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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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December
2013 - Volume 11 Number 12
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Favorite
Sites
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collected
by Paul and Vicki
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Potlatch
Fund - Inspiring Philanthropy In Northwest Indian Country
From the potlatch to the powwow, building community and sharing
wealth have always resided in the Indian spirit. Potlatch Fund
continues this tradition through grants and leadership development
in Tribal communities throughout Washington, Idaho, Oregon and
Montana.
http://www.potlatchfund.org/ |
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Preston
Singletary
When I began working with glass in 1982, I had no idea that
I'd be so connected to the material in the way that I am. It
was only when I began to experiment with using designs from
my Tlingit cultural heritage that my work began to take on a
new purpose and direction.
http://prestonsingletary.com/ |
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Rural
Spin
Retro Living in a Modern World. Naturally Sustainable Skills
in City and Country
http://ruralspin.com/ |
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Welcome
to the Hopi Website
Since time immemorial the Hopi people have lived in Hopituskwa
and have maintained our sacred covenant with Maasaw, the ancient
caretaker of the earth, to live as peaceful and humble farmers
respectful of the land and its resources.
http://www.hopi-nsn.gov/ |
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Gingerbread Houses
Gingerbread is a baked treat that dates back to the Middle
Ages. It is thought to have first appeared in the U.S. in
the nineteenth century, when the Swiss monks of St. Meinrad
Archabbey in Indiana baked gingerbread on holidays and gave
it to the sick. Over the years, baking gingerbread cookies
and building gingerbread houses developed into a popular American
Christmas tradition.
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Celebrating
Christmas: Gingerbread House 101
"From very simple designs for busy moms and dads to challenging
art projects for those artists among us, we've got it all.…
Let the decorating begin!!!" Celebrating Christmas offers
a potpourri of gingerbread house advice, from how to plan a
gingerbread party to recipes for gingerbread tree ornaments.
Highlights are six gingerbread house blueprints (including a
log cabin, chapel, country store and Victorian) although you
will need to enlarge the patterns before using them.
http://www.celebrating-christmas.com/recipes/gingerbread-house.shtml |
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Highlights
Kids: Design Your Own Gingerbread House
To add a little computer fun to today's topic, this pick is
an online game. Decorate your virtual gingerbread house with
the usual Candy and Icing, or go crazy with silly Food and Stuff
such as a whole fish, a tennis ball, or alphabet blocks to spell
out your name. Move items onto the house by clicking once to
pick up, then again to release onto your house. Controls include
Rotate, Resize, Flip, Start Over, and Print (so you can hang
your finished creation on the refrigerator door.)
http://www.highlightskids.com/flash/gingerbread-house/ |
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King
Arthur Flour: Building a Gingerbread House
This fourteen-page PDF from King Arthur Flour offers the most
detailed gingerbread house building instructions I found online.
It includes a printable pattern, oodles of photos, and tips
you won't find anywhere else. For example, to create multi-colored
stained glass panels, try melting hard candies in the oven.
Or to create the look of window panes, paint diagonal muntins
on gelatin sheets. And to help your gingerbread people keep
their balance, attach mini-marshmallow kick-stands to their
backs.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/baking/documents/gingerbread.pdf |
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Pinterest:
Gingerbread Houses
Searching for gingerbread inspiration? Look no further than
this Pinterest search. You can refine the search by adding keywords
to the search function box in the upper left-hand corner, or
jumping directly to some of the featured boards and pinners
(which you'll also find in the upper left-hand corner.) If you
are new to Pinterest, just remember that you need to click twice
on an image to actually visit the associated web page.
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=gingerbread%20houses |
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Wilton:
Gingerbread House Fun
Wow! Wilton (the baking supply company) brings us the mother
lode of gingerbread ideas. Visit for 181 gingerbread houses,
eleven answers to frequently asked questions, four gingerbread
recipes, and countless decorating ideas. "If you plan
to keep your decorated house or cookie kit longer than the
current season, consider assembling with a hot glue gun, then
cover the dried glue with icing."
http://www.wilton.com/celebrations/Christmas/gingerbread.cfm
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Pablo Picasso
Born October 25, 1881 in Malaga, Spain, Pablo Picasso became
the defining artist of the twentieth century. As I learned about
his life, I was struck by the observation that Picasso was blessed
with parents who recognized his gift at an early age. Learn
more about the man and his art at the following five sites.
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Met
Museum: Pablo Picasso
"The artistic genius of Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) has impacted
the development of modern and contemporary art with unparalleled
magnitude. His prolific output includes over 20,000 paintings,
prints, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, theater sets and costumes
that convey myriad intellectual, political, social, and amorous
messages." Visit the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
for a slideshow and an excellent Picasso biography.
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pica/hd_pica.htm
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MOMA:
Pablo Picasso
At first glance, this bio seems really brief, but if you look
in the right-hand corner below the slideshow, you'll see a dropdown
box that provides navigation to the rest of the Picasso biography.
