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Image courtesy of Pangea Day.org

PANGEA DAY – May 10

Next Saturday 24 short films, 7 concerts, and 13 visionary speeches will be broadcast simultaneously around the world. This global event, called Pangea Day in reference to the ancient super-landmass that all the current continents once comprised, seeks to overcome borders, difference, and conflict by allowing people to see the world through others’ eyes.

The featured films include animated shorts, non-fiction exposes, and a creative series of national anthems sung by non-nationals (e.g. a French chorus sings the Star Spangled Banner). Trailers for all films are available here.

Events begin at 18:00 GMT Saturday, May 10 (that’s 2 pm EST) in the cities of Cairo, Kigali (Rwanda), London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro. If you don’t live in or near one of the cities listed, no worries! The six events will be broadcast in seven languages worldwide via internet, mobile phone, and television; and there are thousands of local viewing parties open to the public, hosted by Friends of Pangea Day. Check out the interactive map to find an event in your local area. Or, sign up to host your own!

In further service of its mission to bring the world together, Pangea encourages those inspired by Pangea Day to participate in community-building activities around the world. The website will offer opportunities to connect activists with organizations, as well as open forums for discussion.

To learn more about Pangea Day, check out www.PangeaDay.org. Hope to see you there!

Sara R. for My Wonderful World

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Image courtesy of Associated Press Hosted by Google

1] National Parks Week April 19-27

Looking for an outdoor activity this weekend? Check out one of the National Parks. In celebration of National Parks Week, many parks are hosting events and programs including Junior Ranger Day, April 26. To find out what is going on at a National Park near you click here.

2] "Asia is the World's Cradle for New Strains of Flu" Associated Press Hosted by Google

Do you ever wonder where the flu starts, how it travels, or where it ends? Scientists at the U.S. National Institutes of Health have mapped paths of new influenza strains. Researchers have found the strains typically travel from their birth place in Asia, then cross continents until they die out in South America.

3] "World's Oldest Living Tree -- 9550 years old -- Discovered In Sweden"  Science Daily

Researchers, including Leif Kullman, Professor of Physical Geography at Umeå University , discovered a spruce tree with genetic material dating back 9,550 years in the Fulu Mountains in Dalarna,Sweden. Prior to this find scientists believed the world's oldest trees were pine trees in North America dating 4,000 to 5,000 years.

4] "State of the Democratic Primary - April 23rd 2008" Political Maps.org

Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, this election year is probably one of the most intriguing in history. Political Maps.org has put together several maps and charts to demonstrate the geography of each candidate’s progress.

5] ‘The Geography of Light” Carrie Newcomer, folk artist.

Folk singer Carrie Newcomer released her new album “The Geography of Light” this year. Though the album is not a geography lesson, it is about “navigating and exploring the appearance of light and shadow in our lives.” Also, it sports a few titles this geographer appreciates, such as “There is a Tree” and “A Map of Shadows.”

Marie for My Wonderful World

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Image courtesy of Urban Re:Vision

The eco-activism group Re:Vision, along with several other environmentally-focused groups, is hosting a poster contest called Envision 2050. Urban Re:Vision is passionately committed to developing a sustainable urban city block that can be used as a prototype for American cities. They are asking students to envision their world in the year 2050, focusing on “sustainability, reduced carbon emissions and the balance between environment and nature.” The contest is open for students in grades 6-12. Of the field submitted, 20 finalists will be chosen and have their work displayed in a gallery. Additionally The National Outdoor Leadership School will award four $4,250 summer scholarships to high school students as well as three top prizes for the middle school students. Envision 2050 is also encouraging teachers to incorporate the Envision 2050 poster competition into their class’ curriculum. They also will receive recognition and rewards if their student wins.

The deadline for submissions is May 15, 2008, and winners will be announced on June 1, 2008. For complete rules and more details check out their website.

Marie for My Wonderful World

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My Wonderful World is excited to announce the debut of a guest blogger series! In this  program we provide a forum for those actively "doing" geography to weigh in on the issues and share their personal experiences. We are thrilled to have Marissa Giamo, author of Spin the Globe Adventures (you may remember the piece I wrote about her first book on Australia) as our inaugural guest blogger. In this first post, Marissa describes her work bringing geography to life through children's stories. Enjoy!

Interested in contributing as a guest blogger? Please contact Sarah at scaban@ngs.org.

          American Students interested in Geography??? Is it possible?

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Contrary to the many newspaper articles listing American students at the bottom of the list for their knowledge of other countries, I see clues everyday that kids are interested in Geography.

