Sorry it took so long

Now that my class is up and running I have some time to really think about what I want to do.
I plan on having a pioneer day for the class. we will make a day of pioneer crafts. each classroom on my team will offer students an activity that would be as the pioneer would do it. Butter making, leather crafts, pioneer games(marbles, jacobs ladder. etc.) quilting patterns, candlemaking etc.
We could even have half of the day be pioneer school day. i loved all the strategies that Tim gave us. I have already used the Ticket in and out strategy on the first day of school. i plan on using the
Alpha boxes for any of the units being taught. Even though i didn't really enjoy the learning logs, I will use them in my classroom because I think that I is a great way for students to collect their thoughts and really think about what they just read. i also talked to several of you about a pioneer simulation called Hacker trail. Here is the website for it. www.interactsimulation.com it costs 59.95 but well worth it. the other simulation that would be great as you study the setting up of a town and the government is called Homestead also 59.95. these are great simulations and the kids enjoy them so much... you all were a great bunch to be with on the trip. I enjoyed being with all of you and look forward to learning more from all of you as we go throughout the year. I hope we can continue to blog our ideas and sucesses with our curriculum in the classrooms.

Last the best of all the game!

Ok so I waited until last to submit my entry on purpose.... who am I kidding....I'm just naturally last! Can I just say how much I loved that trip!!! I learned a ton and feel like I am so much more connected to the overland trail. Thank you Gene, Val, and Tim!!! To illustrate my point I will expound a bit...so the Monday after our trip I decided to take a backpack trip with some friends and hike Kings Peak (the highest peak in Utah). When I reached the top it was amazing. I looked out over the endless valleys and then something caught my eye... it was the plateau with the windmills on it right next to Fort Bridger! So right there on the top of King's Peak I told my friends the story about the fires on the bluff during the Utah War etc. Needless to say I am already applying all the great stuff from our trip into my daily activities:)

Aside from that randomness I am planning on using a lot of the wonderful lesson plans I received from you all. The strategies that I liked the most were the picture quadrants and the bio cube. Also when I got to Cody I bought a book on the Lewis and Clark expedition and it has a bio of each member of the expedition. Some wonderful person on the buss suggested that I use it in a wax museum. This is such a great idea. I have never seen or participated in a wax museum and so I think it will be quite experimental the first time but has the potential to be a truly amazing experience for the students.

I just wanted to say how much I loved seeing all of these places that I have read so much about. It really was the ideal way to experience the mormon trail. So thank you to Larry H. Miller and Zions Bank for making this possible....and again thanks to Gene for all the amazing commentary... if I can remember even a quarter of the things you taught us I will look like a genius , Val for the great games of Golf... of which I am now addicted, and Tim for being a good sport when Jared and I soaked him on the top of Big Mountain! Thanks to all of you all for making me feel welcome and a part of the group... this was definitely a highlight of my summer!

It is time to stop Mosquito abating and get into school frame of mind!

I have to first thank Gene, Val, and Tim for the great experience. Don and I want to get people together and take them on this same trip and show them how "smart" we are because of what we learned. I have to say that I sure look up to Tim and his family for the thoughtfulness and love that they are portraying throughout their ordeal. Very Christlike.

My favorite part of the trip was the Guernsey Wagon Ruts. It really gave me a sense of that this all really happened and that it is not a bunch of stories. Seeing the ruts in the rock and the sides of the rock scraped away really put it all into perspective and realism for me.

It was a real treat for me to go on this trip with those that made it fun and interesting. Gene was a wealth of knowledge that I wish I could have right in my classroom at all times. Val was great for the accommodations and comic relief, and of course Tim with his ability to show us what a Master Teacher is like. Thanks!

I am going to use the information that I learned about and took pictures about to put into a PowerPoint presentation for the students. I will do the PowerPoint's according to a genre and help the students be able to have a topic to discuss and do some of their own research with Primary Documents and other things that I have. I am excited to teach Utah History this year!

