Sunday, March 21, 2004
What's in A Name?
On January 1, 2004 Georgia Public Broadcasting launched an organization-wide branding initiative that involved all three broadcast divisions. The divisions, formerly known as Georgia Public Television, Georgia Public Radio, and PeachStar Education Services, will now be known as Georgia Public Broadcasting Television, Radio, and Education respectively. Even though our name has changed, you can still rely on the same high quality programming and services you have come to count on from PeachStar. You can still access our video through both satellite and video streaming and all of our services, such as Video On Request, professional development trainings, and Pipeline magazine subscriptions will continue to be available to you at no cost. In fact, the only thing different about they way you utilize our resources from this point forward will be the way you refer to us: Georgia Public Broadcasting Education.
Sunday, March 7, 2004
Georgia Public Broadcasting Education Director's Message
Dear Educator:
On January 1, 2004, PeachStar Education Services became Georgia Public Broadcasting Education, but the standard of service and materials we provide has remained the same. In fact, we continue to raise the bar in terms of classroom resources, making use of new and emerging technologies to ensure that you are receiving the support and resources you need from us as you go about the work of classroom instruction.
Following the September failure of our satellite, we have not only succeeded in migrating the majority of our receiving sites in order to restore service, we have also bolstered our non-satellite-delivered resources in order to allow you continued use of our video library despite the temporary disruption of satellite service. Since the August 2001 launch of our video streaming service, our repository of digital video clips has increased from 10,000 clips to more than 20,000 clips from 2,000 programs and series. To date, students and teachers from 180 school systems have utilized the service approximately 850,000 times.
The growing utilization of both video streaming and our new webcasting resource, which allows educators to take advantage of professional development opportunities remotely both live and on demand, indicates that the students and teachers we serve across Georgia are comfortable with the digital trend in education technology. We at Georgia Public Broadcasting pledge to provide you with opportunities for training and familiarization as we continue to integrate digital technology into our delivery of educational resources.
In addition to the resources we develop onsite here at GPB, we offer you the best educational materials available through partnerships with organizations such as Annenberg/CPB, for whom we serve as a video streaming mirror site, thereby giving you access to their extended library of K-12 and professional development video resources at no cost.
We recognize that no one is in a better position than educators to guide us in the development and shaping of resources for classroom use. Please share your thoughts and questions with us and help us to be the best service provider we can be by writing to peachstar@gpb.org. We look forward to using your feedback in our continued efforts to meet the needs of Georgia's teachers and learners.
Sincerely,
C. Blaine Carpenter, Ph.D.
Director, Education Services
On January 1, 2004, PeachStar Education Services became Georgia Public Broadcasting Education, but the standard of service and materials we provide has remained the same. In fact, we continue to raise the bar in terms of classroom resources, making use of new and emerging technologies to ensure that you are receiving the support and resources you need from us as you go about the work of classroom instruction.
Following the September failure of our satellite, we have not only succeeded in migrating the majority of our receiving sites in order to restore service, we have also bolstered our non-satellite-delivered resources in order to allow you continued use of our video library despite the temporary disruption of satellite service. Since the August 2001 launch of our video streaming service, our repository of digital video clips has increased from 10,000 clips to more than 20,000 clips from 2,000 programs and series. To date, students and teachers from 180 school systems have utilized the service approximately 850,000 times.
The growing utilization of both video streaming and our new webcasting resource, which allows educators to take advantage of professional development opportunities remotely both live and on demand, indicates that the students and teachers we serve across Georgia are comfortable with the digital trend in education technology. We at Georgia Public Broadcasting pledge to provide you with opportunities for training and familiarization as we continue to integrate digital technology into our delivery of educational resources.
In addition to the resources we develop onsite here at GPB, we offer you the best educational materials available through partnerships with organizations such as Annenberg/CPB, for whom we serve as a video streaming mirror site, thereby giving you access to their extended library of K-12 and professional development video resources at no cost.
We recognize that no one is in a better position than educators to guide us in the development and shaping of resources for classroom use. Please share your thoughts and questions with us and help us to be the best service provider we can be by writing to peachstar@gpb.org. We look forward to using your feedback in our continued efforts to meet the needs of Georgia's teachers and learners.
