Hello! My name is Danielle McCaslin...
I am an 8th grade science teacher at Mills Park Middle School. I am in my 16th year teaching and have taught a variety of subjects and ages ranging from 3rd through 8th grade. I am a Kenan Fellow, NC Educator of Excellence, STEM coach, PBL trainer/coach, and Google Certified Educator. I am originally from Pittsburgh, PA and I love to travel, explore, and experience adventure whenever possible. However, on Sundays you’ll find me cheering on the Steelers if its August-February.
I am excited to extend my knowledge of the world through our travels to the Czech Republic this summer. I am always looking for ways to help my students better understand the world around us, and the best way to do this is to go out and experience it. My grandmother was Czech and I am really excited to learn more about my cultural heritage. |
PROJECTS:
Cultural Connections Project 1: Two Travel Writing Pieces
Experience-Based Travel Writing Piece:
"Deer Jump Lookout. The 7 minute walk." “I heard that there’s a beer garden somewhere with a great view of the city.” Little did I know that those words would turn into an extremely unexpected adventure. We had been wandering around the spa town of Karlovy Vary and had opted out of the various spa treatments that were available. So, when someone mentions a beer garden, great view, and an iconic statue it seemed like a fun way to spend the next few hours before catching the bus back to Prague. Since I had inadvertently activated my data travel pass for the day I decided to search for this sought out destination. Google informed us that there was a statue titled “Deer Jump Lookout” that was a 7 minute walk from where we were located. Great! That’s not far at all. Famous last words… Myself and three of my new friends set out to locate this monument and eventually enjoy a cold beverage with an amazing view. Google began navigating us up a series of steep, winding roads. It wasn’t an extraordinarily hot day, but it also wasn’t cold. I could feel the sweat building up on my forehead and began to doubt this adventure. But, google said that we were only 1 minute away. Woo hoo! We arrived at the destination point and looked around. We were on a back alley road near the Romance Hotel, but we did not see any deer statue or beer garden. Looking back at the map, I realized that we needed to find a way behind the building into the park. Google was clearly taking us as the crow flies, but none of us had remembered our wings that day. Upon further investigation, we found a trail that led into the park. Again, google said that we were 1 minute away. Great! We can do this! Our quartet began walking up the trail. As we moved deeper into the woods we all began to doubt that this destination existed. We wound through several switchbacks and up several sets of stairs and around each corner we saw....more trees and trails. I tried to remain positive and told everyone to envision this amazing view that we were going to see when we finally got there. By this time, we were sweating, seriously doubting our decision making abilities, and ready to give up, but we plodded on. We began to follow the don’t look up advice because everytime we did, there were more trees and trails. Finally, we came to the base of a rock with an animal statue positioned on it. Only four more flights of stairs and we were there. I was bringing up the rear and ready to abort the mission when I heard, “This view is really amazing!” I knew I couldn’t miss out on this opportunity. After all, I had already come this far. I reached the summit of the stairs and saw a beautiful view of the city center below. We were so happy because this meant that we were also close to the beer garden and another amazing view. But when we looked around, there was nothing but trails and trees. We saw a sign up ahead on the trail and convinced ourselves that it said "beer garden this way" in Czech. So onward we went, up another series of switchbacks and stairs.
By now, my water bottle is empty and my clothes are soaked through. Luckily I had worn appropriate shoes, but had not dressed for an hour long hike up a mountain. We reached the top of a section of the trail where it flattened out and led out to a gazebo on the side of the mountain. We took a break and took in the amazing view, but still wondered if this elusive beer garden even existed.
We all agreed that if we reached the top and did not find this oasis on the trail that we would collectively sit and cry. We continued on and saw what looked like a building in the distance. Had we finally arrived?
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Site-Based Travel Writing Piece:
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Cultural Connections Project 2: Scripted Duologue (Plotagon Animation)
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Cultural Collections Project 1: Mapping Cultural Themes (Clio)
Milada Horáková Grave Marker at Vyšherad Cemetery
Milada Horáková’s life was anything but simple. Her story began with her fight against the German occupation of Czechoslovakia at the beginning of World War II. She, along with her husband, Bohuslav Horák, helped to lead a resistance against the Nazis which ended in her imprisonment in a concentration camp in 1940. After being freed by the United States forces in 1945, one would think that her life would become simpler. Unfortunately for Milada, this was just the beginning of a five year battle against communism, corruption, and injustice. Following the liberation of Czechoslovakia in 1945, Horáková returned to Prague and joined the leadership of the re-constituted Czechoslovak National Socialist Party, becoming a member of the Provisional National Assembly. In 1946, she won a seat in the elected National Assembly representing the region of České Budějovice in southern Bohemia. Her political activities again focussed on the role of women in society and also on the preservation of Czechoslovakia’s democratic institutions. Shortly after the Communist coup in February 1948, she resigned in protest from the parliament. Unlike many of her political associates, Horáková chose not to leave Czechoslovakia for the West and continued to be politically active in Prague. On September 27, 1949 she was arrested and accused of being the leader of an alleged plot to overthrow the Communist regime. When she was arrested she was tortured and tormented into stating a lie that she would not tell. Her trial began in 1950 and she, along with several of her co-defendants were sentenced to death on June 8, 1950. Many people petitioned for her life, most notably Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, and Eleanor Roosevelt. This did not change her sentence. She was executed by hanging in Prague’s Pankrác Prison on June 27, 1950 at the age of 48. Her final words were, "I have lost this fight but I leave with honour. I love this country, I love this nation, strive for their wellbeing. I depart without rancour towards you. I wish you, I wish you..." She was cremated following the hanging and her remains were never returned to the family. This grave marker paying tribute to her sacrifices was erected in 2000, however, the whereabouts of the urn containing her ashes remains unknown. Inside the tomb are the remains of other brave souls that fought for the freedom of Czechoslovakia. The night before her execution, Milada wrote three letters. The first was to her daughter, Jana, the second to her husband, and the third to her sister. These letters were not delivered, but reappeared in 1970 in an underground paper. The family was finally able to read Milada's final words to each of them, and a feature film about her life was released in 2017. |
