Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

May 3, 2003 - Issue 86

Favorite Sites

by Vicki Lockard from various sources

Arbor Day is a national holiday that encourages tree planting and tree care. First celebrated in Nebraska in 1872, National Arbor Day is now observed annually on the last Friday in April. It is an opportunity to learn about the ecological and economic importance of trees.

Arbor Day Crafts
From things you probably already have around the house (such as construction paper and egg cartons) Enchanted Learning creates seven tree-related craft projects. The colorfully illustrated step-by-step instructions are great for preschoolers and lower elementary grades. Looking past Arbor Day, these crafts will also be fun around Thanksgiving (see the string of leaves) and Christmas (especially the paper evergreen tree, and the pop-up tree greeting card.)
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/arborday/

Arbor Day Net
Arbor Day Net tells the history of Arbor Day, from 1872 Nebraska to President Nixon's 1970 creation of National Arbor Day. Nebraska's  first Arbor Day, proposed by state agriculture board member J. Sterling Morton,  was an amazing success -- more than one million trees were planted.  So when Nebraska made Arbor Day an official state holiday in 1885, they chose to honor Morton by celebrating it on his birthday , April 22nd.  Arbor Day (or some variation)  is celebrated in many countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, Korea and Israel.
http://www.arbor-day.net/

Kids for Trees
"Trees don't just stand around. They do many jobs that are very important to animals, people, and the environment." This illustrated, eleven-page guide  for  K- 3 students was created by The Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Best clicks are the glossary (from "Arbor Day" to "zoologist"), and the teacher guide, which includes ideas for projects and activities.  The site is also available in Spanish. To find it, click on "Other Classroom Materials" and follow the link to "Wild About Plants."
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/chf/pub/tree_kit/

Trees are Terrific... Travels with Pierre site from the University of Illinois extension.
It is a rather long presentation for young children under five years old.  Suggestion: Bookmark and Show portions of it in different activities. For example: Show the pages that deal with the shapes of trees before the craft presentation.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees1/index.html

The Great Pains and Accuracy Tour
In which a radio producer and an english professor bicycle the Lewis & Clark trail, wondering what we've done with the water & land the past 200 years.
http://www.hearingvoices.com/trail/

STAR
Students And Teachers Against Racism announces their new website that offers insight into the Native American perspective to teachers and educators.
http://www.racismagainstindians.org/

Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry.

The "Canku Ota - A Newsletter Celebrating Native America" web site and its design is the

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 of Paul C. Barry.

All Rights Reserved.