"Picasso never taught, but from the moment that he entered
into an artistic dialogue with his contemporaries through Cubism
he attracted numerous followers. Cubism not only became a stylistic
formula that others continued to exploit, but also a springboard
for sculptural developments by artists such as Tatlin and Lipchitz
and an influence on artists as diverse as Duchamp and Matisse."
http://www.moma.org/collection/artist.php?artist_id=4609
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Picasso
Head
Release your inner Picasso, and use this interactive art board
to create a "Picasso-like" masterpiece. Start by adding
elements from groups such as faces, eyes, noses, lips, ears,
etc. Each of these elements is taken from a Picasso artwork,
but you get to choose, color, and re-arrange them to your own
artistic taste. Be sure to visit the gallery and see the what
others have created. You can also save your own creation to
the gallery.
http://www.picassohead.com/create.html |
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Museu
Picasso de Barcelona
As with any museum site, if you are not visiting in real life,
you need to jump around the site to find the virtual exhibits.
Here you'll find them under the menu items: The Collection,
Exhibitions, and Pablo Picasso. Highlights include a timeline
of Picasso's time in Barcelona, an excellent collection of Picasso
links, and a great quote section (all listed under Pablo Picasso.)
"Everyone wants to understand painting. Why not try to
understand the songs of a bird?"
http://www.museupicasso.bcn.cat/en/ |
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Pablo
Picasso
Bypass the biography and articles, which are poorly written,
but visit for the galleries of paintings and sculpture, Picasso
Guernica jigsaw puzzle, quotes, and fun facts. "In 1909,
Picasso and French artist Georges Braque co-founded an art
movement known as cubism. Actually, it was a French art critic
Louis Vauxcelles who first called it 'bizarre cubiques' or
cubism, after noting that Picasso and Braque's paintings are
'full of little cubes.'"
http://www.pablopicasso.org/
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Assassination of John F. Kennedy
In Dallas, TX on November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy, the 35th
President of the United States, was assassinated. The President
was in a presidential limo with the roof down, waving to the
welcoming crowds, accompanied by his wife Jacqueline, Texas
Governor John Connolly, and the governor's wife Nellie. The
following year an investigative commission concluded that the
president was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone.
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JFK
Library: November 22, 1963: Death of the President
"At the end
of September, the president [John F. Kennedy] traveled west,
speaking in nine different states in less than a week. The trip
was meant to put a spotlight on natural resources and conservation
efforts. But JFK also used it to sound out themes such as education,
national security, and world peace for his run in 1964."
The president's library offers a three-page article about the
assassination, including videos and a link to the JFK 50 site
commemorating the life and accomplishments of our 35th president.
http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/November-22-1963-Death-of-the-President.aspx
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LIFE:
JFK'S Assassination, Frame by Frame
Although just thirteen
photos, this slideshow tells the story revealed by Abraham Zapruder's
8mm film of Kennedy's assassination. "Millions of people
who were alive at the time of John Kennedy's assassination first
learned of the existence of Abraham Zapruder's 8mm home-movie
of the killing in the pages of LIFE magazine. It was there,
in the November 29, 1963, issue of the famed weekly that countless
readers first encountered, in LIFE's words, 'a remarkable and
exclusive series of pictures which show, for the first time
and in tragic detail, the fate which befell our President.'"
http://life.time.com/history/jfk-assassination-1963-key-stills-from-the-zapruder-film/#1
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Smithsonian
Channel: The Day Kennedy Died
"Experience
November 22, 1963 as it has never been presented before, in
this minute-by-minute account of that day, narrated by Academy
Award-winner Kevin Spacey, and brought to life through rarely
seen footage and rarely heard testimonies." Although the
full-length Smithsonian Channel video is not available online,
there are plenty of interesting eyewitness accounts to watch
here. Check your local TV guide for times when this television
special is playing in your area.
http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/sc/web/show/3387792/the-day-kennedy-died
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YouTube:
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
This is a topic channel
"created by algorithms to collect trending and popular
videos by topic." Because of this, it contains lots of
points of views, both television news reports and conspiracy
theorists, and original videos as well as those created to mark
the fiftieth anniversary of Kennedy's assassination. I couldn't
easily find how many videos are included, but this first page
shows the nine most popular.
http://www.youtube.com/channel/HCxgqXWJ4tDK4 |
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Dallas
News: JFK 50
From the city where it
all took place, the Dallas News presents an opportunity to
explore ("Scholars dismiss the endless theories, but
that doesn't deter certain 'assassination researchers.'")
and discuss ("Share your remembrances of the JFK assassination.")
Also worthwhile is the sixty-three photo slideshow, that starts
a moment before the fatal shot, and ends with newly appointed
President Lyndon Johnson speaking at Andrews Air Force Base.
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/jfk50/?hp
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Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday (alternatively spelled Chanukah
or Chanuka) that means "dedication" in Hebrew. It
is an eight-day celebration commemorating the Jewish victory
over the armies of Syria in 165 B.C.E. and the subsequent liberation
and dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem. Jews celebrate by
lighting a hanukkiah (sometimes called a menorah), playing dreidel,
and eating latkes.
