Welcome to Strawberry Creek, 2014-15

Our first blog post of the new school year!

Meet & Greet Potluck  
Cerrito and Strawberry Families come together on Sunday, August 24, 12pm at picnic site #1 in Codornices Park in Berkeley for a social potluck.  Please bring a dish to share.

Black bear with a pink salmon in Alaska.

Summer Post

Welcome to Summer

This was truly a wonderful year in Strawberry World.  The kids were amazing, coming together as a class, bridging new friendships across "grade" lines and being delightful members of a community of learners and thinkers.  A sentiment at our end of year reflection focused on how the Strawberry 5th grade brought some of the culture and know how of their experience in 4th as Strawberry, but the whole group made this year what it was.  Special.  Thank you!

This will be the blog post that hangs on for a while as the last post over the summer, until our new Strawberry takes shape.  

Your child has many writing documents that were printed and added to their binder/portfolio.  This year, being the Fort Ross year, meant the writer's book was less used than usual due to the Fort Ross journal, as well as the many electronic documents students had in progress too.  The latter documents can be located at, "strawberryfiles@gmail.com" with the password of, "berkeley45".  

Iris in Senegal:  The program Iris is part of will be posting at this blog.

Last Day of School

Iris in Senegal:  The program Iris is part of will be posting at this blog.

Today in Strawberry:  We began with our annual end of year relays at the park for Cerritoberry.  Events included running, basketball, long division, hopscotch, jump rope, slide and monkey bar challenges.  We wrapped up with a group reflection about our year together as Cerritoberry.  

Our end of year assembly included a classroom share by Sweet Briar, honoring faculty moving on, and learning about the Middle School service programs.  The conclusion was led by the middle school band as the event turned into a dance party.  Photos below.  

Back in the classroom we enjoyed games, movie and lunch together, ending the day with a final reflection.

Middle school service learning.

Dance party!

Have a wonderful summer!

Spelling Bee today - Shared Lunch Tomorrow!

Tomorrow:  Shared lunch in classroom.  Students who signed up to contribute should be sure to bring in the items.  Other activities: End of the year Cerritoberry Relay, last math class, assembly and in the classroom the students selected a movie to watch along with playing games and reflecting on the year.  

Iris in Senegal:  The program Iris is part of will be posting at this blog.
Response from the office of Governor, Jerry Brown to our letters.

Packing today:  Please expect a bag of student work coming home.  Highlights to keep mind of:  Science Journal, Binder/portfolio, writer's book and more.

Spelling Bee:  Cerrito and Strawberry students participated in an optional spelling bee today.  

Words were selected at random from our list of tricky words, such as, decorate, referring, genuine etc.

As the competition went on the words became more challenging.

Spelling it out!

The final word from the National Spelling Bee list:  "cappuccino"

Congratulating the spelling bee winner.  Every participant received a prize too.

Bags packed and ready to go.

Plans for Friday - Iris in Senegal

Friday Plans:  The students are interested in preparing a pasta and salad lunch on Friday as a class - each student bringing in a part to contribute.  We will also make the Eat Smart lunch available as well to students who have purchased lunch.  The sign up list for items kids plan to bring was emailed today.

Iris in Senegal:  The program Iris is part of will be posting at this blog.

Thursday:  On Thursday the students will be bringing home their "stuff."  They will use their personal tote bag they printed a design on to carry everything in, so no need to send in bags.  

Spelling Bee:  Also on Thursday is the Cerritoberry Spelling Bee.  Students will have the option to participate.  Word lists were sent home today, but we did not get much time to discuss it.  Tomorrow we will go over the plans for the bee.  Everyone is encouraged to participate, but it is not required. 

News of the day:  Response from the office of Governor, Jerry Brown to our letters.

Engineering Olympics!

Today was Iris's last day with us this school year, as she heads to Africa to teach students in Senegal for a special program (she will return in the Fall).  Go Iris!

Homework:  No assignments other than reading.

Reading (20 min): Book club books need to be finished this week.

This week:  Our last week of school will be a combination of finishing projects and enjoying each other's company.  We will plan our Friday together in the coming days.  If your child has a summer birthday and decides to celebrate with us, please be in touch.

Engineering Olympics:  Today we had our final Engineering Olympics event - the golf ball challenge followed by an awards ceremony.  Each group in "medal" categories explained their success with the 3 events.  Everyone received a gold medal!

Gold medals were given to categories:  Solar Ovens: hottest fastest, highest temperature reached (90º Celcius, which is about 193º Fahrenheit), and heat retention.  Catapults: median distance.  Golf Ball Retriever: Fastest retrieval average.

Each medal placing group explained their reasons for success.

All that panning for gold paid off for Iris!

The medal ceremony.

Proud Olympians.

Engineering Olympics, Water-thon & Gold Country

Building the catapult.

Cupcake catapult?

Ready, aim . . .

Fire!

Coloma - Gold Country

A canon from Fort Ross!

Reviewing the story of Nancy Gooch and Pearly Monroe.

Pearly Monroe's Blacksmith's shop.

Learning about blacksmith work.

Gold Rush scavenger hunt.  The clues led to:

The inside of the mining museum,

the top of a rock (grinding mortars),

gold mining machines to sketch,

and a miner's cabin among other places.

Stage coach stories: Black Bart and One-Eyed Charlie

Crossing the American River.

Gold panning lesson.

Gold panning.

If the gold was in the river, so were the kids!

Patience and diligence.

Gina found gold.

Car trip back to TBS.

Waterthon

Assembly Presentation

The walk with our buddies!

Delicious lemonade at the ECC.

Park time.

Sack races.

Capture the flag.

Basketball.

Time with friends.