The countdown begins!

Congratulations Maya!  She is currently in New York at Carnegie Hall receiving her Scholastic Nation Art and Writing Gold Medal!

Upcoming Events:
Wednesday June 5: Open note final semester math test
Friday June 7:  Six Flags 8th Grade Night. $30. Leaving school at 10 am arrive back at 1 am Saturday. 
Monday June 10- Wed. June 12: POLs ( click here for POL schedule )
Thursday June 13: 10:30am-noon 8th Grade Promotion at Gazebo in Old Poway Park. (optional luncheon at the Kutyla's immediately following the celebration)
Friday June 14: Last day of school Beach Party at Belmont Park

This Week: I have to admit, it was very difficult to get back into a classroom after taking our learning to the road! Fortunately we were able to come back to the long awaited hovercraft activity!  This week was spent painting and beginning assembly of the hovercrafts.  We will be ready to race them next week.

 We also finished up our math units for both Algebra A and Algebra B.  We will be having an open note final semester test on Wednesday May 5.  This test will help me to place students into an appropriate math course next year in high school.

Next week we will also be prepping for our final POLs.  Students will be presenting artifacts that support habits of mind for Humanities, Math/Science and The Northern California Trip.  We will present to the students and post the POL requirements on Monday.

Day 9

Check back later for photos!

Day 8

Today we went to Pfeiffer Beach and Monterey Bay. We are on our way back to the campsite where some of us will take a hike back to Pfeiffer Falls. I still can't download pictures, so expect for them to come in the next day or so. We are excited to go back home tomorrow!

Student question of the day: List some alternative ocean-friendly seafood that does not harm other wildlife or their habitats.

Day 7

We've packed up and said our goodbyes to Rob Hill. But before we left San Francisco we were going to do one last thing: ride a bike across the Golden Gate Bridge! Some of us walked across and waited at the top of the bridge to congratulate those who made it. The weather was absolutely beautiful and we were able to take in the beauty of the bay. The children had so much fun and everyone felt a sense of accomplishment whether they biked or waked to the end of the bridge! Now we're headed to Big Sur! BE AWARE YOU MAY NOT HEAR FROM YOUR CHILDREN DUE TO LIMITED RECEPTION AT OUR CAMPSITE!

Student question of the day: How long is the Golden Gate Bridge?

*** Students doing work today, I messed up on the packet. Don't do #2 on Day 7. That was a mistake.

Day 6

Day 6 was a long day! We started the day with an audio tour of Alcatraz island. (we took a lot of pictures that we will download later) When we finished we walked around Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf. A few kids decided they were worn out and went back to the campground. Later in the night we all met back at the pier where most of the kids went into Ripley's Believe it or Not! museum. Now we are on our way to Big Sur. PARENTS PLEASE REMEMBER YOU MAY NOT HEAR FROM YOUR CHILDREN FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, CELL RECEPTION IS VERY SPOTTY. 

Student question of the day: How many years was Alcatraz open as a prison?

Day 5

We packed up this morning and set off for San Francisco! We stopped briefly in Fairfield and toured the famous Jelly Belly Factory, where students got an inside look at how the company manufactures these confectionary delights. We got to sample many different flavors afterward and had fun daring one another to try the rotten egg and skunk flavors! We have now pitched our tents in a breathtaking campsite that overlooks the San Francisco coastline and the Golden Gate Bridge. Tomorrow, we will wake up early and sail to Alcatraz for our day tour. We will then take in the sights of one of the world's most famous cities as we walk around some historic places and sample some of the food that has made San Francisco famous. Perhaps the most gratifying experience for us - the teachers - is seeing the students so thrilled by experiences they have never had in places they have never been.

What President enjoyed Jelly Beans and what flavor were they?

Day 4 Water Day

We woke up to a beautiful, warm and sunny day.  A perfect day for playing on the river!  Some of us went river rafting.  The photos speak for themselves!:

 

Some of us hung out on the river, swimming and floating:

Some of us went to the pool:

Some of us explored Sutter's Mill:

 

 

All in all a perfect day.  During class council around the fire tonight we shared the one favorite thing that we did today.  Hardly anybody stopped at just one! 

 

Student question of the day:  What day did James Marshall discover gold?



Day 3 Sacramento

Camping With Millennials

Day 3 was spent in Downtown Sacramento.  Although it was Saturday, we spent the morning in school at the Old Sacrament Schoolhouse. We got a taste of what it was like in the late 1800's as a student.  I have a feeling the kids thought they have it good!

It was fun to watch them as they stood up and bowed or curtsied before answering the teacher.  The rules were very rigid and the student and teacher experience was very different than today.  we also learned a bit of history from a schoolboy or girl's point of view.
 After a stop at Candy Heaven where some students enjoyed chocolate covered crickets, we made our way to the park on the Capitol grounds for lunch.

We enjoyed the beautiful weather and each others' company as we waited
for our Capitol tour to begin



The Assembly

Student Question of the day:  What is the significance of the Assembly room being green and the Senate room being red?

The Senate