Post from Friday, February 26th
One of the catch phrases on the American Broadcast Companies hit TV show, ABC’s Wide World of Sports was “The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat”. People of your parents generation most likely remember watching this TV show on Saturday to see the best in Sports. The host of this TV show was Jim McKay and when his voice said, “the agony of defeat” there was the video image of the ski jumper Vinko Bogataj. This ski jumper had a misjump from the ski jumping platform and crash into the snow from March 21, 1970. With the “agony of defeat” spoken when he jumped, Vinko became known as the icon of stunning failure and the “agony of defeat” in sports.
Certainly, there is more to an athlete besides the athletic ability. The Olympics remind us that these are the young people of the World that have families, friends and a life of their own. In my investigation of Women’s Figure Skating, I came across Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette. The story that surrounded Joannie happened just a few days prior to her amazing Bronze medal performance.
You see, Joannie’s mother travelled to Vancouver to watch her daughter compete in the Olympics and tragically died of a heart attack. Certainly, with this tragedy I would not blame Joannie from not competing in the games. However, when she took the ice for her routine, there were over 11,000 people in the Pacific Coliseum. It was amazing! She said in an interview that this “was a lifetime project for me and my mom and we achieved that.”
Over the past two weeks, you and I have discussed what it means to be a part of a larger community. When I saw Joannie perform, I saw the World looking at her and they were inspired by her. For that moment, she defined what it means to overcome. Certainly, with the death of her mother, she could have been an “agony of defeat” story. But, she became a “thrill of victory” story as she was the first Canadian women to medal since the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, Canada. She brings honor to herself, her country and now honors the life of her mother.
Mother’s Day is not until May 9, 2010 but Mother’s Day came early for Joannie this year. Standing on the podium with a Bronze medal around her neck, you could see her pride in her mother. You can imagine the early morning drives that her mother took to drive a young Joannie to the rink for practice and flew many miles around the world with her competing in ice skating. The “thrill of victory” is larger today for her and her mother.
Hillary Clinton, the current Secretary of State in President Obama’s White House and the wife of former President Bill Clinton, once wrote a book titled, “It takes a Village to Raise a Child.” When the athletes stay at the Olympics, the place they stay is called the Olympic Village. If the whole World is one village of people, or Canada is a village of people, or you live in a community (village) we all have communities around us. I have seen that the Olympics brings out the best in that village and each of us that live in it. This is what the Olympics do.
Like Theresa Rochette, the mother of Joannie Rochette, your parents provide the smallest part of a village to you. This is your home. I have asked you many times to think about what you are proud of and I hope that you are proud of your parents. I know that I am proud of the many things that my Mom did for me. How might you show others that you are proud of them? Most of life is not Gold Medals or thrilling victories. Life is about hard work and dedication over a long period of time. Telling others thank you for what they do for you is one of the most happy things that you can do. Actually, a scientific study says that people who thank others on a regular basis are 25% more happy. So, make sure that you thank someone today. It is clear that Joannie Rochette did! Her performance, was dedicated and meant as a thank you to her Mom.
If you have been watching the Olympics on TV, you have likely seen commercials from the company Proctor and Gamble about Mom’s. These commercials speak to exactly this spirit. Check it out!
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSn5Z7EC4ME). The Olympics are about the youth of the World and each of you, my Global Investigators, are the youth of the World! “With Glowing Hearts!” Global Investigator Caitlin
Post from Thursday, February 25th
Canadian Pride
One of the lasting memories of the 21st Winter Olympic Games is the pride that the Canadians have shown. You can see it in the streets of Vancouver, at the airport, and in the many Canadians who have participated in the games from their own Provinces and Territories. There are currently 10 Proviences and 3 Territories in Canada. The Proviences are Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, New Foundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan. The three territories are the Northwest Territory, Nanavut and Yukon.
Throughout the city of Vancouver each of these Provinces and Territories have set up areas that demonstrate the amazing beauty and resources that each Province and Territory represent. It is like a booth about each of the States that are part of the United States. Do you know your capitals of the United States? Like Sacramento is the capital of California, Victoria is the capital of British Columbia. It is an island that is located on the west coast of Canada and is so beautiful. In the summer, Victoria is full of flowers and is just beaming. I think that living in a community is something to be proud of.
Throughout these weeks of the Olympics, it is the pride that people have that has really stood out to me. As an investigator, I have to look through my lens to see what is at the bottom of the story. I really believe that the image of a “glowing heart” is inside of all Canadians. And now that Canada has shared this glowing heart with the world, we can too see its beauty. Global Investigator Caitlin
Post from Monday, February 22nd
Why host the Olympics?
My question is why would a country want to spend so much money to host the Olympics? I love hearing “O Canada” sung throughout the wonderful city of Vancouver. It is such a beautiful place and I have so many memories of the people and sights that I have witnessed. But, I am just a visitor. Sure, I buy a coffee at the Starbucks (there are many here!), but that is about it. How does a country pay for the Olympics?
It is estimated that the 2010 Winter Games will cost over $6 billion dollars. I did some math to help you understand the cost. There are 34 million people in Canada. That means that it costs approximately $176.47 Canadian. But, is there something that a country gains from hosting the Olympics. Certainly! And it begins with their motto, “with glowing hearts.” When a country, Canada, works as hard as they have to host the Olympics they are very proud. This pride for country and the results that come from hard work will be applied to each Canadian as they go back to their factory or job. It is like when I see a sticker that says “Made in the U.S.A,” I am happy to be an American.
