Corbett School District» Ms. Handy

Week of May 21st by Susan Handy

Susan Handy — Fri, 25 May 2012 16:50:29 +0000

Bridges, salt dough maps, reading groups, speeches, Battle of the Books, math, and more. We have been just a little busy the past few days! Unbelievably, it will all come to an end next week. This will be my last post this spring, since there is always a bit of pandemonium on the last day of school.

As our students scatter to middle school, CAPS, and new neighborhood schools, I want to thank everyone who has made this school year successful! We have only nine students returning to our class next year and will be welcoming multiple new students in the fall.

Finishing touches need to be added to each student’s presentation about A Great Place to Visit. Everyone has already chosen a special place in Oregon or a spot in another state that was important to the Oregon Trail or to Lewis and Clark. Materials should have already been gathered, notes organized, and prompt cards written. Remember that only words and phrases are recorded on the note cards; no one should write entire sentences. Speeches are meant to be a talk presented to the audience, not a read-aloud. The formal speeches will be given on Wednesday, May 30th. Prior to then, practice, practice, practice!

Our class discovered all ten Mystery Class locations. We correctly identified Rabat, Morocco; Maseru, Lesotho; Vientiane, Laos; Montevideo, Uruguay; Sheffield, United Kingdom; Casey Australia Station, Antarctica; Singapore; Blantyre, Malawi; Palampur, India; and Shaw Island, Washington, USA. Check http://www.learner.org/jnorth/mclass/spring2012/update051112.html#meet for messages, pictures, and videos from the classes.

Thursday was the moment of truth for our seven bridge corporations. Unfortunately, every group discovered that they had ignored one or more of the six specifications for the bridge construction. Modifications were made with varying degrees of success. Take a look at the photos (https://picasaweb.google.com/100193003652266897653/BridgeCompetitionMay242012?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCI6yxezI3daOfw&feat=directlink) to see the structures before they were demolished.

Congratulations to our class champions – The Northwest Bridge Company! Kudos also to the Bridge to Terabithia group for their second place finish. The structures were judged on load-bearing ability, craftsmanship, and economical use of materials.

All of our students have been registered for the Summer Reading program through the Multnomah County Library. Gameboards will be sent home next week. Please encourage daily reading, weekly visits to the library, and participation in some of their many FREE programs. See www.multcolib.org for details.

Please plan to come to school for Portfolio Night, coming up on Wednesday, May 30th. This is a time for you to sit down with your child and view selected work from this year. No need to make an appointment; just drop by between 4 and 8 p.m. Plan to spend about 15-20 minutes in conference with your student. (Fifth grade band students need to report to the band room at 6:00 p.m. for a short performance. You can visit our room either before or after the show.)

Remember that we have two field trips next week. For both trips, participants need to wear comfortable walking shoes and clothes (in layers) to suit the weather. Bring a snack, beverage, and lunch for each trip, unless you have already placed an order with the cafeteria.

We will be walking five miles of the old Columbia Gorge Highway with Mrs. Lilly’s class on Tuesday. Chaperones are Josh McKenney, Sheila Nelsen, Francy Thompson, and Corinna Powers. Please plan to car-pool, as the bus will be loaded. Arrive by 8 a.m. for an 8:15 departure. We will return by 3 p.m.

On Thursday, we will be viewing many of the Portland bridges while on a jet boat tour. Chaperones are Ann Chatterton, Marge Potts, Ruth Edwards, Debbie Docherty, and Annette Calcagno. Please arrive by 10:15 a.m. We will return by 3 p.m.

The district is once again offering some summer enrichment classes. Yours truly is teaching many of them! Choose from Robotics, Japanese, Wacky Water, Basketball, Puzzles, Inventions, Playing with Food, and Marvelous Math. Morning classes are offered from 8:30-11:45. Afternoon classes run from 12:15 to 3:30. See http://corbett.k12.or.us/summer_enrichment/Summer%20Enrichment%20Class%20List.php for descriptions and registration.

