Resources for K-16 Teachers
Center for African Studies
Center for Global Studies
Center for International Business Education and Research
Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies
European Union Center
Russian, East European and Eurasian Center
Center for African Studies
The Center for African Studies’ Engagement and Outreach Program is designed to increase public knowledge about Africa and to enhance the broader community’s understanding of African peoples and cultures. Our programming serves K-12 schools, community colleges, the media, community groups, the business community, and the general public. For more information, please contact the center at african@illinois.edu.
New Resources in African Studies
New Africa Resource Kits for Elementary Schools
Trying on a school uniform, using adrinkra stamps, or handling a calabash, akuba fertility doll, or prayer beads can stir a child’s imagination when a topic seems otherwise abstract or distant. Harbert Jones, an K-5th grade fine arts teacher, and Marcia Richards, a 5th grade classroom teacher, worked on three touch kits and curriculum units that would help bring African materials, history, and society to life in elementary school classrooms. Working with African Studies and the Krannert Art Museum, they sorted through numerous artifacts and books this summer.
They compiled materials that would intrigue young learners and fit into the curriculum. They narrowed the resources down to units on “Fine Arts and Islam in West Africa,” “Children’s Lives in Ghana,” and “Textiles in Africa.” The units include a diverse collection of resources—books, games, toys, fabrics, outfits, proverbs, household objects, and paintings. The objects are also cross-referenced between texts, images, and curriculum projects. The kits will begin to circulate in 2008. Contact: Krannert Art Museum at (217) 333-8218.
Children’s Africana Book Awards 2007
The Outreach Council of the African Studies Association is pleased to announce the winners of the 2007 Children’s Africana Book Awards. The council annually honors outstanding authors and illustrators of children’s books about Africa published in the United States.
Best Book for Young Children 2007: I Lost My Tooth in Africa, by Penda Diakite and Baba Wague Diakite (illus.). Scholastic Press, 2007.
I Lost My Tooth in Africa is a vibrant, lively story about eight year old Amina, who takes a long journey from America to Africa to visit her family in Mali. When Amina looses her tooth in Mali, places it under a gourd and tangles with the African tooth-fairy, she learns that growing up is also about responsibility.
Best Book for Older Readers 2007: The Illustrator’s Notebook, by Mohieddin Ellabbad. Groundwood Books, 2006.
The famous Egyptian illustrator Mohieddin Ellabbad presents his “notebook” which shares how he grew up and took on his profession. He uses text, photographs, drawings, and Arabic script to communicate his aspirations as an artist. Most compelling are the questions he raises for readers, such as “Where do stories come from?” and “How does the way you feel affect the way you draw?” Younger readers will be delighted by how he combines images and shows the change in his country over time. In this wonderfully creative and unique book, Ellabbad offers Egyptian history, breaks stereotypes, shares his personal story, and inspires readers to reflect upon their own experiences.
Honor Book for Young Children 2007: My Father’s Shop, by Satomi Ichikawa. Kane/Miller Book Publishers, 2006.
In Satomi Ichikawa’s delightful and colorful story, we follow the adventure of young Mustafa as he learns about his father’s trade as a rug seller in a southern Moroccan town and about communicating with others, which in this case, are tourists from around the world.
Center for Global Studies
The Center for Global Studies (CGS) supports research and outreach on the impacts of globalization—an ever-widening process of increasing interdependence of peoples and states that puts the world at risk, yet opens new and exciting opportunities for improvements in the lives of people everywhere. As a Department of Education funded National Resource Center, CGS offers global studies educational opportunities to the university community, K-12 teachers and students, and the public; and offers grants to support learning advanced language skills and understanding of other cultures. CGS also administers the International High School Initiative. For more information, please contact Karen Hewitt, Outreach Coordinator: khewitt@illinois.edu, 217-244-0288 or visit the Center’s Web site.
Global Studies Resources for Educators
American Forum for Global Education
This site is not the most current, yet it still provides a searchable database of teaching materials and full-text access to Issues in Global Education/Occasional Papers. Registration is required to use the database, but it is free of charge.
Caretakers of the Environment International
This site is a global network for secondary school teachers and students interested in environmental education. The group holds annual conferences around the world and provides links to their online journal, The Global Forum.
CyberSchoolBus
Created by the United Nations, this Web site offers curriculum materials and links to information sources both teachers and students can use in the classroom. The site also highlights international conferences or competitions for students.
Education Planet
Education Planet offers a listing of links related to global education. Lesson plans are included on the Web site, but require a paid membership.
