Algebra 2 Class Update

The 6 students in this class have been working hard on reviewing Algebra 1 skills and filling in gaps to make a strong platform for our next 5 chapters. Amongst singing birds and the occasional lizard scurrying through the grass, the students diligently work through their problems and take notes. Sitting in their crazy creek chairs today, we reviewed the 5 types of Parent functions and students refreshed their practice of graphing techniques with their graphing calculators. Our first chapter test is coming up and the students will demonstrate their knowledge of functions, transformations, and simplifying equations with square roots and exponents.

Travel Journalism

Travel journalism has been an eye opening experience for the girls. They are learning how to combine travel in a new country with photography and articulate writing, an asset which will be available to them throughout their life. Three weeks into the course we have touched on basic writing concepts, what journalism is today and how writing techniques change depending on the audience they are writing for.
The students had numerous opportunities in the past week with their cameras in Kruger National Park. Sightings of leopards, lions, elephants, giraffes, sables, hyenas, kudu, impalas and the rare flightless bird the ground horn-bill kept the students on their toes, changing their framing techniques through the truck windows.

Cheers,
Brenna

Precalculus

The precalculus class is busy reviewing various mathematical terms and strengthening their understanding of how algebraic expressions are defined and used. The students are practicing how to factor polynomials and rationalize denominators. The students are also working on verbalizing their problem solving strategies using succinct language to describe the necessary steps to solve a problem.

Math Concepts

In Math Concepts, the students are debating how money can define happiness for a person, a community, or a culture. They are working to define their individual key points of happiness and which factors contribute to a good quality of life. The students are making personal, financial, and educational goals based on different decision making strategies. This week the class will begin to investigate various banking terminology to set a foundation for the upcoming game of life.

Languages of Southern Africa

"Mengwanane!" and "Halo!" echo throughout the campsite as students practice greetings in various languages. The class is awed by the 11 official languages and is inspired by our guest speakers who are able to speak up to nine different languages fluently. Currently, we are focused on developing our understanding of Afrikaans, an offical South African language derived from Dutch. Earlier this week we practiced our pronunciation of various flowers and gardening tools with first graders at a local school. Next week we will begin studying Zulu while continuing with Afrikaans.

~ Aunge

Natural Science in the Savannah!

It has been an amazing week for the girls in the Natural Science class. Our study of the biomes (desert, semi-desert, grasslands, savannah, forest and fynbos) of southwest Africa led right into the discussion of what wildlife lives in these beautiful places. We got to see the variety of savannah animals close up at the Maholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Students toured with an expert naturalist and did a focused species study on the hyena, rhino and cheetah. Not only did they learn about these animals, but they had the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with the cheetah, baby black rhino and a variety of vultures. With new information fresh in their heads, we then searched for these illusive animals while on safari in Kruger National Park. Students kept detailed field notes on what species were sighted. More than 30 variety of mammals, birds and reptiles were observed within our 2 days in the park, including baby leopards and a family of hyena outside their den. This information will carry us into our next unit as we examine the interactions that all these species have within the savannah ecosystem.

WOW moments

Once upon a cool September morning the wild African animals gathered under the rising sun and asked one another what they wanted to do today. "Lounge high in the tree and nibble on impala meat," squeaked a little leopard. "Make noise and scare the small animals away," commented a matron elephant. "And lets do it all where some wonderful young ladies in a big blue truck will see us." suggested a wise old rhino. Before long the savannah was filled with anxious animals wanting to go out and play. And so off they went, in packs, prides, and troops to roam about and cause a scene.

Luckily, that same day the TTSers happened to be out on safari with binoculars in hand. Before the sun had reached its peak, the group spotted the big 5 and began to peer deeper into the grasses and see the other mysterious animals relaxing in the sun. And by the end of the safari, the group was lucky enough to see some of the rarest animals of all.

As we drove away from the safari, we heard the animals say good bye and wish us luck on our adventures. The rest of the day was filled with laughter, stories, songs and tales of the elusive Sable antelope.

Literature and Composition

The Literature and Composition class has just finished exploring South African folktales, and we are starting to read The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay -this is our first novel of the semester. This coming of age tale tells the story of Peekay, a young South African boy of British descent growing up in World War II-era South Africa. Various characters come into Peekay's life who teach him valuable lessons about race, society, family, love, and the human condition. As the students are traveling through many of the places mentioned in this book and immersing themselves in South Africa, the story takes on a kind of immediacy for them. Already, they are passionately voicing their own observations of South African society and how these observations differ or align with Peekay's experiences. I have been so impressed with each student's enthusiasm, passion, and creativity as we take on various forms of the written word including short-story, poetry, and folktales. Their poems about who raised them were lovely to read; many wrote it was their families,their friends, and the books they read that have influenced who they are today. When the girls were asked to write original folktales about the animals they observed in Kruger National Park, they demonstrated great creativity, humor, and a solid understanding of the elements of traditional storytelling.

Ladies loving Limpopo!

Hi all-
The girls are all quietly settled into their sleeping bags, even though it is barely past nine pm. After waking at dawn to hike through the mist covering the low African mountains, they have decided that this Africa is very different than the one they've grown up with in The Lion King. Our first week has been full of adventure, or as one of our our African guides calls it, "Challenge by Choice." They have hiked through the mountains, gone zip-lining over waterfalls, and rappelled from cliffs. We have eaten bread pudding, boerworst, and gallons of rooiboos tea.  They have learned the basics of Afrikaans, the apartheid era, and pre-calc.
Tomorrow morning they are visiting a local high school and 10th graders are taking them to all of their classes. They are excited to attend a local school for a half-day.
By early next week, the girls will have access to phones to answer questions and tell their own tales... until then, we'll keep the stories coming!
All the best,
Gennifre