Please search under the beds, behind the dressers, and in the closets for any books that don’t belong to you. Return them to school next week. (We are still missing a Bridges book from the county library!!!)

Lastly, please join us for the Ice Cream Social, sponsored by the PTA. You will find us out in the shed about noon on Friday, June 1^st. Come to help scoop or just to eat!

Enjoy a marvelous summer!
Susan Handy

shandy@corbett.k12.or.us

503-261-4235

Dates to Remember:

Monday, May 28th – Memorial Day Holiday – NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, May 29^{th -} Walking Field Trip with Mrs. Lilly’s Class
Wednesday, May 30^th – A Great Place to Visit Speech
Wednesday, May 30^th – Portfolio Night 4-8 p.m.
Thursday, May 31^st – Jet Boat Field Trip
Friday, June 1^st -Last Day of School – 12:30 p.m. dismissal

Week of May 14th by Susan Handy

Susan Handy — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:45:58 +0000

Our classroom has been the center of furious construction activity this week. After many days of learning about bridge types and components, two field trips to observe bridges in the gorge and Portland, and a few hours of reviewing preliminary designs submitted by all individuals, our corporations have finally begun to build their chosen bridges. Piers, arches, and trusses are taking shape. The final structures will be judged next week. Our champion bridges will vie with the winning bridges from the other intermediate classes to earn top honors.

In reading, we began book groups on Monday and Tuesday. Each group has a daily reading assignment, with an accompanying written response. Some people have not been ready to discuss their books at our daily meetings. All groups have weekend assignments, so please check in with your child to be sure that the reading and writing are completed, and books and papers are returned to school on Monday. We plan to finish all books next week on Friday. (Speaking of Friday, remember that next week is a five day school week.)

Students handed in final copies of mystery stories and Oregon Trail stories today. Some folks had not used their class time wisely, so had to turn in unfinished papers, even though daily reminders were given of the due date.

Our final language arts project is a presentation about A Great Place to Visit. Each student has already chosen a special place in Oregon or a spot in another state that was important to the Oregon Trail or to Lewis and Clark. This weekend is the time to gather information from the internet, books, and other sources. Any photos or maps that you have at home would also be helpful. Bring all information to school next week. We will plan the presentations in class, organize notes, and practice speeches. The formal speeches will be given on May 29th and 30th.

Please mark your calendar for Portfolio Night, coming up on Wednesday, May 30th. This is a time for you to come to school, sit down with your child, and view selected work from this year. No need to make an appointment; just drop by between 4 and 8 p.m. Plan to spend about 15-20 minutes in conference with your student.

The district is once again offering some summer enrichment classes. Robotics, Wacky Water, Japanese, Basketball, and more! Check out the exciting opportunities at
http://corbett.k12.or.us/summer_enrichment/Summer%20Enrichment%20Class%20List.php Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait!

HELP NEEDED! We are in need of one or more parents who are willing to mix salt, flour, and water together to prepare dough for making salt maps. It’s a messy job, but someone has to do it! I will furnish recipes and ingredients. The dough must be made at home on Monday afternoon/evening, or Tuesday morning, in order to be delivered to school by 11:00 a.m. Please let me know if you are willing to take on this monumental task. Thanks!

Plan to stop by the school this weekend to visit the Art Show, sponsored by the Corbett Education Foundation. There will be plenty of art, music, food, and even theater classes for kids. Check http://www.corbetteducationfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=10 for details.
Dates to Remember:

Thursday, May 17th – Registration closes for CAPS
Saturday & Sunday, May 19th and 20th – Art Show at the school 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
May 21st-May 25th Five Day School Week
Monday, May 28th Memorial Day Holiday – NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, May 30th Portfolio Night 4-8 p.m.
Friday, June 1st Last Day of School – Half day

Week of May 7th by Susan Handy

Susan Handy — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:29:28 +0000

I hope you have had a chance to enjoy the sunny weather! It makes me even more anxious for summer. As the school year nears its end, we start thinking ahead. Many folks have spoken of their plans for next year. Please let me know, if you haven’t already, if your child will not be attending Corbett in the fall. That will help immensely as we try to juggle class loads.

