Tag Archives: Freedom

Black History Month Resource

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African-Americans have a wide ranging and interesting history in the United States. Yet for many years, that history was ignored. And then Carter G. Woodson stepped in. A teacher and founder of what is now The Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, Woodson began pushing for recognition of African-American history, especially in schools. In 1926, he established Negro History Week. Negro History Week eventually grew into Black History Month, an event celebrated nationwide every February. Today, Black History Month not only provides an opportunity to learn about African-American history but also to foster an appreciation for the African-American culture and its significant contributions to this country.

Here is a supplement you can download and use in the classroom. “Pride in Color” takes a brief look at the history and cultural contributions of African-Americans. While it is impossible to cover the entire scope of the subject, the information and activities provided in this supplement will help you understand, among other things, where African-Americans have been and how far they have come. The guide was produced by KRP Productions and distributed by the NIE Institute.

Download by clicking on the following link: http://legacy.grandforksherald.com/pdfs/Pride%20in%20Color.pdf

Note: if you are going to print this pdf, make sure to adjust your print setting to fit on page. The pdf is bigger than 8.5 x 11 (normal print size.)

For additional resources visit: http://www.examiner.com/lesson-plans-in-national/black-history-series-henry-johnson-wwi-soldier?CID=examiner_alerts_article

Veterans Memorial in Dent, Minn.

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Recently, my sister and I made a road trip which included a visit to Veterans Memorial Park in Dent, Minnesota. If you’ve never heard of Dent, it is a small town (pop. 194 from the 2010 census) located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, near Pelican Rapids.  The photos published here are ones I shot the day of our visit. 

I didn’t know this special memorial even existed until a few months ago when I came across it on facebook. I did a little research and found an article on the Fergus Falls Journal website. http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/2009/08/02/dent-unveils-veterans-memorial/

The Dent American Legion Post 148 designed, built and dedicated this Memorial to Veterans in July of 2009. The title of the memorial is “All Gave Some – Some Gave All”. The memorial represents all branches of the military and features the names of veterans from this area in Minnesota, including my father, grandfather and four uncles.

The memorial is located in the city park on the north side of town along Highway 108 in Dent, Minnesota.

Veterans Day Teacher Resource Guide

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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs FREE Teacher Resource Guide is now available!

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Day National Committee are pleased to offer a Teacher Resource Guide for schools. Veterans Day, observed each year on November 11th, offers a chance to thank America’s Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.

There are nearly 24 million Veterans living among us, in every state and from every walk of life. Many students today are the sons, daughters, cousins, neighbors, or relatives of a Veteran or current service member.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Teacher Resource Guide provides information, activities, and reproducible handouts to assist schools in teaching their students about the history of Veterans Day.

This guide also provides an array of suggestions for schools to organize events to honor and thank the Veterans in their communities. You can download this free guide by clicking on the following link:   http://legacy.grandforksherald.com/pdfs/2010%20VET%20DAY%20TeacherGuide.pdf

The VA’s Teacher Resource Guide includes:

• Background information on the history of Veterans Day

• Classroom and community activities for students in grades K-12

• Suggestions for planning Veterans Day events in your community

• A timeline of U.S. military engagements

• A “Kid’s Packet” with activities for younger students

• Instruction on civic skills like how to fold the American flag

• Links to Veterans Service Organizations, including scholarship information

For more educational resources visit  http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/     

Teachers and parents can also learn about national and local Veterans Day events in their communities.

Join us this Veterans Day in remembering our veterans from all eras, and rewarding our veterans today with the honor they so richly deserve.

NNW Part 5: Censorship

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It’s National Newspaper Week and the Kentucky Press Association was kind enough to provide us with some educational material. Each day, this week, we will have newspaper activities for you to do with your students.

AT ISSUE: NEWSPAPERS                                       CENSORSHIP

Newspapers in this nation experience a degree of freedom virtually unequaled in the world. That doesn’t mean that outsiders have not tried to control their content. In fact, the press is often at odds with the government, big business or other special-interest groups.

Exercise your freedom …

Have students “censor” the paper by cutting out of it anything that is critical of government or government officials, everything related to courts except verdicts and anything that would not be public knowledge with out the First Amendment. Discuss what’s left in the paper.

This activity is adapted from a series produced by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Foundation Newspaper In Education.

NNW Part 4: Ethics

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It’s National Newspaper Week and the Kentucky Press Association was kind enough to provide us with some educational material. Each day, this week, we will have newspaper activities for you to do with your students.

AT ISSUE: NEWSPAPER ETHICS
Editors and reporters are well aware of the impact of their decisions regarding what stories to cover and how. They try to be fair and responsible. They also strive to avoid slander or libel. Not only would they put the newspapers in financial and legal jeopardy, but they would also undermine its credibility. Newspaper managers also face the problem of how to balance editorial and advertising content. The two are handled out of separate departments to avoid a conflict of interest.

