Teacher Workshop - How to Navigate Camp Internet

Marcy Montgomery, Camp Internet Education Director: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:29PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Greetings Campers - My name is Marcy Montgomery and I am the Education Director at Camp Internet and welcome you to the program. We are pleased to have new states joining the program this year and encourage you to not only explore your own expedition, but to also set up exchanges with classrooms in other states to learn about one another’s schools, lives, and interests. Your studies will link you to fellow classrooms and expert resources in Colorado, Arizona, California, and New Mexico this year - a good chance to learn and share with other students in dozens of schools. Welcome Campers ! This room is designed as an online workshop that simulates the same first-day activities we do in the live training so feel free to use it to get to know Camp Internet, or as a refresher.

FIRST STEP - Say Hello!: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:30PM PST (-0800 GMT)
WHEN YOU ARRIVE - scroll down and post a HELLO at the bottom of this chat room. Let us know your name, school name, number and types of students. If you type your name and school name in the YOUR HANDLE box below the message box, it will automatically identify you as the sender every post. To get back up top to read through these activities and exercises, you can always type a large number in the SCROLL BACK box, then click chat, and it will take you back up above .

SECOND STEP – take the online Camp Internet introductory tour: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:32PM PST (-0800 GMT)
See Teachers In Action! In our Camp Internet introductory section button you are invited to take the online tour by clicking on this button and then click on INTRODUCTION to initiate the tour and use the lower right hours to move through the tour. THEN COME BACK HERE for the guided orientation below.

THIRD STEP – Getting Oriented by Using Our Features: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:34PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Let’s begin our online training with some simple orientation exercises. The front portal of Camp Internet (click on this button and then use 'BACK' button on browser to return here) is divided into three main areas.

THIRD STEP – Getting Oriented by Using Our Features: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:34PM PST (-0800 GMT)
On the left is the column with STATIC resource links. This is where resources are stored that are available year round – teachers resources, student resources, archives of activities, the media library and more. It is also where you will enter the important TEACHERS WEB as you have done to reach this workshop – and where you will find your and your student’s work posted for public view in our field report and chat archives. You can see this LEFT side bar button and try out its different features.

THIRD STEP – Getting Oriented by Using Our Features: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:35PM PST (-0800 GMT)
On the right is the column, on the yellow paper, that features the INTERACTIVE dynamically changing activity and showcase links. This is where you will access the IMPORTANT LIVE EVENTS – Internet Digs (online research challenges), Trail Guide Chats (question and answer with top experts) and Field Reports (where you showcase your student’s work). You can access the main Camp Calendar with special events listings here. It also will have Garden and GIS links – and – the drop down box below provides online forms for sending in important reports and information. NOTE: this list will change and feature new activities, but the core activities will always be there. You can see this RIGHT side bar button and try out its different features.

THIRD STEP – Getting Oriented by Using Our Features: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:35PM PST (-0800 GMT)
ABOUT OUR LIVE ACTIVITIES ….. From the RIGHT SIDE BAR you can access the very popular live and interactive activities that really bring learning to life for the students and where they can responsibly publish their own findings – and question. INTERNET DIGS by expedition or Campwide are entered here (see example at this button about Wooly Mammoths) ………………… Discussions with scientists and historians in TRAIL GUIDE CHATS button links you to a chat with a Mesa Verde Ranger or this button links you to a chat about Chumash Rock Art). We will help you understand the unique learning activities that take place inside each of these areas as we go along in the training.

THIRD STEP – Getting Oriented by Using Our Features: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:36PM PST (-0800 GMT)
FIND the TRAIL HEADS ……… At the bottom of the main Camp portal are the access points to the different Camp Internet Expedition TRAIL HEADS. You and your calls have access to all of these anytime in addition to your own focused Expedition – feel free to explore and borrow resources from any Expedition. Each Expedition is COLORED CODED to help you know which expedition you are in – watch the left side bar and mastheads to keep oriented. To see them for a specific Expedition, click on one of these – Islands button … Backcountry button … Southwest button … Global Garden button … GIS button … and this year’s new Expeditions will also have the same features.

THIRD STEP – Getting Oriented by Using Our Features: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:37PM PST (-0800 GMT)
UNDERSTANDING every EXPEDITION’S Upper Links Across the top of each TRAILHEAD, below the masthead, is a strong of very helpful tool links. Teachers and students will use these regularly to keep oriented in their Expedition – they work like a TOUCHSTONE to help you understand what current events are and to access other activities any day of the weeks. Your Expedition’s INTRODUCTION, WEEKLY BRIEFINGS, EVENT CALENDAR, and ACTIVITIES are accessible from here anytime you open the Expedition. To see them for a specific Expedition, click on one of these – Islands button … Backcountry button … Southwest button … Global Garden button … GIS button … and this year’s new Expeditions will also have the same features.

