Mr. Martin (From Ted) – Thanks!
Congratulations to Mintae!
Tag Archives: Out of Eden Learn
Documenting the Everyday
22 FebFor Footstep #5, student documented the everyday by doing one of the following two options:
PLACE: Document everyday life in a place that you know.
PROCESS: Document how people in your community do something as part of their everyday lives. For example, you could focus on how a type of food or drink is prepared, how an object is made or repaired, or how someone goes about another kind of daily task or activity.
Some students created videos sharing something about the local culture or their own culture, while others created a presentation. There were many excellent examples that you can see here. There were all kinds of things shared, but most people seemed to like to share recipes and games. We have enough things to make a cooking show!
B/D Block student exemplars:
How to play Yutnori (Korean game) by MathPie314
Korean recipe (Tteokbokki) by Minibanana
Shogi (Japanese game) by Eva
Documenting the Everyday – IamMario
G/H Block student exemplars: Coming soon!
Learning Journey 2 Starts Soon!
17 FebScreenshot of Pauls’s current location.
This week we are completing Learning Journey 1 for Out of Eden Learn. All students should be finished with Footstep #6, and it should be added to Out of Eden Learn as soon as possible. Please take some time to comment and see what other students in our walking party have done. Learning Journey 2 (with a NEW walking party!) starts soon. More details will be shared soon!
Where is Paul?
Paul Salopek is currently in Azerbaijan and recently updated his Facebook Page and Instragram page with some images. You can also follow his blog and stories HERE and on the RSS feed from my class blog.
First glimpse of the Caspian Sea (Image source: Paul Salopek/Out of Eden Walk)
Near Lahich, Azerbaijan (Image source: Paul Salopek/Out of Eden Walk)
Beautiful scenery and landscape!
Congrats, Hyeonjoo!
28 Jan
Hello students –
Out of Eden Learn recently chose Hyeonjoo’s neighborhood map picture to feature on their Instagram page. Great job!
Out of Eden Learn – Footstep #3
23 NovCharlotte
Nahyeon
Ryotaro
Haruna
Aryan
Youhei
Efflam
Yui
Thea
Imogen
Here are a few of the many great neighborhood photos that students have taken for Out of Eden Learn. Many more are displayed around our classroom, and I have tweeted many others out via my Twitter handle @DigitalnomadRob. Two of our students, Ella and Hera, had their photos featured on an interactive map that Out of Eden Walk created. Click HERE to see this really great map. Sophia had a photo she took featured on Out of Eden’s Instagram page.
I am very impressed with the photos taken, and I hope you enjoyed the opportunity to slow down and notice new things about your neighborhood in Chennai. Keep up the good work!
Mesopotamia Final Reflections, Out of Eden in the News, & Twitter Chat
12 NovPaul Salopek has been out for a walk — a very long walk — since 2013. His route stretches from Ethiopia’s Great Rift Valley to the very southern tip of South America, tracing the path of humanity from its African origins, across deserts and mountains. Hari Sreenivasan from PBS News caught up with the two-time Pulitzer-winning foreign correspondent in the nation of Georgia to discuss his journey so far. Watch the 2nd and 3rd video in this playlist to watch this very interesting story about Paul (It’s new this week!). The first story was done, prior to his walk.
Tomorrow night there will be a Twitter Chat where Paul will answer questions. I plan on joining this chat and will ask any questions on your behalf, if you email me them or put them in the comment section here.
Finally, you need to make sure you have completed your Do Now #9 reflection on our last unit, Mesopotamia. Please add your image of your mind map and add your blog link to the document I will share with you in class. This activity and Out of Eden Learn Footstep #3 need to be done by this weekend at the latest. We will begin our next unit – India – next week.
Updated (November 17): Paul responded to one of the questions I asked him on behalf of the class. He answered Michelle’s. Congratulations!
Screenshot of Michelle’s question.
