Wally's Walloped by the Reptile Man's Snake

Yes, Wally was grabbed by a snake today. He did not want to go on stage, but he was dragged up by a student who didn't mind snakes. He learned that the snake was not poisonous and was safe to hold at the assembly.

Do you see Wally shaking? This snake is a king snake. It eats rattle snakes and other reptiles.

Wally joins us at the Spring Sing

Last night Wally was at the concert. It was the Spring Sing were all of the 2nd and 3rd graders sang for the parents.

If you look closely you will see Wally next to Ms. Danzinger, our music teacher. She is playing the guitar. Wally is on the metal table next to the sound equipment.

Wally is a pretty good singer. He kept cracking up and making us laugh.

Meeting our stuffed animals

Wally met our stuffed animals. He made new friends right away.

We brought our stuffed animals to school today so we could welcome Wally. It was kind of wild at first, then the stuffed animals all calmed down.

Wally then went right to the computer to look at the blog. He asked the teacher to type because his feet were too big for the keys.

Wally has arrived!

He got here early, while we were reading, so we gave him a good book. This book really was a good fit for him.

Next we opened the box and we took a picture with our stuffed animals.

Westward Ho! Oregon or Bust!

We are really sorry to see Wally leave Nebraska! It is has been a great week sharing with Wally a lot of the things that make Nebraska a great place to live. Our Dodge 4th graders thought it fitting that Wally travel to Oregon in style. Like Wally, thousands of people traveled across Nebraska following the Oregon Trail during the mid to late 1800s. The Oregon Trail was a 2,000 mile journey that followed the Platte River through Nebraska. Most people traveled in a covered wagon which held all their belongings. The wagon would usually be pulled by oxen, but sometimes mules were used. Most people left from Independence, Missouri in the early spring in the hopes that the 6 month journey would have them crossing the Rocky Mountains and getting to Oregon before winter.

The trip was difficult, disease, bad food, no food, mosquitoes, fire, accidental shootings, poisoning, and deaths were just a few of the hardships these pioneers faced as they traveled. So many wagons made the journey that today almost 300 miles of wagon ruts still can be seen.

Wally's trip to Oregon will be a lot shorter than the pioneers but he follows in the footsteps of thousands of pioneers who helped make this country great! So Long Wally!

The Tooth Fairy Visits Wally

After Wally's accident at Pier Park, Wally was visited by the Islander Tooth Fairy. Wally really doesn't need cash, so the Tooth Fairy brought him a new t-shirt to wear to remember his time in Grand Island, Nebraska, home of the Islanders!

Wally Loses a Tooth!

UH-OH! Wally lost his tooth! Today, while playing on the slide at Pier Park (which is across the street from Dodge Elementary School) he chose to break the rules. Instead of sliding feet first, he thought he’d try head first! Guess what happened?

On the way down the slide (head first) he somehow caught one of his teeth inside the slide. We heard a loud “RRRRAH!”. Once he got to the bottom, he went face first into the dirt. We ran over to see if he was o.k. When he lifted his head, his mouth dropped opened. Right away we noticed a huge gap where a tooth once was. Seconds later, that gigantic tooth came sliding down the slide after him. Lucky for Wally, wooly mammoths grow six sets of teeth in their lifetimes.

Wally learned a valuable lesson about following rules. Within minutes, he hopped back to his feet, and headed back to try the slide again. But after that, each time he slid down...he was smart and went feet first!

Do you have rules to follow that keep you safe? Wally says that now he understands more about how important it is to follow safety rules!

Wally Studies Up

Wally had a chance to read up on his favorite mammal, the woolly mammoth, during Reader's Workshop this morning. He read:

Woolly Mammoth - Life, Death, and Rediscovery by Windsor Chorlton

Woolly Mammoth by Michael P. Goecke

Hot Hot Hot by Neal Layton

Have you read any good books about woolly mammoths?

Wally Goes Tourist - Statewide

Wally also had a chance to visit (virtually) a couple really interesting places in Nebraska that are an important part of our state's history. Chimney Rock in western Nebraska was an important landmark for pioneers who traveled along the Oregon Trail through Nebraska. It gets it's name because it looks like a chimney. It used to be about 100 feet higher then it is today, but erosion and lightning strikes have shortened it. What makes it stand out is that most of Nebraska is pretty flat.