One of the things that I have also investigated about Vancouver is that there are so many different people from different cultures. Dinner in Vancouver is like eating at the world’s plate! There are Korean and Mexican restaurants, ice cream and gelato shops (gelato is an Italian ice cream), and coffee right next to each other. My Dad and I had a great time over the weekend just going to each of the restaurants and eating one thing, then going to the next. It was like traveling the world on my dish!
Are there many different restaurants in your community? Is there a place where you can get Chinese food and another to get a taco? Do you like to eat foods from other cultures? If so, what foods? Please have your teacher or parent send me this information. By experiencing these foods and using your imagination to think that you are in that country, you can share that experience. This is what the Olympics are about. They are about sharing an experience with our Global neighbors and friends.
When the Olympics leave Canada, the sharing will not end. After the Olympics, the sharing that will occur is called Trade. Trade is when two countries voluntarily share goods and/or services with each other. Trade is also called commerce or the buying and selling of goods. When a country hosts the Olympics they send a message to the world that they are interesting in sharing. This trade will be good for Canada and allow it to provide for the people of Canada. It is why a country would host the Olympics.
Post from Friday, February 19th
Greetings from Vancouver! I am so excited that you all wanted me to go to the Biathlon. This is a sport that is unique. It combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. The biathlon is a great example of how competition makes us better at everyday tasks. Have you ever had a cake bake off? You remember how you had to compete with others to make the best cake? Well, the competition in sports does the same thing. But, in the case of the biathlon, it is about putting food on the table as hunters would ski to hunt for animals in the tundra of northern Europe many thousands of years ago.
The word “biathlon” means “two tests” in Greek. For the biathlon it is cross-country skiing and target shooting. The objective in the biathlon is to complete the cross-country course in the least amount of time and hit the most targets so that you do not get penalties.
On your request (and thank you so much) I went to the Men’s 20 kilometer Individual race on Friday. Wow! This was so exciting. To give you a little bit of the action, here is a great video that discusses how they train (http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-biathlon/videos/how-they-train–biathlon_264674g126504-rU.html).
Emil Svendsen of Norway won the competition and the Gold medal. He completed the 20 kilometer course in 48 minutes and 22 seconds! Twenty kilometers is over 12 miles so he was moving quite fast. Another feat was that he only missed one target during the whole biathlon.
From watching these great athletes and learning about the history of the biathlon, I now see how important it is to have competition. Do you have competitions in your neighborhood? They might be who can make the most baskets in a row from behind the 3-point line in basketball. What competitions do you have in school? Competition certainly makes everyone strive to be better. What type of competition do you have in your classroom? Do you compete for the most friendly or collecting the most stickers in your subjects? What are they? How do they make you better?
Post from Thursday, February 18th
Shaun White, “the flying tomato” was fantastic in his gold medal run on Wednesday! There are so many interesting things about Shaun White. Certainly, with the many video games and skateboard stuff that he is on, you would think that he would be this superhero figure. Yet, Shaun is a really normal person. He likes to be with his friends and have a relaxing day doing lots of different sports.
As I was investigating Shaun White for you all, I found out that he was born with a heart defect and he had two open-heart operations before he was one-year-old. His mother had a hard time keeping this free-spirit little boy down as he would challenge himself to many sports. Some of these were wind-surfing and skateboarding. At the age of 9, he was skating with the great Tony Hawk. By the age of 13, he was a professional athlete. An amazing story!
What is your amazing story? We all have it in us. There are always challenges that we overcome. Yesterday, my post talked about Lindsey Vonn’s amazing comeback from an injury just a few weeks ago to win the Gold Medal in the Women’s Downhill. Do you have something that you have achieved, even when the “odds were against you?” How did it feel when you achieved your goal? Did you have a “glowing heart?” I can’t wait to hear your stories, please send them too me!
Below are some videos that the Vancouver Olympics send each day to me as your official investigator. Check out the scenes from the Opening Ceremonies, it may have been a week ago, but the flame is still alive in my heart! Global Investigator Caitlin
Host video: Day 2 (http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-videos/daily-host-video–vancouver-2010-day-2_274528g110288-CN.html)
Host video: Day 7 (http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-videos/allvideos_110288ct-p1-GD.html)
Post from Wednesday, February 17th
Alpine Skiing
Day Six of 2010 Olympic Games and what a day it has been! Women’s Alpine Skiing proved to be dramatic and resulted in a Gold/Silver Combo for the United States. I had been hearing about Lindsey Vonn’s accident a few weeks ago and hoped that she would be able to bring a great performance to these Olympic Games. Vonn is one of the greatest skiers to watch, as her body just floats down the hill, but she is going 130 kilometers per hour. That would be 80 miles per hour! Take a look at what Lindsey saw as she flew down the hill! (http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/assetid=ced6f75b-0402-49d7-be20-58881e0c880c.html#womens+downhill+pov)
Why does the United States measure speed in miles per hour and the rest of the world use kilometers per hour? When I was coming back from my trip to Seattle, Washington, and we crossed into Canada, my Dad said the speed limit was 100 kilometers per hour. I thought that we were certainly going to get stopped by a police car as 100 is way too fast! But, I was thinking miles and not kilometers per hour. So, I did some investigative work to find out way there are two systems of measurements.
The United States uses a mixture of both measuring systems. There are Imperial Units, pound and foot, which were developed by the Weights and Measurements Act on the British Empire. The United States uses a modified system we call the United States Customary Units. That is why a person is five feet, six inches tall and why it is a mile and not a kilometer per hour. But, when you buy a soda at the grocery store it is in a two liter bottle. This is confusing! Why would the United States use a combination of different units of measurement?
