education

educational challenges

Among explore's founding principles are “Share What You Know” and “Never Stop Learning.” The films profile issues facing the environment, education, human rights, public health, philosophy, animal welfare, spirituality, and disabilities.

The lesson plans accompanying explore’s films are written for use in the K – 12 classroom and are connected to grade level national standards. Background information about the non-profit organizations is provided along with questions for guided discussion about the films. The questions are intended for students to connect to the people and issues profiled by exploring and developing their own viewpoints and opinions.

Enjoy exploring the minds of the people who will solve many of the issues profiled in these films.

00:09:58 FESTIVAL SELECTION HAWAII: AccesSurf Disabilities AccesSurf - Saturdays at Waikiki Beach, selfless volunteers team up with the differently-abled to heal, grow, surf, and be free again! VIEW

AccessSurf

Lesson Plan: Grades 3 – 8
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Health & Civics

The spirit of Hawaii comes alive in this film about AccesSurf, an organization dedicated to giving everyone the chance to experience the magnificence of the ocean. By providing therapeutic instruction and making Hawaii's beautiful beaches accessible to anyone, regardless of disability, AccesSurf exhibits the true essence of aloha.

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00:11:13 WYOMING: Adrenaline Junkie Vol. 1: Avalanche Rescue Culture Adrenaline Junkie Vol. 1: Avalanche Rescue - Jackson Hole Avalanche Search and Rescue Team and its K-9 rescue dogs perform a "live" rescue when a skier gets trapped in an avalanche and is buried alive. VIEW

Adrenaline Junkie

Lesson Plan: Grades 9 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Health

Jackson Hole Avalanche Search and Rescue Team and its K-9 rescue dogs perform a "live" rescue when a skier gets trapped in an avalanche and is buried alive.

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00:24:05 FESTIVAL SELECTION NUNAVUT: Change at the Top of the World Environment Change at the Top of the World - The defining question of this century will be: how do we simultaneously preserve the environment and shareholder wealth? VIEW

Change at the Top of the World

Lesson Plan: Grades 6 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Earth Science

The defining question of this century will be: how do we preserve the environment and also shareholder wealth? Is wealth nature itself or is it the treasures underneath that must be mined out? The Arctic symbolizes this conflict.

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00:08:48 ILLINOIS: Common Threads Education Common Threads - Teaching students basic kitchen skills, they also learn to connect with their bodies, their neighbors, and the outside world — in bite-sized lessons. VIEW

Common Threads

Lesson Plan: Grades 3 – 8
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Health

Teaching students basic kitchen skills, they also learn to connect with their bodies, their neighbors, and the outside world ? in bite-sized lessons.

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00:48:49 FESTIVAL SELECTION CHINA: Explore China Culture Explore China - Discover China's many hidden gems: philosophy, art, education, and rural life — and see how the country's leaders are working to solve issues of the environment, human rights, and public health. VIEW

Explore China

Lesson Plan: Grades 6 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Social Sciences, Foreign Language

Explore went to China on a fact-finding mission led by Charles Annenberg Weingarten, a trustee of the Annenberg Foundation. During the three-week trip, the team discovered many of China's hidden gems: philosophy, art, education, and rural life. They also discovered how the country's hard-working and innovative leaders were working to solve issues of the environment, human rights, and public health.

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00:09:14 INDIA: Fighting HIV Human Services Fighting HIV - The efforts of Dr. Suniti Solomon and her team at the Y.R.G. Centre for AIDS Research and Education have taken care of 11,000 patients and are helping to slow the spread of the epidemic. VIEW

Fighting HIV

Lesson Plan: Grades 9 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Health

Although India's HIV rate is much lower than other developing nations, some 5.7 million people still reportedly carry the virus. The efforts of Dr. Suniti Solomon and her team at the Y.R.G. Centre for AIDS Research and Education have taken care of 11,000 patients and are helping to slow the spread of the epidemic.

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00:18:48 FESTIVAL WINNER IDAHO: Fish Out of Water Human Services Fish Out of Water - Combat Vets suffering from PTSD participate in a fly fishing workshop hosted by non-profit Sun Valley Adaptive Sports. Explore the connection between nature and healing. VIEW

Fish Out of Water

Lesson Plan: Grades 9 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Health & Civics

Combat Vets suffering from PTSD participate in a fly fishing workshop hosted by non-profit Sun Valley Adaptive Sports. Explore the connection between nature and healing.