Global Education Checklist
The Global Education Checklist was developed by global education professionals and complements the state and national international studies teaching standards. This is a link to an article featured in No. 173 of the Occasional Papers from the American Forum of Global Education (2002-2003).
GlobalSchoolNet
This site offers online project-based learning activities on the international level that teachers can incorporate into their curriculum. The Collaborative Learning Center links to information and resources on specific technologies used in some of the projects. Upcoming international conferences and events for students are also listed.
iEARN
iEARN unites K-12 educators and students across the globe by jointly working on classroom projects using the Internet and other new technologies. iEARN offers online professional development courses; costs to participate in iEARN depend on the educator’s location.
Outreach World
This site offers searchable curriculum resources, travel opportunities and event listing related to teaching international and area studies and foreign languages for K-16.
Model UN Program
This site fosters the development of Model United Nations, which is an authentic simulation of the U.N. General Assembly and other multilateral bodies.
Peace Corps’ World Wise Schools
Sponsored by the Peace Corps, World Wise Schools contains free lesson plans, multimedia, service learning, enrichment programs and educational standards on incorporating international studies in the K-16 classroom.
PlanetEdu
This site contains links to a variety of international studies resources, including links to graduate school programs, internships, travel aboard opportunities and more. Use the search option to see more results.
Telecollaborative Learning: Global Awareness
This article is a feature on telecollaborative learning activity between middle school students in the Canada and Israel. The article is featured in the archives of Education World (www.education-world.com).
Thinkfinity
This site offers a variety of standard-based educational content for K-12 educators through the Lesson Plan Index. The site also promotes professional development with continuing technology training.
Center for International Business Education and Research
The Illinois Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), one of 31 national resource centers for international business, is a leader in designing and delivering programs that equip future business leaders with language skills, cultural awareness, and the specific business skills needed to be at the vanguard of international business management. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Illinois CIBER coordinates seminars and workshops for professional audiences; funds faculty research on international competitiveness; underwrites development and delivery of new business foreign language courses; develops and sponsors overseas experiences for undergraduate and graduate students; supports an annual international business case competition; serves as a resource for the business community through its Web site, conferences, and consulting; and administers the Certificate in Global Business Culture with Area Specialization. For more information, please contact the center at ciber@business.illinois.edu or visit our Web site.
International Business: Exercises, Mini-Cases, and Mini-Research Projects, is a book written by Gary Lefort, a professor at American International College in Springfield, MA, that is targeted for high school students. The book was funded by the University of Connecticut Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) and is designed for student use. It features a compilation of international business exercises, mini-research projects, and mini-cases that have been developed to enrich the student’s learning experience in the classroom. The book covers many topics, including international business, cultural diversity, international financial management, and international law. There are 15 exercises which are broken down into word puzzles, crossword puzzles, and flow charts that try to make learning international business fun; five mini-research projects which are designed to get the student more involved in the classroom and to reinforce what they have learned in class; and 20 mini-case studies which are designed to bring the real world to the classroom. This book is a valuable resource which will help students get more involved in the classroom, and to see the linkage between what they are learning in the classroom and what is happening in the world.
The University of Connecticut CIBER can provide copies at a cost of $35 (add $2 for the instructor’s manual CD). They may be reached by telephone at (860) 486-5458, by email at ciber.general@business.uconn.edu or by mail at 2100 Hillside Road Unit 1041, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1041.
Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
In consortium with the Center for Latin America Studies at the University of Chicago, the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) at Illinois is a National Resource Center for Latin American Studies funded by the U.S. Department of Education through the Title VI program. The combined resources of the consortium provide one of the largest concentrations of human and material resources on Latin America in the United States. The center’s mission is to increase knowledge and awareness of Latin America and the Caribbean in the educational community and the general public.
CLACS Outreach Library
CLACS has launched its first outreach library with the goal of assisting teachers and patrons with K-12 materials on Latin America. All materials below, among many other resources, are available at our library. For more information, contact Outreach Coordinator Renata Johnson at renata@illinois.edu or (217) 244-2790, or visit the Web site.
Books
Kaufman, Cheryl D. 2002. Cooking the Caribbean Way. Lerner Publications Company.
Cooking the Caribbean Way serves up tantalizing recipes for hearty stews, refreshing coconut ice, sweet potato pone and more. Also part of our CLACS Outreach Library: Cooking the Brazilian Way, Cooking the Mexican Way, Cooking the South American Way, and Cooking the Central American Way. Age: K-12.
