ICS Meets ANS

Sabine: Hello everybody!!!


We had a WONDERFUL time at ANS today!  We all really appreciate the warm welcome we were shown there.  


The students at ANS were so very, very friendly.  Everyone had words of welcome, encouragement, and kindness.  My buddy introduced me to a lot of new friends that I hope to keep in touch with via Facebook or email.  There was not a moment that I felt uncomfortable and I was never by myself getting lost on the huge campus!  We would really like to thank the ANS buddies for showing us around and becoming friends with us.  We also thank the teachers for being welcoming.  We all had a great time and can’t wait to see you all again and work with the Chacocente students as well.  We hope you enjoyed having us as much as we enjoyed being there.

Ahmirah: Once we woke up at 5 o’clock we got dressed and ate a typical Nicaraguan meal. Then we drove to ANS. I was really surprised when I saw how big the school was and how much security there was! The security guards had big rifles and both entrances and exits were really congested. When we finally arrived at ANS we stayed in a room to meet our buddies. After we were told our buddies, we shadowed them around and took observations about how ICS and ANS are different and how they are the same. This was our schedule: History, English, Math, Lunch, P.E. and Spanish. This was only a shorter version of their schedule. At lunch I was surprised to find that they had a food court that had American places like Dominos and Subway. After lunch we went to the room where we started and gave out our presents then watched the film that we made to show ANS about Philadelphia. Then we went to Spanish where they only spoke Spanish! You COULD NOT speak in English. When that was over we stayed at the food court for a while and socialized with our new friends. We found out that Cullan had most of the girls swooning over his every move. The girls kept telling me that I was lucky to be even breathing his air! When we left we got back to the hotel and wrote about our feelings about the day for ten minutes then swam. Later that evening we went to dinner. 

Cullan: ANS works outdoors much more than ICS. In math class we went outside and ran around for an experiment instead of learning staight out of the textbook. The PE class in ANS goes out to their very own baseball field to play a game of baseball, instead of staying in a classroom like at ICS. At recess time there are tons of outdoor options to have something to do, like soccer basketball and baseball. The cafeteria is actually outside, and all of this is really nice because it is very warm. The hallways do not have roofs or walls so you are freely traveling to your next class. In all the kids at ANS go outside much more than us. 

Lola: Personally, my favorite part of the day was getting to know my buddy Andrea. Each class she really helped me get to know ANS. We went to English, Math, P.E., and History and I actually enjoyed going to school. I really got to know  how everything worked there and how different it was from I.C.S. Andrea was so nice and really made me feel comfortable throughout all the classes.



By: Sabine, Ahmirah, Lola, and Cullan

Traveling and Who We Are

We are the 2012 Take Flight group, and we are traveling to Nicaragua to make new friends, make a difference, have a great time, enjoy ourselves, and relax. Most people disliked the flight to Houston far more than the flight to Managua. It was a lot longer and there wasn't a lot to do. Here is the opinion of one of our travelers while we were in Houston, Texas.

Sabine said that when she woke up this morning she was super excited to leave, but she calmed down eventually. She was nervous all throughout the wait for the plane and on the plane she thought she would have a nervous breakdown, but yet again she calmed down. The flight was fine in general, but the turbulence made Sabine nervous. When we finally arrived in Houston she said landing was rough and that it really irritated her ears. Even though the plane ride was rough, we still had some memorable group moments.

1. While we were in Houston all the boys were set on this quest to find a soda called Big Red, because they were informed on the plane by a Texan of its greatness. Although they were all disappointed.

2. When our plane landed in Houston we went and got something to eat in the food court. And while we were there got a compliment for our behavior by a passerby.
3. We went on the moving side walk and struck a pose.
4. For the second flight we weren't allowed to switch our seats because it caused too much trouble the first time. One thing that was a lot better than the first flight was the fact that we were able to watch a movie.
5. When we arrived in Managua we went through customs and the second we walked outside we were approached by a child beggar. We also saw several stray animals.
6. When our bus driver was loading (It took a little team work) the same child approached us but with two other boys. They asked for money again and tried to sell a flower that one of the boys made from leaves for ten dollars. Then one decided to ask Tr. Kate for a KISS!

And that's all we have so far, keep reading!

By: Kai, Royalti, MyKyah, & Noah

We've Arrived!

It's been a long day of travel, but we've made it to our hotel in (sticky!) Managua and are now headed to bed for an early morning visiting The American Nicaraguan School.  We are tired, but so excited to be here.  Check back tomorrow to hear from our student bloggers!

 

A farewell picture on the ICS playground 

 MyKyah and Sabine (looking especially excited to be flying!)

 

All smiles

Big Red is a big deal in the Texas airport

Don Pablo helps us hit the road to our final destination: The Managua Hills B&B

Take Flight Nicaragua!

The 7th grade will be enjoying spring break vacation from March 29th to April 9th.  Please stay tuned on our blog for updates from our Take Flight student ambassadors who will be traveling to Nicaragua.

We hope to post at least one blog post per day reporting out on our adventures.  Please feel free to post your comments and questions.  We will respond as soon as we can!

Disfruten sus dias de descanso.

