Classes - Part 2

Over the last two weeks we have been busy in SCIENCE exploring the many megafauna of southern Africa. We visited Chobe National Park in Botswana where we saw wild dogs, kudu, impala, hippos, cape buffalo, a pride of lions, giraffes, and a plethora of birds. As we moved south, we stopped at a lodge situated around a watering hole where we had an up close opportunity to observe elephants. In small groups, students designed and completed a scientific investigation of elephant behavior at the watering hole. Students investigated questions such as whether large or small elephants were more likely to instigate conflict and how an elephant’s size influences the amount of time it is able to drink while at the watering hole. Students spent a day collecting and analyzing data to help answer their question. Each group then presented their findings to the class.

We continued our exploration of megafauna in the Okavango Delta. While on delta game walks we saw zebra, wildebeest, several types of antelopes, and yet more elephants as we learned from our guides about the each animal’s natural history. Our discussions also included exactly how the Okavango Delta came to be a vast river disappearing into the Kalahari Dessert trapped on a broad flat plain by two faults.



Emma, Pia and Jane's findings

This coming week we will head to Etosha National Park to get our last fill of megafauna viewing and grapple with local conservation issues such as poaching. Then we will head to the Cheetah Conservation Fund where we will learn about their efforts to help not only the cheetah, but the entire ecosystem including the human communities living in and around cheetah habitat.

 

 

 

Precalculus:

In the last two weeks we finished up Chapter 1 and our overview of functions in Precalculus. We continue to find ways to apply precalculus concepts to the world around us. Last week, we looked more closely at our previous analysis of the population data of the countries we are visiting by calculating the rate of population change during specific time periods. Furthermore, in our Chapter 1 test we analyzed a function representing the number of elephants we viewed at the watering hole over the course of the day. Currently, we are moving onto take a closer look at specific types of functions in Chapter 2. So far we have explored quadratic and polynomial functions. In the coming weeks we will dive a bit deeper into polynomials, cover rational functions, and continue to gain skills to represent the world around us through functions.

Another science study

 

Algebra 2:

Our class is in full swing as we successfully completed our first chapter test a week ago. Currently we are solving linear equations and inequalities since they are a foundational skill needed for a variety of real-world problem solving. For example, we have applied our new skills in calculating how much to tip our safari guides or graphing the price of chitenge fabric  at the local craft markets. Furthermore, we have become comfortable graphing inequalities in two variables which allow us to view solutions to a problem with more than one solution. With midterm exams right around the corner, we will focus our energy on linear systems and reviewing information covered in the last five weeks. Stay tuned!

Science Study

Our visit to the San Living Museum

 by Jane R, New Hampshire, Junior

Warm sand pooled in my sneakers and an dry head pasted my hair to my neck.

Caroline turned to me, the splothes of dirt on her face mirroring my own, and we both grinned as Pia's voice sung out, "one, two, three, push!"

In a heave and a grunt, our Big Blue truck was back in business.

Today, we visited a Living History Museum in Namibia.  The inhabitants are San people, descendants of tribes that have lived in southern Africa for centuries.

Although many of these people have given up traveling the land to hunt and living in straw huts (partly by their own decision, partly by the government's), in favor of modern schooling and amenities such as village water tanks, the Living History Museum exists to teach San children as well as tourists basic, ancient skills such as beading and making tools.  This helps preserve the culture of the people as well as generate a steady income by the sale of jewelry, knives, and other native crafts.

Despite the revenue gained from tourism the San people live in, what by European and American standards, would be considered as poverty - a family of ten or twelve people may live in a one room house with inadequate protection from the elements.  These people have had longstanding conflicts with the government regarding land and cultural rights, and unfortunately are often victim to harsh policies that may be restrictive of their land and disrespectful to their culture.

However, you would never know any of this by simply meeting a San person.  Every TTSer agreed that today was one of the best so far.  (There have been too many to count!)  We began our day by learning how to make a roaring fire from two small sticks, how to make and shoot a bow and arrow, as well as a variety of hunting tools.  A highlight of the day for each of us was assisting a San woman as she chipped, shaped, drilled, and beaded gorgeous white pieces of ostrich egg, dried fruit, and seeds by hand to make stunning jewelry. She then give us the jewelry! 

After saying goodbye to the women, we took a tour of the "modern" village of the San.  We saw the colorful primary school and simple houses of the villagers as the red sand glittered in the sun and golden, grey, brown and snow white cows watched us with lazy, curious stares.  Many children were excited to see us (the opposite was true as well), and we spent a sunny half hour teaching them a dancing game. By the end, everyone was breathless with laughter and had sore cheeks from smiling.  An even harder goodbye ensued, the kids jumped up to hug us and we never wanted to leave!

Tired but happy, we scrambled into Big Blue.  Minutes later, a groan and a squeak from the engine confirmed our fears - we were stuck in the sand!  But just as any other minor setback at TTS, it was solved with excitement, teamwork, and this time, some help from the villagers.  Men from the village walked the long, sandy distance to help us push the heavy truck, and asked nothing in return!