Brown, Monica and Parra, John. 2005. My Name is, Me Llamo, Gabriela—The Life of, La Vida de, Gabriela Mistral. Luna Rising Books.
This bilingual book is a beautiful tribute to Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American to win a Nobel Prize of Literature. A diplomat and educator, Mistral taught her students about the power of words and the importance of following their dreams. Age: K-5
Films
Mexico for Children. VHS. Directed by Fink Productions. Schlessinger Media, 2004.
This is a three-volume set about Mexico’s culture, geography and history. Volume 1, The Culture of Mexico, focuses on the rich cultural heritage of Mexico and how it affects the daily lives of its citizens. Students will find that Mexico’s indigenous people and Spanish rule have influenced the ceremonial dress, folktales, foods, and holidays of Mexico. Volume 2, The Geography of Mexico, focuses on how Mexico’s geography has shaped its history, society, and culture. Travel from the desert in Sonora to the lush rainforests of Chiapas and learn about diversity of the Gulf Coast region. Volume 3, The History of Mexico, focuses on the obstacles that Mexico has overcome throughout history to become an independent, self-governing nation. Running time: 24 min. Age: Elementary School
Spanish History—A Continent Conquered. VHS. Produced by Ed Dubrowsky. Video Knowledge Learning Library, 2004.
From the Caribbean Sea to the tip of the continent of South America, the history, power and culture of Spain lives today, and is to be seen from one end of the continent to the other. Who are the people of Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile today? This program presents a look at the Hispanic nations of South America. Recommended by the New York City Board of Education. Running time: 28 min. Age: Middle and High Schools.
Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
The Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (CSAMES) is a U.S. Department of Education-designated National Resource Center for the study and teaching of the Middle East. As an area studies program, our research and teaching covers a very expansive part of the globe, a region that is home to about one-fifth of the world’s population and the cradle of some of the world’s oldest religions and civilizations. The center’s mission is to facilitate scholarship on South Asia and the Middle East by regularly organizing lectures, symposia and conferences.
Middle East Outreach
Our outreach program reflects our commitment to help increase awareness about the countries that comprise the Middle East, deconstructing popular religious and cultural stereotypes; we offer a variety of pedagogical tools to introduce different facets of the life in Middle Eastern nations in K-12 classrooms. These curriculum units on culture and daily life in the Middle East are resources structured for flexibility to be used individually or in conjunction with other units we have developed. Our modules focus on the diverse cultural heritage, scientific and economic developments and literary achievements of 28 countries that together form the larger Middle East. We have an annotated bibliography for our small library collection and a list of other artifacts available for borrowing. For every module, we have tried to provide a bibliography of additional materials to enhance the teaching of that particular unit.
For more information, please visit our Web site.
How can these units be used?
Our curriculum units are designed such that they can be used as is or downloaded and fine-tuned to suit the appropriate intellectual level of engagement as required by the teacher. Each unit has an informative component which can be treated as a resource for comprehensive information for middle school classes or as a starting point for research into a particular subject for the higher grade levels. The lesson plans are interactive and informative and formatted such that they can be printed out for direct use in classroom instruction.
Fact Sheets, Capitals, Flags and Currency
Catalogued country-wise, these individual sections provide information like the population, ethnicity, climate and language for 28 countries. They offer snippets of information on the various capital cities along with crosswords and word finds to get every student actively involved. The flags section illustrates each country’s choice of colors and insignia and examines the reasons behind these choices. The currency section similarly offers basic information on currency bills for all countries and shows the comparative exchange rate with the US dollar.
Other Units
We have a varied blend of cultural, social, traditional and religious issues that we discuss in relative depth to entice a curious mind into wanting to learn more. We offer several hands-on activities, like making a Ramadan lamp or use popular gaming to involve the student traveler in their intellectual journey through the Middle East and the Islamic world. Using literature, history, geography, and science we have adapted these units to be effective ambassadors for the socio-cultural heritage of these nations, heralding a deeper understanding of unknown cultures.
Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies
The Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies (EAPS) is the steward of campus-wide teaching, research, programming, and outreach on East Asia, as well as Southeast Asia and the Pacific. EAPS is currently a National Undergraduate Resource Center devoted to the enhancement of campus undergraduate teaching and learning on East Asia and to outreach programming on East Asia for educators, the public, and media and business professionals. EAPS serves over 100 specialists on East Asia, as well as more than 30 off-campus affiliates across the state. For more information, contact Anne Prescott at aprescot@illinois.edu.
