Bill Bixby - Mrs. Jones Elizabeth High School

Transcription

Name
Tuesday, January 22
Bill Bixby
By Mary Lynn Bushong
What do a Martian, an Apple Dumpling
gang, a super hero, a magician, and a single
father have in common? They are all related to
parts actor Bill Bixby played during more than
thirty years in Hollywood.
Wilfred Bailey Bixby was born in San
Francisco on January 22, 1934. Bill fell in love
with acting while he was in high school. In
college he tried to concentrate on getting a
pre-law degree but couldn't stop thinking about
acting. Finally, he made a deal with himself.
He would try to make a living as an actor for
five years. If it didn't work out, he'd go back to law.
In 1957, Bixby moved to Los Angeles where he worked as a bell
boy and a lifeguard to make ends meet. After two years, he got a
break. Two executives from Detroit hired him to do both
commercial and modeling work in their city. While there, he joined
the local theater company.
Bixby got his first guest appearance on T.V. in The Many Lives
of Dobie Gillis in 1959, and then he went on to do other shows. In
1963, he was cast in a co-starring role in My Favorite Martian. The
show was a hit and lasted for three seasons.
Following the show, Bixby appeared in four films. Two of the
films were with Elvis Presley.
Bixby's next T.V. project was The Courtship of Eddie's Father.
It became an even bigger hit than his first show. He played a
widowed father and established a close relationship with his young
co-star. Perhaps the show changed his mind about marriage. He
soon married Brenda Benet, and they had a son together.
Acting wasn't Bixby's only passion. He also wanted to direct. He
would spend extra hours watching the editors putting shows together
to learn more about post-production work. He also spoke six
languages and had hobbies ranging from painting to photography,
cooking, carpentry, sailing, fishing, swimming, and magic.
Bill Bixby was not just interested in magic, he was an amateur
magician. When he started the drama show, The Magician, he
learned to do the illusions himself without camera tricks. The show
lasted only a year due to the high production costs.
In 1975, he starred with Don Knotts and Tim Conway in the
Apple Dumpling Gang. Then in 1977, he was offered the part of
David Banner in the Incredible Hulk, a weekly T.V. drama series.
Many times, actors lose themselves in a part, but Bixby actively
worked against that. He said, "I have to go off by myself to keep a
balance. I can't always be 'Bill the actor.' I must stop and gain
perspective so as not to confuse my role and my person."
In 1981, Bixby's six year old son died suddenly from a bacterial
infection a short time after Bill and Brenda divorced. It was his
focus on work that gave him direction during that difficult time.
Through the eighties and nineties he worked with several more
shows as an actor, but more often as a director. It was while
directing a made-for-T.V. movie, in April 1991, that he became ill
and was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Surgery seemed to solve
the problem, and he went back to work. The cancer returned in 1993,
and he died on November 21, 1993.
Bill Bixby was one of the genuinely nice people of the world. He
was also a very talented actor and a workaholic. He also genuinely
cared for those around him, and that is perhaps one of the best
legacies of all.
5. Which one of his interests did he use in one of his shows?
Name
Tuesday, January 22
Bill Bixby
Questions
1. What deal did Bill Bixby make with himself about acting?
6. What tragedy marred Bixby's life?
2. In which city was Bixby's first acting job?
A. Los Angeles
B. Chicago
C. Detroit
D. New York
7. What Disney movie did Bixby star in?
3. Bixby had three very successful T.V. shows; which one of
these is not one of them?
A. The Magician
B. My Favorite Martian
C. The Courtship of Eddie's Father
D. The Incredible Hulk
4. List four of Bixby's hobbies or abilities.
8. What other job did Bixby learn, other than acting?
Name
Tuesday, January 22
"Aye, Captain!" - Old Ironsides' Captain
William Bainbridge
By Toni Lee Robinson
"Old Ironsides" had won her nickname
and her place in history with the defeat of a
British warship. After her famous battle,
the beloved ship was docked for repairs.
While she had given much worse than she
got in the fight, Old Ironsides needed some
TLC before she was fit to fight again.
Meanwhile, Captain Hull had gone on to a
new job. Old Ironsides would go back to
war with a different leader.
Command of America's favorite ship
went to William Bainbridge. He was an
impressive man, six feet tall, lean, muscular, and dark. He was
"dashing" in the old fashioned sense-handsome and adventurous,
with a commanding presence. He could be kind and charmingly
polite. But he had a bad reputation. He had lost three ships in a row
to pirates or warring navies. Hull's crew grumbled amongst
themselves about their new boss.
Actually, his bad press was an unfair reflection on Bainbridge's
character. He had had more brilliant victories in his career than he
had losses. He had started his life at sea at the age of fourteen. He
was made captain at nineteen. The seas were a perilous place in these
times. If trading ships managed to elude the predatory French and
English navies, they often fell into the greedy clutches of pirates.
They might also be grabbed by privateers, private vessels hired by
governments to capture ships of other countries. The privateer got to
keep the "booty" from his captures. These legalized pirates were
weapons of war, disrupting the shipping of enemy nations.
Bainbridge had dealt with all the perils of life at sea. Once while
captaining a merchant ship, he was attacked by a British privateer.
Bainbridge's four-gun vessel subdued the eight-gun attacker. Instead
of taking the defeated ship as prize, Bainbridge disdainfully let it go.
He told its captain to "report to his masters that if they wanted his
[Bainbridge's] ship they must send a greater force...and a more
skilful commander."
Another time, a Royal Navy ship stopped Bainbridge's trading
vessel, the Hope, and dragged off an American sailor. After his ship
resumed its voyage, Bainbridge stopped the next British trading ship
he saw, boarded the vessel, and seized its best seaman. As he left the
ship, he instructed its captain to report that the British sailor had
been taken in retaliation for the impressment of the American sailor
from the Hope.
While pursuing pirates off the coast of Tripoli, Bainbridge's ship
struck a rock. The helpless ship and crew was captured. A year and
a half of great suffering followed for the captives. A court of inquiry
later absolved the captain of blame in the incident. Bainbridge
worked on merchant ships for several years afterward. When the
War of 1812 began, he returned to serve his country as captain of
Old Ironsides.
The frigate's second adventure of the war began a scant couple of
months after her stellar victory. Bainbridge had orders to "annoy the
enemy" and protect American shipping. He took his ship south, off
the coast of Brazil. Bainbridge hoped to disrupt vital British shipping
there. The Royal Navy would then be forced to divert some of their
attention from the U.S. coast to protect their merchant ships.
Constitution ran across the British frigate Java in late December
of 1812. Bainbridge had Old Ironsides rigged for fighting sail. The
chase was on. The British ship attempted to turn across the
American's bow and rake her with cannon fire. Bainbridge's crew
adroitly turned their ship out of harm's way. Bainbridge ordered a
blast of gunfire aimed at Java's rigging, hoping to cut down the
enemy's speed. The shot had little effect.
Java closed in, firing loads of grapeshot. Bainbridge was hit in
the thigh. The shot tore away some of Ironside's sail, but a sailor
scrambled up amid the shooting and tied it back in place. Java tried
again to cut across Constitution's bow. Bainbridge fired a broadside
(all the guns on one side of the ship fired at once). While smoke
from the guns screened his ship from view, the captain turned
Ironsides about. Java was now on her stern.
Finally, Java closed and fired at Ironsides' stern. The shot
damaged a mast and destroyed the ship's wheel. It also killed several
U.S. sailors and wounded others, including Bainbridge. Even twice
Name
Tuesday, January 22
wounded, the captain stayed at his command. After quick repairs to
the wheel, Bainbridge decided his best hope was to close in.
Ironsides moved in and fired her smaller carronades, or "smashers."
The shot brought down some of Java's rigging and sail. The British
ship became clumsy and lost her speed.
The battle wore on. Ironsides' guns pounded the British ship,
inflicting more and more damage. Java's captain was badly
wounded. Finally, with her masts mostly shot away and her deck
littered with torn rigging, Java's first officer admitted defeat. The
surviving crew members were brought aboard Old Ironsides. The
ruined British frigate was sunk. In spite of his own wounds,
Bainbridge treated the British prisoners with great kindness.
Ironsides set sail for home. She had fought her toughest battle yet
and won. America was nearly hysterical with the joyous news that
Old Ironsides had defeated the Royal Navy again. Ironsides' two
captains were given gold medals. Congress awarded the crew a
$50,000 bonus for each victory. When news of Java's fate reached
England, the Royal Navy instructed its ships to avoid tackling the
American frigates one on one. Old Ironsides had given His
Majesty's navy something to think about.
"Aye, Captain!" - Old Ironsides' Captain William Bainbridge
Questions
1. Why might Constitution's crew grumble about serving under
their new captain?
2. Captain Bainbridge is described as "dashing," which meant he
was:
A. Handsome and adventurous
B. Rude
C. Hard to beat in foot race
D. Reckless
3. What was a privateer? Explain the role of privateers in
international conflicts of the early 1800s.
4. Describe one of Bainbridge's adventures at sea prior to his
command of the Constitution.
5. What were Bainbridge's orders after taking command of
Constitution?
A. To hunt down the British fleet and engage them
B. To find the Java and defeat her
C. To avoid all contact with the enemy
D. To annoy the enemy and disrupt British shipping so as to
draw Royal Navy vessels away from the U.S. coast
Is character always visible from outward appearance? Why or why
not?
