
• grease pencil
• paper towels
• goggles
• apron
• insulated glove

NOTE: WEAR YOUR EYE AND CLOTHES PROTECTION. ALWAYS USE A POT HOLDER OR INSULATED GLOVE TO HANDLE HOT EQUIPMENT.

PROCEDURE

1. Cut a piece of carrot about 5 cm long, 2 cm wide and no more than 5 cm thick. Fill a small pot with enough clean water to boil the carrot.

2. Using a hot plate, boil the carrot in water for 10 minutes.

3. While the carrot boils, sterilize the petri dish, filter paper and forceps in boiling water or a steam bath.

4. Place filter paper on the bottom of the petri dish.

5. Place the boiled carrot flat side down on the filter paper. Cover the dish and label it. Place the dish in a warm place. Let it sit undisturbed 3 to 4 days.

6. Write your observations each day in a journal.

7. After a few days, examine the carrot under a microscope for growth samples. Draw observations in your journal.

Note: This experiment can be done in a mason jar, but it's important to prepare a sterile sample, no matter where this experiment is conducted. Not all carrot samples will produce bacterial growth. As in all scientific processes, conclusions are open to discussion.

QUESTIONS

• Define the term endospore.

• Did boiling kill all the bacteria on the carrot?

• If bacteria do appear on carrot samples, where do they come from? (Endospores in carrot.) Could this bacteria have inherited traits found in ancient bacteria? What is the difference between an inherited and an acquired trait?

• Research microscopic life forms that survive in the deep ocean near hydrothermal vents. Are these creatures similar to the descriptions of the earliest life forms?

• Speculate on what might have happened if Earth had never cooled down. Write a description of the types of life forms that may have evolved. Support your claim with explanations consistent with present-day knowledge about evolution.

• Why does the water in the hot springs "boil" at less than 212 degrees F? (Reduced air pressure at this elevation reduces the boiling point of water.)

ACTIVITY 2: VOLCANIC CALDERAS

Much of Yellowstone Park lies inside a caldera, a collapsed volcano that erupted about 800,000 years ago. A caldera forms when the crater of a volcano collapses or explodes. Magma close to the surface exerts upward pressure on a volcano and leaks out in the form of lava. If the leak becomes plugged, water can drain into the pressure-laden magma, causing a buildup of tremendous steam pressure under the volcano. If the pressure becomes too great, the volcano explodes. If the pressure gradually lessens, the top of the volcano subsides and collapses. In either case, a caldera is formed. The "blowout" causes the crater to expand to a diameter as small as a mile or in the case of the larger Yellowstone caldera, 40 miles wide!

In this activity, you can demonstrate how a caldera is formed.

MATERIALS

• Small balloon
• 2 - 3 feet of plastic tubing
• Tubing clamp
• Sand
• Tape
• Large cardboard box
• Protractor
• Newspaper
• Dissecting pin or other long pin
• Goggles
• Mirror

PROCEDURE

1. Choose a piece of plastic or rubber tubing wide enough that the balloon opening must stretch to cover its end.

2. Fold a sheet of newspaper to conform to the bottom of the cardboard box. Make a hole slightly larger than the plastic tube in the center of the bottom of the box. Thread the tube through the hole, leaving the balloon inside the box. Inflate the balloon by blowing through the tube. Clamp the tube.

3. Slowly pour sand over the balloon until it is completely covered. Fashion a small crater in the top of the sand mound. Measure the angle formed by the slope of your "volcano."

4. Slowly release the air in the balloon while observing the "crater."

5. Remove the sand, inflate the balloon and repeat step 3, but this time insert a long pin carefully through the bottom of the box to pop the balloon.

CAUTION: DO NOT TRY TO OBSERVE THE REACTION FROM THE TOP OF THE BOX. VIDEOTAPE OR FILM IT AND REPLAY IT IN SLOW MOTION (OR WATCH IT ON A MIRROR).

QUESTIONS

• Compare the angle formed by the slope of your volcano to the physical characteristics of the three types of volcanoes. Which type does your model represent?

• Do you observe any difference between the gently subsided caldera and the exploded one?

