Traveling with my co-presenter, the penguin.
(In German translation at the end)
A fine start to my sabbatical: equipped with penguin, polar gear, ozone models, UV beads, a globe, an Antarctic map and photos, I was off to my first school in California, the Juana Briones Elementary School in Palo Alto.
As you see below, I am having a chat with my co-presenter in the plane before my arrival! The penguin will stay with the school Juana Briones as a reminder of my trip. Many first graders will also conduct penguin research.
"I wonder what name the students at Juana Briones will give me ?" contemplates my co-presenter the penguin.
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Organized with the help of Jeannie Lythcott from Stanford University, students from K through 3rd grade at Juana Briones were eagerly awaiting me. Would a high school teacher like me be able to teach these younger students about the Antarctic atmosphere, ozone and penguins , I wondered? Would 45 – 50 first graders and I be o.k. being together for 2 hours during my first presentation, I asked myself. What a great opportunity and challenge! Well, for the students and me it was an amazing time of learning. The Polar Gear, of course was a special hit, especially the ‘bunny boots’.
What treasure to be able to share the excitement and anticipation of going to the coldest, windiest, and driest place on earth to understand more about the atmospheric changes on Earth.
This is Avery Lythcott-Haims , a first grader at Juana Briones, enjoying trying on the polar gear. She was ready to come on my excursion!
Smile
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Here is Avery Lythcott-Haims in full polar gear . Her teacher, Mrs. Klein (left) is helping to put on the polar gloves. <figure class="standalone-image" style="display:block;"><img src="/sites/all/modules/tinymce/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-cool.gif" alt="Cool" title="Cool" /><figcaption class="caption" style="display:block">Cool</figcaption>
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Sept 10, 2007. Juana Briones Elem. School , Palo Alto , CA. During Elke's two hour class presentation, Jeannie Lythcott from Stanford University is reading to first graders a story from the book " Antarctic Anthics". Jeannie organized all 6 presentations in California.
Sawyer , Avery's brother in third grade, is ready to be a polar researcher!
<img class="standalone-image" src="/files/resize/members/elke-bergholz/images/sawyerinecw3-400x300.jpg" alt="Can I come along?" width="400" height="300" />
Sawyer Lythcott-Haims in full gear: "Oh, these gloves are really warm!"
At the assembly with 130 kindergarden through second graders:
This is the location of Amundson-Scott-South-Pole-Station in Antarctica:
I will study the ozone layer at the South Pole. Imagine this umbrella is the zone layer, protecting us from dangerous ultra violet light (UV light).
Who could be this person in polar gear? Avery Lythcott-Haims , a first grader at Juana Briones enters the assmbly. Jean Lythcott and Jill Dinneen are helping her to walk along the isle in full adult polar gear.
Soon we will find out who the student is inside the gear! Elke is demonstrating the polar gear: "Here are the gloves". Then Elke is freeing Avery of three more layers of gear!! Avery did such a good job modeling !
Smile
After 5 different 1 to 2 hour presentations with elementary students, I also shared my upcoming excursion with teachers-to be at Stanford . Then it was off to Washington state for 3 more presentations
In German – auf Deutsch:
Ein schoener Start fuer das freie Schuljahr: ausgeruestet mit einem Pinguin, den Polarsachen, eine Kart, einen Globus , UV-Perlen und einiges mehr ging es nach Kalifornien zu der Unterstufenschule Juana Briones. Hier im Bild habe ich gerade ein Gespraech mit dem Penguin neben mir, mein co-Presenter. Vielen Kinder vom Kindergarten bis zur dritten Klasse warteten schon aufgeregt denn Jeannie Lythcott von der Stanford Universitaet hatte mich schon viele Monate vorher angekeundigt. ”Werde ich als Oberschullehrer mit den juengeren Schuelern o.k sein und die richtigen Worte fuer Erklaerungen wissen? ”fragte ich mich. Wuerden bis zu 50 Schueler aus der ersten Klasse und ich miteinander fuer zwei Stunden klar kommen? Aber , ja. Wir hatten eine tolle Zeit zusammen . Die Polarausruestung war natuerlich ein spezieller Hit, speziell die ’Bunny Boots’ - oder ’Haeschenstiefeln’ wenn man es woertlich uebersetzt. Es war schon sagenhaft die Aufregungen der Vorbereitungen der Expeditionzum zum trocknesten, windigsten, und kaeltesten Kontinent der Erde mit Schuelern zu teilen in der Erwartung ueber Aenderungungen in der Atmosphere zu lernen.
Nach 5 verschieden Vortraege ging es dann nach Washington State .
Die Bilder koennen aber viel mehr aussagen