PS Just so that everyone understands. I really do not work out and keep myself in shape. I ran up Independence Rock to say that I did it. I am glad that Pat was alright. I appreciated the clapping when I got on the bus, but I think that anyone would have done the same thing for anyone else. I just happened to be the first one up the hill. By the way, talking about Butts, I was really really sore from going up and all the way back down Big Mountain. I could hardly walk the next day.

Thanks for the friendships and the good memories it was a great trip.

Final Thoughts

For the past week I've been avoiding all thoughts of school, but now that I'm in the classroom setting up, I guess it's time to begin thinking about what this next year will bring (ha ha). It's always fun to reflect on the experiences, particularly when there's so much learning involved. Although I am not teaching Utah Studies this year (tear), I am teaming with the seventh grade teachers. While they present the history, I get to supplement their instruction with primary and secondary source documents, stories, and the texts that make up the Mormon Trail experience in the reading classes. By presenting the literary accounts of events, I want the students to feel empathy towards all the pioneers went through both on the trail and in settling Utah. I want to supplement each lesson with visuals (thank goodness for all those pictures) that show the terrain the pioneers came across, the food they had to eat, the wagons/handcarts they had to push, the experiences they had, etc. I'm thinking about starting with a gallery walk that allows the students to get an overview of important events, then we'll revisit their initial ideas as they progress through the material and compare/contrast their thoughts with actual events.

Overall, this experience helped me learn so much both in terms of content and instruction. It was a pleasure hearing your ideas, laughing with you, and sharing all those fun experiences. I feel like I have such support and an awesome collection of resources! I'll be looking for more ideas throughout this year, so keep 'em coming :)

Thanks for the memories

I hope am really not the last one to blog...that would be Cali's place!  I too am so fortunate to have gone on this amazing trip with such great professional teachers from around the state.  I learned so much from the social connections that made our evenings so full of adventure with the Purple Platypus, Larry the river coach, various shopping excursions, both good and bad food, hot tubs, hiking, very combative water fights, and the invaluable experience of winning at the card game of golf. Having the time to visit and build friendships helped me connect to those who had experienced months of traveling with a group of supportive and ever helpful friends who had traversed the trail over a century and a half ago.  

I am also very appreciative of the expertise of Gene, Val, and Tim.  Not only do they know how to take care of everyone's needs, especially breaks from bus fatigue, they instructed us with amazing information that cannot help but be influential in our daily teaching experiences.  I have never been so well taken care of on a trip and instructed about every hill, valley, rock, and animal, as I experienced on this trip.  Saying "Thank You" is just not about the words, it is about a heartfelt appreciation of a job well done!

I have already shared books and lessons received on this trip with other teachers.  I have begun teaching and plan to use several of the strategies.  The character map and bio-cube are ones that are easily adapted to second week instruction and throughout the year.  I was most impressed, personally with the primary source analysis and the quadrant for looking at a picture.  These strategies helped me see more deeply rather than a quick observance.  My perspective was reconstructed and more focused.  I thought they were profound ways to increase the use of primary sources in the classroom.

Again, I recognize what a privilege it was for me to be able to be part of this experience with all of you.  I hope we can reconnect again...and soon!  

THE TRIP

This trip was just amazing the people, food, people, places oh and did I say the people. You were all great and had a lot to offer me and my life. We started off as just a group of 29 teachers and by the end of the week we were very good friends. The experiences that I had will help me in my teaching for a lifetime. Tim the strategies that you gave were awesome and they will help me in teaching my students. Gene and Val thanks for all of the information and time that you took in our behalf.

I have already met with my 5th grade team to talk about what we can do to help our teaching units on Westward Expansion and also talked to the 4th grade about the different lesson plans and information that I got from all of you. My whole school will be better off because of all of you! I hope that you all have a great year. Please remember to not to work your "butts" off without remembering how much fun we had.