Exercise your freedom …

A free press ensures that citizens will have access to information about all kinds of situations. But the citizen must be careful that the information he or she reads is accurate and objective. The reader needs information about where the reporter got information for a story.                                                                                                                      

List the names and occupations of people who are mentioned as sources in a news story. Explain why they would or would not be good sources for the story.

This activity is adapted from a series produced by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Foundation Newspaper In Education.

 

 

 

 

NNW Part 3: Privacy

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It’s National Newspaper Week and the Kentucky Press Association was kind enough to provide us with some educational material. Each day, this week, we will have newspaper activities for you to do with your students.

AT ISSUE: NEWSPAPERS                                                     Privacy

There is a delicate balance between the individual’s right to privacy and the public’s right to know. Both are important enough to be guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Newspapers strive to handle information in a way that is responsible and fair to all involved.

Exercise your freedom …                                                                                          

Locate articles about the following events or people. Explain why the public
has the right to know this information. Or explain why you think the story
should not be published.
• Vote taken in U.S. Senate
• Health violation of local business
• A new school policy on safety
• A celebrity’s argument with a spouse

This activity is adapted from a series produced by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Foundation Newspaper In Education.

NNW Part 2: Watchdog for the Public

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It’s National Newspaper Week and the Kentucky Press Association was kind enough to provide us with some educational material. Each day, this week, we will have newspaper activities for you to do with your students.  The theme is Press Freedom.

 

 AT ISSUE:  NEWSPAPERS                                                      Watchdog for the public

A. Politics and government – The press is free to cover what happens in government at all levels: local, state and national. It serves as the eyes and ears of the voters who cannot attend all government meetings and functions.

B. Consumer safety - Likewise, newspapers and other media investigate and alert consumers to faulty or dangerous products.

Exercise your freedom . . .                                                                                        The founding fathers of this country were concerned that the government might use its power to take advantage of private citizens. They wanted to be sure that voters knew  what the government was doing.

Explain why it is important for citizens to receive news about the following:
• National official (The president, a senator, Secretary of Defense, etc.)
• State official (The governor, Secretary of Education, etc.)
• Local official (The mayor, county commissioner, city council member, etc.)
• Services agency (Mental health/Mental Retardation, Children’s Services, etc.)
• Lobbying group (National Rifle Association, Common Cause, etc.)

This activity is adapted from a series produced by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Foundation Newspaper In Education.

NNW Part 1: Press Freedom

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It’s National Newspaper Week and the Kentucky Press Association was kind enough to provide us with some educational material.  Each day, this week, we will have newspaper activities for you to do with your students.  The theme is Press Freedom.

AT ISSUE: NEWSPAPERS                                                                      Press freedom: whose right is it, anyway?

The freedom of the press guaranteed under the First Amendment to the Constitution is meant as a protection for the people, not for the media. It was intended to guarantee that the public has ready access to information. Only well-informed citizens can make reasoned judgments about government.

Exercise your freedom …

Locate and read news stories and opinion columns about a national problem.
• How might these articles lead to citizen or government action?

• How do you think newspapers provide national leadership?

• Identify statements that oppose any action that may have been taken by government, public or private groups to address the problem.
 

This activity was adapted from a series produced by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Foundation Newspaper In Education Committee.

 

It’s National Newspaper Week!

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National Newspaper Week begins today!  The Kentucky Press Association was kind enough to provide us with some educational material to share. We’ll kick off the week with an NIE column today compiled by Susan Morgan of the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. Beginning Monday and every day this week, we will have newspaper activities for you to do with your students.  The theme is Press Freedom. 

NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION COLUMN:
Compiled by Susan Morgan
Pennsylvania Newspaper Association

NIE is an acronym for Newspaper in Education, a program in which newspapers supplement traditional teaching materials in the classroom. NIE programs are found throughout the world, with more than 700 in North America alone.

Local NIE programs provide newspapers to schools at reduced rates or through paid sponsorship programs. NIE Coordinators help teachers use the newspaper as a powerful tool across all grades and content areas through workshops and specialized curriculum materials.

NIE programs serve two objectives: to teach about the newspaper and to teach with the newspaper. Students learn to become critical thinkers through reading, analyzing and discussing newspaper stories and editorials. They use the knowledge they gain to engage in conversations with peers and family members. Students also reinforce skills in reading, writing, math, science and other subject areas using newspaper content.

Informed educators understand how newspapers can be used to make a bridge between classroom content and the real world. Students who learn how to enjoy, understand and use newspapers are equipped with a lifelong learning resource. What a great way to prepare tomorrow’s citizens! 
 

(Susan Morgan is the Diversity and Educational Outreach Director at the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. She compiled these statements from NIE Coordinators from across the United States.)