The Fairytale Route

A good article with some background about the Grimm Brothers. The author also stayed in "our" castle at Waldeck!

http://www.cntraveler.com/features/2012/02/fairy-tale-road-germany-frankfurt-brothers-grimm-raphael-kadushin?slide&fb_ref=social_fblike&fb_source=timeline

One Year Later...

A year ago this week, we were busy preparing for our fellowship departure.  Memories of our experiences are still as clear as if they happened yesterday, and we wish we were headed back to Germany!  Instead, we have resigned ourselves to reliving our journey through pictures and videos.  Here is a great scenic video of the Waldeck area where we explored for two days last summer, our castle away from home!  Enjoy!

Tech Expo

Student volunteers from Ms. Blair's and Ms. Bright's classrooms recently had the opportunity to demonstrate how to use Skype in the classroom at the district-wide Tech Expo.  Visitors to our tables included community members, parents, grandparents, other teachers, and a state department representative.  The students showed visitors a live Skype session with Chelsea, a member of the Peace Corps currently living in Panama, and they also discussed recorded Skype sessions from earlier in the school year when they met Stephanie via video chat. 

The Kingdoms Unite!

As the school year nears its end, both classrooms have been hard at work.  Students have finished state and district testing, and we finally have time for the two classrooms to work together.  On Monday, May 7, Ms. Bright's 5th hour class placed a Skype call to Ms. Blair's 3rd graders to invite them to the middle school to work on a project.  Of course, the 3rd grade Lords and Ladies were very excited to accept!  On Tuesday and Wednesday, Ms. Blair's class walked to the middle school to partner with Ms. Bright's 5th hour in a collaborative writing project.  After reading and studying the common traits of numerous fairy tales, the 3rd graders had composed their own original tales which they shared with their 8th grade buddy.  Their stories were incredibly imaginative!  Featured characters included Dogerella, Caterella, Cinderbird, an OSU Cowgirl and others along with classic favorites such as the evil sisters and fairy godmothers.  There were even ninjas!  The 8th graders were impressed with the originality of the stories.  After hearing the stories, the 8th graders were expected to coach their 3rd grade friends as they turned the original narratives into scripts for dramatic reading.  8th graders identified characters and settings and made sure that the plots had no holes.  As they wrote the scripts, they asked their 3rd grade buddies clarifying questions until they had everything just right.  After some practice read-throughs to check for accuracy, our time together was up, and the 3rd graders had to return to their school.  Both classes had a fantastic time working together and both groups applied many literary skills in the process!

Happy Birthday to Stephanie, Skyping with Chelsea in Panama, and Student Tech Expo

It has been a while since we've updated, so we'll try to catch up!  Students in both Ms. Bright's and Ms. Blair's classes recently helped Stephanie celebrate a special birthday by sending more than 50 birthday cards to her in Spain.  She was so excited to receive the package, stating that it, "made her day."  It's so awesome that our students have this authentic writing experience and can know that their letters and cards are going to a real person and that they are not just writing for some random assignment for a grade.

Ms. Blair's class has also expanded their world view a little more.  They recently had an opportunity to visit with Chelsea, a member of the Peace Corps, who is currently living in Panama.  This has prompted Ms. Blair's students to research more about Chelsea's job and how she lives, and also the Panama Canal.  The students are excited to be learning about new places!

Finally, student volunteers in both classes are preparing for the first ever Student Tech Expo held in Ponca City.  Students from both classes will have an opportunity to visit with members of the community about their Skype experience and what they've learned from the experience.  This will be held at the high school from 5:00-7:00 pm on May 10 for those readers who are local and may want to stop by our table!

Thanks for continuing to follow our journey!

Christmas Ornament Seen 'Round The World

The Pioneer Woman Statue ornament sent by students to Stephanie is displayed on her family's tree in Germany!