The golden light shined on our tired, triumphant faces, as we waved goodbye to the San.

Classes - Part 1

Hello from Grootfontein! We had an excellent day at the San village complete with digging and pushing big blue out of the sand pits on the way home!  

After packing up Big Blue and crossing into Botswana, History class began to shift gears as we had a whole new country to explore. As we traveled through Botswana the ladies took note of similarities and differences noticed between our time in Zambia and what we were finding in Botswana.  We then searched through each country's history to find historical examples that contribute to the realities of life on the ground in southern Africa.  The class has taken advantage of the plethora of primary sources available in our travels.  They are honing their interviewing skills and learning to view each encounter as a rich source of knowledge.  Students interviewed the staff at our campgrounds and our Okavango Delta mokoro guides. The insightful questions ranged from asking about the interaction between diamond mining and tourism to how government is addressing HIV in the country. 

These questions lead to a major class theme: historic and contemporary governance in southern Africa. The students have analyzed the various political systems that have played a role in shaping southern Africa from colonial governments to both single and multi-party democracies, to military governments.  After reflecting on political capacity and the ability of governments to meet the needs of their constituents the girls wrote their own "recipes" for a successful government.   They then put their knowledge to the test in a simulation activity that required them to represent various and conflicting viewpoints.  With diverse backgrounds and interests, students were charged with the task of creating a constitution for a newly independent nation.  Through inner party conflict, opposing ideals and, ultimately, compromise students navigated challenges which many newly independent nations face.  

We also delved into a case study of the government and economic policies of one of Botswana's most infamous neighbors....Zimbabwe.  Through the course of our travels we are lucky  to share the journey with several wonderful Zimbabwean guides, including our cook, driver (TK and Simokangwe) and river guides, who shared have their stories.  In class we explored both Zimbabwe's pre colonial and colonial roots, though we have focused most intently on the recent economic crisis and controversies around land redistribution.  These threads will continue into our Global Studies Unit on human rights, where the girls will act as UN member countries to decide whether or not to place economic sanctions on Zimbabwe. 

Yet again we've crossed another border into Namibia where history class will wrestle with the legacies of apartheid and genocide that haunt this nation's history.

 

 

PE at TTS continues to take full advantage of the unique places we find ourselves.  While staying in Livingstone, the group ventured out to local soccer fields to play some high intensity frisbee and soccer.  Gym class then took a more mellow turn, yoga and circuit workouts, during our time in Elephant Sands due to our large bodied neighbors, elephants. Unmistakably the favorite recent gym class has been our afternoon swim gym in Botswana.  After a swimming warm up, some water aerobics and pool games the girls created a dynamic syncronized swimming routine! 

Our coursework in I-LIFE has taken on more complex dimensions as the dynamic of our life here has developed. In addition to workshops on academic and duffle/truck/ locker organization, students took part in a seminar on effective goal-setting.  Mentor groups broke out to hammer out details of semester-long and short term goal development.  Mentors are tracking the progress of these objectives throughout the semester.  We continue to grapple with weekly budget check-ins: wrapping our minds around ATM fees, foreign currency exchange, and planning for the next week. As requested by the students, we presented a class on conflict resolution, outlining strategies for dealing with the complicated relationships developed as a result of being with each other 24/7.  We explained "feedback loops," an exercise intended to help with conflict and build confidence, and tried them out in our mentor groups. In small groups of four students and a facilitation teacher, students shared two positive contributions and one point of growth for each member of the group. Students were nervous to complete the exercise, but in the end, felt gratified for the information that was shared. The activity helps promote healthy communication and address challenges proactively before conflict arises.  As we approach midterm examinations, we will discuss strategies for dealing with stress, and introduce the platform for student leadership in the second quarter!

The Drabbles are out!  Students in LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION spent hours writing, re-creating, editing, and counting their  100-word (exactly) compositions.  Topics ranged from the stars, to Barack Obama, to a Livingstone market stall -- and each piece included the intentional use of a literary device.

We participated in a creative writing workshop as an introduction to descriptive writing (which is encouraged in all assignments).  Everyone tied blindfold bandanas over their eyes, and I handed each person an unfamiliar object. As students touched and smelled their object, we discussed the relevance of using sensory detail to carve out descriptive prose.  Next, with a loud crack, they broke into the objects, spilling tropically scented goo and seeds out on to their hands.  When allowed to uncover their eyes, they found delicious passion fruits.  After a summary of descriptions of the fruit, we used this activity as an opportunity to learn about different types of literary devices.  Examples of simile, synechdoche, and hyperbation filled colorful shared pages as students experimented with different types of written expression.