 A few years ago, I decided to combine work and passion by writing children’s books about two subjects that I am very excited about: Geography and travel to different countries. I thought that if kids had the opportunity to hear about geography and international travel in a fun story, they would see how fascinating Geography could be.

 Taking matters into my own hands, I went to schools and read the stories to them. I was feeling pretty confident until I was about to walk into my first reading to forty pre-schoolers! What if the news shows were right and kids hated this stuff? Were they going to boo me out of the classroom and throw their snacks at me in protest? 

The reaction I got was the one that I was hoping for. They were very interested and very curious. They listened intently to the whole story and asked questions. They asked how long it took to travel to different countries. They were interested in finding out about differences in language and the animals. Not only did I not get booed, but they actually asked me to stay longer to talk about Geography!

Every classroom that I have visited since has been the same or better. The third graders I read to a couple of weeks ago had questions about what it was like to visit Australia. (The book I read to them was about Australia.) They liked hearing about some of the nicknames that “Aussies” have for things like “G’day” and “lollies” (candy). When I asked which country they would like to visit, every student had their own answer and a reason why. Some of the boys wanted to visit Russia, one girl wanted to see the Taj Mahal in India, and another wanted to visit Egypt to see the pyramids.

Even outside of the classroom I hear kids asking their parents curious questions. Mommy, what language is that man speaking? Or, What country do tigers live in?

The list goes on and on.

So, yes, it is possible. American kids are interested. From my experience, I find students are just looking for opportunities to discuss other countries and their people. They are curious about the world. They are curious about Geography!

 
Marissa Giamo

“Spin the Globe Adventures”

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Image courtesy of Green Apple Festival

1. Earth Day: Green Apple Festival

Love your wonderful world and celebrate Earth Day!

"America's largest Earth Day celebration" is coming to a city near you. The Green Apple Festival is made up of eight free concerts across the country beginning today, April 18, through Sunday, April 20. Some of the headliners include The Roots & Friends, O.A.R., Ziggy Marley, and many, many more. Check out their website to see who is playing and where. To find more Earth Day events near you, check out the Earth Day Network site.

2. Education: National Geographic State Bees

On April 4, geography's top 4th - 8th graders from across the country competed in their state bees in hopes of making it to the National Geographic Bee held in Washington, D.C. on May 20-21, 2008. Check out the list of state winners who will compete for the national title next month!

3. Economy: "Apartment rental costs are all over the map"

MSNBC, April 14, 2008

Across the U.S. the real estate market is in crisis and many American families are having trouble making their mortgage payments. Unfortunately, the price of rental units in some areas has not helped this crisis. While some cities such as Phoenix have seen a nine percent drop in average monthly rent, others have seen dramatic rises in average rents. Of twelve metro areas listed, nine show higher rents compared with the first quarter of 2007, with San Francisco topping the list at a 14.6 percent increase.

4. Maps: "Mapping history"

Wicked Local, April 4, 2008

Mr. Bill Betts, Jr. donated his private collection of historic maps to the Mattapoisett Free Public Library in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. Betts grew up in Mattapoisett and decided the give back to the community when he heard that the library was being renovated. The library now has more than eight "ancient and historically significant" maps in their collection. Betts believes that the Azorean maps will be of particular interest in the area due to the region's connection to the whaling industry as well as a concentration of people with Portuguese heritage in the area.  

5. Sports and Geography: Follow the Olympic Torch Around the World

Google Maps has created an interactive platform to follow the 2008 Olympic Torch relay on its historic journey around the world. For more information about the route and the torch-barers, check out the Official 2008 Beijing Olympics Torch Relay page.

Marie for My Wonderful World

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                Image courtesy of the International Campaign for Tibet

The longstanding battle over Tibetan self-determination continues. Tibet has been the focus of international attention over the last couple of weeks amidst a string of protests. Non-violent demonstrations against repressive Chinese government practices were first organized by Buddhist monks in the capital of Lhasa. These initial acts were then quickly followed by violent uprisings among local Tibetans, exiled Tibetan nationals, and sympathizers around the world.

 
Most recently, athletes and others have spurned participation in preliminary torch bearing activities for the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a stance of solidarity with the Tibetan people. Some world leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have even threatened to boycott the Opening Ceremonies. The Dalai Lama, the political and spiritual leader of Tibet for the last 68 years who now lives in exile in India, has denounced all violence in accordance with his lifelong tradition of avowed pacifism. Despite his enormous influence over the Tibetan and their supporters, troubles persist.

 
Learn how Tibet's unique human and physical geographies have impacted the historic conflict by delving into the resources below:

     1. "Tibet"--About.com: Geography article

        Our friend Matt Rosenberg provides a fantastic, detailed description of the history and physical geography of Tibet.