Another cool place to visit is Ashfall Fossil Beds in Northeastern Nebraska. Wally felt right at home here. Thousands of years ago, when Nebraska was a tropical rainforest, a really big volcano exploded in what now is the state of Idaho. A huge cloud of ash blew across the land. Animals who were drinking at a water hole died when the ash fell on them and they breathed it in. They were buried under many feet of ash. The ash was covered by dirt and sand. One day only a few years ago, a farmer found a bone in his field. It turned out to be a bone from a rhino. When archelogists started digging they found fossils of rhinos, prehistoric horses, zebras,bison, and cranes. They are still digging and finding more fossils.

**Wally would really like to iChat or Skype with some of you Wally Blog members so he can tell you how he made his virtual trip. Send us your address!**

Wally Goes Tourist - Local

Since Dodge Elementary dismisses at 2:00 on Wednesdays, Wally had some time to be a tourist around the city of Grand Island. First Wally visited Tornado Hill. In 1980, seven tornadoes, one an F4, touched down in the Grand Island. They did a lot of damage. Dodge Elementary even had some damage. The story Night of the Twisters by Ivy Ruckman was written about this event in Grand Island's history. Debris that could not be recycled was burned and buried in a park. The base of the hill was a hole 6-8 feet deep and nearly 200 feet across, and the hill is 40 feet high. Since Grand Island is prairie flat land, Tornado Hill is a great place to go sledding in the winter.

Wally made a second stop at Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer. It is a living history museum so there are displays for people to see. You can also go to the Railroad Town and see how things were done in pioneer days. Every year we take a field trip to a different part of the town - the Native American earthlodge, a pioneer home, the farm, and this year we visited the schoolhouse. We pretended that we were students at a prairie school in 1888. Wally didn't think he would like using a privy (outhouse).

Wally gets a history lesson

Dodge Elementary is named after Grenville Dodge. Grenville Dodge was born in 1831 and died in 1916. He was famous for his work with railroads. First, he was a Major General in the Civil War and led troops in surveying and constructing railroads. These railroads helped the troops get to the front line and win battles. Later, from 1866 to 1870, he was the engineer and driving force in building the Union Pacific Railway. This railway runs through our hometown of Grand Island, Nebraska.

Who are some famous people in your state?

Do you know how your school got it’s name?

Wally gets back to nature

An educator from Rowe Sanctuary came to talk to Miss Crowe’s class about the Sandhill Cranes and other birds in Nebraska. Some interesting things that Wally and the other students learned were that there is a cool looking bird thats eats JELLY! The bird’s name is Baltimore Oriole. Did you know that all birds don’t lay their eggs at the same time? The Blue Jay can incubate their eggs for 16 to 18 days.

A sandhill crane eats a lot of corn while it is here in Nebraska. Their wing span can be 6 ft. and they can lay about 2 eggs. They eat insects, fruit, worms, plants, amphibians. Wally was so interested in the Sandhill Cranes he took a trip out to Rowe Sanctuary to see for himself.

First Wally studied up...

Miss Crowe got him a pin and put him to work.

He worked in the gift shop and in the education center for a while.

He learned how to use a spotting scope and tested out the camouflage.

Wally went out on the trail and to the blind.

He walked out on a sandbar in the Platte and then took a nap in the flowers.

The Sandhill Crane is the only animal in Nebraska that was also living here during the time of the Mammoth. Do you have an animal in your state that has been around that long?

Visit to Nebraska's State Capitol

Wally was disappointed that the weather delays caused him to miss the chance to see one of the architectural wonders of the world - Nebraska's State Capitol building - so he sent his cousin, Wilhemina, in his place. She was delighted to make the journey with the Dodge Fourth Graders on April 8th. She found out that the Capitol is very pretty. It is full of sculptures and mosaics. The building is actually the third Capitol building. The first building crumbled apart and the second building sank. The architect of this building, Betram Goodhue, designed the building to last a thousand years. After the Capitol we ate lunch at the University of Nebraska's Student Union. Wilhemina was most excited about our next stop, Morrill Hall. She saw many of her relatives there. Archy is the most famous. He is the largest mammoth fossil ever discovered. Wilhemina is very proud of the fact that Archy is Nebraska's state fossil. What is your state fossil? By the time the buses came to take us home, Wilhemina was so tired she slept on the way home, missing the movie "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs". Wally really liked the movie we made about our trip. Check it Out... He would also like to know if your state capitol building has an interesting history.