Throughout the Drabble writing process, we were also busy with a unit on short stories.  After an introductory conversation about the value of storytelling, we summarized the traits of a short story.  In this unit, students engaged with three stories from the region: "Age of Iron" by J.M. Coetzee, "The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses," by Bessie Head, and "Crackling Day" by Peter Abrahams.  In each one, we followed up on if and how the stories fit in with the realm of short story fiction.  We also used these texts to consider what kind of questions literature allows us to ask.  Basic, textual-based questions give us purchase on the author's intentions and background, character development, and scene building, among other elements.  Yet even in short stories, the plots and people described bring to mind other, larger questions that point us to a greater understanding of world context and philosophical ideas.  For example, the prisoners in Head's story steal from the prison: we ask, how do the prisoners justify their actions?  On a greater level, we can question, when is stealing justified and why?  What is a moral absolute?

 

 

Since we've crossed the border into Namibia, it is a felicitous time to begin reading Peter Orner's novel, The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo.  This beautiful piece of fiction provides an expert example of descriptive writing in the form of concise vignettes that take place at a school in rural Namibia.  Students are enjoying piecing together the sinuous plot, complex characters. and clues of Namibia's history as they tackle their first book.  Soon, we will start writing our own vignettes a la Orner, with hopes of capturing our experience here at TTS26.

 

 

 

 

GLOBAL STUDIES

Indigeneity is complicated: throughout our journey in Botswana, we explored the challenge of defining indigenous peoples.  Utilizing background information about native people in the US, students worked out the characteristics of indigeneity.  Next, we introduced the idea of a "root cause tree," which helps contextualize issues we observe.  Using the widespread prevalence of street trash as an example, we brainstormed the causes (and causes of the causes!) of the problem -- the roots of the tree.  The clear next step is to postulate the leaves of the tree, and examine what the possible results of the issue might look like.  We practiced this framework with examples of indigenous issues in this region, like land dispossesion, lack of representation, and discrimination. This assignment helped to reinforce the importance of studying a systemically disempowered group.  Botswana recognizes all of its citizens as indigenous, thus creating a disillusioned paradigm for understanding the place of people who call themselves indigenous.  How do we view indigenous people?

Our case study for these themes is the Kalahari San (or "bushmen," as they are pejoratively called).  In mock news casts, students presented recent events regarding the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and court cases fought by San activists to reclaim access to ancestral lands.  Discussion about the CKGR brought up questions regarding local mining companies, safari lodges, and human rights.  Utilizing our framework for critical thinking skills, students analyzed an excerpt from "The Harmless People," by Elizabeth Marshall.  The culmination of this case study occurred in a visit to a San Living Museum.  Upon arrival, we were ushered into the bush, where we participated in building fires, traditional crafts, and bow hunting.  After the Living Museum, our group also toured the modern version of a San village and interacted with local kids at the borehole.  The post-experiential debrief incited fruitful questions about authenticity, defining poverty, and sustainable development: all themes that we will continue to explore throughout this course.  Next up, we will dive into a unit about human rights and the role of the UN!

clips from the delta

Okavango Delta

Malia getting chomped by a hippo

Toni waking the delta

The group said good-bye to Botswana this week and moved to their third African country. Here are a few glimpses of their time on the Okavango delta. You may see lots of long sleeves and long pants, but word on the street is it was hot, HOT, hot!

Have a good weekend!

Aunge

MAIL CALL

Hello vicarious TTSers~

The rumor mill is true - we will deliver mail (with some caveats) to TTS26 in late October. Here is  your chance to practice the nearly extinct art of letter writing. So grab a pen and paper and start jotting down some thoughts - let your traveler know life goes on while she is away. Though your life may seem same old, same old, these ladies love a little news from the trenches. Sun sets on Summer Time - Back to the grind; Family Pep Rally - Siblings Pick up Extra Chores; BOO - Spirits come out on Halloween; are just a few suggested topics to get your creative juices flowing. 

Submission details:

We invite those of you unable to join the Campus Visit to send letters to our office for hand delivery with a smile. If you (or friends and family) would like to send letters or photos to the ladies they need to be in our office by Friday, October 23rd. I fly to Cape Town early the following week.

As this is a hand delivery system, we can only deliver up to 10 cards or letters to each TTS26er. Please collect letters or cards from yourself, friends and/or family and mail them to the TTS PO Box 7058, Bozeman, MT 59771 (they must arrive no later than Friday, October 23rd), we will get them to South Africa. 

Please don't send packages; we ask that you send nothing bigger than regular office sized envelopes. Letters are quite important, as are personal packing needs. In the spirit of packing light and meeting luggage weight requirements, your letters, cards, photos,  or newspaper clippings will mean much more than sweets, shirts or other consumable goods.

Just to re-iterate, our trained office dogs will sniff for chocolate, caramels, and other goodies and may re-direct them to the "afternoon delight" goodie dish in the office. The same dogs may also alert us to all other extraneous goods that stretch the boundaries of an office sized envelope. 

Fine Print:

For folks able to join the Campus Visit we ask you adhere to the same guidelines. Hugs, letters and photos are the best gifts you can bring overseas and return home with for each person. More details to follow on this note, but please promise your daughter your company only and not a new wardrobe or candy store.