Well, it really has to do with the rich heritages that were brought to the United States. The United States is a nation of immigrants, so a tailor from Great Britain might cut you nine feet of cloth, but a juice maker from Italy might sell you a liter of juice. But, the farmer who sold you milk in the store better use gallons. Confusing? Yes, but certainly an example of how the United States was, and is, a melting pot of people and ideas. As the modern Olympic Games were developed from the ideas of Pierre de Coubertin, a Frenchman, we use the unit system of France (the metric system) only for the Vancouver Olympic Games.
So, let’s practice some conversions of the downhill times of several Olympic athletes this week. This speed is how fast they were going at the end of the downhill event. Could you use your calculators and figure this out for me? Have you teacher type the responses in or have them email it to me? Here is the formula:
1 kph (kilometer per hour) = 0.621371192 mph (miles per hour)
- Lindsey Vonn, from the United States won a Gold Medal and was going 106.92 kph on her downhill run. How fast was she going in miles per hour?
- Shona Rubens, from Canada placed 21st in the Alpine downhill event and was going 98.76 kph. How fast was she going in miles per hour?
- On Monday, February 15th, Didier Defago of Switzerland won the Gold Medal going 117.23 kph. How fast was that in miles per hour?
- Bode Miller, the US downhiller skier, won the Bronze Medal going 113.90 kph. How fast was that in miles per hour?
Extra Credit: What was the difference between Didier Defago and Bode Miller in miles per hour?
P.S. To all the Shaun White fans following my blog, (you know who you are!) he won the Gold Medal yesterday. I will write to you about him tomorrow! “With Glowing Heart!” Global Investigator Caitlin
Post from Tuesday, February 16th
The first gold medal for Canada! Wow! It was absolutely crazy at the Cypress Mountain Women’s Snowboarding Cross event today! I am so glad that you guys voted for me to go there! For the second time of these Olympics, as the Canadian Flag was being raised and “O’ Canada!” was being played for a Canadian Gold medalist! The red maple leafs were everywhere!!! And we heard those words again, “with glowing hearts” as thousands of spectators sang the Canadian national anthem. I sang along too!
The Canadian who brought this pride to the host country of the 2010 Olympics was Maelle Ricker. She was the second Gold medalist from Canada in these Olympic Games! Can you imagine the pride that she felt? This was a great thing for her as in the last Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, she crashed in the Medal Event and was taken to the hospital. Have you ever been in the hospital? Were you scared? Were the doctors and nurses nice?
What I learned from watching Maelle’s amazing Olympic experience, is that there are many times that we have things that don’t go well. Many times that, we may get hurt (our bodies or our feelings), but like Maelle, we too can come back again “with glowing hearts.” This is not unlike the sportsmanship and unique experience that I am investigating at the Olympics. Many of the countries who are competing together at one time may have been at War with each other. Yet, during the Olympics there is a sense that there is no War (at least in Canada during these two weeks). Even though, we know that there is War—the Olympic rings as they are connected together demonstrates how connected we are.
Technology is another way that we are connected. There are so many athletes who are sending Twitter messages to fans around the globe! Today, I saw that there were people who were texting the result of individual heats of the Women’s Snowboard Cross to their friends and family. Knowing that through those 140 characters of a text message you can share that experience with someone else is incredible. I am so fortunate to have the technology of this blog to share my experiences with you. And, because of it we are learning together. How cool is that?
With a Canadian “Glowing Heart”! Global Investigator Caitlin
Post from Monday, February 15th SNOWBOARDING Have you ever ridden a skateboard? Can you get some “air” underneath the board and fly through the air landing on your wheels and skating on? Well, imagine doing all of that without wheels and landing in snow! That is Olympic Snowboarding. It is like the combination of different elements of surfing, skateboarding and skiing! Snowboarding is a recent addition to the Winter Olympics as it was not an event at the first Winter Olympic Games in France. The first games to have Snowboarding were the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Later in the week, we will investigate the halfpipe—but today, we need to discuss the Snowboard Cross. Today, men’s American Olympic Snowboarder Seth Wescott won the Gold medal! His day did not start very well as Seth qualified 17th out of 32 Snowboarders. In Snowboard Cross, four racers start at the same time and race against each other rolling over the terrain and making huge jumps into the air off of ramps. The fastest two racers from each “heat” or race, move on to the next round. For Wescott, this meant that he would like not have the best starting position of the four snowboarders. So, he had some work to do! The most exciting part of the Olympic Snowboard Cross is the final “heat!” Four snowboarder line up at the top, and when they get to the bottom three will be wearing Olympic medals, one will not! This was so exciting to watch. Seth was very far behind until the last turn when he pumped his board out of a turn, picked up speed and caught another athlete while they were in the air! At the finish line, Wescott won by less than two feet. What a comeback. The crowd was so excited, people screaming and jumping up and down! One of the greatest moments for me was when Seth Wescott came to the Olympic podium to get his medal. He was carrying his grandfather’s World War II service flag of the United States. When I saw this, I remembered another thing about living in this World. That is that we cannot forget history. On the same day as Wescott took the Gold medal, American’s celebrated President’s Day. How did you remember our Presidents today? It is important to see the story of people living on this earth and celebrate it. That is what I am seeing at these Olympic Games! At the Olympics there is no war, there are no meetings, there are just celebrations. Understanding how we fit in is what the Olympics show us. How do you celebrate being part of your family? Do you have parties for different events? What are they? The Olympics are a community of the World that we celebrate. Do you celebrate in your class? How do you do this? Vancouver