SPRING!

Field Trip
We have a field trip scheduled for Friday May 2nd to go to the farm. We use that trip as a time to look at our science curriculum in action. It is our last driving trip for the year. The farm we go to is called Sauvie Island farms and they work with PSU to deliver some really cool curriculum. We will also make a stop at the St. John’s bridge. It is one of our coolest bridges in Portland but it will not make the cut on our Portland field trip because of its location but the bridge and Cathedral Park are worth exploring. Please let me know if you want to drive.

Math
I am really excited to say that I am taking the constructivist leap this year to set up a Math Worktime. It will allow students to explore math skills of their interest to accomplish goals and solve real problems that are important to them. It will also allow me to teach math to smaller groups of students and spend more time working one on one or in pairs with students. I have been craving time to be able to meet individual needs and is allows me to do so. If you would like to volunteer to help support this effort I could use people Monday through Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30, to volunteer in the classroom. You would help students making their own choices stay on track, come up with new ideas, share tips a tricks of math (when you measure something you have to make sure you start at zero etc.), make copies if they need it or what ever comes up, while I work with small groups. It could be fun if you are math inclined but that is not necessary. Let me know if you would like to come sometime.

The Newspaper
This week we received a letter from our editor, a Mr. Jackson Levy, and he asked us to be the new staff for his brand new newspaper. He included a first assignment which is to interview you guys about things in Portland. This sheet is like a brainstorming sheet so nothing you could answer could be wrong. It just allows us to cast a wider net when we are thinking of Portland ideas. I will post a copy of that assignment and the letter from Jackson on the forms page if you want to look at it.

Invention Center
This class more than any other class has expressed an interest in creating their office space at the newspaper. Please save us you cereal boxes, cracker containers, egg cartons, etc. to have in our invention center. They also want me to tell you they like “strong cardboard”. We could also use some masking tape. We are completely out.

Check out the puppet show post too.