Day Five of Australia!

Dear Parents of Team "Quest":

Today was the final day for us here in Australia and we have all been enjoying our time very much!  Our day started off in a star dazzling way when we made our entrance into Fox Studios.  Having the first tour of the day, we arrived at the studios very early in the morning.  The students were very excited for this event and dressed up as their favorite actor or actress.

The tour of Fox Studios consisted of touring the backstage of the studios and the students learned about process of making a movie and what it takes to be an actor and actress.  We even had the opportunity to observe a clip being filmed.  The camera men also gave the students a chance to try to film their own movie and got a lesson on how to use the equipment within the studio.  This was a great experience for the students and many of them talked about how they wanted to become movie stars after the tour.

All of the students seemed to enjoy the Fox Studios tour very much.  We decided that it would be great if the students produced their own films, so we incorporating this experience into a lesson.  While at the Fox Studios, we split the students up into groups of 3-4 and had them create their own video using what they learned about the camera equipment.  This was just a portion of the lesson, but we plan on watching all of the videos when we return to the United States and edit them.  After editing them, we were then going to discuss how our process of editing was different from those at Fox Studios.  This lesson has sparked the students attention and we ca

n't wait to see how the videos turn out.

To learn more about the Fox Studios click on: http://en.wikip

edia.org/wiki/Fox_Studios_Australia

As a celebration and last treat for the trip, we decided to go on a Sydney Harbour Cruise.  Boarding the boat at 7:00pm, the students were all dressed up in fancy attire.  Some of the boys even wore bow ties.  All of your children would have brought smiles to your faces!  The cruise was a lot of fun and full of wonderful music and the students danced for the majority of the time.  Along with dancing, we also had dinner on the cruise and the food was delicious.  This cruise was a great way to end a wonderful trip and all of the students had a blast!

To learn more in regards to the Sydney Harbour Cruise click on: http://www.rhythmboat.com.au/sydney-live-music-cruise.htm

Australia was such an amazing place to take students and I am so happy that we chose to do so.  The students really learned a lot in regards to Australia and will definitely come back with lots of memories that I am sure they will tell you about.  Currently the students are all sleeping because we are heading out early to board the plane and head home.  All of your children say hello and they can't wait to see you!

Sincerely,

Ms. Cook

Mr. Miller

Day Four of Australia!

Dear Parents of Team "Quest":

      

 Today we had an excellent day full of fun-filled activities.  We had an early morning today, but all of your children were up and ready to go in plenty of time.  Our first destination of the day was the Australian Museum.  Arriving at 9:00am, we were there early and ready to learn!  Having all day to explore the museum we discovered and learned a lot throughout the entire day.

Staying at the museum from 9:30am to 4:00pm the students had a lot of time to explore around the museum.  Some of the things that we explored during the day were dinosaurs, minerals, birds, and skeletons.  Having the opportunity to rebuild skeletons and do lots 

of hands on activities, all of the students enjoyed all the exhibits they visited.  In order to get all the exhibits in we split the students up into their 3-4 student groups again, which proved to be successful.  Students enjoyed all the activities they got to take part in and showed a lot of interest in the dinosaurs and bones. 

Since the students showed interest in dinosaurs previous to our trip, we decided to base our lesson for the day around the topic of dinosaurs. The exhibit at the Australian Museum consisted of life-size models of the students favorite dinosaurs, including the Stegosaurus and Tryannosaurus Rex.

  Along with this, there were models of skulls, teeth, claws, and many other fossils.  There was even a life-size animation that imitated a dinosaur stampede that took place on the shore in Queensland over 95 million years ago.  Many of the students looked scared when watching this animation.  The best part of the lesson though, was digging for bones and using the tools of the trade to locate fossils.

To learn more about the Australian Museum click on: http://www.australianmuseum.net.au/

Along with the Australian Museum, we also went on a Quarantine Station Ghost Tour at night.  Beginning at 6:30pm, we arrived early so that we were prepared for the tour to begin.  Lasting two hours, this tour proved to be an exceptional and spooky experience.  Hearing stories about past residents and their paranormal experiences was interesting for all of the students.  Some of the students seemed spooked out, but we reminded them over and over again that they were going to be fine.  The Quarantine Station was such a beau

tiful place and the ghost tour was a great experience for all of the students.