History of the Pioneer Woman Statue

The vision of a statue honoring the pioneer women of this country belonged to E.W. Marland, Ponca City resident, oilman, philanthropist, U.S. Congressman, and 10th governor of the state of Oklahoma. In 1926, Marland invited 17 leading sculptors to submit designs in the form of small models. Four months later, the models were exhibited across the nation and 750,000 persons cast votes for their preference. Bryant Baker’s vision of the pioneer woman was the clear winner. Located across the street from the museum, the Pioneer Woman is a heroic bronze statue of a young, sun bonneted pioneer mother, leading her son by the hand, striding confidently, head held high—a woman of sturdy beauty and dignity, whose eyes are fixed on the far southwestern horizon. (source: http://www.pioneerwomanmuseum.com/thestatue.htm)
 
About the Museum
 
The Pioneer Woman Museum showcases the history of women in Oklahoma and their influence on the development of the state and nation and preserves the legacy of women from all races, creeds, and nationalities who have made significant contributions to the history of Oklahoma. The world-famous 30 ft. tall bronze statue commemorating the heroic character of the women who braved dangers and hardships to settle in Oklahoma is featured. (source: http://www.pioneerwomanmuseum.com/themuseum.htm)

Students Skype with Stephanie, Part II

Students in both Ms. Blair's and Ms. Bright's classrooms once again had the opportunity to Skype with Stephanie this week. She is so awesome to volunteer her time, and her interaction with our students is a big motivator!


Students asked Stephanie about her job, how she came to be a tour guide, and her impressions of her career. She shared with them about her plans to open her own tour company based in Valencia, Spain, and how she is preparing for her move. She will continue to work for Adventures By Disney on the Germany tours, as well. Students also had time to ask about her recent travels to India and China, and other places she had visited previously. What a great way for students to learn about the world and practice speaking and listening skills!

Students Send Stephanie a Christmas Package

Students in both Ms. Bright's and Ms. Blair's classrooms recently received postcards and Christmas cards from Stephanie as she traveled through India and China. In return, the students completed letters for Stephanie telling her about their personal Christmas traditions or some of their favorite places in our town. We hope Stephanie enjoys her package and we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Post Fellowship Meeting

Tomorrow, we will be meeting with other Fund For Teachers Fellows to discuss our summer experiences and our classroom plans. We are excited to share what we learned on our journey and how we plan to use it! For those teacher friends who follow our blog, the 2012 FFT Fellowship Application is now available. It is due January 27, 2012. To see if you qualify, visit http://www.fundforteachers.org/apply.php. Individual teachers may request up to $5000, and teams of two or more may request up to $10000.

History of Heidelberg Castle

This was the first castle we visited during our fellowship. 

Ludwig II and Neuschwanstein Castle

Diana found this great video history of Neuschwanstein.  This nicely sums up much of what we learned about Ludwig II and this castle from our guides.

Reunion with Stephanie!

A digital reunion, that is!

Friday was an exciting day in both classrooms as we both had the opportunity to chat with Stephanie from Germany via Skype and got to introduce her to some of our students. 

Stephanie visited with Ms. Bright's 4th hour class first.  Stephanie shared with the students about her childhood in Germany, how German schools differ from US schools, and the history behind some German traditions, such as Oktoberfest. In a reflective writing after the call, Robert stated, "One thing I learned about Germany is that there are 16 states there, and Oktoberfest is a celebration for a marriage [of a Bavarian king]." Johnny stated, "I learned that she is just like us."  Ms. Bright's favorite part was when Stephanie said reading was very important to her because reading has the power to take you on any journey you choose - what a powerful statement for the students to hear!  The students enjoyed the call and hope to visit with Stephanie again soon!

Later that afternoon, Stephanie met the Lords and Ladies of Ms. Blair's Fairytale Kingdom.  The 3rd graders learned that there are 20,000 castles in Germany, what schools are like in Germany and France, and about how Stephanie grew up in East Germany.  They even learned some German words! Next week, they will do some nonfiction writing related to today's experience.

We both appreciate Stephanie for volunteering her time for this unique learning experience for our students!

Entering Ms. Blair's Kingdom

It has been about seven weeks since school started, and we're both been busy implementing elements from our fellowship experience.  The students in both classes have seen lots of photos and some videos as we've discussed character traits and story settings.  We have both also arranged for Stephanie, one of our tour guides, to video chat with our individual classrooms via Skype, and we are VERY excited to "see" her again and have her meet our students.  In preparation for Stephanie's calls, we have been testing out our technology set ups, and today, Ms. Bright met Ms. Blair's students for the first time via Skype.  Ms. Blair's "lords and ladies" were eager to participate in the chat and asked lots of fun questions in an effort to get to know Ms. Bright better.  Stay tuned as we use this technology to bridge our two classrooms and implement the reading buddy program outlined in our fellowship proposal!

Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It's Off to Work We Go!

Tomorrow is our first day with our new students.  We can't wait to share our fellowship with them!  Keep watching this page for updates about what's happening in our classrooms.

Meet the Night Watchman of Rothenburg

Another highlight of the tour for us was meeting the Night Watchman on our Night Watchman Tour.  Here, the Night Watchman tells us about his role during the Middle Ages.

Michael talks about King Ludwig, the Fairytale King

In this clip, Michael is talking about King Ludwig's short time at Neuschwanstein Castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle!

The best castle was definitely saved for the end of the tour.  It was bittersweet that morning to realize that we were starting our final day with our new friends, yet we were both excited to see THE castle we'd been waiting for.  Neuschwanstein (Noysh van stein) means New Swan Stone.  It was built by King Ludwig II near the German/Austrian border near Pöllat Gorge .  It is a replication of a medieval structure and was inspired by Wagner's operas.  When Ludwig II died in 1886 under suspicious circumstances, the castle was still incomplete.  He lived there only 172 days.  It opened seven weeks later as a tourist attraction and has 1.3 million visitors a year.

We were very fortunate to have Michael join us on this day, as well.  On the two hour bus trip to Neuschwanstein, Michael shared the sad story of King Ludwig II and his tragic childhood.  In order to toughen him up, his parents refused to show any affection.  He and his brother were kept from other children and led sad lives.  When he inherited the throne at just 18, he was ill prepared and often taken advantage of.  His castle was meant to look like a fairytale castle and provide for him an escape.  This structure later served as Walt Disney's inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland and Cinderella's Castle at Walt Disney World.  It will be fun for us to show students that the "castle" they picture in their heads as a result of Disney films really does exist!  Unfortunately, no photos were allowed inside, but some outside shots are included below:

From Marienbruecke (Mary's Bridge)

Approaching the castle via the walking trail

In the Courtyard

In front of the royal entrance

Marienbruecke and the gorge from the castle

Michael :)

Munich

Our last stop on the tour was Munich.  When we booked with Adventures By Disney, we did so primarily because of the stops in the smaller fairytale villages that would have been difficult to find without the help of a tour company.  We knew places such as Alsfeld and Rothenburg would introduce us to real medieval lifestyle and local historians.  I think we were both less enthused about the stop in Munich because it seemed like any other big city.  It was essentially a stopping point so that we could continue on to Neuschwanstein Castle on the last day.  Both of our opinions changed when we met Michael.

Michael is a history teacher and, for lack of a better word, a performer.  Michael made us both remember that learning can be fun, silly, and entertaining.  Michael met us upon our arrival in Munich and led us on a walking tour around the city.  Thankfully, Diana captured most of his "lecture" on film because he shared so much history that we couldn't possibly remember it all without a review.  As soon as we get the videos organized, we'll be posting them because seeing Michael is much better than us trying to describe him.  In a nutshell, we learned about the flags, the Bavarian heritage, and some of the oldest buildings in the city.  There is also a fountain dedicated to Little Red Riding Hood in Munich.  Most importantly, though, Michael inspired us as teachers to make learning fun.

Michael explains Bavarian history with visuals, props, and audience participation.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

After touring Lowenburg Castle in Kassel, we had a looooong bus ride along the Romantic Road to the preserved, walled town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.  This Medieval town has been frozen in time.  We saw lots of half-timbered buildings, and all streets were narrow and made of cobble stone.  Before dinner, we headed to the nearest entrance point to the city wall and walked along a portion of it.  We noticed that the homes don’t really have yards, but almost all homes have flower boxes in the windows.  Houses were brightly colored, and signs in front of the shops were made of wrought iron and used symbols to advertise their wares since most citizens in the medieval period could not read or write.  Walt Disney visited this region early in his career and was so inspired by the architecture that he chose this setting for Pinocchio even though Pinocchio is of Italian origin.  If you’ve seen Walt Disney’s Pinocchio or Disneyland’s Fantasyland in California, you can easily picture this town.  Also, if you’ve ever visited the German pavilion at EPCOT, the fountain there is an exact copy of Rothenburg’s fountain in their town square.