Sincerely,
C. Blaine Carpenter, Ph.D.
Director, Education Services
Great Museums: A Great Opportunity
As you know, the Education Services Division of Georgia Public Broadcasting has been steadily expanding our arts programming for some time now. Our video repository now boasts a number of fine arts programs, including dance, theater, music, and visual arts. One of our newest acquisitions, Great Museums, focuses on museums across the country, exploring their collections in detail and offering students the opportunity to view artifacts they might otherwise never see. Did you know that the United States has more than 15,000 museums? How about that 2.3 million people visit American museums every day? Or that nine out of every 10 counties in the United States has a museum?
This series, designed for students in grades 8-12, explores all different kinds of museums that range in terms of focus from history, culture, literature, science, industry, technology, and popular culture. One episode even deals with Georgia's own Morris Museum of Art. The Morris Museum, located in Augusta, is the first museum in the country dedicated to celebrating the work of Southern artists. Housing more than 2,500 pieces, the museum offers visitors a survey of Southern artwork over time and across media.
Be sure to record this series, which can be used across disciplines as it deals with museums of all types. Check the listings on page INSERT for broadcast dates and times.
This series, designed for students in grades 8-12, explores all different kinds of museums that range in terms of focus from history, culture, literature, science, industry, technology, and popular culture. One episode even deals with Georgia's own Morris Museum of Art. The Morris Museum, located in Augusta, is the first museum in the country dedicated to celebrating the work of Southern artists. Housing more than 2,500 pieces, the museum offers visitors a survey of Southern artwork over time and across media.
Be sure to record this series, which can be used across disciplines as it deals with museums of all types. Check the listings on page INSERT for broadcast dates and times.
Friday, March 5, 2004
Georgia Performance Standards: A World-Class Curriculum for Our Schools
What was once simply theory is now close to becoming a reality for Georgia's teachers and students. State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox and the Curriculum and Instruction Staff at the Department of Education are pleased to announce the unveiling of the new Georgia Performance Standards, a world-class curriculum that will drive both instruction and assessment for Georgia's teachers and students.
As we work to lead the nation in improving student achievement, the Georgia Performance Standards will be the foundation upon which we build. Our teachers have long needed a published and usable document that establishes high standards, maintains clear expectations, and provides specific guidelines for facilitating student learning at a deeper level than possible under the old Quality Core Curriculum (QCC); now they have it. We have drawn on national and international best practices to produce a curriculum that will enable our schools and students to achieve at levels that will make Georgia an education leader not only in the southeast, but in the nation and the world as well.
From January 12, 2004 to April 12, 2004, you as an educator will be uniquely positioned to influence the shape of the new curriculum that will govern your classroom by sharing your questions and comments before it is finalized and submitted to the State Board of Education for approval. The Georgia Performance Standards, as well as explanatory videos and webcast presentations describing the major changes in each content area, are now available at www.gadoe.org. The Department of Education staff responsible for the development of the curriculum hope that you will take the opportunity to share your thoughts about the curriculum by filling out the feedback forms available on either of these two sites. DOE staff will use educator recommendations as they make final revisions to the document, which will be presented to the Board for approval in May and implemented this fall.
With the Georgia Performance Standards driving instruction across the state, Georgia will be well on the way to achieving its goal to lead the nation in improving student achievement.
As we work to lead the nation in improving student achievement, the Georgia Performance Standards will be the foundation upon which we build. Our teachers have long needed a published and usable document that establishes high standards, maintains clear expectations, and provides specific guidelines for facilitating student learning at a deeper level than possible under the old Quality Core Curriculum (QCC); now they have it. We have drawn on national and international best practices to produce a curriculum that will enable our schools and students to achieve at levels that will make Georgia an education leader not only in the southeast, but in the nation and the world as well.
From January 12, 2004 to April 12, 2004, you as an educator will be uniquely positioned to influence the shape of the new curriculum that will govern your classroom by sharing your questions and comments before it is finalized and submitted to the State Board of Education for approval. The Georgia Performance Standards, as well as explanatory videos and webcast presentations describing the major changes in each content area, are now available at www.gadoe.org. The Department of Education staff responsible for the development of the curriculum hope that you will take the opportunity to share your thoughts about the curriculum by filling out the feedback forms available on either of these two sites. DOE staff will use educator recommendations as they make final revisions to the document, which will be presented to the Board for approval in May and implemented this fall.