To learn more about the Quarantine Station Ghost Tour click on:

http:/

/www.paranormalaustralia.com/tours/tourqstation.html

Today was a fun-filled day and all of the students seemed to enjoy themselves.  From digging in the dirt for dinosaur bones to hearing spooky stories about past residents of Australia, it was a day full of adventure.  We hope that you are all doing well and we want you to know that all of your children are enjoying themselves.  Tomorrow we will be touring Fox Studios and going on a Sydney Harbour Cruise, so it will be another exciting day for all of us.  Another update will be posted tomorrow, so be sure to check it out!

Sincerely,

Ms. Cook

Mr. Miller

Day Three of Australia!

Dear Parents of Team "Quest":

Wow, what a great day we had today! Sleeping in longer than the past two days has been wonderful for us and we surely needed it for all the adventures we went on today. Starting off the day with the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb definitely woke all of us up.  Being the most popular tourist attraction in Sydney, Australia, we arrived at noon and had to wait till one to climb.  There were also a lot of preparations we had to make before we climbed, including an alcohol test, safety gear, and storing all of our belongings in lockers.  It was quite a long process getting all 26 of us prepared for the climb, but definitely worth it.

The climb was an amazing experience for all us.  Climbing up ladder after ladder walking along the upper span of the bridge on catwalks was scary, but totally worth it.  Standing 134 meters above the Sydney Harbour, the feeling of achievement and excitement came over most of us.  Some of the students were scared of heights, but our leaders helped to ensure that everyone could make it to the top of the bridge and we all did.  The 360 degree views were breathtaking and we could see east to the ocean and west to the mountains.  It was view that will always leave an image in your mind.  I am so happy that we got the opportunity to take your children to this destination full of excitement and amazing sites. 

To learn more about the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb click on: http://www.bridgeclimb.com/default.htm

Along with the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, we also took your children to the Sydney Opera House tonight.  The location was excellent and was not too far from our hotel.  Headlock was the performance that we got to see and it was a show based around wrestling.  The show was based around three brothers lives and the struggling time they go through in the first 24 hours as the one brother is sent to prison.  Taking place in the wrestling rink, the show includes a lot of audience participation and by the end of the show we were all sitting on the edge of our seats.  We chose this show because the students talk a lot about wrestling during class time and it seems to be a popular sport in our seventh grade classroom.  Our seats were excellent and our interactions with the cast members after the show were wonderful.

Along with seeing the performance, we also got a back stage tour of the Sydney Opera House.  It was thrilling to see how much time and effort goes into putting a production together.  Since the students enjoyed the Headlock performance show so much, we decided to make our lesson plan based upon this experience.  The students were pumped to learn more about theater, so we split them up into groups of 3-4 students and had them write their own one act plays.  Proving to be a fun activity, we then had a performance in the hotel, where all groups got to perform their one acts.  This was a great way for students to connect their time at the Sydney Opera House and what they learned with their own short plays.  It turned out to be a great activity to do when we got back to the hotel and an excellent way to end the evening.

To learn more about the Sydney Opera House click on: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/

Tomorrow we are in for quite a treat as we venture to the Australian Museum and a ghost tour.  As for now, we want you to know that all of your children are having a great time here in Sydney and have been actively participating in all activities throughout the trip.  They all say hello to you and hope that you have a good night!  Keep a look out for another update tomorrow evening.

Sincerely,

Ms. Cook

Mr. Miller

Day Two of Australia!

Dear Parents of Team "Quest":

Today we had a great time as we ventured to the Oceanworld Aquarium and Powerhouse Museum. Arriving right on time at 10am, we were one of the first groups that entered the Aquarium. The shark tunnel tour was our first activity of the day and we even observed the fish, turtles, rays, and sharks being hand fed by the brave shark divers. There were so many animals to watch and look at that we split up into groups and tried to make it through all the groups of animals. The students favorite part was the shark tunnel, which proved to be scary yet fascinating.

While we were at the aquarium, we also attended the Desert Dwellers Animal Show, which showcased some of Australia's most popular desert animals. Some of the students even got to take their picture with a reptile of their choice. It shocked us as to how many students didn't fear touching or holding any of the animals. To end our fun day at the Oceanworld Aquarium, we all regrouped at the touch pool and attended the presentation where all of the students had the choice as to what animals they wanted to touch in the pool.

To learn more in regards to the Oceanworld Aquarium click on: http://www.oceanworld.com.au/page.asp?id=1

The aquarium also proved to be a great place to create a lesson and get the students interacting with each other through hands on activities. We first started our lesson by grouping 3-4 students together and designating them a chaperone. The goal of the group was to learn about how to conserve endangered species and to determine which animals in the Oceanworld Aquarium were considered endangered. Through taking pictures and answering questions, the students soon learned about most of the animals in the aquarium. The students also reflected in their journals as to what they liked best about the aquarium and what animal was their favorite. By reading the journals, I learned that the students really enjoyed the aquarium and would like to go back again.

