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December Book of the Month - "The Three Little Javelinas" by Susan Lowell & Illustrated by Jim Harris

Each month SWIVL showcases a book that exemplifies the spirit of the Southwest.  For the month of December is a wonderful story - The Three Little Javelinas - for young children to learn about life and survival in the desert.  

From Scholastic News: Young children familiar with "The Three Little Pigs" will delight in the twists and variations that make up this engaging Southwestern retelling, now available in a bilingual edition. Coyote, the traditional trickster of the Native American Southwest, is the villain in this version, and his meal of choice (to be eaten with red chili sauce) is not pig, but javelina, a hairy, swine-like creature native to the area. The first javelina lives in a tumbleweed shack that's an easy target for the huffing, puffing coyote; likewise, the saguaro rib hut of the second javelina falls down without too much ado. Luckily, the third javelina comes to her brothers' rescue — she has built her house out of sturdy adobe bricks, with a coyote-sized wood stove as its best feature.

Susan Lowell tells her story with energy, spicing it with bits of the culture and languages of the Southwest, yet maintaining enough of the original for children to recognize it. Jim Harris's exuberant illustrations give a realistic picture of the landscape, but depict the characters with playful exaggeration, dressing the dapper javelinas in snazzy western duds. Consider using this enjoyable retelling to introduce students to the culture, wildlife, and environment of the Southwestern United States.   Student lesson plans are available for teachers and parents.

The Bonds that Educate for a Lifetime

United by the belief that bonds with companion animals contribute immeasurably to children's development and education, more and more teachers, parents, administrators and education policy makers are recognizing the importance of integrating animals into the teaching and learning process.  At a time when resources are limited, we are required to rely on those educational practices that have worked over time.  We know that children have a strong affinity for animals – just take a look at the number of books for children that involve animals.  Companion animals are inextricably linked with intense emotions that run the gamut from joy to sadness – all involving animals.  Everyday experience and observation show how children relate their lives to animals, with major developmental incidents that have lifelong implications.  Companion animals should matter to educators and parents, if for no other reason than that they matter so much to children.  Click here for animal stories.

The Burka Barbie: A Threat to all Girls and Women

Why is the Mattel Toy Corporation able to create a doll that represents a repressive and violent condition for girls and women?  The reason is simple: They can get away with it.  One of the world's most famous children's toys, Barbie, has been given a makeover - wearing a Burka, an Islamic symbol of repression and violence towards women.  The Burka Barbie brings us one step closer to Islamic Terrorists destroying civilization.  While some might romanticize the Burka, women in almost every Moslem country know it is no laughing matter.  One of the key signs to a progressive civilization is how women are treated.  For adult women, the Burka Barbie represents: (1) No voting rights; (2) No Educational rights; (3) No employment rights; (4) No legal rights, and (5) No personal rights.  To voice strong objection, please write to the Mattel, Inc. 333 Continental Boulevard, El Segundo, CA. 90245-5012 or phone: 310-252-2000.  Let Mattel know that they can’t get away with it.

200 Million Dollar Tax Bailout for Factory farms

If your factory or business produces too many widgets, you will be stuck with extra inventory, affecting your bottom line.  As a result, you will need to make key decisions; a course correction, a change in policy, and the development of a few innovative strategies.  This is how most American entrepreneurs and company executives operate.  However, if you’re in the factory farm business and you have an excess production, you can have high-level elected officials ask the federal government for tax dollars to bail you out. At the tune of 200 million tax dollars, the Obama Administration and the USDA provide government welfare to factory farms.  Click here for details.

The governors of Nebraska, Colorado, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Illinois and Oklahoma regularly ask for factory farm bailouts.  Instead of leading their states into new and alternative plant-based food economies, these governors remain entrenched in government entitlements supporting industries that making a living out of torturing and killing millions of innocent, living, feeling beings.  Click here for details.

Even if you are sympathetic to the production of farmed animals, factory farms pose a real danger to our communities, our natural resources and the livelihood of hardworking family farmers who dedicate their lives to raising poultry and livestock in ways that safeguard our air, water and public health. With so many farmers struggling in this tough economy, the last thing they need is to have the Obama Administration and USDA funneling money to factory farms. 

