Featured Events

Tuesday, October 28

Sachs Student Lecture: Progress and Challenges in the Millennium Villages
Speaker: Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University; Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development; Professor of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University; Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Time: 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Miller Theatre
Contact: Office of Academic and Research Programs, betsy@ei.columbia.edu
RSVP: Register

Thursday, October 30

Earth Institute Seminars on Sustainable Development: Seeding a Revolution to Meet Global Water Needs
Speakers: Upmanu Lall, Alan and Carol Silberstein Professor, Earth and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Engineering Mechanics; Director, Columbia Water Center; Tanya Heikkila, Assistant Professor, School of International & Public Affairs; Associate Director, Columbia Water Center; Vijay Modi, Professor, Mechanical Engineering; Research Scientist, Columbia Water Center; Tim Huh, Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research; Tobias Siegfried, Associate Research Scientist, Columbia Water Center
Time: 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Alfred Lerner Hall, Room 569
Contact: Scott Andrews, sandrews@ei.columbia.edu

CSSR Fall Seminar Series: Doing the Right Thing Willingly - Using Insights of Behavioral Decision Research for Better Environmental Decisions
Speaker: Elke Weber, Jerome A. Chazen Professor of International Business; Professor of Management and Psychology, Columbia University; Co-Director, Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED) and Center for Decision Sciences (CDS)
Time: 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Schapiro CEPSR Building, Davis Auditorium
Contact: Ossian Patrick Foley, opf1@columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cssr/upcoming_cssr_calendar.html

This Week’s Events

Monday, October 27

IRI Seminar: Verification of the First 10 years of African Regional Climate Outlook Forum Forecasts
Speaker: Simon Mason, IRI Research Scientist and Leader, Climate Program
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont Campus, Monell Building - Room 205 Palisades, NY
Contact: Maria Rise C Fullon, mrf2102@columbia.edu

LDEO Geochemistry Division Seminar: The Deglacial Deep-Sea Ventilation Hypothesis - Where is the Carbonate Preservation Maximum?
Speaker: Figen Mekik, Associate Professor of Geology, Grand Valley State University
Time: 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Gary C. Comer Geochemistry Building, First Floor Seminar Room
Contact: David McGee, dmcgee@ldeo.columbia.edu

Tuesday, October 28

IRI Seminar Series on Impact Evaluation for Development Projects: Exploiting Panel Data for Ex-post Impact Evaluation
Speaker: Markus Goldstein, The Research Group, World Bank
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont Campus, Monell Auditorium, Palisades, NY
Contact: Maria Rise C Fullon, mrf2102@columbia.edu
Web Site: http://iri.columbia.edu/events/seminarseries

CIESIN Lecture: Will Climate Change Lead to More Conflict?
Speaker: Halvard Buhaug, Senior Researcher, Centre for the Study of Civil War, The International Peace Research Institute
Time: 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont Campus, Marine Biology/ Seismology Building, Seismology Seminar Room, 2nd Floor
Contact: Jennifer Mulvey, jmulvey@ciesin.columbia.edu or call (845) 365-8988

Sachs Student Lecture: Progress and Challenges in the Millennium Villages
Speaker: Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University; Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development; Professor of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University; Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Time: 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Miller Theatre
Contact: Office of Academic and Research Programs, betsy@ei.columbia.edu
RSVP: Register

A LIVE from the NYPL Forum: Can the Economy Be Saved?
Speakers: Felix Rohatyn, Former US Ambassador to France; Former Managing Director, Lazard Freres & Co., LLC; Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics, Stern School of Business, New York University; Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University; Special Advisor to UN SDecretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Charlie Rose, Journalist and Anchor of “Charlie Rose”
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: The New York Public Library, Celeste Bartos Forum, Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street (enter at 42nd Street)
Contact: New York public Library, live@nypl.org
Web Site: http://www.nypl.org/live

Wednesday, October 29

Office of Academic and Research Programs: The Use of Climate Information in the Tropics: Learning from Practice Brownbag
Speaker: Lareef Zubair, Associate Research Scientist, International Research Institute for Climate and Society
Time: 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, 801 International Affairs Building
Contact: Amanda Christie, arc2140@columbia.edu
RSVP: Register

LDEO Geochemistry Division Seminar: Arsenic Cycling in Union Lake
Speaker: Alison R. Keimowitz, Postdoctoral Science Fellow, Columbia University
Time: 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Gary C. Comer Geochemistry Building, First Floor Seminar Room
Contact: David McGee, dmcgee@ldeo.columbia.edu

IRI Special Seminar: Vector-borne Disease and Climate Change - The Example of Lyme Disease in Canada
Speaker: Nick H. Ogden, Foodborne, Waterborne & Zoonotic Infections Division, Public Health Agency of Canada
Time: 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont Campus, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Maria Rise C Fullon, mrf2102@columbia.edu