Happy New Year!!

I'm grateful for the opportunity to have gone on this trip as well. I was really touched by the sacrifices made by those that paved the way for us to enjoy this beautiful part of the country. Having Tim share the lost of his son helped me feel for those that lost children or loved ones along the way. Before they seem far away and detached, but as I grew to care for Tim I was affected by his grief. It made me stop and reflect how the loss of life along the trail must have affected the whole company. Thank you for sharing, Tim.
The way I'm going to implement my experience is to have the students in my class "travel the trail". Each student will draw a handcart and cut it out, then starting at Nauvoo they will move their handcarts across the wall passing different landmarks along the way. They will get to move their cart by exhibiting excellent behavior in the classroom, making progress toward a goal, reading a certain number of books, or whatever other criteria I choose. When events happen to them or they get to move I am going to have them read primary documents to learn more about the place or others that had similar experiences then have them write a journal entry. When the whole class has reached certain landmarks we will have a class activity. I'll teach them a square dance when they have all passed Independence Rock for example. If they receive a "refocus"(a behavior tracking program) then something happens in their cart like someone becomes ill or lose your cow. Then the next move they have to use it to fix the problem. Kind of like the old Oregon Trail game. I can use several of the strategies we learned to enhance the trip like the happiness scale. The boys don't like to dance so they might rate reaching Independence Rock as a bad thing. This is a year long thing I plan to do. I will use many of the site in the Emigrants Guide book. I think it will be fun.

Butt back to school

As I hurry and try to set up my classroom to meet parents tomorrow morning and start school on Thursday, I found myself upset about to much to do and to little time . Then I got Tim's email and told myself to buck up and get ready to do all of the lessons I got without having to get off the bus and all the strategies to add purpose to my teaching. I am going to start with admit and exit slips and a biopoem about themselves to get to know each other. My class will be building a handcart and doing some fun trek things to boot. Thanks Tim for making me do the learning logs---they were such a pain but it forced me to go deeper into Jeddy's story than just a quick read through and I'm going to make my kids do them in literature circles. I have to say you guys plan a great field trip and are welcome to St George anytime. I'm still thinking about the reunion---I'll geta back with everyone. I miss you guys, your all great traveling companions.

Back to WY I go!

Hello friends!

Sorry for the delay in the last entry. My family and I are up in Star Valley for a small family reunion. As we drove here, it was fun to share some of the things I learned along the Mormon trail as we passed familiar sites and roads. This seminar was the most beneficial I have attended all summer, and I felt so grateful that I could have had such an opportunity.

I know I was more on the quiet side of things, but I was so grateful for Tim, Val, and Gene. I learned so much, and I was a bit discouraged I couldn't retain the full 100% of it all. However, thank you all for your research presentations and lesson plans. I plan to use them, and build off of the amazing strategies Tim gave us. One strategy I plan to use is the Biopoem. There are so many influential trappers, explorers, and early settlers I want my students to investigate. I think this is one strategy that will help the students take the research to a more personal level, and help them feel more connected to people who lived so long ago.

Once again, thanks so much for allowing me to be a part of it all. I thought all of you are fabulous educators, and I learned so much by listening to all of you. Good luck with this next year!

The Best Experience Ever

Despite sporting 2 black eyes and a goose egg from my trip up Big Mountain , I have to say this was one of the best educational experiences I have ever had. You all made this trip so much fun. It was great to have Gene as our tour guide sharing with us all his knowledge as we traveled the trail. I enjoyed sharing ideas and interacting with all of you. Tim you are assume, your strategies will enhance my teaching. Val thanks for all you did to make this trip extraordinary.

