Lake Anza tomorrow, and a visit by Ivan Kuskov of Colony Ross!

Announcements: 
Field Trip to Lake Anza tomorrow!  We will depart by chartered bus around 9:45am, and return to TBS by 2:15pm for dismissal.
Be sure to bring the following:

• Snack
• Lunch
• Water bottle
• Swimsuit
• Towel
• Sunscreen
• Sun hat
• Shoes or sandals that wrap around the heel (we will run around on a field, and some kids may go on a short hike)
• Change of clothes (as needed)
• Bag or day pack to carry everything in.

Specialist class schedule:  Next week we begin specialist classes.

Fort Ross: We began talking about Fort Ross today in class.  It will likely become a conversation at home too.  The trip is Nov. 11-12, and includes much preparation.  A number of folks have already offered to be chaperones.  While we will discuss the trip at Back to School Night on September 19, please let us know if you are interested in being a chaperone before then.  See the summer letter for more details about the responsibilities of chaperones.  At Back to School Night, we will briefly discuss the responsibilities, explain the job/role playing groups, answer any questions about the trip, and hope to fill any last chaperone spots open.  That is also when chaperones will also inform us of their interest in job/role playing groups.  One note, adults are not assigned to the same group as their child.

Home Assignments:

1. Math - 5th grade math (please see the side link to the Cerrito Creek blog)
    4th Grade:  No homework.

2. Summer Artifact - Please find an artifact (item) at home that represents something you did over the summer.  You will have an opportunity to share with the class about the item, so be sure to practice what you would like to say.  The artifacts will stay on display in the classroom over the next two weeks as we take turns sharing. Bring it in by Friday.

3. Reading (every night)– Read for at least 20 minutes each night.  More information on how to track the books you are reading at home, and assignments will be sent out in the coming days. 

Reminders 
Early Dismissal tomorrow, 2:15pm
Peanut/tree nut allergy:  A student in Strawberry Creek is highly allergic to peanuts and tree nuts.  A note will be sent out with more details soon.  Please help us by either not sending nut/peanut products, or to be sure your child knows if they have nut products in their lunch or snack.  Thank you for your help with this.

Our music teacher, Owen, visited today to introduce the kids to himself and some of what will happen in music this year.

 Iris led us in a game we called, "People to People."  Students mingled about and found different partners to connect elbow to elbow, or shoulder to shoulder, and tell each other the answer a question about themselves.

 Collecting ideas for our class agreements.  Students traveled in small groups to write their thoughts in response to questions, such as, "How do we care for our environment?"

The sudden appearance of Ivan Kuskov from Fort Ross was a startling event today as he entered the classroom through our closet time portal.  He spoke in a brisk tone and introduced the kids in Strawberry to the November 11-12 trip and pre-work for our experience.  Ivan explained a bit about the jobs the kids can apply for: Hunters, Militia, Artisans, Cooks & Gardeners.  Next week the students will apply for the positions formally.

Ivan Kuskov explaining a few of the artifacts related to Fort Ross, including a cannon ball.

Reminders 

Peanut/tree nut allergy:  A student in Strawberry Creek is highly allergic to peanuts and tree nuts.  A note will be sent out with more details soon.  Please help us by either not sending nut/peanut products, or to be sure your child knows if they have nut products in their lunch or snack.  Thank you for your help with this.

Friday Field Trip: The Lake Anza, field trip permission. 

Home Assignments:

1. Math - 5th grade math (please see the side link to the Cerrito Creek blog)
4th Grade Math: What is one?  Bring in an item tomorrow that represents "one," & Fuel Filling Figures worksheet.

2. Summer Artifact - Please find an artifact (item) at home that represents something you did over the summer.  You will have an opportunity to share with the class about the item, so be sure to practice what you would like to say.  The artifacts will stay on display in the classroom over the next two weeks as we take turns sharing. Bring it in by Friday.

3. Reading (every night)– Read for at least 20 minutes each night.  More information on how to track the books you are reading at home, and assignments will be sent out in the coming days. 

 Number Talk during 4th grade math.

 Students expressed different ways to show "36"

 The warm wind blows for . . .

