Week of March 23-27 Learning Materials

APOLLO

The Road to Apollo
Discover the breathtaking failures and successes and the stakes and costs of the American space program as you take an immersive journey through Project Apollo’s missions 1, 8, and 11 in The Road to Apollo: An Interactive Journey from American Experience.

Gravity Activity
We often take the force of gravity for granted, even though Earth's gravity is what keeps each of us from floating off into space! In this lesson, students begin to more fully understand and appreciate the force of gravity.

Working at the International Space Station
What is it like to work in space and on the International Space Station? Astronauts have a challenging and fascinating job.

Earthrise
Earthrise tells the story of the image captured of the Earth from space on Apollo 8 in 1968.

Five Apollo 8 Breakthroughs
The Apollo 8 mission in 1968 marked the first time in human history that people left Earth’s orbit. While it didn’t land on the moon, it made the Apollo 11 landing the following year possible by testing key technologies to reach the moon.

Planetarium Films
These award-winning shows, originally designed for an immersive planetarium dome at the California Academy of Sciences, have been reformatted as stand-alone films.

BACK TO THE MOON

Earthrise
Earthrise tells the story of the image captured of the Earth from space on Apollo 8 in 1968.

Mooncraters Activity
This DragonflyTV segment demonstrates how to make models of moon craters, and how craters form.

Phases of the Moon
In this interactive resource adapted from the National Air and Space Museum, learn about the relationship between the Moon's orbit and its phases.

Explore the Moon
These interactive images from NOVAprovide panoramic views of each of the six Apollo landing sites and offer a hint of what astronauts faced on the surface of the Moon.

Observing the Moon in the Sky
Observe images of the Moon during the day and night with this slideshow. The images can stimulate students’ thinking and questions about when and how the Moon appears in the sky.

EINSTEIN

Einstein: Genius Among Geniuses
Learn why Albert Einstein tops many people's lists of the greatest-ever scientific geniuses in this essay from the NOVA Website.

Einstein: A Timeline of His Life
This illustrated timeline from NOVA outlines some of the most important events of his life.

Motion and Relativity
Learn about the principle of relativity in this video from the American Museum of Natural History.

Gravity and the Expanding Universe
In this video segment adapted from NOVA, learn about the history of our understanding of the expansion of the universe.

Black Holes
Stellar mass black holes form when a very massive star dies, and its core collapses.

Black Holes
Learn how the life cycles of low-mass and high-mass stars differ, in this video from NOVA: Black Hole Apocalypse.

LETHAL SEAS

Healthy Oceans
Brought to you by the California Academy of Sciences, Flipside Science is a youth-powered series that tackles environmental topics and empowers viewers to make a difference.

Clue into Climate Change
This collection explores the causes of climate change, its impacts on freshwater and ecosystems, and strategies for curbing and adapting to climate change.

Is Your Sunscreen Hurting the Coral Reefs?
How can we protect our skin and coral reefs? Watch the latest Above the Noise episode to find out.

Human Activities that Threaten Biodiversity
Human activities and population growth threaten biodiversity in almost every corner of our planet.

The City Dark: Which Way to the Ocean?
In this lesson from POV, students will study the nesting process of the endangered loggerhead turtle species and watch a video clip that illustrates how artificial lighting along nesting beaches disorients turtle hatchlings and hinders their ability to reach the ocean successfully.

MYSTERY BENEATH THE ICE

Antarctic Ecosystems
In this interactive activity adapted from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, learn about seasonal environmental conditions in the Antarctic and their influence on the southern polar ecosystem.

Early Exploration of Antarctic Climate
This ThinkTV interactive feature exhibits historic photos of Admiral Richard Byrd's expeditions to Antarctica.

Ice Shelf and Ice Sheet Activity
A block of melting ice simulates ice shelves and ice sheets and their differing effects on global sea level in this interactive activity adapted from Texas A&M University.

NOVA: Extreme Ice
In this video excerpt from NOVA: "Extreme Ice," learn about the historical record of climate changes captured in ice.