Food for thought:

A little goes a long way! These ladies have learned the power of a duffel bag and its contents. They know how to stash a treat or wear an outfit differently to strut their stuff. They also know there are stores and markets to buy things they really need. Everyone loves  mail - it is something that can be re-read and appreciated time and again. It also holds meaning long after its' delivery. While this isn't an assignment, I encourage you to send at least one hello to your traveler so she has something to open in that anticipated 'Mail Delivery' moment.

Happy writing,

Aunge 

New news from the field

We began our time in Livingstone, Zambia with an afternoon visit to the Lubasi Home, an orphanage sponsored by the campsite we were staying, Jolly Boys. The home cares for forty Zambian children ranging in age from 3yrs-17yrs old. The Lubasi Home invited us to play soccer and sing songs. Since our students have had many amazing group bonding experiences, they were overjoyed to spend time with local kids in a fun and unstructured manner. Even though they were excited, TTS students were also nervous and aware of the consequences their actions may have on this small community. What does it mean for American teens to play at an orphanage? Is it a positive interaction or detrimental? We discussed our preconceived notions of a Zambian orphanage. How do we interact with the children in a culturally appropriate and respectful way? One of the 'mothers' (a volunteer who lives with the children for 2 weeks every month) gave us a tour of their library, housing, church and soccer field. She explained some of the kids' backgrounds to the our students and introduced everyone. 

The first few moments were slightly awkward. Everyone, Zambian and American, tried to figure out the best way to start a futbol match. Nervous to play futbol, TTS students and Lubasi kids instead decided to play a vibrant game of keep away. Luckily for those not feeling sporty, some teenage Zambian girls shared songs, games and advice on hand washing our clothes. We left Lubasi Home wishing we could spend more time and more curious about Zambian orphanages and our role as visiting tourists. 

Vic Falls (photo from a past semester)

One of the sights the girls were most anxious to explore was the legendary Victoria Falls.  Prior to leaving Jolly Boys our group was warned to temper our expectations of the falls, due to the drought the falls were quite dry.  Nonetheless, we optimistically set off towards Victoria Falls.  After a few minutes of tromping through dense vegetation we popped out on the edge of the of Zambian side of Victoria Falls.  The mighty Zambezi raged beneath us as we watched the spray cascade down the gigantic ravine.  Indeed, the scene was much drier than depicted in photos.  However it was breath taking nonetheless.  As we took advantage of the photo ops the girls pondered what the falls might look like during the rainy season. 

Almost instantaneously, new trickling falls began to emerge and over the next several moments the falls transformed from wall of dry cracked rock to a roaring waterfall, sprinkling us with spray. We walked from vantage point to vantage point in awe, capturing rainbows in the mist on our cameras. As we continued to marvel at the transformation we had witnessed we began to think critically about what had caused the enormous surge in the water fall.  This lead to several important conversations about dams, both in Zambia and the USA, hydroelectricity and resource management.

After a lively week of delving into classes and exploring the beauties of Livingstone as our classroom, we said our farewells to Zambia. It was a shock to all that it was time to experience a new country. Time flies in our TTS world. We weren't necessarily ready to leave Zambia yet psyched to see the magic of Botswana. On our first morning in the country known for its blue skies and extraordinary animals, we woke up before the sun to experience our first and most memorable safari truck drive in Chobe National Park. We were welcomed by a pack of wild dogs and their pups as well as a pride of lions and three cubs. Chobe did not disappoint. Not only did we see lions and wild dogs, but giraffe, water buffalo, baboons, elephants, kudus, hippos, impalas, vultures and a plethora of birds graced us with their presence. We concluded a glorious day with a lovely boat cruise on the Chobe River where we saw more animals and heard stories from other eclectic travelers. 

TTS26 Science class

Botswana has the largest population of elephants in all of southern Africa. We had a heightened awareness of this fact at Elephant Sands Lodge. Elephant Sands has created several water holes for the elephants at the northern tip of the Kalahari Desert in order to reduce the elephants' water stress during the dry season. The restaurant and common area are built around the hole for spectacularly close viewings. TTS science teachers could not have been happier. They took advantage of this unique classroom by assigning an in-depth elephant observation project. The students had multiple observation hours to collect data and analyze research. The owner of Elephant Sands was so impressed with our students' dedication to this project and work ethic that they offered us a complimentary evening game drive. Fortunate to meet such a generous family, we spent the evening discussing poaching issues, specifically the ivory trade to Asia with our guides and listened as the African night sky enveloped us. 

