Your Friend & Media Specialist

Time Travelers

2007-10-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

Well, they are at it again! Some of the students who studied China last year and went on to participate in our digital storytelling class have been using photos from my China trip to create Time Tunnel Photos. Here's what they did:

1) Selected a site from the Google Map on this site.
2) Used Internet research to assemble a "quick fact" research sheet.
3) Put the facts together in first person form.
4) Assembled a period costume and took portraits of each other.
5) Looked through my collection of on line albums to find photos of the site they selected.
6) Created a timeline with several important events related to the site.
7) Used Adobe Photoshop Elements to get creative!

Above are several examples. Aren't these kids amazing?

China Forever

2007-09-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

I enjoyed this beautiful video created by the Chinese Tourism Bureau. It provides a picture of just how diverse and breathtaking the country is. I recognized many places that I visited while in China. I thought that you might like to see them too! Turn up the volume on your computer so that you can hear the wonderful audio. And get comfortable...the video is about 8 minutes long. You are going to love it!

China Forever

Where In the World Was Mrs. Riddle?

2007-09-19T16:38:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends:

What do you think that Marco Polo would have thought if he had known that it would someday be possible to travel over 22,000 miles during the course of five weeks?

I have had quite an adventure here on the Asian continent, but where, exactly did I go?

Take a look at this map. You can adjust the view by clicking on the arrows on the left. Click on the placemarkers to find out more about my visits.

View Larger Map

Let's Visit a Home

2007-07-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

While in Beijing, I was invited to spend a day and a night in a Chinese home. I was hosted by two sisters, Mary and Cherry Liu. Mary is a student at Beijing Normal School, and her sister Cherry is a secondary school student. (We call secondary school "high school" in the United States).

Most Chinese children have no brothers or sisters. A Chinese law called "one family, one child" encourages only children. But there are some exceptions to this policy, and the Liu family is one of those exceptions. Both Mary and Cherry agree that they are very lucky to have a sibling.

Mary and Cherry live with their father, mother, and grandmother in an apartment on the 27th floor of a large building. Both Mother and Father work. Mr. Liu is an engineer, who travels around the world building bridges. Mrs. Liu is an accountant. Grandmother Liu stays home and keeps the household going.

Most Chinese families living in the city live in high rise apartments. Mary and Cherry's apartment is especially spacious. The apartment has a living room, a large dining room, a private sitting area, a kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a large sunroom. The apartment is very clean and modern. It also has air conditioning!

During my time with the Liu family, we talked, drank tea, shared a huge Chinese dinner, looked at photographs, went for walks around the neighborhood, and met friends. We also exchanged gifts.

The Liu family was very curious about America and Americans. Mr. Liu wanted to know whether or not American teachers struck their students. (I was told that many Chinese teachers can be very strict.) I explained to him that American teachers care for their students, and that they work to gain the trust and affection of their students. The Liu family thought that this was very amusing.

We enjoyed a big family feast of delicious and spicy Chinese dishes for dinner, but Mrs. Liu wanted to prepare an "American style" breakfast for me the next morning. You can imagine my surprise when she set down a pound of fried bacon and six hotdogs!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this lovely family.

Take a look at the Liu home in Beijing:

Cool Slideshows!

School Days, Chinese Style

2007-07-25T02:58:00.000-07:00

Cool Slideshows!

Hello Friends:

I have visited a number of schools while in China, and have spent time talking with teachers, students, and parents. I am impressed by the hardworking students and the interest of parents in getting the very best education possible for their children. But China has a problem. Even thought they are working hard to build new schools, there are not enough schools for all of the children in China. In fact, there are around 20 million children who are unable to go to school. Think about that for a minute. Imagine a life in which you would never have the opportunity to learn to read and write. Your math skills would also be very basic. Now, imagine trying to go to the store, trying to find your way around, select the right items, and pay the correct amount for your purchases. It would be very, very difficult to do.

Because there are not enough schools for the children of China, the competition to get into a school, and to stay in school, is very fierce. Chinese students attend school for nine hours each day, and many of them take extra classes after school and on the weekends. Middle school students have an average of five hours of homework each night. Students work very hard to make high marks on their exams, so that they will be able to go on to the next level of education.

There are no classes available for students with special needs, If you are physically challenged in any way, you will not attend school in China.

