The Burke Museum will lend a wide variety of Traveling Study Kits to schools. The Traveling Study Kits are portable boxes of scientific specimens and multicultural artifacts for all ages, designed to supplement the study of various topics in cultural and natural history. Each kit includes background information and a description of the artifacts or specimens in the kit. Some kits include additional books or audiovisual resources. Be sure to reserve early. Call right away to assure availability (206) 543-5591, or email burked@u.washington.edu. Some examples of available kits are:
The Opportunity Skyway program offers online curriculum for Careers in International Trade & Transportation. Some are geared specifically to middle school students.
You can now easily connect your classroom with Peace Corps volunteers around the world via email. In the 2000-2001 school year, World Wide Sschools will offer U.S. teachers the opportunity to receive e-mail correspondence once a month from a CyberVolunteer. Three Volunteers will be featured, one from each Peace Corps region (Central/South America, Africa, and Asia/Eastern Europe). Each Volunteer will write a total of three letters. World Wise Schools will collect the letters, edit for clarity and length, and distribute them to participating teachers. Each month you and your students can send up to five questions. A team of returned Volunteers who served in the same country where the CyberVolunteer serves, will respond to the questions in a Frequently Asked Questions list that will be sent to you via e-mail. To sign up, just enter your e-mail address in the box on their web page at www.peacecorps.gov/wws/cybervol/
The Port of Seattle provides case study lesson plans online. These are case studies for careers in international trade and transportation and are geared for middle school students.. Each of these lesson plans includes everything you need for a 45-minute to one-hour lesson: student handouts, teaching notes, discussion questions, background information, and answer keys for assignments. Each lesson plan includes at least one suggested written assignment so that you can assess how students are learning. They are also specifically designed to help students prepare for the reading and writing exercises that are part of the 7th grade Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) exam.
The World Citizen Essay Contest is sponsored by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
If you could change the world...
Our World has been shaped by leaders who have influenced history beyond their own nation's borders and local interests. These "world citizens" demonstrate universal values in their effort to tackle issues ranging from AIDS to landmines to global trade in order to improve the lives of people in their community and around the world. If you could do one thing to make our world a better place, what would you do, how would you do it, and why?
Deadline: October 20, 2000 (postmarked)
Essay length: 1,000 words or less, double-spaced
Eligibility: Washington State students in grades 6-12
Awards: Awards will be granted in two categories: 6-8 and 9-12
1st place: $500
2nd place: $250
3rd place: $100
email your essay to: gcintern@world-affairs.org and mail the original to: World
Affairs Council 2200 Alaskan Way, Suite 450 Seattle, Washington 98121
The Seattle Art Museum's Teacher Resource Center has information on Outreach Suitcases available for classrooms. To reserve a suitcase you can use their online Suitcase order form or call (206)654-3186.
Available suitcases include:
Scholars, Merchants, and Ladies of the Court: People and Arts of Traditional China. Publisher: Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA; 1992. Introduce your students to three important characters in Chinese art. The roles of the scholar, merchant, and court lady reveal a context for the art objects. This suitcase contains shadow puppets, basket, embroidery panel, painted scroll, calligraphy set, rice and dragon bowls, transparencies, and curriculum guide.
Personal Strength, Personal Beauty: Personal Adornment of the Peoples of Africa. By Annie Ross. Publisher: Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA; 1996. An introduction to the arts of adornment in many different African cultures. Students will examine how adornment and clothing reveal a person's status, personality, and customs. This suitcase contains Maasai and Egyptian collars, papyrus painting, Ndebele doll, Fante shrine sculpture, comb, Kente, Adire, and Bakuba cloths, transparencies, and curriculum guide. (AFRICA 10.007 c.1)
Tea in Japan: A Window into the Arts. By Sarah Loudon. Publisher: Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA; 1994. Explore Japanese culture by handling various objects associated with the tea ceremony. This suitcase contains a hanging scroll, kimono, tea and calligraphy sets, lacquer trays, curriculum guide, and transparencies that describe the importance of this social and cultural event. (ASIA 20.01.020 c.1)
Values to Live By: A presentation on important life lessons as told by Northwest Coast Elders. By Annie Ross. Publisher: Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA; 1992. Examine the values of the Northwest Coast peoples, passed on by elders with different tribal affiliations, and relate these values to artwork by contemporary Northwest Coast artists. This suitcase contains a cattail mat, button blanket, hand-painted drum, carved mask, basket, wool blanket robe, video, prints, and curriculum guide. (AMER 20.35.049 c.1)
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