    2. "Stories on Tibet"--from CNN.com

A comprehensive listing of the latest news on Tibet from CNN.

    3. "Time in China"--Wikipedia

      Did you know that all of China operates on a single time zone, despite spanning approximately 70 degrees of longitude? I didn't, and neither did any of my geographer and non-geographer friends!Tibet and many other regions of the country adhered to different time standards--five in total--prior to the switch to Beijing Time in 1950. What do you suppose the implications of the shift might be?

4. "A Monk's Struggle"--Time.com

      Time Magazine featured an enlightening article on the Dalai Lama in the recent March 31 issue written by Pico Iyer, a journalist who has been interviewing the Tibetan leader for the last 33 years. The piece highlights a number of geographic issues, including the geopolitical dispute with the Chinese government and the changing demography of Tibet, as well as the remarkable ability of Tibetans to maintain a united cultural "nation" despite loss of territory and mass displacement. My favorite quote from the article:

"'Before,' I [Iyer] heard him say last November, 'destruction of your enemy was victory for your side. But in our globalized world, where ecology enforces our sense of mutual dependence, destruction of your enemy is destruction of yourself.'"

 
A valuable lesson for us all.

 
The Dalai Lama is currently in the United States to participate in the "Seeds of Compassion" event in Seattle,WA, as well as other speaking engagements across the country--including a visit to my alma mater, Colgate University!

Sarah for My Wonderful World

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                  Image courtesy of magneticpride.com

In honor of Earth Day, this month's My Wonderful World challenge (as outlined in our April campaign e-newsletter) is to find ways to reduce your carbon footprint. What's a carbon footprint, and how can you calculate your own? Visit the Nature Conservancy website and use their convenient calculator tool to assess your individual or household carbon footprint. Then, tell us what you're planning to do to contribute to a greener, more wonderful world. I plan to change all the incandescent light bulbs in my apartment and replace them with more energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs.

In other 'footprint' news: Did you get a chance to check out the National Geographic Channel's "Human Footprint" special that aired this past Sunday? What did you think?

Sarah for My Wonderful World

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Image courtesy of TheDCTraveler.com.

"Human Footprint" and "Library of Congress Experience" debut this weekend.

It's April, and spring is in the air! In Washington, D.C., that means the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. If you're in town for the festival, you might be interested to check out the some of the new exhibits downtown--IF you can bear to step inside, that is.

The "Library of Congress Experience" exhibit opens at the Library of Congress Jefferson building this weekend. I was lucky enough to attend a special sneak-preview press event earlier this week and was extraordinarily impressed with the new, interactive displays. The "experience" currently features four installments: "Thomas Jefferson's Library," "Creating the United States," the Gutenberg and Giant Mainz Bibles, and "Exploring the Early Americas."

 My favorite, of course, was "Exploring the Early Americas," which spotlights the 1507 Waldsemüller map--the first to identify "America." I've wanted to see this map since I first wrote about it in December, and I was not disappointed! It was both humbling and amusing to see the northern and southern landmasses of the western hemisphere depicted as thin slivers against the backdrop of the imposing Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and the better-known (at the time) European, Asian, and African continents. Because the map is encased in a dimly lit, temperature-controlled glass structure to protect against damage, an interactive computer touch screen helps to enhance the viewing experience. Digitized to an astonishing level of detail, visitors can zoom in for a closer look at small sections of the map and learn facts surrounding its creation. Did you know that Waldseemüller named the western hemisphere "America" after Amerigo Vespucci because he was the first to acknowledge Columbus' discovery of the New World? This exhibit reaffirmed my deep appreciation for maps as cultural symbols and perspective-shaping tools, which was embodied by a quote in the display: "Mapping is fundamental to the process of lending order to the world (Robert Rundstrum, 1926)."

Teachers: Get standards-based lesson plans for the Waldseemüller map and other Library of Congress resources and exhibits.

Students: Participate in the Library's "Inspiration Across the Nation" campaign by submitting your stories, poems, and artwork. They'll be incorporated into an online mosaic, and the best will be displayed in the library's permanent collection.

Parents: Personalize your family's "Library of Congress Experience." Later in 2008, visitors to the library will receive "Passports to Knowledge" with individualized bar codes. Swiping the barcode as you travel through the museum creates an online cache of favorite exhibits, so you continue the learning from home!

