Off to the Swiss Alps!

Welcome back Explorers! 

Say good bye to Paris and hello to beautiful Switzerland. Switzerland is known for its picturesque landscape, the rolling hills, towering snow capped mountains and adorable story book homes. As we drove into Lauterbrennan, Switzerland we experienced beautiful sunshine and even a cool 15 degrees Celsius. WOW this is the perfect day to spend wandering the Swiss terrain. This cascading waterfall makes me wish it was warm enough to take a dip!

 Explorers what month would I want to visit Switzerland if I wanted to experience the warmest weather? Take a look that the graph to solve for the answer. 

Late April may not have been the best time to come to Switzerland if you wanted to to swim. As you can see from the graph above the temperature in Switzerland is pretty consistent year round. That is a lot different than the climate in Boston, MA! 

 Switzerland is in the Marine West Coast climate. As you can see from the image below much of northern Europe falls into the climate zone because of its mountainous landscape. 

WAIT!! I thought Parts of Europe shared the same climate as Massachusetts? This doesn't make sense. If you were thinking this question you are not alone. Many people assume that parts of Europe same the climate as the Northeast, USA because we share similar temperatures and farming seasons. Actually, Boston, MA is at a lower latitude than Dublin, Ireland. Since we are further south than Dublin, Ireland, Boston, MA is in the Humid Continental climate zone. 

Describe the climate in a Humid Continental climate zone vs. a Marine West Coast Climate  zone?

Click the link to find the answer: https://www.climatetypesforkids.com/

We only have a few days in Switzerland to discover this beautiful country! I know where I am going...to the top of Europe. This scenic train ride will take you to Junfraujoach, otherwise known as the top of Europe! Once at the top you can explore the famous Lint chocolate store, ice castles, and even step foot on Jungfraujoch mountain. We are 3,454 meters above sea level right now! This is a year round winter wonderland even in the summer! 

Don't forget your mittens and snow gear!

Ms. Crummet

Bonjour!

Bojour les explorateurs

Above says "Hello Explorers" in French. Today we are in romantic Paris. Strolling the streets in search of the Eiffel Tower, macaroons, french bulldogs, beautiful churches, lavish palaces and of course a crepe. This is my first trip to France and I couldn't be more excited to share this journey with you. I think that it is only proper if we start our exploration at the spot that most tourists travel all the way to Paris to see. Do you know what I am referring to? Yes of course, the Eiffel Tower! Did you know that when the Effel Tower was first introduced to the city of Paris the people HATED it. The French believe that this was the ugliest structure to ever grace their land. Little did they know that this architectural masterpiece would become the cultural icon of Paris. The Eiffel Tower was the most visited paid monument in the world back in 2015. Roughly, 6.91 million people climbed the 669 stairs.

Explorers can you write in the comments what 6.91 million is in standard form, expanded form and word form? Record your answers in the comments. 

Wow, that is quite a lot of people! The Eiffel Tower is about 324 meters (1,063 ft) tall and is about the same height as a 81 story building. In 1889 the Eiffiel Tower was the worlds' tallest man made structure in the world, however, the Effiel Tower lost this title 41 years later when it was surpassed by the Washington Monument. 

In what year did Washington Monument surpass the Eiffel Tower as the largest man made structure?

I know the Eiffel Tower is the first structure that comes to mind when you think of Paris, but there is so much more to see and explore. Check out this video to explore more!

I think I know where I am going next... its time for a crepe! What is a crepe? A crepe is a very thin pancake, There are two types of crepes: crepes sucrees (sweet crepes) and savoury galettes (savory crepes). Crepes can come with a variety of fillings from sugar to fruit and even meat like eggs and hsm! Today I think I am going to play it safe and try a Nutella filled crepe topped with banana and coconut shavings. In Paris many restaurants will serve crepes as a dessert and you can even purchase a crepe from a peddler if you are lucky enough to spot one.

This crepe is delicious! I definitely recommend you try a crepe in Paris. This tasty treat is giving me the energy I need. Crepes are actually very easy to make and I enjoy making them at home when I am not traveling. Watch this video to learn how to make crepes right at home. 

Since there is still so much left to see and explore in Paris click EXPLORE to find the museum that holds the famous painting the Mona Lisa! Watch out for Mona, she never quite seems to take her eyes off you. 

                                                                                       

Au revoir les explorateurs!

Ms. Crummet

Note for educators:

Like what you are seeing here? Check out these amazing blogs made by educators for educators!

https://teachingprek19.blogspot.com/

https://shibashenanigans.blogspot.com/

I personally recommend this blog because it is all about one educators journey to 60 of the National Parks. 

https://nationalparkgoals.blogspot.com/

London is Calling

Welcome to London! 

