Global Explorers

We are going to talk you about the history of Colombia. First we are going to talk about the conquest of Colombia. Then we are going to mention the independence of Colombia. We hope you must learn many things about this topic.

The republic of Colombia is a relatively new nation, we have less than 200 years of history as a republic and as the rest of the American continent, his origins go back to only a bit more than five centuries. Nevertheless, in spite of his short existence as nation, there are different significant events that they have presented; in this blog you will find information about the history of Colombia.

The conquest of Colombia:

With the arrival of the Spanish explorers to the area about the year 1500 enters the region a new population factor that altered completely the previous panorama that one had come developing between the indigenous people. When they came the Europeans found a dispersed people. The diversity of languages, customs, religions .After the exploration of the Caribbean coast, it began the exploration of the interior, entrusted by Spain to the Governor of Holy marten Fernandez of Lugo, in search of a more short route to the wealths of Peru, this expedition was commanded by the Captain Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, who entered mending the Rio Sponge-cake, and whose initial plan was to come up to his birth.

The independence of Colombia:

The conflict that he led to the independence of Spain developed in Colombia between 1810 and 1819. When Napoleon invades Spain, the popular repudiation - there and here - to the Agreement does the conjuncture favorable to the independence spirit.
It had of long ago discomforts of diverse type: the exclusion of the Creoles of any participation in the government; the excessive weight of the taxes; the monopoly of the trade that was making uneasy English men, Dutchess and Frenchmen, and that was generating in addition structural factors of recession; as well as the absolutism, which was going out to pasture to cross-current of the new liberal ideas, they were factors that stimulated the independence of Colombia. Simon Bolivar was an very important character in the independence of Colombia, because he save Colombia.

Okay this are the most important things of the history of Colombia. we are so glad you will learn about this topic it is very interesting and also we learn many things about your blogs.

By: Taylor M.

Michigan has lots of fast food restaurants, like Taco Bell, Arby’s, McDonald’s (Mickey D’s), Subway, Wendy’s and Burger King!! All of these places were founded in the
U.S.A.!  Some of these restaurants have even become known internationally. McDonald’s has franchises in more than 110 countries! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_McDonald’s_franchises) To learn more about all of these fast food places read on!!!

More about fast food!!!            Taco Bell, serves Mexican food, like tacos, taco salads and other spicy foods!!! Taco
Bell has fast service and great food!!! Well, actually all of these places have both of those qualities!!! So, if you ever come to the
United States, come here if you want Mexican junk food!!! 

Arby’s, has great greasy junk food!!!! They serve greasy mozzarella sticks, great Arby melts,(only roast beef and melted cheese!!) and awesomely perfect curly fries with their special seasoning!!! Oh, I almost forgot, they have the most awesome shake ever!!! It’s called the Jamocha Shake!!! Make sure you come here first!!! 

McDonald’s or better known as Mickey D’s, serves great cheese burgers and greasy fries!!! They also serve awesome Mc Flurries!McFlurries have vanilla ice cream and either Oreo Cookies, M&M candies or both!!! Make sure you come here second!!! Also tell them you know me! I’m just kidding!!! But they should know me since I go there all the time!!! 

            Subway, serves great American or Italian subs!! You can have a cold cut combo, which is what I prefer, because it comes with ham, turkey and my favorite, bologna!! You can also put on any kind of ingredients like olives, lettuce and tomato!!! 

            Wendy’s is known for their Jr. Bacon cheeseburgers. They are also known for their great chicken sandwiches!!! There fresh, garden salads are awesome!!! 

            Burger King serves some awesome Sponge Bob chicken fries!!! Burger King also serves some great breakfast foods like a ham and cheese sandwich!! I would visit this place anytime!!! 

Now that you know that all of these places have great food, come visit Michigan and eat some junk food!!!! I’m also curious, what kind of fast food restaurants do you have in your town??? 

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Hola! We are writing about important people in the United States who has helped make the U.S. of A. what it is today!

George Washington

George Washington was born February 22nd, 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was the first president of the United States. He served 8 years from 1789 to 1797. He was also a general for the US in the Revolutionary War. He died at his Mount Vernon home on December 14, 1799.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin on February 12, 1809. He grew up on the American Frontier. He did not go to school so he borrowed books to educate himself. He was the first Republican in 1860. Lincoln was the first president born outside of the original thirteen colonies. He was also the sixteenth president of the United States of America. Yes, that’s Lincoln on the US penny and five dollar bill. He even has a memorial located in Washington D.C. Abraham Lincoln had been the President of the United States from 1861 until his shocking assassination in 1865.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was born January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. When he was older he couldn’t play with white kids because he was black. At this time things were segregated. Segregation means that blacks weren’t allowed to drink out of the same drinking fountains, they weren’t allowed to sit in the same seats or row on the bus, and they couldn’t go to the same school. On August 28, 1963 he gave his famous “I have a dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial. At 35 years old, Martin Luther King was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. A Nobel Peace Prize is a very great honor. When he was notified that he had won, he immediately announced that he would turn over the prize money to further the civil rights movement. The prize was $54, 123. ! On April 4, 1968, while Dr. King was standing on his balcony of his Memphis, Tennessee hotel room, he was assassinated. He was 39 years old! Since 1983 the third Monday in January is declared an annual federal holiday.

