Final Day

Well we made it back with all the students.  For a trip we weren't sure was going to happen on Wednesday, it turned out better than expected.  I had a great time and I think everyone else did also.

The final day started with a trip to the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower).  After we ate breakfast and loaded our bus, it was off to see the largest building in the United States and second tallest in the world.  We were unfortunate in that it was a foggy day.  However, we did see a proposal in the new fiberglass cube and students were able to see some buildings below the tower.

We then headed to the south and the Hyde Park area to go to the Science and Industry Museum.  I think we could have spent three weeks here and not visited every exhibit.  The featured exhibit was based on "You" and had displays involving the human body.  You could run in a mouse wheel, see the veins in your arms, interact with a virtual screen, or even try some sleep therapy.  The other displays included the flight display with Flight Simulator, real and model trains, and race cars.  Every thing was interactive and had several things the students could do to see science at work.  My favorite was the U-505 submarine display.  This sub was captured during WWII and was brought back to the museum for display.  It is the only remaining German U-boat left in the world.

Finally we boarded the buses and began our journey home.  We stopped briefly for dinner and then watch the UK game.  The students were excited to see the Cats win.  We ended our ride with a showing of Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  The movie is set in Chicago and the students were able to identify many of the things they saw on the trip including paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago.

What a great trip!  I hope that all the students had as much fun as I did.  I hope that I can do it again next year!  A special thanks to Mrs. Profitt for organizing the trip and allowing me to use her computer in the wee hours during the trip.

Day 3

Exhausted.  That describes me at the moment.  Finally getting to sit/lay down and write this blog post. What a day!  The kids are having a great time and so are the chaperones.  Let's start with the great news.  After Medieval Times tonight our waitress came up to the chaperones and told us our students were the best group they ever had.  They complimented them on their politeness with the wait staff.  Then when we got back to the hotel the night manager complimented us on their behavior in the hotel.  Great job parents!  They learn this from your modeling, not what we've done in the last three days.

The day started with a trip to the Shedd Aquarium.  The students got to see fish, dolphins, penguins, coral, sharks, and many other marine life.  We were treated to a show titled "Fantasea."




Rather than talk about the Beluga whales, penguins, dolphins, hawk, and seal, the show simply showed off their natural behaviors.  The students also were able to see a penguin up close with a demonstration in the viewing area.

Next we moved over to the Field Museum.  While there we saw Sue, the largest full-bodied T-Rex in the world.  The ladies loved the Diamond Exhibit detailing the mining and cutting of the stones.  Other exhibits included birds and mammals, Egypt, the Americas, and Africa.  My group tried to move a 6,000 lb rock cut to match one found in the pyramids.  The 12 of them worked hard, but they were unable to budge the stone.


After this, it was on to The Art Institute of Chicago.  The students were treated to paintings by Monet, Van Gogh, Seurat, Renoir, and Georgia O'Keefe to name a few.  We only had a little over an hour but the students saw a ton of works both old and modern.  My group even got to go into the School of Art (accidently went in the wrong door).  As we left we did see an artist using a Smartboard to create a piece.  Mrs. Martin is going to try this on Mrs. Figueroa's new Smartboard when we get back.

We then wound down with a bus ride to the Woodfield Mall.  Almost all of the students took about an hour nap on the way.  The rest of us watched a movie.  At the mall students were able to buy some items.  Mr. Evans found several things for the Lego Club at the Lego store.

To cap our night we went to Medieval Times.  We were given the Red and Yellow crowns in support of our knight.  We ate a meal of soup, bread, cornish hen, ribs, and potato; all without any utensils.  Our warrior lost his first battle but it was fun watch the jousting, fighting, and other knight games.  The real party started afterwards when DJ Miller was able to get a dance circle going in the foyer after dinner.  The sprinkler, shopping cart, stanky leg, worm, and various break dancing moves were all seen on the floor.
On the way home my bus broke out into singing different hit songs acapella.  The best part was the fact that the majority of the students knew Journey's "Don't Stop Believing."  The chaperones were rapping, dancing, and singing.  It's been a great trip.  It will wind down tomorrow and we'll be back at home.  Look forward to seeing everyone again.

