We’re going to explore chemistry and science and highlight the elec-tion process in this edition of Classroom Connections!

National Chemistry Week (NOVA: Hunting the Elements Collection)

Oct. 16 kicked off National Chemistry Week. Use this NOVA collection to give students an inside look at the world of weird, extreme chemistry as they explore the periodic table in detail. EXPLORE: http://to.pbs.org/2cBFn99

Chemistry Timeline (PBS LM)

Offer students a look back at the history of chemistry, from the discovery of copper in 9000 BCE to the creation of Boyle’s Law in the 17th Century to today. HAVE A LOOK: http://to.pbs.org/2cCB5Bf

Green Chemistry (PRI)

National Chemistry Week Lesson: In this audio segment from PRI’s The World Science Podcast, students learn about “green chemistry,” or the development of less toxic chemicals as an alternative to synthetic. WATCH: http://to.pbs.org/2bYFjom

The Chemistry of Make-up (PBS LM)

Hop into the science lab and learn the chemistry involved in the making of makeup. Students can use this chemistry investi-gation as a science fair project idea. LEARN: http://to.pbs.org/2ckRV7g

Chemistry and Physics (PBS LM)

From atomic theory and molecular geometry to motion math and Ohm’s Law, we have loads of chemistry and physics lessons to you engage students in science. DISCOVER: http://to.pbs.org/2ctGmHZ

Rainbow Gel Activity (PBS LM)

What do you get when you combine sugar, cornstarch, water and food coloring? See how to make rainbow gel in this hands-on science project. PLAY: http://to.pbs.org/2bYRJtt

Arthur’s 20th Anniversary (Arthur)

This month marks Arthur’s 20th anniversary! Celebrate the 1996 debut of this timeless PBS KIDS’ show with this collection of educational “Arthur” resources. CELEBRATE: http://to.pbs.org/2c8mOlj

Juan’s Story: Bullying (PBS LM)

Learn how bullying can be an obstacle to Latino youth, and how the arts can be a powerful way to build self-esteem and community and combat stereotypes. HEAR JUAN”S STORY: http://to.pbs.org/2ce0LDm

PD COURSE: Bullying Prevention (PBS LM)

Learn effective bullying prevention strategies and how positive behavioral interventions can be implemented school-wide in this PBS Teacherline professional development course. PD: http://to.pbs.org/1RbiYQx

PBS Fall Arts Festival: Hamilton’s America (WGBH)

“Hamilton’s America” kicks off PBS Fall Arts Festival on Oct. 21. As a preview, offer students a glimpse into the life and leg-acy of one of our founding fathers with this WGBH interactive. DISCOVER: http://to.pbs.org/2clchxe

NATURE: My Congo

Wednesday, October 19 at 7 p.m.

Wildlife cameraman Vianet D’jen-

guet returns to the Congo to reveal

the beauty and majesty of his

homeland. During his journey, he

discovers his roots in a vibrant

“African Eden” and a jungle tribe

who reveres his great-grandfather.

CONTACT ME! For questions, comments, resources or to learn more about items discussed in this newsletter, please contact me, Sabrina Bates, at (731) 881-7561 or by email at sbates@wljt.org. I look forward to working with each of you.

Oct. 17, 2016

Volume 5, Issue 4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Splash and Bubbles..................2

Election Resources ..................3

Virtual Field Trip .....................4

Ken Burns in Class ...................5

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST

* ETHAN BORTNICK IN CON-CERT

See Page 2

* Halloween Resources

See Page 3

* Handprint Spider

See Page 4

* Education Election Resources

See Page 5

* Activity Coloring Sheet

See Page 6

Norman Lear:

AMERICAN MASTERS

Tuesday, October 25 at 8 p.m.

Largely responsible for the explosion

of bold American television in the

1970s, writer/producer Norman Lear’s

name is synonymous with the sitcom.

This first documentary about the 94-

year-old television legend brings un-

precedented access to Lear, his work

and his massive personal archives.

This special also combines stories from

his turbulent childhood and early ca-

reer with his groundbreaking TV suc-

cess (All in the Family, The Jeffersons,

Good Times, Maude) and social activ-

ism.

www.pbslearningmedia.org

2

PBS KIDS announces the premiere date of its newest show: SPLASH AND BUBBLES from The Jim Henson Company (DINOSAUR TRAIN, SID THE SCIENCE KID) a n d H e r s c h e n d E n t e r -prises (Dollywood, Harlem Globetrot-ters).