THIRD STEP – Getting Oriented by Using Our Features: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:38PM PST (-0800 GMT)
UNDERSTANDING every EXPEDITION’S Left Side Bar Inside each TRAILHEAD you will find a common organization. Each left side bar in the Expeditions links you to the History, Art and Literature, and Science resources UNIQUE to that Expedition – some of the resources are from rare books, articles and historical resources NEVER BEFORE on the Internet – others are resources developed by our own teachers. You will also find a link into the GIS Mapping Center. We guarantee a safe learning resources center for you in our in-depth library! You can also always get back to Base Camp / the main portal, or to your Trailhead – your expedition main page anytime from the left side bar. To see them for a specific Expedition, click on one of these – Islands button … Backcountry button … Southwest button … Global Garden button … GIS button … and this year’s new Expeditions will also have the same features.

THIRD STEP – Getting Oriented by Using Our Features: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:38PM PST (-0800 GMT)
UNDERSTANDING each EXPEDITIONS Main Body The center of the main TRAILHEAD page will change on a weekly or monthly basis to help focus student attention on the FEATURED LEARNING THEMES. These themes will also be the basis for the current INTERNET DIG and we invite students to use the DIGS for a quick overview. (Please understand you are never limited to these weekly or monthly themes – you can access any of your Expedition’s Resources any time from the LEFT SIDE BAR by subject.)

THIRD STEP – Getting Oriented by Using Our Features: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:39PM PST (-0800 GMT)
The THREE Camp Internet BUILDING BLOCKS……….. One of the most important concepts we present to our teachers, to help them succeed in presenting a distance learning program in the classroom, is to clarify what Camp is ‘Not’ and what it ‘IS’. Camp Internet features three building blocks that both teachers and then students learn to access and master: INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE, SHARING…………….. Camp is NOT like a book where you can only read someone else’s ideas, not like a television show that keeps you passive as an observer, not like a CD ROM that has no human interaction, and not a random use of the Internet for casual surfing………………. Camp is VERY FOCUSED on specific learning objectives and UNIQUE learning EXPERIENCES for every Camper. This is a new way of learning, and it takes place in a DISTANCE ELARNING COMMUNITY of teachers, students and parents all pioneering this exciting and empowering new way to learn online. And it is a new way of learning possible only over the Internet on this amazing global communication network.

THIRD STEP – Getting Oriented by Using Our Features: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:40PM PST (-0800 GMT)
The THREE Camp Internet BUILDING BLOCKS………… To help define this further, here is a link to a visual document you can print out button This document reminds us that the STUDENT’S three building blocks are : 1. Learning to access INFORMATION online ………… 2. Learning to turn that information into KNOWLEDGE ……….. and 3. Gaining the skills to SHARE that information online with others. These building blocks will help you gauge accomplishments in your own training, and as your students proceed through the program.

STEP FOUR – Discover that Camp Internet is HANDS-ON is FUN !!! : . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:41PM PST (-0800 GMT)
A very important concept to recognize for effective teaching is that while Camp uses Internet technology to share information and encourage knowledge building, the added strength of the program is in the ***USE*** of this knowledge to undertake hands-on and field learning projects. We understand technology as a means to reach valuable learning destinations and as a springboard to launch exciting learning experiences, not as an end in itself. We ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY ! And reward it by featuring student work online!

STEP FOUR – Discover that Camp Internet is HANDS-ON FUN !!! : . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:42PM PST (-0800 GMT)
We also support online reporting projects using data gathered in field explorations. In the past, students have gone to Yosemite, Catalina Island, Indian Canyons in Palm Springs, Dinosaur Journey in Colorado, Hawaiian Volcanoes Park, Anacapa Island, and Joshua Trees National Park. If you are interested in our suggested FIELD TRIPS – see our recommendations at button

STEP FOUR – Discover that Camp Internet is HANDS-ON FUN !!! : . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:45PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Let’s Visit the STUDENT CENTER …….. ……. and you can go there by clicking on this button In the STUDENT CENTER is the personalized BACKPACK with tools for students, their own portal to the Camp CALENDAR for their track so they can plan ahead for live participation, a VIDEO LIBRARY, and a STUDENT GALLERY of work – we invite their participation through contests and special assignments. There is also a link to their current BREIFING and news about TRIAL GUIDES……. When students access Camp they will always use their CLASS LOGIN and this area will open to pages that then personalize the page recognizing them by their class or school name. FUN !

