Traveling North Carolina

04/19/201506/21/2016 Roadrunners

As we begin our project to teach students in Ireland and Around the World about places to visit in North Carolina we look out our windows this week you’d see lots of rain. So if you came now to visit you’d need a rain coat or umbrella and some rain boots. It’s probably like we think you are most of the time. We have read that you get lots of rain. We didn’t have rain on Saturday but it’s poured heavy rain much of today. They are calling for some severe storms possible with tornado watches for late this afternoon and tonight. Flooding is forecast in some low lying areas. The temperature is 70 F or 21 C. It’s warm so bring shorts and t-shirt along with the rain gear, hiking shoes, and jeans and sweatshirt for layering. Tomorrow a cold front will arrive in the area.

The trees have gotten their new spring leaves and the grass is growing for the spring mowing season. Azalea bushes are blooming now in whites, pinks, red, and purples. There is a lot of pollen in the air and on everything. If you have allergies bring tissue and allergy medicines. We’ll travel there by car which will take between 1 1/2 and 2 hours. If we are on a field trip we will go by a school bus and it may take longer.

Our first stop on our agenda…..

Have you ever wondered about minerals and gems?
Where do you find them?
What kinds are there?
Do you like nature and wildlife?
Then you’ll like our first stop!

Credits: Hiddenite Gem Mine – Emerald Hollow Mine, North Carolina

Emerald Hollow Mine located in the foothills of the Brushy Mountains is in a small town of Hiddenite, North Carolina. It’s a unique and interesting geological location on the North American continent. Emerald Hollow Mine is known as “The Gem Capital of the World,” and provides educational fun experience for everyone. You can spend a day in the foothills digging, sluicing or creeking “ for gems. They offer Earth Science and Field Trip programs to tour groups and teams. There are more than 63 different types of naturally occurring gems and minerals. Many are rare including emerald, aquamarine, sapphire, garnet, topaz, amethyst, rutile, tourmaline along with more abundant ones of the world like class smoky and clear quartz crystals. It’s the only place on earth where you can find the rare gemstone “Hiddenite”.

Hours 8:30 am to sunset (ranging from 5:00 p.m. in mid-winter to 7:00 p.m. in mid summer).

Open every day except for Thanksgiving (Nov – fourth Thursday), Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

You can bring your RV and park it nearby with complete hookups. There are motels/bed and breakfast in nearby cities of Statesville, Hickory and Taylorsville. You can bring a picnic lunch or stop in one of the nearby cities for a meal.

Staff will answer questions, offer instructions and help identify gems/minerals you find.

There is also a complete lapidary shop (where they turn your finds into jewelry and beautiful cut stones).

Other things to do- DO NOT PICK THE WILD FLOWERS.

Breathtaking scenic views
Abundant wildlife
Walks/hiking and nature at it’s best.
Year round- Children’s activities
Free parking
Gift/retail shop
Picnic area
Rental equipment
Guided tours
Rustic mining town atmosphere
Splashing in the cool stream during the hot summer

Picture of sluicing from— http://www.bestsmalltownamerica.com/

Largest Emerald Found (CBS news)

Sluicing, Creeking, and Digging

Sluicing Permit- $5.00- most popular and easiest. Have a seat on covered sluiceway and wash buckets of ore to find gemstones. Additional buckets range from $5.00 to $1000.00. Variety of buckets to choose from such as the “Super Bucket- 5 gallon enriched bucket for $15.00

Creeking- Sluicing/Creeking Permit)- $10.00 Cutting through the rich ridges of the mine there are sparkling clean, clear , mountain waters called creeks.

Digging: Combination Permit- $20.00. Digging is hard work but motherlode finds are made chasing veins.

Creek Screen and Hand Shovel- $2.00 more with a $5.00 deposit for set $3.00 refunded upon return of tools.

Digging Tools- $5.00 set- $10.00 deposit- $5.00 refunded upon return of tools.

Check out their official website here for more details.

http://www.hiddenitegems.com

Travel through the Biomes of the World

05/11/201405/11/2014 Roadrunners

Fifth grade students completed their travel brochures to various biomes of the world. Would you prefer the rain forest, tundra, grasslands, deciduous forest, deserts or one of the freshwater or marine Biomes for your next visit? They researched plants, animals, cultures of the area they chose to highlight in their travel brochures. What do you need to bring with you, what kind of weather to expect and how much it might cost you. Do you like lots of trees, do you like wet weather, or hot and dry, do you like it cold and frozen or sunny and clear?

Which would you pick if someone said you could travel where ever you wanted and not worry about the cost? Why would you choose that biome? What do you believe is the best one to visit and what would be your least favorite and why?

Clue 2- National Parks

03/10/201403/10/2014 Roadrunners

Mystery Park Clue 2-

You can go

hiking
biking
see wildlife
picnic
see waterfalls
camping
fishing
taking pictures (photography)
view historic buildings
view distance mountains
horseback riding

All pictures property of B. Todd and can not be used on other websites.

