What A World 2
Teacher Support Links
 
Book 2
 
Unit 1Who Is the Most Important Person in History?
 
View the British Library's two copies of the Gutenberg Bible and read more about the invention of the printing press.
 
Explore the world of Johann Gutenberg at the Renaissance Secrets site from the BBC/Open University.
 
Unit 2What Are Fattening Rooms?
 
Read about a "wife fattening" farm in Mauritania in this article from BBC News.
 
BBC News also offers this article on the Miss "Large Lady" beauty pageant in Burkino Faso.
 
Unit 3Where Do People Celebrate Girls' Day and Boys' Day?
 
Check out Topics Magazine for more about ceremonies for children in Japan.
 
Visit the FarStrider site for a description of Girl's Day and images of dolls.
 
Unit 4Why Is Marco Polo Famous?
 
Follow in the Footsteps of Marco Polo at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
 
Experience sights and sounds from the Marco Polo Odyssey at National Geographic.com.
 
Unit 5Who Reached the South Pole First?
 
Follow the "Race to the End of the Earth" with National Geographic Kids.
 
The BBC offers this comprehensive account of "The Race to the South Pole."
 
Unit 6Who Is the Royal Flying Doctors Service?
 
Learn more about the Royal Flying Doctors at their official site, including history and rescue stories.
 
This site features a brief biography of John Flynn and history of the Royal Flying Doctors.
 
Unit 7How Did the Egyptians Make Mummies?
 
Discover the Secrets of the Pharaohs at this PBS site and find out how mummies are made.
 
Learn how bodies were mummified, examine a mummy and its coffin, and make your way through the underworld at the Ancient Egypt site from the British Museum.
 
Unit 8Why Is Louis Pasteur Important?
 
Read a concise biography of Louis Pasteur at Access Excellence, part of the National Health Museum.
 
Click on the topics for brief readings on the life and work Louis Pasteur. From the French Embassy in Canada, Science and Technology Department.
 
Unit 9Who Is Nasreddin Hodja?
 
Check out this site for more Nasreddin Hodja stories, plus a biography and useful links.
 
Read more jokes and stories by Nasreddin Hodja. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Hodja1."
 
Unit 10What Did the Ancient Mayans Believe In?
 
Learn more about Mayan culture, history and beliefs at Jaguar Sun.
 
Check out Mundo Maya for Mayan legends, daily life in Mayan culture, and a guide to the Mayan calendar.
 
Unit 11How Do Koreans Celebrate a Wedding?
 
How do Koreans celebrate weddings? Find out at WeddingDetails.com. Click on the topics to learn about wedding traditions in other cultures.
 
For articles about weddings in Korea and other countries, check out Topics, an online ESL magazine.
 
Unit 12Why Are Sumo Wrestlers So Fat?
 
The Sumo Wrestling site features the history, views and lifestyle of sumo wrestling.
 
"Sumo East and West," part of the Independent Lens from PBS, has more information on the culture of sumo wrestling.
 
Unit 13Who Is Stephen King?
 
Find out more about Stephen King at his official website, including his biography, the latest news, and summaries of works.
 
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive look at the life and work of the author.
 
Unit 14What's the Story Behind the Bed?
 
The Sleep Better Council site offers a timeline devoted to the history of the bed. (Click on "The Bed in History.")
 
Learn more about the history of the Murphy bed, a space-saving bed that folds down from the wall.
 
Unit 15How did the Spanish Conquer the Aztecs?
 
Read more about Cortes and the fall of the Aztec empire at the Conquistador site from PBS.
 
The Mexico for Kids site features topics on the history of Mesoamerica. Click on "The Conquest of America" to read more about how Cortes conquered the Aztecs.
 
Unit 16Why are the Williams Sisters Good at Tennis?
 
The official site of the Williams sisters features biographies, career highlights, and multimedia.
 
Visit this fan site for more about the remarkable Williams sisters.
 
Unit 17Where is Timbuktu?
 
Learn more about Timbuktu at the History Channel's site on the "World's Most Endangered Sites," including a timeline, maps, a study guide, and an online quiz.
 
Take an online journey on The Road to Timbuktu at this PBS site.
 
Unit 18Where Do the Most Vegetarians Live?
 
Join Global Gourmet to learn more about vegetarianism and Indian cuisine, including background and recipes.
 
Read "Vegetarianism: A New Light, A New Life," an online article from the India Heritage Research Foundation.