Name
Tuesday, January 22
6. When Bainbridge ordered the firing of a broadside, he meant
that:
A. The sailors should all shout insults at the enemy ship.
B. Cannon should be fired high, into the rigging of the other
ship.
C. The cannon should be aimed at the broadest part, or side,
of the other ship.
D. All the cannon on one side of the ship should be fired at
once.
7. Analyze the battle between the Constitution and the Java.
What factors do you think brought about Constitution's
victory?
8. After examining some of the events in the life of William
Bainbridge, what kind of person do you think he was? Would
you have liked to know him? To be a part of his crew? Why or
why not?
that had disappeared during the languid summer months. Wayward
children and teenagers braced themselves for the beginning of school.
Name
Wednesday, January 23
Hot Stuff
By Colleen Messina
Caitlin tossed her baton into the air, crossed her right leg over her
left, and spun around rapidly twice. Her strawberry-blonde ponytail
streaked behind her like a ray of rosy light at sunset, and her clear,
blue eyes followed the glittering baton. As she faced forward again on
the second spin, she effortlessly caught the slender silver stick in her
hand, and her face beamed. She had mastered the precarious twirling
maneuver at last!
"Hot stuff!" said Nancy, Caitlin's best friend. Their right hands
clapped enthusiastically in a victorious high five.
Caitlin and Nancy were looking forward to their freshman year of
high school, and both girls wanted to join the twirling squad. They
fantasized about sitting together on the bus rides to football games,
sharing thermoses of hot chocolate, and watching the football players
exhaust themselves. The twirling squad performed at halftime and
wore smart navy uniforms decorated with shiny brass buttons and
gold fringe.
Caitlin seemed to epitomize gracefulness as she twirled and danced in
perfect rhythm. The intricate dance steps and baton maneuvers
seemed effortless for Caitlin's lithe, muscular body because she had
the physique of an athlete. Nancy's build was shorter and heavier, so
her twirling moves never looked completely smooth. However, with
Caitlin's spontaneous encouragement and subtle correction, Nancy's
mistakes became negligible.
"I can't wait for tryouts!" Nancy exclaimed to Caitlin on the sultry
summer days as they practiced on Nancy's asphalt driveway. The hazy
101-degree heat made the driveway ooze and sizzle like hot molasses,
so practicing was impossible in the afternoon. Each morning and
evening, the girls practiced until their errors became infrequent.
Finally, the leaves starting turning scarlet and orange, and the sky
seemed even bluer against the radiant autumn colors. The air smelled
deliciously of frost and burning leaves and the cooler September
weather in Maine made everyone feel a renewed mental quickness
Caitlin and Nancy purchased three-ring-binders, multi-pouched
backpacks, and the latest styles in teenage fashion. Spunky Caitlin
bought sequins-studded bellbottoms and multi-colored shirts, but
Nancy had an inordinate preference for khaki skirts and camouflage
pants. Nancy's bland taste really did exasperate Caitlin.
High school was a new world, but soon the long hallways lined with
tall metal lockers became familiar. Caitlin and Nancy had different
classes, and soon Nancy noticed that Caitlin hung out with some girls
Nancy did not know. The girls were cheerleaders! Caitlin didn't want
to practice twirling every night, even though tryouts were in one
week, and when she did, she didn't seem as focused as she had been
before. For the first time, Nancy felt strangely insecure about their
friendship. On the night before tryouts, the girls sat on Caitlin's front
porch steps, surrounded by the cool, green swirls of ivy leaves that
covered the railings. They enjoyed being sedentary for a moment,
until Caitlin suddenly turned to Nancy with a troubled look on her
face.
"Nancy, I need to tell you something, and I hope you will
understand," Caitlin said.
"What is it?" said Nancy. She had terrible, ulcerous feeling in the pit
of her stomach.
"I'm not trying out for the twirling squad; I'm trying out for
cheerleading instead. I know this must baffle you, but I think
cheeringleading is more suited to my outgoing personality," Caitlin
said.
"If that is what you want, then that is what you should do," Nancy
finally said, and she turned and ran all the way home, feeling
completely heartbroken. How was she going to make it through
tryouts without Caitlin? And if she did make the squad, she still felt as
though she needed Caitlin to be her mentor. Nancy nervously twirled
a strand of her straight brown hair around her finger because now she
felt that her chances of making the team were about one in a zillion!
Twirling tryouts were rigorous and took place in a noisy auditorium
packed with observers. First, the girls participated in a five-minute
group routine, and then each of them performed a shorter, individual
routine. Nancy did well during the group performance, and she even
smiled and looked directly at the three judges, but her individual
Hot Stuff
Name
routine almost fell apart. In the first minute, she dropped the baton
once and neglected a series of dance steps. Her lower lip trembled,
and she felt as though she might faint from embarrassment.
Suddenly, Caitlin's cheerful face appeared to the left of the judges'
table. Nancy almost dropped the baton in astonishment, but she
quickly regained her composure. Caitlin's mouth formed the words,
"HOT STUFF," and she raised her right hand high in the air. Nancy
felt a surge of confidence and managed to finish her routine with a
flourish. The judges nodded approvingly, and Nancy exited in
triumph.
"I can't believe that you came to tryouts!" Nancy said.
"Of course I came! Even though I want to be a cheerleader, you are
still my best friend!" Caitlin said.
The size of the crowd in front of the squad list in the lobby was
surprising, but Nancy and Caitlin eventually pushed through the
layers of people to check for Nancy's name.
"Hey, you made the squad!" shouted Caitlin.
"Wow! That is great!" Nancy exclaimed.
"Congratulations! We can still sit together on the bus to the football
games and drink hot chocolate!" said Caitlin.
"Now that's hot stuff!" Nancy answered, and the two friends burst
into raucous laughter.
Questions
1. When does this story begin?
A. the summer before Caitlin and Nancy entered ninth grade
B. the fall of Caitlin and Nancy's freshman year in high
school
C. when Caitlin and Nancy were in junior high
D. during Caitlin and Nancy's senior year
2. Which words describe Caitlin's personality? Check all that
apply.
A. coordinated
B. sedate
C. bubbly
D. shy
3. Which statement is an opinion rather than a fact?
A. Caitlin and Nancy were entering high school.
B. It was a hot summer.
C. Nancy preferred khaki clothes to tie-dyed ones.
D. Caitlin would have definitely made the twirling squad if
she had tried out.
4. In your opinion, which character was more introverted? Write
several sentences to explain why you feel that way.
Which activity do you think is more difficult, twirling or
cheerleading? Why?
Name
5. In paragraph 8, the sentence, "Caitlin didn't want to practice
twirling every night, even though tryouts were in one week,
and when she did, she didn't seem as focused as she had been
before." is an example of what literary device, in light of
Caitlin's later decision?
A. foreshadowing
B. metaphor
C. simile
D. none of the above
6. Which statement best summarizes the main idea of this story?
A. Cheerleading is a better activity for outgoing girls.
B. friends can remain close even if they have different
interests.
C. having a friend give you a "thumb's up" is helpful if you
want to be selected for a team.
D. twirling is easier in cool weather.
7. What does the word "mentor" mean in paragraph 12?
A. someone who enjoys mint flavoring
B. a cheerleader
C. a special friend
D. someone who guides and teaches others
8. Which word is a synonym for the word, "raucous," in
paragraph 20?
A. delicate
B. cackling
C. silly
D. strident
Name
Francis Marion
By Mary L. Bushong
Imagine a time more than 200 years ago in
South Carolina. Many Indians still lived in the
forests across the state. There were plantations
being built along the coast and rivers. It was into
this world that the Revolutionary War hero
Francis Marion was born.
Francis was born near Georgetown, South
Carolina in 1732. His grandparents were French
Huguenots who had come there looking for
religious freedom. Francis was the youngest of
six children, and when he wasn't in school, he
was exploring the swamps around his home. He
became so familiar with them that, during the Revolutionary War, no
one could find him when he went in.
When he was just 15 years old, Francis left home against his parent's
wishes. He planned to sail to the West Indies, but he didn't make it.
The ship sank and he spent a week in the wooden lifeboat before it
drifted ashore.
In 1753, at the start of the French and Indian war, Francis joined his
brother Gabriel's militia company, but they did not see any action.
After the war, he used money from an inheritance to establish himself
as a planter or farmer. He did well at it, and in 1773 he bought a
plantation and called it Pond's Bluff.
Two years later, in 1775, he was elected to the South Carolina
Provincial Congress. This congress authorized the formation of two
regiments, the second of which was commanded by Francis Marion.
In 1779 he led an attack on the British in Savannah, Georgia.
In 1780, Francis was almost captured by the British in Charleston,
SC. He escaped capture, because he had broken his ankle and was
ordered out of the city to his plantation to recuperate. He was gone
when Charleston was surrendered to the British. If Francis had been
caught, he would probably have been executed.
Four months later when his ankle healed, Francis Marion was spying
on British troop movements. He would count the soldiers and tell his
superiors where they were headed. He led guerrilla strikes, suddenly
breaking British supply lines before quickly disappearing back into
the swamps he knew so well. He always seemed to be where the
enemy did not expect him, and they could not catch him. It is no
wonder he became known as the "swamp fox."
