adventures

Adventures into Global Learning

Roadrunners

Union County Public Schools in Monroe, North Carolina are introducing students to a global society.   Each elementary school is part of the Global Gateway program.   Teacher’s work on modules learning how to bring globalization into their classrooms and lessons.  They will collaborate and learn about ways to incorporate global learning into their curriculum.

Students will do inquiry based learning by finding answers to questions about a specific region of study.  At Rocky River the second grade will focus on Australia and New Zealand and some smaller islands.

  •  How do Australia, New Zealand and North Carolina compare?
  • Do they have similar cultures?
  • Do they have similar traditions?
  • How are they different?

School Year Ends- Flat Friends Fly Back to England

Roadrunners

You’ve been around the globe lately and once again you are put in a box to fly off to England.  Mrs. Todd took you home to enjoy a nap before your journey began on Saturday.  The weather was a perfect spring day so you loved the sunshine.   You were put in a box that say Flat rate.

 Mrs. Todd had to tell the man at Parcel Plus what was in the box with you.  She put in a surprise or two but we can’t tell you what it is!   She had to write the address down then he typed it and put it on the box so it would go back to North Yorkshire, England.  She filled the box full so hopefully you aren’t to smashed.  

You are on your way home after  weeks in America.   You’ve had  many adventures around Monroe while here.  Baseball games, soccer games, theme parks, the beach, malls (large shopping areas), out to eat and games at home.  There were rainy days that remind you of home and sunny warm days too.  There were thunder storms too.

Some things we’ve done with you at school  is our final assessments in math, reading and writing  , doing  final projects, reading one last book and signing autograph /year books.  We went to lunch and you got to meet our new friends from New Zealand the Snail and the Whale.  

The last few days you helped draw flags for 73 countries.  We had field day and recess and you cheered us on as we had fun.     We learned how children in different parts of the world all play a form of hopscotch.  You got to meet our Flat Friends as they returned home to Rocky River.  You got to taste Tin Tams and Vegemite from Australia.   You got to help clean and pack up the room.

We had an indoor picnic lunch the last day of school.  You got to see us climb on the big yellow buses to head home for the summer.   Some of us went by car or van.  You got to have blue crushed ice and ice cream sundaes and watch a movie about the coral reef.  You also got to see Sleeping Beauty and Snow White to celebrate our Fairy Tale unit.  You got to help us with Reader’s Theater.    You got to see us get our awards for World Education games and reading and math awards.  We had three students come to school all 180 days-  James, Elliott and Nicolas was here every day.   Elliott has been in school every day for three years.  Congratulations to these boys.  You got to learn about the Queen’s diamond jubilee and we looked at the Olympics in ancient and modern times.   You should arrive home in time for the real Olympics.

Flat Friends Arrived in Gold Canyon, Arizona and from North Yorkshire, England

Roadrunners

The Flat Friends have been busy traveling around from place to place.  First it was off to Australia for our Flat Friends and we got some Flat  Friends in return from Australia. They spent several weeks with us  and then off everyone went for a second trip on their journey around the world.

The second round found our Flat Friends heading for Arizona even if it’s in the USA like us it’s across the country in a totally unique environment.  And we got a new set of Flat Friends  from North Yorkshire, England- Middleham Primary School.  No jet lag allowed for these young Flat Friends.  They instantly took off for more adventures! 

Our Flat selves have arrived in Arizona.  We wondered what they were getting into with students at Peralta Trail Elementary in Gold Canyon, Arizona.  Last week we got to skype with these eager third graders.  We got to meet new friends that had received our Flat Friends.  We got to hear about a legend from their area.  Watch for a second post about the skype and the legend.

We are hoping they don’t encounter that mountain lion.

 

We have been busy with our Flat Friends from England and writing journal entries to send back with them.  It was Mother’s Day so our Flat Friends helped make Mother’s Day cards on Friday to give to our moms.   We want to say HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL THE MOMS AROUND THE WORLD!   Our friends in England celebrated Mother’s Day in March.  

What are we finding to do with this new set of friends?  You’ll have to wait a few days to find out.

Flat Selves travel — Journey 2

Roadrunners

 

Wonder what adventure awaits our Flat Selves as they travel again?

This time they will visit with Mrs. Fraher and students at Peralta Trail Elementary,  which is  nestled in the foothills of the famed Superstition Mountains.  These mysterious mountains shadow their community, Gold Canyon, Arizona.

How many miles is it to Gold Canyon, Arizona?

What kinds of animals and plants will they see?

Will it be anything like North Carolina?

Can they find that mysterious Roadrunner creature?

What will they get into in Arizona?

 

Miss Migan’s Class Takes Flight

Roadrunners

Our Flat Friends from Sydney, Australia have taken off back to Victoria, Australia.   We had such a blast playing with them and learning with them.  We took them by the cafeteria to work  for a while and by the computer lab.  We went by guidance one of our last days.  We spent time saying goodbye and writing final thoughts of the adventures.    We wanted to keep them all summer for more adventures but finally decided to do our last post and the next thing we knew they had taken off for their flight.

