iEARN in Action, September 14, 2007

Special Update!

REGISTER NOW FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF iEARN ONLINE COURSES (Starting October 15th, 2007) An iEARN 9-week online course will help you integrate international collaborative project-based learning into your classroom and fulfill your curriculum standards. You will learn how to connect your classrooms with their peers around the world. This is a great chance to become an active member of the global learning community and learn new skills for online collaboration. http://www.iearn.org/professional/online.html. Global Connections Exchange
Program (U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs) Scholarship opportunity available for Secondary School Teachers from: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Arab Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Syria, UAE, United States and Uzbekistan. For more information on online courses write to: onlinepd@us.iearn.org. or to register, visit http://media.iearn.org/coursereg.

Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects!
1. Learning Circle Registration.
2. Trauma in Africa Project.
3. Christmas Card / Greeting Card Exchange Project.
3. New facilitator for Global Art: Sense of Caring Project.
4. New Tub Gardens Project.
5. Video Introductions to Communities.
6. New facilitator for Folk Tales Project.
7. ENO Tree Planting Day 2007

Resources, Contests, Websites and Announcements!
8. Celebrate 20th Anniversary of iEARN in 2008!
9. Panwapa - a partnership with Sesame Street.
10. Congratulations to iEARN-Senegal - Finalist in Global Junior Challenge
2007.
11. Be part of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days.

Upcoming Events!
12. Join iEARN-Uzbekistan next year in Bukhara for the 15th Annual iEARN
Conference.

Recent Events!
13. Photos from iEARN journalism workshop in Ramallah, Palestine, Aug 27-29.
14. Photos from 14th Annual iEARN Conference in Cairo.

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Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects
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1. LEARNING CIRCLE REGISTRATION! Learning Circles are highly interactive, project-based partnerships among a small number of schools located throughout the world. There are two sessions each year, September - January and January - May. Register now for the September session. http://media.iearn.org/coursereglc. Questions? Contact Barry Kramer in the USA at learningcircles@iearn.org.

2. CHRISTMAS CARD (GREETING CARD) EXCHANGE. The Christmas card exchange project is seeking partners who would like to send and receive greeting cards from around the world. Participants should register in the Holiday forum or send an email to Judy Barr in Australia to indicate their interest. Teachers who would like to send cards for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Hijra, Maghi, Gantan-sai, Eid, New Year are encouraged to join to share the joy of their celebrations with other nationalities.

3. NEW FACILITATOR FOR GLOBAL ART: SENSE OF CARING PROJECT. The purpose of this global art project theme is to provide the opportunity for youth around the world to exchange artwork that portray ways that they presently care for one another within our schools, families, communities and world as well as ways we find and hope to care more. Thank you to Kristi Rennebohm Franz for initiating and facilitating the project for many years, and welcome to new project facilitator Sarah Alam, Pakistan.

4. NEW TUB GARDENS PROJECT. Global warming is a -- hot-- issue affecting everyone. In our fight against the effects of this climate change, a key question is "How can we take some of that carbon out of our atmosphere" With this question in mind, this project will use one of the principles of permaculture design to create a garden, which encourages diversity in flora and fauna and supports a sustainable way of life. The vegetation selected for the garden will be a mixture of fruit trees, vegetable and decorative plants which will serve to trap carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as well as produce food. The project is also aimed at fostering an active appreciation of nature and biodiversity amongst students by encouraging them to study eco-systems as a network. Contact Yema Jaikaran in Trinidad and Tobago.

5. VIDEO INTRODUCTIONS TO COMMUNITIES. How are we alike, and how are we different? In this project, students will introduce their communities by focusing on these questions: What are the places that show something special about who we are? How we see our futures? What are the challenges young people face in our community? What ways do we build friendships and have fun? Contact Rushton Hurley in the USA.

6. NEW FACILITATOR FOR FOLK TALES PROJECT. This project looks at the global community and cultural diversity through folk tales. Students are invited to introduce the folk tales of their own countries to project participants in other countries through artwork and writing. Thanks to Saleem Ibrahim in Pakistan for facilitation of the project!

7. ENO Tree Planting Day 2007 - 21 SEP - Plant a tree for the environment and peace with schools around the world! Sing our tree planting songs, play our play, celebrate the day! Register for the event by 18th of September here

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Check it Out! Resources, Contests, Websites, Announcements.
(This includes resources that are not part of iEARN)
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8. CELEBRATE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF iEARN IN 2008! Launched in 1988 as the New York State - Moscow Telecommunications Project, iEARN has accumulated nearly 20 years of experience demonstrating that education can be enhanced, and the quality of life on the planet improved, if young people worldwide are given the opportunity to collaborate. An Anniversary Forum has recently been launched to share ideas and photographs of iEARN exchanges , project work, and events between 1998 and present day. Participants are encouraged to respond to 3 questions in the forum (in written form, audio, or video) for use on a web-based Anniversary Celebration to be posted on www.iearn.org: a) Tell us about a favorite iEARN project; b) Share a story of an experience you've had working with iEARN; c) How has iEARN made a difference in your life, school and/or community? See here.

9. PANWAPA PROJECT. Panwapa is a Worldwide Kids Initiative designed to engage and inspire children to become global citizens. Panwapa comes from the people behind Sesame Street and is produced in partnership with the Merrill Lynch Foundation. Panwapa and iEARN-USA have teamed up to provide new opportunities to explore global citizenry in a fun way. More information and content coming soon. For more information, see http://www.panwapa.com or contact Lisa Jobson.

10. CONGRATULATIONS TO iEARN-SENEGAL, FINALIST IN GLOBAL JUNIOR CHALLENGE 2007. See here.

11. BE PART OF A GLOBAL EVENT - DANIEL PEARL WORLD MUSIC DAYS, OCT 1-15, 2007. Have Your Voice Heard Worldwide! Inspired by the legacy of journalist/musician Daniel Pearl, the World Music Days concert network uses the language of music to spread a message of hope and unity around the world. Musicians of every type: school bands, club groups, private performers - simply include a dedication to international friendship from the stage or in the program. There is no financial obligation. More than 1500 performances in 67 countries have participated since 2002. To register a performance, to contribute original music or written content to the -- Harmony for Humanity eStage -- (an internet radio station and gallery), or for more information visit http://www.danielpearlmusicdays.org.

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Upcoming Events
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25. JOIN iEARN-UZBEKISTAN JULY 12-18 IN BUKHARA FOR THE 15TH ANNUAL iEARN CONFERENCE. Watch http://iearn.uz for more information

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Recent Events
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13. iEARN PEARL PROJECT/JOURNALISM WORKSHOP IN RAMALLAH, PALESTINE, AUGUST 27-29. iEARN participants can check out photos from the workshop in the Palestine Album

14. CHECK OUT PHOTOS FROM INDIAN YOUTH PARTICIPANT AND BELARUS COORDINATOR AT 14TH ANNUAL iEARN CONFERENCE! Thanks Kapil Joshi (iEARN-India)

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TO SUBMIT AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE NEWSFLASH: Send your announcement (2-3 lines) to newsflash@us.iearn.org.
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iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) is a global non-profit network that empowers teachers and students to undertake projects designed to make a meaningful contribution to the health and welfare of the planet and its people. Started in 1988, iEARN is currently active in over 120 countries, with 1,000,000 students participating as part of their education. iEARN-International: http://www.iearn.org

Download the 2005-2006 iEARN Project Book: http://www.iearn.org/projects/projectbook.html (available in Arabic, English, French, and Japanese) or for a full listing of iEARN projects, see: http://www.iearn.org/projects/
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