• What geologic processes do the experiments model? (Subsidence, such as sinkhole formation, caldera formation, and to some degree, meteor cratering.)

• What does the balloon represent? (Magma chamber.)

• What does the air in the balloon represent? (Air represents gas or steam in the magma.)

• What would happen if you wet the sand mountain before collapsing it?

CONSIDER THIS! Yellowstone Park rangers tell a story of a man who jumped into a hot spring to rescue his dog. The spring had a pH of 3 and a temperature approximately 190 degrees F. What do you think happened to the man? Why? (The man survived, but his dog did not. The high temperature caused severe third degree burns. The acid pH exacerbated the burns.)

Some of the hot springs in Yellowstone have a strong smell of rotten eggs. Their waters are acidic. What kind of acid would you expect to find in a "smelly" hot spring? What kind of acid, if any, would you expect to find in a "non-smelly" hot spring? (A combination of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide causes the rotten egg smell, so the acid must be sulphuric. The non-smelly springs contain dissolved carbon dioxide from the breakdown of limestone, so the acid would be carbonic.)

CONSIDER THIS!  A mining company has proposed building a mine three miles from the border of Yellowstone National Park -- an area still considered volcanically active. What are the pros and cons of the project? What might be the impact on the park's water and wildlife? What about the rights of the company that owns the land? Find out the status of this project, recently debated by Congress and the Department of the Interior. What do you think?

RVD#7. Scientific American Frontiers - Science of Sports: Spring Man
Investigate the transformation of muscle energy to heat energy with simple activities.
Subject: Science & Technology
Grade Level: 3-5, High, Middle
Topic: Heat, Physical Science, Gravity & Forces
Resource Type: Lesson Plan

Hugh Herr's sneakers put springs in a runner's stride. By storing potential energy in springs and making muscle power more effective, his sneakers could revolutionize many sports. Herr, who lost his legs in a mountain-climbing accident, is convinced these sneakers -- and his other ingenious devices -- will help people make the most of their natural abilities. Join Herr in field tests of his spring shoes and other inventions.

NOTES & DISCUSSION

• Energy comes in many forms -- kinetic (motion), heat, light, sound, chemical, electrical and nuclear. When energy is used to make things move, it is transformed from one form into another. All energy transformations can be traced back to the sun -- the original source of energy for life on earth.

• Some energy transformations are as simple as what occurs when sunlight warms a person's face and changes to heat energy. Some energy transformations take place in complex chains. When a battery-operated toy car is put in motion, chemical energy (stored in battery) changes to electrical energy (released from battery), which changes to kinetic energy (wheels turn) and sound energy (noise).

• As you saw on Frontiers, Hugh Herr's inventions attempt to maximize the use of muscle energy. How do his sneakers do this? (They make use of the muscle energy that in conventional sneakers would be transformed into unusable heat energy.)

ACTIVITY: ENERGY ON THE MOVE
Investigate the transformation of muscle energy to heat energy by trying these activities at four workstations. Then record your observations.

STATION #1

MATERIALS

• Thick rubber bands

PROCEDURE

1. Hold a rubber band to your upper lip to sense its temperature.
2. Remove the rubber band, stretch it rapidly, and then hold it to your upper lip while it is still stretched.

OBSERVATIONS

• Describe the feeling on your lip after the rubber band was stretched.
• Identify the energy transformations that occurred.

STATION #2

MATERIALS

• "Superball" with hole drilled in it
• Thermometer

PROCEDURE

1. Carefully place the bulb end of the thermometer in the ball and record the temperature.
2. Remove the thermometer and bounce the ball for 5 minutes; take turns in your group.
3. After the 5 minutes, insert the thermometer in the ball again and record the temperature.

OBSERVATIONS

• Temperature of the ball before bouncing.
• Temperature of the ball after bouncing.
• Identify the energy transformations that occurred.