Tracking Glacial Clues for Climate Change
This ThinkTV interactive feature demonstrates how scientists determine whether glaciers are growing or shrinking.

AMELIA EARHART

Amelia Earhart, Aviator, Record-breaker, and Activist
Through two primary source activities and a short video, students will learn about Earhart’s passion for flying and determination to succeed as a female aviator.

Amelia Earhart Letter Archive
Analyze and interpret the letters of Amelia Earhart to understand her role in shaping her own image, and the image of 20th-century aviation, in this video from ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.

Hot Shots and Hot Jobs: Pilots Enjoy Breathtaking View and Plentiful Job Options
The possibilities for trained pilots are varied—from piloting huge passenger jets across the ocean to guiding small aircraft for police, fire and medical operations.

Milestones of Flight: The Lindberghs
Charles Lindbergh is probably best known for making the first solo flight across the Atlantic in the Spirit of St. Louis. However, Lindbergh and his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, also reached other milestones in aviation.

Copters, Choppers and the Phrog
This episode of STEM in 30 will explore helicopters: their design, how they work, and the functions they play in our society.

HINDENBURG AIRCRAFT

Zeppelins Resurrected
In 1935, the USS Macon went down in 1,000 feet of water off the coast of Monterey, California. In this resource from KQED's QUEST, learn about how, as scientists study the recently-discovered wreckage.

Locating Zeppelins by Sound
Learn how the British used sound mirrors to detect enemy aircraft in this video from NOVA: Zeppelin Terror Attack.

Blimps
Learn more about what it takes to operate some of the world’s largest blimps in this video from Design Squad Nation.

Buoyancy Basics
This illustrated demonstration from NOVA uses blocks of wood in water to explain the connection between the amount of water displaced by an object and the object's density.

Buoyancy Brainteasers
Which way do you think a helium balloon inside an idling car will move when the driver puts the pedal to the metal?

WPA MURALS

Understanding the New Deal
In this gallery, students will view four segments from Ken Burns: The Dust Bowl that explore the Dust Bowl, New Deal programs, and government relief and reform during the Great Depression.

Mr. Huff and the WPA
Students will analyze how local governments responded to the Dust Bowl crisis.

New Deal: FDR’s First 100 Days
FDR began The New Deal with an ambitious set of programs during his first 100 days in office. The New Deal was a series of programs and projects instituted during the Great Depression to restore prosperity to Americans.

The New Deal Works at Gooseberry Falls
This lesson is part of "Great States: Minnesota | Unit 9: Great Depression and the New Deal" where students will explore how the Great Depression and its resultant expansion of the federal government affected Minnesota.

Interpreting Depression Era Photography
Working for the government, a cadre of photographers sought to document the hardships Americans suffered during the Depression.

THE CIVIL WAR BRIDGE

Civil War Battles: Charleston and South Carolina
Explore images taken in Charleston, South Carolina during the Civil War. The first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, on April 12, 1861.

Sherman’s March
This activity helps students understand how General William Tecumseh Sherman's March to the Sea was one of the most controversial aspects of the later phases of the Civil War.

U.S. Grant: Warrior: Biography: Ulysses S. Grant
Learn more with this biography from American Experience: "U.S. Grant - Warrior."

Tulsi Gabbard: Atlanta Campaign of the Civil War
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard learns about her third great grandfather, a man named Lewis Porter, who grew up during a time when America was moving toward Civil War. Lewis volunteered for the Union army to fight against the Confederacy. Just weeks after enlisting, Lewis Porter’s regiment set off under General William Tecumseh Sherman to serve in one of the most significant campaigns of the Civil War: The Atlanta Campaign.

SPACE EXPLORATION

Is There Life in Space?
In this module, you will explore the question, “Is there life in space?

Historic Space Suits
Explore how space suit design has evolved over time in this interactive slideshow from NOVA scienceNOW. This interactive activity requires Adobe Flash Player.

Light Falls: Space, Time and an Obsession of Einstein
Light Falls: Space, Time, and an Obsession of Einstein is an original work that celebrates the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein's discovery of the general theory of relativity.

