Camp Internet News from the Director

Timothy Tyndall - Director - Camp Internet

Weekly News & Briefing

October 8 - October 14, 2007

Channel Islands Focus for this Week:

Native Plants of the Channel Islands Region

The Channel Islands are sometimes referred to as the North American Galapagos due to the unique species and sub species that can be found on these isolated and less disturbed Island habitats. Both plants and animals on the California Channel Islands have developed unique characteristics.

The plants on the islands represent native species, which have lived on the island since before European colonization began, and they include introduced plants that the settlers brought with them. The islands also have plants with utilitarian and medicinal properties understood by the Native Americans who lived on the islands since up to 13,000 years ago.

Columbus Day Review
from the American History Web

First Contact - Vikings in North America
Special Unit in the American History Web

Chinese Visit the Channel Islands
Chinese Navigators visit the Channel Islands as early as 2640 BCE.

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Channel Islands Literature Study Continues:

Island of the Blue Dolphins

One of the most famous works of American children’s literature revolves around one of the Channel Islands, it is titled Island of the Blue Dolphins and was written in 1960 by Scott O’Dell.

This story provides insight into the challenges of living on the remote islands, which although they might be in viewing distance of the mainland on clear days, were up to 75 miles away across a choppy channel in a wood plank canoe.

It is a mysterious story based on a historical record of a real a young woman, The Lost Woman of San Nicolas Island, who was once stranded when her people migrated to the mainland.

"Far off the coast of California looms a rock known as the Island of San Nicholas. Dolphin flash in the blue waters around it, sea otter play in the vast kelp beds, cormorants roost on it crags, and sea elephants loll on stony beaches.

Follw this link to the Literature Portal
(or go to: http://www.rain.org/campinternet/channelhistory/stories for the Literature Portal

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Weather.

As we move further into Fall it seems Weather becomes an important thing. Out here in the West it is the issue of "will it rain", for Farmers it is the issue of "how cold will it get and when will it get cold".

Let's explore the Camp Internet Meterology Class and begin to learn about Weather.

For Meterology click on the link above or go to: http://www.rain.org/campinternet/meteorology/

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History studies this week continue our research of California Tribal Groups. We have studied the Chumash and the Gabrielinos Tribal groups. This week we will begin to learn about the Shasta. This is our first adventure into Northern California to learn about the Native Peoples and their cultures.

As we study be sure to keep notes and work on an essay that explores the Relationships and the Differences in the different Tribes.

Follow this link to your Shasta Studies

Click on the link above for Shasta Studies or go to: http://www.rain.org/campinternet/backcountry/shasta/

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Rock Art Quiz still active this week!

Let's look at some of the areas you can explore as School starts up.

Explore First Peoples in the Ancient Southwest unit

Ocean Studies
Part of the larger Environmental Studies within Camp Internet, the Ocean Studies unit links you to resources, projects and interesting online video.

Civics - American Government Studies

Goto our Forms and Printable Materials.

Now - let's look at the Course work still active from last week:
Science
We will study Geography this month. Goto: Channel Islands Science to begin. Materials in english and spanish. Storybook format for K-3.

Goto: for California BackCountry Geography studies

Goto: for Ancient Southwest Geography studies.

History


Goto: this link for Homeschool History Class