I don't want to complain or anything but you all have created a load of work for me. With all of the lesson plans and strategies, I will need to revamp my whole Social Studies units. I expected this to be a great experience (which it was) but not create so much work. (joke) I am really looking forward to using alot of the ideas shared to make my lesson much more interesting for my students. There are quite a few strategies I want to use, but after complaning about there being no feelings in the journels I would like to use the happiness scale. I feel this strategy will open up a discussion when using source materials that will help the students realize the feelings and not just the events. Like most of you I really felt the pain and work the pioneers went through to give us this beautiful state. I thought of the accidents that the pioneers experienced each day. How many fell and hit their heads? Luckily I had my cooling scarf to immediately put on my head. What could the pioneers do? They had water but how cool was your water bottle half way up the mountain? These were just a few of the questions that came to mind after I tripped. I had been thinking about the big problems that faced the pioneers. I thought about the everyday happenings that they went through.

I hope we can keep blogging, I'd like to stay in touch with everyone. Thanks for all you have shared.

Tim, what is Mrs. Miller's address so I can send a letter. Also is this all we were required to do? Please email me and let me know if I am still missing anything. Thanks

Good food(?), good times, great friends!!

Wow!!! I can't believe the whole experience is really over! I was sad to leave you guys a little bit early on Saturday.

I wish so badly that I could have Joe fire up the bus and take my whole class on our trip. What a great learning experience for me. I had only been to Evanston and Fort Bridger before our trip. Many new sights and bits of information.

I am excited to take Tim's strategies back to use in my classroom. I really liked the classification idea. I think this can be used in any area of content. I also liked the 20 word summary. It makes you really have to think about the info to put it in such a small concise summary. Another favorite is the Happiness Scale. I think this is a great conversation starter for any teacher read that you may do. I was surprised that everyone didn't answer and think just like me. he he he jk I think it is a great tool.

Thanks for all the great ideas and even more for the wonderful relationships!!! I can't wait for the reunion trip!!! Miss you guys!!!

Mormon Flats

I think my favorite part of the trip was hiking from Mormon Flats to the top of Big Mountain. I can't believe that I have never hiked it before and it is in my own county!!! It really gave me an honest idea regarding what these amazing people actually went through. I mean, I felt like I could kind of comprehend the struggles. But when I actually hiked up the mountain thinking the whole time about being in dresses, traveling with wagons, clearing the trail, and dealing with snakes! ( I had two cross my path! Ewww!) What perseverance they had! I can't wait to figure out a way to get an extra field trip to take our students through Henefer and on the hike showing all the amazing history along the way! Cool, cool, cool!

I Miss You Guys!!

Hey Gang! I'm sure missing everyone and every experience we had last week! My husband and I went out to dinner last night to (finally) celebrate our anniversary and there was a group of people a few feet away discussing the Donner party, The Mormon Trail, and I even heard them mention Evanston. I WANTED SO BADLY to jump into their conversation and see what they knew and to share what I knew! But alas, I restrained!

This is my official "last post" but who knows...I just might have more to say at a later date!

As you all saw, (sorry...I tried to hide it behind sunglasses) I was very emotional throughout this experience; especially that last day. It started with the book at Martin's Cove being opened right up to my ancestor, Christina McNeil, and feeling her spirit with me all week long as we traveled in her footsteps. I felt as though on Monday, at Martin's Cove, she was saying to me, "I know you're here." Throughout the week, I felt her saying to me, "Look." (Like in Nephi's Dream.) And I looked and I've seen and had my heart touched. I've seen what it was like for them. I've felt the ruts, seen the trails and felt the spirit of my heritage. I gained a much deeper appreciation for the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice my ancestors made because they had courage and faith. What a gift we've been given! I hope to keep this feeling all the time! We might need to do a yearly trip together so I don't lose this feeling! :)

Tim's strategies were AWESOME! I loved them and plan on implementing ALL of them! My Mormon Trail Binder won't be far from my reach throughout the entire school year.
Off the top of my head, I plan on using the classification strategy for as many different subjects as I can come up with. I loved that this makes the student defend their thoughts.
I also really liked the summary in 20 words. Easy. Quick. Fabulous!
One of my favorite strategies was the happiness scale. How cool was that? I loved that it brought up issues and opinions for us to defend and discuss.