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00:22:08 FESTIVAL WINNER RWANDA: Gorilla Documentary - Gorillas, 98.6% Human Animals Gorilla Documentary - Gorillas, 98.6% Human - 00:00:05 [Singing] 00:00:20 MR. CRAIG SHOLLEY: Stay where you are. Stay where you are. 00:00:28 [Unintelligible conversation] 00:00:38 MR. SHOLLEY: Two blackbacks, showing off. Just basically teenagers feeling the ropes. All is fine. Gives you an adrenaline rush, though, doesn't it? 00:00:51 CHARLIE: Welcome to Explore. Never stop learning. Mountain gorillas; Rwanda. 00:01:00 [MUSIC] 00:01:27 CHARLIE: How do they identify gorillas? 00:01:29 MR. SHOLLEY: Each and every gorilla has what is called a nose print and a series of indentations above the nostrils are identifying features for each and every gorilla. It's like a fingerprint. And so researchers go out in the forest, they memorize what a nose print looks like. 00:01:44 CHARLIE: Our guide to the mountain gorillas of Rwanda is Craig Sholley, Senior Director of Development for the African Wildlife Foundation. 00:01:53 MR. SHOLLEY: This is like coming home. I look out here, look at the smile on my face. I mean, I lived here for a very, very long time. There's not a more beautiful spot in the world. Better than anything else, I know there are gorillas out there and they're safe and they're sound for the time being, so that's fantastic. 00:02:09 CHARLIE: Craig has been involved with the African Wildlife Foundation in one capacity or another for over 30 years, as he's dedicated himself to the preservation of the vanishing mountain gorilla. Once a thriving population, hunted to near extinction, the mountain gorilla now numbers around 720. The gorilla habitat within Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is home to 350. 00:02:42 CHARLIE: Having started with Diane Fossey in the 1970's during her groundbreaking first contact with the mountain gorilla, Craig has an intimate knowledge of gorilla behavior and the nuances required for human contact. 00:02:55 MR. SHOLLEY: [Whispering] 00:03:03 [MUSIC] 00:03:09 MR. SHOLLEY: On the flip side of these two volcanoes, to the left is Uganda, and then midway on the other side of Sabyinyo is Congo. 00:03:18 MR. SHOLLEY: The Virungas consist of eight volcanoes; the six that basically form the boundary of Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC are the last home of the mountain gorilla. The only other place you find mountain gorillas is in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest which is located about 40 kilometers north of the Virungas. 00:03:35 MR. SHOLLEY: There are two groups in this area: one Umubano and the other Amahoro. 00:03:41 MALE VOICE: [Subtitles] There is Amahoro group and Umubano. Before they were together... The silverback... the one they call Charles, he separated the group. Before, he was number two. Now he decided he gets his own family. 00:03:52 MR. SHOLLEY: Charles has moved up in rank. He's number one. 00:03:54 CHARLIE: Let's go visit my brethren. 00:03:56 MALE VOICE: [Making noises] 00:04:02 MR. SHOLLEY: So this vocalization that Dyogen [phonetic] is using called a belch vocalization and it's a contact vocalization. It allows gorillas to understand where each other are in this dense vegetation. And so by using belch vegetation, people who habituated groups of gorillas developed a rapport with the gorillas and that's why we're able to go in as we're going to. 00:04:28 CHARLIE: All these flowers and plants sting you. 00:04:39 MR. SHOLLEY: That dung is very fresh. I mean, they're literally right here on the slope. 00:04:47 GORILLA: [Grunting] 00:05:00 MR. SHOLLEY: So, we've got a whole family of gorillas here. You can only see three at the moment. But, in the vegetation surrounding these three individuals are an additional six or seven gorillas, well-concealed, but all feeding for the moment. 00:05:23 GORILLA: [Grunting] 00:05:30 MR. SHOLLEY: Ok, this is Charles. He's the dominant male in the group, the silverback. He's probably 14 years old, a very, very, young male who split from another group, the Amahoro group and he brought this part of the family with him. These big males have huge pectorals, immense in size. Watch him tear down the vegetation. This guy probably weighs about 425 pounds. Just an amazing animal. A a silverback is 00:06:02 : nothing more than an adult male. An adult male starts to develop those mature characteristics at about 12 years of age. He develops a big sagittal crest, big pectoral muscles, and then starts to silver around the shoulders. And as he gets older and older, that grey continues down to literally his butt and so he's got this lovely silver saddle. 00:06:29 CHARLIE: You know, it's interesting. We portray the gorilla as such a, like, a savage beast. Like, you think of the movie King Kong. But they're vegetarians. 00:06:39 MR. SHOLLEY: They're totally reliant upon the forest. They eat probably 60 or 70 different species of plants and different portions of different plants. They certainly haven't gone to prey on anything as a large predator would. It's vegetation. And they eat a lot of it per day. A big silverback can eat as much as 70 pounds per day; females probably between 40 and 50 pounds. But they 00:07:03 : don't eat everything. This is a big salad bowl and they can be very selective. See how he's looking around? So, he's trying to figure out what he's going to eat next. 00:07:29 [Singing] 00:07:46 CHARLIE: A blackback is a young male, kind of adolescent. Eventually they mature into silverbacks. 