Guest Speakers Share Some Photography Tips
4 Nov
Mr. Knudsen introduces his photos (Photo by Rob Martin)
Aneesh reviewing the key ideas (Photo by Rob Martin)
The importance of color (Photo by Rob Martin)
Takes lots of photos, lots and lots and lots…(Photo by Rob Martin)
A great message from Mr. K (Photo by Rob Martin)
Grade 6 social studies had the wonderful opportunity to learn more about photography and how to capture a great photograph. As you prepare to take photos for Out of Eden Footstep #3, remember the advice you learned and read in the slides that Mr. Aneesh and Mr. Knudsen (Mr. K). The biggest piece of advice I heard in both of their talks – takes lots of photos before you narrow down to your two favorite ones. The directions and rubric are on the Moodle page under Out of Eden Learn. It has also been shared with you. If you click on the hyperlinks for Mr. Aneesh and Mr. K, you will see their slide shows.
Mr. Aneesh also shared some photo from Steve McCurry, a fantastic photographer who has taken many photos in India and the region. His work has been featured in magazines and galleries around the world. I will go see an exhibit of his photos in New York City in December at the Rubin Museum of Art. I look forward to seeing your photos. – Mr. Martin
Footstep #3
3 NovContinue taking photos this week and prepare to finish Footstep #3 for Out of Eden Learn either this week or during Diwali. The directions are on Out of Eden Learn, but I have also shared them via Google Documents (check your email), along with a rubric and some sentence stems that can help you when you write your story. Here is a video I created that shows some samples of the excellent photos that some students took last year. We are excited to see your photos! I will be out of the country for a conference on Thursday and Friday, but Ms. Jaya will be teaching you. Have a good week.
Mr. Martin
On the Trail with Paul & Tips to Help You
17 OctStudents,
This video is one of Paul walking with a group of students in the country of Georgia. He teaches them how to slow down and notice things in their neighborhoods. You will find this helpful as you work on all of your “Footsteps” for Out of Eden Learn. Here are are some tips:
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Notice 10 things about your neighborhood as you walk (or use the See -Think-Wonder routine we do)
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Use your senses as you notice things – seeing, touching, etc.
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You really need to look for things you might not have noticed before. You are not going to do that if you do not go outside and explore.
Footstep #2 – Neighborhood Map
14 OctThis week we launch Footstep #2 in our Out of Eden Learn project. Students will learn what a “milestone” is in the Out of Eden Walk, and they can look at some of Paul’s milestones during his journey in part #1 in Footstep #2. The first project for Footstep #2 is to create a neighborhood map and to write a story about your neighborhood or the area where you live.
Directions for the project will be shared in class and they will be posted on our Moodle page by tomorrow. The due dates and expectations, along with a rubric are in on the document in Moodle. Please look at some of the examples from other students in our walking party. They may be a helpful model as you prepare your map ands story. Remember to write the rough draft of your story on your Out of Eden Learn Google Document. I found a link to old photos of Chennai (Madras) on this link. Check out the pictures, old maps, and art.
Old map of Chennai (Madras)
A Personal Message from Paul Salopek, Twitter Chat questions answered, and More…
8 OctStudents,
We are finishing our first footstep this week, and you all have a good understanding of the purpose of Out of Eden Learn and how the platform works. Today was a really great day and it ended on an even greater note when I received a message from Mr. Salopek saying:
“Your class is one of the most active in the OOEL program, and I am deeply gratified that the walk has found an echo among your students. Their work is astonishing–the photo gray that I’ve seen of a woman’s hands crafting a floral crown seem almost professional quality. Kudos to you and your students. Thanks again for walking along.”
Big nature, puny borders: the Georgia-Turkey frontier. Photo by Paul Salopek.
The photo that Paul refers to in his message that seems “almost professional quality” is from Kennedy, a student of mine from last year. It is an amazing photo by a very talented girl. I am confident that you will also produce great maps, take beautiful photos, and learn much about Chennai, India while sharing things about your own culture.
Photo by Kennedy (aka Amazon Box Guy) – CLICK ON THIS IMAGE TO MAKE IT BIGGER.
It filled me with great pride when I received this message, and it made me think about the great work my students did last year and the great work you are doing during this first footstep. The next footsteps will get really exciting, as you get to create some cool projects, while sharing your work with other students in our walking party.