Wally arrives in Nebraska!

After much anticipation, Wally finally arrived in Grand Island, Nebraska today. We look forward to sharing with you about Wally's adventures on the Great Plains.

Goodbye Wally!!

Thank you for visiting our school. We had a great time showing you San Antonio, Texas. Enjoy your travels!! Have fun in Nebraska! We look forward to reading about it.

Sea World in San Antonio

San Antonio has an educational marine life adventure park called Sea World. Wally loved Sea World because there are live animal shows, animal exhibits, thrill rides, and a water park. Sea World has killer whales, seals, walrus, dolphins, and more. There are also roller coaster rides like the steel eel and water rides as well. There is also a beach park to relax with timed water waves or slide down the water slide. It's a great place for kids and grown ups! Do you have amusement parks ? What is your favorite ride or show?

Favorite Team Players

San Antonio has great sports teams. I have my favorite sports players. I think Wally will agree with me. Who is your favorite sports player?

The San Antonio Riverwalk

The San Antonio Riverwalk is also called the Paseo Del Rio. In the beginning, Spanish Explorers used the waterway to supply water to the missions. The Alamo was one of the missions to first benefit. It is 2 1/2 miles long and a big tourist attraction in Texas. There are many fun things to do at the Riverwalk. There are many different kinds of restaurants ..... Mexican, Italian, Texas Bar-B-Que, and more. At the Riverwalk you can also go shopping there are artisan shops along with a Rivercenter Mall. The Riverwalk also has festivities such as, the Christmas boat parade, Fiesta, and other cultural events. So, you see the Riverwalk is the place to be if you want to have fun. Wally will have a great time taking a boat ride and enjoying the food. What tourist attraction do you have in your state or country?
by Paloma

San Antonio Basketball Team

San Antonio has a basketball team that we truly love! Watch the following clip to see why!

Tell us about your favorite team!

San Antonio Custom and Celebration

Easter recently happened and Wally got to experience a "cascarone" being broken on his head. Cascarones are empty egg shells filled with confetti. Cascarones originally came from Asia and were filled with perfumed powder. The eggs were used to bring good luck when broken upon someone's head. The cascarones were then brought to Italy by Marco Polo. The cascarone eventually made it's way to Spain and then Mexico by the Emperor Maximillan's wife. The cascarones were then filled with confetti instead of powder. In San Antonio, cascarones are used during Easter and when "Fiesta" week is celebrated. "Fiesta" is a huge 11 day festival celebration. It is a way to honor the heroes of the Alamo and San Jacinto. Wally got a cascarone broken on his head while wearing his Fiesta hat. What kind of customs or celebrations do you have in your state or country?

by Valerie

San Antonio Rodeos

Texas is well known for rodeos. Wally was able to visit a local rodeo company called Tejas Rodeo.

Tejas Rodeo is about 2 1/2 miles north of our school in Bulverde, Texas. There is live country music, barrel racing, teamroping, and bull riding. The Pro-rodeos are March through November on Fridays and Saturdays. Friday also has a popular steak night. The food is very yummy. San Antonio also has a larger rodeo every year. It is the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo. It takes place every year in February. There are live concerts with big name country singers, livestock shows, and Pro-rodeo competitions. Wally enjoyed being a cowboy. Do you have rodeos where you live?

by Hannah P.

San Antonio Folklore

San Antonio History

View the video to see what Wally learned about the Alamo!

San Antonio Garden

by: Hannah H.

The Japanese Tea Garden is also known as the Sunken Gardens.

The artist of the entrance was born in Mexico 1891 and died the year of 1955. His name was Dionicio Rodriguez. It is a well-known, historical landmark and very fun for weekend trips. They have extraordinary flowers, plants, waterfalls, and more! Walking around and exploring the neat trails is fun for everyone in the family especially the parents because it is free to get in. Just remember to bring your camera. Do you have a special historical garden in your city?

Spring in San Antonio with our State Flowers

Bluebonnets are one of the most important wildflowers in Texas. They are the state flower.

They can be found along the roadside and it is typically a tradition to take pictures with them when in full bloom. They got their name because the petals resemble a woman's sunbonnet. The bluebonnets are also called buffalo clover. I enjoy them and apparently so did Wally. What is your state flower?

by Kaelyn T.

Cool sights in San Antonio

Click our video to watch two cool sights that Wally will want to visit!