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Canku
Ota
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(Many
Paths)
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An
Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America
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May
1, 2009 - Volume 7 Number 5
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Favorite
Sites
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collected
by Paul and Vicki
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Welcome
to the Highway of Tears Initiative
This website will serve to inform the community about the
work being done by the Highway of Tears Initiative. It is
currently under construction, and we would appreciate any
feedback you may have about the design and content. Please
email Lisa Krebs, Highway of Tears Initiative Coordinator
at: lkrebs@csfs.org
http://highwayoftearsinitiative.ca/index.html
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Welcome
to my Web . . .
Like most writers, I want to be read. I am a Lakota journalist,
a columnist. You may have read some of my writing in Indian
Country Today (indiancountry.com) or on indianz.com. All my
columns, as well as other writings, are here in the archive,
and you are most welcome to read them, download them, or send
them to others.
http://www.iktomisweb.com/
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Association
on American Indian Affairs
For 87 years, AAIA has been working to promote these goals and
provide the critical elements that Native American Indian children
and families need to live happy, healthy and productive lives.
Our programs focus upon youth/education (scholarships, child
welfare, summer camps), health (diabetes education and prevention),
cultural preservation (sacred lands protection, Native language
preservation) and the empowerment of tribal communities (federal
acknowledgment, funding for tribal programs). Please visit the
rest of our website to learn more about our vital initiatives.
http://www.indian-affairs.org/
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Desert
Animals
Although at first glance, the desert may seem inhospitable,
in reality it is teeming with animals and plants that have
adapted to their dry surroundings. Some animals adapt by hiding
from the extreme conditions, some by conserving water, and
others survive by dissipating heat through evaporation, also
known as sweating.
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DesertAnimals.net
"A desert is defined as a region that receives very little
rainfall. It can be hot or cold. There are various types of
deserts all around the world, from the harsh elements of the
Sahara desert in Africa to the four deserts of the Southwestern
United States." From the publishers of the AnimalSpot.com,
DesertAnimals.net features seventeen desert animals. Each
profile includes basic stats such as diet, habitat, size and
description, appropriate for elementary school students but
probably not detailed enough for middle-school animal reports.
http://www.desertanimals.net/
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Desert
Museum: Sonoran Desert Fact Sheets
From Anna's Hummer (a green and red hummingbird) to the White-Winged
Dove, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum provides twenty-eight
animal fact sheets, and another ten about desert plants. These
are excellent for school reports, and include audio recording
and fun facts about each creature. Did you know that javalinas
are not pigs, but rather a New World peccary related to swine?
Or that kangaroo rats have pouches, but they do not carry
their young in them?
http://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/
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Desert
USA: Desert Animals & Wildlife
There are nearly a hundred animal facts sheets at Desert USA,
organized by class: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians,
insects, and spiders. All include a description and a photo,
and many include videos, animal trivia, and links to related
articles. "The cottontail's tail functions as an alarm
signal. When a rabbit raises its tail, the large white patch
of fur on the bottom is exposed, serving as a warning signal
to other cottontails."
http://www.desertusa.com/animal.html
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Digital-Desert
: Mojave Desert Wildlife
Digital Desert is the work of photographer Walter Feller,
but it is not simply a Mojave desert photo gallery site, it
also include gobs of articles about desert life. This section
serves as table of contents, and you'll find links to information
about Animal Adaptations, Desert Food Chain, Wildlife by Type,
and Endangered Species. "Some Mojave animals have developed
special physiological structures to enable them to regulate
body heat. Mule deer and jackrabbits, for example, have large
ears that are densely lined with shallow blood vessels, allowing
air to cool their blood as it circulates."
http://digital-desert.com/wildlife/
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The
Living Desert: Animals
The Living Desert in Palm Desert, California is a specialized
zoo dedicated to preserving desert life. You can take a virtual
tour with these animal and plant fact sheets, their photo
gallery, and exhibit summaries. They also have a section on
endangered desert species and cactus rustlers. "Taking
desert plants from the wild is illegal, but their sculptural
appearance and drought tolerance make them highly desirable.