After dinner, we were very excited to join the Night Watchman on a twilight tour of the city.  To set the proper mood and atmosphere, it started to rain lightly.  The weather truly added to the effect.  The Night Watchman shared stories and myths about the town’s history, and explained how life in the medieval times really was.  As we learned at Lowenburg Castle, it was not glamorous.   On any given night, there were six Night Watchmen on duty.  He carried a lantern so that he could see but more importantly, so that his fellow watchmen could see him and know he posed no danger.  He also carried a horn he would blow to warn the townspeople of fire, and a hellebarde, a fierce weapon for defense.  He explained that his main job was to watch for fires because the half-timbered homes could easily go up in flames if sparks flew.  This job was incredibly important, but it was not thought highly of.  Only the gravedigger and the executioner ranked lower in this society.

Salt was as important as money in these times, and people traded salt for other goods.  Citizens were expected to store a year’s worth of grain in case of invasion, but wealthy people also stored salt.  The English word “salary” is derived from this idea of using salt to buy things.  The Germans also had a saying for wealthy people – Salty Rich.

Next, the Night Watchman shared some of the medieval punishments that were handed down to the citizens.  Bakers were placed into a cage and dropped into water for a time “long enough to teach a lesson” for making their loaves either too small or too big.  Prices were regulated, and too small loaves were thought to be cheating the patrons.  Too big loaves were thought to be unfairly persuading patrons to buy from you instead of your competitor.  Unfortunately, “long enough to teach the lesson” often resulted in a dead baker.  Many other punishments and torture devices still exist in the Crime and Punishment Museum.  We checked those out the following day, and let’s just say that In School Detention (ISD) or Suspension look like mighty kind punishments.  A miniature of a school house showed children being whipped in the front of the classroom and a jail cell in the back of the room for time out.  Adults were required to wear shame masks or other embarrassing devices to correct the misbehaviors.

We learned that the 30 Years War was quite difficult on the once prosperous town.  It was often invaded because of its wealth and because it was a crossroads of two major trading routes.  It withstood many of these invasions but suffered many casualties and could not maintain its wealth.  It survives today as a blast to the past mostly because there wasn’t enough money to modernize completely.  Now, 97% of its income comes from tourism.  If not for tour groups, this wonderful little town would be quite poor.

Romantische Strasse - The Romantic Road

As we left Waldeck and journeyed to Kassel, local guide Olie joined us and shared some history about the Grimm Brothers.  The Grimm Brothers wanted to learn about the history and culture of Hessen which motivated them to collect tales from the region.  In the process, they met a woman named Dorothea Viehmann who told them more than 40 of the tales we commonly hear today.  Her father was from France, so her tales had a French background, and this differed from what the brothers were expecting.  As a result, the brothers concluded these tales could happen at any place and at any time.  We still view these tales as universal and timeless to this day.

Upon arriving in Kassel, we toured Lowenburg Castle, known as the Lion's Castle.  This is a fake castle, built in the 1800s to look like a Medieval ruin from the 1400s.  Portions were purposely made to look destroyed.  The Landgrave Wilhelm IX was obsessed with the Medieval period, and wanted to show off his wealth, so every thing within his "castle" needed to look authentic to the Medieval period.  For example, despite his Protestant beliefs, the chapel was constructed to look like a Catholic chapel because the Reformation did not take place until 1526.  Protestant services were still held here. 

Lowenburg Castle

We learned that life in the castle was not as romantic as a fairytale would depict.  The knight's armor was very heavy and cumbersome.  Knights began training at the age of seven as servants.  At 14 they went to military school.  A special knight known as the Black Knight, guarded over the sovereign's deceased body for three days.  Legend has it that the Black Knight followed the leader into the grave because he often was the next to die.  In reality, this probably happened due to illness such as pneumonia which was brought on by guard duty in all elements combined with the weight of the armor on his chest.  Nobody wanted to be the Black Knight.

Princesses didn't have it easy, either.  Their main job was to produce children.  Daughters were to establish ties to other important families...Medieval Social Networking.  Sons could carry on the name and inherited the land so that it stayed within the family.  A woman's life expectancy was 30 years. 10 years less than a man's due to illnesses obtained during childbirth.  This was certainly not a fairytale life.