STATION #3

MATERIALS

• Hammer
• Nails
• Blocks of hardwood

PROCEDURE

1. Pound a nail 4 to 5 cm into the wood block.
2. Pull the nail out with the claw of the hammer and touch the nail.

OBSERVATIONS

• Describe the feeling after touching the nail just removed from the block.
• Identify the energy transformations that occurred

STATION #4

MATERIALS

• Plastic bottle with screw-on top
• Thermometer
• Fine sand

PROCEDURE

1. Fill the plastic bottle half full of sand.
2. Carefully insert the bulb of the thermometer into the sand, wait 2 minutes, then record the temperature.
3. Remove the thermometer, screw on the cap, and vigorously shake the bottle for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the cap from the bottle, carefully insert the thermometer in the sand, and then record the temperature.

OBSERVATIONS

• Initial temperature of the sand.
• Final temperature of the sand.
• Identify the energy transformations that occurred.

THINK ABOUT IT

Although you were able to feel or measure some of the heat energy produced in the exercises above, you could not feel or measure all of it. Think of where the "unfeelable" or "unmeasurable" heat energy could be in each activity. The law of conservation of energy tells us that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transformed from one form to another. Try  to identify all the energy transformations that occur when you operate a hair dryer.

SOLUTIONS

1. The rubber band feels warm because the molecules slide over each other, creating heat from friction when it is stretched. (fusion in sun) nuclear --> (photosynthesis) light --> chemical --> (digestion) chemical --> (nervous) electrical --> muscle --> kinetic --> (friction) heat. Some of the heat energy from the rubber band will cause the air molecules around it to move faster.

2. Each time the ball strikes the floor, most of the kinetic energy from its fall is used to make the ball almost return to the height from which it was dropped. When the ball strikes the floor, molecules in the super ball collide, and some of their kinetic energy changes to heat energy, raising the temperature of the floor, and to sound energy when it strikes the floor. (starting with muscle) muscle--> (before release) potential--> (after release) kinetic --> (friction/contact with floor) heat/sound.

3. The nail feels warm because some of the energy used to overcome the force of friction between the nail and the wood changed to heat energy. (starting with muscle) muscle--> (hammer) kinetic --> (nail) kinetic --> (friction) heat. Some of the heat energy will increase the temperature of the hammer and the block of wood.

4. The temperature of the sand increases because the particles are rubbing against each other and their kinetic energy is being changed to heat energy because of friction. (starting with muscle) muscle --> heat. The temperature of the plastic bottle also increases.

Lab Notes

• You can use this activity to show how kinetic energy changes into heat energy and to demonstrate the law of conservation of energy.
  Note: you may wish to set up materials at each workstation ahead of time.

CREDIT: Tim Yanka, science teacher at Holicong Middle School in Buckingham, PA, contributed this activity.

RVD#8.  The Living Edens - Yellowstone: Let's Go! Virtual Yellowstone Tour

http://www.pbs.org/edens/yellowstone/teach1.html

Students use mapping and research skills to create visitor guides to Yellowstone National Park, studying the park's history and learning about the geologic processes behind glaciers, mud pots, and hot springs.

Subject: Arts & Literature, Math, Science & Technology, Social Studies
Grade Level: 3-5, High, Middle
Topic: Measurement, Data Analysis, Writing Skills, Geology, Geography, Writing
Resource Type: Lesson Plan

Objectives:
Grade Level: 4-6
Background:
Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872, is known for its unique geologic features and stunning wildlife. Geysers, mudpots, hot springs, and waterfalls are just a few of the natural attractions that Yellowstone has to offer.

• A geyser is a column of hot water and steam that erupts from the earth's surface. Pools of water deep under the earth's surface are heated to the point of boiling. As the pressure builds from the boiling, the water and steam explode into the air through underground cracks in the earth and burst into the air in the form of a geyser.

• Hot springs are pools of hot water that have seeped to the earth's surface to form small ponds. At Yellowstone, algae and bacteria flourish in the hot springs and give the rocks beautiful hues of color. The mineral deposits from the water form terraces and other rock formations.

• Boiling ponds of mud (mudpots) are also present and are formed by sulfuric acid in the water. The acid dissolves the rock into tiny pieces of clay and the clay mixes with the hot water to make mud. As the steam rises from the within the earth, the mud bubbles as the steam releases into the air.