 Working with partners Strawberry students used a world map and introductory knowledge of latitude and longitude to solve coordinate problems.

One problem required use of a globe.  What do you notice about 180º East of the Prime Meridian and 180º West of the Prime Meridian?

 Hopes & Dreams:  After a discussion about what qualifies as a hope as opposed to a dream, the students planned hopes for the coming year about family, friends, school, and their personal life.  There was agreement that a hope was something you could possibly achieve, and a dream might not be possible, but is exciting to think about.  The next step was to create a "hopes cube."  Each side of the cube sharing a symbol about a hope for the year.

1st Day of School!

We had a terrific first day in Strawberry Creek.  Please see photos below.

Friday Field Trip: The Lake Anza, field trip permission form was sent home today. 

Peanut/tree nut allergy:  A student in Strawberry Creek is highly allergic to peanuts and tree nuts.  A note will be sent out with more details soon.  Please help us by either not sending nut/peanut products, or to be sure your child knows if they have nut products in their lunch or snack.  Thank you for your help with this.

Home Assignments:

1. Summer Artifact - Please find an artifact (item) at home that represents something you did over the summer.  You will have an opportunity to share with the class about the item, so be sure to practice what you would like to say.  The artifacts will stay on display in the classroom over the next two weeks as we take turns sharing. 

2. Reading (every night)– Read for at least 20 minutes each night.  More information on how to track the books you are reading at home, and assignments will be sent out in the coming days. 

Room Hunt!

 One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.

 Personalizing cubby name cards.

 Reading.  Students were introduced the library routines and chose books for the day.

Collaborative writing:  We wrote fictitious letters about our "summer."  

Then read the letters aloud.

 Classroom discovery:  Exploring maps, materials and puzzles.

See you tomorrow!

Summer Welcome Letter & supply list

Here is a link to our summer letter that you should have received a week ago in the mail.  Please don't miss the section about Fort Ross!

Classroom Supply List  (same as the one in the letter)

The school will be providing most classroom supplies, but please bring the items below to the classroom by the first day of school, clearly labeled with student’s name in permanent marker.  Label anything else that comes to school, like lunch boxes and jackets, too!

• One 2-inch 3-ring binder with zipper closure.  The Mead one is very sturdy. If you bought one last year that is still in good shape, please reuse it. They range from $8 to 20 dollars. The zipper is important so papers do not fall out.

• A roomy backpack that the zipper binder will fit within.

• 1 red and 1 blue folder that come 3-hole punched and snap into the binder. These will help your binder stay organized.  These colors are important for homework tracking.

• Pencil box:  The students have storage cubbies/baskets in the classroom, but pencils and such can slip out easily.  

• Recommended: Sturdy mechanical pencil with 0.07mm leads.  We have refill leads in the classroom.

• Optional: personal supply of pencils, pens, erasers etc. to store in pencil box.

Welcome to Strawberry Creek

Welcome to the Strawberry Creek Blog!  

Until school begins we will only add items to the blog if it seems necessary, but once the school year begins the blog is updated each day before 5:00 pm.  If you subscribe (see the subscribe link) you will receive email notices at about 5:00 pm when the blog has been updated, however, you may check the blog earlier than that.  Often we have homework posted and most other information up by 4:00 pm.

First class Event!
Sunday, August 25, 12-2pm - Strawberry and Cerrito Creek Meet and Greet potluck!  Please see the "Help Strawberry" link to sign up to bring items to the potluck.  We hope to see you there.

Classroom Library Help, (week of August 26-30):  Moving classrooms has meant dealing with a jumble of stuff in boxes, including our entire class library.  If you would like to help us organize the classroom library, please be in touch (jgrether@theberkeleyschool.org).  I should know by Friday (8/23) what days next week we will be ready to shelve the books and we can make a plan.

Friday, August 30, 12:30-2pm - Open house for parents and students to drop by the classroom, meet the teachers, and drop off supplies. Come see the new location for Strawberry Creek classroom.

 Exploring the Mt. Whitney zone.  Mt. Langley in the background - a close competitor to Whitney.

Mount Whitney, CA as seen from the top of Mt. Langley - Mt. Whitney is claimed to the be highest peak in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet.  Lots of rock, not many trees.