2008 Beijing Olympics Focuses Interest on Modern China—Resources for the Classroom
With the Beijing Olympics less than a year away, all eyes seem to be focused on China these days. Using the Olympics as a springboard into discussions about modern China is a great first step, but where do you go from there? With all of the resources available, how do you know what’s good and what isn’t?
First, there are many outdated books and videos circulating. Over just the past ten years, China has changed dramatically; the changes since the late 1970s are mind-boggling. So the first hint is to look at the copyright or production date. Some older materials might have value when discussing the dizzying speed of changes in China, but many students (and teachers) think that what they see or read about 1980s China is the way it is today. One of the most common reactions of American visitors to China is, “Where are the Communists?” Expecting to see hordes of people dressed in bland Mao jackets and riding bicycles (images still circulating in outdated resources widely available in the US), they’re surprised by the cell phones, Starbucks, and Buick dealerships.
So how does a teacher find up-to-date information? A great place to start would be to talk with one of the Chinese scholars that EAPS hosts each year through the Freeman Fellows program. This year we have ten young professors from a variety of disciplines, all of whom speak excellent English, on our campus until June 2008. All of them are more than willing to talk with teachers about what China is like today, and it may be possible to schedule classroom visits as well. To arrange a meeting or classroom visit, contact EAPS at eaps@illinois.edu or (217) 333-7273. Please let us know what and where you teach.
Another place to go is the Asian Educational Media Service (AEMS). Teachers in the immediate Urbana-Champaign area may visit their office at 805 W. Pennsylvania Ave., and browse through their collection of videos, DVDs and curriculum units on China. Anyone can use their Web site to browse their extensive database, which includes reviews of materials and lesson plans. For more personalized assistance, they also welcome phone inquiries at (888) 828-2367.
Of particular interest might be the following videos, DVDs and CD-ROMs which focus on China and were produced since 2001. More information on all of them is available on the Web site.
Contemporary Chinese Societies: Continuity and Change
This highly-rated CD-ROM from 2001 has materials that are adaptable to any grade level, from elementary through college. An extensive review of this item is available on the AEMS website.
The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China: Primary Source Lessons for Teachers and Students is for 5th-9th grade students. With self-contained lessons, this curriculum unit offers teachers the flexibility to use any or all of the lessons in any order they choose. Carefully selected authentic materials give students a unique opportunity to learn from original sources. The unit includes more than 250 full-color images, texts, and music.
China from the Inside
This PBS series of four documentaries (Power and the People; Women of the Country; Shifting Nature; and Freedom and Justice) looks at China through Chinese eyes. An added bonus is the educator resources available on the Web site.
China’s Mega Dam from the Discovery Channel
The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in China is the largest public works project in the history of mankind. The Discovery Channel cameras were granted exclusive access to the site, and this film documents the dramatic effects this massive construction project has and will have on the surrounding countryside.
A State of Mind
Although it’s about North Korea, not China, it is a very revealing look at the inner workings of mass games and might generate interesting discussions on the function of the Olympic games in modern society.
There are also numerous Web sites with lesson plans and more. One of the best is the Asia Society’s Ask Asia. Other useful links can be found on the EAPS Web site under “Links for Teachers” (www.eaps.illinois.edu; click on “links” and then “for teachers”).
And as always, the staff at EAPS is ready to help you find the answers to your questions. You can contact us at eaps@illinois.edu or (217) 333-7273.
European Union Center
The European Union Center (EUC) serves as a bridge of exchange and understanding between residents of the United States and member states of the European Union (EU). The center brings together faculty and students from across campus to promote the study of the EU, its institutions and policies, and EU-US relations. Working with other campus units and other institutions, the EUC also creates and delivers high-quality programs that serve Illinois businesses, policy makers, high-school teachers and students, and the general public. As one of the most comprehensive EU Centers in the US, the center is the focal point on campus for teaching, research and outreach programs on the EU. For more information, please contact the center at (217) 265-7515.
About the European Union
The European Union is a colossal giant of bureaucracy, programs, administrators and constituents. Its very nature—27 independent nations ceding parts of their sovereignty to form a “supernational” state—demands an interdisciplinary approach from educators and scholars. The European Union encompasses many fields, including political science, international relations, economics, law, trade, agriculture and finance. At times, the amount of data to sift through can at times seem overwhelming, but there are ways to avoid confusion and the European Union Center can offer several good places to start.
Online Resources
Europa.eu is the portal site of the European Union, and the first place to check for official legislation and treaties of the EU. It provides coverage on breaking affairs and is a solid resource for many basic facts. A few particularly helpful pages within europa.eu are:
Europe: Panorama
This page gives a brief and simple overview of the European Union.