Thursday, October 30

DEES Thesis Proposal: Reconstructing Fluxes - Geochemical Constraints on Sedimentation Rates, Dust Fluxes and Hydrothermal Inputs
Speaker: David McGee, Postdoctoral Student, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University
Time: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont Campus, Gary C. Comer Geochemistry Building, First Floor Seminar Room
Contact: Missy Pinckert, missy@ldeo.columbia.edu

IGERT Joint Program Fall Colloquium: A framework to test and understand cloud-climate feedbacks in general circulation models
Speaker: Minghua Zhang, SUNY Stonybrook
Time: 2:45 to 3:45 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Seeley W. Mudd Building, Room 214
Contact: Jennifer Cho, jc2305@columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.appmath.columbia.edu/igert

Earth Institute Seminars on Sustainable Development: Seeding a Revolution to Meet Global Water Needs
Speakers: Upmanu Lall, Alan and Carol Silberstein Professor, Earth and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Engineering Mechanics; Director, Columbia Water Center; Tanya Heikkila, Assistant Professor, School of International & Public Affairs; Associate Director, Columbia Water Center; Vijay Modi, Professor, Mechanical Engineering; Research Scientist, Columbia Water Center; Tim Huh, Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research; Tobias Siegfried, Associate Research Scientist, Columbia Water Center
Time: 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Alfred Lerner Hall, Room 569
Contact: Scott Andrews, sandrews@ei.columbia.edu

CSSR Fall Seminar Series: Doing the Right Thing Willingly - Using Insights of Behavioral Decision Research for Better Environmental Decisions
Speaker: Elke Weber, Jerome A. Chazen Professor of International Business; Professor of Management and Psychology, Columbia University; Co-Director, Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED) and Center for Decision Sciences (CDS)
Time: 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Schapiro CEPSR Building, Davis Auditorium
Contact: Ossian Patrick Foley, opf1@columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cssr/upcoming_cssr_calendar.html

Presidential Lecture: Climate, Oceans, Infectious Disease, and Human Health - The Saga of Cholera
Speaker: Rita R. Colwell, Distinguished Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Senior Advisor and Chairman Emeritus of Canon U.S. Life Sciences, Inc.; and President and CEO of CosmosID, Inc.
Time: 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, The Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America, Teatro
Contact: University Programs and Events, events1@columbia.edu

Friday, October 31

LDEO Division of Biology and Paleo Environment Seminar Series: Global Modelling of Biogenic Organic Aerosol in Present and Future Climates
Speaker: Johann (Hans) Feichter, Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology

Time: 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Marine Biology & Seismology Building, Seismology Seminar Room, 2nd Floor
Contact: Veronica Lance, vlance@ldeo.columbia.edu or call (845) 365-8615

LDEO Earth Science Colloquium: “Research Contributions to Management and Conservation at Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Central Pacific.”
Speaker: Eleanor Sterling, Director, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History
Time: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Natalie Boelman, nboelman@ldeo.columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/colloquium/2007-2008.html

A Preview of Next Week’s Events

Thursday, November 6

IGERT Joint Program Fall Colloquium: On the Influence of Anthropogenic Forcings on Changes in the Stratospheric Mean Age

Earth Institute Seminars on Sustainable Development: Are We Running Out of Energy?

Friday, November 7

LDEO Earth Science Colloquium

He has served as the Director for Program Development for Nova Southeastern University’s Masters in Life Span Care and Administration and was a faculty member of the Masters Program in Applied Addiction Studies, the Florida School of Addiction Studies, the Arkansas School, New England School, Rutgers, Alaska School and others. He also served as the Chief Consultant on Substance Abuse Issues for the Child Welfare League of America.

He is the co-author of four books:

12 Steps to Self-Parenting 12 Steps to Self-Parenting Workbook: Windows to Your Inner Child Breaking the Cycle of Addiction: A Parents Guide to Raising Healthy Kids The Lowdown on Families

Who Get High Mr. Diaz is an internationally known lecturer. His work has appeared in Women’s Day Magazine, USA Today, and Focus on the Family. He has appeared on numerous television and radio programs, including the TV special “The National Parent Quiz,” and is the recipient of numerous awards for his work.

Featured Events

Monday, October 20

Environmental and Sustainable Development Programs Open House
Speakers: Various
Time: 4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Low Memorial Library, The Rotunda
Contact: Betsy Ness-Edelstein, betsy@ei.columbia.edu or call (212) 854-2525
RSVP: Register
Web Site: http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2242

Thursday, October 23

Columbia University and the Global Sustainability Challenge
Speakers: Steven A. Cohen, School of International and Public Affairs;
Rohit Aggarwala, Office of the Mayor of the City of New York;
Kelly Kleinert, Columbia University Medical Center;
Klaus S. Lackner, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science;
Emily Lloyd, Office of the Mayor of the City of New York;
Lionel McIntyre, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Miller Theatre
Contact: World Leaders Forum, worldleaders2@columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.worldleaders.columbia.edu

This Week’s Events

Monday, October 20

Can We Save the World Economy? A Conversation with George Soros, Nouriel Roubini, and Jeffrey Sachs
Speakers: George Soros, Founder and Chairman, Open Society Institute; Chairman, Soros Fund Management, LLC; Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics and International Business, Stern School of Business, New York University; Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University; Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; John Roberts, Anchor, American Morning, CNN
Time: 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Miller Theater, 2960 Broadway (at 116th Street)
Contact: Earth Institute Events, events@ei.columbia.edu
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.