I met some very hardworking and bright teachers who are trying to make changes so that more children will be able to get an education in China. They are opening small schools, like the Dandelion School outside of Beijing, and are trying to get more people interested in providing education for everyone.

I also visited The Children's Palace in Shanghai. The Children's Palace is a place where children from the ages of 4 to 16 can take special classes like art, computers, dance, music, and foreign language. I visited on a Sunday afternoon, and the Palace was hopping! It is a wonderful way to provide rich and exciting learning experiences for the children of China.

No country is perfect. China has its challenges, and so does the United States. But I am very proud to live in a country that believes in education for everyone. I want every American to realize how important and essential it is! I appreciate my fellow teachers at Samsula Elementary, who put so much love, care, and effort into giving all of you their very best. And I love my hardworking students, who love to learn, and who always give me their very best.

Want to see more photos of the Dandelion School? Log onto www.dandelionschool.org

A Rural Village

2007-07-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

I traveled four hours into the mountains of western China to visit the village of the Miao people of China. Most people in China are of Han descent; but there are 68 additional ethnic groups living in China today, each with their own customs, celebrations, clothing, and language.

The Miao people (pronounced Meow)live high in the blue mountains. The air is very clear, and the springfed river below the village is a beautiful clear turquoise.
Fields of rice, corn, sunflowers,and sweet potatoes spread out along the flatland beside the river.

The Miao people were excited about our visit. The villagers gathered by the road to wait for our bus to arrive, and greeted us with firecrackers, drinks, and music.
We walked up the stone path to the village square. Everyone was wearing their Sunday best! Some of the villagers performed dances, and one woman sang a Miao song for us.

Afterwards, we wandered through the village. I met a little boy, about seven or eight years old, who showed me his dog. She had four cute puppies! He also showed me the barn where the family water buffalo was penned. Water buffalo are very important to Chinese farmers. They are the farmer's tractor on hooves!

China is changing quickly. Villages like this will not always be here. I felt very fortunate to spend time in the world of the Miao people. I will always remember my wonderful visit to this beautiful place.

Let's Visit a Temple

2007-07-17T02:49:00.000-07:00

Cool Slideshows!

Hello Friends:

Although China is officially a non religious country, it has many beautiful and ancient temples. Most of the temples that I have visited here are dedicated to the Buddhist religion. I have also seen a Catholic Church and a Moslem Mosque. There are temples dedicated to important teachers as well; I visited the Temple of Literacy, dedicated to Confucious, during my time in Beijing. The Temple of Literacy was built in 700 A.D. Later on, it became the first public library in China.

Some temples are located right in the heart of the city. Others are more remote. Yesterday, I climbed to the top of a mountain to visit a Buddhist temple from the 14th century. There were about 40 monks living at the top. They were very welcoming.

Sometimes, neighborhoods spring up around religious buildings, because they become the center of activity for that community. The Moslem Mosque, built in 1100 A.D. is like that. There is a whole neighborhood of homes, markets, and schools surrounding the mosque. The prayer hall can hold 10,000 people.

The Catholic Basilica is located in a busy part of Beijing. It is also quite large. The Catholic priests, who also run the nearby Chinese Studies School, told us that the basilica held over 30,000 people at Easter service.

I was surprised to see such a variety of religious places in a Communist country. Each temple, mosque, or church I have visited has been a place of beauty and peace.

A Day Trip Through the Shangxi Province

2007-07-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Chinese children are taught that the country of China is shaped like a "proud rooster". Look at a map of China and see if you can see the outline of a rooster!
The heart of the rooster is the Shanxi (Shang-Shee) province. The capital of the province is Xian. Xian is an ancient city, the home of many dynasties. It is also the home of some exciting archaeological sites. Archaeology is the study of ancient man.
I visited three sites on a day trip through the Shangxi Province. The first sight, called Banpo, was the home of a village that existed over 6,000 years ago. That's a long time ago!--in fact, it was during a period of time called the Neolithic Era. These Chinese villagers lived in round or rectangular homes of wood and adobe. They fished out of the nearby rivers, made beautiful pottery, and had a well developed village life. It was very exciting to see this site. Outside the ruins, a full size replica village had been erected. That helped me to picture how life might have been so very long ago.
My next stop was the Summer Palace of the Xin Dynasty. It was very beautiful--almost a picture postcard of all we appreciate about China. This site had hot springs, beautiful buildings, and very lush gardens. Tall blue mountains towered in the background.
My final stop was a long awaited visit to the famous terracotta warriors. Try to imagine over 8,000 full size clay soldiers arranged across two football fields. It is just one of those things you have to see for yourself! I saw clay horses, foot soldiers, generals, and archers. There were also two beautiful bronze chariots. This clay army was created to guard the emperor's tomb.
I came back to Xian with my head full of wondrous images and information. Traveling is a great way to learn. I am sure that my brain is getting quite large after three weeks in China.