April is the month of Earth Day, a time when citizens are inspired to care about the planet and think critically about their impact on the world. Part of the new "Preserve our Planet" initiative, a National Geographic Channel special called "Human Footprint" helps to conceptualize this impact through creative visuals. Did you know that the average American consumes 43,471 cans of soda over the course of a lifetime? In "Human Footprint" all 43,471 cans of soda are laid out to give viewers a sense of what that actually looks like, and to spur contemplation over consumption choices. Visit the Human Footprint website to calculate your own impact (I was happy to discover that I will only drink about 4000 cans in my lifetime) and for educator resources. And be sure to watch the special when it airs this Sunday, April 13, at 9pm on the National Geographic Channel.

 Have a great weekend everyone!

Sarah for My Wonderful World

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    Bill Nye, image courtesy of Univ.of Washington Kaerberlein Lab.

Last weekend, March 27-30, My Wonderful World traveled to my old Boston stomping grounds for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) annual conference. Upwards of 20,000 science educators, administrators, and general enthusiasts attended the event to participate in myriad workshops, learn about the latest technological, pedagogical, and curricular developments, share in the company of friends new and old, and of course, score some free giveaways. And anyone who happened to stop by the National Geographic School Publishing booth would have had the opportunity to sign up for the My Wonderful World Campaign and take home a My Wonderful World "We are not alone" poster!

My Wonderful World was thrilled to join the science education community for this special event. Physical geography, earth, environmental, and geospatial sciences are fundamental components of a 21^st century global education. Science educators agreed that the "We are not alone" message applies just as readily to knowledge of species and environments as it does to cultures and politics, both in our own backyards and beyond. We were delighted to chat with many at the conference who supported the infusion and inclusion of geography across the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and math).

Other highlights from the conference included a trip to the New England Aquarium (which for me, was also a trip down memory lane), a Busch Gardens animal road show exhibit (they had an entire bus full of critters!), a visit from Bill Nye the Science Guy (check out his great earth science educational materials online), and many lively pedagogical discussions. I found forums on inquiry approaches to science, "citizen science," geospatial technologies, and classroom time allocation to be especially compelling.

During a rare moment away from the convention center, I happened to stumble upon two fantastic, geographic exhibits on display at the Boston Public Library. Facing History and Ourselves' interactive, multimedia presentation "Choosing to Participate" features four moments in history when individuals and communities had challenging decisions to make. In undertaking the powerful, self-guided tour I was overcome with emotion and fond memories of the amazing civics-based organization I worked for as an intern two summers ago. Another exhibit called "Boston and Beyond: A Birds' Eye View of New England" featured aerial maps of Boston and the surrounding region that chronicle the period of rapid urban growth in the latter 19th century. If you're in the Boston area, I would encourage you to stop by the Public Library in Copley Square and check out these exciting events while they last.

Ahh, education. What an exciting weekend of experiential learning I had in Boston! "Greetings" to all those we met at the conference, and we hope to meet even more of you soon.

Sarah for My Wonderful World

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                    See what GeoNews we’ve dug up this week!

                         
       Photo by Keith R. Stevenson, courtesy of the Pocono Record.

1. Humor: Report: 6 out of 10 Americans Cannot Locate Payless Shoes on a Mall Map
The Onion, March 7, 2008.
The National Geographic-Roper 2006 survey of geographic literacy continues to make headlines. The satirical news source The Onion features a humorous spoof on the poll. Though silly, the article aptly highlights Americans’ subpar mapping skills and lack of essential, real-world geographic knowledge. Never fear: MWW is here to save the day!

2. Education: National Geographic Bee state finals
National Geographic Press Release, March 21, 2008.
This Friday, April 4, states across the nation will host National Geographic Bee state -level events. The winners from each of the 50 states will go on to compete at the national final in Washington, D.C. later in May. Check out this charming video-interview that tells the story of Adam Parker, a local sixth grade winner from Nantucket Island in my home state of Massachusetts.

3. Education: "Gigantic map helps students master geography"
Pocono Record, February 26, 2008.
This inspiring article tells how Kristy Snider, a world geography teacher and a Fulbright-Hays scholar, used a National Geographic Live! giant map to give her Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, seventh graders a unique perspective on Asia.

4. Environment: "Washington, D.C. home to first 'green stadium' in U.S"
Environmental News Network, March 31, 2008.
The new baseball stadium for the Washington Nationals has earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for its accessibility to public transportation, energy saving light fixtures, water-conserving plumbing, drought-resistant plants, and green roofing. Will other stadiums follow suit? Learn more about LEED.

5. Opinion/Editorial: " Politics: The Computer Game"
Computing, “From the News Desk,” March 12, 2008.
An interesting op-ed piece from a British online magazine asserts that the internet is changing the face of politics and “ remapping the geography of human relationships.”

Have a great weekend everyone! I'm headed down to the National Mall to check out the cherry blossoms.

Sarah for My Wonderful World

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