In September of that year he skirmished with some Loyalist soldiers
(colonists who were loyal to Britain) and defeated them. On
December 30, 1780 he was promoted to Brigadier General. In 1781,
he commanded the militia of both North and South Carolina, driving
the British back to Charleston.
Once the war was over, Francis Marion moved back to his plantation
at Pond Bluff and married his cousin, Mary Videau. He attended the
Constitutional Convention in 1790, voting for a Federal Union. Then
he retired to his plantation, where he died on February 26, 1795.
Francis Marion was a quiet, though moody, man who was daring and
elusive in battle. He cared deeply for the people of his country and
fought for the freedom of his countrymen.
Francis Marion
Questions
1. What country did Francis Marion's grandparents come from?
Name
2. What was the name of General Marion's plantation?
3. Why was Francis Marion called "the swamp fox"?
4. What year did the North and South Carolina militia drive the
British soldiers back to Charleston?
5. How did Francis vote at the Constitutional Convention?
Name
Thursday, January 24
What Is Scrapbooking?
By Colleen Messina
Some people think that
keeping track of
photographs is a chore. As
much as they might like
taking a picture of Aunt
Edna's wrinkly, toothless
smile, they might not know
where to put the photograph
later. Poor Aunt Edna's
picture ends up in a dusty
pile in the closet. For
others, though, preserving
pictures and other memorabilia is an art form. These people love
creating scrapbooks to record the extraordinary events of their lives.
A scrapbook is an album that has photographs, notes, and pictures in
it. It can also include newspaper clippings or other objects. A
scrapbook starts out as a book of blank pages. It turns into a place to
preserve a person's memories in a colorful way. Creative scrapbookers
might take Aunt Edna's photograph and dress it up with a pink border.
They could even add put a funny story from her life beside it (like the
day she got dentures).
Scrapbooking may seem like a modern hobby, but using notebooks to
keep track of events may have begun in ancient Greece. The great
philosopher, Aristotle, encouraged his pupils to keep notebooks. They
kept track of their great debates. A debate is an argument that stays
polite! Aristotle and his students had lively discussions about
philosophy, religion, and government. During the Renaissance, people
became interested in the ancient Greeks. They adopted the Greek
concept of preserving thoughts in a notebook. People began using
blank notebooks to copy down pretty poems or snazzy quotes.
In 1769, a man named William Granger took the idea of notebooks
one step further. He published a book that had an appendix with
illustrations. Later, his book had extra blank pages. His readers could
put their own illustrations, prints, or letters on these pages. Books
with blank pages were the inspiration for modern scrapbooks.
President Thomas Jefferson liked to collect newspaper clippings in
albums during his presidency. He enjoyed being a "scrapper."
Even famous authors have enjoyed making scrapbooks. Mark Twain
even made a lot of money from his hobby. The creative author spent
almost every Sunday creating his personal scrapbooks. He published a
series of scrapbooks in 1872. His patented scrapbooks were sold
through the Montgomery Ward catalog. One article published at that
time stated that these scrapbooks earned him a phenomenal sum of
$50,000!
Modern scrapbooking is a worldwide hobby. Entire stores are
dedicated to scrapbooking. It can seem overwhelming to look at the
millions of products available for creating scrapbooks. Most albums
have blank pages, and each page has its own sheet protector. The
scrapbooker can add photographs or clippings to these pages.
Scrapbookers also like to decorate their books with stickers, patterned
paper, and cutouts.
Most scrapbookers recommend picking one event for each page of
your scrapbook. For example, if you are making an album about your
puppy Sam, the first page of the album might be about meeting Sam
at the pet store. Each page of the album might tell a chapter about
Sam's life. You might have a page about his first day at home. Or one
about the first time Sam met the family cat. Another page might be
about Sam attending puppy class and graduating with flying bones!
Soon, you will have a special scrapbook dedicated to your best furry
friend.
Many scrapbookers use a color scheme for each page. Scrapbook
paper comes in different colors and patterns. The photographs also
stand out best when they have a mat. A mat is a piece of paper that is
slightly larger than the photograph. It makes the picture look as
though it has a frame around it. Most scrapbooks only have between 2
and 4 photographs per page. This helps the pictures stand out and not
seem crowded.
Scrapbooks usually have words or quotes on the pages, too. These
phrases can be written directly on the paper. However, if the idea of
making an enormous ink blot next to Aunt Edna's photograph stresses
you out, you can write your quotes on a separate piece of paper first
and glue it to the album later. Then, you can have more than one
chance to get it just right.
Scrapbooking can even help families who are going through hard
Name
situations. One brave young mother kept track of her son's diagnosis
of autism. Her touching scrapbook pages describing her son's victories
comforted their family and gave them hope. This is one reason that
many scrappers feel that their books are a unique record of a person's
life.
One dedicated scrapper explained it this way: "As scrappers, we take
on the responsibility of teaching our children that each person's story
is special and deserves to be documented." Wouldn't Mr. Aristotle be
pleased about how his notebook idea turned out?
What Is Scrapbooking?
Questions
1. What is a nickname for someone who likes scrapbooking?
A. a booker
B. a scrapper
C. a hoarder
2. Which American president enjoyed keeping scrapbooks?
A. Abraham Lincoln
B. George Washington
C. Bill Clinton
D. Thomas Jefferson
3. Which author also liked making scrapbooks?
A. Mark Twain
B. Emily Dickinson
C. Lewis Carroll
D. Shakespeare
4. Which day of the week did Mark Twain use for scrapbooking?
A. Wednesday
B. Tuesday
C. Sunday
D. Monday
5. Which of the following is a synonym for the word
"memorabilia" in paragraph 1?
A. mirror
B. mementos
C. Mentos
D. ability
6. What does a mat do for a picture?
A. makes it look clearer.
B. nothing
C. makes it look as though it has a frame.
D. makes it look smaller.
7. How many photographs are often on a scrapbook page?
A. 2 - 4
B. one
C. as many as possible
D. 5 - 7
8. What did one mother with an autistic son use scrapbooking
for?
A. to document her new job
B. to remember what she planted in her garden
C. to keep track of her son's victories
D. to keep track of her bills
Name
Maria Tallchief - The Light of Two Worlds
By Trista L. Pollard
The orchestra begins to play. The lights start
to dim. A beautiful ballerina glides effortlessly
onto the stage. The Sugar Plum Fairy has arrived.
Her moves are magic. Each step is graceful and
electrifying. The performance was the The
Nutcracker by George Ballanchine. The year
was 1954 in New York City. The Sugar Plum
Fairy was ballerina Maria Tallchief.
Maria Tallchief was born on January 24, 1925,
in Fairfax, Oklahoma. Tallchief and her family
lived on an Indian reservation. Her father was an
Osage Indian and her mother was Irish and
Scottish. Tallchief's family was wealthy and important. Her
grandfather helped to negotiate a treaty with the United States. This
treaty created the Osage Reservation. It also gave the Osage people
the right to drill for oil on their land. Some of the people on the
reservation were able to make money from drilling for the oil. As
you can see, success was part of Tallchief's family.
Danilova in The Song of Norway. Danilova was a famous Russian
ballerina at the time. Tallchief also danced in the corps during the
operetta. Balanchine choreographed many roles for Tallchief. Her
reputation as a dancer grew. People would come to performances
just to see her dance. Tallchief finally achieved the title of ballerina
with the troupe. She also achieved soloist status and danced in
many ballets for Ballet Russe.
Tallchief stayed with Ballet Russe until 1947. She also met her
husband while with the troupe. Tallchief and Balanchine married in
1946. After getting married, they left Ballet Russe in 1947 and
moved to Paris, France. Tallchief again experienced discrimination
at the Paris Opera because of her ethnic background. That quickly
passed once people saw her talent. In 1947, Tallchief became the
first American ballerina to debut at the Paris Opera. French
audiences loved her! She also became the first American to dance at
the Bolshoi Theatre in Russia with the Paris Opera Ballet. She was
also a soloist with the company.
After Paris, Tallchief and Balanchine went to New York City.
They began to work with Balanchine's Ballet Society. Today this
company is called the New York City Ballet. American audiences
loved Tallchief's style of dancing. In fact, she was so popular, she
performed up to eight times per week. This was unusual for dancers
in small ballet companies. However, Tallchief was very dedicated to
her craft. She danced with the company and Balanchine's
choreography for eighteen years. For many of these years she was
the prima ballerina. Some of their famous performances were The
Nutcracker, Orpheus, and The Firebird.
Tallchief started taking music and dancing lessons with her sister
when she was four years old. When she was eight, her family
decided to move to Oklahoma. They wanted their daughters to have
more training. Tallchief and her family moved to Beverly Hills,
California. She started to study with Bronislava Nijinska and David
Lichine. Lichine was a student who danced with Pavlova, a famous
Russian ballerina. All of Tallchief's training paid off. She danced at
the age of 15 at the Hollywood Bowl in her first solo performance.
The performance was choreographed by Nijinska.
During her time in New York City, Tallchief continued to work
with Ballet Russe. From 1955 to 1966 she was a guest artist with the
company. Tallchief received the highest salary ever given to a
dancer. Unfortunately in 1955 Balanchine and Tallchief divorced.
In 1956 Tallchief remarried and had a child in 1958. This was her
only break from ballet. In 1959 she went back to the New York City
Ballet and created the Gounod Symphony with Balanchine. Tallchief
joined the American Ballet Theatre in 1960.