Using groundbreaking digital pup-petry technology, the animated series will help children learn marine biology and ocean science concepts while building social-emotional skills.

SPLASH AND BUBBLES will pre-miere Wednesday, November 23, on PBS stations nationwide. Digital con-tent related to the series, including games, apps and parent and educa-tor resources, will be available begin-ning in fall 2016.

C r e a t e d b y J o h n T a r t -aglia (“ImaginOcean,” “Johnny and the Sprites”), SPLASH AND BUB-BLES is designed to encourage kids ages 4-7 to explore the natural under-sea world. Developed with an advi-sory panel of top marine biologists, digital innovators and educa-tors, SPLASH AND BUBBLES is grounded in a marine biology curricu-lum that focuses on themes of diver-sity, individuality, interconnectedness and the celebration of learning and discovery. The series also introduces the concepts of ecological balance and the importance of taking care of the ocean.

The Jim Henson Company over-sees all distribution and merchandis-ing for the property and Herschend Enterprises administers all themed entertainment rights.

V i s i t w w w . p b s k i d s . o r g /splashandbubbles for updates.

‘Splash and Bubbles’ coming

to PBS

* Teachers, send a picture dem-

onstrating how you use PBS

LearningMedia digital tools in

the classroom and be entered

for a chance to win items for

your classroom. Email a pic-

ture and information to

sbates@wljt.org. If your picture

is chosen for “Classroom Con-

nections,” you and your class-

room will be spotlighted in this

newsletter and receive fun

prizes courtesy of WLJT and

PBS.

Music sensation Ethan

Bortnick is coming to

Jackson when he joins

with WLJT to present a get

out of your seat and dance

to the music special con-

cert event at 2:30 p.m. on

Saturday, Oct. 29th at The

Ned in Jackson. This after-

noon concert will be sure

to delight the young and

young at heart with his

musical talents. Concert

tickets are on sale now and

are $25 per person for gen-

eral admission. For $35,

guests have an opportunity

for a meet-and-greet with

Ethan Bortnick after the

show and become a mem-

ber of the West Tennessee

Public Television station.

For more information

about this special event or

to purchase tickets, call

Mandy Hinson at 1-800-

366-9558. To learn more

about Ethan, visit

www.ethansmusicroom.co

m to learn and explore the

relationship between vo-

cabulary, the arts, and mu-

sic with Ethan and chil-

dren while they sing and

dance.

Concert planned

PBS LM

HALLOWEEN

RESOURCES * Activity: Coloring Page (Super

WHY!) - Get your kids super-

excited about Halloween with this

printable Super Why coloring page!

http://to.pbs.org/2cti5lz

* Video: Sharing Halloween

Candy (Cyber Chase) - Teach

your kids how to share - and divide

up their Halloween candy - with this

math video lesson from Cyberchase!

http://to.pbs.org/2cBMs9J

* Document: U.S. Dept. of the

State (Grades 2-6) - Like other

American holidays, Halloween cus-

toms evolved from a mix of tradi-

tions. Download this backgrounder

and teach your students Halloween’s

history! Includes glossary of terms.

http://to.pbs.org/2ci4Nwe

* Interactive Auditory: War of

the Worlds (American Experi-

ence) - Teach students about one of

the most legendary radio broadcasts

in history - Orson Welle’s “War of

the Worlds” - which aired the night

before Halloween in 1938. History

lesson via American Experience.

http://to.pbs.org/2cdF8Dd

* Interactive: Energy Vampires

(WGBH) - Slay the energy vam-

pires! This WGBH lesson teaches

kids how to save power around the

house. http://to.pbs.org/2ci9yWq

About PBS LM

In order to gain a better understand-

ing of the effect that PBS digital re-

sources have on student knowledge

and engagement, PBS recently con-

ducted a study of middle school sci-

ence, math, English language arts,

and social studies classrooms where

resources available through PBS

LearningMedia were integrated into

existing curriculum. The PBS Learn-

ingMedia Impact Study, conducted

by Education Development Center’s

Center for Children and Technology,

showed that across subject areas,

student performance on content

assessments showed significant im-

provement, increasing by an average

of eight percentage points. In addi-

tion, students outperformed national

assessment norms by 10 percentage

points, on average, and outper-

formed state assessment norms, by

an average of 11 percentage points.