Many grow extremely slowly, so a good sized specimen can be
a prized and expensive." Before you leave, be sure to
stop by their kids' games page for printable coloring pages
and interactive tile sliders.
http://www.livingdesert.org/animals/
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Mother's
Day Poems
In celebration of mothers, I have gathered up the following
poetry collections. Some include original works, others feature
works from famous dead poets. Most allow the use of their
poems on handmade Mother's Day cards, but be sure to check
the terms of each site for more specific usage terms.
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Day
For Mothers: Mother's Day Poems
The poems at Day for Mothers are organized into genres such
as funny, religious, short, by moms, for kids and gratitude
poems. Most of the poems have bylines, but the site does not
specifically address usage rights or copyrights. Here's a snippet
I liked from an unknown author. "All through the year /
I'll try to do / The things that show / My love for you. / And
not be happy just to say, / 'I love you, Mother,' on Mother's
Day."
http://www.dayformothers.com/mothers-day-poems/poems.html
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Mother's
Day Central: 101 Poems for Moms
Mother's Day Central is my pick of the week because of their
great poem categories (such as Sons to Moms, Daughters to Mom,
For Wives, For Step-Moms, and so on) and for their tips on writing
your own poem for mom. "Most importantly, have fun! It
doesn't matter whether you're a master poet or excellent speller
- your love is sure to show through if you just do your best
and enjoy the process. It doesn't have to be perfect, it just
has to be 'made especially for my beloved Mom.'"
http://www.mothersdaycentral.com/verse/poems/
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Mother's
Day Poems for Free
"A mother's love determines how / We love ourselves and
others. / There is no sky we'll ever see / Not lit by that first
love." Poet and retired college professor Nicholas Gordon
shares his Mother's Day poems. Because he allows free personal
and non-commercial use of his poems, his site is a great resource
for students, teachers and anyone making a homemade Mother's
Day card. Gordon is quite prolific, and his is one of today's
largest poem collections.
http://poemsforfree.com/mothersdaypoems.html
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Poem
Source: Mother Poems
"How did you find the energy, Mom / To do all the things
you did, / To be teacher, nurse and counselor / To me, when
I was a kid." I was already a fan of poet Joanna Fuchs,
so I was happy to see her name again when searching for Mother's
Day poems. She and her husband write all the poems at Poem Source,
and no commercial usage is allowed. Although in some cases she
does allow a single poem to be published on a personal website,
please read their usage guidelines carefully, because I can
cover them adequately in this limited space.
http://www.poemsource.com/mother-poems.html |
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Poets.org:
Poems About Mothers
For high-school students and adults, Poets.org takes a more
scholarly approach to poems about mothers, with a look at half
a dozen poems from well-known poets, and a suggested reading
list that includes works by Edgar Allen Poe, Sylvia Plath, Rudyard
Kipling, Allen Ginsberg, and others. Here's a short one by Robert
Louis Stevenson, titled "To My Mother." "You
too, my mother, read my rhymes / For love of unforgotten times,
/ And you may chance to hear once more / The little feet along
the floor."
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5868
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Vegetable
Gardening
Author Orsen Scott Card once said "Unemployment is capitalism's
way of getting you to plant a garden." And while I hope
that is not your reason for planting a vegetable garden this
spring, this topic seemed appropriate for both Gardening Month
and the current economic malaise.
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Aggie
Horticulture Texas A&M: Vegetable Gardening In Containers
Container gardens are perfect for small spots such as patios,
window sills, balconies or doorsteps. They also sidestep problems
related to poor soil conditions and soil-borne diseases. "Vegetables
which are ideally suited for growing in containers include tomatoes,
peppers, eggplant, green onions, beans, lettuce, squash, radishes
and parsley." This single-page site from Texas A&M
covers the how-to gamut including synthetic soils, containers,
seeding, transplanting, watering, light and controlling diseases
and insects.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/container/container.html
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Kiddie
Gardens: Growing Vegetables
"Vegetables are actually some of the easiest plants to
grow, especially from seed. To encourage your child's enthusiasm,
let them choose from the easy vegetables to grow list and you
will both be delighted with the results." Kiddie Gardens
is chock full of advice on what to plant, how to plant and why
to plant. The long list of benefits of growing your own vegetables
includes value for your money, being assured of freshness, eating
organic, and teaching your children a valuable life skill.
