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April 2001
Last year's festival was an overwhelming success, introducing more than 1,000 children and their families to the many diverse cultures that are represented in Harrison County. A good part of that success was due to the participation of area youth, from CCHS's DIVE group and the Gerdon Youth Center, who helped plan and prepare, and were there working the day of the festival. Those who participated last year felt that working on this event was very valuable and important to them and their community.
This year, local youth are already planning to make the festival an even bigger success. They will be working on logistics, food, promotion, exhibits, fundraising, prizes, art, games, music, and more. CCHS art teacher Nissa Ellett is working on an activity book that focuses on Harrison County diversity and history for the festival and community. (If you would like your class involved in this project, see Nissa Ellet.)
If you and/or your students are interested in being part of
WORLD
ON THE
SQUARE
2001
call or email Kirby Bachman (738-7225)
or Karolyn Mangeot (952-2273).
Now available from the Harrison County Public Library -
America's Civil Rights Movement - A video-and-text kit for middle and upper levels. Includes the 104-page text Free at Last; the 38-minute Academy Award-winning video A Time for Justice; and a teacher's guide. With adaptable lesson plans
The Shadow of Hate: A History of Intolerance in America - A video-and-text kit for middle and upper levels. Includes a 40-minute video; a 128-page illustrated text, Us and Them; and a teacher's guide. With adaptable daily lesson plans.
Coming soon -- Starting Small: Teaching Tolerance in Preschool and the Early Grades - A video-and-text teacher training kit for early childhood educators. Includes a 58-minute video and five copies of a 250-page text focusing on seven exemplary tolerance education programs. The library's package also includes all the available children's books recommended in the back of the textbook.
Alisa Burch, Harrison County Public Library children's librarian, says these are excellent classroom resources. Call Harrison County Public Library, 738-5406 to check availability and to schedule these materials for your classroom.
CINCO DE MAYO
!
!
!
On May 5, 1862, the Mexican army defeated the invading French forces. This victory is celebrated in the national calendar of Mexican holidays as "Cinco de Mayo" (5th of May).
The Pain We've Felt, The Hurt We've Caused
From Teaching Tolerance magazine, Spring 2000 - by Thomas Henderson, middle school teacher
To heighten his students' awareness of the pain that prejudice and name-calling can cause, Mr. Henderson gives each student a 3-by-5 inch card and asks them to close their eyes and remember a time when someone called them a name. They write down the specifics of the event and include the name they were called, remembering and feeling exactly what happened. Students do NOT sign their cards.
He collects these cards and passes out a different-colored card. This time he asks them to remember an incident when they have called someone else a name and to write the specifics on that card, which he then collects. He selects a cross section of the cards as examples to read to the class.
They discuss the long-term impact these experiences can have on the victims. Then he redistributes the cards with instructions to draw and color the hurtful words in a way that depicts the ugliness and pain the words carry. He takes some of the cards, glues them to bulletin board paper and surrounds them with drawings of the ugly words as a reminder of the pain and hurt that words can cause.
Character Council of Indiana is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening Indiana citizens, their families, and the community by promoting excellence in character. They provide training, resources, and assistance for character implementation in each sector of the community. The program teaches one character quality one day a week over a two-three week period in 30-45 minute segments. The lessons include a nature story, a history story, a poem, and various activities to reinforce that quality. After three years of the Character First program at Hawthorn Elementary in Indianapolis, the school saw a reduction in discipline referrals. To learn more about this program, email the Character Council.
Book Review Section
The Worst Band in the Universe by Graeme Base
Publisher: Abrams, Harry N Inc - Pub. Date: September 1999 - ISBN: 0762844507
Young musicians want to create new sounds and experiences in music, but the Musical Inquisitor hunts them and sends them off-world because he believes that all music should be safe and the same, and not provoke any deep emotional response. They struggle to return to their home planet and their triumph at the end will make you stand up! Comes with a CD. Available at Barnes & Noble.
How to Be : Contemporary Etiquette for African Americans by Harriette Cole
Publisher: Simon & Schuster - Pub. Date: January 1999 - ISBN: 0684826453
Written for adults, but high schoolers will have no trouble with it.
Uses the teaching of manners and etiquette as a tool for the empowerment of people of African descent. Examples are based on the experiences of African elders and from European mainstream traditions. This book shows how words can be used in positive ways to connect with others or in more negative ways to set us apart. Available from Barnes & Noble.
The Mushroom Man by Ethel Pochocki
Publisher: Green Tiger Press Published by Simon & Schuster - Pub.Date: 1993 - ISBN: 0671759515
For three years and up but great for any age
A lonely little man works all day in a mushroom farm. His appearance and habits are misunderstood by those around him until he meets a mole who must learn to trust a human. Their friendship grows because each treats the other with respect and kindness in spite of bad experiences in the past that might have kept them apart. Vivid illustrations by Barry Moser give life to the characters and are a real treat to the eye. Out of print, but soon to be available at HCPLibrary.
Included with the April newsletter was an informational flyer on "Conflict Resolution Programs for Communities and Youth" from the Peace Education Program, 318 W. Kentucky Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203, Phone 502.589.6583, FAX 502.561.8392 or email Peace Education.
Also included was a poster entitled "Kids Keeping the Peace: Resolving Conflict on the Playground" written by Matt Gerber and Kim Jones of the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program National Center. The poster and other conflict resolution resources are available at the Educators for Social Responsibility website.