is certainly the place to celebrate! But, everyday is a reason to celebrate too! Global Investigator Caitlin Post from Sunday, February 14th (Happy Valentine’s Day to my Global Investigators) Wow! What a weekend at the Olympics! At the time I write to you on Sunday Evening (February 14th) there have been 27 medals awarded in 9 events! They have been awarded to 15 different countries: United States (5), Germany (4), France (3), Korea(2), Canada(2), Italy(2), Czech Republic(1), Netherlands(1), Slovakia(1), Switzerland(1), Norway(1), Poland(1), Austria(1), Croatia(1), Russian Federation(1). How many continents are these countries on? Remember the names of the continents (Asia¸Africa, North America, South America¸ Antarctica, Europe and Australia). You might ask your teacher if you could keep a chart of all of the medals awarded at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Keeping track of things is always fun! Not to mention, its math! These athletes who will receive a medal from the Vancouver Olympics will be taking a piece of Canada back to their country and continent. Literally! The medals were made by the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa, Canada from medal mined from the Canadian mountains. The Royal Canadian Mint is the same as the United States Mint in Philadelphia, Denver or San Francisco that produces the quarter and pennies you might have in your pocket. The medals weigh up to 576 grams each! That is the same weight as 100 quarters, or 250 dimes. If you had 150 dimes or 100 quarters, how many dollars would that equal? You can watch a really cool interactive website about how they made the Olympic medal at: http://www.mint.ca/store/mint/learn/medals-4400016 I was investigating the 1,500 meter Short Track Speed Skating event and I saw the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals on the hearts of a Korean Olympic Athlete and two from the United States of America. When the National Anthem of Korea was played for Lee Jung-Su who won the Gold Medal, I saw the “glowing heart” of these Olympics. The race was very exciting! Coming into the last turn there were three skaters from Korea in the lead and it looked like they were going to sweep the medals for Korea. However, two of the Korean skaters had an accident and wiped-out just meters from the finish line. Two American skaters were behind and took the Silver and Bronze. In the crowd at the Richmond Oval, there were thousands of people from many countries. When the Finals race was on, it did not matter is their country they were from, they were screaming for all of the Athletes. The applause and noise of the crowd was incredible! I am seeing that this motto “glowing hearts” is catching on. I talked to a girl from Norway on the public transportation system and she was telling me how special it was to see all of the athletes together and how proud she was to hear the Korean National Anthem at the speed skating event. I must say that I, Global Investigator Caitlin did too! It seems that our differences are less than our common home, the Earth. YOU DECIDE where I investigate tomorrow! Take this poll and I will cover the event that you choose. Global Investigator Caitlin
Post from Thursday, February 11th
Good Morning to all my Global Learners! Yesterday was so exciting! I traveled by plane (my first plane flight) from Charlotte, North Carolina to Vancouver, Canada. It is a long way to cross the United States from close to the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It took over 7 hours to fly from Charlotte to Vancouver! Can you imagine how long it took Lewis and Clark to explore these areas by foot or on a horse? Just like it was my first time in a plane, I can only imagine the wonder and excitement that our early explorers had.
Looking out the window from my seat in 7A (seventh row of seats and seat A at the left window of the plane), I could see everything. Most of the ground was covered with snow. There were two exceptions to this, North Carolina and the deserts of Arizona that did not have snow. But everywhere else looked like the Winter Olympics. At times the clouds looked like the halfpipe that Olympic athletes like Shaun White, from the United States, will be competing on during the next two weeks. Dancing through these clouds on the plane, I saw the Olympic Spirit. For me, a Global Investigator, my “heart was glowing” and I can’t wait to find out more about the Olympics in Vancouver!
So, today the Olympic events begin! The very first event to get underway is the Ski Jumping competition. This is a very exciting event where jumpers speed down a ramp and then take off into the air (flying like a bird) and landing as far as they can. When you see them take off, you will see them spread their skis into a V-shape. This gives them the most aerodynamics to fly further. My Dad says that there are many scientists and experts who develop new things and ideas that make these athletes fly further. Do these scientists get medals too when the athlete wins Gold in Vancouver? Maybe not, but the developments that change everyone’s life because of the advancements of sport is certainly important. I have to remember that it Canada is reminding the World to remember and find their “glowing heart.”
The Prime-Time attraction today at the Winter Olympic Games is the Opening Ceremony. This is a wonderful show that tells the story of the people of Canada and then has the Parade of Nations. This is going to be the most exciting part! The Opening Ceremony is held in the BC Place which will have over 60,000 spectators from around the World, yet on the NBC broadcast television channel millions and millions will be watching. You can watch it too! I can’t wait until all of the athletes are announced in the Parade of Nations. There will be at least 2,634 athletes from 82 countries around the Globe that compete in the Winter Olympic Games. As each country is called in the Parade, I will cheer with my loudest voice and I will be listening to the screams of your voice. Maybe, you could practice the Parade of Nations with your friends or classmates. Have someone call out countries of the World, such as “Now entering are the Olympic athletes from the country of Norway!!” and then go crazy cheering for the country and the athletes. This is what I will be doing on Friday!
By-the-way, Norway has won the most Olympic medals totaling 280 medals of Gold, Silver or Bronze. The United States has 216 overall, then the Soviet Union with 194, Austria with 185, and Germany with 158. I will be sending you a medal count throughout the Olympic Games, you might even make a chart to keep up with all the medals that will be placed on “glowing hearts” and taken back to many nations around the globe.