Environmental and Sustainable Development Programs Open House
Speakers: Various
Time: 4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Low Memorial Library, The Rotunda
Contact: Betsy Ness-Edelstein, betsy@ei.columbia.edu or call (212) 854-2525
RSVP: Register
Web Site: http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2242

Tuesday, October 21

Earth and Environmental Engineering Workshop: Enabling Solar and Wind Energy - Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) Scoping
Speakers: Various
Time: 9:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Schapiro CEPSR Building, Davis Auditorium
Contact: Vasilis Fthenakis, vmf5@columbia.edu

EcoSecurities Information Session
Speaker: James Heath, Head of U.S. Origination, EcoSecurities
Time: 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, International Affairs Building, Lindsay Rogers Room
Contact: Betsy Ness-Edelstein, betsy@ei.columbia.edu or call (212) 854-2525

Wednesday, October 22

DEES Thesis Proposal: Models of Continental Extension and Exhumation - Effect of Plateau Collapse, Sediment Influx, Magmatic Influence and Slab Retreat
Speaker: Rob Bialas, Graduate Student, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University
Time: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont Campus, Gary C. Comer Geochemistry Building, First Floor Seminar Room
Contact: Missy Pinckert, missy@ldeo.columbia.edu

LDEO Joint MG&G – SG&T 2008 Seminar Series: Measurements of Snow Using a Portable High Resolution Radar for Testing Remote Sensing Retrieval Algorithms and Snow Hydrological Models
Speaker: Hans-Peter Marshall, Assistant Professor, Center for Geophysical Investigation of the Shallow Subsurface, Department of Geosciences, Boise State University
Time: 12:10 to 1:10 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Marine Biology/Seismology Building, Seismology Seminar Room, 2nd Floor
Contact: Timothy Crone, crone@ldeo.columbia.edu or call (845) 345-8687

Columbia Water Center Seminar Series: Should We Include the Groundwater in Global Climate and Earth System Models?
Speaker: Ying F. Reinfelder, Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University
Time: 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus 924 Seeley W. Mudd Building
Contact: Columbia Water Center, st2424@columbia.edu
RSVP: Register

Carbon Sequestration Panel
Speakers: Klaus Lackner, Director, Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy; Maurice Ewing and J. Lamar Worzel Professor of Geophysics, Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering; Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Juerg Matter, Associate Research Scientist, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, The Earth Institute at Columbia University; Alissa Park, Lenfest Junior Professor in Applied Climate Science; Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University
Time: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Schapiro CEPSR Building, Davis Auditorium
Contact: Office of Academic and Research Programs, arc2140@columbia.edu

Thursday, October 23

IRI Seminar: Verification of the First 10 years of African Regional Climate Outlook Forum Forecasts
Speaker: Simon Mason, IRI Research Scientist and Leader, Climate Program
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont Campus, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Maria Rise C Fullon, mrf2102@columbia.edu

IGERT Joint Program Fall Colloquium: Enabling Sustainable Development of Fossil Fuel Energy Conversion Systems - Carbon Mineral Sequestration
Speaker: Alissa Park, Lenfest Junior Professor in Applied Climate Science; Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, Columbia University
Time: 2:45 to 3:45 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Seeley W. Mudd Building, Room 214
Contact: Jennifer Cho, jc2305@columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.appmath.columbia.edu/igert

Millennium Villages Seminar Series: The Millennium Villages Project - Improving the Health of the Developing World
Speaker: Sonia Ehrlich Sachs, Health Coordinator, Millennium Villages Project; Senior Scientist, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Schapiro CEPSR Building, Davis Auditorium
Contact: Office of Academic and Research Programs, arc2140@columbia.edu
RSVP: Register

Columbia University and the Global Sustainability Challenge
Speakers: Steven A. Cohen, School of International and Public Affairs;
Rohit Aggarwala, Office of the Mayor of the City of New York;
Kelly Kleinert, Columbia University Medical Center;
Klaus S. Lackner, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science;
Emily Lloyd, Office of the Mayor of the City of New York;
Lionel McIntyre, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Miller Theatre
Contact: World Leaders Forum, worldleaders2@columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.worldleaders.columbia.edu

Friday, October 24

LDEO Division of Biology and Paleo Environment Seminar Series: The CAMP - Earth’s Largest Flood Basalt Province - and You’re Sitting on It
Speaker: Paul E. Olsen, Arthur D. Storke Memorial Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University
Time: 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Marine Biology & Seismology Building, Seismology Seminar Room, 2nd Floor
Contact: Veronica Lance, vlance@ldeo.columbia.edu or call (845) 365-8615