All of these men led a good life, was loyal, and honest. They thought of others and their well-being before their own. Do you have people in your country that has helped shape and form your country into what it is today? We would love to hear about them!

Wesley & Conor

Hola! We’re going to tell you about fun places to visit in Michigan and Ohio. Just in case you ever come to the area you will know where you want to go.

One fun place to visit is called Cedar Point. It has some of the largest roller coasters in the world. Cedar Point is in Sandusky, Ohio. It is 76 miles away and takes 1 and a half hours to get from our school to Cedar Point. When you go to Cedar Point you will need to make sure you ride two rides – the Maverick and the Top Thrill Dragster! The Maverick is the newest roller coaster at Cedar Point and the Top Thrill Dragster is the biggest roller coaster in the world! Some exciting places you can take your kids at Cedar Point are Camp Snoopy and Soak City. Camp Snoopy is all rides for little kids. Soak City is the water park inside Cedar Point. Another place that I have been to at Cedar Point is a campground called Camper Village. It has a great view of the park and has swimming pools and cabins. Cedar Point is a fun place to visit! 

        Another fun place to visit is the Henry Ford Museum. The Henry Ford Museum is in Dearborn, Michigan. The Henry Ford Museum is full of fun artifacts and sites you can’t miss including many exhibits, demonstrations, programs, and reenactments. I remember going to the Henry Ford Museum when I was a little girl and loving all the exhibits that they had set up to look at. Inside the Henry Ford Museum they also have small souvenir shops. This historical site also includes an I-MAX movie theater where the screen is two stories tall! There are also factory tours and another fun site called Greenfield Village. This is definitely another place to visit when you come to Michigan.           Have you ever been to Lake Michigan? There are 3 great places you can visit that are on Lake Michigan. They are called Van Buren, Silver Lake, and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Van Buren has beautiful views of Lake Michigan. It also has plenty campgrounds, and beautiful cabins along the water. Also, in Van Buren they have big sand dunes that lead to a spectacular view.  

         Silver Lake also has beautiful views of Lake Michigan. It also has great campground and wonderful parks. One of the campgrounds is called Hide Away Campground it is full of sandy hot dunes. Another fun thing to do is putt-putt, otherwise known as Mini-Golf. Sleeping Bear Dunes is also on Lake Michigan and has plenty of sand dunes that love to be climbed. Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes got its name from a legend about a mother and baby bear. Sleeping Bear Dunes should definitely be on the places to visit list.  

        One of the last places to visit is Mackinac Island. Mackinac Island is right next to the Mackinac Bridge, which is 26,372 feet long from end-to-end. It is full of fun sites and exciting views of the water. It is a great place to bring the whole family and later you can drive across the Mackinac Bridge.   

        After you cross the Mackinac Bridge you will take a ferry over to the little island at the tip of Michigan. It is called Isle Royale. Isle Royale is a National Park and so incredibly beautiful. The park itself is full of moose, trees, and so many other beautiful things. It is defiantly a place to visit on your trip to Michigan.          I hope you learned a lot about fun places to visit in Michigan and Ohio. I really hope you get the chance to visit at least one of these places someday. Until now study and plan for your next flight to Michigan, USA. Grab your passport because now it is time for you to explore parts of the world you have never explored! See you soon! Chao!  

By: Taylor P. and Jessica

Have you ever wondered about traditions and holidays in the USA?   Well, here are all your answers!   Take a look!

We’ll start with the pickle in a tree tradition.  This tradition was brought from Germany, but carried over here and now many Americans use it.  The way this works is, the parents hide a pickle ornament in the tree after all the ornaments are hung.  On Christmas morning, the most observant child that finds the pickle gets an extra present from Santa Clause.  Another German tradition that has been carried over to the USA is Old Saint Nick.  This tradition begins on the night before Christmas when the children set out a boot or shoe by the fireplace or Christmas tree.  During the night Old Saint will come and fill the shoe or boot with delicious treats such as candy, fruit or nuts. 

