Yoder's Amish Farm

Today we visited the Yoder Amish Farm. Through
this farm, we were able to take a step backwards in time.
We were able to see actual people living and working much as they did in the early to late 1800's. In comparison, do you think life was more pleasant for the Amish or the early settler in Northwest Ohio? What is the difference in the construction between the homes built in this area and the homes in the Amish area? What do you think of students only attending school only until the 8th grade? Would you like your teacher to teach you barefoot? How strongly does religion affect the Amish? How strongly do you think religion affected the people who settled this portion of Ohio? How did people preserve their food? Do you think those methods would work as well today? What a wonderful experience we had touching, feeling, smelling and tasting history!

The Wood County Courthouse

Wednesday we visited The Wood County Courthouse. The courthouse was constructed in two years 1894-1896.
The courthouse was built with the money from the gas boom in the Bowling Green area. The gas companies were the largest employers at the time. There was very little expense spared on the courthouse. In your opinion, was that a good thing or a bad thing? The fact that this was a land struggling to conquer the Great Black Swamp, do you think this magnificent building would strike fear into the hearts of a criminal? Do you know how many criminals were hanged at this courthouse?

The courthouse was renovated. Do you think the renovations were necessary? What did they do to the stain glass windows? What was done to the sandstone figurines on the north side of the courthouse?

Marblehead Lighthouse and Wolcott House

Wow! What a beautiful day we have had! From the lovely clarity of the view from the lighthouse to the viewing of the home of the first lightkeeper, we had the chance, once again, to walk were brave people have lived, worked and survived in Northwest Ohio. From our explorations, what do you think the lighthouse did for the area?

Would you have liked to have carried Whale oil up the old wooden stairs to the top of the lighthouse? Why did Jeremijah build his house? Does the house seem like a nice place to raise a family on the frontier of Ohio? Would you have raised your family here? Would you have ridden a horse over a mile everyday to work just to carry the oil to the top of the lighthouse and keep the fires burning?

SS Willis Boyer

Hi Gang! Today was the second day of our exploration of Lake Erie and its effects on Northwest Ohio. Today's visit took us to an old freighter that was commission in 1911. The freighter was used for many years and is now a wonderful museum. I would like you to consider today for your reflection on this activity, the differences between the freighter and the canal boat, which carried freight last week. Would you have prefered to have been one of the original 42 crew members shoveling coal on the SS Willis Boyer, or on the canal boat carrying freight between here and St Louis? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Consider the development of technology. How many years difference is there between the use of the canal boat on the Miami and Erie Canals and the commissioning of the SS Willis Boyer?

We just want to take this opportunity to welcome a new person to our class! WELCOME TO OUR CLASS KHALID! We hope you enjoy the class...

By way of reminder, remember that your 1/2 book review is due tomorrow. Those of you who have not written your second reflection, tomorrow is the last day you can turn it in. Remember to keep reading and working on your creative writing portfolios! Good luck with all your work! Dorinda

Put in Bay

Fort Meigs and Clara J's

Today we had a marvelous day with the guide Amber who interpreted the War of 1812. We explored what it was to be like as a soldier here in the wilderness of NW Ohio. Fort Meigs was our first stop of the

day. Amber was our tour interpreter. She did a superb job! Her generosity was incredible. She kindly left all who wanted to hold her musket and pose for pics.

After our wonderful two hour tour with Amber, we experienced lunch, in a lovely Georgian style home, which was very tasty. The experience was also to educate students about another economic level of person who lived in this part of NW Ohio. Because we often only consider the brave settler who conquered the wilderness, there is no realization that others from different socio-economic level also came to take advantage of the wildernss and its richness.