With the Georgia Performance Standards driving instruction across the state, Georgia will be well on the way to achieving its goal to lead the nation in improving student achievement.
Tuesday, March 2, 2004
Meet the Ready To Learn Consultant Nearest Your School
Georgia Public Broadcasting Education does more to serve the pre-kindergarten community than air quality programming from PBS Kids and other child-friendly program providers. We also improve the quality of education pre-school aged children receive by conducting trainings for parents and caregivers across the state. These trainings, sponsored by the PBS Ready To Learn program, equip those who care for young children to better meet their needs in terms of both traditional and television literacy.
GPB's Ready To Learn consultants bring to this work a wide array of experiences in the educational arena that uniquely positions them to meet the varying needs of communities statewide. The consultants do a lot of work with service organizations for underprivileged children, such as Head Start, in order to ensure that all of Georgia's children have an equal opportunity to learn when they begin school - regardless of their parents' income level. Additionally, GPB Education employs bilingual consultants, extending the reach of the Ready To Learn program's benefits to Spanish as well as English-speaking caregivers and children. Read on to learn a little bit about a few of our Ready To Learn consultants and the work that they do in communities near you.
Marilyn Armstrong - Macon
Marilyn has over 20 years experience as an elementary school teacher in Georgia. Over the course of her career, Marilyn has served as GALAXY Mentor for kindergarten teachers statewide, language arts department chair, school liaison to HeadStart, and co-developer of Bibb County's kindergarten language arts instructional alignment. As a Ready To Learn consultant, Marilyn serves children and caregivers in the Macon area by providing trainings on early literacy.
Mercedes Gutierrez - Marietta
Mercedes, who serves as Ready To Learn consultant for the Marietta and metro-Atlanta area, extends the reach of her services by conducting trainings in both English and Spanish. With experience as a pre-school educator, social worker, and Spanish language interpreter, Mercedes is well positioned to meet the literacy needs of the diverse community she serves.
Lauretta Kloer - Lawrenceville/Gwinnett County
Lauretta has over 16 years of teaching experience at the elementary school level and is a certified teacher of English to Students of Other Languages (ESOL). Her experience with adult education as an InTech trainer at Kennesaw State University makes her doubly qualified to conduct trainings for the parents and caregivers of pre-school children. Her additional experience as an instructional technology specialist better enables her to promote technology literacy.
Kathy McCollister - Savannah
Kathy has worked in the field of early childhood education for more than 20 years. During that time she has served not only as a classroom teacher, but also as a trainer of early childhood professionals. Throughout her career, Kathy has focused on both media literacy and creative play, both of which are fostered through GPB Education's Ready To Learn program.
Rachel Wester - Waycross
Rachel, who has been an early childhood educator for 10 years, embraces PBS Kids and Ready To Learn not only professionally, but also for use in her own home. She has a strong sense of the importance of literacy skills early on in a child's education and relies on quality education programming such as PBS Kids' Between the Lions and Reading Rainbow to help instill a love of reading in children.
If you would like to schedule a Ready To Learn training for parents or caregivers in your area, contact GPB Education's Laura Miller at lmiller@gpb.org or (404) 685-2521.
GPB's Ready To Learn consultants bring to this work a wide array of experiences in the educational arena that uniquely positions them to meet the varying needs of communities statewide. The consultants do a lot of work with service organizations for underprivileged children, such as Head Start, in order to ensure that all of Georgia's children have an equal opportunity to learn when they begin school - regardless of their parents' income level. Additionally, GPB Education employs bilingual consultants, extending the reach of the Ready To Learn program's benefits to Spanish as well as English-speaking caregivers and children. Read on to learn a little bit about a few of our Ready To Learn consultants and the work that they do in communities near you.
Marilyn Armstrong - Macon
Marilyn has over 20 years experience as an elementary school teacher in Georgia. Over the course of her career, Marilyn has served as GALAXY Mentor for kindergarten teachers statewide, language arts department chair, school liaison to HeadStart, and co-developer of Bibb County's kindergarten language arts instructional alignment. As a Ready To Learn consultant, Marilyn serves children and caregivers in the Macon area by providing trainings on early literacy.