Meerkats from previous semester

Next stop - Planet Baobab and possibly the only colony of meerkats habituated to humans. Our knowledgeable guide toured us through the landscape, teaching us why weaver birds only make nests on the west side of baobab trees and how the San people could make homes out of termite mounds. At the meerkat colony, an expansive grasslands-scape, we cozied up close to the little creatures and watched them guard the area, scout for food and begin to venture close to the new folks. The meerkats were quite comfortable as our guide has spent almost every day for the last 10 years sitting with them and acquainting them to two legged humans. After parting ways with the meerkats we set off for the Ntwetwe Salt Pans, one of the largest salt pans on the planet, and an endless moonscape landscape where we licked the salt off the ground and let salty mud squish between our toes. Always thinking about why and how things are the way they are, we discussed issues surrounding mining and other natural resources found in national parks and the consequences to animals, communities and environments.

TTS26 Safari Time

Currently, we are on the road to the pristine Okavango Delta to paddle in to the heart of Botswana's life source for an overnight trip. We are feeling lucky! Thanks for tuning in to TTS news!



Photos . . . finally!

Dear Parents and Friends,

I'm hoping your second phone calls with your daughters went well this week. I'm sorry to be slow to share my photos from my visit to Zambia with the group. There are some videos on my phone I have to share as well. Promise, they're coming! Let us know if you need help viewing these.

Just a reminder, feel free to share photos with your people but please do not tag our girls on social media! Make sure their friends and family understand this as well.

Click for: Photos from Jennifer's trip

Enjoy the weekend,
Jennifer

The Things We Carry

To start out the semester, we read the first part of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried. Discussions followed regarding the author's history and authenticity, the style of writing, and the relevance of what it means to “carry things.” Students wrote on the following prompt:

 In the spirit of The Things They Carried, write about what you (or we) carry with us on this semester...

Here are a few excerpts from their responses:


Liz: “Two pairs of pants, two shorts, one capri, five pairs of socks, two long sleeves and some t shirts. Running shoes for PE, town shoes and sandals for everything else. A 15 degree sleeping bag. A compression sack because space is limited, and a headlamp, because it's winter and the sun goes down early. An iPod to carry music from home. Sunscreen, bug repellant because this is a malarial zone. One jacket, one warm layer, long underwear for God-knows-when, it's not that cold out.”

Emma: “Pia carried ten granola bars and hoarded them for hard times. The long, tired, dirty, cranky, hungry days ahead were no match as long as she carried food to fend off the fear.”

Katie: “Rachel carries star charts. And I will make the point to tell you, that one of them is glow in the dark, as she has made this fact very clear. Rachel is tall, much taller than I, sometimes it seems as though she could stand on her tip-toes and reach out and touch the stars herself... Chloe Loeffelholz carries pictures of her family back in Montana, along with a journal to note in every night. Although all of the young women on this trip do the same, her photographs that Chloe carries re-ignites her cheery-ness. I see the light in her eyes when she passes around a picture of her little brother, Per.”

Mimi: “Lydia took along with her, her favorite memory of her horse. She had trained and worked with her horse until the two of them were able to free-ride together, without a saddle, bridle, or anything. Just she and her horse.”

Caroline: “Toni's duffle seems to be bulging with sass. She unpacks it most frequently and deservingly when I'm failing to wash dishes to her satisfaction. Toni carries a pre-cal book which she will always open when I ask her for help with functions and formulas. She carries her reputable math skills with patience and dutifulness..."
 
Simrill: “Since teachers are people too, they carry their own things along with us. Beth Billington carries her background in philosphy, her leadership, and her snail-bird tattoo. Elsie Thomson carries her hearty laugh and Mr. Goatee. Bekah Hykan carries a passion for history and her famous “Body Talk” song. Quinn Mawhinney carries her curly hair and memories from being a TTS student.”

Kira: "We all come from different backgrounds and each carry a different past in our minds. We hold on to different fears and hopes but we call carry the same heart. We carry a heart which carries the need to explore, learn, as well as accept and be accepted.”

Jane: “These are the memories I carry – at least some of the best ones. The rest swim around in my head – diving and splashing, some only surface at night. If everyone else carries these waterlogged thoughts, together we are an ocean.”

Malia: “We may lose some objects such as hairties, pencils, and toothpaste. We may also gradually lose our day to day thoughts of home. However, none of those measure to what we may gain. We may learn to carry deeper appreciation of where we come from, and all the world has to offer. We may learn to carry one another in times of need. However, the most important thing we may learn to carry, I think, is ourselves. Learning to carry who we are, what we stand for, and all we can do to change the world.”
What do you carry?

Beth

Just before leaving Lusaka we managed to squeeze in a trip to the Olympic Youth Development Center (OYDC), which included a guided tour with our new friend, Wenny, a member of the Zambia National Handball Team. The OYDC is an enormous public facility that serves not only nationally recognized athletes and future Olympians, but also any and all interested community members. Caroline got to show off her tennis skills in a quick match and we all cheered as we watched Pia and Jane join in on a boys’ primary school field hockey game.

