Introduction
Expedition GIS Center
Classrooms
Field Reports
Student Projects
Field Trips
Chat Room
Media Library
Map
Library
Trail Guides
Schools
Search
Camp Internet
Camp Internet Channel Islands Teacher Briefing
Week of Nov 29 - December 3rd
Top of the Week
Monday morning the 29th, we are honored to have Chumash singer and storyteller, Julie Tumamait, joining us for a live chat from fellow Joan Archer's fellow outpost classroom at the Oak View-Arnaz School in Ventura County. Please bring your students to the chat room between 9:30and 11am for an educational session with an important Chumash spokesperson. Video of her presentation will be made available later in the week.
Second live chat of the week is Wednesday, December 1st, 9-11am with Archaeo-astronomer, Dr. John Anderson (see science section below).
Exploration
The theme of the next three weeks of study is Exploration.
In History we will be learning about the first European explorers to arrive in California. From Cabrillo to Drake to Viscaino - there is an exciting story that will unfold about the daring explorers who came to California and the Channel Islands after rounding the treacherous tip of South America. In reading we will look at excerpts from Helen Hunt Jackson's Ramona, Henry Richard Dana's Two Years Before the Mast, and the origins of Zorro, the most famous fictional character from early California. Ample reading materials will be available online. Visits to check out books as well from the school or public library is recommended. There will be a culminating Explorers quiz to take in a few weeks.
In Science we begin studying Astronomy. First we will take a look at how the original Californians, other Native Americans, and ancient cultures around the world practiced astronomy in our Archaeoastronomy section. Our live chat with Archaeoastronomy historian Dr. John Anderson is set for December 1st, 9-11am.
There is also a time line about the history of cosmology and astronomy around the world to study. And then we have contemporary astro-physics to consider - including learning to use the remote access telescope at UC Santa Barbara over the Internet, and taking part in NASA's Mars Polar Lander Mission that is scheduled to set down on Mars on December 3rd. Also coming online will be resources about considering if there is life out there, Winter Solstice stories about the stars from Native America, and some pretty exciting links to star maps and family learning resources. The section will culminate with an Astronomy quiz. We also ask each student to submit one entry to an Astronomy Dictionary we are building online - they will chose one topic from the time line to define and submit to the Camp's dictionary - all student built.
Teacher Training and Mid-Year Reports
Tuesday, November 29th and Wednesday, December 1st are the In-service Teacher Training days that we hope you will be able to attend. Open House for fellow teachers is 4-6pm. Please bring a guest ! Parents, principals and students are welcome to attend. The live chat will start at 4:30 pm.
Mid-year Teacher reports are due December 23rd. An online form is required, and we are also providing a content tracking form in paper that needs to be returned to us before Holiday break. These reports help the Camp track content usage, teacher training interests, and levels of student participation. They are required to qualify for a year-end field trip - plus - are a way for you to create a historical record of your Outpost's learning activities as we go along.
Family Nights
Next week we are jammed packed with Family Nights ! Tuesday the 7th we are at Valley View School in Coachella with Jim Jones, Wednesday the 8th we are at Ridgeview in Yucaipa with Brian Bartlett, and Thursday the 9th we are at Victoria in Riverside with August Kraemer. These popular family nights will include a paleo-dig - and as an Astronomy project, will be using digital electronic compass star-finders to look at the night sky with parents and students. Family Technology Literacy at work !