http://www.kiddiegardens.com/growing_vegetables.html
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Kids'
Valley Garden: Veggies
"Vegetables are one of the most rewarding things to grow
in a garden because you get to enjoy the end result of your
hard work by eating it!" Kids' Valley Garden provides kid-friendly
instructions for growing seven common vegetables: beans, carrots,
corn, cucumbers, peanuts, potatoes, and tomatoes. "Read
the directions for each vegetable carefully to get the maximum
yield from each plant and watch over them for signs of disease
or bugs."
http://www.copper-tree.ca/garden/veggies.html
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No
Dig Vegetable Garden: Gardening for Kids
A no dig garden is one that is planted in a raised bed created
with layers of organic material such as compost, fertilizer,
straw, hay and newspaper. "Building a no dig garden is
a particularly good gardening for kids project because the garden
can be built and planted in just a couple of hours." And
for something edible in just a few days, try starting with bean
shoots, alfalfa, cress or snow pea seeds. "Put the seeds
into a clean, wide mouth jar and place a mesh material over
the mouth. It must be a material that water and air can pass
through, but not the seeds."
http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/gardening-for-kids.html
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University
of Illinois Extension: Vegetable Gardening Basics
"All gardens have problems. One year it may be insects
and disease and the next year it may be a drought. Gardening
does require work, but by learning a few basic skills and
techniques, you can make your vegetable gardening experience
a pleasant one." And this University of Illinois Extension
site is a terrific spot to learn those basics. It covers topics
such as location, basic tools, soil prep, and planning tips.
It also includes an illustrated Vegetable Directory and a
glossary of gardening terms from "acidity" to "zucchini."
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/basics.html
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How
to Write an Essay
Essay writing is an essential skill that you will need all
your life, not only in school. This week's picks are directed
students from grade 6th through college, and not only look
at essay reports, but also address answering essay questions
on tests.
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American
University in Cairo: Ten Steps to Writing an Essay
Freelance tech writer and college teacher Tom Johnson offers
a thorough tutorial on how to write an essay, broken down
into ten steps from research to editing the final draft. And
although there are no guarantees in life or in writing, I
agree with Johnson's conclusion: "If you carefully follow
the ten steps for writing an essay as outlined on this site
-- honestly and carefully follow them -- you'll learn how
to write an essay that is more organized, insightful, and
appealing. And you'll probably get an A"
http://www1.aucegypt.edu/academic/writers/
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Basic
Guide to Essay Writing
"Don't let the thought of putting pen to paper daunt
you. Get started!" Homeschooling mom Kathy Livingston
includes sample essays in her eight-step approach to essay
writing for middle-school students. She advocates a diagram
(or mind map) to organize ideas that becomes the basic structure
for your essay and will lead you into the creation of your
thesis statement. "The thesis statement tells the reader
what the essay will be about, and what point you, the author,
will be making."
http://members.tripod.com/~lklivingston/essay/
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The
Five Paragraph Essay
The five paragraph essay is a commonly taught and tested structure.
And although the author of this Geocities site doesn't identify
themselves, The Five Paragraph Essay is a good overview of this
defined format. I particularly like the color-coded outline
defining the role of each of the paragraphs. "The introductory
paragraph is the place in which the writer introduces the reader
to the topic. It is important to make this a clear and limited
statement."
http://www.geocities.com/soho/Atrium/1437/ |
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Writing Lab: Writing Essay Exams
Brought to you by Purdue University Online Writing Lab, this
lesson starts with a question. "What is a well-written
answer to an essay question?" A well-written exam essay
is well focused, well organized, well supported and well packaged.