As the 2010 Winter Olympic Games begin, you my loyal Global Investigator learners take charge! What events would you like me to report from? What events are you interested in learning about? There is so much to learn about these Winter Olympic games, and with your help we can do this! Make sure that you have an adults permission, but have your parent or your teacher type in the comment box and let me know what events you want me to cover. Where am I to investigate? You decide! Global Investigator Caitlin
Here is a video about Training as an Olympic Ski Jumper: http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-ski-jumping-videos/
This video is about Air Lift, a science principle that Ski Jumpers use to fly through the air(Click on the Air Lift video for a pop-up window). http://www.icue.com/portal/site/iCue/chapter/?vgnextchannel=18713b386a324210VgnVCM100000a7c3d240RCRD&chapterchannel=9f27c11a96846210VgnVCM10000075c1d240RCRD
Post from Wednesday, February 10th
Hello World, this is Global Investigator Caitlin! We are almost ready to leave for Vancouver, Canada to begin our investigation into the 2010 Winter Olympics. Our first question is why would the World come to Vancouver for the Winter Olympics? As I was looking at the webpage for the Vancouver Olympics (http://www.vancouver2010.com/), I saw that the motto that Canada has chosen was “With Glowing Hearts.” Then the investigator in me wondered, why this might be the motto, or theme, of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games?
I think the answer could be in the National Anthem of Canada, ‘O Canada’! When I was listening to the National Anthem, ‘O Canada’ I heard these words, “with glowing hearts we see thee rise, the True North strong and free!” A Clue! But what could be glowing at the Olympics? Ah! Certainly, the Olympic Flame! When the Olympic Flame comes to Vancouver this will make the whole World, have glowing hearts. With only two days until the Opening Ceremonies, I wonder if the athletes from Japan or Italy, will feel like their heart is glowing?
Maybe, “with glowing hearts “ is about the pride that each of the athletes will feel when they represent their Country in competition. As millions of people around the world watch the Olympic Games on television, will they have “glowing hearts?” I’m sure! People have always told me to keep things close to my heart, and I think that when these athletes wear their Gold, Silver and Bronze medals that they earned at these Winter Olympics, they will be close to their hearts too! It is very special that the ribbon that holds the Olympic medal around an athlete’s neck places it right next to their heart. Wow! When the athletes wear their medals, their heart will be glowing with the colors gold, silver and bronze.
On my iPod, I was listening to a song by Sarah McLachlan called “One Dream” and I think that this speaks to what these athletes will have inside themselves as the compete in Vancouver. In the song, Sarah sings that “you carry the history,” that may be the glowing heart that each Olympian brings to Vancouver. Will we see that? So, here is my question to you: Is your heart glowing? What are you most proud about? Your family, your talents, your abilities? Do your friends and family see your heart glowing? Do you share your glowing heart with them? Maybe you could even make a card for them, showing your glowing spirit!
You may even write these down and send them to me by putting them in the comment box below. Make sure that you have your parents or teachers permission always to leave a comment or send an email. I look forward to seeing your writing and reporting back to you what I see in Vancouver. Leaving on the plane tomorrow! Global Investigator Caitlin
Here are some resources for you to look at:
*You can read the lyrics and listen to ‘O Canada’ at http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/symbl/anthem-eng.cfm#a0
*“One Dream” by Sarah McLachlan (Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fje7ic-5qPI&NR=1
*2010 Winter Olympics Webpage at http://www.vancouver2010.com/
Post from Tuesday, February 9th
Hey! This is Global Investigator Caitlin! I am packing my bags to bring you insights into the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada. What are we going to investigate? Everything that has to do with the people of the World!!! Why do they gather in Vancouver? Where do these people find their spirit and enthusiasm? What is it about the Olympics that is so special?
As I put the last toothbrush and sweater into my suitcase for my departure to Vancouver, Canada–I am reminded of the words of Astronaut Joe Edwards. Mr. Edwards talked with some 1st grade students last year about Space Exploration and his travels aboard the Space Shuttle. He said that one of the greatest memories of his time in Space was seeing the earth without any borders that fill the maps we see everyday.
One of the interesting things is that the Space Shuttle Endeavor is up in Space currently and they are viewing this borderless World! As people gather in Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, we will see a borderless world. The clouds must look like the skiing trails that will be in Canada at the Winter Olympics! We begin our journey tomorrow to Vancouver, Canada, for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Can’t wait to share the journey with you! Global Investigator Caitlin
February 8th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
I am sure the excitement is mounting as you are about to start your journey.
Pam
February 11th, 2010 at 2:39 am
Very exciting! I would love to be on that plane ride to Vancouver. I can only imagine how thrilling the whole experience is going to be. Make sure you let every second of it soak in!
February 11th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Dear Global Investigator Caitlin,
Thank you so much for your post. We really enjoyed talking about “glowing hearts.” Here are some of the things we talked about:
- We are proud of our talents. For example, Brandon is a great singer, Chandon is a fast runner and Jacco is flexible.
- Litzy says talent is what you have inside of you and what you can do.
- Kim and Kalif say ability is when you have a choice to do something. For example, Isaiah has the ability to learn about different countries.
- Tyler says his sister has a “glowing heart” because when he is hurt, she helps him and calls their Dad.
- Trinity says she has a “glowing heart” because when her neighbor’s dogs need help, she helps them.
- As a class, we have “glowing hearts” because we are bucket fillers. Being a bucket filler means giving compliments or supporting each other.