• Yellowstone River runs right through the park. The river flowed during a time period of massive uplift of the area that was caused by forces deep within the earth. The combination of river erosion and uplift has resulted in spectacular canyons and waterfalls within the park.  

Students will:

• Research the geologic wonders (geysers, hot springs, mud pots, canyons, and waterfalls) of Yellowstone National Park.
• Locate the main geologic features of Yellowstone on a map of the park.
• Write a description of the geologic features to be included on the map for a self-guided tour for park visitors.
• Define the terms geyser, mud pots, hot springs, erosion, and uplift

National Standards:
National Science Education Standards
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/overview.html#content
Content Standard D: Understanding the structure of the earth system

• Landforms are the result of a combination of constructive and destructive forces. Constructive forces include crustal deformation, volcanic eruption, and deposition of sediment, while destructive forces include weathering and erosion.
• Water is a solvent. As it passes through the water cycle it dissolves minerals and gases and carries them to the oceans.

National Geography Standards
http://www.ncge.org/publications/tutorial/standards

• Standard 1: How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information.
• Standard 4: The physical and human characteristics of places.
• Standard 7: The physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth's surface.

Materials:

• Markers or colored pencils
• Maps of Yellowstone Park copied onto 11" X 17" copy paper.

Preparation:

• Teacher will need to make copies of a map of Yellowstone National Park ahead of time. Print a map from the National Park Service (www.nps.gov/yell/pphtml/maps.html), and then use correction fluid to delete the towns (students will be locating these towns and placing them on the map later).
• Enlarge the map onto 12 " X 19" copy paper for students (one map per group of four students).

Procedure:

• Start a class discussion by using a KWL chart [what students know (K), what students want to learn (W), and what they did learn (L)]. Elicit from the class what they already know about Yellowstone and write their comments in the K column of the chart. Has anyone been there? Where is it? Why is it a national park? What is there to see and do? What kind of wildlife lives there? Then ask them what they'd like to learn about the geology of the park and write their answers in the W column of the chart.

• Tell them that they are going to become park rangers for this assignment and their first job is to make a map of the park for tourists to use when they come to visit. The map will include a brief physical description of points of interest and an explanation of how they were formed. Some of these natural attractions can be viewed on the Yellowstone video (02:41-03:40), and more information on these sites can be found at the "Reflections on Yellowstone" and "A Virtual Tour" pages on this website.

• On the front of the map, students will add each entrance to the park and the following villages: Mammoth, Tower Falls, Canyon, Norris, Madison, Old Faithful, Yellowstone Lake, and Grant Village. On the back of the map, students will write descriptions of the following sites along with how they were formed geologically: Old Faithful area, Norris Geyser Basin, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

• Divide students into groups of four. Give each group a set of materials and show them the available references. Suggestions for references are listed in the Resource section below. They will work together to locate and place on the map the villages listed above. Then each student will research one of the points of interest and write the description on the map near its location or put it on the backside of the map.

• Review the information that was gathered on the maps. Each group will report on one geologic attraction that they researched. List the facts that they report on the L column of the KWL chart -- pay special attention to the scientific/geologic principles students have researched (erosion, thermodynamics, etc.). List any other facts that another group may have found that weren't mentioned by the reporting group. Let the class vote on which attraction they would most like to see. They could then make bar graphs showing the results of their votes.

Assessment Suggestions:

• Ability to work cooperatively in a group
• Participation in class discussions
• Completion and accuracy of description of points of interest
• Accuracy of map

Extensions:

• Have students explore the depths of a hot spring and watch a video clip of Old Faithful erupting at: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/yellowstone A lesson that invites students to build model geysers may be found at http://www.pbs.org/edens/kamchatka/teacher_1.html.

• Research and locate on a map where similar geologic features (geysers, hot springs, mudpots, canyons) are found around the world. What do these areas have in common that could explain where these features are found? Create concepts maps that illustrate student findings.

• Expand research to include other natural attractions such as Tower Falls, Canyon, Madison, Yellowstone Lake, and Grant Village.

