Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Speaker Today: Author of Echoes of Earth


Echoes of Earth: Finding Ourselves in the Origins of the Planet 

L. Sue Baugh was invited by students teaching the ancestry unit. She taught us that the small things run this world, those microorganisms that create oxygen.

She spoke about her travels which resulted in her recent book published in 2012.
Ms. Baugh and her colleague Lynn Martinelli  documented some of the oldest rock and minerals in the world. They traveled to remote regions in Western Australia, Greenland, Northwest Canada, and the Grand Canyon, and eventually journeyed into territory not marked on any maps, in the previous decade without GPS! Our students were fascinated.

"Echoes of Earth reveals the extraordinary story they found in the breathtaking beauty and transforming power of these ancient sites. Not only did the two women reawaken their own artistic lives, they also discovered that our human origins lie hidden in the secrets of the oldest stones. We carry ancient minerals deep within our bones and ancient life within our human cells. We are all echoes of Earth."  from Amazon description

How does this relate to us?
Our mitochondria are composed of materials (bacteria) from ancient the world.
Our connection to earth is far more complex than we know.  We are dependent on everything that comes from the earth.  Any damages to the nature web damages our chances for survival. How do we make choices?  We choose what we know and we have to know more!

Sue Baugh recommended visiitng the American Indian Center of Chicago.

We are excited about making this a purchase for the New Trier Library.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Sir Ken Robinson: Fostering Creativity in Education is Not an Option


Published on Dec 7, 2012
According to a recent Adobe creativity study, 88% of U.S. professionals believe that creativity should be built into standard curricula. Companies are looking for more than graduates who can do specific tasks, they want employees who can also think differently and innovate. To be successful, students need an education that emphasizes creative thinking, communication and teamwork. And as Sir Ken Robinson concludes in this next video "Creativity is not an option, it's an absolute necessity."


Follow the series at http://adobe.ly/YT121R 

New Trier Organic Garden