We are looking forward to your next post. We are all hoping to watch the Opening Ceremonies tomorrow.
From,
Mrs. Vassil and Miss DiNunzio’s classes
February 11th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
We think that the Olympics can be in Vancouver, Canada, because of the Rocky mountains (needed for the skiing and the snowboarding)and because of the snow. Oops! Time for us to go to lunch! Talk to you again later!
February 12th, 2010 at 10:58 am
Ms. Murphy’s Class–Lunch, Wow! My Dad and I had a hard time with lunch yesterday. We were on the plane when it was lunch time in North Carolina. We usually eat lunch at noon (12 pm), but when we landed in the Pacific Time Zone there is a three hour time difference. So, when it is 12 pm in North Carolina it is 9 am in Vancouver, Canada. It is funny that at the exact same moment in time, people around the World eat a different meal. So, just think that when you eat your lunch today, I am eating BREAKFAST! This just reminds me that the World is a huge place that rotates and creates day and night. Depending on where you are on the Earth, it is a different time. Have a great time in class and please say hello to Ms Murphy for me. Global Investigator Caitlin.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Wow! You all have some great “glowing hearts”! I like the fact that you help other people and I love the fact that you fill buckets of compliments and support. That is great! Keep it up! Yes, I am looking forward to the Opening Ceremonies too. Maybe, you could look at a map of the World and announce the countries as they enter the Opening Ceremonies. Point to the location on the map and then follow your finger to Vancouver, Canada (it is right above the State of Washington on a map). It is a large city in the Province of British Columbia in the country of Canada. I am so excited to see the great show that Canada is going to give us tonight at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The motto of British Columbia is Splendor sine occasu which is latin for (“Splendour without Diminishment”). There are some beautiful sights that I will be sending back to you all.
PS Miss DiNunzio, would you email my Dad Mrs. Vassil’s email information? That would be great!
Keep up the great work to my Global Investigators in Mrs. Vassil’s and Miss DiNunzio’s classes! I am very proud to see the evidence of “your glowing heart”
PSS Is this not so cool that I am thousands of miles away from you and we are communicating! The World is now a very small place in one HUGE space! Cyberspace!
February 12th, 2010 at 11:12 am
Yes it is very exciting! We will let it “snow in”, as “soaking” reminds me of the Summer Olympic Games and the swimming events. I am full of wonder and so thankful for the work that you do with the students and community at your school! Cheers! Global Investigator Caitlin
February 12th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
We are now discussing the motto. From the beginning, Brian thought that With Glowing Hearts is the motto because Valentine’s Day is right around the corner (Brian is such a romantic!!!).
On a serious note, here is what some of us are proud of…
Brian and Robert are proud that they have made it to the fifth grade because they are now role models for the younger students in our school.
Amaya is proud of her friends and family because they are good people who are always there for her through good and hard times.
Jamerick says he is proud of his football trophies because he had to practice hard and that paid off.
Quamaine and Nicholas are proud to be in band because it teaches them how to read music, it adds to their talents, and it can allow them to be in parades.
Ladre is proud to be part of a dance group at school because (it gives her time out of class, lol) she loves to dance and is excited about performing in front of the whole school soon.
Mildreth is proud of our school because two weeks ago, we all tried to raise money for Haiti.
Ms. Murphy is very proud of her students because they are fun to teach and work hard. She is also very proud of her little boy who is turning into such a neat litle person!
AND WE ARE ALL PROUD OF OUR TEACHERS BECAUSE WHEN WE DON’T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, THEY GO OVER IT, OVER IT, OVER IT, and OVER IT so we can learn!!!
So according to all that, we certainly all have Glowing Hearts!
February 12th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
It is us again!!! To begin with, we would love it if you could investigate the following disciplines: figure skating, snowboarding (Shaun White), bobsled, and alpine skiing (Lindsey Vonn).
Some of us did not know about the opening ceremonies, but we will try to watch them on TV tonight.
February 14th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Awesome! One of the things about the skiing events at the 2010 Olympics is that the weather in the mountains (poor visibility and slushy conditions) have delayed some of the events. Lindsay Vonn injured her chin a few weeks ago and has been day to day on competiting in these Olympics. The longer the events are delayed, the better it may be for her appearance. She is favored to win a medal at the Vancouver Olympics. I will be going to Snowboarding next week to see Shaun White, so I will report then. Coolness! GI Cait
February 14th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Awesome! We all have many talents. It is amazing that you mention your teachers as something that you are proud of. I believe that the opportunity to learn is an essential part of anything we do. For example, as an Investigator, I have to learn so many things and then find something in common. It is much like doing a word problem in math. My problems are not usually numbers, but rather people and facts. I have to learn and then learn again. That is what is so much fun!
February 14th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Whistler, British Columbia is the location of the Mountain Events for the Olympic Games in Vancouver. Whistler Mountain is actually part of the Fitzsimmons Range of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains. These mountains are not part of the Rocky Mountain Range, but are on the Pacific side of the Rocky Mountains that do climb into Canada. The original name for the mountain was London Mountain. The reason is there is usually a lot of fog on the mountain and London is known for its fog too! A Global Connection! Thanks for the Lead, Global Investigators!
The original name of the mountain was London Mountain, named after a mining claim in the area,[1] which in turn was named for the heavy fog and rain of the area.[citation needed] The locality was called Alta Lake before the creation of the Resort Municipality of Whistler in the 1970s, but the mountain’s name had already been changed in 1965 as the associations with London’s bad weather were deemed to be bad for advertising purposes. With the advent of the ski resort in the late 1960s the name was changed to “Whistler” to represent the whistling calls of the marmots, which are also known as “whistlers”, that live in the alpine areas of the mountain.[2]
February 15th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Hello, how wonderful that you can experience these events. Thanks for keeping us in touch.