Olympic Youth Development Center pool

After much anticipation, the girls rocked their swim tests in the Olympic size pool, all swimming at least 100 meters nonstop! Our tour took a surprise turn when we were invited into a talent show, put on by a youth artist collective. We witnessed incredible performances and after the show the girls chatted with the local slam poets and acapella gospel singers, who incidentally were all the same age as our group!

Zambian National Handball Team

Our final stop at OYDC was to meet the Zambia Women’s National Handball Team, just before they flew out to compete in the All African Games. We were surprised to find that these professional athletes were also roughly the same age as our group. The girls were so thankful for the opportunity to connect with students their age, who were living such different lives.

Spoken Word group meeting

Canoeing on the lower Zambezi

Then we were off…to Chirundu, which serves as our launch for our 3-day canoe trip down the tranquil Zambezi River. After a safety briefing from out knowledgeable guides, we tightened up our life jackets, picked up our paddles and set off in our canoes. We were on the water for less than 8 minutes before our first hippo sighting. We honed our communication skills as we worked in pairs to steer our canoes smoothly down the river. The Zambezi was teeming with wildlife - hippos, but crocodiles, kingfishers, fish eagles and elephants. 

Lunchtime entertainment

Creative use of sandals

The 4^th longest in Africa, the Zambezi River is enormous in this stretch, and we set up camp each night on a small river island nestled between the Zambia and Zimbabwe borders. Our wonderful river guides ensured that we feasted each night, filling our stomachs with savory stew while we sat under the stars.  We enjoyed hosting serenades and sing-alongs while canoeing down the river towards our take out.      

Everyone, put away your guns

Though we were sad to get off the river, it was time for us to meet our new "home" for the next 3 months...BIG BLUE!  Our cook and driver, Samukange and TK, were happy to greet us, teach us some Shona, and introduce us to the Big Blue Truck.  After a good night's sleep in our new safari tents and a full day of classes, we packed up the truck and headed west....More to come from Livingstone!      

In addition to our multi-day canoe trip, students have been participating in a wide variety of PE activities.  Early morning yoga has been a favorite amongst many students.  Others have enjoyed running through in rural Zambia past banana farms and waving children.  In fact, the group set a group goal of running a 5k by the end of the semester! To reach our goal we've been building our strength and stamina doing circuit workouts as well as kinesthetics.  Though perhaps the most exhausting workout was playing soccer with the children at an orphanage in Livingstone!      

Intro to academics

Hello bloggers~

Here is a little taster of classes for the first two weeks. Teachers and students will keep us posted on classes throughout the semester. Sometimes they will share student work, sometimes they will give an overview of the course. Enjoy the academic travels...

Global Studies is a required 2-credit comprehensive course taught on all Traveling School semesters.  As a team, we design classes intended to be thought-provoking, discussion-based, and topical to the places in which we travel.  Critical thinking is emphasized in order to encourage higher level reasoning.  The students completed their first homework assignment of the semester on the plane ride from Dubai to Lusaka, in which they outlined their expectations of southern Africa; these pre-conceived notions provide a framework for discussion throughout the course.  Upon our arrival in Zambia, we were fortunate to meet folks were willing to teach mini-classes on national government and representation (by local politician Joyce Banda) and regional languages Bemba, Nyanja, and Shona.  While some classes are formal and set up conceptual scaffolding for future learning, others occur in unexpected places, like the Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka.  During our tour of the facility, students engaged with Zambian youth and asked questions about life and recreation in Zambia.  The class is divided into multiple units centering on different themes: so far we have completed an overview of southern Africa and an introduction to critical thinking.  Coming up soon, we will delve into issues of indigeneity, as we enter San territory in Botswana.

- Beth, Bekah, Elsie and Quinn

Independent Life Skills

Group Dynamics class

In this course, affectionately called iLife, we provide resources for students as they learn to manage the demands of being an individual in a group setting.  Initially, we focus on personal skills: writing a letter to oneself, issues of nutrition and eating while traveling, responsibility and accountability, keeping a budget, women's health, and organization.  As students master these individual skills, we turn to a focus on group-related challenges.  On an island in the Zambezi River, for example, the teachers presented a skit outlining some anticipated stages of group development.  The performance was followed by a sunset discussion regarding personal interactions, our group dynamic, and how to approach conflict.  In the next several weeks, we will conduct more focused workshops on conflict resolution and how to give and receive effective feedback...  Students explained that they are looking forward to finding patient ways to object to someone else's smelly socks in the tent!

 -Beth, Bekah, Elsie and Quinn

This semester in Precalculus we will be exploring a wide variety of functions including linear, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric. We will use these functions to help describe the world around us. In the first week of class, we brushed up on our graphing calculator skills by investigating the population data of some of the countries we will be visiting this semester.  In the last couple weeks we have also revisited our Algebra 2 skills and started off our Precalculus curriculum by discussing what a function is in the first place! Currently, we are learning about different ways to describe functions: symmetry, y and x intercepts, relative minimums and maximums, and slope, to name a few. This week we had our first quiz, in which the entire Precalculus crew demonstrated strong prior Algebra 2 knowledge. We have been enjoying holding Precalculus class in a variety of locations, such as a grassy lawn along side the great Zambezi River. In the coming week or two, we will be wrapping up our first chapter, which will include concepts such as transformations of graphs and finding the inverse of a function.

