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Curiosity Quest

Fire Fighter Training
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Gr 2—6—Viewers experience a day in the life of a firefighter in this engaging live-action program. Host Joel Greene is the perfect mix of teacher, tour guide, and entertainer as he heads to a fire station to find out what it's like to be a firefighter. Three abbreviated training simulations provide a taste of what firefighters endure on the job. The first shows what it might be like for a firefighter who is lost in a dark burning building; the second takes viewers through a third floor rescue experience in a hot, smoky environment; and in the final re-enactment, Greene battles an actual controlled fire. Transitional scenes highlight random people on the street answering questions pertaining to the role of firefighters, giving viewers the feeling of being part of the experience. "Fun Facts" present important information about fire safety. The film ends with an invitation to viewers to submit their own question for possible use in a future episode. Though specifically geared towards elementary grades, even preschoolers would enjoy this film.—Cathie Bashaw Morton, Millbrook Central School District, NY
In this beautiful, heartrending, yet horrifying film, North Koreans tell their stories of imprisonment, sexual slavery, torture, murder, and escape to China or South Korea during the nearly 50-year regime of Kim Il Sung (1912—94). The interviews are illustrated through the interspersion of dance sequences, archival news footage, and drawings. Particularly interesting are the North Korean propaganda films celebrating Kim Il Sung as God and showing in the face of mass starvation happy workers, elaborate military displays, and the creation of a new flower in 1988 in honor of the 46th birthday of Kim's son and successor, Kim Jong Il. A valuable time line traces 20th-century events in Korea. Bonus features include previously unreleased footage of camp refugees. This mesmerizing film displays excellent production values and is highly recommended for Asia collections.—Kitty Chen Dean, formerly with Nassau Community Coll., Garden City, NY
Reviewed by Kitty Chen Dean , Jun 01, 2011

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