Your friend and media specialist,

Mrs. Riddle

The Orient Express

2007-07-12T07:34:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

What an adventure to take the overnight train to Xian (pronounced SHEE-on)! We departed from the Beijing train station at 9:00 in the evening. Luckily, our trip was booked on a brand new train with "soft sleeper" bunks. That means that the bunks had thin matresses on top. The older trains just have a solid board for sleeping and sitting during the journey.

It has been many, many years since I had a slumber party, but that's what it seemed like, tucked away in my compartment with three of my fellow Fulbright friends. I was very tired from a full day of work. The sound and motion of the train quickly lulled me to sleep.

The views outside my window the next morning were a great contrast to the huge cityscape of Beijing. I had left the world of giant skyscrapers behind. I saw instead the open land of China, just as it has been for thousands of years.
Large fields of corn, wheat, pumpkins, beans were being tended by farmers with simple hoes. A young boy was herding goats down a hillside. Plum and peach orchards, vineyards and villages stood out against the green and terracotta landscape. Storage caves were carved into the red clay hillside. A mountainside kiln was billowing smoke in the early morning sky. Here and there stood old stone monuments, ancient stone walls, and piles of rubble from villages long gone.

The rural people of China live life just as their ancestors have for centuries. As I looked out on the passing scenes, I seemed to be peering through a window of time.

Cool Slideshows!

A Walk in the Park

2007-07-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

Cool Slideshows!

Beijing is filled with beautiful parks. Because most people in Beijing live in small apartments, the park becomes a neighborhood gathering spot. Citizens in Beijing come to the park to visit, exercise, entertain themselves, and spend time with their families. Parks have three kinds of spaces: small square spaces bounded by benches for visiting, long covered pavilions, and open green spaces. The Chinese have very beautiful gardens, and all of the parks are filled with flowers, bushes, and trees.

My hotel is located just two blocks from the Houhai Park--a beautiful park surrounding a lake. Here is what I saw at the park:

people practicing Tai Chi
a chorus practicing a song
people playing checkers, cards, and chess
a man walking his pet bird
people flying kites
people drinking tea
a man entertaining a group with kareoke
people playing paddle ball and hakkesak
families visiting
a group of musicians playing stringed instruments

The Forbidden City

2007-07-04T06:17:00.000-07:00

Those of you who read A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park may remember that the main character, Tree Ear, travels to the palace to show his pottery to the Emperor. I was very happy to be able to visit the Chinese emperor's palace in Beijing. It is more than a palace; it is a small enclosed city. Because common citizens were not allowed to enter the palace grounds, it was named The Forbidden City.

To reach the Forbidden City, you must cross Tiananmen Square. Tiananmen is the world's largest square. The people of China would meet there to hear the words of their Emperor. Over 500,000 people can gather there. Once across the square, you must then pass through a number of gates.

Twenty four emperors have lived in the Forbidden City. They had plenty of company! The Forbidden City with its maze of 800 buildings and 9,000 rooms, was the royal home for about 8,000 people. You had to be associated with the royal family to enter the Forbidden City; as I mentioned earlier, common people were forbidden even to touch the outer walls of the city.

Take a look for yourself:

To look at portraits of Chinese emperors, go to:
http://www.chinapage.com/emperor.html

Its The Great Wall, Y'all!

2007-07-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:
What an exciting experience to walk the Great Wall of China! The original wall was built in 220 B.C. to help protect the Chinese from the Huns. The Huns were firece warriors and excellent horsemen. Their specialty was surprise attack.
The Chinese decided to build a long protectivet wall along the mountain ridge, with 25,000 guard towers and battlements on top. It didn't work too well. The Huns still got through.