Columbia Water Center and the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering Seminar Series: Managing Water in the 21st Century: Lessons from the West
Speaker: Henry J. Vaux, Jr., Professor and Associate Vice President Emeritus, University of California
Time: 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, 825 Seeley W. Mudd Building
Contact: Columbia Water Center, st2424@columbia.edu
RSVP: Register

LDEO Earth Science Colloquium: Plume vs. Plate: Convective Interactions Beneath Western North America
Speaker: Richard Allen, Assistant Professor, Seismological Laboratory, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley
Time: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Natalie Boelman, nboelman@ldeo.columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/news-events/events/colloquium

A Preview of Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, October 28

IRI Seminar Series on Impact Evaluation for Development Projects: Exploiting Panel Data for Ex-post Impact Evaluation

Sachs Student Lecture: Progress and Challenges in the Millennium Villages

Wednesday, October 29

Office of Academic and Research Programs: Environment, Technology and Disaster Risk in the Tropics Brownbag

IRI Special Seminar: Vector-borne Disease and Climate Change - The Example of Lyme Disease in Canada

Thursday, October 30

IGERT Joint Program Fall Colloquium: A framework to test and understand cloud-climate feedbacks in general circulation models

Earth Institute Seminars on Sustainable Development: Seeding a Revolution to Meet Global Water Needs

CSSR Fall Seminar Series: Doing the Right Thing Willingly - Using Insights of Behavioral Decision Research for Better Environmental Decisions

Friday, October 31

LDEO Division of Biology and Paleo Environment Seminar Series: Global Modelling of Biogenic Organic Aerosol in Present and Future Climates

LDEO Earth Science Colloquium: “Research Contributions to Management and Conservation at Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Central Pacific.”

Directions to Columbia University

Directions to the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Michael Vitelli - CEO | http://www.gamingkrib.com

 PRIMING THE STUDENT LEARNING PUMP http://snipurl.com/km_learningpump

 http://snipurl.com/ms_global

Schools and teachers focusing on the 21st century skill of “global awareness will appreciate this top-quality content. See for example this recent lesson plan for grades 7-12: “Negotiate Peace for India and Pakistan,” which includes standards, cross-curricular activities, and links to literature.

http://snipurl.com/world_lessonplans

http://snipurl.com/mlleader_advisory

GAME-MAKING WITH “SPLODER”

http://snipurl.com/spoder_gaming

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ONLINE WORKSHOP: TEACHING THE ARTS

http://snipurl.com/annenberg_artspd

Although the video content features high school students, the principles of good arts teaching put forth in this eight-part series from Annenberg Media apply equally to the middle grades. The content covers visual arts, music, theatre and dance and “is intended for use by mixed groups of teachers from all four arts disciplines, to help them improve their practice.” The first program introduces seven principles of effective teaching; then each principle is explored in depth in a subsequent program. This link leads to a website that includes the video programs, other interactive materials, and a downloadable guide. No-cost registration.

SCIENCE & SOCIETY: EXPLORING YOUR OWN DNA

http://snipurl.com/nytln_redesign

http://snipurl.com/nytln_dnatest

HELPING NET-KIDS LEARN TO MANAGE INFORMATION

http://snipurl.com/bf_managinginfo

– “probably the most important 21st Century skill to teach to our kids.” See how Bill and his colleagues are using these tools to help students discern media bias in Election 2008. ALSO: For another interesting view of transformative web tools, read how a wiki has revitalized a science teacher’s classroom and her teaching:

http://snipurl.com/wikiteacher

FASHION RULES IN GIRLS’ FICTION

http://snipurl.com/nyt_girlsfiction

writes: “As others have, Dr. Johnson questions the female characters’

preoccupation with looks, thinness, fashion, makeup, wealth — we’re talking spoiled, rich middle-school girls from Westchester County.

But what grabbed me as new was her documentation of what she called the ‘incessant litany of brand names.’”

GET PRACTICAL STEPS FOR CHOOSING AND USING FICTION IN THE CLASSROOM

THE NOVEL EXPERIENCE is a handy 32-page flipchart that helps middle-level teachers and students organize a novel program, choose books that match interests & abilities, foster comprehension, process information, and share responses. Includes over 100 book suggestions; only $11. Click here for details:

http://www.stenhouse.com/8200.asp?r=mw081002

SPECIAL RESOURCES FOR NEW TEACHERS

http://snipurl.com/NewTeacherResources

Links to a series of Teacher Magazine’s Teaching Secrets articles; ideas for creating a positive and engaging classroom environment, and one middle grade teacher’s practical advice on developing the “Organized Middle Schooler.” Check back often.

***************************************************

Michael Vitelli - CEO | http://www.gamingkrib.com mvitelli@gamingkrib.com 727-947-7005 Reinventing Learning in the Digital World

What is the Gaming Krib?