Tallchief spent five years with Nijinska. After graduating high
school, she joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in 1942. When
Tallchief first arrived, she was treated poorly. The Russian troupe
had never seen a Native American ballerina. They did not believe
Tallchief was talented enough. A famous choreographer named
George Balanchine joined the company. He saw that Tallchief was
talented. Balanchine made Tallchief an understudy to Alexandra
The next five years were busy for Tallchief. She danced with
famous Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev on American television in
1962. In 1965, she retired from dancing. However, her artistic
talent was shared with new, younger dancers. Tallchief moved to
Chicago and became the artistic director of the Lyric Opera Ballet in
1975. In 1981, she founded the Chicago City Ballet. Tallchief also
served as its artistic director until 1987.
Name
Maria Tallchief's graceful dancing and contributions to the world
of dance have been recognized by many people. She has won
awards and honors for her work in ballet. In 1953, she was honored
by the state of Oklahoma. She was given the honorary name of
Wa-Xthe-Thomba which means "Woman of Two Worlds."
Tallchief proved that a Native American could succeed as a prima
ballerina on any world stage. In 1999 she was presented with the
National Medal of the Arts award. This award is presented by the
National Endowment for the Arts in the United States. Tallchief's
work and accomplishments will continue to inspire future ballet
dancers for years to come.
Maria Tallchief - The Light of Two Worlds
Questions
1. Use context clues to define the word negotiate.
3. Sequence the following events in Maria Tallchief's life.
A. Was honored by the state of Oklahoma and given the
name Wa-Xthe-Thomba
B. Danced at the Hollywood Bowl in California
C. Tallchief remarried and had a child
D. Founded the Chicago City Ballet
4. What do you think "Woman of Two Worlds" means?
5. In 1959, Tallchief and Balanchine created ______.
A. Orpheus
B. The Song of Norway
C. The Gounod Symphony
D. The Firebird
6. Tallchief was the second American dancer to perform at the
Bolshoi Theatre in Russia with the Paris Opera Ballet.
A. True
B. False
7. What words would you use to describe Maria Tallchief?
Explain your answer.
2. Why do you think Tallchief's reputation grew when she danced
for Ballet Russe during the 1940s?
Name
8. Read the following sentence: However, Tallchief was very
dedicated to her craft. What does the word craft mean based
on the sentence?
Use the internet, nonfiction books, and other periodicals to research
the history of ballet dance. Where did the dance first begin? How has
this form of dance evolved? Write a research report that provides the
history of ballet, its characteristics, and its evolution over time.
Name
Unexpected Inspiration
By Colleen Messina
Stacy sighed and slouched down into her chair, hoping to disappear
from sight. Her green eyes rolled in exasperation as her bald,
middle-aged art teacher rambled on about their next project. Stacy
wanted to create works of art, not crafts, and the assignment to make a
gadget out of shoeboxes seemed like a tawdry imitation of true art.
A shrill bell sounded the liberation of the bored high school art class.
"And be sure to use a lot of color in your project!" shouted the
teacher, as hordes of students exited into the cool, dark hallway.
Stacy walked home, enjoying the gusty spring breezes laced with the
smell of freshly cut grass. She decided that she would assert herself
and figure out how to avoid this ridiculous assignment. Surely, she
could negotiate something.
"Mom, I'm home," Stacy called, as she burst through the front door.
"Can we hop on the bus and take a sojourn into the city this
afternoon? I am going crazy in my art class!"
Stacy was excited when they finally reached the broad stone steps in
front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Huge, sporadic flags hung
perpendicular to the building, announcing the latest exhibits inside.
Stacy and her mom hurried up the steps and into the museum. Stacy's
favorite exhibit was the Egyptian display. It was a replica of the
interior of a pyramid, complete with fancy hieroglyphics on the walls.
She imagined herself as an Egyptian princess, wearing gold necklaces
and black eyeliner. Stacy and her mom were tired after wandering
through a model of a prehistoric forest, an exhibit of misty Monet
watercolors, and a collection of Greek marble statues. Stacy was
famished, so she bought a hot pretzel from a vendor on the Museum
steps.
"I have surprise for you," said her mom. "We are going to a museum
you have never seen before. I feel compelled to show you Nicholas
Roerich's paintings."
Stacy felt too tired to enjoy another museum, especially since she was
convinced that art was not her destiny. She wanted to be an
archaeologist so she could study Egypt!
The Nicholas Roerich Museum was located in a renovated house on a
cobblestone street in an older section of the city. A spinster answered
the doorbell and peered at Stacy with piercing, steel-gray eyes.
"That is a great idea, sweetie. I just finished talking with my clients
about the closing date on their house, so I am free this afternoon. Let's
go!" Stacy's mom said. She was a real estate agent and loved a
spontaneous excursion into New York City.
"Welcome to the museum. I am the curator, but I won't detract from
your visit," said the woman in a terse tone. Her long black skirt
swirled with a flourish as she guided them into the foyer. Stacy drew
in a breath. Enormous, multicolored canvases lined every wall.
Brilliant shades of purple, aquamarine, and pink splashed across every
painting in the form of dazzling mountain ranges. Stacy had never
seen such chromatic beauty!
Stacy tucked her auburn hair into an emerald-green beret that
perfectly matched her eyes and slipped into a classy tweed jacket.
Then she swung a matching fringed scarf over her shoulder. Stacy
was pleased with her reflection in the mirror; at least she looked
artistic!
The subject matter was unique. Tibetan monasteries, yaks, riders on
horseback jumping from precipice to precipice, and large statues of
Buddha graced these incredible works of art. Stacy had never seen
anything like it and thought these paintings were better than any
display she had seen at the Metropolitan!
The creaking, overcrowded bus departed from a nearby street corner.
Soon mother and daughter watched the scenery gradually change from
lush, manicured lawns to tall skyscrapers poking like black fingers
above the smoggy haze of the city. Stacy told her mother all about art
class.
"Nicholas Roerich, a Russian artist, led a dangerous five-year
expedition through unexplored regions of central Asia in the 1920s.
He painted continuously during the trip, even at elevations of 11,000
feet in the Himalayas! He was the first westerner to visit some Tibetan
monasteries," the curator explained. Her voice was gentler now. Stacy
realized how much the curator loved the magnificent paintings.
here," said the curator with perfect diction.
Name
Stacy and her mom exchanged astonished glances.
Later that week, the art teacher praised Stacy's dazzling purple,
aquamarine, and pink shoebox creation.
Stacy wandered through the museum with a peaceful feeling of
reverence, realizing that these works of art could galvanize her to
continue her own artistic endeavors. On the landing of the second
floor, Stacy found a small door. She opened the door and peered
inside a wood-paneled cubicle. She saw many canvases leaning
against the walls. A grizzled man with bright eyes looked up from the
painting he was cleaning.
"Are you new to the master's work?" he asked with a ghastly,
toothless grin.
"Yes," replied Stacy. "His colors are simply amazing! How did he do
it?"
"Nicholas Roerich was a master of color, although his style was
abnormal for his time. He used tempera paint because the colors are
fresh and last a long time. First, he painted a single layer of a brilliant
shade, such as aquamarine, emerald green, crimson or sapphire blue.
After this layer dried, he painted over it to finish the work. The
original layer made the final canvas dazzling! He also was concerned
about protecting culture and met with President Roosevelt to negotiate
an international treaty to protect museums during wartime!" said the
strange man.
"Wherever did you get your inspiration?" he asked.
Unexpected Inspiration
Questions
1. When did Nicholas Roerich lead an expedition through Asia?
A. In the 1800s
B. In the 1970s
C. In the 1920s
2. What is the mood at the end of this story?
A. humorous
B. romantic
C. frightening
D. mysterious
3. Write a detailed description of the man Stacy met in the small
room. Was he real or not?
"I understand him perfectly; I am a renegade myself," Stacy said
quietly.
"I know," said the old man mysteriously.
Stacy withdrew from the little room. Her mind was spinning with
ideas about color. She realized that she still loved art. She might even
be able to create a shoebox model for her uninspired art teacher!
Stacy found her mom talking to the curator about a brilliant, midnight
blue Himalayan landscape.
"Mom, I met the most interesting man. He told me all about Nicholas
Roerich in a hidden room by the stairs," said Stacy.
"What man are you referring to? I am quite positive I am the only one
4. Where was Nicholas Roerich from?
A. the United States
B. Central Asia
C. Russia
D. Tibet
If you were to visit a large museum like the Metropolitan in New
York City, what would be your favorite exhibit and why?
Name
5. What color is the closest to aquamarine?
A. lavender
B. lemon yellow
C. burgundy red
D. blue-green
6. Imagine that you were invited on an exciting expedition to the
Himalayas. What do you think you might discover there?
7. Which word most closely matches the meaning of the word,
"galvanize," in paragraph 16?
8. What was the purpose of the treaty that Nicholas Roerich
negotiated?
A. to protect trade routes in the Himalayas
B. to create a political alliance with Tibetan monks
C. to protect artistic works during wartime
D. to patent his method of painting
their monkeys, added to the festive atmosphere. Donkey rides were a
children's favorite.
Name
Friday, January 25
Holidays
By Sharon Fabian
Holidays were not something new in Victorian
times, but they did take on a new significance.