February 15th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
We are excited about the possibility that you might end up focusing on the women’s snowboarding event today, but also are interested in men’s snowboarding… Do you happen to know when that event is going to take place?
February 16th, 2010 at 11:21 am
Wow! Ms. Stegall, I am really exciting for you to join us. As you know, I am in Vancouver Canada investigating the 2010 Winter Olympics. This city is so beautiful! It has so many different people and cultures. One of the things that I have noticed in Vancouver is that the differences between are amplified so much that we almost become similar. I was on the train with a couple from Slovakia yesterday. While our langagues were different, the way we dress was not the same–there was a common thing that joined us together. The Olympic Spirit! When several young boys approached shouting, “Can-a-da!” like a hockey match, we joined in. It seemed that when hosted, all people fit in. Our cheers for the “host” team roared with the same pride. It is like that at your school too. “Thinking Global” is the essence that comes from every character trait that you are teaching your students! I see that in person in Vancouver!
February 16th, 2010 at 11:42 am
Well Ms. Murphy’s Class! Snowboarding events kicked off yesterday at the Olympics. There was a huge story at came from the Snowboarding Course set on Cypress Mountain. One of the things that has been interesting about these Olympic games and there host city, Vancouver, is that it is NOT snowing much in Vancouver. Scientists say that this is due to an effect from El Nino. Have you heard of this weather event? Well, it is a warming of the ocean current along the Pacific coasts of Peru and Ecuador that is changes the weather patterns worldwide. It would certainly be appropriate that the Olympic Games were changed by this huge worldwide effect.
However, what El Nino is bringing to Vancouver is rain and warm weather.
I was just looking at the weather from NOAA. Do you know what NOAA is? No, it is not the person who built an ark, but rather the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This is the place that pilots look to when they get their weather reports. To show you how different El Nino has made things–in Monroe, NC it is 27 degrees on Tuesday morning and in Vancouver it is 45 degrees!!! Vancouver is hosting the Winter Olympics. Maybe we should pack our bags and head to Monroe, NC. Do you think Ms. Benson would let you host the Winter Olympics? It sure is cold enough there!
So, at the Snowboarding competition site on Cypress Mountain, the standing room only area for all of the snowboarding events have been cancelled and the ticket price ($50) has been refunded to all of the people who were coming to this event. The reason is that the snow has been melted by rain and the place where the people who had these tickets is now a swimming pool. It is terrible. Stay warm my Global Investigators! I may be trading in my winter coat for a swim suit. I have not seen them on sale in Vancouver yet, but who knows.
February 16th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Dear GI Caitlin,
We are so glad you are having a great time! Thank you for the picture of the Coke cans with the Olympic rings. How cool that Coke is a sponsor.
Daniel says that at the Olympics there is no segregation. We are studying Black History so that is a connection he made.
Some of the things we celebrate at school are Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Valentines Day, Spanish Heritage, Holiday Celebration, and birthdays. In our families we celebrate Christmas, birthdays, Spanish Heritage, Thanksgiving and 4th of the July. We just finished studying how the United States became independent so we are very excited to celebrate the next 4th of July.
Lalah thinks there is no war and segregation at the Olympics because the athletes have to have good sportsmanship. Alex thinks this would be hard because if someone is better at something than you, it is hard to show kindness. Kalif is wondering if the athletes do show poor sportsmanship, are they disqualified? Lalah agrees with Alex because it is hard to be kind when it’s a competition.
We are wondering if you will have a chance to see the figure skating. Miss DiNunzio loves ice hockey!! One her favorite players is playing at the Olympics.
We hope you have fun!
Sincerely,
Miss DiNunzio’s Walter Bickett Investigators
February 16th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
We are sure you were disappointed that you could not watch the event. Hopefully, there will be snow coming to Vancouver soon. The people who are organizing these Olympics are probably frantically trying to make everything run as smoothly as possible!
We are wondering about Shaun White. Was he part of the competition Seth won a medal in?
A few of us have already been on a skateboard, but none of us are really good. Ms. Murphy has been on a snowboard before, but she says she was not very god at it either. It is difficult for us to imagine what it would be like to practice all those winter sports featured at the Olympics. So different from what we are used to! Time for us to go get on the bus and get home so we can ride bikes, play soccer… Sending you snowy wishes!!!
February 17th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Awesome Guys! You know that it is so important to keep your bodies in good physical condition. I am sure that your fantastic Physical Education teachers (Mr. Sauser and Ms Larrimore) tell you that all the time! Listen to them, eat well and exercise! My Dad was speaking to a gentlemen on the plane from Charlotte last week that provided the food for the Olympic athletes. Many of them have specific diets and they had to make special foods for athletes who were from different cultures. That was quite a task!
Shaun White competes in the Halfpipe competition. Seth was in Snowboard Cross, which is like motorcycle racing, but downhill on snow! We will see Shaun White today in the Men’s Halfpipe competition. This should be on TV tonight, so take a look! Cheers! Global Investigator Caitlin
February 17th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
Yes my dear Investigators at Walter Bickett, I will be going to the figure skating competition. These athletes are so beautiful. There are so many aspects of their performance to appreciate. For example, their athletism to skate and jump flawlessly. Then there is their costumes and their music. Wow! How beautiful!
