Happy Holidays!

Fort Ross Photo Book:  Don't forget to order a copy of the Fort Ross photo book before the coupon runs out.  We have a copy in the classroom you are welcome to preview, but you can also go online to see it. 

Today in Strawberry:  We began the day with a rousing Cerritoberry game of Wells Fargo (like capture the flag) followed by math.  After snack break the students revealed their Secret Santa identities and decorated cookies brought in by classmates.  After recess we had our pasta and salad bar lunch, music and dancing, candle dipping and balloon bean bag craft and ended with the appreciation card delivery.  All in all a wonderful day in Strawberry.  Thanks to all of the students and families who helped contribute food for our day!

4th Grade Math:  Today the math Cerritoberry Foundation groups shared their purchases for "From the Roots UP."  Each group explained what they chose and how the items could be used by FRUP.  From swivel chairs for the office, video cameras to record and advertise the organization, to basketball hoops and ping pong tables; each group had specific reasons for their selections.

 Explaining the purchase of toys for FRUP.

 Technology purchases!

 Cookie Decorating!

Student led juggling bag project. 

 Candle dipping!

Happy Holidays

A wonderful day at the seashore!

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the event this morning.  We were thrilled to have so many family members come to the view the science projects in Cerrito and Strawberry, and share in great food and conversation.  

Reminder: Bring any food items you signed up for tomorrow morning, and your final Secret Santa gift.

The Schedule Tomorrow:  A regular morning with math from 9:00-10:00, then 10:15 we will have the Secret Santa revealing followed by cookie decorating.  PE is at 11:00 and following recess at the park we will have our pasta and salad bar lunch.  After lunch is appreciation card delivery, candle dipping, games and crafts.

Fort Ross Photo Book:  Don't forget to order a copy of the Fort Ross photo book before the coupon runs out.  We have a copy in the classroom you are welcome to preview, but you can also go online to see it. 

Yesterday and Today in Strawberry:

 On Wednesday we had our final Book Group share about the book Billy Creekmore.

 After we finished assembling the kelp forest on Wednesday afternoon 

the students shared with the class about their organism.

 Today: Dawning swim goggles students and parents dove into the kelp forest.

 Touring the forest.

Our trash table showed a sampling of the types of trash we 

rescued from going down Strawberry Creek

to the bay.

 The highly anticipated mock seagull dissection on the ocean trash table.

 Sharing about why the seagull perished.

 Sea birds are consuming trash - styrofoam and colorful plastics especially!

 

The crowd observing the dissection.

Views in the Kelp Forest!

The quiet kelp forest after a busy morning.

Kelp Forest and Rocky Shore Tomorrow!

 8:30-10:00 Tomorrow morning is the Grand Opening of the kelp forest in Strawberry and rocky seashore in Cerrito. - This is a showcase of learning event for students and families!  In the event you are unable to attend, the Kelp Forest in Strawberry will remain up into the first weeks in January.

4th Grade Math:  No Homework - In class today the students checked over their expenses for the Cerritoberry Foundation project and made adjustments to their budget before creating a poster showing the purchases they made on behalf of From the Roots UP.  On Friday they will present their purchases to the group and explain their reasoning behind them. 

1. Appreciation Cards (Were due today):  Students who forgot should bring them in by tomorrow so we can make sure we are ready to go for Friday.

2. Reading for 20 minutes/night

Reminders:
Fort Ross Photo Book:  Don't forget to order a copy of the Fort Ross photo book before the coupon runs out.

December 20, Class Party Plans:  The Strawberry students are planning a party day for Dec. 20 - see the sign up list for what your child wants to bring in.   So far we are having a pasta and salad bar lunch (so students do not need to bring lunch).  Some students also plan to bring cookies for decorating.  Please let us know if an item your child happened to select does not work out for you to provide.  Thanks!

Secret Santa: Just a reminder that Friday the gift should be an item within a $10 range. We will reveal the "Santas" at 10:15, so the gift should be here in the morning.  Thanks.

No photos today - saving the grand reveal of the forest to be in person!

4th Grade Math and Party Plans

No Additional Homework this week.

• DON'T FORGET:  Dec. 19 the Kelp Forest and Ocean life Opening, 8:30-10:00 - This is a showcase of learning event for students and families!  In the event you are unable to attend, the Kelp Forest in Strawberry will remain up into January.