Mercedes Gutierrez - Marietta
Mercedes, who serves as Ready To Learn consultant for the Marietta and metro-Atlanta area, extends the reach of her services by conducting trainings in both English and Spanish. With experience as a pre-school educator, social worker, and Spanish language interpreter, Mercedes is well positioned to meet the literacy needs of the diverse community she serves.
Lauretta Kloer - Lawrenceville/Gwinnett County
Lauretta has over 16 years of teaching experience at the elementary school level and is a certified teacher of English to Students of Other Languages (ESOL). Her experience with adult education as an InTech trainer at Kennesaw State University makes her doubly qualified to conduct trainings for the parents and caregivers of pre-school children. Her additional experience as an instructional technology specialist better enables her to promote technology literacy.
Kathy McCollister - Savannah
Kathy has worked in the field of early childhood education for more than 20 years. During that time she has served not only as a classroom teacher, but also as a trainer of early childhood professionals. Throughout her career, Kathy has focused on both media literacy and creative play, both of which are fostered through GPB Education's Ready To Learn program.
Rachel Wester - Waycross
Rachel, who has been an early childhood educator for 10 years, embraces PBS Kids and Ready To Learn not only professionally, but also for use in her own home. She has a strong sense of the importance of literacy skills early on in a child's education and relies on quality education programming such as PBS Kids' Between the Lions and Reading Rainbow to help instill a love of reading in children.
If you would like to schedule a Ready To Learn training for parents or caregivers in your area, contact GPB Education's Laura Miller at lmiller@gpb.org or (404) 685-2521.
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Building Your Future: Georgia Engineers Week
Engineers Week 2004 is February 22-28 and the Georgia Engineers Week Committee has a number of outreach activities planned for middle and high school students throughout the state.
2004 Introduce a Girl to Engineering Luncheon. This is Georgia's fourth year of involvement in the National "Introduce a Girl to Engineering Program." The committee combined efforts with prime sponsors IBM, Georgia Tech, Street Smarts, and Willmer Engineering Inc. to host a special luncheon at the Georgia Tech Bill Moore Student Success Center. Sixty top female math and science students from middle and high schools throughout the Metro Atlanta area and thirty women in the engineering profession will be special guests at the luncheon, designed to promote engineering as a career choice for female students.
Education Outreach in Local Schools and Student Groups. Engineers and technology professionals interacted with elementary, middle, and high school students to share their career experiences and to promote engineering as a career choice. Schools were offered the opportunity to receive educational and promotional materials related to Engineers Week as well. Many of these outreach activities continue throughout the year. Several firms also sponsor their own activities, such as CH2M Hill's multi-school outreach activities, Johnson Spellman & Associates- Partner in Education relationship with Chattahoochee Elementary School in Forsyth County, and Street Smarts- "Around the World in 80 Days and 80 Ways" program.
E-Week Websites. The National Committee's website at www.eweek.org is worth checking out. It has information on national programs that local organizations and firms can participate in, as well as profiles of engineers and educational information for students and the community. The Georgia Engineers Week website has current information on activities within the state. You may also contact Jamie Collins at 404-521-2324 for more information about Georgia Engineers Week activities.
Georgia Public Broadcasting Education is supporting awareness about Engineers Week by airing two very special programs on Channel 420. Building a Sound Foundation in Mathematics and Science Education with Dr. James W. Wagner encourages students with an inclination toward math and science to begin preparing for a career in engineering as early as middle school. Building Bridges, INSERT INFORMATION. See the Listings for air dates and times.
2004 Introduce a Girl to Engineering Luncheon. This is Georgia's fourth year of involvement in the National "Introduce a Girl to Engineering Program." The committee combined efforts with prime sponsors IBM, Georgia Tech, Street Smarts, and Willmer Engineering Inc. to host a special luncheon at the Georgia Tech Bill Moore Student Success Center. Sixty top female math and science students from middle and high schools throughout the Metro Atlanta area and thirty women in the engineering profession will be special guests at the luncheon, designed to promote engineering as a career choice for female students.
