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MarcoGrams are valuable curriculum e-mail newsletters,
distributed monthly to educators across the country, highlighting
common themes from space exploration to family culture. Each
MarcoGram features motivating warm-ups for classroom discussion
and links to the best K-12 interdisciplinary lessons and resources
from our Content Partners. Share MarcoGrams with fellow educators
via e-mail, or print and distribute them.
To receive MarcoGrams by e-mail each month, subscribe
here.
Ready,
Set, Goal!
There really is no substitute for the feeling of a goal
accomplished – in athletic competition or any endeavor. But
goals don't just happen. It takes planning, hard work and
commitment to turn dreams into reality. Using lessons and
resources featured in this month's MarcoGram, students will
reflect on their aspirations and discover some valuable tools to
help them reach their goals, both big and small. Use the
activities below to get your students started on the path to
achievement, then scroll down for more links and resources on this
topic.
Communication:
Connecting People and Ideas - May
2005
We humans communicate all the time -- using our voices, hands,
bodies and an array of high-tech gadgets. This MarcoGram helps you
take a closer look at the origins, forms and significance of human
communication.
Leonardo
da Vinci and the Spirit of Invention - April
2005
Leonardo da Vinci was the quintessential Renaissance man –- a
consummate inventor whose boundless curiosity and imaginative
creativity led him to spectacular achievements in the arts and
sciences and inspired those that followed. Use this MarcoGram to
explore the enduring spirit of invention and innovation.
Energy:
Harnessing the Power of Nature - March
2005
Energy is as vital to industry as oxygen is to the human body. As
the international community seeks solutions in the ongoing
challenge of providing the world with energy, turn your classroom
into a student-powered think tank with these activities about
natural and man-made energy, conservation and recycling.
A
Touch of Whimsy - February 2005
If long winter days are beginning to wear on your students,
nonsense is just what the doctor ordered! This MarcoGram contains
activities and lessons about nonsense, whimsy and Dr. Seuss.
It
Makes Good Sense - January 2005
Our five senses help us to see, hear, smell, taste and touch. The
strengths of these senses vary -– some senses are more
heightened than others, some can diminish with age and some might
not be present at all. This month's MarcoGram pays tribute to the
five senses that we often take for granted.
It
Takes a Village: Neighbors and Community Life - December
2004
Children often are reproached for their seemingly relentless
efforts to be accepted by their peers, but they are merely acting
on an inherent human desire to belong to a community. This
MarcoGram features activities and resources about the important
role communities play in our lives.
Believe
It or Not! - November 2004
After being passed down through the generations, many traditional
stories end up a combination of fact and fiction -- and you might
not be sure what to believe. This MarcoGram helps you explore the
truth about deception and how inaccurate information might cause
problems further down the line. This issue also offers great
activities, lessons and resources to help celebrate Halloween.
The
Presidential Race - October 2004
During local, state or national elections, many Americans pay
close attention to the issues that affect them as individuals and
as a nation. The activities and lessons in this MarcoGram examine
the roles and responsibilities of the president and other elected
officials, as well as the democratic process that gets them into
office.
Cycles
of Change - September 2004
For many teachers and students, the beginning of the year is in
fall, not January. It's time to get back into the groove and start
the learning cycle all over again. This month, the MarcoGram
examines things that operate on some sort of cycle, including
nature, the economy, literature, mathematics and history.
Exploring
Ancient Greece - August 2004
Greece stepped into the world spotlight this summer when it played
host to thousands of athletes, trainers, judges and spectators who
met in Athens for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games. This month,
MarcoPolo features lessons and activities about the ancient Greeks
and their influence on mythology, mathematics, geography and the
modern alphabet.
Touring
the National Parks - July 2004
Summer is the busiest season for the National Park Service, with
more than 40 million visitors expected in July alone. This
MarcoGram helps you explore all the National Park Service has to
offer -- whether by foot, bicycle, automobile or the Internet.
Also includes lessons and resources about gasoline prices,
rollercoasters, packing a suitcase and the meaning behind car
names.
It's
Off to Work We Go - June 2004
This MarcoGram features activities about jobs and work, including
developing a job-search strategy, writing résumés and practicing
good time-management skills.
Lewis
and Clark: Corps of Discovery - May
2004
The Lewis and Clark expedition spent two years charting the land
between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean. Their
discoveries set the stage for the growth of the country to what it
is today. This month, the MarcoGram celebrates the expedition's
bicentennial anniversary with activities to engage students in
capturing the spirit of this famous trek across America.
Let's
Get Moving! - April 2004
Tackle the topic of physical activity right in your own classroom!
This MarcoGram features lessons about athletes, sports and the
benefits of regular physical activity.
Solving
Problems - March 2004
Albert Einstein was well known for his ability to solve complex
scientific problems. This month, the MarcoGram celebrates the
125th anniversary of Einstein's birthday with activities, lessons
and resources to help students address problems and generate their
own creative solutions.
Black
History Month: Pursuing the American Dream - February
2004
Celebrate Black History Month with activities and lessons about
the Underground Railroad, African-American poetry and much more.