 - Elsie

During our first Algebra 2 class, held at the bottom of an African shaped swimming pool, we discussed each student’s math background and their feelings towards the class. Each student set goals for herself and we brainstormed ways we could support one another. Furthermore, we agreed upon our class expectations and created our systems for homework, grading and class participation.
Since then we have reviewed temperature conversions, learned the properties of real numbers and square roots, and continue to hone our skills in simplifying algebraic expressions. The students recently completed their first quiz while on the Zambezi River. Our time in Livingstone will be the perfect space to finish chapter one on Properties and Operations and create a solid foundation of using functions and their graphs to represent real life problems and situations. 
- Quinn
(PS - the pool was dry - no scuba gear needed)

Upon landing in Lusaka, Zambia our History class immediately began to unpack the term "history".  The students were asked to reflect on a personal story of their choosing and to analyze this story from the multiple perspectives of all people involved. We then proceeded to debate which perspective was more "truthful".  This lead to a rich discussion about subjectivity and bias in history.  The students used personal experience and course texts to analyze the role power plays in the construction of the dominant historical narrative.  Ultimately, we decided that this semester, we intend to collect as many stories from as many different perspectives as possible to help us understand the past, present and future of Southern Africa. 

Our first field visit was to the Zambia National Museum in Lusaka.  Though we had been told that the main exhibit was closed for renovation, once we arrived the museum curator not only opened the exhibit, but gave us an in depth tour.  This served as an excellent and extensive overview of Zambian history beginning with the indigenous San and Khoisan peoples of southern Africa.  Our tour guide lead us all the way from the migration of Bantu-speaking peoples through Zambia's independence in 1964 and to present day.  The students took away many nuggets of insight, many were especially intrigued by the role women played in the Zambian independence struggle.  

After getting off the river and getting settled in Livingston our class has focused on understanding the "Scramble for Africa," both root causes and lasting effects.  The students are using site visits, observations and interviews to explore how legacies of colonization have shaped southern Africa as we are experiencing it today.  In the next week we'll delve deeper into several case studies to explore relevant contemporary issues in neighboring Zimbabwe.    
- Bekah

Lusaka proved to be a great place to introduce Honors Natural Science to our eager students. We began with an overview of southern Africa’s dominant biomes (i.e. grasslands, savannahs, aquatica, fynbos and desert). Students presented the biomes with creative visuals including a map of our entire route which we will use to record the biomes as we travel.  


We have also delved into the key concepts to wildlife ecology - population distribution, carrying capacity, and limiting factors. We are currently studying these concepts in relation to the black rhino population in Zambia and Zimbabwe over the last two hundred years. We played a hilarious game to introduce population fluctuations and resource competition: most of the students pretended to be rhinos, while a few pretended to be specific resources (water, food, or habitat). Since there are limited resources, the rhino students had to compete in order to survive. After every round, we graphed the change in population. This gave us a solid foundation to explore the interactions in specific biomes between different species on a deeper level.


During our Zambezi canoe trip, students completed their first field journal. The field journal is one of our primary methods to document our scientific observations. We were fortunate to have  CB and Campbell as guides to identify impala scat, elephant tracks and answer all of our questions pertaining to this unique landscape and our field journals. CB and Campbell also gave us insight to issues surrounding land management and poaching on the Zambezi River. They helped us understand the complexities between federal, tribal and private lands and interests.


As we prepare for our next adventures in Botswana, the students will learn the scientific method in order to study animal behavior. Specifically, we will study elephants and other mega-herbivores at Chobe National Park. We will observe these animals on game drives and at water holes to collect information and test our hypotheses. 
- Quinn and Elsie

Honors World Literature and Composition

Literature is "a struggle to escape from the confines of language; it stretches out from the utmost limits of what can be said; what stirs literature is the call and attraction of what is not in the dictionary."  --Italo Calvino

In the nascent days of this course, we explored the imaginative possiblities of expression.  Since literature intimately involves various types of communication, in our first class, students engaged in a discussion about the attributes of a skilled communicator.  From there, we read the first part of Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried".  This story is antithetical to Lit and Comp this semester, in that it isn't about southern Africa or by a regional author.  It does, however, pertain to our journey as a group.  After an enthusiastic conversation about various passages and themes of the story, we jumped into our first writing assignment: "in the spirit of "The Things They Carried", write at least 300 words about what you (or we) carry on this semester."  As we pondered what we carry, both tangible and intangible, the class also moved on to start our first unit on short stories...

Sitting around the edge of the pool at our campsite, legs swinging in the cool water, we considered the value of storytelling, processed Calvino's words (above), and learned the major traits of short stories as a literary form.  Soon, we are looking forward to reading a selection of short stories, as well as completing a "Drabble": a story that contains exactly one hundred words (no more, no less).  