• Research the history of the park and add it as an introductory paragraph on the back of the map.

Resources

Map: www.nps.gov/yell/pphtml/maps.html (click on the blue "in depth" link, then click on "Planning a Visit," and then click on "Maps & Orientation."

Web resources for student research:
PBS Going Places: Yellowstone
www.pbs.org/wnet/goingplaces3/yellowstone/highlights.html
Yellowstone National Park
www.nps.gov/yell/home.htm
American Park Network: Yellowstone National Park
www.americanparknetwork.com/parkinfo/ye
Great Outdoor Recreation Places: Yellowstone national park
www.gorp.com/gorp/resource/US_National_Park/wy_yello.htm
National Geographic Fantastic Journeys: Yellowstone
www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/yellowstone

Books:
Tawney, R., 1998, Family Fun in Yellowstone National Park
Frank, S., and Frank, P., 1999, The Yellowstone Handbook: An Insider's Guide to the Park
Egan, L.H., 1998, Kids Discover: Yellowstone Park
The Yellowstone Association, 2000, Yellowstone: The Official Guide to Touring America's First National Park
Knapp, P., Getting to Know Yellowstone Park

More Sites To See

Memorial Day http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

National Arbor Day Foundation http://www.arborday.org/

Round the May Pole http://www.umkc.edu/imc/mayday.htm
Springtime lesson planning links (books and activities)

http://www.amonco.org/springtime_celebrations.html

Earth Day http://www.earthsite.org/

Armed Forces Day http://www.defenselink.mil/afd/

Program of the Month

Piggley Winks

Piggley Winks. Grandpa Piggley Winks, the elder family member in a typical contemporary, chaotic household of American city-dwellers, entertains and educates his grandchildren with tales of his childhood on Raloo Farm in the village of Tara in Ireland. As Grandpa's stories unfold, we travel back in time to the comical adventures of the young Piggley Winks (a mischievous pig) and his best friends, Ferny (a young bull) and Dannan (a girl duck). Piggley and his playmates love to create adventures for themselves in the Irish countryside, all based on their own imaginations.

Each adventure presents a dilemma that young children might face in their daily lives. The characters use their problem-solving skills to figure out what to do. To underscore the values of Piggley Winks, each show features a mini-documentary in which real children tell their own stories and discuss dilemmas they have faced.  The series' core audience is 4-7-year olds.

Each Jakers! episode presents a typical child's dilemma and models, in a humorous way, how to resolve it through problem solving, ingenuity, and sometimes a little help from friends.

• Jakers! supports curiosity and creative expression.
• Jakers! encourages reflection about others, leading to appreciation for the similarities among and celebration of the differences between us and ourselves.
• Jakers! helps children consider creative and imaginative solutions to everyday situations.
• Jakers! helps children appreciate the art of storytelling.
• Jakers encourages interaction between generations.

Workshops for parents, childcare providers, and teachers include the use of program segment, teacher guides or parent tips, hands- on activities, series activity handouts, and related program website 

Check Out JAKERS! Reading List

Imagination And Creativity

“Harold and the Purple Crayon” by Crockett Johnson.
“Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak.
“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” by Judi Barrett.
“Three by the Sea” by Edward Marshall.
“Barn Dance!” by Bill Martin, Jr.
“Ben's Trumpet” by Rachel Isadora.
“Max Found Two Sticks” by Brian Pinkney.
“The Squiggle” by Carole Lexa Schaefer.

Interaction Between Generations

“Grandmas at Bat” by Emily Arnold McCully.
“Song and Dance Man” by Karen Ackerman.
“When I Am Old with You” by Angela Johnson.
“The Gardener” by Sarah Stewart.
“Papa Lucky's Shadow” by Niki Daly.
“My Mama Had a Dancing Heart” by Libba Moore.

Friendship

“Dreams” by Ezra Jack Keats.
“Poppleton” by Cynthia Rylant.
“Mine's the Best” by Crosby Bonsall.
“Friends” by Kim Lewis.
“Days with Frog and Toad” by Arnold Lobel.
“Bird Boy” by Elizabeth Starr Hill.
“The Friendship of Milly and Tug” by Dian Curtis Regan.

