April is Autism Awareness Month, and PBS NEWSHOUR is bringing back Robert McNeil to discuss it with America.  Nothing teaches a journalist the facts like living through the event, and in this case, his role as the grandfather to a child on the spectrum informs his reporting.  The series begins on April 18, 2011, but what PBS NEWSHOUR does well, (and part of why they recently earned an EMMY) is use the Web to compliment their reporting, so you can follow the series online at any time.  When I approached them about resources for teachers, they allowed me to create curriculum for high school and middle schoolers, and posted it in less than 24 hours.  Amazing dedication to the topic, and responsiveness to what teachers need. Feel free to download, print, and share the resources in the TEACHER RESOURCES area. The lesson plan is called Autism: Do You Have A Friend Who Thinks In Pictures. You may even wish to share it with an older child who has been diagnosed with ASD, to  help them better understand how their brain processes information.