Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Discovery Channel: I Love the World

Need a lift? Here's the reason you love to teach about the world (even on a shoestring!).

Thanks to my friend Paul Brian Campbell at Loyola Press, who featured this link on his blog, People for Others:


Thursday, September 24, 2009

Euro Challenge 2010

A flash from the Center for European Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Read on to find out more about a great learning opportunity for grades 9 and 10 and the chance of a free trip to Brussels for you, their teacher!


Welcome to the Euro Challenge 2010 -- an exciting educational opportunity for high school students (grades 9 & 10) to learn about the European Union (EU) -- the largest trading partner of the US -- and its single currency, the euro.

The competition is also an excellent opportunity for NC teachers, as teachers enlisting a team in the Euro Challenge are eligible to win a free trip to Brussels next summer. Now in its fifth year, the Euro Challenge is designed to appeal to students with a background in global studies, economics, world history/geography or European studies.

The competition aims to:

* Support local learning standards related to global studies and economics
* Foster economic and financial literacy and understanding of economic policy issues
* Increase students' knowledge and understanding of the European Union and the euro
* Develop communication, critical thinking and cooperative skills

The Competition

Each team of 3-5 students must make a 15-minute presentation describing the current economic situation in the euro area and analyzing a specific economic challenge in a country of their choice. Teams then answer questions from a distinguished panel of judges. Preliminary rounds are held in each of the participating regions, and the regional winners advance to the semifinal and final rounds held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Cash prizes for the top teams are generously provided by The Moody's Foundation.

Check out www.euro-challenge.org for training videos, research materials, and web resources.

Euro Challenge in North Carolina: Orientation Session and Free Trip to Brussels!

UNC will host an orientation session for teachers from North Carolina schools participating in the Euro Challenge later in the fall (details forthcoming). Teachers enlisting a team in the Euro Challenge are eligible for one of two spots to travel to Brussels in summer 2010, travel and accommodations paid, on a program organized by the European Commission.

How to Register?

To register for the Euro Challenge 2010, please complete and send in the registration form . For more information about the competition in the North Carolina region, contact Gali Beeri at gali@unc.edu or 919.843.9852.

For details for NC schools, visit www.unc.edu/depts/europe/academicprograms/eurochallenge.html . Open the information sheet and registration form here .

The Euro Challenge is a program of the Delegation of the European Commission to the U.S.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Teaching Abroad

Just a quick post to alert you to the upcoming deadline for the Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchange.

If you want to teach abroad (and if you're reading this, chances are you do), go to the Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchange web site right now to find out all you need to know.

Deadline is October 15, 2009.

So what are you waiting for?

Friday, September 11, 2009

9/11 in the Classroom--Eight Years Later

Eight years ago today, the United States--and the world--experienced an unimaginable tragedy when terrorists attacked New York and Washington, D.C. We all know the horrifying details, have seen and seen again the unspeakable destruction, and realize that our vision of our country as unquestionably safe and secure changed forever on that day. We also know that our freedom and our commitment to an open, democratic society gave us strength to live through that tragedy, and continues to support us.

For today, and many other days as well, here's a lesson plan that involves students in a discussion of the Heroes Around Us.

Keep teaching. Keep smiling. You've got the future in your hands.

--The Daughter of a New York City Firefighter

Asia Society Elementary Lesson Plans


Just for K-5--great elementary lesson plans for teaching globally from Asia Society.

And leading the list is an interdisciplinary project on Cinderella, a story many cultures have told and retold. Share this new look on Cinderella (and Yeh-shen, and Cerentola, and even CinderLad) with your students.

Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, got no time to dilly-dally!