00:07:54 MR. SHOLLEY: This is a beautiful situation. This is exactly what you hope for during your gorilla contact. Everybody kind of hunkered down, resting. Nice family group, large male silverback surrounded by females and their juveniles and infants. It's a beautiful family setting, just fantastic. We've got them doing their siesta. So everybody's sitting still and all this wonderful interaction, all this animation within the group. Look at them playing. 00:08:23 CHARLIE: What do you think every time you look at a gorilla's hands? 00:08:28 MR. SHOLLEY: Well, I think all you have to do is look at the features of a gorilla and you see an awful lot of human characteristics. Genetically, we're 98.67% the same as most great apes. And so, a very, very strong link between humans and our great ape cousins. Their eyesight is very similar to yours and mine. Their hearing and their sense of smell is very, very much the same. And then, 00:08:53 : certainly, if you take a look at the social interactions that occur between individuals and a group, it's basically a lot of human behavior, or a lot of gorilla behavior that we've adapted. And, so, looking into the eyes of a gorilla, certainly you see a lot of you staring back at you. 00:09:09 CHARLIE: What do you think that people can learn from apes? 00:09:11 MR. SHOLLEY: Well, take a look at the peaceful nature of gorillas. Gorillas very, very rarely are aggressive. And then if they are aggressive, they settle things very, very quickly and go back to this peaceful lifestyle. The mellow nature of the silverback, that largely makes for the success of the gorilla family. This guy looks like a big mellow guy who's very comfortable with everybody around him but capable of moving into action if, in fact, he has to. 00:09:37 CHARLIE: Do they have a history of attacking people? I mean, we're right here. I mean, like, physically killing people. 00:09:42 MR. SHOLLEY: No. There's no documentation of gorillas killing people. Gorillas are big, powerful animals, and if they feel threatened, they can be quite dangerous. But, if one abides by an appropriate gorilla etiquette that we are now very familiar with, you're able to come out and enjoy being with a gorilla group in close proximity just like we're doing right now. 00:10:05 [Singing] 00:10:07 MR. SHOLLEY: When the first explorers found gorillas on the coasts of West Africa, they found them as a terrifying beast and, indeed, gorillas can be pretty terrifying. They're big, they're strong, and they certainly look like they can tear a man limb from limb. But we've learned that gorillas are nothing more than gentle giants. They live a very, very tranquil existence and their family life is something that we ought to look at and learn from. 00:10:43 [Music] 00:10:57 CHARLIE: 39 gorillas, 4 silverbacks. This is a no-joke deal. Geez, look at them in the tree. They're everywhere. There are these huge gorillas everywhere, and the baby. 00:11:24 CHARLIE: Craig, there's a lot of gorillas here. 00:11:26 MR. SHOLLEY: Thirty-nine gorillas. This is as good as it gets. This is absolutely fantastic. We've got four silverbacks in this group. And as you can see, you've got a silverback playing with one of the youngsters over here, very, very gently. Now, look at that up on the hill. Is that fantastic? 00:11:54 : Truly majestic, aren't they? Very, very handsome. 00:11:59 CHARLIE: I know this is kind of a morbid question, but do gorillas--How do they handle death within the family? 00:12:06 MR. SHOLLEY: You know, I've seen several different reactions. I've seen gorillas pay no attention whatsoever to death, and then on the other hand, the death of a silverback--Actually the death of the silverback in this group many, many years ago, a silverback called Mbaraga [phonetic], it was a very, very poignant scene where his body lay in an open space, and literally every member of the group came up 00:12:27 : and, to a degree, paid allegiance: touched him or chest beat around him. Ultimately, an older son actually laid head to head with him. So, I've seen the full range of behaviors. 00:12:43 MR. SHOLLEY: He's chest beating, showing off. You know, it's a way to get rid of that anxiety. 00:12:51 CHARLIE: It's truly scary when a gorilla beats its chest and charges at you. They say they're playing, but... 00:12:58 MR. SHOLLEY: And they're displaying at each other; they're not displaying at us. It's known as a "pok pok" [phonetic] and, from a distance, it really doesn't sound as you would suspect a chest beat would. 00:13:11 CH1: What does that chest beat signify, do you think? Just playful? 00:13:14 MR. SHOLLEY: They're probably playing with each other, but, at the same time, they're attempting to stay in contact with the group. To be in 00:13:28 : a group that is a multi-silverback group and to have four silverbacks right in front of you... I mean, many times they're spread out. They're dispersed throughout the group. Some are ahead, some are behind. But to have three of them right here in front of us is just magnificent. To have a fourth chest-beating down here over the hill, this big guy is 00:13:46 : basically the boss. And he's basically trying to impress everybody else. He smelled that odor. That odor is something known as a silverback odor. They exude that B.O. type fragrance that allows members of the group to know where they are at all times. And it also indicates that they're excited, and so, very, very typical of what you'll find when you've got a lot of silverbacks in the group. 00:14:18 : That's a female pig grunting at another female who doesn't want her to come closer to her and/or the silverbacks. So, the one female moved from another place and basically invaded her space. 