Visit: PBS Learn More Report.

3

Electoral Decoder: Invite your class to play

the role of political pundit with our Electoral De-

coder Interactive! Students use the interactive elec-

toral map to predict our next president, while

learning about the history of previous presidential

elections and how the political and election process

w o r k s . E N G A G E : h t t p : / / t o . p b s . o r g /

electoraldecoder

We the Voters: Who do elections matter?

Why are there only two major parties? Students

explore important election season topics and issues

with PBS and We The Voters #Election2016 video

series. EXPLORE: http://to.pbs.org/2chrLS0

The U.S. Presidency Collection: From

Washington to Obama, check out PBS LearningMe-

dia’s U.S. Presidency collection and teach your class

about the most powerful position in America.

TEACH: http://to.pbs.org/presday2016#election

2016

Election Central: Election Collection:

Election 2016 is almost here! Head to our Election

Central for a variety of engaging lesson plans, tool-

kits and interactive to help students learn about the

lection and political process. EXPLORE: http://

to.pbs.org/2ciuZqB

The Election Process: Offer your class an

overview of the election process, including the Elec-

toral College, caucuses, primaries, conventions and

more! DISCOVER: http://to.pbs.org/290NU33

The Contenders: 16 for ‘16: As the election

season wraps up, use the following PBS Learning-

Media resources to teach students about the most

compelling presidential campaigns in modern his-

tory. The collection is based on the PBS Series, “The

Contenders: 16 for ‘16,” airing now through Nov. 1.

ENGAGE: http://to.pbs.org/2cGY5Am

Presidential Power: Crash Course Gov-

ernment and Politics (Grades 9-13+): Learn

what the powers of the president of the United

States are, as defined in the U.S. Constitution.

From appointing judges and granting pardons, to

vetoing laws and acting as the nation's chief diplo-

mat on foreign policy, the commander in chief is a

pretty powerful person, but actually not as powerful

as you might think. The constitution limits presi-

dential powers to maintain balance among the

three branches of government. EXPLORE: http://

wljt.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/constitution-

p r e s id e n t - l e ad e rs h ip - c r a sh c o u r se - 1 0 1 1 /

presidential-power-crash-course-government-and

-politics/

U.S. Presidential Elections 1992-2012

(Grades 9-12): Explore this series of historical

photos capturing informative, memorable and fun

moments in United States Presidential elections

from 1992 to 2012. Each of these images was indi-

vidually selected from Getty Image's collections for

PBS LearningMedia teachers and students to help

tell the stories of the election seasons. LEARN

MORE: http://wljt.pbslearningmedia.org/

collection/historical-photographs-presidential-

elections/

How Has Technology Changed the Way

Candidates Run for President? (Grades 7-

12): The purpose of the lesson plan "How Has

Technology Changed the Way Candidates Run for

President?" is to examine the role of the Internet as

a political campaign tool using reason, facts and

e x a m p l e s . L E S S O N P L A N : h t t p : / /

wljt.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/710513da-

1054-4b74-9810-d7992632dd82/how-has-

technology-changed-the-way-candidates-run-for-

president-lesson-plan/

Hosting a Presidential Debate (Grades 7-

12): The purpose of the "Hosting a Presidential

Debate: Lesson Plan" is to analyze campaign issues,

practice formal debate procedures and to under-

s t a n d e l e m e n t s o f l o g i c . h t t p : / /

wljt.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/918eee84-

22f0-4a85-88ec-13aa9c58fd7d/hosting-a-

presidential-debate-lesson-plan/

Visit http://www.pbseduelectioncentral.com/

to learn more.

Election Resources

for the classroom

Free virtual field trip

offered by Alabama

Public Television

Animals of the Northern

Gulf of Mexico -

Streaming live on

Oct. 19 from 11 a.m.

until noon

This episode of Gulf Detec-

tives will follow three young sci-

ence detectives as they learn about

the animals of the Northern Gulf

of Mexico with the help of the

scientists at Dauphin Island Sea

Lab.

The program will feature a shark

research boat trip, a shark dissec-

tion, and a visit to Coffee Island to

learn about the efforts by The

Nature Conservancy to restore the

oyster reefs in the area.