4th Grade Math:  No Homework - in class shopping project (see photo & description below)

1. Appreciation Cards (Due Weds. Dec. 18):  Reminder:  Each student has a set of small cards and a list of students in Strawberry.  Goal:  write one appreciation card for each person on the list.  As discussed with the kids, the appreciations should be as specific as possible.  For example, instead of "Thank you for being in my book club" - strive for a bit of detail such as, "Thank you for helping me with the book club project," or "Thank you for sharing great ideas in book club."  The cards will be delivered on Friday the 20th as part of our "class party."

2. Reading for 20 minutes/night

Reminders:
Fort Ross Photo Book:  Don't forget to order a copy of the Fort Ross photo book before the coupon runs out.

December 20, Class Party Plans:  The Strawberry students are planning a party day for Dec. 20 - see the sign up list for what your child wants to bring in.   So far we are having a pasta and salad bar lunch (so students do not need to bring lunch).  Some students also plan to bring cookies for decorating.  Please let us know if an item your child happened to select does not work out for you to provide.  Thanks!

Secret Santa:  Today began the secret gift giving.  If a "Santa" forgot to bring an item today, they simply should bring it tomorrow.  Reminder: the first two days gifts should be simple token items - preferably handmade (but a candy, baked cookie or such is okay too).  On Friday the gift should be an item within a $10 range.  The children know how important it is to keep the "secret" part secret, and that choosing participate means they must keep to the number of gifts given (not over, not under).

4th Grade Math:

 4th Grade Math & the Cerritoberry Foundation:  The students are working in teams as part of the fictitious Cerritoberry Foundation.  The foundation has been charged with purchasing items for a community organization, "From the Roots UP" (FRUP), that runs an after school program and career center for youth.  While FRUP is also fictitious, the goal of the students is to shop using print ads for items that they believe such an organization would need in the categories of Technology, Career Center furniture and organization, Tools and Maintenance supplies to keep the facility running and Playground Equipment / toys.  Each student is part of small team and is in charge of  $350.00 to purchase items with, keep an itemized list, and ultimately write an explanation for his or her choices.  The teams will then combine their purchases and present to the class the items they chose and reason for their selections.  The teams will then vote to determine which groups they feel managed the funds well for the purpose of supporting FRUP.

 Harbor Seal painting!

 Kelp!

 Sheephead too!

 Giant Kelp

Bull kelp

Fort Ross Photo Book:  Don't forget to order a copy of the Fort Ross photo book before the coupon runs out.

December 20, Class Party Plans:  The Strawberry students are planning a party day for Dec. 20.  We did not have time today to finish our plans, so we will send a list out of what items students have signed up to bring on Monday.  So far we are having a pasta and salad bar lunch (so students do not need to bring lunch), that each student will contribute an item or two.  Some students also plan to bring cookies for decorating.  Again a list will go out with the specific food assignments.

Secret Santa:  The students who chose to participate in Secret Santa have selected the name of someone in the class to be a "secret santa" for.  They each have a yellow piece of paper with the name of the student and a list of "favorites" categories to help plan gifts as well as guidelines on the backside.  Please note:  There are 3 gift giving days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday).  The first two days gifts should be simple token items - preferably handmade (but a candy, baked cookie or such is okay too).  On Friday the gift should be an item within a $10 range.  The children know how important it is to keep the "secret" part secret, and that choosing participate means they must keep to the number of gifts given (not over, not under).

Terrific Tide Pooling

• Appreciation Cards (see homework)
• Class Party info (Dec. 20)
• Secret Santa (begins Dec. 16)
• DON'T FORGET:  Dec. 19 the Kelp Forest and Ocean life Opening, 8:30-10:00 - This is a showcase of learning event for students and families!  In the event you are unable to attend, the Kelp Forest in Strawberry will remain up into January.

Homework:
1.
4th Grade Math: Packet due on Friday (no math class both Wednesday & Thursday due to field trips) 

5th Grade Math:  Problem pages due Friday.

2. Appreciation Cards (Due Weds. Dec. 18):  We began this in class on Wednesday.  Each student has a set of small cards and a list of students in Strawberry.  Goal:  write one appreciation card for each person on the list.  As discussed with the kids, the appreciations should be as specific as possible.  For example, instead of "Thank you for being in my book club" - strive for a bit of detail such as, "Thank you for helping me with the book club project," or "Thank you for sharing great ideas in book club."  The cards will be delivered on Friday the 20th as part of our "class party."