00:14:31 [Gorillas Grunting] 00:14:38 MR. SHOLLEY: See how the silverback immediately went over and reprimanded the female who was starting the squabble? 00:14:41 CHARLIE: So, everyone listens to the silverback. 00:14:43 MR. SHOLLEY: Everybody listens to the silverback, absolutely. Take a look at his size. You'd listen to him, wouldn't you, Charlie? 00:14:51 CHARLIE: Well, it's amazing. It's so exciting, but when they cross you, you feel their strength. 00:14:55 MR. SHOLLEY: This is an incredibly powerful animal. A silverback is probably as powerful as 8 to 10 men. Ok. I put these guys in order and now I'm going to go back to the rest of the group. As soon as he moves, the kids follow immediately. 00:15:32 [Singing] 00:15:56 CHARLIE: There's a gorilla right over this wall. And what's so fascinating is this wall is what separates the farming from the park, but the gorillas who've discovered the eucalyptus tree are hopping over the wall now and feeding on the trees. But this is what kind of stops you might say civilization, community, farming, the gorillas. As 00:16:20 : we know, in all our Explore journeys, that's one of the biggest issues: progression, population, environmental protection. 00:16:27 MR. SHOLLEY: The gorillas have been feeding on this eucalyptus. They like the gum and do occasionally come outside the park, cross the wall, and feed on the eucalyptus. But now it appears as if they've gone back into the forest and so we'll head off following them. 00:16:45 CHARLIE: [Grunting] I'm starting to get my confidence up. [Grunting] 00:16:53 MR. SHOLLEY: Today, the guy that we're going to meet, Gahunda [phonetic], is an animal that I knew when he was a teenager. He was riotous in the group, just wild and crazy, and now he's grown up to be probably the largest silverback in the forest and he's in charge of this 00:17:09 : family. He's changed magnificently. He's a big boy right now. His head is just huge; really, really special. 00:17:20 CHARLIE: Gahunda's about 350, 400 pounds? 00:17:23 MR. SHOLLEY: As the biggest gorilla in the forest, he's probably at 450, if not more. 00:17:26 CHARLIE: So, he might be the biggest gorilla in the world? 00:17:30 MR. SHOLLEY: Well, you know, certainly he has a reputation for being the biggest gorilla in this region. Everybody likes to claim that he's the biggest and nobody's seen any bigger. Certainly, there could be gorillas out there that are bigger. But, for the time being, he's got the reputation of being, kind of the big guy of the forest. 00:17:48 MR. SHOLLEY: This group in particular is a group that has 3 or 4 gorillas in it that I've known for probably 20, 30 years. 35, 45 years is probably the life span of a gorilla. And so it's very special to come back and see an adult female in particular. Kapunga [phonetic], who has a baby, she was a juvenile when I knew her many, many years ago and now she's an adult female with an infant of her own. 00:18:16 CHARLIE: Look at the eye contact between the mother and the child. I mean, they're just staring at each other. It's no different than humans. Look at that, she's like this. She's holding her baby and starting at it with so much love in her eye. I mean, she's just cradling it and holding it. 00:18:38 MR. SHOLLEY: And each new baby means that the survival of the gorillas is hopefully ensured for the future. And so gorilla birth is a great thing. And when you've got mothers like Kapunga who are taking care of their babies like she is, that's a good sign for the future. 00:18:55 MR. SHOLLEY: The really, really wonderful news is that the mountain gorilla population in this area continues to rise. So, they're giving it their all in terms of protection. There's no room for complacency whatsoever, but given the efforts that are presently underway, the mountain gorilla habitat is being protected and, in turn, the mountain gorilla population is growing. 00:19:15 [Music] 00:19:17 MR. SHOLLEY: For someone who's never, ever been to Africa, or has been to Africa but never to Rwanda, to be able to come into the forest and within an hour and a half, be in the midst of a family of gorillas, you know, this is fantastic. And, effectively, the gorillas are giving up an hour of their day and they're paying their way in Rwanda. And, 00:19:40 : hopefully, that will ensure that the forests and the gorillas are perpetuated way, way, way into the future. It's part of the strategy of the International Gorilla Conservation Program, the Rwanda National Park Service, and the African Wildlife Foundation. 00:19:54 CHARLIE: One of the biggest challenges that the African Wildlife Foundation faces is getting the people from the local community to experience the gorillas. Many Rwandans may not have the means to afford a visit, but these people and their emotional connection to the gorillas are necessary to sustain and protect the gorilla population. It's 00:20:17 : important for people to come out here because they're the true protectors of these gorillas. This is their country. If they don't love the gorilla, there's no hope. But I do think it would be great to create a little program where the top high school students here in Rwanda who don't have the opportunity to go visit these animals could go out there and maybe spend a day with them. Because without that connection, it's not as significant. 00:20:47 CHARLIE: It's almost ironic that I would re-find humanity in the jungles of Rwanda, through the gorilla. But through this interaction with these magnificent creatures, I rediscovered myself. I've rediscovered my own humanity through the gorilla. 00:21:07 [Music] [END OF RECORDING] VIEW