Europe: 12 Lessons
This page delves a little more into the basics of the EU. It covers necessary background information, from explaining the history of the EU to deciphering Eurojargon, breaking up the pieces into 12 clear and accessible sections.
European Union—Delegation of the European Commission to the USA
A Web site about the European Union geared specifically toward American citizens.
Café Babel
Europe’s current affairs magazine. Heavy on culture and introspection of Europe’s past.
Local Resources
The European Union Center has a select library of European Union materials, including books, pamphlets and videos. A list of materials can be found on our Web site.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has an extensive collection of European Union materials, including the Law library’s collection of European Union documents. A good place to search the University’s library resources for European Union information is the European Union Library Resource Center. This page was created with a particular design to help the researcher through statistical data.
Also available through the University library is WorldData, which provides current and thorough economic and market data. It is a comprehensive database covering 150 countries in 45 regions. It can be found within the Online Research Resources from the University Library Gateway.
Russian, East European and Eurasian Center
The Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center is a U.S. Department of Education-designated National Resource Center, committed to providing information and service to K-16 teachers. If you are interested in the center’s workshops, onsite presentations, or curricular materials, please contact the center at reec@illinois.edu or visit the REEEC Web site. The Web site features a special section for K-12 teachers under Outreach, which includes an extensive annotated bibliography of resources, information on the center’s multimedia lending library, annotated links to relevant Web sites, and more.
Print resources
Dando, William A. Russia, 2nd ed. Chelsea House, 2007. Grades 9-10.
The textbook presents a geographical perspective on tsarist Russia, the USSR, and the current Russian Federation. The book concludes with short, largely optimistic chapters on reconstructing socioeconomic unity and Russia’s great potential.
Ericson, Jr., Edward and Daniel J. Mahoney (eds). The Solzhenitsyn Reader: New and Essential Writings 1947–2005. Intercollegiate Studies Institute, 2006.
This reader, compiled with the cooperation of the Solzhenitsyn family represents in one volume a significant selection of Solzhenitsyn’s voluminous output.
Goldman, Minton. Global Studies: Russia, The Eurasian Republics, and Central/Eastern Europe, 11th edition. McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2007.
This latest edition features country report essays and maps as well as relevant articles.
Hollander, Paul (ed). From the Gulag to the Killing Fields: Personal Accounts of Political Violence and Repression in Communist States. Intercollegiate Studies Institute, 2006.
This volume is the first to collect, country by country, the writings of forty-two individuals who share their experience of life under Communism, both past and present.
Minahan, James. The Former Soviet Union’s Diverse Peoples: A Reference Sourcebook (Ethnic Diversity within Nations). ABC-CLIO, 2004.
A useful reference book on diverse ethnic groups in the former Soviet Union.
Moore, Andrew. Russia. Chronicle Books, 2005.
A stunning book of photos of Russia today.
Smorodinskaya, Tatiana et al. Encyclopedia of Contemporary Russian Culture. Taylor & Francis Group, 2007.
This single volume on Russian culture, in which the editors define contemporary as from Stalin’s death in 1953 to the present day, includes more than 1,000 entries.
Film Resources
Animated Soviet Propaganda: From the October Revolution to Perestroika. Jove Film, 2006.
Fascinating 4-dvd collection of Soviet animated propaganda films. Most shorts are under 15 minutes, so it would be easy to pull out one or two for teaching purposes. With English subtitles.
Families of the World Series: Families of Russia. Master Communications, 2005. 30 minutes. Gr. K-6.
A view of everyday lives of two Russian children and their families, one living in a city and other in the countryside. The video would be useful for elementary/middle school classroom. In English.
Web sites
Russian Chronicles
A journalist and photographer travel from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg in 1995, filing interesting personal stories and pictures directly onto the webpage. They filed excellent pieces, especially “100 Years of Revolutions” under Road Stories—St. Petersburg.
Russian Chronicles—Ten Years Later
The same journalist from 1995 returns to Russia in 2005 with a photographer to see if she can retrace her steps and interview the same people from the 1995 Chronicles (see above).
Participating teachers’ blogs from the REEEC Fulbright-Hays seminar in Russia are full of interesting stories about Russian everyday life.
REEEC-developed Lesson Plans
A module on “Russian Energy in the Modern World,” developed in conjunction with the Center for Global Studies
Lesson plan for “Integrating Literature into the Study of Russian History,” by Jessica W. Barranco, Phoenix Country Day School, Arizona