Cultural Collections Project 2: Curating Cultural Themes (Padlet)
Cultural Collections Project 3: Neighborhood Analysis (Weebly Slide Show)
After spending some time researching the underrated neighborhoods of Prague, I decided to venture out to Karlín, which is located in Prague 8. Everything that I had read said that this was the next up and coming neighborhood, so I wanted to see what made it so special. I arrived in Karlín and immediately noticed the greenery on the buildings. Many of the buildings located in this neighborhood had green roofs, gardens, or greenery on the exterior of the building. As I wandered down the street, I came across what looked like a very industrial area. Office buildings lined the streets and company names adorned the placards outside. I was becoming disappointed by my choice in neighborhoods because it seemed as though there wasn't much there to see, until I turned the corner and ventured in another direction. I found small businesses, tree-lined streets, parks, schools, cafes, and so much more. I noticed a building that looked much like a palace and decided to get a better look. It turned out that it was actually an elementary school (Smysluplná škola). I was able to use Google Translate to determine that it was a school, but it wasn't until I stopped at a small cafe' and talked to the owner that I found out it was an elementary school. I couldn't believe a school of that size was only for elementary school, but then I remembered the school systems in the Czech Republic and was reminded that students are in elementary school much longer. The school appeared to have a lot of sustainable practices going on and with some additional research I found that it is an eco-school. (See my padlet to learn more about this school.) I also came upon a very modern looking building that had a garden out front and was titled "Butterfly". Upon further research of this building I learned that this is also a company focusing on sustainable practices. (See my padlet to learn more about this company. I was pleased to see that this neighborhood was making efforts to create a more sustainable future.
While sustainability is the current buzzword, I found it interesting to think about what was taking place and then examine the structure of the city. Many of the buildings were clearly old and run down, some of which were abandoned. However, there was a mix of the old and the new. The people seemed to be a mix of ages, and the shops and public areas appeared to appeal to a wide range of people. As I made my way back through the neighborhood to metro, it was clear to me why this was an up and coming neighborhood. If you're in the area, you MUST check out the comic book themed "Expresso Cafe" and order a prosecco sorbet. Take a seat at a table on the sidewalk, ask for Jan, the owner of this new establishment, and chat about the neighborhood and how it fits into the city of Prague. I promise that you will not be disappointed.
While sustainability is the current buzzword, I found it interesting to think about what was taking place and then examine the structure of the city. Many of the buildings were clearly old and run down, some of which were abandoned. However, there was a mix of the old and the new. The people seemed to be a mix of ages, and the shops and public areas appeared to appeal to a wide range of people. As I made my way back through the neighborhood to metro, it was clear to me why this was an up and coming neighborhood. If you're in the area, you MUST check out the comic book themed "Expresso Cafe" and order a prosecco sorbet. Take a seat at a table on the sidewalk, ask for Jan, the owner of this new establishment, and chat about the neighborhood and how it fits into the city of Prague. I promise that you will not be disappointed.
Cultural Collections Project 4: Museum Artifact Analysis (Voicethread)
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Cultural Reflections Project 1: Czech Education System, "The Last Word" Discussion
I found the information regarding the Czech school system to be extremely similar to that of Germany. I visited Germany two years ago with the purpose of learning about the educational system and there are many parallels between the countries. The diagrams below show several of these similarities.
What I found to be the most interesting was the focus on developing specific trades for students at a young age. Students are being asked to determine their futures when they are only teenagers. While I love the differentiation of options for children, I am undecided about whether or not students truly know who they are as people at such a young age.
Questions that I have would be regarding the data in countries that have systems such as these. Does the data show that these students stay on the same career path? Are they happy with their decisions? Do they agree with this system, or do they think it needs some revision? I know that the systems in place in the United States are far from perfect, but I feel as though there is a middle ground that could be reached that would be in the best interest of students around the world.
Questions that I have would be regarding the data in countries that have systems such as these. Does the data show that these students stay on the same career path? Are they happy with their decisions? Do they agree with this system, or do they think it needs some revision? I know that the systems in place in the United States are far from perfect, but I feel as though there is a middle ground that could be reached that would be in the best interest of students around the world.
Cultural Reflections Project 2: Cultural Writing
Cultural Reflections Project 3: Czech Film Review
Milada Horáková’s life was anything but simple. In this biopic, director, David Mrnka, details her story of heroism, bravery, and commitment to justice. The story begins with her fight against the German occupation of Czechoslovakia at the beginning of World War II. She, along with her husband, Bohuslav Horák, helped to lead a resistance against the Nazis which ended in her imprisonment in a concentration camp in 1940. After being freed by the United States forces in 1945, one would think that her life would become simpler. Unfortunately for Milada, played by Ayelet Zurer, this was just the beginning of a five year battle against communism, corruption, and injustice. Mrnka shares the struggles of Milada and her family as she fought against communism and sought justice for the people of Czechoslovakia.
Prior to watching this movie, I did not know much about Milada. After watching the movie, I felt compelled to learn more about the woman who sacrificed everything to defend democracy and the county that she loved. When she was arrested in 1949, she was tortured and tormented into stating a lie that she would not tell. I can’t imagine what it must have taken for her to maintain that commitment to the cause, and wish that there were more people like her fighting for the best interest of the people around the world. Milada’s letters to her family allows the audience to feel her pain and struggle as she gave her life for her beliefs. |
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Cultural Reflections Project 4: Czech Book Review
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