That depends on who you ask. We are an addictive learning, social community with a “positive empowerment” design for parents, kids and educators! To parents, it’s an excited response to the question “Did you do your homework today?” (knowing yes is always the answer). To the principal, it’s an applied and interactive learning center with an Ivy League flare and measurable results. For the teacher, it’s a curriculum developed by acclaimed educators and parenting experts, where paperwork and pop quizzes are replaced with interactive learning and collaborative projects while earning prizes and awards. For students, it’s just fun! In short, we put our platform in “FRONT” of everything we find that will motivate a child to learn and earn (popular games, internet sites, TV).

Presidential Service Award

Barack Obama’s personal message and support of “The Gaming Krib” …”Thank you for all you do!”
“But there’s one last ingredient that I just want to mention, and that’s parents. We can’t do it just in the schools. Parents are going to have to show more responsibility. They’ve got to turn off the TV set, put away the video games, and, finally, start instilling that thirst for knowledge that our students need.” Obama/McCain Debate #3 08′.

Featured Events by the www.gamingkrib.com

Tuesday, October 14

Master of Public Administration in Development Practice (MDP) Information Session
Speaker: Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University; Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development; Professor of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University; Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Time: 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Kent Hall, Room 413
Contact: Noura Bakkour, nb2321@columbia.edu or call (212) 854-3142

Monday, October 20

Can We Save the World Economy? A Conversation with George Soros, Nouriel Roubini, and Jeffrey Sachs
Speakers: George Soros, Founder and Chairman, Open Society Institute; Chairman, Soros Fund Management, LLC; Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics and International Business, Stern School of Business, New York University; Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University; Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; John Roberts, Anchor, American Morning, CNN
Time: 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Miller Theater, 2960 Broadway (at 116th Street)
Contact: Earth Institute Events, events@ei.columbia.edu
RSVP: Register

Environmental and Sustainable Development Programs Open House
Speakers: Various
Time: 4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Low Memorial Library, The Rotunda
Contact: Betsy Ness-Edelstein, betsy@ei.columbia.edu or call (212) 854-2525
RSVP: Register
Web Site: http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2242

This Week’s Events

Monday, October 13

Office of Academic and Research Programs: Probing the Depths of the World’s Biggest Problems with a PhD in Oceanography
Speaker: Philip Orton, PhD Candidate, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Division of Ocean and Climate Physics, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Schermerhorn Extension, Room 555
Contact: Ali Frohman, afrohman@ei.columbia.edu or call (212) 854-5193

Tuesday, October 14

Master of Public Administration in Development Practice (MDP) Information Session
Speaker: Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University; Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development; Professor of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University; Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Time: 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Kent Hall, Room 413
Contact: Noura Bakkour, nb2321@columbia.edu or call (212) 854-3142

Wednesday, October 15

LDEO Division of Marine Geology & Geophysics 2008 Seminar Series: Report on the First 3D MCS Survey of the M. G. Langseth - Imaging the Magmatic-hydrothermal System at the EPR 9 50′N
Speaker: Suzanne M. Carbotte, Bruce C. Heezen Senior Research Scientist, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Time: 12:10 to 1:10 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Seismology Building, Seismology Seminar Room, 2nd Floor
Contact: Timothy Crone, crone@ldeo.columbia.edu or call (845) 365-8687

Thursday, October 16

IRI Seminar: Climate, Forecast and Impacts Briefing
Speakers: Various
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont Campus, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Maria Rise C Fullon, mrf2102@columbia.edu

IGERT Joint Program Fall Colloquium: Melting and Melting Migration in a Heterogeneous Mantle
Speaker: Yan Liang, Brown University
Time: 2:45 to 3:45 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Seeley W. Mudd Building, Room 214
Contact: Jennifer Cho, jc2305@columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.appmath.columbia.edu/igert

Friday, October 17

LDEO Earth Science Colloquium
TBD
Time: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Natalie Boelman, nboelman@ldeo.columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/news-events/events/colloquium

Saturday, October 18

Earth2Class (E2C) Workshops for Teachers: CO2 and Climate Change Prediction
Speakers: Taro Takahashi, Doherty Senior Scholar, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory; Michael J. Passow, Adjunct Associate Research Scientist, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Marine Biology & Seismology Building, Seismology Seminar Room, 2nd Floor
Contact: Michael Passow, michael@earth2class.org

A Preview of Next Week’s Events

Monday, October 20

Can We Save the World Economy? A Conversation with George Soros, Nouriel Roubini, and Jeffrey Sachs

Environmental and Sustainable Development Programs Open House

Tuesday, October 21

EcoSecurities Information Session

Wednesday, October 22

Carbon Sequestration Panel

Thursday, October 23

IRI Seminar: Verification of the First 10 years of African Regional Climate Outlook Forum Forecasts

IGERT Joint Program Fall Colloquium: “Enabling Sustainable Development of Fossil Fuel Energy Conversion Systems: Carbon Mineral Sequestration”

Millennium Villages Seminar Series: The Millennium Villages Project - Improving the Health of the Developing World

Columbia University and the Global Sustainability Challenge

Friday, October 24

LDEO Division of Biology and Paleo Environment Seminar Series: The CAMP - Earth’s Largest Flood Basalt Province - and You’re Sitting on It

LDEO Earth Science Colloquium

97% of American teens ages 12-17 play some kind of video game.
99% of boys say they are gamers and 94% of girls report that they play games.
A typical teen plays at least five different types of games
40% of them play eight or more different game types.
While some teens play violent video games, those who do generally also play non-violent games.
76% of gaming teens play games with others at least some of the time.
82% play games alone at least occasionally, though 71% of this group also plays games with others.
65% of gaming teens play with others in the same room.76% of youth report helping others while gaming.

