Travelmates  Tour the Globe 1998-1999

         Social Studies classes in Mrs. Moss's room sent small Travelmates on vacations.  The animals were sent with anyone leaving West Middle by car, by bus, or by plane.  These Travelmates were equipped with a diary, and with instructions that asked the travelers to jot down notes about the cities in which they traveled.  The last of these chaperones (those with Travelmates in their possession around February 1) were asked to return them to West by March 1. 
       These pets enjoyed traveling with a variety of people who had been instructed to pass them on to another.  Many Travelmates stayed within  the United States, but several enjoyed traveling around the world to places like Mexico, Australia, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, Thailand and Japan!  The chaperones became very involved in the project by sending post cards, letters, souvenirs, and even maps of the places the Travelmates had been.  Many chaperones wrote long letters about their travels, and one chaperone sent a wonderful Canadian flag to the class!  Another chaperone mailed two large boxes of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts for the kids.
       The students are now making reports and mapping the travels of their furry friends.  They are bringing in all sorts of materials for projects that will inform us of the these trips that proved to be very exciting! 
       Period One is building a Red Cross Project to show the travels of "Tera", a chicken hawk Travelmate, who toured the U.S. with many different Red Cross volunteers.     
      Period Three is creating a cake (shaped like The Netherlands), equipped with windmill.  They are also making a huge papier mache globe that will be as beautiful as it is informative of the Travelmates' journeys.  
       Period Six is also mapping their travels and building a San Diego Zoo replica which will be equipped with trees and fenced-in areas, and an aquatic exhibit.  
       Period Seven is creating an ever-flowing volcano while working on reports. 
       Period Eight is mapping and creating a Huge hot-air balloon that will glide maps and pictures of the places their Travelmates have been.    

Mrs. Moss is awarded a grant from McDonald's to help with the Travelmates program.

October 1999

Mrs. Dianna Moss has been chosen by McDonald's of Central Indiana as a MAC Grant recipient. Mrs. Moss was chosen out of 279 applicants from 34 counties in the state of Indiana.  Travelmates was declared the most creative project the committee had witnessed.

The MAC Grant program is a grant program for teachers of grades 6-8 to "make activities count" and provide hands-on learning experiences for their students, as well as enhance their curriculum.

This was the first year for the MAC Grant program and West Middle School is honored to have Mrs. Moss receive this outstanding achievement.

October 2000

Travelmates again was the focus of Mc Donald's MAC Grant award in Central Indiana.  Mrs. Dianna Moss applied for yet another grant for the Travelmates' Program.

Mrs. Moss was able to buy a Mail Center for her Travelmates' Program.  Each little animal now has its own mailbox for postcards, email printouts, and souvenirs for all students to share experience.  

Click here for more information.

                  Our Bon Voyage Party started off with a bang this year on October 5 in Room 20.  One Travelmate and his chaperone were on their way to the Caribbean.  We had many, many cookies and punch for our wonderful guests, and we shared information about former Travelmate experiences, as well as information about where some would be traveling this year.                                                     

Rory the Lion

  Rory has visited several places since October.  We have received postcards and other items from California, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and also across the Atlantic to the Czech Republic and France!  Boy, has he been a busy lion.  In Prague, Rory visited some castles and saw unique bridges and buildings.  We can't wait to hear more from him.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France

Paprika in the Bahamas

   Paprika has been sunning herself in the Caribbean Sea area with some wonderful people.  She sailed on a Celebrity cruise ship, called the Zenith.  She visited places like the Atlantis Hotel in Nassau, Bahamas, which was impressive.  Would you believe it is one of the largest hotels in the world?  Paprika also went to Puerto Rico, St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, which has the most beautiful blue water ever.  She went to St. Martin, which is half Dutch and half French (The Dutch side spells the island St. Maarten).  Her next stop was little Tortola, where they say several passenger ships with about 3.000 tourists each.  Busy place!

The Atlantis Hotel

Quackers

   Quackers had a wonderful time traveling from Mississippi to Arizona.   After traveling to Memphis, Tennessee, and seeing Graceland, Elvis Presley's home, he went to visit the state capitol building in Jackson, Mississippi.  He also saw the "Trail of Tears" just off the Natchez Trace Parkway.  This was a wonderful and beautiful part of the country to see and experience.

Woofers and Ruff visited Memphis, Tennessee.  Quackers enjoyed his visit with his hosts from Mooresville, Indiana, and Manning, South Carolina, and then he was off to Phoenix, Arizona.

Swoop saw a green iguana  in the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.  He visited St. Croix and St. Thomas, two popular islands there.

Fred the Panda started his travels on the eve of October 5^th.  He attended our own MHS Homecoming football game, where our quarterback completed 24 of 28 passes.  (Pretty good for high school, huh?)  He also went to a semi-pro football game where a former MHS running back, and Indiana's 1997 "Mr. Football," showed a lot of talent to help his team beat Miami County 40-14. 

Smiley is in Appleton, Wisconsin, which boasts having the first enclosed shopping mall in the U.S.

Mischief's adventures took him semi-riding through Missouri, and he is still on the road.  His chaperone says is looking forward to taking him through many states this year.

Lord of the Lemurs went to Marie-Galante, near Guadeloupe Island, "discovered" by Columbus on November 3, 1493 and renamed after his flagship Santa Maria La Galante.

Ryan's chaperone took him to Mexico and helped build some homes.    Some of the group puts the finishing touches on their home-away-from-home while they construct much-needed housing.

Gabe's host family was so sweet!   He got to experience a normal, busy family in Plainfield, Indiana.

Cinnamon traveled to Maine, where the temperature was around zero.  There was about 5 inches of snow on the ground, but this winter they expect much, much more.  Thank goodness, Cinnamon will be going to Hawaii soon.   Cinnamon also visited a third grade class in Hardyston, New Jersey, while he was in the East.  The class was creating a poster of 100 American things, including important people, places, symbols, states, and inventions.

Friendly Bear has been enjoying part of his adventure in Arizona.  Love the warmth!  He first traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio, for Thanksgiving, and then off to New York City.  He even went to Florida, Washington, and Georgia.  The last we heard, someone is taking him to Australia soon.

The Millennium Broadway Hotel to the east from Times Square in NYC.

Giggles went to Memphis, Tennessee and then Guadeloupe Island.

Carmello went to Phoenix and California.  We will be hearing more from him soon.