Extra Credit: Comparing and Contrasting the Hunger Games

Students,

This week you have an optional extra credit blog assignment to start off the next trimester on the right foot.  Did you read The Hunger Games or catch the movie this weekend? 


Option 1: Write a review of the movie or the book.  What did you like about it and why?  Who would you recommend this book or movie to?  Click on the following link from Scholastic for tips on writing a review: http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/bookrev/tips.htm

Option 2: Compare and contrast The Hunger Games movie with the book.  For those who haven't read the series or watched the movie, try not to include any spoilers, but explain what you liked/didn't like about the movie vs. the book, and where you think the movie could have been improved. 

For either post, make sure to proofread your writing for conventions (CUPS) and compose your response in a google doc before posting.  This will graded as a reading classwork grade.

All About...You!

Hello ICS and ANS students!

Thank you to those of you who have joined our conversations on the blog!  Here at ICS we've really enjoyed getting to know a few of you through your posts.  We hope this week to keep the conversation going.

This week, we wanted to share more about ourselves in an effort to learn more about one another.  ICS students, you may post this week as often as you like, and respond to one another, but please make sure to respond to at least one blog prompt below to receive full credit.  This week you may post using the VoiceThread above, or in the comments below.  ICS: we'd love to see more of you posting in Spanish and trying out the voice recorder using the microphone.  It can be absolutely horrible to hear your own voice recorded, I know, but it's great practice for oral presentations!

Successful comments (written or recorded) have been outlined and reviewed before publishing.  And, as a reminder, they are evidence of our best work as writers (no texting talk, please).

Prompts:

• What cultural, religious, or family traditions are important to you?  When do these traditions occur and what do you do to mark the occasion?  Spring has sprung, it seems; do you mark this time of year with Easter egg dying, or maybe a Jewish Seder?  Please use details and be specific!
• Do you have a favorite childhood memory that reveals something about who you are today?  Do you have any frightening, funny, surprising, sad, or any other stories in between, you'd like to share? Feel free to use this prompt to write a poem, or a letter to your childhood self -- be creative.
• What are your hobbies?  Do you play sports, make art, dance, or collect unusual objects?  What pastimes keep you happy and inspired?
• What musical bands and artists do you love?  Do you have a favorite genre, or album?  Are you a musician?  What kind of music do you play?  Have you ever seen any live performances that you have enjoyed?
• What book do you think belongs on a 7th grade "must read" list?  What is your favorite book and why?  Do you have any all-time favorite characters?
• What is your favorite movie, play, or musical?  What do you like about it?  What did it make you feel or think? 
• Who is your personal hero?  Is there someone (perhaps outside of your family) whom you admire?  What do you admire about him or her and why?

Connecting Communities Through VoiceThread

Hello Students,

This week marks the start of our partnership with 7th grade students at the American Nicaraguan School (who our ICS Take Flight student ambassadors will be visiting in just a few weeks!). We welcome our ANS partners to join in our discussion.  Feel free to respond to any of the questions in the comments section below (click on our "How To Post Comments" tab for detailed instructions) or use the VoiceThread above to record your messages!

Part I: Using VoiceThread

This week you may comment using our class VoiceThread, or comment as usual using the comment section below. In order to comment on the VoiceThread, 7Speaks students will need to log in using the account information provided in class. Other visitors will be able to comment by registering for a free account (you will need an email address).

To comment, please click on the “comment” button on any of the slides. There you will have the choice of either recording your voice (microphone icon), typing your words (Letter A icon), or using a webcam (camera icon). There are four pages to this Voicethread, and you can comment on any or all four pages accessed by the bottom right hand arrow. If you are happy with your recording or what you have typed, be sure to save. If not, hit cancel and you may re-record or re-type as often as you like. Click on the camera icon to use your webcam. You may NOT use the doodle function, nor the telephone option (it costs money). Try to find a quiet corner to record your voice - laptop microphones are extremely sensitive!  As usual, all comments will be moderated, and any inappropriate comments will not be published.  Keep in mind proper web etiquette as you choose an avatar and, as always, please use correct spelling and grammar.  This week you may include posts in English OR Spanish.

Here are the questions I would like you to respond to using the VoiceThread:

• What is your name (first names only)?
• What is the best thing about where you live? What is the worst thing about where you live?
• Are there any regional foods that you enjoy, or are particularly proud of?
• Of all the places you have traveled to outside of where you live, where is your favorite?
• Where would you like to go that you haven’t been yet?

Part II:  

Read this week's assigned article on TeenBiz, "Leaders Promise to Help the World's Poor," (ICS students only), complete the activity, and answer these questions in the comments below.  ANS, please feel free to comment on these questions regarding service as well!

• What does it mean to be of service?  
• What experiences have you had volunteering or providing service in or outside your community?  
• What do you think are the best ways to help fight poverty in our communities and abroad?
• Students at ANS: Describe your partnership with Chacente - What service projects have you been involved in and how have you helped?

**Special thanks to the 7th grade blog Write Out Loud for inspiring this week's post and VoiceThread project: http://writeoutloud.edublogs.org/2009/04/04/voicethread-video-week-in-rap-oh-my/