“The stereotype that gaming is a solitary, violent, anti-social activity just doesn’t hold up. The average teen plays all different kinds of games and generally plays them with friends and family both online and offline,” said Amanda Lenhart, author of a report on the survey and a Senior Research Specialist with the Pew Internet & American Life Project, which conducted the survey. “Gaming is a ubiquitous part of life for both boys and girls. For most teens, gaming runs the spectrum from blow-‘em-up mayhem to building communities; from cute-and-simple to complex; from brief private sessions to hours’ long interactions with masses of others.”

On the subject of ratings, and age-appropriate gaming the report found that:
32% of kids aged 12-16 play games that are listed as appropriate only for people older than they are.
32% of gaming teens report that at least one of their favorite games is rated Mature or Adults Only.
12-14 year olds are equally as likely to play Mature and Adults Only rated games as their 15-17 year old counterparts.

While the responses tackling Mature games are probably to be expected (what kids don’t aspire up to things intended for those older than they are?) the note about Adults Only games gave us pause. There are currently only 23 games that have ever been given the AO rating by the ESRB, and the current console and retail situation means that it’s very difficult to even find these products. What They Play has a feature about the Adults Only rating that can be found here. It seems more likely that the “Adults Only” content cited in the report refers to anecdotal comments about games, rather than the specific rating.

When it comes to the parents surveyed in the report:

90% of parents say they always or sometimes know what games their children play.
72% say they always or sometimes check the ratings before their children are allowed to play a game.
62% of parents of gamers say video games have no effect on their child.
19% of parents of gamers say video games have a positive influence on their child.
13% of parents of gamers say video games have a negative influence on their child.
5% of parents of gamers say gaming has some negative influence/some positive influence, but it depends on the game.

Don “The Dragon” Wilson - “Hall of Fame Kick Boxer” www.donthedragonwilson.com

Don “The Dragon” Wilson’s is known as the greastest Kick Boxer of all time, beginning in Cocoa Beach, Florida has Joined the Gaming Krib’s Advisory Board.  He solidifies the status of as “The Greatest” in the entire history of his sport is his record of winning 11 world titles in 3 separate weight classes under 6 different sanctioning organizations, and 11 straight years as a world champion. He racked up 71 wins with 47 KOs. He was the first kung-fu artist to gain a world title, and, to top it all off, was named the European Kickside magazine’s “Greatest Competitor of All Time” in 1996. Currently a Hollywood movie star, Don’s star is steadily rising, and there can be little doubt that he will feature prominently among Hollywood’s top action stars for many years to come. As well as acting in his films, Don has co-produced over 20 of his films. He has mutual approval over almost every creative aspect of film making.

It is a pleasure to have you on our Board and look forward with working with you forming our goals of getting children more involved in extracirrular activities.

Featured Events

Monday, October 6

MPA in Environmental Science and Policy Open House
Speaker: Steve Cohen, Director, MPA in Environmental Science and Policy, Executive Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, 1512 International Affairs Building
Contact: Office of Academic and Research Programs, ei-students@ei.columbia.edu

Thursday, October 9

The Kyoto Mechanisms - Key to Combating Climate Change? - A Discussion
Speakers: John Drexhage, Director, Climate Change and Energy, International Institute for Sustainable Development; Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Alfred Lerner Hall, Room 555
Contact: Earth Institute Events, events@ei.columbia.edu
RSVP: Register

Friday, October 10

International Commission on Education for Sustainable Development Practice: Launch Event
Speakers: Jonathan Fanton, President, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Freddie Kwesiga, Coordinator, African Water Facility, African Development Bank; John McArthur, Executive Director, Millennium Promise; Rajendra Pachauri, Nobel Laureate and Chair, Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change; Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, The Italian Academy, 1161 Amsterdam Avenue
Contact: Earth Institute Events, mdp-info@ei.columbia.edu
RSVP: Register

Monday, October 13

Office of Academic and Research Programs: Probing the Depths of the World’s Biggest Problems with a PhD in Oceanography
Speaker: Philip Orton, PhD Candidate, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Division of Ocean and Climate Physics, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Schermerhorn Extension, Room 555
Contact: Ali Frohman, afrohman@ei.columbia.edu or call (212) 854-5193
RSVP: Register