Last year's festival was an overwhelming success, introducing more than 1,000 children and their families to the many diverse cultures that are represented in Harrison County. A good part of that success was due to the participation of area youth, from CCHS's DIVE group and the Gerdon Youth Center, who helped plan and prepare, and were there working the day of the festival. Those who participated last year felt that working on this event was very valuable and important to them and their community. This year, local youth are already planning to make the festival an even bigger success. They will be working on logistics, food, promotion, exhibits, fundraising, prizes, art, games, music, and more. CCHS art teacher Nissa Ellett is working on an activity book that focuses on Harrison County diversity and history for the festival and community. (If you would like your class involved in this project, see Nissa Ellet.)
If you and/or your students are interested in being part of
call or email Kirby Bachman (738-7225)
or Karolyn Mangeot (952-2273).
Now available from the Harrison County Public Library -
America's Civil Rights Movement - A video-and-text kit for middle and upper levels. Includes the 104-page text Free at Last; the 38-minute Academy Award-winning video A Time for Justice; and a teacher's guide. With adaptable lesson plans
The Shadow of Hate: A History of Intolerance in America - A video-and-text kit for middle and upper levels. Includes a 40-minute video; a 128-page illustrated text, Us and Them; and a teacher's guide. With adaptable daily lesson plans.
Coming soon -- Starting Small: Teaching Tolerance in Preschool and the Early Grades - A video-and-text teacher training kit for early childhood educators. Includes a 58-minute video and five copies of a 250-page text focusing on seven exemplary tolerance education programs. The library's package also includes all the available children's books recommended in the back of the textbook.
Alisa Burch, Harrison County Public Library children's librarian, says these are excellent classroom resources. Call Harrison County Public Library, 738-5406 to check availability and to schedule these materials for your classroom.
On May 5, 1862, the Mexican army defeated the invading French forces. This victory is celebrated in the national calendar of Mexican holidays as "Cinco de Mayo" (5th of May).
The Pain We've Felt, The Hurt We've Caused
From Teaching Tolerance magazine, Spring 2000 - by Thomas Henderson, middle school teacher
To heighten his students' awareness of the pain that prejudice and name-calling can cause, Mr. Henderson gives each student a 3-by-5 inch card and asks them to close their eyes and remember a time when someone called them a name. They write down the specifics of the event and include the name they were called, remembering and feeling exactly what happened. Students do NOT sign their cards.
He collects these cards and passes out a different-colored card. This time he asks them to remember an incident when they have called someone else a name and to write the specifics on that card, which he then collects. He selects a cross section of the cards as examples to read to the class.
They discuss the long-term impact these experiences can have on the victims. Then he redistributes the cards with instructions to draw and color the hurtful words in a way that depicts the ugliness and pain the words carry. He takes some of the cards, glues them to bulletin board paper and surrounds them with drawings of the ugly words as a reminder of the pain and hurt that words can cause.
Character Council of Indiana is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening Indiana citizens, their families, and the community by promoting excellence in character. They provide training, resources, and assistance for character implementation in each sector of the community. The program teaches one character quality one day a week over a two-three week period in 30-45 minute segments. The lessons include a nature story, a history story, a poem, and various activities to reinforce that quality. After three years of the Character First program at Hawthorn Elementary in Indianapolis, the school saw a reduction in discipline referrals. To learn more about this program, email the Character Council.
Book Review Section
The Worst Band in the Universe by Graeme Base
Publisher: Abrams, Harry N Inc - Pub. Date: September 1999 - ISBN: 0762844507
Young musicians want to create new sounds and experiences in music, but the Musical Inquisitor hunts them and sends them off-world because he believes that all music should be safe and the same, and not provoke any deep emotional response. They struggle to return to their home planet and their triumph at the end will make you stand up! Comes with a CD. Available at Barnes & Noble.
How to Be : Contemporary Etiquette for African Americans by Harriette Cole
Publisher: Simon & Schuster - Pub. Date: January 1999 - ISBN: 0684826453
Written for adults, but high schoolers will have no trouble with it.
Uses the teaching of manners and etiquette as a tool for the empowerment of people of African descent. Examples are based on the experiences of African elders and from European mainstream traditions. This book shows how words can be used in positive ways to connect with others or in more negative ways to set us apart. Available from Barnes & Noble.
The Mushroom Man by Ethel Pochocki
Publisher: Green Tiger Press Published by Simon & Schuster - Pub.Date: 1993 - ISBN: 0671759515
For three years and up but great for any age
A lonely little man works all day in a mushroom farm. His appearance and habits are misunderstood by those around him until he meets a mole who must learn to trust a human. Their friendship grows because each treats the other with respect and kindness in spite of bad experiences in the past that might have kept them apart. Vivid illustrations by Barry Moser give life to the characters and are a real treat to the eye. Out of print, but soon to be available at HCPLibrary.
Included with the April newsletter was an informational flyer on "Conflict Resolution Programs for Communities and Youth" from the Peace Education Program, 318 W. Kentucky Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203, Phone 502.589.6583, FAX 502.561.8392 or email Peace Education.
Also included was a poster entitled "Kids Keeping the Peace: Resolving Conflict on the Playground" written by Matt Gerber and Kim Jones of the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program National Center. The poster and other conflict resolution resources are available at the Educators for Social Responsibility website.