Before this time, holidays had been mainly
religious in nature, but during the Victorian
era, the idea of holidays began to expand.
Holidays became times for family get-togethers
and family outings, like mini-vacations.
The change happened gradually. As the
middle class grew, with more free time and
more money to spend, families planned special
events for their days off from work. At first,
this was mainly on Sundays and Christmas
Day.
Then in 1871 with the passage of the Bank Holidays Act, workers
gained more days free from work. The Bank Holidays Act set aside
certain days that banks would be closed. This meant that other
businesses could not operate either, so workers got the days off. The
bank holidays in England were Easter Monday, a spring holiday
called Whit Monday, the first Monday in August, and Boxing Day,
which was usually the day after Christmas.
One of the most popular holiday activities was a day trip to the
seaside. Families would pack a picnic and take the train to Blackpool,
Southend-on-Sea, or another seaside town.
At that time, people did not go to the beach to get a sun tan as they do
today. Back then, the attraction was the brisk sea air. Adults took
walks on the beach and enjoyed being by the ocean. Little children
played in the sand, digging with their pails and shovels and building
sand castles.
As more people vacationed by the sea, seaside towns began to offer
more attractions. Long promenades were built where visitors could
stroll and enjoy the sea air and the sights. Bandstands were added, too,
for live music. Other entertainers, like clowns and organ grinders with
The favorite holiday of all, however, was probably Christmas, and
this one was usually celebrated at home. With the addition of Boxing
Day as a day off from work, families could enjoy a two-day Christmas
holiday.
Boxing Day was the traditional day for giving gifts to the poor and to
servants. Christmas boxes were filled with money and other useful
presents and given out on this day.
Christmas Day was celebrated in a big way in Victorian England, as
it is today. In fact, many of our ideas of a traditional Christmas date
back to this time. Picture a Christmas scene right out of a pretty
Christmas card; you will probably be looking back at a Victorian
Christmas. A yule log crackled in the big fireplace. Red-berried holly
draped the mantles. The gaslights were decked out with garlands of
evergreen that gave a woodsy pine scent to the air.
The celebration began on Christmas Eve when the children began
their wait for the arrival of Santa Claus.
Christmas Day was a day for feasting and opening presents. Children
received useful presents, like thick wooly scarves and fun presents,
like building sets, dolls, toy soldiers, and story books. Christmas
stockings gave up treats, such as apples, oranges, and candies.
At dinner the family sat down to a table laden with a roasted goose
and all the trimmings. Children and adults popped Christmas crackers
for the small prizes hidden inside. In the evening, everyone sang
Christmas carols including "O, Come All Ye Faithful" and "Away in a
Manger."
Many things have changed since Victorian times. Today, we have
more holidays than the people did in Victorian times. Children have
the whole summer off from school, and families often take vacation
trips for a week or more. Still, the beach is a favorite family getaway,
and Christmas, when it is at its most joyful and jolly, is still much like
it was in Victorian times.
Name
Friday, January 25
Holidays
Questions
1. Beginning in the Victorian era, more families were able to
enjoy leisure time.
A. false
B. true
2. The first holidays were celebrated during the Victorian era.
A. true
B. false
3. Sunbathing at the beach was popular during Victorian times.
A. true
B. false
4. Victorian Christmas celebrations were strictly religious with
no visits from Santa Claus or gifts.
A. false
B. true
5. The ______ gave families more leisure time.
A. Holidays Act
B. Bank Holidays Act
C. Seaside Act
D. Christmas Holiday Act
6. The day after Christmas when gifts were given to the poor was
known as ______.
A. Christmas Eve
B. Seaside Holiday
C. Boxing Day
D. Christmas Sunday
7. Vacationers taking a stroll by the sea could enjoy ______.
A. sea air
B. music
C. entertainment
D. all of the above
8. Christmas favors that contained small prizes and popped when
opened were called ______.
A. yule logs
B. poppers
C. crackers
D. crackerjacks
Name
Friday, January 25
Kim Il-Sung
By Vickie Chao
Democratic People's
Republic of Korea, a.k.a. North
Korea, is one of the world's
poorest, least-understood, and
most isolated countries. And
there is nothing about it that is
remotely democratic despite its
name, for it is also an absolute
totalitarian state.
Founded on September 9,
1948, this mysterious nation
occupies the northern half of the
Korean Peninsula. For more than five decades now, it has never
given up the idea of overtaking its southern neighbor, Republic of
Korea, a.k.a. South Korea. The two countries, separated by the
famous 38th parallel north, are like the opposites of two extremes.
Whereas South Korea is prosperous, North Korea is destitute.
Whereas South Korea is industrialized and technologically advanced,
North Korea does not even have a stable supply of electricity.
Whereas people in South Korea can express their opinions without
fear of retribution,people in North Korea are better off keeping their
thoughts to themselves.
To comprehend what kind of country North Korea really is, we
must first become familiar with one name -- Kim Il-Sung.
Kim Il-Sung was born on April 15, 1912, near Pyongyang. When
he was about eight years old, his parents moved the entire family to
Manchuria (the northeastern region of China) and lived there for
several years. During his stay in China, Kim Il-Sung attended a
local school and became fluent in Chinese. In 1929, he was briefly
jailed for being a member of a student political group led by the
South Manchurian Communist Youth Association. After he was
released, he dropped out of school and joined the Northeast
Anti-Japanese United Army. For the next few years, he rose through
the ranks quickly. Everybody in the organization recognized his
potential. By the mid-1930s, he decided to change his name from
Kim Song-Ju to Kim Il-Sung, supposedly in memory of his uncle
who was a participant of the so-called March First Movement (or the
Samil Movement, an uprising against the Japanese occupation of
Korea in 1919).
When the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out on July 7, 1937,
the Japanese began to crack down on guerrillas with a heavy hand.
Knowing that his life was in serious danger, Kim Il-Sung and his
followers fled from China to seek safety in Siberia, Russia. (Back
then, Russia was called the Soviet Union.) While there, his second
wife gave birth to a son whom he named Kim Jong-Il. Interestingly
enough, the father-and-son duo would later deny that fact. The
official history of North Korea claims that Kim Jong-Il was born in a
log cabin on the slopes of North Korea's highest and most sacred
mountain, Paektu-san. As if that story is not embellished enough, it
goes on to say that there was a double rainbow and a bright star in
the sky to mark that auspicious moment. Even the actual year of
Kim Jong-Il's birth is now in controversy, too. The record in Russia
indicated that it was in February 1941, but the North Korean
government insists that it was the following year when Kim Il-Sung
turned thirty years of age.
Kim Il-Sung and his family stayed in Russia until 1945. After the
U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the
Japanese Emperor Hirohito surrendered on August 14, 1945, ending
both the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Along with
the victory, the Koreans finally regained their independence. And it
was during that time that Kim Il-Sung returned to his homeland as a
major in the Soviet Army. One year later, he helped to establish the
Korean Workers' Party (KWP) and assumed the leadership role until
the day he died.
The trouble in the Korean Peninsula after the defeat of Japan was
far from over. Separated by the 38th parallel north, the northern half
was backed by the Soviet Union and the southern area by the United
Nations and the U.S. The divide would later become the border
between two countries; both declared independence in 1948. Kim
Il-Sung was the Prime Minister of North Korea from the very first
day. One of his ambitions was to overtake South Korea. To realize
his dream of uniting the whole peninsula under one regime, he
launched the Korean War on June 25, 1950. The campaign seemed
to favor Kim Il-Sung at first, for his forces captured Seoul (the
capital of South Korea) on June 28. But the victory turned out to be
short-lived. As the soldiers from the U.S. and United Nations began
to pour in to help South Korea, the North Korean army retreated and
his death are national holidays.
Name
Friday, January 25
gave up Seoul in late September. Less than a month later,
Pyongyang (the capital of North Korea) fell, forcing Kim Il-Sung to
be on the run. He went to China and persuaded the Chinese
government to pitch in. For the next three years, the conflict
dragged on. At last, a cease-fire was reached on July 27, 1953, using
the 38th parallel north once again to be the border between North
Korea and South Korea. Along the line, there is now the so-called
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), about 155 miles long and 2.5 miles wide.
Troops from either side must be stationed outside of it. Right down
the center of the DMZ is the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).
Soldiers from one side may patrol within their own DMZ, but they
can never cross over the MDL.
After the Korean War ended with a stalemate, Kim Il-Sung began
his economic reforms. He launched a five-year plan to make all the
industries state-owned and all the farms collectivized. He introduced
the concept of Juche in a speech delivered on December 28, 1955.
He later explained the ideal and outlined the three principles. In
short, Juche means to be self-reliant in politics, economy, and
national defense. When the North Korean government issued its
new constitution in 1972, it made Juche the country's official
ideology. The same year, Kim Il-Sung became the President, and a
personality cult centering around him and his son was in full swing.
Like the mystified tale of Kim Jong-Il's birth, the state propaganda
continues to present Kim Il-Sung as the person who could do no
wrong. Henceforth, even long after the country's economy collapsed
and millions died of starvation, the North Korean government
refuses to relent because acknowledging the problems would be a
direct insult to Kim Il-Sung or the "Great Leader." To remain true to
the core concepts of Juche, North Korea shuns outsiders. On the
rare occasions when foreigners are allowed to visit, their trips are
scripted, down to the minute. They cannot travel on their own.