[The "Drabble Project" (the name is apparently a reference to a Monty Python sketch) originated at Birmingham University in the early eighties.  Two British writers asked one hundred authors to turn in stories of exactly one hundred words, and a volume of the compiled stories was sold to benefit a charity. I am particularly excited about this assignment because it will provide a brilliant framework for introducing the process of revision, editing, and cutting!]

And a hint of what they did today - "Walk About Wednesday"

The no-no words list shows words they will try to eliminate from their writing in all classes this semester. Teachers will encourage students to describe the imagery with rich wording to paint the picture.

First tales from Lusaka

Our transit through Dubai proved to be a satisfying experience, for our stomachs in particular.  The kind flight attendants (females all sported the same crimson lipstick) fed us endless meals consisting of delights ranging from curry chicken to vegetable omelettes.  Upon arrival in the business hub of the Middle East, we were welcomed into a lovely (and large) hotel and invited to dine on their buffet. Food (and access to endless movies and TV) entertained us in our journey across the Atlantic and Africa, and finally we arrived in Lusaka, Zambia.

The heat wave struck us while we disembarked the plane felt dry and tolerable, and we filed into passport control.  After several hours of waiting for visas (intricate, passport-page sized, handwritten permission slip stickers), we met Joyce, the owner of the lodge we are staying at.

The first night, we readied our mosquito preventative clothing and met the lodge's cook, Phalesy.  After a pleasing meal, we brought our community together to share in an activity that addressed our hopes and fears going into the semester.  While several students were concerned about homework load and missing home, a grand number also explained they hope to become lifelong friends with the other people in this group. This is an attainable and beautiful goal, one which we hope to facilitate in a myriad of ways throughout our semester.

We divvied up the students into mentor groups, and of course, team names ensued:

Toni, Katie, Jane, and Caroline are in Veggie Delight with Quinn...

Liz, Chloe, and Lydia are in Squad Pod with Elsie...

Malia, Mimi, Emma, and Kira are in Onomatopoeia with Bekah...

Simrill, Rachel, and Pia are in Twirl with Beth...

The next few days we stood together under a flow of information, taking in orientation details regarding TTS protocols, rules, and standards.  Students took the lead in presenting material about dress code, academics, responsibility, and crew chores.  We broke into groups and learned a bit about the government, culture, and geography of Zambia.  We also wrote letters to ourselves, to be received at some point after the semester.  Students enjoyed reading letters written by the class of TTS25, which provided advice on laundry, friendships and chocolate.

Finally, our dreams came true, and we were able to experience our first day of classes.  Clocking in at thirty minutes each, the teachers gave tastes of what to expect in their courses this semester.  [As teachers, we are so excited to engage in our environments, meet new people, and invite our students into inclusive, meaningful dialogue.]

While we continued with workshops on personal safety, culture shock, budgeting, and women's health, we also had the opportunity to meet some new friends and visit some new places.

Luckily for us, Joyce happens to be a local politician.  She's a counselor for a member of the Zambian parliament, and is responsible for about 80,000 people in Lusaka.  Not only that, but she also used to work for the United Nations as a refugee manager for Angola and Zambia.  In one of TTS26's first Global Studies classes, Joyce presented a Powerpoint on her work and answered queries from our group.  Her wise perspective and devotion to female empowerment inspired us to ask thoughtful questions.

We also visited the National Museum, a small but information-filled experience guided by an engaging and intelligent Zambian.  Coincidentally, a local TV network was creating a story about the museum, and several of our students were interviewed and featured as headline news the next day!  Science class had to be temporarily paused to enjoy the show, but it was worth it to see ourselves on TV!

 
Friday marked our first "Awards" ceremony, in which special recognition is given to a few members of our community.  We bestow awards each week to note accomplishments in academics, athletics, and friendship.  In addition, as a group, we single out one student to win the coveted "African Queen" award: the young woman in the group who has put forth a remarkable effort to engage with locals and make connections in the places we visit.

Two of the women who work at our lodge taught us a class about Nyanja and Bemba, which are two of the 72 tongues spoken in this nation.  Our tongues stumbled over odd sounds and new pronunciations, and by the end, we can say some crucial phrases.  Several members of a local dance group also stopped by to give us a show of traditional musical instruments.  As they performed, our group was spontaneously inclined to join them on the dance floor, to the sound of djembes and marimba.

As we finish up our orientation in Lusaka, we will continue with more classes.  We also hope to visit the Olympic Youth Development Centre, where Zambians train to compete internationally.  We were invited try out a swim in their 50m swimming pool (which is convenient, since we still need to conduct a swim test!). 

On Sunday we head towards the Zambezi River to learn more about wildlife and canoeing. The students are ecstatic about taking the first step on our southern Africa route, and seeing what lies down the road...

 

Adventure time,

 

Beth, Elsie, Bekah and Quinn