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to explore Europe? Well for roughly the next 30 days we are going to travel across this beautiful continent. I hope you brought your walking shoes because today we are going to be visiting some of the most iconic sites in London by foot. Our journey begins in London, England. Some of you may know England as home to the royal family, Big Ben and heart throb Ed Sheeren. If any of those sparked an "Ah ha" moment then you already know a little about this beautiful country. Let's get a little bit of background before we begin! Watch the video to find out what the name of the bridge displayed below is called? 

If you said London Bridge you are not correct! This famous bridge is actually called Tower Bridge. Tower Bridge was build between 1886 and 1894 and crosses the Thames River. The London Bridge is actually just .80km upstream. Explorers its time for a question...

How far away is the London Bridge from the Tower Bridge in miles? 

Not too far away and actually close enough for us to take a stroll over to view it. What do you think is the London Bridge as impressive as the Tower Bridge? I think the Tower Bridge is much more appealing than the London Bridge, but that is just my two pounds. In England their currency is called British Pounds. Majority of Europe uses the Euro as currency, but in England they use the British Pound. For every US $1.00 we receive .77 British Pound (GBP). 

$20.00 US dollars is equal to approximately how many British Pounds? 

There is so much more to do and see! Let's head over to Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace is the headquarters of the Monarch. What is a monarch you ask? A monarch is another name for a king. Long ago England was ruled by a monarch and he was the sole decision maker for the entire country. That is a lot of responsibility for one person! England didn't like this style of government very much so now the country is ruled by Parliament which is over seen by a Prime Minister. This style of government is referred to as "Her Majesty's Government." Here at Buckingham Palace many government sponsored events are held. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. This includes 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. Wow! That is a lot of rooms! But how many rooms did I not account for?

There are 775 rooms in Buckingham Palace. How many rooms did I not describe?

Enjoy exploring London for the day! Click EXPLORE to learn more about London with me!

I'll be walking over the Shakespeare's Globe Theater to watch the play Hamlet!

Cheers,

Ms. Crummet 

Land of the Deep Dish Pizza

YUM! 

Hello Explorers! Today we are going to take a pit stop in one of my favorite cities in the USA. This city is known for its deep dish pizza, its architecture, famous sports teams like the Bears and Chicago Cubs, Lincoln Park Zoo, the Shed Aquarium and so much more! Our first stop in Chicago is Pizzeria Uno home of the first deep dish! No one knows exactly who made the first deep dish pizza but we know that it was first made by a chef that worked at Pizzeria Uno in 1943. The main difference between a deep dish pizza and most other pizzas is just like the name suggests, the crust is very deep. This allows for more cheese, tomatoes and extra toppings! My favorite topping is mushrooms. Yum! As my friend Matt and I walk into Unos I only have $60.00 to spend and it is 6:00pm. We wait for 20 minutes for a table because there is such a long wait. We decide right away that we are getting two individual  "Numero Uno"it has sausage, fresh mushrooms, pepperoni, onions and green peppers. For one individual pizza it is $9.79. Okay explorers put your thinking chef hats on..

How much money do I have left?

Okay not a lot of cash left, but Matt decides he wants to order some garlic bread since it takes 30- 40 minutes to cook one deep dish pizza. The garlic bread is $4.99. We decide to order just one so we can save money for dessert later. I check my watch and realize it is 15 minutes until 7:00pm after we order all our food.

Approximately, what time will Matt and I get our deep dish pizzas?

The garlic bread is delicious and we wait exactly 40 minutes for our deep dish pizza! This is cheesy and everything I have ever dreamed of. We savor every last bite, but unfortunately I could only finish one third of my pizza and Matt finished three thirds. It about 7:50pm when we finish.

Question time! How much of the pizza is left?

I box up the remaining slices of my Numero Uno and we take a look at the dessert menu. Mmmm Chicago Cheesecake or a Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie. Both sounds delicious, but we have to go with the deep dish cookie for $5.99. Luckily the cookie only takes 10 minutes and we get our cookie at 8:00pm. We take our time and enjoy this decadent dessert. I get the check and there is $3.37 added for tax.

How much is the bill?

I always tip 20 percent so I add that to the check as well. Explorers..

How much is the bill with tax and tip?

What a great meal that was! I am so excited to check out the bright green river in honor of St. Patrick's Day weekend.

Explorers thank you for helping me solve those math problems. As a reward I am giving you $20 to spend at Unos in Chicago. Click PIZZA to create your order! Write your order in the comments and what your total bill is. Everyone gets what they want from Unos!

Save a slice for me!

Love,

Ms. Crummet

Watch out for that .... LAVA?!

WHAT?! 

Wow! I am so thankful that we didn't decide to visit Hawaii about seven months ago. I can't believe how much damage one volcano can cause. Today we are going to explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which is home to two volcanoes. Here we have one of the worlds' most active volcanoes, Kīlauea and the worlds' largest volcano, Mauna Loa. Mauna Loa is 3 miles from the ocean floor to sea level then extends an additional 2.6 miles above sea level. 