Last night, I joined a Twitter ‘chat’ or online discussion with Paul (currently in the country of Georgia) and other people around the world. I asked him some questions on behalf of our class. His answer can be found above my question (My Twitter ‘handle’ is @DigitalNomadRob). Twitter, the the way, has a 140 character limit, so you need to keep questions and replies brief. I have only done one other Twitter Chat, so this was exciting and something new for me as far as social media goes. Here are screenshots of his responses:
Screenshot of Twitter chat (October 7, 2015)
Screenshot of Twitter chat (October 7, 2015)
Photo by Rob Martin
Another way you can engage with or follow Paul’s journey is through his excellent blog, Out of Eden Walk, where he posts dispatches (messages). I have added a direct link here, but I also have an RSS feed on the right side of our blog, so you can see updates from him. Read his stories there; if you want, post questions or comments as well. Please understand that he cannot answer everyone’s question or respond to everyone’s comment. In other forms of social media, he is on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and you can find videos and other information on Out of Eden’s Youtube channel and some great Milestone or Glimpse videos on Vimeo.
Photo by Rob Martin
Photo by Rob Martin
Photo by Rob Martin
Photo by Rob Martin
“Sole Brothers” – Out of Eden Learn (G/H)
5 Oct This week we launched our first “footstep” for the Out of Eden Learn Project. Students watched videos to learn more about Paul Salopek’s journey following the path of human migration. They learned about ‘slow journalism’ and his reasons for taking this trip.G/H block students read Paul’s blog post Sole Brothers. Think about these questions and comment. Our first ‘footstep’ and Part 1 (Get Inspired) is a practice one and it asks you to engage in Paul’s journey and to respond to these questions:
1) What caught your attention or interested you about Paul’s article (Sole Brothers)? Here is an EAL-friendly version.
2) What questions or wonders do you now have (about this article or Paul’s journey)?
Comment below and copy and paste your message to your Out of Eden Learn Google Document (Footstep #1, Part 1) Also, reflect on the beginning of Paul’s story:
“Footwear is a hallmark of modern identity. How best to glimpse an individual’s core values at the start of the 21st century? Look down at their feet—not into their eyes.”
3) What can you learn about someone, or their values from their footwear (see photos of grade 6 footwear)?
In Ethiopia, many people where wear the inexpensive sandals that Paul noticed. Check out the poll question below and vote.
Your Out of Eden Walking Party
3 Oct
B/D Walking Party Map (click on the map to make it bigger)
G/H Walking party Map (Click on it to make it bigger).
Students,
This week we will complete our first ‘footstep’ for Out of Eden Learn. Click on the maps above to see who is in your walking party. I have also created a Google Map showing your party.
B/D Walking Party #564 – United States (Buffalo Grove, Illinois; Miami, Florida; Saco, Maine; Danville, California; Marblehead, Massachusetts), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Accra, Ghana; Burlington, Ontario, Canada, Bandung, Indonesia
G/H Walking Party #565 – United States (West Hartford, Connecticut; Durham, North Carolina; Kamuela, Hawaii; Danville, California; Anchorage, Alaska; Saddle River, New Jersey; Buffalo Grove, Illinois; Marblehead, Massachusetts), Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Accra, Ghana
What is Out of Eden Walk/Learn?
22 SepWatch several of the short video clips on Out of Eden Learn and Out of Eden Walk. Think about:
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Who is Paul Salopek?
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What is the purpose of his journey?
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What is slow journalism?
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What is Out of Eden Learn?
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What do you think will make Out of Eden Learn interesting?
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What questions do you have about Out of Eden Learn?
Share your ideas in the comment section! Due date: Friday, September 25th (G/H) and Saturday, September 26th (B/D). All comments will be moderated and published by Saturday night at 8:00pm.
Out of Eden Learn Is Coming Soon!
19 Sep
Image Source: National Geographic Out of Eden Walk
Image source: Out of Eden Learn
Get ready for an exciting new project, Out of Eden Learn! We start next week!
Out of Eden Walk
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