They cannot talk to whomever they want. Under such an oppressive
regime, it is extremely difficult to find out how much of the
international food aid actually reached the hands of the mass public.
The little information we have often comes from the North Koreans
who risked their lives to escape to a better place.
Kim Il-Sung died on July 8, 1994. His son and successor, Kim
Jong-Il (or the "Dear Leader"), later proclaimed that his father is the
country's Eternal President. Both his birthday and the anniversary of
The picture shows Kim Jong Il, 3 years old, with father, Kim Il
Sung, and mother, Kim Jong Suk.
Kim Il-Sung
Questions
1. Which of the following about Kim Il-Sung is true?
A. He was North Korea's "Dear Leader."
B. True to his belief of being self-reliant, he did not ask for
help from other countries during the Korean War.
C. The new constitution in 1972 made him the country's
Eternal President.
D. He established the Korean Workers' Party in 1946.
2. Which of the following events took place first?
A. The DMZ was established to serve as a buffer zone
between North Korea and South Korea.
B. Kim Il-Sung fled to Siberia, Russia.
C. The Second Sino-Japanese War broke out.
D. Japan surrendered and ended World War II.
3. Which country was on North Korea's side during the Korean
War?
A. China
B. The Philippines
C. Japan
D. The United States
4. Which of the following wars lasted the longest?
A. The Second World War
B. The Second Sino-Japanese War
C. The Korean War
D. The Six-Day War
Name
Friday, January 25
5. Who instigated the Korean War?
A. U.S. General Douglas MacArthur
B. Kim Jong-Il
C. U.S. President Harry S. Truman
D. Kim Il-Sung
6. Which of the following is NOT a principle of Juche?
A. To be self-sufficient in national defense
B. To be economically independent
C. To be politically independent
D. To be culturally independent
7. What is North Korea's official name?
A. Republic of Korea
B. Democratic People's Republic of Korea
8. Which of the following words would people NOT use to
describe North Korea?
A. Isolated
B. Free
C. Oppressive
D. Totalitarian
In your opinion, who is the most notorious dictator in history?
Explain why you chose him or her.
Name
Saturday, January 26
Myanmar Cyclone Relief: Ler Shee's Story
By Jennifer Kenny
Ler Shee survived. He
survived a horrific
catastrophe. He survived
the loss of his immediate
family. He survived
Cyclone Nargis. Cyclone
Nargis hit Asia in May of
2008. It was the deadliest
cyclone to hit this area
since 1991. A cyclone is a tornado, or a storm with a quiet center that
is surrounded by strong, destructive winds. The cyclone was
particularly devastating to the southern part of Ler Shee's country,
Myanmar. In fact, the most severe destruction occurred in the
Irrawaddy Delta region, a place Ler Shee called home.
Myanmar, or Burma, is an underdeveloped region. The government is
ruled by an authoritarian military regime. The government suppresses
anyone who is against it. There's even a law that makes it illegal to
gather in groups of more than five people. Even peaceful
demonstrations are illegal. Medical care is considered quite
inadequate, even for routine care. In 2008, it was estimated that
approximately 48 million people were living in Myanmar.
Cyclone Nargis was quite obviously devastating in a country that was
struggling to begin with. According to the United Nations, Cyclone
Nargis killed more than 84,000 people and more than 53,000 are still
missing. It also left over two million people needing food, shelter, and
medical care. The infrastructure in many areas was destroyed.
Where Ler Shee lives 95 percent of the homes were destroyed. Ler
Shee lost his mother, his father, his sister, and his brother in the
tragedy. The sights around him were grim. He was terrified. It took
days to reunite Ler Shee with his aunt, but after everything and
everyone he had lost, he was so happy to see her. Some of his friends
were not so lucky.
Relief efforts began immediately. Certain organizations, such as
UNICEF, had relief workers already in Myanmar. They were focusing
on vaccinations, HIV prevention, malnutrition, infant mortality, safe
drinking water, and malaria prevention.
When countries around the world realized the devastation and
destruction, a global response was launched. The problem was the
military government refused most help at the beginning of the crisis.
For example, military helicopters from neighboring countries were not
allowed to enter the country to help. Therefore, relief agencies had to
find private helicopters to bring in materials, thereby wasting precious
time and money. Even as late as June of 2008, U.S. Navy ships were
not allowed permission to help for fear that the United States would
invade and steal oil instead of truly providing help to the people.
Immediately after any mammoth catastrophe, people need basic
necessities, diseases need to be prevented, and temporary shelters
need to be established. People immediately needed water containers
and water purification tablets because the water was contaminated.
Tarps were needed since roofs were gone. Hygiene kits and mosquito
nets were needed for health and cleaning. Only the tiniest amount of
flexibility on the part of the government allowed help to arrive during
the aftermath. Months afterward, some remote areas, where access
was most difficult, still lacked assistance.
In the middle of 2008, conditions in some areas gradually improved
while the hardest hit areas still lacked many basics and were at high
risk. Relief agencies on the ground have shifted into recovery mode.
Ler Shee has benefited from some of these services. For example, the
public schools that were destroyed in the cyclone obviously were not
open. While schools are being rebuilt, relief organizations are creating
temporary learning spaces with basic furniture, latrines, and water
tanks. Ler Shee also goes to a child-friendly space with his aunt. It's a
temporary playroom with books, balls, bowling pins, and so on. These
little things offer tiny elements of a normal life. In the meantime, the
people of Myanmar have a long road ahead.
Name
Saturday, January 26
Myanmar Cyclone Relief: Ler Shee's Story
7. Which was NOT an immediate need to Ler Shee the day after
the cyclone hit?
A. shelter
B. clean water
C. video games
D. care
Questions
1. Myanmar and ______ are names for the same country.
A. Burma
B. Japan
C. China
D. Indonesia
2. Nargis refers to a(n) ______ of 2008.
A. tsunami
B. earthquake
C. hurricane
D. cyclone
3. The government of Myanmar is a ______.
A. democracy
B. military regime
C. monarchy
4. The government of Myanmar was open to outside help
immediately following the catastrophe.
A. True
B. False
5. Which is true about the aftermath of Nargis in Myanmar?
A. Ler Shee lost his parents.
B. Over 84,000 people were killed.
C. Ninety-five percent of homes in the area were destroyed.
D. all of the above
6. Disease is an immediate concern after a natural disaster hits a
region.
A. True
B. False
Imagine you are a relief worker. What immediate needs do you see
after the cyclone hits?
and William L. Garrison.
Name
Sunday, January 27
Susan B. Anthony
By Mary L. Bushong
Have you ever thought about how
different life was for women before
the 1900's? They had almost no
rights, much like slaves. Money
they earned was usually paid to
their husbands. They were not
allowed to vote. Many women
wanted to make changes, but it did
not really begin to happen until a
woman by the name of Susan B.
Anthony stepped into the picture.
Susan was born on February 15, 1820, in Adams, Massachusetts.
Parents who were social activists raised her in a strict Quaker home.
She was not allowed to play with toys or games or have music. Her
father did not want his children distracted by things which were not
important. He wanted them to learn to be self-disciplined and have a
strong sense of their own self worth.
Young Susan was very bright, learning to read and write when she
was just three years old. When she was six, her family moved to
Battensville, New York. There she attended the local public school,
until the teacher refused to teach her long division. Susan's father set
up a school at home for his daughters. Mary Perkins taught it. This
teacher gave Susan and her sisters an example of an independent,
educated woman.
Susan eventually attended a boarding school in Philadelphia and then
taught school for a time before moving back to her parent's home in
Rochester, New York. It was from there that she began her own
activist career on behalf of the Abolitionists and Temperance.
Abolitionists wanted slavery to be ended, and Temperance was a
movement to help people reduce or stop drinking alcohol. It also tried
to help women and children with alcoholic family members.
Susan's family had been long-time supporters of the Abolitionists.
She knew or met many of its leaders, including Frederick Douglass
When Susan became more involved in the Temperance movement,
she found she had a problem. As a woman, she was not allowed to get
up and speak at rallies where men were in attendance. This was a
source of great frustration to her and other female activists such as
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Amelia Bloomer.
In 1854 Susan devoted most of her time to the Abolitionist cause and
became an agent for the American Anti-Slavery Society. She was
threatened by hostile mobs, was hung in effigy, and her image was
dragged through the streets. After the Civil War, from 1868-1870, she
and Elizabeth Stanton produced a weekly paper called "The
Revolution." In it, she advocated an eight-hour workday and equal
pay for equal work.
In 1872 Susan began demanding the same civil and political rights
for women that had been extended to blacks in the 14th and 15th
amendments. She was arrested when she tried to vote in a presidential
election. When she was convicted of breaking the law, she
successfully refused to pay the fine, which was her punishment. From
that point on she worked tirelessly to get a federal women's suffrage
amendment.
Between 1881 and 1902 Susan and others published four of the six
volumes of History of Woman Suffrage. By the 1890's people stopped
laughing at her and finally began to respect what she was working for.
In spite of all her hard work and efforts over the years, Susan died in
1906 without seeing the result she wanted so much. It was not until
1920 that the 19th amendment was passed, which gave American
women the right to vote. Her contribution to helping women get the
vote was honored in 1979 with her image on a one-dollar coin. She
was the first woman to be so honored in the United States.
