Post date: May 03, 2012 5:14:28 AM
Dear Parents and Students,
I wanted to write to you yesterday, mostly just to be able to squeeze the line "May the fourth be with you" somewhere in the letter, but our evening was packed and I didn't get a chance. So, instead I can only say happy Cinco de Mayo and enjoy this beautiful Saturday.
Recap of the Week and Preview of Upcoming Things:
English: The focus progressed from biographies about someone else to biographies about themselves. The two-part assignment (timeline and paragraphs) were turned in by many students (they look good so far), but others are turning them in this coming Tuesday. The kids have (hopefully) turned their attention towards writing an excerpt from their own (unwritten) biography. There are three "deliverables" for this assignment and I'm hoping that the kids are enjoying the process. They will also create an audio file of their story and turn that in as well.
The next (and final) book genre will be mystery stories. On Thursday the kids used the resources on the mystery page of my site to find some interesting possibilities, and on Monday they'll bring in sample books to share. I'm hoping to have the choices made by the middle of next week so that kids can get the books and possibly read them during the plane rides to and from DC if they like.
Science: We had to skip science on Monday and Tuesday, but definitely made up for it during the following three days. On Wednesday, Thomas and his buddies brought in a whole bunch of lasers, lenses, mirrors, and scrims, and gave the kids some excellent interactions that really brought home the concepts in the current chapter on light waves and the whole electromagnetic spectrum. On Thursday, Alan Biggs taught about how fiber optics works and showed how fibers are made, spliced, and used in the world of telecommunications. The expertise and generosity of the parents at this school never ceases to amaze me.
To top it off, the kids' flexibility shone as I asked them to take their chapter 23 test while riding LightRail to San Jose Friday. It was a short test and we had a delay in train departure, so everyone was able to finish by the end of the 15 minute ride. Way to go y'all and thanks for playing along! While I'm on the subject of science book reading, notes, and tests, I'd really like to praise the kids for their year-long tolerance of the reading and testing routine. We have finished the entire book and that is a great accomplishment. The class activities to support and extend the concepts taught by each chapter have been fewer than I had hoped, but the sheer breadth of topics contained in the almost-700 pages of the book has given the kids a wide foundation. Additionally, many students have really honed their ability to read text material and conquer the all-too-predictable multiple choice test.
The final two units in science (but not in the book) will be astronomy until mid May and then Human Growth and Development from then until the end of the year.
Other Things:
Waterfall: Quite a few kids (and some parents) have asked "what is up with the waterfall"? Well, the pump stopped running at the beginning of last week and so we've had to take things apart a bit and troubleshoot the issue. It turns out that some rotting tan bark had been putting stopping the pump and so I'll need to add a filter system in the bottom of the "pond" as well as find a way to keep tan bark farther away at ground level. That will likely be my activity for tomorrow, so if all goes well, the thing should be flowing again on Monday. Just in case you are interested, here are some pictures that show the construction of the water feature.
Wanted: San Francisco buff to help me create a great itinerary of sights & experiences for a dozen kids on the CalCoast trip. Please send me an email if you can help me with this.
Tuesday's Trip: Just before recess on Tuesday, my class will be "wheeling" to Hamilton to catch the bus 82 to Pruneyard for the 11:00 showing of The Avengers. After that we'll grab some pizza and then wheel down the Los Gatos Creek trail to its end at Meridian Avenue, and grab bus 25 back towards school, arriving at about 3:20. About half the students in class have really stepped up to make this trip happen and I'm sure it will be fun. Kids, please remember to make any arrangements necessary to get your scooter (or other wheeled-thing) and a helmet to school on Tuesday -- Monday if you would like to play it safe. I'll be paying for lunch and movie up front, and the finance team will calculate your "bill" and collect money next week -- the estimate is $10 per person.
Appreciating the Help: As always, the parents who come to class each week are keeping things flowing smoothly and adding great value to the experiences of the kids as well as myself. Papers are scored, room is cleaned, trips are organized, chaparones have stepped up, and great opportunities are provided, all due to the selfless and committed parents in the DCS community.
Reply with "hi" (or other), then get outside and enjoy this great day.
Love you all!
Chris