The part of the wall that I saw was located in a country village named Mutianyu, and was constructed in 1368.

After walking along the wall, and taking in the beautiful mountains and blue skies of the Chinese countryside, I tobogganed down the Great Wall. How fun is that?

The Great Wall is one long wall! Can anyone tell me how long it is?

A special hello to Rebecca Blais, whose dream it is to walk the Great Wall someday. It is an excellent dream, Rebecca, and one worth holding onto.

I am thinking of you all.

Let's Take a Walk Around The Block

2007-07-02T15:11:00.000-07:00

Cool Slideshows!

Mixed in among the high rises and apartment buildings of Beijing are many old neighborhoods. These neighbors, called hutongs, are about 300 years old. A hutong is made up of many houses, shops, and small restaurants, connected by alleyways and small courtyards. They are very cozy and friendly! My hotel, the Qi Lu Hotel, is right next door to a hutong. Here are some of the things I saw when I walked through the hutong:
a dumpling shop
a tea house
a vegetable market
people walking their dogs
a man sweeping the street
crickets in small cages outside the door of a home
a bird in a cage
pots of flowers
bean vines growing across a courtyard
two petticabs ( a rickshaw attached to a bicycle)
a Honda
a little girl riding her bike to school
There are many families who have lived in the same hutong for several centuries, so families are very well known to each other in the hutong. I guess hutong pride is hard to hide!
I am thinking of all of my friends as I continue my China adventure. Let's stay in touch!

Beautiful Beijing

2007-07-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

Ni Hao (Hello)!

I have arrived in Beautiful Beijing. Beijing is the capital of China. Over 18 million people live here...that's about three times the size of New York City. It's a big place, and a place of great contrasts. Giant skyscrapers sit right beside hutongs (traditional Chinese neighborhoods, many of them around 300 years old). Roads filled with cars, trucks, and motorcycles share lanes with bicycles, scooters, wheeled carts, and some creative vehicles without names. There is a great deal to see and do here. I can't wait to share this wonderful city with you.

Let's Speak Chinese!

2007-06-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

I am writing today from Menlo Park, California, where I am attending classes to help me prepare for my trip to China. That's right, teachers go to school, too!

I learned a lot about Chinese history today. The research we did on the Chinese dynasties last Spring sure came in handy.

I also learned how to count in Mandarin, the national language of China. Would you like to try it?

yi (yee) one
er (er) two
san (sahn) three
si (sss) four
wu (woo) five
liu (lee-oh) six
qi (chee) seven
ba (bah)eight
jiu (jee-oh) nine
shi (sure) ten

If you want to count through the teens, just add the numbers. For example,
shi(ten) and yi(one) combine to form the word "shiyi" which means eleven. Ten plus one equals eleven. Shi'er means twelve, because shi (ten) and er (two) equal twelve.
Can you figure out how to say thirteen in Mandarin? What about fourteen? Can you count from one to nineteen in Mandarin?

Once you figure it out, you will be ready to go shopping at the silk market in Beijing! I'll see you there!

Follow these links for more on the Mandarin language:
http://www.chinapage.com/sound/mp3/chinesepoem.html
http://www.chinapage.com/flash/love.html

Getting Ready To Travel

2007-06-04T17:42:00.000-07:00

Traveling across the world takes time and planning. There are a few things you must have in order to visit another country:

A United States passport allows Americans to safely leave and reenter the United States. A passport is a small book with many pages. Each time you visit a country, a page is stamped by the agents of that country. You can see that an American passport has the seal of the United States on the cover. You may apply for a passport at the post office. You will need to take your birth certificate, some photographs of yourself, and your passport fee. A passport costs about $100.00 and can be used for ten years. The postmaster will ask you to fill out some paperwork while you are there. In a month or two, your passport will arrive in the mail. It is very important to keep up with your passport when you travel.

A visa is a certificate from a foreign country that gives you permission to enter that country. There are different kinds of visas. Student visas allow people to come into a country to attend schools. Work visas allow people to come into a country to perform special jobs. Tourist visas allow people to come as visitors for short periods of time. I have an academic visa, because I am going to China as a teacher, with the purpose of learning more about Chinese history and culture.

