Driving Question: How do you float and/or swim?
Background:
For the exception of the 3 years I attended SDSU, I have lived my entire life in Calexico, California. In case you are not familiar with Calexico, it is located 123 miles, southeast of San Diego and it is a border city with Mexicali, Mexico. One of the things Calexico is known for is the wicked heat. Today was a warm 115 degrees. So, many people here battle the heat by spending the day in the pool and completing immersing themselves in the cool water and swimming. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to swim. I’ve attempted to learn a few times, but I haven’t been able to overcome my fear. I’ll sit on the ledge and put my feet in the water, or sometimes go in and stand by the edge and flutter my legs or walk across the low end, but never fully immersing myself . However, I now feel that my desire to learn to swim or float is stronger than my fear. If I learn, I will finally be able to know how if feels to move from one point to another underwater and engage in a fun, relaxing outdoor activity during our warm 115 degree summers days.
Inquiry Questions
- What are the first steps one should take to learn to swim?
- How do breathe when you are swimming?
- How long does it usually take to learn how to swim?
- Is learning to float important to learning how to swim?
- Is there a “proper” form?
- How important is conditioning?
- What do expert swimmers advise to someone learning how to swim?
Driving Question: How do you salsa dance?
Background:
I consider some dancing styles beautiful art forms. Growing up, my parents enrolled me and my sister in ballet, tap and jazz classes. I still remember the annual dance recitals that were held in a local theater. My mom still has some of our elaborate dance costumes that we wore to some of those recitals. As I began pursuing other interests, I stopped going to dance class. A few years ago, some friends and I went to celebrate a birthday by going to a dinner/dance show. The show included various dances of Hispanic influence which of course included salsa. Salsa, just like the sauce we put on tacos, is a combination of mild and spicy moves that follow the beat and rhythm of the music. Since then I have been wanting to learn. Dancing is a form of expression that can be shared alone, with a partner or in a group. My daughter is now in college, starting her own life, so I feel that I need to find a hobby/activity to help me through this transition. I think this would be the perfect one.
Inquiry Questions:
- What are the basic steps of salsa dancing?
- Where did this dance form originate?
- What is the background of salsa dancing and music?
- What are some dos and don’ts when starting to learn how to salsa dance?
- How important is having a partner during the learning process?
- Are there songs that are best when learning how to dance?
- How important are the shoes and clothing when learning to dance salsa?
- Is it possible to learn how to dance by watching how-to videos?
- Would it be better to find a teacher?
- Are there exercises or stretches that would be helpful before beginning a practice session?