Multi-Cultural

“The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship” by Arthur Ransome.
“The Long Way to a New Land” by Joan Sandin.
“The Magic of Spider Woman” by Lois Duncan.
“Anansi Does the Impossible” by Verna Aardema.
“A World of Children's Stories” edited by Anne Pellowski.
“How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World” by Marjorie Priceman.

Honesty

“I'll Tell On You” by Joan M. Lexau.
“I Did It, I'm Sorry” by Caralyn Buehner.
“That's Mine, Horace” by Holly Keller.
“Nina, Nina, Star Ballerina” by Jane O'Connor.
“The Peddler's Gift” by Maxine Rose Schur.

Courage And Individuality

“Sheila Rae, the Brave” by Kevin Henkes.
“Pip's Magic” by Ellen Stoll Walsh.
“The Art Lesson” by Tomie de Palo
“A Color of His Own” by Leo Lionni
“The Bat Boy and His Violin” by Gavin Curtis.

IN THE NEWS

Early Research Shows Positive Impact of Ready To Learn Efforts on Parents & Early Childhood Educators

Beginning in fall 2003, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., under contract with PBS, conducted an impact study to measure the effects of Ready To Learn workshops on more than 1,000 parents and early childhood educators and the children in their care.

By way of background, a Ready To Learn workshop consists of training intended to help adults extend the educational value of PBS children's programming using the Ready To Learn Learning Triangle (View, Do, and Read) to provide children the opportunity to practice and repeat important concepts.

Preliminary findings from the impact study conducted at 20 Ready To Learn stations indicate that Ready To Learn workshops are having a positive impact on the short-term behavior of parents and early childhood educators.

According to the early findings, three months after attending a Ready To Learn workshop, parents and early childhood educators were significantly more likely than the control group to discuss a program with the children in their care while watching. Parents who attended a Ready To Learn workshop were also significantly more likely than a control group of parents to discuss characters from a program with their children and to view children's television programs along with their children. Early childhood educators who attended a Ready To Learn workshop were also significantly more likely than a control group of educators to do activities with the children in their care related to a program they had watched and to read a book with the children in their care related to a program they had watched.

Preliminary findings also indicate that positive behaviors are sustained over time. Three months after attending a Ready To Learn workshop, 68 percent of parents report reading to their children at least once a day; six months after attending a workshop, 57 percent of parents are still reading to their children at least once a day. Three months after attending a Ready To Learn workshop, 43 percent of parents and early childhood educators report implementing the Learning Triangle (View-Read-Do) about once a week; six months after attending a workshop, 42 percent are still implementing the Learning triangle on a regular basis.

Attention ZOOMers!

20 NEW EPISODES PREMIERE APRIL 19! The ZOOMers-veterans Mike, Shing Ying, and Kortney and newcomers Ernesto, Kyle, Cara, and Maya-begin a new season with some cool new segments and a zippy new Web site athttp://pbskids.org/zoom  Tune in on April 19 and watch the ZOOMers try out new science experiments, recipes, and games. New this year is our ZOOMout segment where ZOOMers leave the studio to pursue special interests and scientific investigations.

ANNUAL NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY ZOOM has partnered again with Youth Service America to get kids involved in the 16th Annual National Youth

Service Day (April 16-18, 2004), the largest service event in the world!

Between April 16-18, over three million young people, ages 5 to 25, will participate in tens of thousands of community service projects across the country. Looking for ways to get your kids to volunteer? Go to

http://pbskids.org/zoom/too/printable/volunteer_guide.pdf  where you'll find the ZOOM Into Action(tm) Family Guide to Volunteering and great tips for starting a volunteer project. Then add your hours of service to the ZOOM Team tally!

New Characters Are Coming To Tarrytown Airport!

The Jay Jay The Jet Plane new character web voting campaign on the PBS Kids Jay Jay website was a major success, with the tally skyrocketing on a daily basis. The final total reached over 300,000 votes. And the winner, with over 100,000 votes, is… Montana, the adventurous female safari plane!