National Parks Mysteries

03/09/2014 Roadrunners

Do you enjoy nature?
Do you like to view wildlife?
Do you like scenery?
Do you like hiking?
Do you like photography?
Do you like adventure?
Do you like relaxation?
Do you like unique places?
Do you like historic sites?
Do you like plants like ferns, wildflowers and mosses?

Then tour our National Parks. See if you can guess where we are as we learn about new places.

Clue One: This park in in the United States and it has white-tailed deer, black bears, salamanders and wildflowers. If you know another clue please add one but don’t tell everyone yet which park.

Rocky River Elementary designated as International School in UCPS!

12/29/201312/29/2013 Roadrunners

We’re So Proud and Excited!

Recently at a principals meeting Union County Schools were recognized for their globalization efforts for 2012-2013 school year. The staff got the news that our school (Rocky River) was awarded the designation in Union County as an International School for 2012-2013 at a staff meeting and we are excited and proud of this accomplishment. In order to obtain this designation each school submitted a livebinder presentation showing their globalization efforts throughout the school year then a committee went through the rubric criteria and gave points which were then totaled up and schools were awarded designation for their work throughout the year. International School is the highest award a school can obtain. You needed above 85 points for this category. Rocky River exceeded that total with an average of 96 points. These are the categories awarded throughout the county. Just the year before we were a Global Partners School with 84 points.

UCPS International School 85+ points
UCPS Global Partners School 60-84 points
UCPS Global Affiliate School 45-59 points
UCPS Goodwill Ambassadors School 35-44 points
UCPS Global Education School 1-34 points

Throughout the county there were 19 elementary, middle and high schools in the International category. Our globalization committee is pictured above with the plaque we received. Below is the banner which is hanging proudly in our main hall.

Some areas to get points for included International Sister Schools (England and Australia), Cultural Awareness Projects (Irish Dancers and Jaars – Brazil presentation), Speakers ( Vietnam, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, and Colombia), 21st Century Technology ( Voice Threads, Google Docs, Skyping etc., 21st Century communication (Skyping, Blogging, emails, PowerPoint and Professional Development (globalization), classroom web pages, classroom activities highlighting focus countries for each grade, Environmental projects, Service Projects ( Heifer foundation/Beatrice’s Goat. Red Cross, Blood Drives, Relay for life and others), and the UCPS global teacher leaders program and Global gateway program with Professional Learning modules).

We couldn’t have done a lot of this without our ties with others in England and Australia and around the USA. A Room with a View (Middleham, England http://aroomwithaview.edublogs.org/ ) and Upper Plenty-http://upps45p.global2.vic.edu.au/ and Áine Murphy – Pt Lonsdale Primary School in Australia, along with Stephen in New Zealand were always eager and helpful in doing joint projects together. From Skyping to learn about a field trip to London, learning about holidays and customs in Australia and England, reading books and comparing our thoughts (The Boy Who Biked the World, Flat Stanley and Magic Tree Houses books and Julia Donaldson books) were enjoyed by students at Rocky River and our sister schools. We learned about Superstition Mountain and legends, we learned how to sign the Pledge of Allegiance with buddies in Arizona http://blogs.goaj.org/gfraher/

This year we are continuing our learning with other students around the world and we continue to enjoy this a lot. Thank you to everyone that continues to join us in our global learning experiences! Thank you to everyone who helped make this designation possible for our school both locally and internationally.

What do you do to be a global learner?

We are looking forward to 2014 and delving into some global issues around the world. If you have any projects you be interested in joining us on let me know. Water, poverty, environmental, hunger…….

Cards and Packages Arriving Daily from Schools Near and Far

12/14/2013 Roadrunners

Our project by Jen is well underway and we keep getting cards from many schools. We are learning about schools near and far away. Some of them have programs like we do and some are very different. We are excited everyday to check the mail and see who has sent them today. Some from California and Canada, Texas, New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida.

Global Studies – Communicating with Others on PhotoPeach

We also got a wonderful package from friends in Australia. Our pen pals there sent letters and pictures, a map, a tiny stuffed kangaroo (we think he is cute), cards with animals, a calendar and a DVD. It took a while to come to us but it held many surprises. Thank you friends and Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

Tradition #2- Holiday Cards

12/05/201312/05/2013 Roadrunners

One of my favorite Christmas time traditions is preparing, addressing and mailing out Christmas cards to family and friends. It is also great to anticipate and receive the daily delivery of cards everyday when the postman arrives. Sending someone a card to wish them well on the religious holiday they celebrate is meant as a happy greeting.

Christmas cards. Sending and receiving Christmas cards is a way to communicate with our friends and loved ones who live near and far letting them know that you are thinking of them and hoping for their best during the Christmas holiday season. Within the United States of America, there are more than two billion Christmas cards exchanged annually. Christmas is the number one card-selling holiday of the year. The phenomenon began around 1822 in America. Cards are also being sent electronically in today’s world. Nothing compares of a handwritten signature and note wishing happiness for the season and next year.
- The first American to print and sell Christmas cards was Louis Prang of Roxbury, Massachusetts, who began publishing cards in 1875.
- President Dwight D. Eisenhower is given credit for sending the first “official” Christmas card from the White House.
Hanukkah, Las Posadas , and Kwanzaa Cards are also sent to friends and family as they celebrate in our classes. Cards can be bought at many stores. Hallmark Card Stores, e-cards, Shutterfly cards made on line, cards from Target, Wal-Mart, CVS and even grocery stores are places to purchase greeting cards throughout the year.

