Community Institutions for the Arts: Ashkenaz
SPARK trails night manager Larry Chin of Ashkenaz, an East Bay music and culture venue that specializes in live roots music and international folk dancing. This Educator Guide tracks the history of this community venue and others like it as a point of connection and learning about world cultures.
Coastal Clash: Defining Public Property and the History of the Public Trust Doctrine
"Coastal Clash" is a one-hour documentary focusing on the urbanization of California's coastline. The activities and lesson plans for the film "Coastal Clash" target students at the high school level and align with the California State Standards for Government. In this lesson plan, students will do research and group work related to the concept of the Public Trust Doctrine.
A More Perfect Union
This lesson is designed to show the process of perfecting the Union through changes made to the Constitution and through the powers delegated to each branch of government by the Constitution. The lesson encourages student deliberation on race in America by familiarizing students with Senator Obama's speech entitled, A More Perfect Union, his famous race speech, given at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia in March 2008. Students are asked to read the speech for homework, guided by e
Fame: Chris Johanson
SPARK explores the impact of fame and notoriety on visual artist Chris Johanson, jettisoned to international art-stardom by his inclusion in the 2002 Whitney Biennial and a 2002 SECA award for emerging artists from the SF Museum of Modern Art. This Educator Guide explores the history and tradition of street-based works and the field of painting.
Frontiers of Dance: Ledoh and Salt Farm Butoh Dance Company
SPARK goes into rehearsals with butoh dancer Ledoh, as he explores the ancient, agrarian roots of his Ka-Ren ancestry in Burma with his group The Salt Farm Butoh Dance Company. This Educator Guide traces the history of butoh to its origins in post-war Japan and its diverse contemporary forms.
Frontiers of Dance: AXIS Dance Company
AXIS Dance Company combines the work of dancers with and without physical disabilities in works such as Victoria Marks "Dust," a provocative choreographic portrait that challenges viewer's assumptions about each of the performers. This Educator Guide addresses the history of integrated dance and theatre companies in the UK and the US.
From Life: Viola Frey
SPARK visited veteran ceramic artist Viola Frey in the last months of her life when she continued to work from a wheelchair with the help of a mechanized lift and devoted assistants to create her monumental figures. This Educator Guide is about the history of ceramics and the contributions of Bay Area artists, including Frey.
Frames Within Frames: Perspectives on Native-American Heritage
In this lesson, students are given the opportunity to focus on the variety of responses the film Return of Navajo Boy evokes as they create their own "film within a film," learn about cultural expression, and engage in discussion and reflective writing activities.
Home, Sweet Home: Lorraine Hansberry Theatre
SPARK follows Jared "Choclatt" Crawford as he prepares for his foot-tapping new musical theater production "Hit It!" at the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. This Educator Guide is about the history of drumming, street performers, and African American musical theater.
History Retold: Berkeley Repertory Theatre's "The People's Temple"
SPARK follows the creation of the documentary theatre project The People's Temple Project from its original conception by David Dower to opening night of play written and directed by Leigh Fondakowski at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. This Educator Guide addresses the history of the Peoples Temple.
Looking East: Thai Bui
Vietnamese born sculptor Thai Bui's extraordinary objects simultaneously communicate a witty humor and penetrating sense loss. This Educator Guide explores the history and traditions of Bay Area Funk, Conceptual art and Minimalism.
Living Between Two Worlds
In this lesson, students will explore issues common to all families. They will examine school, work and conflict in their lives and the lives of the family profiled in the film. They will have an opportunity to role-play solutions to school conflicts based on a series of vignettes.
Masterworks: Terry Riley
SPARK follows pioneering composer Terry Riley as he works with David Harrington and the Kronos Quartet on "The Cusp of Magic". This Educator Guide traces the history of minimalism and serialism in music, highlighting key contributions by noted composers such as Riley and Kronos Quartet.
Multiple Perspectives on the Immigrant Experience
In this lesson, students will reflect on the individual Dominican-American experiences of the Ortiz sisters in the film My American Girls, create a talk show that addresses the themes and issues of the film, and conduct research on how Latinos are portrayed in the media.
Landry vs Granatstein Debate: Battle on the Plains of Abraham
Was General Wolfe's victory over General Montcalm on the Plains of Abraham in September 1759 ultimately good for New France? Listen as William Thorsell, Director and CEO of the ROM, as he moderates a lively debate between Bernard Landry, former Quebec premier, and Jack Granatstein, distinguished Canadian historian. Introduction by Desmond Morton, Professor of History at McGill University.
The Lessons of 1704
In The Lessons of 1704, students learn the basic skills needed to do research and to "read" primary and secondary sources, to see what they can reveal about the cultural characteristics and attitudes of the English, French, and Native Americans in the Deerfield area in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. At the same time, they learn about the attitudes and behaviors of these three groups toward one another. Then, they use what they have learned to analyze the 1704 attack on Deerfield and the
National Science Week Posters
The Science Faculty Marketing Committee has for the last 4 years designed and produced posters to stimulate an interest in and curiosity about Science among primary school learners The posters are designed and created by scientists from the 13 departments in the Faculty of Science and the production and printing of the posters is funded by a Grant from SAASTA South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement The aim of the bright interactive posters is to create a resource for teachers
How Will You Continue The Legacy?
Celebrate Clemson history at Legacy Day Nov. 5
Students, faculty, staff, and alumni and friends are invited to learn about and celebrate Clemson history at Legacy Day from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, at Fort Hill.
Legacy Day will feature tours of Fort Hill, a scavenger hunt for historical facts and trivia in the house, food and music by the Clemson University String Quartet. Participants will be able to leave their own mark on Clemson's legacy by signing the mat of a special Clemson pr
Internet Medieval Sourcebook
Historians teaching medieval history surveys almost always want to combine a textbook, a sourcebook, and additional readings. Textbooks, as an ever-evolving form, are probably worth the cost, but sourcebooks are often unnecessarily expensive. Unlike some modern history texts, the sources used for medieval history have been around a long time. Very many were translated in the 19th century, and, as a rapid review of any commercial source book will show, it is these 19th century translations which
Historic Pittsburgh
Historic Pittsburgh, an extensive digital resource created at the University of Pittsburgh, offers both an entry point and substantive classroom resources for teachers of American History at various grade and university levels.
This Web site enables access to historic material held by the University of Pittsburgh's University Library System, the Library & Archives at the Heinz History Center, Carnegie Museum of Art, Chatham College Archives, Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, and Point
