News from the Pond!

         The kindergarteners are hopping with excitement about our pond expedition! Case Study #2 –Frog and Toad– is underway. Our classroom pond is overflowing with life and has made for many wonderful, scientific observations. The children tumble into our room each day to look for new egg sacks, to gauge changes that have occurred with our bullfrog tadpoles, and to identify new insect larvae. The kindergarteners have made observations (both written and drawn) in their science journals. Their enthusiasm and motivation for learning is contagious! We even have members of the Holguin/Welch/Brisbin Crews peeking their heads in for a look at the kindergarten pond!

         Last week we had two experts visit the class from TERC (UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center) to discuss the photic zone.  The experts, Allison and Alyssa, did a wonderful job working with the students on how to measure the distance that light can reach through water using a secchi disk.  They prepared a hands-on experiment for the students, mimicking the same procedure for testing water clarity as they use in Lake Tahoe.


         Yesterday, we journeyed back to Glenshire Pond with expert, Missy Mohler, from SWEP (Sierra Watershed Education Partnerships). Missy worked with the kindergarteners on stewardship and on identifying indicators of healthy/unhealthy ponds. Students identified an invasive species in the pond, compared dissolved oxygen levels of various water samples, observed macro invertebrates with microscopes, and discussed the various indicators of health at the Glenshire Pond. All in all, it was an informative day. Thank you to our drivers/chaperones for their hard work! (Mark Wasley, Stacey Carr, Jenna Shropshire, Monique Long and Erica Stein)

 

Crew News

 

  • Red Folders: We will have 2 more weeks of Red Folders. Be on the lookout for a ziplock with 3-4 books; they will be in the folders along with list #3 of sight words. The books are familiar books that your child has read in guided reading groups; they should reread them several times throughout the week to improve fluency. Please make sure these books are NOT WRITTEN IN and are treated respectfully; they are very pricey!!! Please return the books and ziplock in the folders on Monday.
  • Sight Words: Help your kindergartener with one final push to master the 3rd list of sight words. Sight word mastery will significantly boost your child’s reading ability. Our goal is for all members of the Bell Crew to know 30 sight words before summer break. We can do it!
  • SELS spirit wear: order forms are due back in Red Folders on Tuesday, 6/8. Soon!
  • Celebration of Learning: June 7th– Come celebrate your child’s amazing work on our final expedition. The kindergarteners will give a brief performance, highlighting both their emergent literacy skills and their wealth of knowledge about pond life. The “show” will run from approximately 6:15-6:45 in the KG room. Don’t miss it!
  • KG Phone Book: The kindergarteners will be making “phone books” during the last week of school. The phone books will be a wonderful way to keep the crew connected during the summer months! This is also a perfect time to make sure they know their family’s phone number (so important for safety!). Please have your child practice at home, so they will be ready to share their number with their crewmates in June. Also, please let us know if you prefer that we use a different number than the primary number listed on your enrollment forms.
  • Last weeks of school: Please try to finish out the year with strong attendance! If you know of an upcoming absence, please let us know ASAP so we can plan accordingly for our final presentation/assessments/final projects, etc.
  • Self-addressed, stamped envelope: Please send in a self-addressed/stamped envelope for your child’s final progress report. It is extremely helpful! Progress reports will be mailed home on June 29th.
  • Needed: Please send in any frozen orange juice lids that you have. We need them for an end-of-year project. Thank you! 🙂

SELS News

McMains Crew Documentary Premiere:  On Wednesday, May 30th, join the McMains Crew at the Resort at Squaw Creek, Alpine Rooms A-B at 7:00 pm for the showing of Geology of Californina:  4,500,000,000 Years in the Making.  This is a remarkable film completely written, filmed and edited by the 6th grade crew.  Doors open at 6:30 pm.  See you there!

Summer Reading:  SELS will again ask students to participate in our Summer Reading Program with an ALL SCHOOL book selection as well as a grade level book to read over the summer.  Details on the books required for summer reading will be announced soon.

Dates to Remember:

â–ª                May 28:  No School – Memorial Day Holiday

â–ª                May 30:  McMains Crew Documentary – 7:00 pm @ Resort at Squaw Creek

â–ª                June 4:  Swimming- last day of lessons

â–ª                June 7:  Celebration of Learning and Family BBQ 6:00 – 7:30; KG performance 6:15-6:45

â–ª                June 8: Fieldwork to Sand Pond (please remember car seats!!!)

â–ª                June 14:  Passages (Kinders are part of the audience this year; next year they will present before “passing” on to a new 2/3 Crew.)

â–ª                June 15:  Passage ceremony and last day of school