Gorillas...98.6% Human

Lesson Plan: Grades 6 – 8
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Life Science

How ironic that the one creature deemed all violent is the most peaceful: the mountain gorilla. With only 720 remaining, Craig Sholley of AWF teaches us about his organization's efforts to preserve gorillas in Rwanda.

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00:11:21 FESTIVAL SELECTION HAWAII: Lifeguard Legends Culture Lifeguard Legends - The lifeguards of the North Shore of Oahu are the modern day sheriffs of the wild west. This film pays tribute to their selfless acts of heroism. A must see for all surf lovers! VIEW

Guardians of the Sea: LIfeguard Legends

Lesson Plan: Grades 6 – 8
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Health & Safety

The lifeguards of the North Shore of Oahu are the modern day sheriffs of the wild west. This film pays tribute to their selfless acts of heroism. A must see for all surf lovers!

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00:09:48 FESTIVAL SELECTION BRITISH COLUMBIA: Orcas Animals Orcas - Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research discovered the impact that navy sonar has on whales. Meet the world's leading experts on orcas. VIEW

Guardians of the Sea: Orcas

Lesson Plan: Grades 3 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Science

Dr. Paul Spong of Orca Lab studies orca linguistics. Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research discovered the impact that navy sonar was having on whales. Meet the world's leading experts on orcas.

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00:07:35 PALESTINIAN TERRITORY: Hebron Human Rights Hebron - In Hebron, a human rights organization called B'Tselem provides children with video cameras to document their daily lives. B'Tselem hopes that this positive outlet will lessen violence between Palestinians and Jews. VIEW

Hebron

Lesson Plan: Grades 6 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: World History

In Hebron, a human rights organization called B'Tselem is giving children video cameras to document their daily lives, hoping that it will lessen violence between Palestinians and Jews.

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00:03:56 FESTIVAL SELECTION ETHIOPIA: Hero Children Hero - A woman of boundless love abandons the life she knew to start an orphanage in Ethiopia. She now cares for over 5,000 children. VIEW

Hero

Lesson Plan: Grades 6 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Health, World History

A woman of boundless love abandons the life she knew to start an orphanage in Ethiopia. Starting with a child she picked up from a dead mother's body, she now cares for over 5,000 children. An inspiration to us all.