Education Outreach in Local Schools and Student Groups. Engineers and technology professionals interacted with elementary, middle, and high school students to share their career experiences and to promote engineering as a career choice. Schools were offered the opportunity to receive educational and promotional materials related to Engineers Week as well. Many of these outreach activities continue throughout the year. Several firms also sponsor their own activities, such as CH2M Hill's multi-school outreach activities, Johnson Spellman & Associates- Partner in Education relationship with Chattahoochee Elementary School in Forsyth County, and Street Smarts- "Around the World in 80 Days and 80 Ways" program.
E-Week Websites. The National Committee's website at www.eweek.org is worth checking out. It has information on national programs that local organizations and firms can participate in, as well as profiles of engineers and educational information for students and the community. The Georgia Engineers Week website has current information on activities within the state. You may also contact Jamie Collins at 404-521-2324 for more information about Georgia Engineers Week activities.
Georgia Public Broadcasting Education is supporting awareness about Engineers Week by airing two very special programs on Channel 420. Building a Sound Foundation in Mathematics and Science Education with Dr. James W. Wagner encourages students with an inclination toward math and science to begin preparing for a career in engineering as early as middle school. Building Bridges, INSERT INFORMATION. See the Listings for air dates and times.
Monday, February 16, 2004
Learn About the Science of Sweets with CANDY UNWRAPPED
Journey into a tasty and informative world -- a world full of candy. From February 7th to May 9th, bring your taste buds to SciTrek for a "sweet" exhibition -- Jelly Belly® presents CANDY UNWRAPPED. Interactive and tempting, this new exhibition exposes the science of sweets -- and sours -- with the biology, chemistry, physiology and psychology of candy at 20 interactive exhibits. CANDY UNWRAPPED is an exhibition that satisfies your mind even as well as your taste buds.
This sweet exhibit experience includes:
A Bar is Born: Chocolate has been around for thousands of years in different forms and in some cases, different uses. This exhibit follows chocolate through the ages from the discovery of the bean to the modern chocolate bar.
Crystal Mountain: Take a walk across an enlarged sugar crystal. Learn of the beauty of sugar's chemical design, the stages of crystal growth and about the final commercialized product.
Delectable Delights: Would you eat a termite if you knew it would taste like a potato chip? Well, how about scrambled eggs and bacon? Discover the startling taste similarities between insect treats from around the world and some of your favorite North American foods.
The Doctor is In: What is a lifelike arm with an open wound doing in an exhibition about yummy things? Take a quiz with Dr. Donna to determine which sweet products can be used to heal a wound.
Energy Burn: Jump on the energy burn bike and peddle away for one minute to determine how much of a sugar cube and how many calories you can burn off in 60 seconds. Learn about the way your body creates and uses energy and which types of food energy work best for your body.
Extreme: When you hear Torture Scorchers, Mega Warheads, Viper Venom and Toe Jam, do you think "Yum" or "Yikes"? Extreme will allow visitors to visit the past and present of the ultimate in extreme candies from the 40's to the 90's. See how candy companies continue to push the envelope in trying to out-gross, out-gore, out-shock, and out-sour each other to create the ultimate extreme candy.
It's a Tasty World: What is yummy to some is yucky to others. Some cultures add chili peppers to their sweets and others add tamarind. Have you ever tasted a puff-puff? Discover the stories behind 12 countries to learn how wonderfully different tastes can be and why these candies are so popular in their respective countries.
It's a Wrap: Do you have what it takes to design a product? Sit down and test out your creativity, use bold colors, think of a cool name for your product, and let your imagination go wild.
Pucker Up: Can you handle the challenge? Taste a super sour candy in front of a camera and watch your face appear on the big screen as you pucker up. After your super sour experience, learn why we make funny faces when eating sour foods or candies.
Sugar Stack: View a giant stack of sugar bags and marvel at just how much sugar an average American consumes in a lifetime. Explore various products where sugar is consumed including refined sugar, sugar substitutes and natural sources of sugar.
Sugar Works: If you think sugar is only good for eating, think again. Find out which products contain sugar and which products don't. Learn about all the surprising uses of sugar. Sugar is everywhere and can do many things from thickening ceramics to biodegrading garbage bags to making your car a safer place to be.
Sweet Memories: Take a walk down memory lane?.take in various smells and discover what memory it evokes. Share your memories with other visitors and find out why smell is the strongest trigger for emotional memory.
Taste Bud Tango: Jump on the oh-so cushy giant tongue and learn about taste buds, where they exist, the incredible sensory complexity of the human tongue, and the different types of taste receptors that allow different taste experiences.