This Week’s Events

Monday, October 6

IRI Seminar: Graphical Models with a Bayesian Twist for Modelling of Rainfall
Speaker: Sergey Kirshner, Professor, Department of Statistics, Purdue University
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont Campus, Monell Building, Room 205
Contact: Maria Rise C Fullon, mrf2102@columbia.edu

MPA in Environmental Science and Policy Open House
Speaker: Steve Cohen, Director, MPA in Environmental Science and Policy, Executive Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, 1512 International Affairs Building
Contact: Office of Academic and Research Programs, ei-students@ei.columbia.edu

Tuesday, October 7

IRI Workshop: Technical Issues in Index Insurance
Speakers: Various
Time: All Day Event
Location: Columbia University, Lamont Campus, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Sandy Vitelli, sandyv@iri.columbia.edu
Web Site: http://iri.columbia.edu/events/indexinsurance_workshop

Office of Academic and Research Programs: Malcolm Pirnie Information Session
Speaker: James M. Callahan, PE, Manager, Building Design Department, Malcolm Pirnie
Time: 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, International Affairs Building, Room 1118
Contact: Betsy Ness-Edelstein, betsy@ei.columbia.edu or call (212) 854-2525

Wednesday, October 8

LDEO Division of Seismology, Geology and Tectonophysics Seminar Series: Geodetic Observation and Modeling of the Present-Day Response of the Earth to Historical Climate Change.”
Speaker: James L. Davis, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Geochemistry Seminar Room
Contact: Dana J. Miller, djm2165@columbia.edu or call (845) 365-8384

LDEO Marine Geology & Geophysics 2008 Seminar Series: Report on the First 3D MCS Survey of the M. G. Langseth - Imaging the Magmatic-Hydrothermal System at the EPR 9 50′N
Speakers: John C. Mutter, Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University; Suzanne Carbotte, Doherty Research Scientist, Division of Marine Geology and Geophysics, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Time: 12:10 to 1:10 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Marine Biology/Seismology Building, Seismology Seminar Room
Contact: Timothy Crone, crone@ldeo.columbia.edu or call (845) 365-8687

Thursday, October 9

The Kyoto Mechanisms - Key to Combating Climate Change? - A Discussion
Speakers: John Drexhage, Director, Climate Change and Energy, International Institute for Sustainable Development; Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Alfred Lerner Hall, Room 555
Contact: Earth Institute Events, events@ei.columbia.edu
RSVP: Register

IGERT Joint Program Fall Colloquium: Modern Weather Forecasting: A Status Report and Scientific Opportunities
Speaker: Lance Bosart, Distinguished Professor, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, State University of New York at Albany
Time: 2:45 to 3:45 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Seeley W. Mudd Building, Room 214
Contact: Jennifer Cho, jc2305@columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.appmath.columbia.edu/igert

Friday, October 10

International Commission on Education for Sustainable Development Practice: Launch Event
Speakers: Jonathan Fanton, President, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Freddie Kwesiga, Coordinator, African Water Facility, African Development Bank; John McArthur, Executive Director, Millennium Promise; Rajendra Pachauri, Nobel Laureate and Chair, Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change; Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, The Italian Academy, 1161 Amsterdam Avenue
Contact: Earth Institute Events, mdp-info@ei.columbia.edu
RSVP: Register

LDEO Earth Science Colloquium: The Hot Seat: Making Sense of Global Warming, from the North Pole to the White House
Speaker: Andrew Revkin, Senior Science Writer, The New York Times
Time: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Natalie Boelman, nboelman@ldeo.columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/news-events/events/colloquium

A Preview of Next Week’s Events

Monday, October 13

Office of Academic and Research Programs: Probing the Depths of the World’s Biggest Problems with a PhD in Oceanography

Wednesday, October 15

IRI Seminar: Climate, Forecast and Impacts Briefing

Thursday, October 16

IGERT Joint Program Fall Colloquium: Melting and Melting Migration in a Heterogeneous Mantle

Friday, October 17

LDEO Earth Science Colloquium

Saturday, October 18

Earth2Class (E2C) Workshops for Teachers: CO2 and Climate Change Prediction

Directions to Columbia University

Directions to the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG URBAN M.S. TEACHER
http://snipurl.com/young_urban_tchr

English teacher Ariel Sacks began her career five years ago, after completing a residency program at New York City’s Bank Street College. After a three-year stint in Harlem, Sacks is beginning her second year in a public academy school in Brooklyn. In this essay she reflects on the supports, experiences and strategies that give her the ability to continue teaching in the inner city. Novice teachers will appreciate Sacks’ description of her classroom organization and management structure. “Not only is this structure practical,” she writes, “it also teaches students to be part of a group, to make decisions for themselves and reflect on them, and to begin to take responsibility for the well-being of the class.”

CONFRONTING THE PLAGIARISM PLAGUE
http://snipurl.com/plagiarism-plague

English teacher Kim Bochicchio was distressed to learn that graduates of her school system had a reputation for plagiarism among local colleges. Read this June 2008 story from Edutopia magazine to learn what Bochicchio did to address the issue in her own classroom. “The battle lines (were) drawn, but I waged my war against plagiarism, determined that, for my students’ sake, I would not — could not — lose.”
 