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00:06:19 FESTIVAL SELECTION CALIFORNIA: Homeboy Human Services Homeboy - Homeboy Industries is bringing hope to some of L.A.'s toughest neighborhoods by providing ways for at-risk youth to meaningfully contribute to their communities. VIEW

Homeboy

Lesson Plan: Grades 9 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Civics/Social Studies

Homeboy Industries is bringing hope to some of L.A.'s toughest neighborhoods by providing ways for at-risk youth and former gang members to meaningfully contribute to their communities. Under the leadership of the inspiring Father Greg Boyle, and with the motto Nothing Stops a Bullet like a Job, they guide more than 1,000 young people a month away from gang life.

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00:20:23 FESTIVAL SELECTION INDIA: India's Song Culture India's Song - Meet John Singh, Rajisthani Maverick, who is single handedly trying to save traditional Indian music from extinction. A must see for all Indian music lovers! VIEW

India's Song

Lesson Plan: Grades 6 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Music and Dance

Meet John Singh, Rajisthani Maverick, who is single handedly trying to save traditional Indian music from going extinct. A must see for all Indian music lovers!

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00:11:11 UNITED STATES: Keck Observatory Special Features Keck Observatory - Exactly how big is our universe, and what place do we have in it? Come explore the Keck Observatory, where the human mind is opened to a vast realm of new possibilities. VIEW

Keck Observatory

Lesson Plan: Grades 3 – 8
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Science

Exactly how big is our universe, and what place do we have in it? Come explore the Keck Observatory, where the human mind is opened to a vast realm of new possibilities.

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00:04:55 FESTIVAL SELECTION HAWAII: Kokua Hawai'i Foundation Education Kokua Hawai'i Foundation - The Kokua Hawai'i Foundation was founded by Jack Johnson, who wanted to share the importance of caring for the planet with Hawaii's youth. See how the foundation helps to create an environmentally conscious generation. VIEW

Kokua Hawai'i Foundation

Lesson Plan: Grades K – 4
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Science & Social Sciences

The Kokua Hawai'i Foundation was founded by Jack Johnson and his wife Kim, who wanted to share the importance of caring for the planet with Hawaii's youth. Through catchy songs like 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,' and enabling schools to run field trips, gardening education, and nutrition programs, the foundation is helping to create an environmentally conscious generation.

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00:21:19 FESTIVAL SELECTION WEST BANK: No Child is Born a Terrorist Human Rights No Child is Born a Terrorist - Explore met with Zakaria Zubeidi and Juliano Mer-Khamis, two men dedicated to positive change for Palestinians. We are deeply saddened by the recent death of Juliano Mer-Khamis. VIEW

No Child is Born a Terrorist

Lesson Plan: Grades 9 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Drama & Social Sciences

Zacharia Zubeidi, head of the al-Aqsa Martyrs brigade in Jenin, has survived four assassination attempts by Israeli forces. While interviewing him, I expected to be gunned down at any moment.

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00:05:45 ISRAEL: Oasis of Peace Education Oasis of Peace - At the community school in Neve Shalom-Wahat al-Salam — named in both Hebrew and Arabic — children learn both languages at a very young age, thus cultivating a spirit of communication and mutual understanding. VIEW

Oasis of Peace

Lesson Plan: Grades 6 – 8
Curriculum and Standards Connections: World History

Problems arise when people simply do not understand one another. At the community school in Neve Shalom-Wahat al-Salam ? named in both Hebrew and Arabic ? children learn both languages at a very young age, thus cultivating a spirit of communication and mutual understanding. The village is a true rarity, as Jews and Palestinian Arabs live together in cooperation and respect.

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00:04:37 ISRAEL: Rabbi Teacher Spirituality Rabbi Teacher - What does it mean to be Jewish? Rabbi Engelman guides us through Jerusalem and explains the meaning of Judaism. VIEW

Rabbi Teacher

Lesson Plan: Grades 3 – 8
Curriculum and Standards Connections: World History

What does it mean to be Jewish? Rabbi Engelman guides us through Jerusalem explaining the meaning of Judaism.

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00:22:38 RWANDA: Raindrops over Rwanda Human Rights Raindrops over Rwanda - Explore traveled to the Kigali Memorial Centre in Rwanda to learn about the tragedy of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. See what they discovered along the way. VIEW

Raindrops over Rwanda

Lesson Plan: Grades 9 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Civics, World History

Explore traveled to the Kigali Memorial Centre in Rwanda to learn about the tragedy of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. See what they discovered along the way.