STEP FOUR – Discover that Camp Internet is HANDS-ON FUN !!! : . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:50PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Visit the TRAIL GUIDE WEB in the left side bar of the main Camp portal too button ……. And see what Trail Guide Chats look like …………… The TRAIL GUIDE WEB introduces students to some of the great experts we bring online for them to learn from. We ask students to always be aware WHO they will be chatting with, WHAT the guest’s specialization is, and to prepare up to 12 questions per class that are ON TOPIC. This is a good place to start to get to know who they will be learning from online. Here are a few samples chats that were a LOT of fun for students AND Trail Guides too! On Rock Art button ………. On the Chumash button .. And on Volcanoes button

STEP FIVE – Set up your own CAMP INTERNET OUTPOST in your Classroom: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:55PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Create a display area, bookmark Camp Internet on your computer, prepare student hand outs from our black line masters, and get ready to EXPLORE! Every Monday watch for your WEEKLY BRIEFING and special event messages to keep in tune with our great activities. Here is a CHECKLIST to help you make the most of your subscription and ideas for getting STUDENTS and their PARENTS involved in rewarding learning activities all year long ! button

GO AHEAD - Say Hello!: . . . . Wed, Jun 26, 3:56PM PST (-0800 GMT)
TEACHER HELLOS welcome below - and then read / walk through the orientations resources above. When you want to get back up to the top of the room, enter a LARGE number in the SCROLL BACK BOX and click CHAT.

Dwayne Palasek from Ray Wiltsey Middle School: . . . . Sat, Aug 3, 9:07PM PST (-0800 GMT)
A Field Trip to the Chumash Interruptive Center in Thousand Oaks and the Marine Floating Lab in Ventura On Wednesday, May 23, 2002, some Ray Wiltsey Middle School students went on a field trip to Thousand Oaks and Ventura. In Thousand Oaks we visited the grounds of a former Chumash Indian Village. We spent three hours walking the grounds, visiting the museum, viewing a slide show, and making Indian rock art. This is the group of kids at the entrance to the center. button This is a Chumash tomol. This is the type of boat that the Indians used as a vehicle to visit the various Channel Islands. We walked to the area where the shinny field was located. Shinny was a game that could played when two Chumash tribes argued over hunting grounds or something similar. The rules of the games were there are no rules. A shinny ball (the knot from a tree) was struck with a shinny stick. The ball would be hit between the two poles. There was no referee and therefore no fouls. After playing for several hours to a couple of days, the game would end by one side saying to the other “Let’s go fishing!” Shinny field. Shinny ball. Shinny stick. The hoop was use for a target practice game where Indians would try to shoot an arrow or throw a spear through the hoop as the hoop is rolled along the ground. This is an ap. The woman built the house. The door always faced east, so to get the first rays of the rising sun. Since the woman made the ap, she could decide if the man was no longer welcome. If she wanted to divorce him, she would simply place his thing outside of the ap and he was banished from the house. This ap has a cement coating on the outside to preserve it. The inside of the ap is authentic. This ap has a 20-foot diameter. We had fun painting some Indian art on rocks. Close up of students at work on their artwork. This is a display of Chumash tools before and after the Spanish exploration. Inside of the museum we treated to learning a Chumash Indian chant. The students kept time with various Chumash rattles. The black on the various rattles is Chumash version of super glue. It is made of 50-50 mixture of tar and pine resin. The basket was use to trap fish in a stream. The Chumash revered the bear. The medicine man would wear the bearskin to give him authority and power. The Chumash invented the reusable arrow and spear. The shaft of the arrow and spear were dilled out and an arrow tip or spear tip would be inserted. The arrow tip and spear tip would enter the target animal. The shaft would drop off as the animal ran through the bushes. The shaft would then be picked up, a new point inserted into the shaft and then the arrow or spear would be ready to be used again.After we left the Chumash Interpretive Center, we then traveled to a famous fast food restaurant, McDonalds. (No picture) We arrived at Ventura harbor about 2:00 pm. After a short orientation by the boat Captain… We were ready to start our trip. We had to have our safety course. button , sea birds and harbor seals at the harbor entrance. We threw the net out behind the boat to drag the sea for animals. We were introduced to the on-board aquarium and its residence. We were prepped on how to bring the net back on board. Hands on time! Lots of sea critters to see and touch. We checked the water temperature, water clarity, water depth, wind direction and speed. We were able to examine sea dirt up close and we were even able to taste it!! Delicious seawater. Yum! But it sometimes makes your hair grow funny. We filtered out some microscopic sea animals and then went down below to see and identify these tiny animals under a microscope. Dwayne Palasek Teacher Ray Wiltsey Middle School

Ms. Denise, teacher: . . . . Fri, Aug 16, 8:53PM PST (-0800 GMT)
I am more than a little nervous around all these super techno teachers. How soon before they all discover how technology-impaired I truly am? This summer I used computers much more than ever before and my students liked it a lot and I liked their self directed focus. So I'm motivated to integrate as much as possible, because God knows my students and I are sick of hearing me drone on and on. I want them to be in charge of their learning. This is my first night at Camp Internet. I look forward to exploring Santa Barbara and learning how to up load pictures, make a field report and create an internet dig.

Questions about Camp Internet--click here