Transportation

Transportation

Today we experienced several types of transportation used in this area in the 1800's. What do you think their role was in opening the Great Black Swamp? Which type of transportation would you have preferred to ride? What role did the canal boat and the train play during this time period? What was your favorite part of today's class? Have a good day! ~Dorinda~

The Last of the Mohicans

The movie the Last of the Mohicans is a powerful story of the struggle to survive. We use this movie to analyze what happened here in Northwest Ohio. What do you think about the alliances formed with the indigenous people and the different groups? Did these alliances ever benefit the indigenous people of the Americas? What do you think? What about Fallen Timbers? Did Little Turtle and his group benefit from the battle? Why or Why not?

The Great Excursion North!

Today we explored Perrysburg and began our exploration of the wars that affected the area. We were also exposed to a totally different area of Northwest Ohio, although it is only about twenty miles north of Bowling Green. There are some major changes between these areas. Can you think of any? Where would you have preferred to live at the time? Why do you think there were so many wars fought in this particular region? Please contemplate the differences and purposes, and then write your response. It was a great day, culminating in a lunch at El Vaqueros in Perrysburg! Tomorrow we will continue our topic of war and how it affected Northwest Ohio. Rest Well and keep reading your books! Dorinda

Language Lab

Hi Gang! I hope you enjoyed the trip to the language lab. We will be going there every Friday to work on our writings and reflections.
Remember that your first Reaction Paper is due on Monday. I hope your book is going well and that you have a great weekend! One more thing. Please make sure you respond to all topics placed on our blog. You will reciever points for particiaption. Again, have a great weekend!
~Dorinda~
Prewriting Activities

Happy Birthday Anwar!

Wood Co. HIstorical Museaum

Wood Co. Historical Museaum

Despite being rained out of our Canal trip, we had a great day practicing conversation and field tripping at the Wood Co. Historical Museaum.

Wow we have had yet another enlightening experience right here in Wood County! Our brains are filled with lots of information! Would you have liked to have lived here in the home for the mental ill or been here as part of the poor farm? Would you have liked to have retired to this government run facility? Did you realized that the United States had poor farms? What did you think of the lunatic house?

Aside from all of this, what was your favorite part of this field trip? What did you learn from this experience? Try to keep up with your readings and we'll work on the our creative writing portfolio tomorrow! : ) Dorinda

Bowling Green General Store

Field Tiles used to drain the Great Black Swamp.

The Little Red Schoolhouse

The Little Red Schoolhouse!

What a step back in time! The Little Red Schoolhouse is a unique piece of memorabilia housed on the campus of Bowling Green State University. Today we explored what a child may have experienced in the 1880's during the time when the Great Black Swamp was being conquered. What would was a dunce? What did students write on when doing their lessons? Would you have liked to have been a student in a one room schoolhouse? What was the best part of the visit to the schoolhouse? Would you like to be a marm in the Little Red Schoolhouse? Have a good evening and get ready to go on a canalboat ride! ~Dorinda~

The Great Black Swamp and Wintergarden Park, Bowling Green Oh

Wintergarden Park

Today we explored The Great Black Swamp of Northwest Ohio. One of the compelling questions of the day was, "Why would anyone, in their right mind, want to settle such a difficult piece of land?" What do you think? Remember we discussed Manifest Destiny, which means that the settlers thought that they had the God given right to take and control any land they came in contact with. Do you think Manifest Destiny had anything to do with conquering the Great Black Swamp? Remember the soil is extremely fertile here... Do you think that is the reason settlers worked so hard to conquer the land? What is your opinion? Do you think it is a combination of the two or neither? Remember there are no wrong answers to this question. Please respond and we will consider the answers in tommorrow's class. Have a super evening and start reading that book! : ) Dorinda

This blog has been created for students of Bowling Green Language Institute

Hi Gang!
This blog is being created to explore our discoveries about Northwest Ohio as we learn to write and converse at a higher level of English. You must respond to this blog after each activity and share about what you liked about the activity, what you learned and perhaps, what you would change about the activity. You may respond to one another and add links to interesting information you have found about our topics. I am truly looking forward to exploring the rich diversity of Northwest Ohio, your temporary home, with you! Here we go! Welcome to the adventure! Dorinda