Explorers how tall is Mauna Loa? Post your results in the comments.

That is the world's largest volcano for a reason and no way to I wanna be near Mauna Loa when it decides to erupt next! What causes an volcano to erupt? What do you think? Take a moment to pause and brainstorm.

Hawiian legends indicate that Pele, the goddess of fire, lightning, wind, dance and volcanoes causes the volcanic eruptions. Legend has it that Madame Pele was born on the island of Tahiti, but was sent away by her father due to her violent outbursts. Pele set out on a canoe built brothers and landed on the island of Kauai. Pele is attacked and left to die on the island. Somehow Pele survives and burrows a tunnel to Oahu. Her fury creates a massive creator called Diamond Head. Pele loved the island of Oahu, but it wasn't long until her love wasn't accepted by a local and she exploded in anger. Pele continued to canoe to all the islands causing disruption and anger. It is believed that this anger caused the volcanoes to erupt. The Hawaiians believe that every time a volcano erupts Pele is exploding with anger because her love is unanswered from her lovers and father. This is just one explanation of why the volcanoes erupt. Scientists have their theory.

Watch the video to discover what causes a volcanic eruption. 

Explorers its time that you get a closer look at the Volcanoes National Park. Make sure you have your hiking shoes on! Click "Volcanoes" to discover then press "START EXPLORING"

Volcanoes

Stay Safe,

Ms. Crummet

Aloha!

Aloha! Welcome back to the USA and Hawaii!!

I hope you all enjoyed your time exploring Australia. What an unforgettable trip!! Plus.. our next adventure awaits us. For the next week we are going to be in Hawaii exploring the tropical rain forests, surfing and volcanoes. Hawaii was formed thousands of years ago after an increased volcanic explosion. The state of Hawaii consists of eight main islands: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe and the Big Island of Hawaii. Here on the beautiful island of Oahu are the famous beach of Waikiki. You can learn to hang ten and catch some waves with the locals. Do you want to seek out bigger swells? Let’s head out to the north side of the island. Explorers its time to make our first discovery! Take a look at the map below. For these questions I want you to focus on the Big Island. Which one is that? Well just find the largest land mass in the chart and you have found it!

Use the chart to solve the questions!

1. What is the height the waves to the west of the Big Island?

2. What is the height of the waves north of the Big Island?

3. What is the height of the waves south east of the Big Island?

4. What is the tallest wave found on this chart?

6. If you wanted to surf in Hawaii what part of the island would you go to and why?

Great work Explorers! Watch this video of surfers catching some swells!

Wow! After watching that video I really want to get out there and try surfing. Before we can hop in the water we have to first choose the perfect surf board. Since majority of us are beginners we are going to be choosing the longboard. The longboard ranges from 8 feet to 12 feet long. The reason the beginners use the larger boards instead of the smaller boards is because longboards are easier to balance and paddle on. Time for another question before we hit the waves..

How much taller is the longboard than you? 

 Now its time for the moment we've been waiting for!! Find an open area and let's practice how to stand on our longboards!  Watch the video below and comment two facts you learned about surfing. 

Cowabunga!!

See you out there Explorers!

Ms. Crummet 

See you in Awhile Crocodile

Crikey! Did you see that massive crocodile?!

WOW I am glad we are not in the water today! Though it was amazing to explore the Great Barrier Reef yesterday morning! Don't you agree?! I mean we saw a stingray and clown fish! But today we are in the land of the crocodiles here at Hartley's Crocodile Farm. Have you ever seen a crocodile before? I'm guessing some of you may have seen one at a zoo, but never in its natural habitat because they are extremely dangerous! Australia is home to the largest reptile in the world, the Saltwater Crocodile. The males can grow up to 7 meters in length and weigh up to 1,000 kg. Explorers its time for a conversion....

How many feet long is the Saltwater Crocodile if it is 7 meters long?

How many pounds does a Saltwater Crocodile weigh if it is 1,000 kg?

That is one large croc! I don't want to be near that one! Unfortunately, in Cairns, Australia crocodiles can be found in freshwater and saltwater. Many of the crocodiles found at Hartley's were rescued from their habitats, mainly because they became a little too curious with humans. Hartley's is a sanctuary for crocodiles and provides an excellent, safe spotting place for us. For the most part the crocodiles are given their own lagoon because they are extremely territorial. The crocodiles that share an ecosystem claim their territory and if another crocodile enters... there is trouble. Just click the link to see!

Crocodile ATTACK show 

Plan your trip to Hartley's now! Click the link below.

https://www.crocodileadventures.com/history.html

Alright explorers stay safe and keep your hands away from the lagoons!

Have fun!

Ms. Crummet