Day 1

What a great day!  It was my first as a chaperone in Chicago and I was really impressed with the students and their behavior.  We started the day with a guided bus tour of the city.  We saw the "Magnificent Mile", Congress Hotel, and several art sculptures around the city.  After the bus tour we got out and walked about 2 miles through the city.  The weather was nice, so it was a comfortable walk for all.

We stopped at Millenium Park and took our group picture at "The Bean".  To the left is a picture of the skyline and the students.

 

We headed to Chinatown and got some gifts at the shops.  They had great bakeries and stores and a great view of the city.

Then it was time for lunch at Tommy Guns garage.  One of the waiters, "Muscles" stole the show (in the picture to the left).  The kids were intimidated, as well as the chaperones, and we did whatever he told us.  The show was a variety show and several students and chaperones participated on stage during the performance.  Everyone had a great time.


In the early evening we went to Navy Pier.  The students were able to shop in the stores and the biggest hit was the indoor maze.  After an hour we went to the IMAX theatre to see Avatar.  I was scepticle about the movie, but it ended up keeping us on the edge of our seat.  I didn't hear any complaints and heard a lot of "that was awesome!" in the hall afterwards.

After a quick dinner at the Rock n' Roll McDonalds we headed to the John Hancock building.  We rode the elevator to floor 94 and were able to view the city from a high vantage point.  There were audio guided tours through ipod devices where the students could learn information about what they were looking at.  Just a couple to share...1) The "El" train got its name because it is elevated above the ground, and 2) the "Windy City" comes from the politicians and their promises in the late 19th century.

After a great day everyone settled in quickly to get some rest for the next day.  We'll do it all again today as we have trips to the Shedd Aquarium and Field museum on the itinerary followed by dinner at Medieval Times.  Keep following us here and on Twitter at #jcmschi.

Travel Day

We're safe and sound in our hotel rooms.  All the kids have been taped in and should be going to sleep shortly after a quick call or text home to check in with the parents.  We made good time on the trip so we were able to do a little exploring tonight.  Our stop to eat only took an hour to feed 176 children.  The behavior was outstanding and the restaurant I was in was left in perfect condition.  Great job parents!

We stopped first by the Field Museum and Soldier Field at Peninsula Park to take pictures of the Chicago skyline.  We then proceeded to Millenium Park and got to see various sculptures including the "bean."  It's almost a torus but doesn't meet the standard mathematical definition.  There were also some temporary snow sculptures done by some local artists.

Finally, we made it to our hotel and went over all the room instructions.  The day will start at 6:45 in the morning.  Follow the day in the box on the right by placing "#jcmschi" in the search.  We've encouraged the kids with Twitter accounts to post pics and messages to tell their sides of the trip.  I'm exhausted.  I'll blog again tomorrow night with a detailed description of the day's events and hopefully some pics.

Twitter Feed

To follow the Twitter feed of the trip, type #jcmschi in the search box on the right and it will update to reveal all the tweets about the Chicago trip. Enjoy!

Preparation

It's been a snowy week in the Bluegrass. After the planning meeting on Friday we were greeted with snow on Sunday and Monday. With school out both Tuesday and Wednesday we are awaiting a decision as to whether we can take our trip to Chicago. I'm sure the students are as anxious as I am. With all the fun activites planned, it's a can't miss trip. There should be a decision shortly and it will be posted on the school website.

I hope this blog will be able to give you updated information on our trip and the adventures we have. I will be asking other teacher's to post comments if they can at the end of each day. Please follow along as the students and teachers will be microblogging via Twitter during the day. This feed can be found at http://staff.fcps.net/cschroeder/chicago2010.html.

If you are sitting at home enjoying the snow please give us your feedback and comments. Looking forward to the next 4 days!