Friday, December 8, 2006

Seeing the world

This week's story in our anthology got the kids talking about places that they'd like to see. OK. So maybe it wasn't the story but me. I made a connection by saying that I understood the story because of a friend. The kids then asked, "Is there somewhere in the world from which you have not met a person?" I then started getting quizzed on various U.S. states and countries. My answer was either, "Been there," or "Have relatives who live there," or "Know someone from there." They were shocked. This is how we got to places in the world that we would like to see. Well, not until after we finished reading the story. Their list was fascinating -- Syria, Australia, Spain, Brazil, and Japan just to name a few.

Some of their list overlapped with my personal one. I did not add the places that I would like to see that they had not named. So now I'm thinking of a whole new research project. "How did people from the country you named come to the United States?" Because I'm teaching U.S. history and all. Always got to link stuff to the standards. The more, the better.

Right now I'm trying to plan a trip to Monterey in January. I also know that I have to go to D.C. next summer. I figure that while I'm there, I may as well visit relatives in Virginia and Georgia.

Now I also have a week off in February. I think I should head somewhere then but where? New Orleans? I mean it will be Mardi Gras. Rio? Also, if I teach summer school I will have plenty of money to go on an additional trip next summer. And I've completely forgotten spring break in April. Any suggestions?

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