ATTENTION EDUCATORS: Experiencing this exhibit certainly doesn't begin and end with the physical environment of the museum floor. SciTrek offers a Teacher's Guide with flexible pre-visit experiments and activities for classroom use that are sure to surprise, delight, and prepare students as well as provide post-visit investigations that extend the learning experience. In addition, SciTrek is also offering a hands-on candy workshop during the exhibit's length of stay. Students will get more than they bargained for while learning about one of the world's most appealing topics - candy!
To make a reservation to explore the science behind the delicious and engaging world of candy and other yummy treats, please contact our group sales coordinator, Kristy Parker, at 404-522-5500 x231 or send an email to reservations@scitrek.org.
This sweet exhibit experience includes:
A Bar is Born: Chocolate has been around for thousands of years in different forms and in some cases, different uses. This exhibit follows chocolate through the ages from the discovery of the bean to the modern chocolate bar.
Crystal Mountain: Take a walk across an enlarged sugar crystal. Learn of the beauty of sugar's chemical design, the stages of crystal growth and about the final commercialized product.
Delectable Delights: Would you eat a termite if you knew it would taste like a potato chip? Well, how about scrambled eggs and bacon? Discover the startling taste similarities between insect treats from around the world and some of your favorite North American foods.
The Doctor is In: What is a lifelike arm with an open wound doing in an exhibition about yummy things? Take a quiz with Dr. Donna to determine which sweet products can be used to heal a wound.
Energy Burn: Jump on the energy burn bike and peddle away for one minute to determine how much of a sugar cube and how many calories you can burn off in 60 seconds. Learn about the way your body creates and uses energy and which types of food energy work best for your body.
Extreme: When you hear Torture Scorchers, Mega Warheads, Viper Venom and Toe Jam, do you think "Yum" or "Yikes"? Extreme will allow visitors to visit the past and present of the ultimate in extreme candies from the 40's to the 90's. See how candy companies continue to push the envelope in trying to out-gross, out-gore, out-shock, and out-sour each other to create the ultimate extreme candy.
It's a Tasty World: What is yummy to some is yucky to others. Some cultures add chili peppers to their sweets and others add tamarind. Have you ever tasted a puff-puff? Discover the stories behind 12 countries to learn how wonderfully different tastes can be and why these candies are so popular in their respective countries.
It's a Wrap: Do you have what it takes to design a product? Sit down and test out your creativity, use bold colors, think of a cool name for your product, and let your imagination go wild.
Pucker Up: Can you handle the challenge? Taste a super sour candy in front of a camera and watch your face appear on the big screen as you pucker up. After your super sour experience, learn why we make funny faces when eating sour foods or candies.
Sugar Stack: View a giant stack of sugar bags and marvel at just how much sugar an average American consumes in a lifetime. Explore various products where sugar is consumed including refined sugar, sugar substitutes and natural sources of sugar.
Sugar Works: If you think sugar is only good for eating, think again. Find out which products contain sugar and which products don't. Learn about all the surprising uses of sugar. Sugar is everywhere and can do many things from thickening ceramics to biodegrading garbage bags to making your car a safer place to be.
Sweet Memories: Take a walk down memory lane?.take in various smells and discover what memory it evokes. Share your memories with other visitors and find out why smell is the strongest trigger for emotional memory.
Taste Bud Tango: Jump on the oh-so cushy giant tongue and learn about taste buds, where they exist, the incredible sensory complexity of the human tongue, and the different types of taste receptors that allow different taste experiences.
ATTENTION EDUCATORS: Experiencing this exhibit certainly doesn't begin and end with the physical environment of the museum floor. SciTrek offers a Teacher's Guide with flexible pre-visit experiments and activities for classroom use that are sure to surprise, delight, and prepare students as well as provide post-visit investigations that extend the learning experience. In addition, SciTrek is also offering a hands-on candy workshop during the exhibit's length of stay. Students will get more than they bargained for while learning about one of the world's most appealing topics - candy!
To make a reservation to explore the science behind the delicious and engaging world of candy and other yummy treats, please contact our group sales coordinator, Kristy Parker, at 404-522-5500 x231 or send an email to reservations@scitrek.org.
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