GET STARTED WITH CLASSROOM BLOGGING
http://snipurl.com/class_blogging

Gresham Brown teaches the upper elementary grades, but his advice at the Stenhouse Blog about getting starting with classroom blogging will be helpful to any teacher in grades 4-8 who has wondered whether this particular form of 21st century communication can really serve to advance student learning. Among the pluses Brown cites are writing and thinking-skills development, student engagement, and parent involvement. Brown describes the steps he took to create his blog, gain the necessary buy-in, and assure safety. You can leave questions for him in the Comments section.

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT COLLEAGUES
http://snipurl.com/jb_difficultcolleage

Jane Bluestein, well-known PD presenter and author of helpful books like “The Win-Win Classroom” (Corwin, 2007), offers an essay that can not only help you analyze colleagial conflict but learn ways to get important work accomplished despite personality differences. While you’re visiting Bluestein’s website, explore the articles and handouts she’s specifically tagged as useful to middle grades educators:
http://snipurl.com/ms_bluestein
LOST IN EIGHTH GRADE ALGEBRA?
http://snipurl.com/brookings_algebra

Since the 1990s, we’ve seen a major push to involve more middle schoolers in algebra by eighth grade. Nearly a third of all eighth graders took algebra in 2007, more than any other math course. But a new study from the Brookings Institution, using fine-grained data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, contends that large numbers of middle-schoolers are now struggling in advanced math classes. Reason? They are “woefully unprepared” due to weak basic math skills. In an Ed Week article, some supporters of early algebra question aspects of the study. The research, some note, does not question whether most students can succeed in 8th grade algebra, only that “schools need to recommit to preparing them.”
http://snipurl.com/ew_algebra
NASA DIGITAL LEARNING NETWORK
http://snipurl.com/nasa_digitallearn

Keep up with NASA’S latest education resources and activities at the Digital Learning Network website, which emphasizes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) content aligned to national standards. DLN offers a variety of distance learning events for teachers and students designed to educate through demonstrations and real time interactions with experts. In an upcoming live online PD workshop (1 hr., Oct 29) teachers can learn more about NASA’s Lunar Nautics “field trip to the Moon” — a student focused simulation to design, test, analyze and create the budget for a lunar mission from initial concept to conclusion. The program includes 30 inquiry-based activities in which students create solar ovens, microgravity sleds, edible spacecraft, and more.

TIMELY BLOGS FOR MUSIC EDUCATORS
http://snipurl.com/nf_music_carnival

Here’s a great way for music teachers to find kindred spirits in the blogging world. Our friend Nancy Flanagan, who spent most of her 30-year career teaching music in the middle grades, keeps an excellent blog called Teacher in a Strange Land. Nancy recently hosted the Carnival of Music Education, a new monthly round-up of blog postings by musically minded educators. At Nancy’s Carnival post, you can link to a dozen other blogs and find out how to get your blog mentioned in the next Carnival. Don’t have a blog? Time to tune up!

ELECTION SITES FOR KIDS
http://snipurl.com/snwk_elections

Barbara Feldman, author of the popular feature Surfing the Net with Kids, selects four 5-star websites that can help students learn more about the election process and actually participate in a national mock election sponsored by the League of Women Voters. There’s even an interactive map students can use to track election results by state.

THE NEW YORK TIMES TEACHER VOICES PROJECT
http://snipurl.com/nyt_tchr_essays

Alaskan Doug Noon is one of several middle grades teachers selected by the Times to describe the experiences of real teachers to a national audience. In the NYT’s LESSON PLANS project, a group of classroom educators chronicle their experiences during the first weeks of school, “offering first hand accounts of today’s classroom challenges from diverse perspectives,” at a time when “the act of teaching has never been more complicated.” Noon’s posts thus far have emphasized the importance of community, wonder and direct experience of the world. Joseph Santani, a Deaf seventh grade teacher in Manhattan, writes about the challenges of teaching in English and American Sign Language. Highly recommended.

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GET STUDENTS UP, INVOLVED, AND PRODUCTIVE!

3-MINUTE MOTIVATORS is a collection of over 100 simple, fun activities that will help you use “a little magic” to take a quick break, engage students, and refocus them on the task at hand. Browse Chapter 1 online:
http://www.stenhouse.com/8215.asp?r=mw080904
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http://snipurl.com/NewTeacherResources

We continue to add new resources to our special page for teachers who are just beginning their classroom careers. Among recent additions: A link to Teacher Magazine’s Teaching Secrets (including “How to Smile Before Christmas”) and Ask the Mentor pages. Plus the U.S. Department of Education’s helpful guide “What to Expect Your First Year of Teaching,” ideas for content areas, and lots of tips from experts.
 
http://www.gamingkrib.com - Reinventing L-EARN-ing in the Digital World
Check back often.

http://www.gamingkrib.com/