Global Education Resources

Here is the summary from the August Retreat at Walker Creek for the Lower Division sent in by Ronnie Feldman:

Big Idea:
We hope to gain appreciation and awareness of life and place recognizing differences and similarities among the four locations being studied in the Lower School. We hope to foster the understanding of the relationship geographic location and the resulting lifestyles. Our focus will incorporate the use of our new school map on the Lower Division playground.


In order to have a frame of reference for Passport in the spring,
Lower Division will observe “Celebrations Around the World” (December 7, 2007) and focus on the same two countries that the entire school community will be learning about at Passport (March 7, 2008): Korea and Japan.
In addition, each Lower Division grade has chosen a country to focus on during the school year. We are calling this umbrella focus “Going Global”.

Kindergarten: China
First: Maputoland (Kwa-Zulu Natal – the Zulu culture)
Second: Japan
Third: Korea

Here are the criteria we all will attempt to cover with our country of choice:

Geography & Environmental effects on culture, climate
Cultural Traditions and the Arts (folk tales, religion)
Family Dynamics
Food
Role in the 2008 China Summer Olympics (possibly follow an athlete in conjunction with P.E. teachers)

At different times we will each use the hall bulletin board for a display relating to our country of choice.

During Lower Division Assemblies each grade will present their information to the other classes.
Third Grade will give a presentation in December.
Second Grade will give a presentation in May. Kindergarten and First Grade will also present at a May assembly.

SKILLS
I. math
A. metric conversion
B. traditional measuring styles
C. pricing/selling/
D. marketing
II. Expository writing

A. writing process
III. oral expression:
interviewing
A. writing up notes
IV. online research
V. publishing
A. digital
B. binding
VI. geography
A. map reading
B. geography vocabulary
C. land/water forms recognition
VII. kinesthetics:
home economics
BIG PICTURE STATEMENTS
I. Culture and geography are represented in the foods people eat and the way people prepare foods.
II. Modern technology provides enhanced research opportunities to learn about cultures around the world.

GLOBAL AWARENESS
A SIXTH GRADE INTEGRATED STUDY

IMPACTS OF GEOGRAPHY ON FOOD CULTURE
KNOWLEDGE AREAS

What factors determine regionally specific diets?
I. physical geography
II. climate and weather
III. socio-economics
IV. conflict
V. Cultural diffusion
MULTICULTURAL
RECIPE BOOK
CONTAINING EXPLANATIONS OF
THE IMPACT OF GEOGRAPHY ON THE SPECIFIC CULTURE PROVIDING THE RECIPE
OUTCOME
TO SELL AS A FUND RAISER FOR A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT
RESOURCES
I. ONLINE
A. ATLASES
B. ALMANACS
C. GOOGLE EARTH
D. SPECIAL PURPOSE MAP SITES
E. COUNTRY SITES
F. RESTAURANT SITES
G. FOOD SITES
H. ePALS
I. VIDEO CONFERENCING
1. other students
2. experts
II. PERSONAL INTERVIEWS

This description of the Upper Division project is transcribed in full from the PowerPoint presentation made by Stacey Kertsman at the Faculty Retreat 8/24/07
• Survival of the fittest is a phrase which is a shorthand for a concept relating to competition for survival or predominance.
• The phrase is a metaphor, not a scientific description; and it is not generally used by biologists, who almost exclusively prefer to use the phrase “natural selection.”

• As the learning unfolds, students will begin to delve into their concept of sustainability (what can survive?) based on the notions of preservation, conservation, and equilibrium.
• The second semester will be guided by the students’ visions of how to implement a service -oriented sustainability project.
• Diane: Scientific explanation
– Evolution
– Survival
– Reproduction
– Environment
– Endurance
– Mutations
– Extinction
Trajectory cont….
• Stacey, Trudie, and Mike explore concepts in the humanities!
– Stacey:
• Use rise and fall of Roman empire as a case study.
• Guns, Germs, and Steel
– Trudie:
• What makes literature enduring? (What current books will endure?)
• What happens when a language dies?
• Nature vs. Nurture in literature
– Mike:
• Western expansion of the U.S.
• Themes: imperialism, chauvinism, racism, felt superiority, greed, “manifest destiny,” “survival of the fittest”
• Media Literacy Component: analyze and deconstruct painting by John Gast (“American Progress”)