Men’s Hockey just started yesterday! How exciting! The United States Men’s Hockey team beat Switzerland (3-1), Canada beat Norway (8-0) and Russia beat Latvia (8-2). Eight goals in a hockey game is a lot! Miss DiNunzio, who is your favorite hockey player at the Olympics. Ryan Malone, a USA hockey player from the Tampa Bay Lightening Hockey Team, scored the first USA goal of the Olympics! Go USA! Cheers! Global Investigator Caitlin
February 23rd, 2010 at 3:35 pm
First, we need to apologize for not having kept up with you better last week. We just always had lots to do and before we knew it, it was time to go home… We are finally making it today!
Second, thank you so much for your postcard. It was nice of you to take the time to send us one!
We discussed your post about Shaun White and some of our accomplishments.
Nicholas is proud of the fact that even after missing two weeks of school last year due to a surgery, he was able to pass 4th grade!
Quamaine is proud of how she handled herself last year when she fell head first off the monkey bars last year and had to go to the hospital.
Gabby is proud of how last year (at a different school) she got over her fear of getting on the school bus where lots of children were being bullied.
Mildreth is proud of herself for having made it successfully to the fifth grade.
Ms. Murphy (who is Canadian) has told us that this weekend, the US team beat the Canadian team in hockey… For the first time in 50 years, in Canada of all places (go US we are proud of you, sorry Ms. Murphy!!!)
But, Ms. Murphy just told us that in a pair figure skating competition, the Canadians won the GOLD… Ms. Murphy is proud of her country, go Canada, sorry US!!!!
February 24th, 2010 at 6:44 pm
Dear Caitlin,
We are sorry we haven’t written in a while. We were glad to see your post.
We had quite a bit of discussion about what it meant to host something. We also talked about why a country would want to host an Olympics. We had some of the same ideas that you shared. We said a country would want to host an Olympics because it might grow their population, it shows their athletes support, it would raise money for the country and even spread news about the country.
Yes, we do have different restaurants in our community. Some of our favorites are Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Golden Corral, Johnathon’s House, Chinese Buffet…..we like many types of foods.
What has been your favorite cultural food that you have tried? What made you decide to try it? What was the name of the restaurant you ate at?
We loved the picture of the flame! We noticed that it looked like it was made of ice. What is the structure actually made of?
We have a few questions for you:
Did you have a chance to see any of the hockey games? Miss DiNunzio’s favorite player is Ryan Miller because he plays for the Buffalo Sabres and she is from Buffalo.
Do you know when the torch will be “turned off”?
Thank you for the postcard too!
Miss DiNunzio/Mrs. Vassil’s Class
February 25th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Good Morning Class! Thanks for writing. I missed hearing from you. I have been busy too, so I understand. I think that you are correct that hosting the Olympics spreads news about the host country. During the Olympics, there is what is called a cultural olympiad. These are basicially all of the concerts and events that go on during the olympics. You could never go to a sporting event and have soooooo much to do at the Olympics. There are plays and ballets, rock and jazz concerts and so many different foods to taste.
Interesting that you say that the Olympic caudren looks as if it was made of ice. What great imaginations you have. I was right in front of it and I did not see that. Now I do, but only because you told me. You see, the greatest NATION on earth is your imagiNATION! There is not a country competiting in these Games that. Your imagination is so powerful, so keep that up!
My favorite food has been a Piroshky. This is a Russian pastry that is filled with meat and cheese (and other stuff if you want). Think of a danish with the dough being like a crossant. It is amazing. My Dad went to Russia (twice) and he likes these very much. Of course, we eat them everyday we walk by that shop in downtown Vancouver!
I will investigate Ryan for Miss DiNunzio. He is having a good Olympics in goal for the United States! With glowing hearts! Global Investigator Caitlin
February 25th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Not a probelm on the reply. I have been busy too. It is wonderful to hear from you as you make my day. Imagine that, I have never met you in person, but you make the World of difference to me. Communication is so special and it connects us as humans. I am so proud of your accomplishments. Just like Shaun White, you make the most of life! This is what is important! Be yourself, know yourself and enjoy others. You see, it is most important for you to understand who you are and then to appreciate others.
An example of this is at these Olympic games. It is so important for the Russian team to know about their culture. And the American team too! In school, they learned and maybe experienced different cultural events that make up their country. When they come to the Olympics the have to have this in their heart. Then they will see the beauty in the cultures of others. Diversity means that we understand ourselves enough to see the beauty in people who are different than us. Diversity without understanding who we are (as a country or as an individal person) leads to bad feelings in this diverse world.
Ms. Murphy would be so proud of her native country, Canada. When I walk down the street, there are people wearing Canadian flags and people will say, I am so proud to be Canadian. This pride is the Olympic spirit!
February 26th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Dear GI Caitlin,
Thank you for your response. We are excited that the US still has the lead in the medal count.
One of our favorite things you shared with us is the photographs. Brianna really liked the Coke display. Lalah really liked the photo of the torch. She also liked that you let us be involved in this. Trinity is thankful that we got to see the photographs and that we learned a lot.
We know the games are winding down. When will you be returning to the US?
Miss DiNunzio’s Class
March 1st, 2010 at 10:01 am
I will be coming back on Tuesday, March 2nd. I’m really excited to return to North Carolina, my home. I have many images to share and I will get them to the photo department and have them sent to WBES for you and your students. I also will be bringing some Canadian money for you to have. It is intersting that they do not have a one dollar bill, but rather a one dollar coin. Can’t wait until you get it, I will send in the mail. Global Investigator Caitlin