The Structure and Scale of the Solar System
Students learn about the structure and scale of the solar system, using media from NASA, in this interactive self-paced lesson from WGBH.

Surface Features in the Solar System
Students learn about surface features in the solar system, using media from NASA, in this self-paced interactive lesson from WGBH.

STEPHEN HAWKING

Can We Time Travel
Use the discussion questions to stimulate conversation both before and after viewing with your family or connect with friends and get their perspective.

Are We Alone?
Use the following discussion questions to stimulate conversation both before and after viewing with your family or connect with friends and get their perspective.

Achievements of Stephen Hawking
In this lesson, students learn about Stephen Hawking - his personal history, his struggle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), his thought processes and how he developed his groundbreaking ideas about Black Holes, the Big Bang, and the discovery of Hawking Radiation.

What Are We?: Molecules
In this clip from Genius by Stephen Hawking, learn about molecules and their behavior on an atomic scale.

What are We?
In this clip from Genius by Stephen Hawking, learn about the process of evolution and how nature has adapted.

SMARTPHONE

Science Spotlight: How Your Smartphone Knows Where You Are
Learn how GPS receivers use trilateration to track your location, even though atmospheric disturbances might occasionally cause accuracy problems.

How Does Your Smartphone Send Emojis?
The physics of smartphones is a complicated and amazing mixture of engineering, physics, electronics and computer science.

Your Digital Footprint: Data and Energy Use
Cell phones and laptops use energy to charge their batteries. But did you know that sending emails, texts, and Snapchats requires much more energy?

Toolkit: How To Come Up With Your Own Mobile App
This lesson guides students through a design brainstorm process, to invent an app idea related to public art. All you need is the activity worksheet, some pens, markers, and creativity!

How Is Tech Changing The Way We Read?
Before the internet, it made sense to read long texts in a linear fashion, but that’s now changing as people are adapting to skimming shorter texts on their computers or phones.

THE GREAT AMERICAN READ

Alice in Wonderland-Queen of Hearts
The Queen of Hearts is the most notorious villain in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Moby Dick-Captain Ahab
Experts discuss Herman Melville's love of the sea and how the obsessed Ahab is the anti-hero of the story.

The Giver
The Giver is a Newberry Award-winning book by Lois Lowry that tells the story of 12-year-old Jonas. We explore how Jonas is an ordinary boy who does the extraordinary.

Heroes
From this video segment from, Jakers!, we learn that every story has a hero.

Heroes and Hope in Frank Herbert’s Dune
In this excerpt from The Great American Read, Wil Wheaton describes his relationship with Frank Herbert’s Dune. The best-selling science fiction novel chronicles the tension between good and evil, and the fight over a limited natural resource —"the spice."

AFRICA'S GREAT CIVILIZATIONS

Africa: Teacher Tools: Exploring African Culture
Students will explore the role of oral tradition in African cultures. They will read articles about the daily lives of people in several African countries, and create a mock interview based on the information.

Wonders of the African World
Every culture has its own special identity, demonstrated through its music, clothing, religion, food and social customs. Throughout our African journey, take a closer look at the rich and unique traditions of the people.

Religion: Three Religions, One God
Three of the world's major religions -- the monotheist traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam -- were all born in the Middle East and are all inextricably linked to one another.

African Masks
Artist Maude Alexander shows some of the African masks in her collection and talks about how African masks are more than aesthetic artifacts.

Manjani: West African Dance
The Imani Dance and Drum Company perform the Manjani, a West African dance that celebrates an important event such as the harvest (as in this performance), a wedding, or a naming ceremony.

SHAKESPEARE UNCOVERED

Julius Caesar, Rhetoric and Relevance
Learn about how Shakespeare uses rhetoric in his play Julius Caesar in two videos from Shakespeare Uncovered.

Julius Caesar and the American Experience
Learn about the long-held American fascination with Julius Caesar in two videos from Shakespeare Uncovered.

Shakespeare’s Biography
Short video biography of Shakespeare.

