Conference Sign Up information coming home today with the students in the Pick a Party Packet!

Reminder:
Friday, October 25, Mission Dolores Field Trip:  This is a BART and walking trip to the Mission.

California Map:  Some students are bringing home their California Map to finish the last details of labeling, drawing a compass rose, and including the border lines around the state.  This link has the information they need.

Fort Ross Historical Questions:  A student or two needed the historical questions again.  These are all of the questions they have worked on so far.

Today in Strawberry: Choice time included carpentry projects.  Thank you to all who donated scrap wood.  The kids love it!

Strawberry Student Council

Home Assignments:

1. 

5th Grade Math: Packet

4th Grade Math: 10/16 Packet - Due dates are on each page. Students will check each page in class on its due date.  The page due Friday is a problem solving page that can be worked on any night.

2. Fort Ross Historical Questions:  Yesterday some students needed to finish this at home.  It is due tomorrow (and most are done).

3.   Reading (20 min. every night)– Students may read their assigned Book Group books.

Friday, October 25, Mission Dolores Field Trip:  This is a BART and walking trip to the Mission.

Today in Strawberry:  We held our student council vote today after classmates explained their reasons for wanting to be a nominee.  We will share the result of the vote tomorrow.  We decided to share the job between one 4th grader and one 5th grader.  They will alternate attending the meetings.

Book Groups Began Today

Home Assignments:

1. 

5th Grade Math: Packet

4th Grade Math: 10/16 Packet - Due dates are on each page. Students will check each page in class on its due date.  The page due Friday is a problem solving page that can be worked on any night.

2.  Journal Writing:  Some students are bringing home their Fort Ross journal to finish the latest journal assignment from today.  This link has information used in class today to write plan and write the recent entry.

3.   Reading (20 min. every night)– Students may read their assigned Book Group books.

Permission slip REMINDER:  Mission Dolores, 10/25 & Fort Ross, 11/11-12

Today in Strawberry:  We worked in our Fort Ross Journals today.  This morning the students sketched elephant seals in the journal.  Elephant seals make their way into our read aloud, Island of the Blue Dolphins and were harvested during the 1800s for their oil.  The students also wrote about their journey to Colony Ross.  Many ship wrecks and bear encounters add a bit of excitement to their fictional accounts.

Book Groups:  Book group assignments were made today based on student choices.  Each group consists of 3-4 classmates.  Together they decide on reading goals for their books, and are encouraged to bring the book home to read for homework reading time to keep up on their goals.  In class we will discuss the book, and the students will track their understanding with reading guides.  The groups meet at least once a week.  Students may bring the same book to class digitally if they wish (headphones if listening to).  We are asking students to refrain from reading ahead in order to facilitate discussions about particular aspects of the book.  

Home Assignments:

1. 

5th Grade Math: Skills packet and homework packet due Wednesday

4th Grade Math: Option 1 (based on work in class), Option 2 (for students not ready for Option 1, they chose a work in progress form their file), Option 3 (the challenge math page - does not need to be completed in one night).

2.  Science:  Create a Fish project. Some students are not finished.  It will be due next week.  Students use the fish adaptation charts, along with their planning chart to draw an invented fish in its habitat.  Please color or use shading to finish your drawing.  Be ready to share about your fish.

3.   Reading (every night)– Read for at least 20 minutes each night.  

Permission slips sent out:  Mission Dolores, 10/25 & Fort Ross, 11/11-12

Today in Strawberry:  Students had a chance to preview books for our upcoming book groups.  We also began sewing our parcel bags for Fort Ross.

Fort Ross Costumes & Shorebird Trip

Costumes for Fort Ross:  Yesterday the students were given time to plan costume ideas for their Fort Ross costume.  In class we will soon be making fur hats and babushkas (scarves), but the remainder of the costume needs to be assembled at home.  Each student has a packet of information about costume ideas.  You can see similar information and some photos at the Fort Ross website:  http://www.fortrossstatepark.org/costumes.htm
This is a good time to go to thrift stores before the last minute Halloween rush kicks in.
We will show more costume ideas to the kids and continue to help them plan.  The costume needed by November 6 for the dress rehearsal and character presentations.

Home Assignments:

1. 

5th Grade Math: Skills packet and homework packet due Wednesday

4th Grade Math: Place value packet, due Wednesday

2.  Science:  Create a Fish project.  Due Wednesday.  Students use the fish adaptation charts, along with their planning chart to draw an invented fish in its habitat.  Please color or use shading to finish your drawing.  Be ready to share about your fish.

3.   Reading (every night)– Read for at least 20 minutes each night.  

New Permission Slips coming home today:  Mission Dolores, 10/25 & Fort Ross, 11/11-12

Today in Strawberry: We walked down to the marina for our orientation to beach clean-up protocol and education class at the Shorebird Natural Science Center.  

 Our day of garbage began on our walk.

 A passing train.

 From the bridge above Aquatic Park - where we learned in our class was once known as Berkeley Beach, when it was a beach.  The freeway and landfill dump ended the beach days.

 Berkeley pedestrian bridge over I-80.

 A day of waving at cars, trains and trucks - lots of folks gave a toot and honk in return.

Classroom session at the Shorebird Natural Science Center. 

 Redtail hawk pursuing a squirrel hiding in a bush.  We watched for several minutes as the hawk sought ways to get to the squirrel.

 Our rocky shoreline clean-up spot.

 Sorting and recording the trash.

 Hairbrushes, wrappers, socks, toothbrushes too.

Playing after lunch.

The kids were terrific and were reluctant to end the clean-up.  We took a bus back to TBS from the Berkeley pier.