When Susan B. Anthony was young, women had few legal rights.
Through the efforts of her and many others like her, women can get a
higher education, work at almost any job, own property, hold public
office, and vote. While she never married or had children, she left a
legacy of inspiration to make the world a better place, and it is still
felt today.
5. What was the name of Susan's weekly newspaper?
Name
Sunday, January 27
Susan B. Anthony
Questions
1. Why didn't Susan's parents let her play with toys or games?
2. Which two famous Abolitionist reformers did Susan know?
3. How old was Susan when she learned to read and write?
A. 3 years old
B. 7 years old
C. 5 years old
D. 2 years old
4. The Temperance movement wanted to help people with
A. money problems
B. smoking problems
C. drinking problems
6. How did people treat Susan when she became an agent for the
American Anti-Slavery Society?
7. What two amendments gave more civil and legal rights to
blacks?
8. How was Susan B. Anthony honored in 1979?
Name
Sunday, January 27
9. If you had grown up when Susan did how would you have
tackled these same issues she faced?
Name
Sunday, January 27
Boomers and Bomb Shelters - The Nifty Fifties
By Toni Lee Robinson
The decade of the Fifties was a funny time in U.S. history. It was
as if the culture as a whole was engaged in a massive role-play. The
Forties, with their dark clouds of war, had at long last departed.
Now, Americans wanted more than anything just to live without
drama. They wanted to live in a stable, forward-looking nation with
no problems. They wanted prosperous families with nothing more
warlike to worry about than the kids playing "Cowboys and Indians"
in the back yard.
The happy event of soldiers returning from war had already taken
care of the family department. The explosion of post-war babies was
called a "boom." (Now, over fifty years later, people born in the
post-war boom are nearing retirement age. They are still known as
the "baby boomers!")
Many of these Fifties families found that post-war life was
settling into some pretty comfortable patterns. They'd lived through
the hardships of the Great Depression and the rationing and sacrifice
of WWII. Now, many families were enjoying a steady paycheck. At
the same time, industry was producing a bountiful supply of goods to
buy.
A major focus of Fifties culture was material. The "stuff is good"
mentality was reflected in the newest form of
entertainment-television. The number of TV sets owned by
households in the U.S skyrocketed during the decade. In 1950, there
were ten and a half million TVs. By 1958 there were 45 million.
TV programs of the day showed Americans a pleasant, rosy
picture of themselves. Shows like Leave It to Beaver, Father Knows
Best, and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet were about middle
American families who lived in nice homes and solved all their
problems by the end of each 30-minute episode. Whether it really
panned out that way or not, families at least thought they should look
like the ones on TV, with Dad going off to work and Mom in the
housewife role. The male-female employment rate was 5-1 at the
time.
Homes-preferably located outside the busy, smoggy cities-were
an important purchase for Fifties families. The decade saw a mass
migration of city dwellers to a new Utopia-the suburbs. There were
some nagging problems in Paradise, however. While many white
families acquired mortgages and bought homes in Suburbia, families
of other races weren't so fortunate. A higher percentage of mortgage
requests from black and Hispanic families were denied by banks.
They ran into trouble in the course of pursuing the American Dream
of home ownership.
Federal funds had been set aside to make it easier for low-income
families to own homes. Non-white applicants were approved for
these loans more frequently than they were for regular bank loans.
But there were often only certain areas of a city in which a non-white
family could purchase a home with the loaned funds. The dreams
non-whites had of moving their families out of crowded ghettos
often went unfulfilled.
Investigators discovered that banks and some government
housing officials had actually taken maps of their cities and marked
off certain areas, sometimes with red pencil. These were usually
poor, non-white neighborhoods. No money would be loaned for
purchases within the marked areas. This practice came to be called "
redlining." Eventually, discrimination in lending was outlawed. In
the Fifties, however, it intensified segregation and poverty in cities.
Many civic governments in the Fifties era took action to "clean
up" the inner cities. The Federal Highway Department began
building roadways through the heart of urban areas. Older, shabbier
sectors were demolished to make space for new freeways and
sparkling new cityscapes. This process of "urban renewal" displaced
thousands of residents. Many were turned out of what had been
thriving-if somewhat down at the heels-ethnic neighborhoods.
Relations between blacks and whites was a problem simmering
below the surface of the Fifties culture. The struggle for civil rights
was not new. In the Fifties, however, America saw the first effective
stirrings of the Civil Rights Movement that would ultimately change
the nation. It began with individual black people refusing to bow to
segregation in schools and buses. Leaders like Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. arose during the Fifties to give focus and structure to civil
rights efforts.
For the most part, rural and small-town America lived the idyllic
Fifties image. They didn't have to worry about urban renewal or race
2. Judging from general trends of the era, what would you say
people of the Fifties wanted their lives to be like?
Name
Sunday, January 27
riots. There was another problem lurking in the depths of the nation's
consciousness, however-one that touched farm and city dweller alike.
A potent fear had invaded the country. Communism and the atomic
bomb had become the stuff of which nightmares are made.
People feared China and/or Russia would launch a nuclear attack
against the U.S. Many families built some type of shelter in their
backyards. They hoped the bunkers would protect them in case of a
nuclear explosion. In addition to nuclear worries, a major panic took
place in the U.S. over the elusive "enemy within." Were Communist
sympathizers in the U.S. on a covert mission to undermine the
system? Suspected Communists were blacklisted and harassed. As
weary of war as they were, Americans answered the trumpet call
again as the UN battled Communism in Korea.
In the Fifties, America was caught between what it wanted to be
and what it was. Like a child trying to look confident and dignified,
dressed up in Mother's heels or Father's business suit, it kept tripping
on the carpet.
Boomers and Bomb Shelters - The Nifty Fifties
Questions
1. What factors brought about the cultural climate of the Fifties?
3. How were the lives of non-white families different from
whites in the Fifties?
4. "Baby boomers" are people who:
A. Were part of an explosion of births that took place after
servicemen returned from WWII
B. Advocated the use of nuclear weapons to end the Korean
War
C. Were born to "war brides" brought home by soldiers of
the Korean War
D. Led efforts to care for children left fatherless by soldiers
killed in WWII
5. One of the most popular consumer items in the Fifties was:
A. Television sets
B. Radios
C. Video games
D. Automatic dishwashers
Name
Sunday, January 27
6. Television programming of the Fifties tended to portray:
A. The lively, sometimes volatile interplay of differing
outlooks in American culture
B. Prosperous, white, middle American families with men as
breadwinners and women as housewives
C. The misery and violence of war
D. The harmonious ethnic diversity that Americans desired
to encourage
7. "Redlining" and urban renewal were related in that:
A. Redlining was the process by which leaders of ethnic
groups directed urban renewal programs to restore inner
city neighborhoods.
B. Both were housing and development practices that caused
hardship to non-white families in cities.
C. They were the most popular government housing and
development practices ever carried out.
D. Loss of homes and neighborhoods in Fifties urban
renewal projects caused a collapse in families referred to
by sociologists as "redlining."
8. The article is written from the point of view that the Fifties
was a time when American culture was trying to be something
that it never quite achieved. Do you agree with this view? Why
or why not?
Give an example of how individuals and families are influenced by the
times in which they live. Use at least two different generations of
people to illustrate your example.
has hairs, can see and hear, and is ready to venture outside.
Name
Monday, January 28
Unusual Mammals: Marsupials &
Monotremes
Mammals, by definition, are haired,
warm-blooded vertebrate animals that
feed their young with milk. While most
mammals (such as lions and rodents)
give birth to live young in their nests,
others are wired to rear their offspring
differently. Scientists divide these other
mammals into two groups: marsupials and monotremes. Oddly,
Australia is like a magnet to mammals that strive to be unique.
Evidence? Most marsupials reside in Australia, and all monotremes
establish their homes on this giant continent that we nickname the
Down Under.
So, what animals are marsupials, and what animals are
monotremes? Furthermore, what make marsupials and monotremes
exceptional?
Of nearly 300 marsupial species, kangaroos and koalas are not
only the most famous marsupials, but also symbols of Australia.
Aside from these two well-known animals, opossums, wombats,
bandicoots, and Tasmanian devils - to name just a few - are also
marsupials. Although marsupials give birth to live young, they do so
at a very early stage of the embryo's development. Hence, baby
marsupials are not yet fully formed when they are born.
Let's use the koala as an example. A female koala gives birth to a
single baby once a year. Her baby (called a "joey") is tiny in
comparison to herself - a joey measures about 0.8 inches long and
weighs under 0.2 ounces, whereas its mother averages around 24-34
inches in length and 10-30 pounds in weight. The newborn is blind,
hairless, and earless. Yet, its front limbs and sense of smell are fully
developed. Following the scent of its mother's milk, the joey slowly
crawls on its front limbs and claws to find the entrance into its
mother's pouch. Once inside, it attaches itself to one of the two
nipples that swells to fill its mouth. The joey remains in the pouch
for the next six months. When the six-month period is over, the joey
If you think marsupials are unusual, then you will think
monotremes are just outright bizarre! Although there are only three
living monotreme species - the platypus, the short-beaked echidna,
and the long-beaked echidna - their uniqueness forced scientists to
rewrite the definition of mammals.