Ending factory farms is not only the human thing to do, it makes sense for the future of the United States.  Just as we are moving towards green energy industries, our elected leaders should be promoting plant-based alternative industries to feed America.

Hold a Compassionate Thanks Giving Dinner

Compassion begins with you, a comment that is tossed around a lot, but today is more important than ever.  At a time when personal responsibility is being promoted locally and around the world, it behooves all caring and thoughtful people to consider what they can do right now to create a more compassionate world.  We hope you will join with SWIVL and other caring organizations, groups, and individuals around the United States and say No to animal cruelty and have a compassionate Thanks Giving. Continue reading for a detailed compassionate Thanks Giving Dinner menu.

SWIVL Presents at 2009 World Appreciative Inquiry Conference

SWIVL will present a workshop on A Violence Free Environment: Articulating a Vision at the 2009 World Appreciative Inquiry Conference – Creating a Positive Revolution for Sustainable Change.  The Conference - November, 16-19, 2009 - will focus on factors that promote global health, peace and welfare.  The driving question behind the conference is:  Can we find better ways to create the vibrant, peaceful, sustainable, and flourishing communities we all want?  Click here for a Conference Brochure.

 

SWIVL Workshop - The SWIVL interactive online session explores the power of words, messaging, and community. Participants will be part of a dialogue to help develop, hone, and, articulate the vision of Creating a Violence Free Environment through Appreciative Inquiry.  Participants will gain an understanding of the term, “ViolenceFree” and be introduced to a conceptual framework that integrates appreciative inquiry as a resilience-based strategy undergirding the theory of change culminating in a ViolenceFree environment. 

 

Register for the Conference 

During the 2009 World Appreciative Inquiry Conference, you will have the opportunity to share and explore the many innovative applications of Appreciative Inquiry and other strength-based approaches for change and development that are currently being used to address the developmental challenges of 21st century - livelihoods, health and hygiene, environment and climate change, education, inclusive development and many more. There are 49 confirmed interactive workshops presenting live in 7 breakout sessions showcasing the cutting edge, strength-based work being done around the globe.  If you cannot be at the Conference, join us online. There are 25 online sessions and 10 poster presentations.

 

This Conference provides to people of all nations a wonderful opportunity to meet online and hold conversations around strength-based approaches and strategies to create a world based on care, responsibility, and compassion.  Join with SWIVL and be part of the conversation.

The Emotional World of Farmed Animals

Study guide and film FREE to teachers! Animal Place is proud to announce the creation of a curriculum unit on farmed animals for secondary teachers! The 50-page study guide accompanies our film, The Emotional World of Farm Animals, which has been aired nationally on PBS.
Geared for all ages, this study guide introduces students to the intelligence and emotional states of cattle, pigs, chickens, turkeys, goats and sheep.

If you are a teacher interested in receiving a FREE copy of our study guide AND PBS-aired film, The Emotional World of Farm Animals, please fill out the registration form.

Our thanks to the Glaser Progress Foundation & the Animal Welfare Trust for funding this project. Film also available for purchase!  The film can be purchased on-line for $20.

Connecting our Hearts and Minds

Kathleen Wishnick, SWIVL Executive Director met with Desi Raulston, Sopori Elementary School Principal to discuss and finalize the Brisenia Flores Memorial Award. The Memorial Award is for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students. To participate, students must have the support and approval of their teacher and parents or guardians.

The purpose of the Brisenia Flores Memorial Award is to honor Brisenia Flores by providing opportunities for children to relate to companion and farmed animals in new and different ways.  Participating students will examine their relationship with a companion or farmed animal by maintaining a journal around the following questions:

• What have you learned from this special relationship?
• What does being kind to animals mean to you?
• What can you do to create a more compassionate and responsible community?

Through their participation, students, with their parents and teachers, will create a new sense of compassion and care for animals which can be applied to their day-to-day relationships in school, home, and in the community.  SWIVL believes the Brisenia Flores Memorial Award will help students become more responsible and self-reliant by experiencing firsthand the love and friendship they can have with a companion or farmed animal.

SWIVL hopes the the memory of Brisenia Flores will help children connect  their hearts and minds as they dream of a life filled with hope, possibility and most of all compassion.