Brisbin Crew

Expedition Case Study Supporting Target:  I can differentiate among igneous, sedimentary, and metamor­phic rocks by referring to their properties and methods of formation. Students will begin the rock tumbling process this week by choosing two samples from a rough tumble supply.  This four-step, month long endeavor replicates the actual erosion process that rocks that differ on [...]

                                                       Glad to be here with our Crew! Expedition:      What a wonderful two weeks!  We have been extremely busy and in full lab- mode with our first [...]

Sierra Scientists:  Case Study 1 Thinking Like and Ecologist      We are off and running with our first case study.  Students worked today on a  "processes of living things" jigsaw...ask a Brisbin Crew member to describe one of the six criteria for all abiotic things.  In the following weeks we will be observing the [...]

 Sierra Scientists Expedition      Our scientific inquiry block has been SO much fun.  We have participated in daily labs that boost student's interest in the process of science- from mixing colored liquids to create our own recipe (practicing measuring in a graduated cylinder and recording data), to our final assessment- studying wolves' sense of [...]

Happy New Year! Sierra Scientists Expedition: We have jumped head first into the new semester with a mini-unit on Scientific Method and Scientific Inquiry.  Students have participated in a black boxes lab, a chemistry lab, and are now building paper airplanes for a method lab- they are loving it!  By learning the process of science, [...]

Brisbin Crew News 12.6.11 Design Principle The design principles for December are Solitude and Reflection. Our crew is working on being reminded of the importance of these principles during this crazy month of December Language Arts Our readers have been studying one of three titles: Island of the Blue Dolphins, by O'Dell, Riding Freedom, by [...]

  Brisbin Crew News 11.10.11 Design Principle Our crew is leaning about Service and Compassion this month. Ask your student how he or she can exhibit this very special design principle. Language Arts We will start our new literature circles next week. Our readers will study one of three titles: Island of the Blue Dolphins, [...]

Conferences It was a pleasure to meet with all of you for our goal setting conferences. The students did a remarkable job creating SMART goals for themselves. We will revisit these goals in March. Language Arts Students will be wrapping up their literature circle books in the next few weeks. Keep on the lookout for [...]

Thanks to everyone who participated - and to Tahoe Donner for hosting this great event! SELS FAMILY  Please  come join our  4/5th CREW  as we enjoy a spectacularly fun family day at  Tahoe Donner Golf Course  to raise funds for our "Sierra Scientists" Geology Expedition to Yosemite.      Event:  Pitch N'Putt Golf Games; Golf [...]

Language Arts Students have started new groups and books for their Literature Circle study. The different groups are reading Bandit's Moon, by Sid Fleishman, The Ballad of Lucy Whipple, by Karen Cushman, Striking it Rich, by Steven Krensky, and The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung: A Chinese Miner, CA 1852, by Lawerence Yep. All of these [...]