To conclude, I want EACH and EVERY ONE of you to know how much you mean to me. I loved that we didn't form little cliques. I loved that we felt comfortable around whomever we happened to be next to. I loved that we laughed and bonded and truly made lasting friendships.
I learned so much from you. Especially our wonderful mentor, Tim and our handsome, fearless leaders, Val and Gene. I look forward to seeing you at our reunion and anytime in between then!

With Much Love! God be with you till we meet again!
Hugs, Kim Almond :)

Fantastic Educational Experience!

The Mormon Trail trip was an incredible and fun trip. My eyes were opened to many things that I had not learned about the Mormon pioneers. I also enjoyed hearing and meeting with many other 4th grade teachers. I am grateful to those in the Larry H. Miller foundation for helping make this educational experience possible.

My highlight for the trip would have been the introduction of many new strategies. I am a second year teacher and these will come in very handy. One strategy that I really liked and will use (although many people complained) is the use of learning logs. The learning log worksheet helped me give a quick summary of what I have read and it was an easy reference to look back upon.

I hope to go on one of these trips again....

Have a great summer!!!

Cheers to a Great Trip!!!

Sasparillas at Old Fort Laramie

What a great trip! Not only did we learn a lot about the Mormon Trail, but we had a blast while doing it. There is a lot to be said about actually being there rather than just reading about it. It takes on a whole new meaning. I hope I can convey this to my students by sharing my experience and all the great pictures.

Hiking up to Big Mountain on the "Original Trail " was amazing! It was beautiful, but also made me realize even more of the obstacles that the Pioneers had to face. I tried to imagine what it would be like when the Pioneers reached the top and looked down into the Salt Lake Valley. It had to be a very emotional time for them. It was the end of their journey, but there was no time for rest as they worked to build a city for a new beginning. I would like to plan a field trip here and let my students hike this trail. I think it would also be an incredible experience for them as it was for me.

I am so thankful for all the knowledge I gained, friends I made, and memories that I will treasure for a lifetime. However, there is no place like home!

Thanks to everybody for a unforgettable experience!!!

Reminiscing

I was just looking at the other postings after posting my final entry. Looking at the group photo at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center has me thinking of you all. I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to spend a week with such an outstanding group of individuals. I think now that the trip is over I am appreciating even more all that we were able to experience. I missed my family immensely but I'm grateful for this trip that was so educational and memorable. Thank you everyone for making it so fantastic!

Useful Strategies

I know for sure that I would like to use two of the strategies together for research projects I will have students do on either a pioneer, mountain man, or Native American. The bio poem and character map together will help students with this project and will help them connect with the person they decide to research and write about. Thank you Tim for putting together so many useful strategies for us to choose from.

Using What I've Learned

Hi all,
I finally got my suitcase unpacked this morning. I'm slow but sure. I realized I hadn't made a to-do list in six days. I now have about 25 things on my new list, and life goes on! I once heard a quote that said we should thank God every morning that we have something to do each day that must be done. Some days I'm better at that than others.

I want to thank all of you for the wonderful teachers you are, and for sharing your expertise and kindness with me. I learned much and hope to be able to apply it in my classroom. They say you usually only apply 5% of what you learn at these kind of things. I hope my percentage will be higher.

That brings me to the teaching strategy and how I'm going to use it in my classroom. It's hard to decide which one to share because I want to try them all. The reason they will be so beneficial is because they can be used in pretty much any curriculum area. I like the 20-word summary. I could use this in summarizing a story in reading, a science unit or lesson, a social studies unit or lesson, or a math lesson. Summarizing is such an essential skill in every area. When you have to stop and think about what you've learned and encapsulate it in 20 words, you really have to think and review what you know.

The alpha boxes are also very versatile. They too can be used in every major curriculum area. They would be good for group or individual discussion. It gives the students a way to go back over what they've learned and review.