Being part of another’s celebration can only enhance your own. People of any faith can marvel at the beauty of a Christmas service or midnight mass. The wisdom and customs of Kwanzaa can be uplifting to all. An unfamiliar Hanukkah party can be a chance to bask in candlelight, eat delicious latkes and learn how to play dreidel. If you’re invited to new celebrations, by all means go! Your presence will be a great show of respect to friends and/or extended family.

Our big, beautiful world is filled with variation in thought and customs. Embracing those differences doesn’t mean diluting your own treasured beliefs and traditions. Celebrate and let celebrate! It’s all good—and we’re good, too, when we offer acceptance and tolerance. Families and countries are a blend of many cultures and traditions.

We started receiving our Holiday Cards this week from other schools with our Projects by Jen. So far we’ve gotten one from New York, Missouri and Ontario, Canada. The students get excited each time we open one. Ours will be mailed out tomorrow when we finishing putting them together. We have 60 cards heading out in the postal mail. Who will be the first one to get one from us? Where will the farthest one travel?

Christmas Trees- Traditions in our Homes

12/02/201312/02/2013 Roadrunners

Our first tradition we thought of is the Christmas Tree. Some of us went out this past weekend and picked a special tree from the tree farm on Choose and Cut Day and tied them to the top of our cars to haul home. Some of these trips involved sleigh rides /hayrides to the mountains. Some were nearer to us in the Piedmont. Some of us stopped at a local tree lot set up on a corner near our home and picked one and tied it on top. Others of us get the tree out of the attic or garage and put it in our house already with lights on it. They are not real. They don’t need water. They don’t smell good.

Then it’s time to decorate our trees. Some of us have more than one tree in our house. Some of us have none because we don’t celebrate Christmas. Some of us have only one in the family room. We put on lights, we add ornaments some of them favorites from many years of collecting just right ones. Some belonged to our parents when they were little. A few came from grandmas/grandpas. Some came from special trips we made. We added tinsel and some added popcorn or berry garland we made. Some put angels on top and some put stars on top. Some had white lights, some red or green or blue lights. Some had multi-colored on the same tree. They are tiny little lights.

There are many kinds of trees used in America but these are common ones.

Firs			Pine		Spruces
	Douglas	Balsam	Fraser	Scotch	White	White	Norway	Blue

What kind of tree/plants do you use? Do you see the same types in homes in your country?
What is your favorite ornament for the tree?

History of Christmas Tree—Early British settlers to North American colonies rarely observed Christmas and did not cut down or decorate trees. Pennsylvanian German settlements had community trees as early as 1747. Germany is credited for the decorated Christmas Tree as we know it.

Decorations were still of a ‘home-made’ variety in 1747 . Young Ladies spent hours at Christmas Crafts, quilling snowflakes and stars, sewing little pouches for secret gifts and paper baskets with sugared almonds in them. Small bead decorations, fine drawn out silver tinsel came from Germany together with beautiful Angels to sit at the top of the tree. Candles were often placed into wooden hoops for safety. Decorations today have changed from ‘home made’ to store bought in many homes.

In early America, Christmas trees were considered a quaint foreign custom. America was so geographically large, that it tended to have ‘pockets’ of customs relating to the immigrants who had settled in a particular area. It was not until the telegraph communications really got going in the 19th century, that such customs began to spread. Thus references to decorated trees in America before about the middle of the 19th century are very rare. But by 1850, the Decorative Christmas trees came forth. They were embellished with fruits, nuts, tiny wafers, paper cuttings and small candles. Christmas tree had become fashionable in the eastern states.

Before the war the tree lost popularity then after World War II, the Christmas tree again became popular!

The first national American Christmas Tree was lighted in the year 1923 on the White House lawn by President Calvin Coolidge. A tree from the National Christmas Tree Association has been displayed in the Blue Room of the White House since 1966.

In 2002, 21% of United States households had a real tree, 48% had an artificial tree and 32% had no tree. There are many debates about whether you should buy a real tree or an artificial tree.

What is your opinion and why?

Projects by Jen

11/21/201311/21/2013 Roadrunners

We are getting excited to start our newest project with the Holiday Card Exchange project.

Welcome to the
Holiday Card Exchange Project

Dates of Project:
December 2 to 20, 2013

THIS YEAR’S THEME:
MITTENS, HATS, & SCARVES

This project will be open to all PreK – 6th grade classes around the world.

We can’t wait to see who we get a card from. Check back with us to see who sends us a card.

Where do you think the most cards will come from?

What region of the USA will the most cards come from?

Will any cards come from outside the USA? If so, where will they come from?

Going Global at Rocky River

Collaborating with Others Around the World

North America