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*** In the Spotlight for December ***
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 -  Linking to Current Events
 -  Learning from Nobel Laureates
 -  Have an Interactive Holiday
 -  Connect Learning with Special Days
     o World AIDS Day
     o National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
     o Clean Air Day
     o Spiritual Literacy Month

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*** LINKING TO CURRENT EVENTS ***

Cars

Facing the possibility of going under, U.S. car makers have called for government loans to help keep them afloat. The manufacturers' emphasis on large SUVs -- which once brought in record profits for the companies -- has now become a liability for the "Big Three" -- General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler -- under the strain of an economic downturn and fluctuating gas prices.

November 20, Congressional leaders rejected a $25 billion bailout package, at least until a "plan for viability" can be put forward by the auto makers to ensure their success into the future.

We have a number of resources related to the history of the U.S. automobile industry:

> "The Firm," Program 15 of Economics U$A <http://www.learner.org/resources/series79.html> looks at past problems in the US automobile industry, showing Studebaker and the expenses involved in model changes to attract consumers. A $50 million loan plan for retooling was rejected by financial community. Program 25, "Economic Growth," traces the success of Ford's Model T, and Program 22, "Labor and Management," discusses how Chrysler -- partnered with labor in the late 1970s. Other programs in the series may also be of interest.

> Inside the Global Economy <http://www.learner.org/resources/series86.html> Program 2, "Protectionism vs. Free Trade" looks at voluntary export restraints on Japanese cars into the U.S., while Program 1 discusses the experience of Australia's auto industry with competition from imports.

> The American Passages archive contains a number of historical images illustrating the centrality of the automobile to American culture, such as this poster <http://www.learner.org/amerpass/slideshow/archive_search.php?number=7477&fullsize=1> showing Ford's marketing strategy and this image <http://www.learner.org/amerpass/slideshow/archive_search.php?number=5171&fullsize=1> of a used car lot during the 1930s. Use the search term "automobiles" to find many more images.

> Science in Focus: Force and Motion <http://www.learner.org/workshops/force/> offers ways of incorporating automobile design into simple physics lessons at the elementary and middle school levels.

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Mars

Recent explorations of Mars have led to interesting discoveries about the red planet. Most recently, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has uncovered information suggesting the presence of giant glaciers just beneath the planet's surface. This comes shortly after the finding, by NASA's Phoenix Mars lander, of ice in the planet's soil.

> Teaching High School Science <http://www.learner.org/resources/series126.html> Program 5, "Exploring Mars, offers a lesson that allows students to conduct their own discoveries about the surface of Mars.

> The Mechanical Universe...and Beyond <http://www.learner.org/resources/series42.html> explores the physics of journeys to other planets in Program 24, "Navigating in Space."

> What do the differences between Mars and Earth have to do with the origins of life? Read this interview with biology professor Andy Knoll <http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/scientist/transcripts/knoll.html> in which he discusses the characteristics of Mars as compared with the characteristics of Earth. The online textbook <http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=1&secNum=1> offers additional information on the subject.

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With a broadband Internet connection, you can use our Video on Demand feature to view programs free of charge. Visit our FAQ <http://www.learner.org/faq/faq_broadband.html> for more information.


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*** LEARNING FROM NOBEL LAUREATES ***

This year's Nobel Prize winners have been announced. The Laureates are set to receive their medals in Stockholm, Sweden on December 10 at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony. The prizes are awarded each year for outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, peace, and economics.

The achievements and personalities of Nobel Laureates have been incorporated into Annenberg Media video series. Learn from the insights of these masters in their fields, or learn about their works and discoveries, in the following programs:

Nobel Laureates in Chemistry
1981 - Roald Hoffman, The World of Chemistry, Host
1957 - John Kendrew, Rediscovering Biology Web site Unit 2, "Protein and Proteomics"
1954 - Linus Pauling, Reactions in Chemistry Program 6, "The Chemistry of Life"

Nobel Laureates in Economics
1970 - Paul Samuelson, Economics U$A, Programs 4 and 5

Nobel Laureates in Literature
1993 - Toni Morrison, In Search of the Novel Program 8, "Am I Getting Through?"
1976 - Saul Bellow, American Passages Web site Unit 14, "Becoming Visible"
1962 - John Steinbeck, American Passages Program 12, "Migrant Struggle"
1954 - Ernest Hemingway, American Passages Program 11, "Modernist Portraits"
1949 - William Faulkner, American Passages Program 13, "Southern Renaissance"
1948 - T. S. Eliot, Voices & Visions Program 4, "T. S. Eliot"

Nobel Laureates in Medicine
2001 - Leland Hartwell, Rediscovering Biology Program 8 and Web site Unit 8, "Cell Biology and Cancer"
1989 - Michael Bishop and Harold Varmus, Rediscovering Biology Web site Unit 8, "Cell Biology and Cancer"
1981 - David Hubel, Discovering Psychology Web site Unit 7, "Sensation and Perception"

Browse our series titles <http://www.learner.org/resources/browse.html> to view a program or to enter a series Web site.

For more information about each Nobel Laureate listed above and his or her work, visit the official Nobel Prize Web site <http://nobelprize.org/>.


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*** HAVE AN INTERACTIVE HOLIDAY ***

This holiday, spend some fun time at Learner.org with our interactives!

<http://www.learner.org/interactives/>

These unique interactive experiences will introduce your students to various subjects across the curriculum, or even allow you to brush up on your knowledge of basics in chemistry, geometry, history, spelling, literature, geology, measurement, and many more subjects. Several interactives offer their own assessments of student learning.