It then continues with dozens of essay writing tips such as
how to use common writing devices including providing details,
examples, comparisons, classification, or examination of cause
or effect. It even lists useful transition words such as: yet,
similarly, though, despite, however, conversely, next, subsequently,
and so on.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_essay.html
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Writing
Den: Essays
Designed for students in grades six through twelve, this section
of the Writing Den introduces parts of an essay, how to write
an essay, and eight kinds of essays: definition, classification,
description, compare/contrast, sequence, choice, explanation,
and evaluation. "In a compare and contrast essay, you
write about the similarities and differences between two or
more people, places, or things. You can organize the essay
by writing about one subject first and then comparing it with
the second subject. A more effective way is to organize the
essay by comparing each subject by category."
http://www2.actden.com/Writ_den/tips/essay/
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Boston
Massacre
Five years before the American Revolution, on March 5, 1770,
a group of Boston citizens were fired upon by British soldiers
in what became known as the Boston Massacre. The skirmish
began with insults and snowballs hurled at the soldiers by
a restless crowd, and ended with five colonists dead. It is
known as the first of many events that fueled America's growing
discomfort with the King's army.
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America's
Story: Boston Massacre
Shown alongside a timeline of early American history, this
three-page illustrated overview of the Boston Massacre is
part of the Library of Congress' educational America's Story
site. It introduces the conflict to elementary and middle
school students, and places it in historical context. "
What started as a minor fight became a turning point in the
beginnings of the American Revolution. The Boston Massacre
helped spark the colonists' desire for American independence,
while the dead rioters became martyrs for liberty. Can you
think of other major events in history that began with a small
incident?"
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/revolut/boston_1
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Archiving
Early America: Boston Massacre
Archiving Early America explores Paul Revere's iconic color
engraving of the Boston Massacre, revealing its omissions,
exaggerations, and political impact. "Paul Revere wasted
no time in capitalizing on the Massacre to highlight British
tyranny and stir up anti-British sentiment among his fellow
colonists. As you will see, Revere's historic engraving is
long on political propaganda and short on accuracy or aesthetics."
http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/winter96/massacre.html
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Boston
Massacre Historical Society
Calling itself a "digital gateway to the famous event",
this official site of the Boston Massacre Historical Society
is my pick of the day because of its breadth. It includes
facts, numbers, a look at Paul Revere's engraving, a timeline,
the British view, a variety of essays, and a collection of
little known facts. "It all started from a wig! The Massacre
started when young wigmaker's apprentice named Edward Gerrish
called out to a British officer on duty, Captain Lieutenant
John Goldfinch, that he had not paid his master's bill."
http://www.bostonmassacre.net/
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History
Wiz: Boston Massacre
Because of its reproduction of primary sources, this History
Wiz site is a great resource for writing a high school or
college research paper. The primary resources include eyewitness
accounts from an anonymous American observer and the British
Captain Thomas Preston. The site also includes a short discussion
of the ensuing trial, where John Adams defended the British
soldiers, and all but two were acquitted on grounds of self
defense. The two convicted of manslaughter were given the
opportunity to "make penance instead of being executed,"
but where branded on the thumbs so they would never be able
to use "the benefit of clergy" again
http://www.historywiz.com/bostonmassacre.htm
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Mr.
Nussbaum: Boston Massacre
For elementary students in grade three or higher, Mr. Nussbaum
explains the Boston Massacre, and includes a reading comprehension
exercise. "The situation in Boston grew more tense by the
day. Local skirmishes between townspeople and British soldiers
(redcoats) increased in frequency as did belligerence toward
British soldiers. Rumors abounded throughout the city about
possible attacks by soldiers or by the Sons of Liberty."
http://www.mrnussbaum.com/history/bostonmassacre.htm |
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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/
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Changing
Winds Advocacy Center
Through presentations, classroom sessions, curriculum, fund
raising, charitable works, and multi-media efforts, we seek
to raise public awareness of the stereotyping, discrimination,
racism and other unique situations facing Native Americans.
http://changingwinds.org/
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