The gulf detectives will also get

their hands dirty with marsh mud

to discover what creatures live

there and what they can tell us

about the health of the Gulf’s eco-

system.

This Learning Adventure will

teach concepts of animal habitats,

animal adaptations, food webs,

ecosystems, and other aspects of

biology and environmental sci-

ence. Visit to sign up:

h t t p : / / w w w . a p t v . o r g /

I Q L E A R N I N G /

E l e c t r o n i c F i e l d T r i p s /

fieldtrip.asp?tripID=22

4

Take a trip to the Gulf with APT

By Deanna Robinson www.pbs.org/parents Not all Halloween decorations need to be

scary! Make your own cute yet creepy hand-print spider to add to your cobwebs.

Materials * black construction paper * white yarn * two googly eyes * scissors * white school glue * pencil Instructions 1. Fold the black construction paper in half. 2. With the pencil, trace around your child's

hand, with the base of the palm on the paper crease.

3. Cut out the handprint. But keep in mind: cut through both layers of paper, and do not cut the crease.

4. Cut the thumb from the handprint, leav-ing the four fingers (after all, a spider has eight legs). Then unfold the paper.

5. Cut a small hole in the back of the spider

and thread the yarn through. Knot both ends. 6. Place two small dots of glue near the front

of the spider's head and place the eyes on top. 7. Let the glue dry, and you are done! Place

your spider in his web!

About Deanna Robinson Kids, wine, and DIY are the few things that

keep Deanna sane (or insane depending on the day). As a mother to a curious 2 year old, and a well rounded teen, Deanna likes to pass the days with out-of-box solutions to keep the whining to a minimum. If you want easy and affordable ideas for you (or your little one), visit From Wine to Whine.

“Life is made up of small pleasures. Happiness is made up of those tiny successes. The big ones come

too infrequently. And if you don't collect all these tiny successes, the big ones don't really mean anything.”

- Norman Lear

Easy Handprint Spider

By Alice Currah

www.pbs.org/parents

A fun way to turn your pump-

kin seeds into a tasty snack.

If you’re looking for a great

family activity to do together with

an edible reward, carving pump-

kins and roasting their seeds is a

perfect way to accomplish both.

Ingredients

* Pumpkin Seeds

* salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 de-

grees F.

2. Scoop out all the seeds from

the inside of a pumpkin and place

them in a large bowl. Pick out as

much of the flesh and strings

from the bowl but don’t worry it

some are still sticking to the

seeds.

3. Spray a baking sheet with

non stick spray or line with

parchment paper. Spread the

seeds across the baking sheet

without overlapping too much

and lightly season with salt.

4. Bake for about 20 minutes or

until the pumpkin seeds are light

golden brown. Be sure to stir the

seeds halfway through the bak-

ing.

5. Remove from oven and care-

fully stir the seeds again to re-

lease any that may have stuck to

the baking sheet.

Be sure to allow the pumpkin

seeds to completely cool before

serving. Enjoy!

Jill’s Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

5

Each of Ken Burns’s films looks at more than just its in-dividual subject matter; it drives audiences to go deeper into themes that are central to who we are as a nation and as individuals. Likewise, the edu-cational materials explore these issues, while also ad-dressing key curriculum sub-jects, such as Social Studies, U.S. and World History, civics and government, and geogra-phy.

In addition, the educational materials are designed to cover other academic subjects—such as English and language arts, music, art, economics, and mathematics—as well to sup-port critical thinking and rea-soning, problem solving, crea-tivity and innovation, media literacy, communication and collaboration, and other life skills.

The lessons are developed for grades 7-12 but are adapt-able to other grade levels. They are written in standard PBS lesson format, complete with teacher information and dis-cussion questions, culminating activities with authentic as-sessment, evaluation rubrics, extension activities, and re-sources.

Visit pbs.org/kenburns/classroom to bring Ken Burns into your classroom.

Ken Burns in the

classroom

PBS has partnered with We The Voters on a non-

partisan digital project featuring short films to activate

voters across the country in 2016. The films and accom-

panying lesson plans provide a fresh perspective on

democracy, elections, governance, and debating, appro-

priate for grades 8-12.

Great Debates - GREAT DEBATES LESSON

PLAN: Use this lesson plan to help students under-

stand and identify local fallacies, and hold a structured

classroom debate.