3. Reading:  20 minutes/night

December 20, Class Party Plans:  The Strawberry students are planning a party day for Dec. 20.  On Friday 12/13 we will send a list out of what items students have signed up to bring.  So far we are having a pasta and salad bar lunch (so students do not need to bring lunch), that each student will contribute an item or two.  Some students also plan to bring cookies for decorating.  Again a list will go out with the specific food assignments.

Secret Santa:  The students who chose to participate in Secret Santa have selected the name of someone in the class to be a "secret santa" for.  They each have a yellow piece of paper with the name of the student and a list of "favorites" categories to help plan gifts as well as guidelines on the backside.  Please note:  There are 3 gift giving days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday).  The first two days gifts should be simple token items - preferably handmade (but a candy, baked cookie or such is okay too).  On Friday the gift should be an item within a $10 range.  The children know how important it is to keep the "secret" part secret, and that choosing participate means they must keep to the number of gifts given (not over, not under).

Duxbury Reef Photos

 The start of our tide pooling.

 The sea was calm today.

Using the field guide to identify animals and plants.

 Lunch on the bluff.

 Exploring a new area after lunch.

 One of very few sea stars we found today.

Chiton.

Field Trip Tomorrow & other NEW News

New in this Blog:

• Appreciation Cards (see homework)
• Class Party info (Dec. 20)
• Secret Santa (begins Dec. 16)
• DON'T FORGET:  Dec. 19 the Kelp Forest and Ocean life Opening, 8:30-10:00 - This is a showcase of learning event for students and families!  In the event you are unable to attend, the Kelp Forest in Strawberry will remain up into January.

Homework:
1.
4th Grade Math: Packet due on Friday (no math class both Wednesday & Thursday due to field trips) 

5th Grade Math:  Problem pages due Friday.

2. Appreciation Cards (Due Weds. Dec. 18):  We began this in class today.  Each student has a set of small cards and a list of students in Strawberry.  Goal:  write one appreciation card for each person on the list.  As discussed with the kids, the appreciations should be as specific as possible.  For example, instead of "Thank you for being in my book club" - strive for a bit of detail such as, "Thank you for helping me with the book club project," or "Thank you for sharing great ideas in book club."  The cards will be delivered on Friday the 20th as part of our "class party."

3. Reading:  20 minutes/night

Field Trip Tomorrow:  We are headed to Duxbury Reef in Bolinas for tide pooling.  Students need: lunch, snack, water bottle, warm jacket, warm hat, shoes that can get wet (regular shoes, rain boots etc. are fine) and a day pack to carry items in.  Students may bring extra shoes etc as they wish.  Depart by 9:00 - Return to TBS by 3:30.

December 20, Class Party Plans:  The Strawberry students are planning a party day for Dec. 20.  On Friday 12/13 we will send a list out of what items students have signed up to bring.  So far we are having a pasta and salad bar lunch (so students do not need to bring lunch), that each student will contribute an item or two.  Some students also plan to bring cookies for decorating.  Again a list will go out with the specific food assignments.

Secret Santa:  Today, the students who chose to participate in Secret Santa (the kids wanted to do this again this year) have selected the name of someone in the class to be a "secret santa" for.  They each have a yellow piece of paper with the name of the student and a list of "favorites" categories to help plan gifts as well as guidelines on the backside.  Please note:  There are 3 gift giving days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday).  The first two days gifts should be simple token items - preferably handmade (but a candy, baked cookie or such is okay too).  On Friday the gift should be an item within a $10 range.  The children know how important it is to keep the "secret" part secret, and that choosing participate means they must keep to the number of gifts given (not over, not under).

Today in Strawberry:  This morning we continued work on our kelp forest, then had our second big trash pick up - this time at Strawberry Creek Park.  The creek runs all the way to our adopted shoreline, so today we helped keep a pile of trash from going to the bay.   Our most scary item was about 1000 or more styrofoam packing peanuts just feet uphill of the creek - ugh!

 Tuesday: designing signs about plastics in the ocean!

 Horn Shark

 Batray

 Sheephead

 Leopard Shark

 Red Octopus

 Sunflower Star and Garibaldi Fish

 Harbor Seal

 

Wolf Eel

 Cleaning Strawberry Creek!

Near the major styrofoam peanut disaster!  Or near disaster, as we got 'em all.