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Reform
Judaism: Hanukkah
"Today, the holiday reminds Jews to rededicate themselves
to stand against forces that would destroy Judaism and to keep
alive the flame of Jewish religion, culture, and peoplehood
so that it may be passed on to the next generation." Lots
of great Hanukkah resources here, including a virtual hanukkiah,
a history of the holiday, dreidel lessons, craft projects, videos,
and recipes.
http://www.reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/hanukkah
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Shalom
Sesame: Chanukah
These fun preschool videos from Shalom Sesame are my Hanukkah
picks of the week. My favorites are Chanukah with Veronica Monica,
Extreme Makeover (the Hanukkah story of the Temple restoration)
and Number of the Day: Shmoneh. "There are shmoneh (eight)
nights of Chanukah. Sit down with your kids before the holiday
begins and think of something special you can do on each of
the eight nights, such as eating, celebrating with friends and
family, singing songs, reading books, and opening gifts."
http://www.shalomsesame.org/videos#all/1 |
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Activity
Village: Hanukkah
"Over 2000 years ago,
in 165 BC, the Jews in Judea rebelled against their Syrian ruler,
Antiochus, because he insisted that all Jewish people must worship
Greek Gods. After three hard years of fighting, the Jews defeated
Antiochus and, to celebrate, they restored the Temple of Jerusalem
– which had been taken over by the Syrians – and rededicated
it to their God." Visit for printable Hanukkah coloring
pages, crafts, holiday writing paper, crafts, and printable
puzzles.
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/hanukkah |
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My
Jewish Learning: Hanukkah
Need help lighting
the hanukkiah? There's a silly Todd and God video that's sure
to help. "Don't forget, Todd, always light from left to
right!" There's also ideas for family celebrations, a few
history lessons, dreidel rules, and recipes. "On Hanukkah
is it customary to eat foods that are either fried in oil, or
made with cheese. The fried foods custom recalls the miracle
of Hanukkah, which centered around oil (one cruse lasting for
eight days)."
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Hanukkah.shtml
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PBS
Kids: Arthur: Hanukkah
The endearing characters
of the Arthur book series explain Hanukkah in this five-slide
short story. "Hanukkah is also called the Festival of
Lights. The Frenskys like to display the Hanukkah candles
in the front window so that other people can see them. Francine
says that it's nice to feel like she is a part of something
big."
http://pbskids.org/arthur/holiday/scrapbook/hanukkah.html
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Thanksgiving
Writing Prompts
From gratitude to twittering turkeys, these ideas are far
from boring, and are sure to jump start your classroom writing
assignments.
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Build
Creative Writing Ideas: Thanksgiving
"After hearing the phone ring, you pick it up to talk to
the person on the other line. Only, it's not a person calling
at all, it's the T-Giving turkey! What does the turkey have
to say and how do you respond?" There are ten imaginative
prompts in this article, and there are five more Thanksgiving
lists on the site that are not easily found via the menu navigation.
To find them, enter "Thanksgiving" into the site search
box in the upper right-hand corner.
http://www.build-creative-writing-ideas.com/thanksgiving.html |
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Journaling
Helps: 25 Thanksgiving Writing Prompts
These Thanksgiving writing prompts are organized into five categories:
for primary students, for older students, story starters, movie
ideas, and report ideas. "Research the way other country/countries
celebrate Thanksgiving. How is [it] different than how your
country does it? Things to look at are the history of the holiday,
the food eaten, the traditions that are followed."
http://www.journalinghelps.com/Thanksgiving_Writing_Prompts.html |
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Unique
Teaching Resources: November Creative Writing Prompts
"Pretend that you are a turkey who has a Twitter account
and loves to tweet. Write 5 tweets to your followers about your
feelings on Thanksgiving." LOL! In addition to the writing
prompts, you'll find printable stationery, worksheets, and lesson
plans for Thanksgiving and a few other November holidays, such
as Veteran's Day and Geography Awareness Week (the third week
of November.) Although the writing prompts are free, some of
the downloads are for sale for a nominal price.
http://www.uniqueteachingresources.com/November-writing-prompts.html |
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Activity
Village: Thanksgiving Stationery
Although this Activity Village page does not have any writing
prompts, it does have a dozen free printable Thanksgiving stationery
templates that will add a bit of whimsy to your Thanksgiving
stories. Most of the templates come in three flavors: blank
(no lines), lined, and handwriting lines (with a dashed line
between each solid line.) Designs include cornucopia, pilgrims,
pumpkins, and turkeys.
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/thanksgiving-stationery |
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Journal
Buddies: Elementary Writing About Thanksgiving
"Give your students something to be thankful for during
Thanksgiving time, with this list of 78 new elementary writing
and journal prompts, especially for the holiday. Your students
will be inspired to think about the things in their lives
they are grateful for, as well as pushed to develop ways to
give back to others." Great list, but I was bothered
by the fact that "Thanksgiving" was frequently spelled
without proper capitalization.
http://journalbuddies.com/journal_prompts__journal_topics/elementary-writing-thanksgiving-writing-prompts/
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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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