Final Goodbyes to Flat Friends on PhotoPeach

Sadly we have to report that one of them decided he’d stay longer in the United States.   We couldn’t find Andy anywhere but John and his family will continue  to hope  he shows up.  We’ve read a lot about people immigrating to the United States over the years so perhaps young Andy decided he should to.   We know we have people who came to live in the United States from places like Scotland, England, Ireland, Spain, France, Canada and Russia.  We have a lot of classmates from Mexico, Peru, Colombia and other South and Central America countries and also China,  Philippines and Vietnam.  They’ve come here to visit and then some came to make this their home.  That’s why we are so diverse.  Perhaps he is like our Visiting International Teacher and came to work for a year or two.  People have settled in different parts of the United States from South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia.   Some people have traveled here for educational reasons.   Most of our Flat Friends were ready to travel again.

In our Social Studies we study how people came here on the Mayflower and we’ve read about immigration and people coming to Ellis Island.  We know some came for religious purposes and some to have a better life.  We know some came for work.  They settled near water for transportation purposes in olden days.  Materials and people traveled by boats, carriages, trains and horses.   People moved to the west and spread out.   Modern transportation includes cars and airplanes so travel has become faster.  Cities grew and more and more people came and today people move about a lot.  The United States spread out and became 50 states.  People continue to move from place to place for different reasons.

Do you think we are a “melting pot”?   We read we were.  What do you think that might mean?

Goodbye Flat Friends– Hope your travels are safe and fun.

 

Flat Stanley Takes Off for Australia

Roadrunners

Flat Stanley is heading for Australia in our collaborative project with several schools around the globe.  We wonder what adventures he will find while there.  We’ve been reading a book about Flat Stanley in Australia.  We wonder if he will have some of the same adventures.  We wonder if he’ll get to visit with a kangaroo, a koala or a dingo.  Will he get to walk on the Sydney Bridge or see the Sydney Opera House?  We’re seen pictures of both of these.   Wonder if he go to the outback, the Great Barrier Reef or see the Gold Coast?  Where will our flat friends arrive and what will they see?  There will be 19 little flat friends traveling together to Curl Curl School in Australia.   We hope they will arrive safely and meet some other friends from A Room with a View.  We skyped with them last week and saw their post today so we know they are also on their way to have adventures in Australia.  We are looking forward to receiving some flat friends to take on adventures here in Monroe, North Carolina.  Miss Migan’s class will host our flat people and share adventures with them.  Wonder what they will see and learn about on their journeys?   We hope they have an amazing journey into the unknown.   Be aware, that the wind is dangerous for Flat people!   Hold on tight to them if it’s windy.

 

Dreaming of Adventures

Roadrunners

All of us have adventures to follow.  Some are small and some are grand. 

 Will we accomplish our dreams of adventures? 

Some of us will and some of us will have things that change our future and what we wish to do in life.   

Who will reach for the stars and think all things are possible?

  Will it be you?

  1. Angel- I would like to get a scholarship and go to college.  I want to be a policeman.
  2. Sebastian- I would like to be a game designer.  I would like to create video games and I want to work at McDonald’s.  I want to be an astronaut and study the moon and come back and write a book about the month.
  3. Allison- I would like to go to Europe to see people celebrate holidays and try some food from there.  I want to go to college to be a doctor.
  4. Sophia- I want to go to England to see Mrs. Monaghan.  I want to visit Italy to see where my dad’s family came from.
  5. James- I would like to see the Great Wall in China.  I would like to learn to speak Chinese.
  6. Nicolas-  I want to go to Italy.  I want to try the food there.
  7. David- I want to travel to all countries so I can learn all the languages and try all the kinds of food.  I want to be a scientist.  I want to learn about coins and plants and animals around the world.  I want to learn more about people’s cultures and diversity.
  8. John- I want to save all my monies  so I can give my family money if they are broke.
  9. Liana-  I want to  be good at college.  I want to be a veterinarian.
  10. Gabi-  I want to go to Monroe High School so I can be a soccer coach and be in a parade.
  11. Jaidyn- I want to fly to New York and see traffic and see famous people.  I want to go to college and get a job and work at Wendy’s.  I want to own a Wendy’s restaurant.
  12. Oscar– I would like to visit Spain and Brazil and be a famous soccer player and see all the animals and sample all the foods.
  13. Brittany- I want to go to India.  I want to speak their language.  And try new foods in India.  I want to see elephants and all animals in India.
  14. Nikita-  I would like to go to Egypt and see the mummies and pyramids.  I would like to go to New Zealand and see the mountains and snow on top.  I want to go to college and be a solider.  I want to get better grades and work on my behavior to be on golden ticket every day.
  15. Bryan- I would like  to be a pilot or a fire fighter.
  16. Elliott- I would like to go to Australia to see mountains and to see the coast.
  17. Monzerrat- I would like to go to Hawaii.  I want to taste food there and I think it’s really rich there.
  18. Will- I want to be a pilot.  I want to go to Alaska and go fishing.  I want to party.
  19. Katilyn- I want to see other parts of the world when I grow up and see different kinds of people.  I want to taste other foods and I think they might taste different from different parts of the world.  I really  want to try everything in all the places I visit and try to do what they are doing.