Change
Is in the Air - January 2004
On a cold day in December 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright took to
the skies and ultimately changed the world. This month, MarcoPolo
features activities and lessons about the kinds of changes that
happen in and around your world.
The
Nobel Prize - December 2003
Awarded each December, the Nobel Prizes in literature, physics,
chemistry, medicine, peace and economics often are viewed as the
most prestigious awards in the world. This MarcoGram features
activities, lessons and resources about Nobel Prize winners and
the prize-winning fields of study.
Exploring
American Indian and Alaskan Native Traditions - November
2003
Celebrate American Indian and Alaskan Native Heritage Month with
lessons and resources about the rich traditions of these thriving
cultures.
Smart
Money - October 2003
Encourage greater awareness about finance and economics with
lessons and resources on how to make some hard-earned cash and
spend it responsibly.
The
Best of MarcoPolo II - September 2003
MarcoPolo rolls out the red carpet for teachers and students who
are stepping into the classroom for the first time, as well as
those who are returning for another year of fun and learning. To
kick off the school year, the MarcoPolo Content Partners selected
some of their favorite lessons to feature in this month's
MarcoGram.
Building
from the Ground Up - August 2003
This MarcoGram features lessons and resources about different
structures and buildings, as well as the rewards of working
together as a team.
Dust
Bowl Days to Victory Days: 1930s to 1945 - July
2003
Go back in time with lessons about the Great Depression, the
Harlem Renaissance and World War II.
Breaking
the Language Barrier - June 2003
This MarcoGram features activities about communicating through
different languages and provides links to MarcoPolo lessons
developed especially for ESL students.
Biography:
The Story of a Life - May 2003
MarcoPolo celebrates Biographer’s Day with lessons and
activities to help students examine their own life experiences, as
well as those of famous personalities.
All
the World's a Stage - April 2003
Celebrate National Poetry Month and the anniversary of William
Shakespeare's birthday with activities and lessons about
exploring, organizing and communicating through expressive poems
or dramatic skits.
The
Great Outdoors: Learning in Nature's Classroom - March
2003
Explore the cost and benefit of conservation efforts; analyze the
elements of forest fires; or combine first-hand observation with
informational searching skills to produce poems, stories or
scientific journal entries.
American
Politics: Then and Now - February
2003
Ever since the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620, the
democratic process has been an integral part in the development
and growth of the American political system. MarcoPolo celebrates
President's Day with lessons and resources about the people and
ideas that shaped America's political history, from colonial times
to today.
Understanding
Patterns - January 2003
Patterns are found not only in art, poetry and clothing, but also
in the way people play the stock market, travel to work or get
ready for school. This MarcoGram features lessons that explore the
development of patterns, whether it's combining sounds to create
pleasing music, or providing scientists with an explanation of the
past to prepare for the future.
Reading:
It Takes You Places - December 2002
This MarcoGram features lessons and activities about reading,
literature and creative writing, suitable for all grade levels and
subjects.
Double
Take: There Are (At Least) Two Sides to Every Story - November
2002
MarcoPolo is featuring lessons and resources to shed light on the
problems of bias and perception, because what you think you see is
not always what you will get.
Money
Matters: Become a Financial Wizard - October
2002
MarcoPolo encourages students and teachers to brush up on
financial literacy with lessons and resources for all grade levels
and subject areas.
MarcoPolo
Does a Body Good - September 2002
MarcoPolo has collected several robust lessons and resources on
human body systems, nutrition, disease and aging. Use the warm-up
activities below to introduce health and nutrition to your
students.
Let
Freedom Ring - August 2002
MarcoPolo has collected several dynamic lessons and resources on
freedom, including the freedom of speech, figuring population and
immigration statistics, and the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dinosaurs,
Pyramids and Artifacts, Oh My! - July
2002
MarcoPolo has selected several lessons and resources relating to
ancient history, including fossils and cave writings, the
development of drama and theatre, the abacus and magic squares,
and Egyptian art and customs.
Outer
Space: Far Out - June 2002
MarcoPolo brings you several dynamic lessons and resources from
all subjects to help you integrate the science of the universe
into your classroom through art, history, mathematics, economics
and geography.
The
World Isn't Flat - May 2002
This month, MarcoPolo brings you several lessons and resources to
help your students discover and interpret the world around them.
Introduce the concepts of navigation, mapping and exploring as
they are woven into music, geography, mathematics, creative
writing and science.
By
the Sea - April 2002
April is National Zoo and Aquarium Month and MarcoPolo has
collected lessons that use marine biology and maritime history to
illustrate basic concepts in economics, math, art, geography and
much more.
You've
Got the Music and Art in You - March
2002
March is Youth Art and Music Month and MarcoPolo has collected
several lessons and resources to help you integrate art and music
into your everyday curriculum, across all subject areas.
Globalization:
It's a Team Effort - February 2002
MarcoPolo has collected numerous lessons and resources to help you
and your students discover the rewards of working together. Use
the warm-up activities to explore the importance of cooperation
and sharing, surrounding the themes of globalization and the
Olympics.
New
Beginnings - January 2002
Happy New Year! This month, MarcoPolo presents online lessons to
help you and your students celebrate the new year by studying new
beginnings - the ways that life, places and ideas get started.
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