Prior to the discovery of monotremes in the 18th century,
scientists stated that all mammals give birth to live young. Thus,
you can imagine how shocked scientists were when they came across
mammals with reptile-like breeding behaviors. That's right!
Platypuses and echidnas lay eggs, and their soft-shelled eggs look
quite similar to those laid by snakes or other reptiles. Aside from the
fact that monotremes don't give birth to live young, scientists also
discovered that female monotremes lack one thing that all other
female mammals have - nipples. Instead of nipples, female
monotremes have mammary glands where milk oozes out onto two
patches of fur on their bellies for their young to suckle.
After rounds of discussions and lengthy debates that went on for
nearly a century, scientists finally conceded that platypuses and
echidnas are indeed mammals, as they feed their young with milk.
Although nobody knows why most marsupials and all
monotremes are found only in Australia, we do know one thing - if
we want to have a close encounter with, say, an echidna, we must
visit this beautiful, wondrous continent that is just full of surprises!
Unusual Mammals: Marsupials & Monotremes
Questions
1. Which of the following statements about marsupials is correct?
A. Marsupials have mammary glands.
B. Marsupials lay eggs.
C. Koalas and echidnas are examples of marsupials.
D. Baby marsupials are not yet fully developed when they
are born.
Imagine you are a scientist witnessing the birth of a joey. Describe its
development in an article for a science magazine for kids.
Name
Monday, January 28
2. Which of the following statements about monotremes is
correct?
A. Platypuses, short-beaked opossums, and long-beaked
opossums are the only three monotreme species on Earth.
B. Monotremes feed their young with milk.
C. Baby monotremes attach themselves to their mother's
nipples that swell to fill their mouths.
D. Monotremes' eggs are hard-shelled.
3. Marsupials live nowhere else but in Australia.
A. True
B. False
4. Which of the following is NOT a marsupial?
A. The flying squirrel
B. The red kangaroo
C. The black-shouldered opossum
D. The common wombat
5. Which of the following is NOT a monotreme?
A. The long-beaked echidna
B. The Tasmanian devil
C. The platypus
D. The short-beaked echidna
6. What makes an animal a mammal?
A. It has a pouch to carry its young.
B. It feeds its young with milk.
C. It lays eggs.
D. It gives birth to live young.
7. What do female platypuses feed their newborns with?
A. Milk
B. Grass
C. Eucalyptus leaves
D. Fish
Name
Monday, January 28
Great Aunt Ella's Treasures
By Colleen Messina
Erica lazily lounged in bed and breathed in the delicious smell of
clover wafting through her open window. Her mother had already
called her once, but Erica loved the luxury of sleeping late on
summer days. She knew she should strive for a more disciplined
schedule...starting tomorrow.
"Erica Magdalena, GET UP! Remember, you have to visit Great
Aunt Ella," called her mom. Her mother's voice sounded dissonant.
Erica was averse to her old-fashioned middle name and felt
disgusted when her mother used it.
Erica felt that visiting Great Aunt Ella would be a trial. Ella
looked like a sweet woman, but sometimes she was a vixen. She
wore her silvery hair pulled back in a modest bun, and her
wire-rimmed glasses were perched demurely on the end of a nose as
rough and rosy as a partially ripe strawberry. However, sweet Great
Aunt Ella usually launched into a pugnacious discourse about
modern fashion when she saw Erica's tight blue jeans and
spaghetti-strap tops. Erica tried to conduct herself respectfully, but it
took time for her bruised feelings to subside after Ella's criticism.
"Coming, Mom, but I've got to shampoo my hair," called Erica.
"Your great aunt is expecting us at 10 am sharp, and it is 9:40
now, so I'll call and reassure her that we're on our way," answered
her mom.
Erica was relieved that her mother's voice sounded buoyant again.
Erica had lots to collect for her 4H project on genealogy at the
Crawford County Summer Fair. Erica hoped to find a family tree,
birth and marriage certificates, heirloom jewelry, and old
photographs at her great aunt's house, if she could survive the visit.
It would be worth it, though, if she won a blue ribbon at the fair!
Erica loved going on the dizzying rides, then eating homemade
bratwurst followed by sparkly cups of shaved ice in obnoxious neon
colors. The county farmers were jubilant about their harvest each
year and proudly displayed their enormous cucumbers, saucer-sized
zinnias, and delectable tomatoes. The livestock barns housed fuzzy
lambs, bleating goats, and lethargic pigs, but Erica secretly admitted
that the animals were not the real reason she visited the barns. What
she really liked to do was to chat with the boys who tended the
animals!
"Mom, I'm ready! It's only 9:52," said Erica.
"Here is a bagel to eat in the car," replied her mother with a
devious smile, as she deliberately handed Erica a hot cinnamon bagel
spread with cream cheese. Breakfast consumption had been an
ongoing discussion between mother and daughter for some time.
Erica thought the idea that breakfast was the most important meal of
the day was ridiculous. If she did not feel like eating a meal, why
was it so important? However, the toasty bagel made her mouth
water in anticipation, and soon Erica was munching happily.
The drive took them on roads lined with cornfields and lumbering
cattle. The corn's golden, translucent tassels waved against the
turquoise sky like triumphant flags. Occasionally, they passed a
square Victorian house with delicate wrought-iron porch railings and
overflowing vegetable gardens nearby. The fields were comforting,
but Erica was looking forward to graduating in two years and going
to college in California.
They cruised up Ella's driveway, and Erica noticed that the large,
luscious, lavender lilacs next to the porch were in full bloom.
Voluminous, decorative pots of red geraniums sat next to the door.
Great Aunt Ella peered at them through the screen.
"Well, there you are! Come in quickly, and don't let the flies in,"
she snapped.
Erica and her Mom slipped in. The screen door slammed shut
with a terrific bang.
"Hello, Great Aunt Ella," Erica said nervously. She waited for her
great aunt's usual caustic remarks about her clothes but, surprisingly,
none came.
"Your mom told me you need things for your 4H display about
the family. Let's go to the attic to help you in your foray into
genealogy," replied Ella.
"OK, great!" answered Erica, astounded at her great aunt's sudden
Great Aunt Ella's Treasures
Name
Monday, January 28
graciousness.
A single bulb hanging from the ceiling at the top of the attic
staircase eerily lit a vast collection of mahogany furniture,
black-and-white portraits in broken frames, and lamps edged with
beaded fringe. Great Aunt Ella's many treasures were a revelation to
Erica!
"Over there is a box of antique jewelry, and here is my old photo
album. You may have my superfluous photographs," explained Ella.
Erica leafed through the crinkly yellow pages cautiously and
looked carefully at the somber white faces that seemed to stare back
at her. Why didn't those people ever smile? Some photos featured
people with tinted pink cheeks, but that was the only trace of color.
Erica was startled when she found a photo of a delicate, young girl in
an ominously dark bathing suit. The girl, who bore a remarkable
resemblance to her great aunt, was not smiling, but her eyes held a
mischievous twinkle.
"Yes, that photograph was taken when I was sixteen. I had quite a
reputation as an accomplished swimmer! I would have loved one of
those multicolored suits you wear now rather than those horrible
trunks!" Great Aunt Ella said wistfully.
Questions
1. What does the word "trial" mean in paragraph 3?
A. a walking path
B. a legal proceeding
C. a difficult experience
2. What subject was a point of contention between Erica and her
mom?
A. what Erica should use in her fair display
B. whether they should visit Great Aunt Ella that day
C. Erica's choice of clothes
D. Erica's breakfast habits
3. What was the relationship between Erica's mother and Erica's
Great Aunt Ella?
A. Erica's mother was Ella's granddaughter
B. Erica's mother was Ella's niece
C. There was no relationship between Erica's mother and
Ella
D. Erica's mother was Ella's sister
Erica realized with amazement that Ella was a teenager once, too.
Did Ella actually like some of the flamboyant styles of today?
Faultless script under the photograph noted: Ella Magdalena, age 16.
4. The phrase, "large, luscious, lavender lilacs" is an example of
what literary device?
A. simile
B. alliteration
C. synonym
D. metaphor
Magdalena! Erica looked at her great aunt with renewed
appreciation, and now she was sure her 4H project would be a
success. She suddenly had an idea! Turning to Great Aunt Ella, she
asked, "Can you help me shop for a bathing suit?"
5. the farmers only displayed edible items at the fair.
A. False
B. True
Great Aunt Ella's eyes lit up with a mischievous twinkle.
Name
Monday, January 28
6. Would pumpkins be displayed at a summer fair? Why or why
not?______
7. What does the word "genealogy" mean?
A. an account of the descent of a family
B. a display of vegetables
C. the study of the history of blue jeans
D. the study of chromosomes
8. Where does Erica plan to go to college?
A. Colorado
B. Ohio
C. Erica does not plan to attend college
D. California
Imagine that you discovered a secret compartment off of the attic in
your grandmother's home. What exciting treasure would you
discover, and what would you do with it?

Bill Bixby - Mrs. Jones Elizabeth High School

Transcription

Similar documents

H O R T O N G A L L E R Y

Homecoming Packet 2015-2016 - Meeting Portal

Songwriter Collage

Nancy Levin Zizmor [76] tells us that her hob

SOCIAL SELLING

Hawaiian Champagne Brunch

GSML enola PA flier 2015.indd

Architectural Digest

BETWEEN THE COVERS RARE BOOKS