The Globe’s a Stage: Shakespeare’s Theater
In this lesson from Shakespeare Uncovered, students will develop their understanding of how William Shakespeare's plays were influenced by the physical space in which they were originally produced, the Globe Theatre. (This lesson is best used as an introduction to, or during the reading of, any play by Shakespeare.

Shakespeare on Film
This lesson plan introduces students to Shakespeare's plays by comparing movie versions. The late twentieth century marked a resurgence of Shakespeare on film.

LORRAINE HANSBERRY

Lorriane Hansberry
In this video from First Person: Classroom, students learn about Hansberry’s lasting impact and the intersectionality that defined her life.

Lorriane Hansberry: Writing Process
Learn about the story behind the writing of A Raisin in the Sun in this video from the American Masters film, Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart.

Lorriane Hansberry: Analyzing Theme
In this interactive lesson, discover how literary techniques like setting, characterization, and conflict contribute to the overarching theme of a text.

Lorriane Hansberry: Role of Women in the 1950s
Explore the role of women in the 1950s in this video from the American Masters film, Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart. Incorporating footage of women in the 1950s, Lorraine Hansberry’s life, and scenes from the film version of A Raisin in the Sun.

Lorriane Hansberry: A Raisin the the Sun:Jim Crow, Home Ownership & the American Dream
Learn how Jim Crow laws impacted home ownership and the pursuit of the American Dream in this series of videos from the American Masters film, Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart.

THE WOMAN IN WHITE

Reimagining a Buffalo Landmark: Mapping the Asylum
Explore the many historical, social, and geographical factors that influenced the city of Buffalo, New York and led to the building of the Buffalo State Hospital (now known as the Richardson Olmsted Campus).

Discovering a Landmark
Learn about the original purpose of the Richardson Olmsted Campus as the Buffalo State Asylum. Following the Civil War, Buffalo sees economic growth and a rise in population. Frederick Law Olmsted, Calvert Vaux, and H.H. Richardson began designing the 42 acre campus and 13 buildings.

Causes and Effects of the Asylum
Learn about the deterioration of the abandoned Richardson Olmsted campus and the timeline of its preservation and restoration.

Youth Mental Health
This collection is part of KET’s initiative on youth mental health and includes videos from the KET series, You Are Not Alone.

The Power of Sadness in ‘Inside Out’
In this episode of Brain Craft, we explore some science behind the message of the film, Inside Out.

Poetry Brings Happiness to Teens
The Pongo Teen Writing Project has been working with troubled teens in detention centers, mental health facilities and homeless centers for nearly two decades, taking their stories and turning them into poetry.

THE GREAT WAR

The Great War AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Collection
The Great War: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Collection covers key topics in the timeline of World War I—from the factors that turned U.S. neutrality into engagement to the challenges of making a just and lasting peace. Classroom support materials offer ways to engage with questions raised during the war that persist today, including ones related to balancing civil liberties with national security, the role of women in politics, the loyalty of immigrants, and racism.

THE KOREAN WAR

The Korean War
This set of resources provides background information on the Korean War. Students should analyze the information featured, and consider these resources when determining what environmental factors influenced the outcome of the Korean War.

Mapping the Korean Peninsula
In this lesson, students will explore the ways Korea was divided at the end of World War II and how that division separated families, disrupted lives, and laid the foundation for the Korean War.

The Political Pressures President Truman Faced
This lesson is broken into three activities that can be taught separately or as part of a full-class lesson, including homework. Students will understand the significance of the Korean War in Cold War politics.

MCCARTHY

The Role of the Press in the Rise and Fall of Joseph McCarthy
Examine the role the press played in Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s rise and fall in these videos from McCarthy | AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.

The Speech the Launched the 1950s Red Scare
Discover how a speech delivered by Sen. Joseph McCarthy in 1950 at a Women’s Republican Club in Wheeling, West Virginia, sparked anti-communist hysteria nationwide and ushered in the era of “McCarthyism” in this video from McCarthy | AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.

Communism’s Appeal Grows during the Great Depression
Learn how communism grew in popularity in the United States during the Great Depression in this video from McCarthy | AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.