Free Resources from the Fed. Govt.

Free Resources for Teachers from the Federal Government

Editor's Note: Kirk Winters Emails a list of free items of interest to teachers from the Federal Government on a regular basis. Below is the most recent of his Emails. If you would like to subscribe to this list, please check the information at the very bottom of this Email.

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From: Kirk.Winters@ED.GOV

Subject: New Learning Resources: Science & Math, History, Arts, Jazz Date: April 12, 2005 2:48:28 PM EDT To: EDInfo@listserv.ed.gov

Reply-To: EDInfo@listserv.ed.gov

TEN NEW LEARNING RESOURCES in arts, science & history have been added to FREE, the website that makes finding federal learning resources easier:

http://www.ed.gov/free

This week in celebration of "Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Education (ESTEME) Week," FREE is featuring resources in those disciplines. Throughout April, FREE is highlighting jazz resources in honor of Jazz Appreciation Month.

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Arts

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"Gilbert Stuart"

examines the life & career of early America's most successful portraitist. The son of a Rhode Island snuff miller, Stuart (1755-1828) mastered portraiture in London & Dublin. Upon returning to America in 1793, he demonstrated a talent for conveying the likeness & personality of his subjects. He is known for his portraits of famous people of early America, including the first five Presidents of the U.S. (NGA) http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/stuartinfo.htm

"Toulouse-Lautrec & Montmartre"

focuses on paintings, posters, & other works by Lautrec depicting the decadent spirit & bohemian life of this hilltop working-class district on the outskirts of Paris at the turn of the 20th century. A special web feature discusses Montmartre celebrities, cafes & cabarets, brothels, & circuses portrayed by Lautrec (1864-1901), as well as his first lithograph -- the poster that made him an overnight sensation. (NGA)

http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/toulouseinfo.htm

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Science

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"Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Education (ESTEME) Week"

is April 11-15, 2005. Visit the gallery of award-winning sites to learn about numbers in everyday life, cell biology & evolution, earth & the environment, what's in toothpaste, how molecules affect us, & the science behind the headlines. Design a virtual roller coaster, watch an ancient Mesoamerican ballgame, compose music, & explore tombs in the Valley of the Kings. (MA)

http://www.esteme.org/index.html

"National Science Digital Library"

invites students to try its "ask an expert" service to get answers to questions about math, science, technology, & engineering. A portal for middle school math & science teachers features hands-on experiences with measurement, how energy moves & changes, & the basics of aerodynamics. (NSF) http://www.nsdl.org/

"NOVA scienceNOW"

is the companion website for a TV show on science breakthroughs & personalities. Learn about a frog that freezes solid in winter & comes back to life in spring. Watch videos about robot "swarms" that work together on a task, a newly discovered system in the brain, tools for predicting a hurricane's intensity, & why some sand dunes burp, sing, & croak. A teacher's guide & transcript are included. The show is hosted by Robert Krulwich & airs five times a year. (NSF)

http://www.pbs.org/nova/sciencenow

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History

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"Brown v. Board: Five Communities That Changed America" describes five cases the Supreme Court agreed to hear in 1952 under one title: "Brown v. Board of Education." The cases originated in Delaware, Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia, & Washington, D.C. Each contested the "separate but equal" doctrine of the Court's 1896 "Plessy v. Ferguson" decision, which by the 1950s had resulted in 17 states requiring racial segregation in public schools & 4 states allowing it. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP)

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/121brown/index.htm

"Floyd Bennett Field: Naval Aviation's Home in Brooklyn" recounts the role of this airport in aviation history & World War II. In 1931, it was among the most advanced airports in the world. From it, early aviators launched pioneering & round-the-world flights during the 1930s. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, its duties as Naval Air Station New York grew rapidly. During the 1942 U-Boat offensive, it provided air cover for ship convoys embarking from New York. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP)

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/120floyd/index.htm

"Glorieta & Raton Passes: Gateways to the Southwest" examines the role of these two passes in ensuring that the Southwest would become & remain part of the U.S. Learn about traders & armies that depended on the passes, which were part of the Santa Fe Trail, as the best way to get through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The Santa Fe Trail was a key trade route until the railroad reached Santa Fe in 1880. Like the trail, the railroad & later highways ran through the two passes. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP)

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/117glorietaraton/117glorietaraton.htm

"Mechanics Hall: Symbol of Pride & Industry" traces the history of Mechanics Hall & Worcester back to the industrial revolution. Built by the mechanics association for classes, public debates, lectures, & entertainment, the hall opened in 1857 as showcase of innovative building techniques & mechanical systems. It remained the center of Worcester's cultural life into the mid-20th century. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP) http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/87mechanics/87mechanics.htm

"The Trail of Tears: The Forced Relocation of the Cherokee Nation" tells about the removal of the Cherokee Nation from their ancestral homeland (NC, TN, GA, AL) to "Indian Territory" (now Oklahoma). After passage of the Indian Removal Act & the discovery of gold on Cherokee lands (1830), about 100,000 American Indians living between the original 13 states & the Mississippi River were relocated to Oklahoma. The trails they followed came to be known as the Trail of Tears. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP)

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/118trail/118trail.htm

Acronyms

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MA -- Multiple Agencies

NGA -- National Gallery of Art

NPS,TwHP,NRHP -- Nat'l Park Service, Teaching with Historic Places, Nat'l Register of Historic Places

NSF -- National Science Foundation

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Contributors: Beth Boland, Phyllis Hecht & others Editors: Peter Kickbush & Kirk Winters

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