A Day of Firsts

Today's Date: March 26, 2013 (Tuesday)

     So, today I taught a lesson in Ms. VonRentzell's 6th grade English class!  It was the first (and likely, the only) lesson I have planned and taught in her classroom.  It went so well!  I got positive feedback and lots of pictures from Ms. VonRentzell and her students were engaged the whole time.  Professer VonRentzell provided encouraging feedback and a bunch of pictures of me working with her students for this lesson.  I am very appreciative.  I had so much fun today because of that class!  Jackie and Anna were also super helpful by dispersing among the students to assist with the independent work.

Opening Activity (Sequence of Events)

Independent Work with Various Prompts

 















     My other "first" today was running on and around the Chateau's grounds!  The air and flurries froze me during the walk back from the school, tram, and bus to the Chateau to a point that would have discouraged me from going outside entirely if it weren't for Joe.  On Monday I had told Joe (a Georgia State University student) that I would run today, so I had to follow through.  As it turns out, this was the best decision of the day!
     The flurries ceased and the air became more bearable by the time we left the Chateau.  Since Joe has spent three months at the Chateau so far (he and the other GSU students are foreign exchange students at a local university in Strasbourg), he lead the run for the most part.  I got to see some old barracks that had been used in World War II, which was terrifying and amazing to me.  We went inside a larger one (a horror movie waiting to happen), but it was pitch black, in spite of the sunshine, and had a few different rooms that I did not explore because of the decay and darkness (not to mention, I did not know Joe that well--sorry Joe!--so I didn't want to be led into a situation I couldn't get myself out of with relative ease).  We did climb this larger one, though!  THAT was very cool.  We both used some semi-rusted metal frame bars (part of this barrack looks as though it had been blown up, so the internal structure is exposed on the outer, back side) to maneuver our way to the top.  I very much would have liked it if I thought to take my camera on the run!
     We also saw two ponds, the border of Germany (which we tried to cross, but there were police cars beside the nearest bridge and a wide, deep creek in front of us... not to mention, neither of us had our passports with us), and a marked trail.  The marked trail was a fun detour because it was entirely new to both of us.  We did not get lost, but followed a bunch of random roads that wound around for a while (Joe had no idea where we were... we tried finding landmarks, but there were none).  Like magic, we somehow managed to end up in front of the large barrack again.  We were baffled, but relieved.
     At this point, we made it safely back to the Chateau and explored the grounds immediately around the resort briefly, but dusk was fading to dark quickly.  The statues and courtyards are very nice; I would like to go out and explore them more intimately soon.  Unfortunately, the only picture I got of this night was of the moon because it dwarfed everything around it with its size and closeness.  Joe and I ran back to the Chateau to get a picture as soon as I saw it rising in the sky.  I wish you could have seen it for yourself; it was absolutely stunning.

The Chateau and a gorgeous, full moon (this picture just doesn't do it justice!).