Clifford's Puppy Days

Great news!  We're tickled red to tell you that CLIFFORD'S PUPPY DAYS, the new pup on the PBS KIDS block, just received a Parents' Choice Approved seal.  The Parents' Choice Approved seals are given on the basis of the production, entertainment and human values they exemplify.  A Parents' Choice Approved seal indicates a wholesome product that helps children enjoy developing physical, emotional, social or academic skills. 

Congratulations to Scholastic Entertainment, producers of PUPPY DAYS, for their great work on a pup-tacular show!

FCI Unveils New Ready-to-Learn Workshop on Literacy

“Lullabies to Literacy: The Importance of Relationship," our newest training for child care providers, was presented to an enthusiastic audience at the PBS Ready-to Learn conference in Baltimore, Maryland. The workshop focuses on helping caregivers understand the importance of their role in helping to nurture emergent literacy skills in young children.

Using Video clips from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood as well as documentary material of adults and children engaged in lap games and lullabies, this training workshop helps adults understand how their relationships with children are vital in helping children develop language, appreciate books and reading, and learn to write. These same messages of the importance of relationship to children's growth and self-esteem are the core of our Neighborhood library.

American Idol intersects with Sesame Street!...

GUEST CELEBRITIES APPEARING IN SESAME STREET'S 35TH SEASON

See below for information on guest celebrities who've been scheduled to date to appear in upcoming Sesame Street shows:

Bill Irwin – As Mr. Noodle – Show 4057
Natalie Portman – Play Natalie, assisting in Hooper's Store – Show 4060
Andrea Martin – As Cinderella's Fairy Godmother – Show 4061
Harvey Fierstein – Sings “Everything's Coming up Noses” – Show 4063
Julianne Moore – In “Far From Seven” – Show 4065
Ruben Studdard – Sings “Soul Alphabet” with Elmo – Show 4066
Carl Gordon – As Mr. Robinson – Show 4067
Venus Williams – In “Imaginary Champion” with Elmo – Show 4068
Martina McBride – Sings “That's Pretending” – Show 4072
Seth Green – Plays Vinnie the Delivery Guy from The Letter of the Month Club – Show 4074
Dr. Phil – In “Dr. Phil Meets Dr. Feel” – Show 4077
Larry King – In “Larry King Meets W” – Show 4079
Norah Jones – Sings “Don't Know Why Y Didn't Come” – Show 4081

In addition, “Dance Myself To Sleep,” a star-studded music video, features guest celebrities performing their own dances, intercut with footage from the classic original Bert and Ernie “Dance Myself To Sleep” sketch.  Among the celebrities appearing are Lily Tomlin, Whoopi Goldberg, Doris Roberts, Stockard Channing, Joshua Bell, Allison Janney, Ruben Studdard, Harvey Fierstein, Seth Green, and Julianne Moore. This segment appears in Show 4057.

In the Community

How To Make An Apple Pie and See the World by Marion Priceman
(Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, NY, 1994)

Smell the fragrance of apples and cinnamon wafting toward you.  Picture an enormous apple pie just waiting to be tasted.  That just what happened to a young man named Jordan recently.  Ready To Learn trainer Dr. Merle Price created a Read-View-Do activity using the book “How To Make An Apple and See The World” and the Reading Rainbow clip of the story with her grandson Jordan.  Check out the results!

Below are comments from a recent workshop featuring “How To Make An Apple Pie and See The World” conducted by Emily Castleberry, Pamela Hines and Dr. Ronald Plummer.

• “[I received] a lot of great ideas.”
• “I enjoyed the session tremendously and got a lot of ideas and information.”
• When asked what did participants find practical and useful:
• “Making a kit to take back to the classroom”
• “Having resource—Internet and television to help with the children”
• “Thanks for the information on copyright laws.”
• “All can and did participate in the activities, and the book sharing was great!”
• “Complete set of lesson plans for the apple pie book”
• “The integration of literacy into science and social studies--easy and great ideas “
• “Ideas for the use of media clips to introduce or highlight sections—I have never done before, but I will now!”