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*** CONNECT LEARNING WITH MORE SPECIAL DAYS ***

World AIDS Day (December 1)

> Find a map showing AIDS rates in Africa in the year 2000 <http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/visual/visual.php?shortname=adult_hiv> on the Habitable Planet Web site. Click on the link to the online textbook for more information on global population issues.

> Learn the biology of the virus with Rediscovering Biology: Molecular to Global Perspectives, Unit 6 <http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/units/hiv/index.html>. Also see the case study, "The Genetics of Resistance to HIV Infection" <http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/casestudy/hiv.html>.

> "Health, Mind, and Behavior" <http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/23/e23expand.html>, Program 23 of Discovering Psychology: Updated Edition, considers the role of psychology in helping to shape public perceptions about engaging in risky behaviors, as well as in promoting positive health outcomes for those with a positive diagnosis.

> The human impact of the AIDS epidemic in Kenya and other African countries is explored in "Strength To Overcome" <http://www.learner.org/powerofplace/page19.html>, Program 19 of The Power of Place: Geography for the 21st Century.

> Teaching Geography Workshop 5 <http://www.learner.org/workshops/geography/wkp5intr.html> shows ways of approaching the subject of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa in the classroom. A downloadable lesson plan is available in Word or PDF format.

> A medical doctor talks about facing the possibility of his own death after contracting AIDS in Death: A Personal Understanding <http://www.learner.org/resources/series108.html> Program 3, "Facing Mortality." Program 8, "Grief and Bereavement," features a 15-year-old girl who has lost her mother -- and could lose her father and brother -- to AIDS.


National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7)

> A Biography of America Program 22, "World War II" <http://www.learner.org/biographyofamerica/prog22/>, offers and account of the Pearl Harbor attack and the events that followed. Try the Web-based activity, "You Decide: Japanese American Internment?"

> The Western Tradition <http://www.learner.org/resources/series58.html> Program 48, "The Second World War," looks at various factors in World War II.

> The poetry of Lawson Fusao Inada <http://www.learner.org/workshops/hslit/session8/aw/work2.html> addresses the human aftermath of Pearl Harbor on the Web site for The Expanding Canon: Teaching Multicultural Literature in High School.

> Internment camps for U.S. citizens of Japanese decent are discussed in "With Justice for All: From World War II to the Civil Rights Movement" <http://www.learner.org/amerpass/unit14/context_activ-1.html>, and article on the American Passages Web site. Also search the archive for related images.


Clean Air Day (December 17)

> Watch The Habitable Planet: A Systems Approach to Environmental Science <http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/> Unit 2, "Atmosphere," and Unit 11, "Atmospheric Pollution." Also read this interview with Chuck Kolb <http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/scientist/transcripts/kolb.html>, CEO of Aerodyne Research, Inc., in which he discusses measuring atmospheric pollution.

> Economics U$A <http://www.learner.org/resources/series79.html> Program 21, "Pollution," explains how costs resulting from pollution have been factored into policy decisions. The Clean Air Act and its impact on automobile emissions and gasoline lead regulations provide examples.

> The World of Chemistry <http://www.learner.org/resources/series61.html> Program 17, "The Precious Envelope," explores theories about the development of Earth's atmosphere through chemical evolution. The program also discusses ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect.

> Reactions in Chemistry, Session 7 "Chemistry and the Environment" <http://www.learner.org/workshops/chemistry/workshop7/> looks at how ozone -- pollution can increase ground-level ozone levels, as well as how CFCs are depleting the naturally protective ozone layer.

> Science in Focus: Shedding Light on Science, Session 8, "Wind and Weather" <http://www.learner.org/workshops/sheddinglight/workshop8.html>, explains basics of air movement, atmospheric layers, and how substances evaporate into the air. Children share their own ideas about natural and environmental processes.


Spiritual Literacy Month

Spiritual concepts have been part of human life for millennia. This month, increase your knowledge of different societies' ideas about spirituality and role these ideas have played in shaping how people interact with the world and with each other.

> In Artifacts & Fiction, Unit 8, "Ceremonial Artifacts" <http://www.learner.org/workshops/artifacts/sessions.php?s=8>, Professor Greg Sarris discusses a creation story and Pomo baskets as means of introducing expressions of spirituality and the sacred in Native American culture.

> Get an introduction to Jewish spirituality from Rabbi Meir Feldman as he speaks to a 6th grade class in "A First Impression of Judaism" <http://www.learner.org/series/cowl/ch1-3/firstimpression.html>, from Teaching "The Children of Willesden Lane."

> Bridging World History <http://www.learner.org/courses/worldhistory/unit_main_5.html> looks at the development of spiritual ideas in Unit 5, "Early Belief Systems," as expressed in Shinto, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Confucianism, and Greek thought.

> Out of the Past <http://www.learner.org/resources/series45.html> Program 7, "The Spirit World," looks at how the sacred is expressed in the art and architecture of the ancient Maya.

> Death: A Personal Understanding <http://www.learner.org/resources/series108.html> considers spiritual aspects of death in Programs 9, "Death Rituals," and 10, "The Good Death."

> Learn about how Mayan spirituality still permeates life in Cancun, Mexico. The first program of Human Geography: People, Places, and Change <http://www.learner.org/resources/series85.html> explores Mayan ruins and their significance, and shows a Mayan corn ceremony being performed by a shaman.

> The Western Tradition <http://www.learner.org/resources/series58.html> traces the development of European spirituality from Egyptian and Greek thought through the evolution of Christianity, with brief excursions into Judaism and Islam.

> See the parallel developments of Christianity and Western art and architecture in the programs of Art of the Western World <http://www.learner.org/resources/series1.html>.


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