Expedition Express

I’ve Been Working on the Railroad: Students continue to CHUG along on our Transcontinental Railroad Expedition. As students continue to learn about the nitty gritty to one of our country’s greatest achievements, we are also learning about the economic and cultural effects of the railroad. Students have been hard at work, taking notes from non-fiction texts, creating a timeline of events, and writing historical fiction friendly letters from the viewpoint of a Chinese laborer on the Central Pacific Railroad.

Questions to ask your child about their learning:

  • Why was building the railroad over the Sierra Nevada difficult?
  • What were some of the obstacles the Central Pacific Railroad workers faced while building the railroad?
  • Explain the “Race to the Finish” and how did the two railroad companies celebrate?

Currently, we are working on our Final Product, Chautauqua, which is a first person account of a historical figure. Each student has chosen a key player on the Transcontinental Railroad to portray at Celebration of Learning on December 17. Now is a great time to begin working on your outfit (costume) for your performance. Students know what type of outfit to wear, but if you have questions, please ask.

Crew News

Nevada County Library:  We will continue walking to the Nevada County Library throughout the winter months. Our schedule varies with visits every two to three weeks. It is your child’s responsibility to bring their library books to school on the days we visit the library, but a friendly reminder would help. I don’t want to see students unable to check out new books due to library fines or books that did not get returned.

Harvest of the Month: A huge shout out THANK YOU to Steve and Jeremy Anderson for their delicious tastings with locally grown fruit. This month Steve taught students the most efficient way to remove pomegranate seeds. Even I learned something new!

Book Bags:  Please take time with your child to inventory their book bag every MONDAY NIGHT! If a book is missing you are responsible for replacing it. Just send an email or note to school if something is missing from the bag. Revisit the Book Bag on THURSDAY NIGHT before returning it to school. Make sure all items are securely placed in the bag so the next student has a complete bag.

Ballet Performance:  Both 2nd and 3rd grade crews will be walking to Truckee High School on Friday, November 20 to watch ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, performed by Sierra Nevada Dance. Proper theater etiquette will be expected of our students.

SELS NEWS

Celebration of Learning: Our Fall Celebration of Learning will take place on Thursday, December 17 from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. This is an exciting event showcasing all our learning from the fall expedition. Invite your family, friends, and neighbors to come experience the best SELS has to offer. See you there!!

Electives: Session 1 of our Electives schedule began on Friday, November 13. This round will continue to December 18. Please consider teaching an elective in the new year to help offer new and exciting experiences for our students.

PAJAMA DAY: SELS will have a Pajama Day on Friday, December 18th. All students may wear appropriate pajamas to school on this day, but keep in mind the weather conditions and snow clothes for recess. 🙂