Travel Plans are an important part of any trip. Once a traveler has decided where to go, he must make airplane reservations and hotel reservations. Most travelers also plan activities, decide what they would like to see, and figure out how long to stay in each part of the country they visit. Because I am going as a guest of the Chinese government, my travel plans, or my agenda, have already been decided for me.

Research A good traveler always takes the time to find out about the special requirements of the country she plans to visit. I used the Internet to learn about the weather in China so that I would know what kind of clothing to pack. I learned that I was only allowed to take one suitcase to China, and that my packed suitcase could not weigh more than 40 pounds. I found out how to exchange American dollars for Chinese currency. I also learned that I needed to bring some special electrical outlets to China so that I would be able to plug in and use my computer, iPod, and hairdryer. I also learned that it is the custom to give gifts to hosts, teachers, and friends in China. I am making some special photo books filled with pictures of our school and our beautiful beaches, bays, farms, and forests to share with my new Chinese friends. I am wrapping them in red paper. In China, gifts are always wrapped in red paper. I learned that through my research, too!

To do some of your own research on China, check out this web link:

http://kidsculturecenter.com/china/china.htm

A Single Shard

2007-05-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Third grade students read A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park. Here are a few reflections from our readers:

Dustin's Reflection:

"This story was about a kid who wanted to be a potter so bad. Tree Ear discovered that he had a special talent for sculpting clay. It made me feel that if Tree Ear could find his special talent, anyone could."

Megan's Reflection:

"Sometimes bad things happen. People who you love so much can go sometime. But you don't have to have everything perfect in life. Tree Ear wasn't perfect, Crane Man wasn't perfect, the broken pot wasn't perfect. Life isn't perfect, but it can be beautiful anyway."

Dorsey's Reflection:

"This book taught me about life in Old Asia. People knew how to make many things. They used masters and apprentices to learn special skills. Children who did not have parents sometimes lived with monks in the mountains. I enjoyed the details of life back then."

Heaven's Reflection:

" I felt many different feelings about A Single Shard. It made me happy at the beginning of the book, but the ending was sad. I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about pottery making."

We thought that these were the Three Biggest Ideas in the story:

1. People have different talents.
2. You can do anything you put your mind to.
3. Life doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.

Our Review:

This is a good book for third graders, definitely. It is a good book for anyone between third and eighth grade. You will learn a lot about people and about life in old Korea from reading this book. Anybody who wants to read a wonderful story will like A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

A Little Background on the Dynasties

2007-05-14T07:17:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Bidwell's third grade class formed groups named after Chinese dynasties. A dynasty is a period of history in Chinese culture. Each group did a bit of research on their dynasty. Here is what they put together:

About the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.)

The Qin dynasty gave its name to a part of China. The area is now called Qin. Qin's first emperor was named Qin Shih Huang. To show how important he was, he built big palaces and had a very large court. Qin built the Great Wall of China to keep enemies out. Emperor Qin did not trust the other kings. He had a very large army, and sent spies to other parts of China to find out what was going on.

From the Qin group: Dustin, Devon, Kadyn, Wayne, and Megan

About the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 B.C.)

The Han dynasty didn't change things much. It didn't last very long, either.It followed the old system of doing things. Wu Ti was the emperor. He led many war campaigns. He also set up a trading post and set up a route for Chinese trading. He also set up the first university in China. He was good at organizing things.His wife was named Empress Lu.

From the Han Group: Megan, Kaley, Dorsey, Steven, Jade, and Maddie

About the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 A.D.)

A lot happened during this time. The Chinese learned how to make bronze out of tin and copper. The Sung dynasty is also called the Bronze Age. During this time a large part of China was united under one kingdom. People invented horse drawn chariots and started using them. They also invented paper money. The Chinese also had slaves back then. The Sung dynasty lasted about 700 years.

From the Sung Group: Savannah, Ashlyn, Josh, Dustin, and Devon

Want to know more? Check out our source for information:
www.historyforkids.org

China Bound

2007-02-27T08:13:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,
As many of you know, I received a Fulbright-Hays Scholarship to study in China this summer. I am looking forward to an amazing adventure, and I want to share it with you! This blog will enable you to come along as virtual travelers, and to learn along with me as I experience new places, new people, and new ideas. How great is that?