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00:11:02 INDIA: Ramana's Garden Children Ramana's Garden - India is a land of startling contrasts and inequality. At Ramana's Garden, Dr. Dwabha is working to give a future to children who would otherwise be without one. VIEW

Ramana's Garden

Lesson Plan: Grades 9 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Civics, Geography, World History

India is a land of startling contrasts and inequality. Dr. Prabhavati Dwabha came to India to find herself; instead, she found people in need and a new purpose in life. At Ramana's Garden, Dr. Dwabha is working to give a future to children who would otherwise be without one.

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00:30:00 MASSACHUSETTS: Salem Witch Hunt Culture Salem Witch Hunt - Fear is the quicksand of humanity. In 1692, mass hysteria led to the hanging of nineteen innocent people in Salem. Join historians as they piece together what really happened during the Salem Witch Trials. VIEW

Salem Witch Hunt

Lesson Plan: Grades 9 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: United States History, Language Arts

Fear is the quicksand of humanity. In 1692, mass hysteria led to the hanging of nineteen innocent people in Salem. Join historians as they piece together what really happened.

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00:16:53 BRITISH COLUMBIA: Sam Sullivan - Life in a Wheel Disabilities Sam Sullivan - Life in a Wheel - "Before my disability there were 10 billion opportunities for me to explore. Now there’s probably five billion, far more than I’ll ever be able to attempt." - Former Mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan VIEW

Sam Sullivan: Life in a Wheel

Lesson Plan: Grades 9 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Civics, Health

"Before my disability there were 10 billion opportunities for me to explore. Now there?s probably five billion, far more than I?ll ever be able to attempt.? - Former Mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan

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00:27:46 FESTIVAL SELECTION INDIA: Spiritual India: River of Compassion Spirituality Spiritual India: River of Compassion - The Ganges River is the mother of India, yet she is endangered by pollution. Meet Swamiji Muni Baba and other great Indian minds who refuse to let her die. VIEW

Spiritual India: River of Compassion

Lesson Plan: Grades 9 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Civics, Geography, World History

The Ganges River is the mother of India yet she is endangered by pollution. Meet Swamiji Muni Baba and other great Indian minds who refuse to let her die. A film festival favorite.

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00:11:40 CALIFORNIA: Street Poets Human Services Street Poets - The LA-based Street Poets empower youth to transcend self-destructive lifestyles by giving them an artistic outlet for expression. VIEW

Street Poets

Lesson Plan: Grades 9 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Language Arts, Theater Arts, Health

With the motto of "One Street, One Heartbeat, One Love," LA-based Street Poets teaches young people how to develop their poetic voice and share their feelings about life on the street, in schools, and in juvenile detention facilities. By giving them an artistic outlet for expression, Street Poets empowers Los Angeles County youth to transcend self-destructive lifestyles and creatively transform both lives and communities.

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00:27:15 SAUDI ARABIA: Traveling with Jihad Spirituality Traveling with Jihad - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam provide differing perspectives on similar themes. Join Jihad Turk as he leads Charlie through the common threads. VIEW

Traveling with Jihad

Lesson Plan: Grades 6 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Social Studies

When viewed through the lens of a shared history, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam provide differing perspectives on similar themes. Join Jihad Turk as he leads Charles Annenberg Weingarten through the common threads that tie the western faiths with that of Islam.

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00:08:21 FESTIVAL SELECTION THE BAHAMAS: Wild Dolphins Animals Wild Dolphins - Denise Herzing, the Jane Goodall of the sea, dedicates her life to researching wild spotted dolphins in the Bahamas. Go underwater and fall in love with these sacred creatures. VIEW

Wild Dolphins

Lesson Plan: Grades K – 5
Curriculum and Standards Connections: Science

Denise Herzing, the Jane Goodall of the sea, dedicates her life to researching wild spotted dolphins in the Bahamas. Go underwater and fall in love with these sacred creatures.

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00:06:40 ISRAEL: Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum Culture Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum - By reconstructing the events that lead to the Holocaust, the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum aims to bring the past to life and prevent future atrocities through greater understanding. VIEW

Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum

Lesson Plan: Grades 6 – 12
Curriculum and Standards Connections: World History

By reconstructing the events that lead to the Holocaust, the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum aims to bring the past to life and prevent future atrocities through greater understanding.

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