Happy Tuesday to you all! I hope you had a very relaxing four day weekend. Don’t forget to turn in your Friday folders AND library books to Mrs. Koenig or Ms. Melton. You have library and music today!!
So…what have I been up to? Well, after making it on the three airplanes just to get to New York, I was so excited to be here. I met another teacher at the airport and we drove through the central part of New York into the Adirondack Mountains. Boy is it beautiful up here! We had to stay Saturday night in a little town called Tupper Lake. We drove to Saranac Lake to participate in the Winter Carnival. Here is the beautiful Ice Palace that we were able to see. Unfortunately, it was so cold that we weren’t able to take many pictures because our battery froze!!!
Even with the weather being so cold, everyone was out admiring this beautiful structure.
On Sunday, we drove to Lake Placid and played around the town. We finally were able to check into our room and see the amazing school we were going to be living in for the next week.
Best part of all, we don’t have to cook or do the dishes! We even had chocolate cake with chocolate syrup for dessert!! There are 18 teachers altogether from all over the United States. Of course, I am the furthest from New York. Most teachers are from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and New Hampshire. They are very curious about life in “Oregin”, and jealous of the 60 degree weather.
On Monday, we began the training. We learned all about snow and ice, particularly the different kinds of snow and how ice forms on a lake. We learned how these cool little things called thermochrons work, taking the temperature at specific intervals of time. Then we went out in the -5 degree weather to dig an ice pit and record temperature and weight of the snow every 5 cm. The snow was so light and fluffy the thermometers kept falling out!
After we recorded the data, the other teachers began to build snow into a giant pile. We have to wait until it compacts a little, then we will dig a tunnel into the middle and build a quincy.
Let’s see if I am brave enough to stay in it for Wednesday night when it will get down to -8 degrees. Will keep you posted on our ice climbing trip tomorrow. Have a great day and I hope to Facetime with you at the end of your day!! Mrs. Kreider