Along with this we also visited and toured the Powerhouse Museum. Arriving early in the afternoon, we had a good amount of time to go around to all the exhibits located in the museum. Splitting the students up into the same group was a productive way of getting around the museum in a more productive manner. After talking to most chaperones, they said that their groups got to see almost all of the exhibits. The students really enjoyed this museum because of all the hands on activities they got to partake in.

To learn more in regards to the Powerhouse Museum click on: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/visit/index.asp

Today proved to be a successful and fun day! All of us enjoyed both the Oceanworld Aquarium and Powerhouse Museum. The traveling has been quite tiring, but we are enjoying our trip so far here in Australia. Tomorrow we are climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the morning and then attending a performance ant the Sydney Opera House. All of your children seem to be having a fantastic time and are excited for the events planned for tomorrow. Please keep a look out for the next update tomorrow night and have a great evening!

Sincerely,

Ms. Cook
Mr. Miller

Welcome to Australia!

Dear Parents of team "Quest":

We have made it safely to Australia and have been enjoying our time so far in Sydney! The flight and traveling went well so far and we actually arrived in Australia earlier than expected. Transportation by bus has been effective and our hotel is close to most of our destinations we will be visiting. Today was a full day for all of us, but visiting the Government House and going Whale Watching was a great way to start our trip in Australia.

Leaving the hotel at 9:00am and arriving at the Government House early enough to go on the first house tour was wonderful. It is all about getting an early start in the morning and all of the students did a great job getting ready in a productive manner. The tour that we took at the Government House consisted of learning about the differing tastes and changing styles among govenors and their wives. Located in the Royal Botantic Gardens and overlooking the Sydney Harbour, the atmosphere surrounding the house was beautiful.

Along with taking the 45 minute tour of the Government House, we also got the opportunity to partake in an activity related to the government and how it connects to the students. The official name for the activity was A Social visit: government, society, law, and you. Lasting 90 minutes, this was a great experience for all of the students. During this time the students learned about what happens at the Government House, what the role of the Govenor is, and what responsibilities they should follow as citizens. Actively participating in the activity and learning a lot in regards to the government, the students successfully learned the connections between the government and themselves. Along with this they received a special momento to reflect all the hard work they had done throughout the activity.

To learn more in regards to our trip to the Government House visit: http://http//www.hht.net.au/museums/gh/government_house

For today we decided to base our lesson around our trip to the Government House. Developing an understanding about the three branches of government and how they affect our lives was something that we aimed for while visiting the Government House. The students proved to be active participants and great listeners because when placed in a mock parliament they knew exactly how to respond to questions and conflicts relating to the government. Another thing that students learned through this experience was the differences in the American Government and the Australian Government. The best part of the day, though, was when the students created their own laws and got to vote on them. This really got them participating and their views on which government they liked better became apparent while discussing the laws and what they can do to impact the government. Along with this students drafted a journal entry based on the trip to the Government House and what they did and what they learned from the experience. Upon viewing these journal entries, it seems that the students truly enjoyed the trip to the Government House and have gained new knowledge in terms of the government and how they make an impact on it.

After having an amazing time at the Government House, we then regrouped and traveled by bus to the Circular Quay where we boarded a cruise and went whale watching. Departing at 1:00pm from dock and returning at 4:15pm our afternoon was full of excitement. Hoping to see at least one whale, we were happy to say that we got to see four altogether. It was a highlight of our day. Along with this we enjoyed the cruise and relaxed in the sunshine. We lucked out because it was such a lovely weather and not too chilly. I was happy to receive such positive responses related to how much the students enjoyed this cruise and observing the whales. I would recommend it if you ever visit Australia!

To learn more in regards to our trip to the Whale Watching trip visit:

http://whalewatchingsydney.net/

We are quite excited as well as the students are to venture and visit more destinations over the next four days. The Government House and whale watching proved to be excellent choices for our first day here in Australia. Tomorrow we have an adventurous day set up for us and it should be one full of excitement while we travel to the Oceanworld Aquarium and Powerhouse Museum. Another update relating to our trip will be available tomorrow evening, so keep an eye out for it. We all wish you a good night and we just wanted to let you know that all of your children are safe and are having a wonderful time!

Sincerely,

Ms. Cook

Mr. Miller