Note to teachers: A bunch of free educational materials were developed to
dovetail with the series. That information will come at the end of this
message.
"Land of Plenty, Land of Want" was funded in part by USDA's Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. For more information,
contact Michele Reap of South Carolina Educational TV at the e-mail address
in the cc: line above.
Valerie
JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH
THREE-PART MINISERIES PREMIERES APRIL 6 ON PBS
FREE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AVAILABLE
The delicate relationship between people and the world they inhabit is
explored in a new three-part documentary miniseries, JOURNEY TO PLANET
EARTH, premiering Tuesday, April 6, 10-11 p.m. ET on PBS (check local
listings). The series is made possible in part by funding from the USDA's
SARE program.
Narrated by Kelly McGillis, JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH provides a perspective
for viewers to understand the complexities underlying ecological issues.
Each episode looks at a specific problem from the scientific, economic,
political and historical viewpoints, as well as at efforts by different
communities to address these problems. Computer-enhanced images open the
episodes, dramatically illustrating the devastating impact people have made
on the planet's ecosystem.
Land of Plenty, Land of Want (April 20, 10-11 p.m. ET) visits diverse
farming communities on four continents to examine worldwide problems of
feeding a growing population. In Zimbabwe, an El Nino-related drought
threatens famine for traditional subsistence farmers of a small village. In
France, global competition forces farmers to abandon the harsh, remote
Auvergne region, while in Brittany agriculture booms but at a severe cost
to the local fishing industry and the environment due to overuse of
pesticides. In China, expanding industry gobbles up much needed, highly
productive, fertile farmland. In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a farmer turns to
more traditional methods to sustain his soil. In the Iowa corn belt,
farmers use the latest technology to increase production and profitability
and to preserve their soil.
The first program, Rivers of Destiny, looks at the threat to the world's
river system.
The Urban Explosion (April 13, 10-11 p.m. ET) explores the effects of
rapid, massive urbanization through journeys to four of the world's
mega-cities.
Free Educational Materials
A Middle School Teacher's Package consists of a teacher's guide and video
segments excerpted from the hour-long programs. The teacher's guide is made
up of three lessons based on concepts covered in the programs. The
specially selected video segments and teacher's guide are being made
available to PBS stations nationwide. The video segments and teacher's
guide may be duplicated and used in perpetuity. The teacher's guide can
also be used with the full 60-minute programs, which carry the standard PBS
one-year off-air record rights.
The JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH After-School Package, developed in conjunction
with the National 4-H, combines video excerpts from the Land of Plenty,
Land of Want program with hands-on activities. "Sustainable Agriculture--It
All Starts with Soil" focuses on the importance of soil and is designed so
a teacher, parent or volunteer can facilitate it with middle-school-aged
youngsters. It can be used in after-school programs, local Boys and Girls
Club programs, 4-H or Future Farmers of America programs, or with similar
groups.
The two video excerpts illustrate how the managers of two very different
American farms--one a large-scale operation in Iowa; the other, a small
tomato farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania--are working to sustain their soil.
The "Sustainable Agriculture" print component explains the importance of
soil, the different kinds of soil, and how to determine the makeup of soil.
The first hands-on activity introduces students to realistic examples of
the differences between clayey, sandy, and silty soils; while, the second
activity, an experiment, looks at the makeup of the layers of soil.
The "Sustainable Agriculture--It All Starts with Soil" video segments and
brochure are being made available to PBS stations nationwide. The video and
print piece can be duplicated and the segments used in perpetuity. The
print piece can also be used with the complete Land of Plenty, Land of Want
program.
The JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH teacher's guide and the brochure for
"Sustainable Agriculture--It All Starts with Soil" will be available to
download from the JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH Web site which will go up in
mid-February. Additional resources for teachers can be found on the site,
too. The address for the site will be
http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/planetearth
For more information on the JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH programs and free
educational materials, or to order educational materials if they aren't
available from your PBS station, contact: Michele Reap, South Carolina
Educational Television, 803/737-3394 or e-mail:
The JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH series, produced by Marilyn and Hal Weiner in
association with South Carolina ETV, is underwritten by NASA, The W.K.
Kellogg Foundation, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Continental
Airlines, Inc., The World Bank with additional support from The Rockefeller
Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-SARE, and the American Honda
Foundation.
-----------------------------------
Valerie Berton
SARE Communications Specialist
2121 Ag/Life Sciences Surge Bldg.
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742-3358
(301) 405-3186
(301) 314-7373 (fax)
vberton@wam.umd.edu
http://www.sare.org
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