Americans have many traditions too; here are a few of them!  First, we put lights on our houses at Christmas time.  We do this because when Jesus was born the star led the wise men to where he laid.  Another one is our Christmas Trees.  The reason we decorate and put them up is to represent everlasting life.  The lights were originally candles and were reinvented to be real lights.  The reason we decorate them is to represent differences in people.  They were originally meant to show what each personality in the family was like.  Visit this site to learn more about the Christmas tree.  http://askville.com.   The important American tradition is to have the father of the house read the story of Jesus’ birth to the children.  We do this to remind us of Jesus’ birth and why we celebrate Christmas.

Americans have a traditional candy; it is called a candy cane.  Long ago, there was a man who wanted to make a candy that meant to tell about Christ.  He used the hard candy because Jesus is the rock of ages.  It was a “J” shape for Jesus.  He made it white to show the purity of Christ.  A red stripe was added because he wanted to show the blood Christ shed for our sins.  Sometimes, a green stripe is added to remind us that Jesus was a gift from God.  This candy tastes of peppermint because it means purification or to help the ill get better.  Every time you see candy canes remember Jesus.

Another tradition that is spread around the world is Santa Clause.  It is said that Santa Clause comes on Christmas Eve and delivers presents to all the good children of the world.  The way he gets around the world is he takes his sleigh and reindeer pull him; he goes down chimneys and wears a big red and white suit.  He also lands of top of all the houses to fit through the chimneys.

You know Dasher, Dancer, Comet, Cupid, Prancer, Donner and Vixen, Blitzen.  But do you recall the most famous reindeer of all?  Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, yes that is right he has a red nose!  This is a legend that can relate to Santa Clause. 

I hope you enjoyed our blog, I know I did!  But, if you want to know more,  Google “Christmas Traditions” or check out the links below!  Thank you for reading this blog!

By Jacquelyn

How Christmas Works

Christmas Around the World

Christmas Fun

View our Voice Thread about this topic, Holidays and Traditions!

     Hola! My name is Marley and I am going to teach a little bit about money from the U.S.A. We have pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters in change. We also have one dollar bills, five dollar bills, ten dollar bills, twenty dollar bills, fifty dollar bills, and one hundred dollar bills.

     We have different people on our money. On the penny is our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln. Thomas Jefferson, our third president, is on the nickel. Our thirty-second president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, is on our dime. George Washington, U.S.A.’s very first president is on our quarter.

     You might also want to know that George Washington is also on the one dollar bill and Abraham Lincoln is on the five dollar bill. Although he was never a president, Alexander Hamilton is on the ten dollar bill. Hamilton was Secretary of State.  Andrew Jackson, our seventh president, is on the twenty dollar bill. Our eighteenth president, Ulysses S. Grant is on the fifty dollar bill. Another person who was never president but yet he appears on the one hundred dollar bill is Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was an author and an inventor.

   In my town my friends and I like to spend our money on clothes, jewelry, CD’s, toys, or movies. We also get allowances. We get paid when we do work or chores around our house, such as the dishes, cleaning our room, or feeding our animals. I usually get five dollars a week.

     I have included some photos of our money and some very good links if you would like to research more about our money in the U.S.A., including a link to money conversion so you can find out how much American money is worth in Colombia!

By: Marley

Who’s on our money?

Money Conversion

Welcome Global Explorers to your new blog site. This site will be used for you, the students, to ask questions or thoughts, post pictures, videos, Voice Threads, and much more. This is YOUR site so have fun learning about each other! Before you start posting, we do want to go over some blogging netiquette that is not just good, common sense, but also a must if you plan on participating on this blog site.

Please do:

1. Remember that the Internet is a public forum. Keep your communication appropriate.
2. Discuss ideas and issues that concern you and your fellow students, especially as they connect to learning about the Global Explorers community.
3. Back up your statements with examples, reasons, or other supportive evidence.
4. Read through all the posts in a discussion thread before you respond to one (so you are not asking a question that has already been asked or repeating something that someone else has already posted).

Please do not:

1. Post your full name or others’ last names, phone numbers, home addresses, or other personal information.
2. Attack others. Agree or disagree with others’ ideas using reasons and examples to support your view.
3. Use language that may be offensive to other users.
4. Change font sizes and/or colors unless you are trying to emphasize a point. It’s the content of your message that counts, not the style.

Comments:Here are some suggestions on for creating good comments for each other. The richer the comments, the more likely it is that someone will answer you back. You can begin your comment by writing and explaining:

• This made me think about…….
• I wonder why…….
• Your writing made me form an opinion about…….
• This post is relevant because…….
• Your writing made me think that we should…….
• I wish I understood why…….
• This is important because…….
• Another thing to consider is…….
• I can relate to this…….
• This makes me think of…….
• I discovered…….
• I don’t understand…….
• I was reminded that…….
• I found myself wondering…….

(Adapted from Excellence and Imagination and Youth Radio)