Education Matters
October 2015

Virtual Field Trips!
Take students on a journey through Africa they won't forget...

Discovery Education's Kilimanjaro Expedition: 
From the scientific study of atmospheric and geographical conditions, to the history of the indigenous people that call the base of the mountain home, this is a cross-curricular adventure that includes guided content for all ages. Learn about the changing climate and terrain as team members climb to the summit and GLOBE scientists report on their findings. Visit  www.DiscoveryEducation.com/Kilimanjaro and click on the interactive image for unique lesson starters and content collections designed specifically for elementary, middle, and high school students.
Students can follow an international team that will attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the world's Seven Summits, and the tallest mountain on the African continent September 23 - October 1. Then, they can participate in a virtual field trip on October 8. Click here to register.
Students can join the online discussion using #DiscoverKili.

PBS LearningMedia's Deserts And Grasslands Of Africa:  Take students on a virtual field trip to Africa to learn how locals are working together to restore forestlands, protect wildlife, and promote ecotourism, hosted by PBS LearningMedia, The Nature Conservancy, and field scientist Charles Oluchina. Students will learn about the importance of grasslands and how ecotourism has benefited both the people and Kenya's majestic wildlife. Then, they'll visit Burkina Faso and discover how one African farmer invented an ingenious method to help restore forestlands that had been lost to desertification. The role of termites in helping to irrigate and restore degraded lands will also be explored. Click here for more information.

Join Us At The Georgia Council For The Social Studies Annual Conference!

The Georgia Council for the Social Studies (GCSS) is gearing up for the 51st annual conference on October 21-23 at the Classic Center in Athens, GA. The theme this year is Social Studies: A Map For Life to reflect the role the social studies disciplines (economics, civics, history, and geography) play in the lives of our students. 

GPB Education will have a booth in the exhibition hall and we will lead a session on our Georgia Studies Digital Textbook and upcoming virtual field trips on Thursday, October 22 from 12:45-1:45 pm in Empire I room. Stop by and see us!
To register for the conference, click here.
EdTech Tips: 
DuoLingo

Want to learn Spanish? French? Italian? Dutch? Turkish? DuoLingo is the free science-based language education platform to help you make that desire a reality. While Duolingo is a great way for anyone to learn a language, it also has an education platform called Duolingo for Schools that was created to give educators access to their students' progress. Teachers can create sections of students whether by class period or ability. Once sections are established, a link is generated; teachers can copy that link into an email to students where once they accept the invitation. Students will then be prompted to create a Duolingo account (or log in to their existing account) and asked to confirm that they want to share progress with you. Students will automatically appear on your dashboard. Click here to learn more...

Professional Development 
Right At Your Fingertips
PBS Teacherline offers facilitated and self-paced courses 


  
Looking for a fun, flexible, and collaborative professional learning opportunity? As a brand teachers know and trust, PBS TeacherLine offers courses that make learning truly come alive. These courses include tools for integrating technology, engaging peer interactions, interactive lessons, and authentic tasks with real-world applications. Whether you choose to work on them in your classroom after school or in the comfort of your own home, PBS TeacherLine courses are as convenient as they are respectable.  The FACILITATED courses are scheduled to begin October 14th. To ensure a spot in your desired class, it is suggested that you enroll at least 10 days prior to the course date. 

PBS Teacherline also offers SELF-PACED courses. Most only cost $49 and some are free. You can explore content, watch videos, complete interactive labs and take self-assessments at your own pace. These self-paced classes that focus on the principles and practice of teaching are perfect for sparking new ideas, expanding skill sets, and energizing classrooms.

For more information, visit TeacherlineSoutheast.org. 

Tracey Wiley and Mike Kuenlen
GPB Education Is Growing!

The GPB Education division continues to grow as we introduce our two newest members: Tracey Wiley and Michael Kuenlen. Tracey and Michael join our team as Education Outreach Specialists. Their primary role will be to provide resources and support for the Georgia Studies digital textbook. Michael will provide support to the southern counties of Georgia and Tracey will support  the northern counties. They are working hard to train teachers on how to use and implement GPB's new Georgia Studies Digital Textbook, which is an updated, interactive version of "Georgia Studies: Our State, Our Nation," the textbook used by history teachers across the state for almost two decades. 

They are available to visit your school to get teachers set up on the book and provide demonstrations on how to navigate the book and content. If you are in the northern half of Georgia, contact Tracey at twiley@gpb.org and if you are in the southern half, contact Michael at mkuenlen@gpb.org.

Check Out Our New Web Series!
On the Campaign Trail with Bill Nigut

We are helping you and your students follow the 2016 Presidential Election with On the Campaign Trail, a political web series hosted by Bill Nigut. Episodes will take viewers on a journey through the political process leading to the election. Topics cover a variety of subjects ranging from the primaries to the general election. Each episode is aligned to the Georgia Standards and includes printable teacher resources. Episode #1, That's Debatable, is posted now. Upcoming episodes will explore what democracy means in America, the qualifications to become President, and the roles and responsibilities of the President.
Coming Soon!

We have several exciting projects in the works! We are developing an interactive video series called Chemistry Matters, we are filming and producing virtual field trips to go with our Georgia Studies Digital Textbook, and we are finalizing the digital teacher's edition of the textbook. If you want more information on all GPB Education has to offer, email us at education@GPB.org!