The biopoem could be used for any person in history as well as any character in a book. For sure I'm going to use it at the beginning of the year as a way for the students to get to know each other.

Have a positive, productive year!

An empty suitcase and a full heart

This trip turned out to be so much more than an educational seminar for me. Thank you my wonderful history peeps for sharing your ideas, experiences and positive energy. I wish my students could have the same experience I just did. What an amazing way to connect to our past. The museum in Casper was one of my favorite things. Holy Cow...the handcart treadmill kicked my butt and gave me a new appreciation for what my ancestors did.

Martin's Cove gave me an insight about the children on the trail. My dad died when I was a little girl. That is why we moved to Utah. I connected to the children who had lost a parent on the trail. They would move on and do their best to keep up but they were still kids. I'm sure we have all seen this in the classroom as well. They can put on a tough front and act like everything is fine but what they really need is a hug. Children are so resilient.

Ft. Laramie had such a feeling about it. I thought about all that had happened there and could imagine all the different groups of people who had passed through. Their experiences left an indelible mark on the place.

Well y'all have a great start to the school year. You are all awesome!

Historical Sites

This trip was totally awesome! I will apply again next year and pray that I am as lucky as Natalie. This was my second time to the National Historical Trails Museum and it was just as great! There is so much to offer at this museum. I wish Utah had one like it. The pictures that everyone took will be great help in making a powerpoint Presentation for next school year. I plan on using the snowball strategy for the Rendezvous. I will use it during our discussion then again as an evaluation after our school rendezvous.

I need to find out how to get Inspiration software for my class and want to incorporate the T4 website.

Tim you have wonderful ideas and great strategies for teaching. I feel that I will be a better teacher because of you! Gene and Val added so much knowledge and fun. Thanks for letting me play golf with you all. I hope to have my family play this game! Look forward to seeing you all again soon. Have an awesome school year!!! Let's keep in touch!

We Are Home

I don't know whether to be happy or sad. It feels so good to be home with the family, but I can't stop thinking about the trip. Part of my heart and mind is still on the prairies of Wyoming. I really loved this trip a lot. I miss you all so much. It was a great opportunity to get to know you and associate with you. Your friendship and kindness was so appreciated.

I loved our hike today. I loved the beauty of the mountain and the rich history as I climbed. What a huge mountain to have to go over before entering the Salt Lake Valley. This whole trip has been such a valuable resource. I got a whole lot for my 5th grade curriculum, but I am saddened that I won't be teaching the Utah history as much. The story of the Mormon pioneers is so dear to my heart. These stories can tell so much and teach so much. We shouldn't ever neglect history and lessons learned. I hope that I can maintain the passion and desire I feel right now while teaching and that my students will feel that same passion.

Tim asked us to Post one idea that we thought that we would use specifically in the classroom. There are many that I am very excited to use. I was very impressed with the bio poems. I hope to teach them to do these early in the year so that I can use them frequently to describe different key characters in American History. I also want to use admit/exit slips with my students. It is so important to give the kids time to process what they have learned and revisit it when they are done. This is a great way to do that. It also gives me invaluable feedback. Thanks Tim for these strategies. Thanks to everyone else for the good time!

Thanks Everyone!

Tim asked us to do a final blog post. Thanks to everyone, the leaders and participants, for helping to make this past week so worthwhile. I will never look at or read about the Mormon Trail in the same way.

As far as a strategy that I plan to use, it was hard to decide from all of the good ones we received. I definitely plan to use the analysis of primary documents that we did with the Pony Express document and the Cove Fort photograph. The forms would also work well with the well-known photograph of the signing of the Declaration of Independence for the 5th grade U.S. history core, and the Mayflower Compact.

I also really liked the compacted version of Alpha Boxes. That could be used with many of the papers that everyone prepared for this seminar, as well as with just about any social studies or science unit.