Tour Africa with Jacob GirAFT

What is the world’s largest living land animal? How many languages are spoken in Africa? This summer, students can learn the answers to these and other questions by taking a “virtual safari” with the AFT Summer Field Trip 2007. The field trip features a board game in which players “travel” throughout Africa by answering trivia questions about the geography, cultures and animals of this diverse and spectacular continent.

The game “board,” which includes four African-mask game pieces and dozens of trivia game cards, is available on a full-color, two-sided poster in Spanish and English. The Summer Field Trip also is available online at www.aft.org/fieldtrip and features beginner, advanced and Spanish versions, downloadable wallpapers, and additional games to spark children’s imaginations and interest.

For the second year in a row, the National Geographic Society’s My Wonderful World campaign is working with the AFT to promote fun sum-mer learning and help to close the achievement gap.

For free copies of the AFT Summer Field Trip, contact the AFT public affairs department at 202/879-4458.

 

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AFT vice president writes children’s books

As if being a teacher, a United Federation of Teachers officer and an AFT vice president weren’t enough, Michelle Bodden also has written two children’s books—and plans to start on a third this summer. Her most recent book, Obara the Gatekeeper, was published last year. Like her 2004 debut, Obara and the Merchants, the second work is based on Yoruban stories from Nigeria that Bodden has told to her own children.

Writing is clearly a labor of love for Bodden, but she also sees a connection to her duties as the UFT’s elementary school vice president. “My work at UFT is very focused on creating better school environments and working conditions for educators,” she says. “Writing is a great way for me to stay connected with children, so I think my two passions complement each other.”

Bodden published the books through her own company, Water Daughter Publishing. Obara and the Merchants won honorable mention at the 13th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards. Bodden is also proud of the messages contained in the books, which include colorful illustrations by Kwenci Jones. They aim to teach children important lessons in areas like honesty and hard work, while still providing entertainment.

Both books are available on amazon.com , and more information can be found at www.waterdaughter.com .

 

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Out of the classroom and into the pool

Did you know that drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children between 1 and 14 years old?

As schools close for the summer and swimming pools open, the USA Swimming Foundation and Discovery Education want to raise water-safety awareness among teachers and students. To do this, they have launched Make a Splash. The program features a water safety curriculum that includes tips and activities teachers can share with students to keep them safe and to reduce drowning incidents.

Teachers also can enter the Make a Splash sweepstakes, which offers a $2,500 grand prize to the winning school for swimming or physical edu-cation programs and $2,500 in Discovery Education products. Entrants also are eligible to win a family trip for four to the 2007 USA Swimming National Championships in Indianapolis on July 31.

For more on the Make a Splash program and to enter the sweepstakes, check out www.makeasplash.org/inschool .