American Party Animals - "TWO IS COM-

PANY, THREE'S A CROWD" LESSON PLAN: Use

this lesson plan to help students understand the emer-

gence of the two-party system in the U.S., and investi-

gate how third parties have changed the outcomes of

U.S. presidential elections.

Media0cracy - DECODING MEDIA BIAS LES-

SON PLAN: Use this lesson plan to discuss how stu-

dents get their news, and help them understand media

bias through an investigation of three top cable news

outlets.

Polling Pitfalls - POLLING PITFALLS: Help

students understand how public opinion polls are con-

ducted and evaluated through an investigation of three

current polls.

Why We March - POLITICAL PARTICIPA-

TION LESSON PLAN: Use this lesson plan to review

political protest movements and help students envision

running for office themselves.

I’m Just a $100 Bill - FOLLOW THE MONEY

LESSON PLAN: Use this lesson plan to help students

understand how both money and lobbyists shape our

legislative process.

Altered States - WHEN STATES BECOME

LABORATORIES OF DEMOCRACY LESSON

PLAN: Use this lesson plan to explore conflicts be-

tween state and federal law, focusing on Colorado’s

marijuana law.

Hot Tips to Rock the Ballot Booth - DOWN

BALLOT VOTING LESSON PLAN: Help students

understand the importance of local elections and ballot

measures with this lesson plan, which includes guide-

lines for examining a local voter’s guide.

First Time Voters - TO VOTE OR NOT TO

VOTE LESSON PLAN: Students explore arguments

for the importance of voting and the history of voter

suppression in the U.S. in this lesson plan.

#FoundingFathers - THE LONG LIFE OF THE

U.S. CONSTITUTION LESSON PLAN: Use this

lesson plan to help students understand how courts

have applied the Constitution’s original principles to

modern issues.

Foreign Entanglements - LAWS IN DAILY

LIFE LESSON PLAN: Students investigate how gov-

ernment laws and regulations affect their daily lives.

Includes a daily diary activity.

Real Voters of the USA - KNOW YOUR VOTE

LESSON PLAN: Students investigate where candi-

dates stand on health care, student debt, and social

security, and determine which candidate they will en-

dorse for President.

Visit http://www.pbseduelectioncentral.com/

Short films and election lesson plans designed for grades 8-12

ANNUAL HAUNTED FARM EVENT

PLANNED - It is once again time for the

thrills and chills presented at the annual

Haunted Farm hosted by the Medina Lion’s

Club. Now in its 38th year, the event has

helped raised money for local charities.

Dates for this year’s event will be Friday,

Oct. 21; Saturday, Oct. 22; Friday; Oct. 28;

Saturday, Oct. 29; and Monday, Oct. 31

(Halloween). Tickets can be purchased

upon arrival and are $10 per person. Tours

of the spooky attraction will begin at dusk.

Groups can grab special ticket pricing

through www.snagmob.com. Concessions

will also be available. The Haunted Farm is

located at Hwy. 45 and Cumberland Street

in Medina, TN. For additional information,

contact John Hughey at (901)-605-3947.

“You can learn as

much about the his-

tory from reading

about the present as

you can vice versa,

that is learning about

the present through

history, which is what

I do for a living.”

Ken Burns

WLJT:

WHO WE ARE MISSION: WLJT’s mission is to serve West

Tennessee by providing a world of learning and

discovery through quality programming, educa-

tional services, and online information that

educates, inspires, and entertains.

VISION: On the air, online, and in the commu-

nity, WLJT uses media for good, delivering

exceptional programs and services that expand

knowledge, celebrate the world around us, and

enrich lives.

VALUES: We believe in the power of informa-

tion, exploration and imagination to fill our lives

with wisdom and purpose. Our passion to

enlighten, inspire, and entertain knows no

bounds. Our work ensures that lifelong learning

is an opportunity for all and that our children

have a safe, welcoming place to come as they

grow and prepare for the future.

Visit www.wljt.org to learn more about our

programs and what we do.

www.pbskids.org/plumlanding

Sabrina Bates Manager of Education &

Community Engagement

WLJT

P.O. Box 966

Martin, TN 38237

Phone: 731-881-7561

Fax: 731-881-7566

E-mail: sbates@wljt.org

“What we learn with pleasure we never forget.” - Alfred Mercier