alastair humphreys

South Africa

Roadrunners

This time Irene’s mom came to talk with us about South Africa.  Second grade students at Rocky River were lucky to hear all about Cape Town and South Africa.

These are things we learned…

  • There are the Big Five-  they are the rhino, elephant, buffalo, leopard and lion.
  • Where the oceans meet at the end they are different colors because warm water and cold water don’t mix.
  • There are white sharks.
  • They have gold and diamonds.
  • They have the rand as currency = 100 cents
  • They like to barbeque.
  • They make many items- clothing, spears, shields, cravings, crafts.
  • They have two flags.
  • Their clothing is different from ours.

We think Tom should have encountered more of the big five to have more adventures in the book The Boy Who Biked the World.  His journal pages told us things about each place but we think it would have been good for the book to have more sensory details woven into the actual story line after we heard about South Africa.

 

Traveling the Atlantic Ocean

Roadrunners

As we follow along and read the adventures about  Tom on his bike we also follow what’s happening with the author Alastair Humphreys as he rows across the Atlantic Ocean in his newest adventure.   We are now in  Ethiopia as we continue to read about his bike trip to the end of Africa.  As we read we discuss different culture values and beliefs from different areas and we are following his trip with our Atlases.  His diary pages give us information about different places.

Why would a boy on a bike with his supplies be considered rich in one country and poor in another?

Why do two people who work near each other but are from different countries not talk until Tom comes through the border?

When will Alastair Humphreys and his crew  arrive on land again?  See where he is and read about the author’s other adventures.

http://www.transatlantik.si/eng/

http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/

 

As you can see reading takes place even in the Atlantic Ocean. Fishing we’d expect in the water.    We think some things would be important to have on this trip.   What else would they really  need?  We are getting ready for our economics unit in a few weeks and we will disucss needs and wants.   They may want other things but are they really needed?  What do you think the top 10 things they should have with them in the Atlantic Ocean?  Will the weather be stormy or fair?  Wll it be hot or cold?   How will this change what they will need with them?

  • A compass
  • A map
  • food
  • water
  • sunscreen
  • hat
  • sunglasses
  • sunscreen
  • raincoat
  • something to sleep on

We think you would be hungry, sunburnt, wet and tired.

It’s amazing to us that students in England. Australia, North Carolina are all following his trip.   They received phone calls from him so check out their sites to learn more

A Room with a View (England)  http://middlehampri2.posterous.com/an-adventurer-calls

4KM and 4 KJ ( Victoria, Australia)   http://4kmand4kj.global2.vic.edu.au/