This week, members of our bridge corporations sketched preliminary drawings of arch, suspension, or beam bridges. Each group chose a design and ordered construction materials. Next week, they will begin building. The bridges will be judged on strength, beauty, and cost efficiency.

In writing, Mrs. Handy’s group should be finished with all revision and editing of the Oregon Trail reenactment story. All those in Ms. Czupryk’s group should be finished with the rough draft of their mystery stories. Please check in with your child to be sure that he/she is up to date, as some students have left papers at home and/or not produced much work during class time. Anyone not caught up needs to finish their tasks this weekend. We will work on final copies next week in class. Final copies of stories must be completed by Thursday, May 17th.

Once again this year, the grade school will have a table at the Corbett Education Foundation art show, selling note cards of students’ gorge pictures. We are in need of young artists and their parents to man the table, talk with interested visitors, and fill orders. If you can work for a couple hours on May 19th or 20th, please let me know.

Dates to Remember:

Wednesday, May 16th – Celebration of Volunteers – Trillium Room 3:40-4:15
Thursday, May 17th – Registration closes for CAPS
Saturday & Sunday, May 19th and 20th – Art Show at the school
May 21st-May 25th Five Day School Week
Monday, May 28th Memorial Day Holiday – NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, May 30th Portfolio Night
Friday, June 1st Last Day of School – Half day

Week of April 30th by Susan Handy

Susan Handy — Thu, 03 May 2012 23:04:12 +0000

We ventured down to Portland this week to investigate several of the bridges which cross the Willamette River. Fortunately, the weather cooperated with us; we endured a few sprinkles but no downpours. The sun even came out when we were up on the hill, enabling us to have a marvelous view of the city and its bridges. Thank you to our chaperones and to those parents who waited patiently for our (rather late) return. Take a look at our pictures at https://picasaweb.google.com/100193003652266897653/PortlandBridgeTourApril302012?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Our tour began in the ODOT office, where we took a look at some of the webcams showing highway scenes from the metro area. We then hopped on MAX for a short ride to the Morrision Bridge. We headed downstairs to peer at the humongous counterweight underneath the bridge, returned to road level to count nearby bridges and identify their components, climbed to the tower and talked with the bridge tender, and then actually laid down on the roadbed while the bridge rose. That was a treat!

Our next stop was the Steel Bridge. We walked across the river on the lower deck, alongside the rail line. We returned on the upper deck, aboard MAX. By that time, the kids were more than ready for lunch. We ate indoors at Union Station, and then made a short loop on the Broadway Bridge, down a staircase, and across the tracks on a pedestrian bridge.

Our bus and faithful driver picked us up at the Station and we meandered up the VA Hospital, where we crossed to OHSU via the suspension bridge. After enjoying the view, we took the tram for the ride back to the waterfront. Our bus met us once again and we loaded up for our return to school. Construction and traffic delayed us a bit, but we arrived by 3:15.

Back in the classroom, groups have been experimenting with various components, in preparation for our bridge building competition. They are experimenting with beams, trusses, piers, and arches made from popsicle sticks. Lots of designs and plans – who will emerge victorious?

At this point in writing, all of the students in Mrs. Handy’s group should be finished with the rough draft of the Oregon Trail story. On Monday, we will continue with revision and editing, so please be sure that the completed rough drafts are at school and ready to be worked on. Ms. Czupryk’s group has been brainstorming and preparing to write original mystery stories. They need to have all of their planning and worksheets completed, and be ready to start on rough drafts on Monday.

Our many faithful volunteers who work in our classroom, chaperone our field trips, prepare our materials, and help with our big events, such as jogathon or art mural, are invited to join us on Wednesday, May 16th, for cake and punch as a thank you for your help this year. Please add your name to the RSVP sheet on the door to the Trillium Room if you plan to attend. Then just drop by the Trillium Room (formerly the g.s. library) between 3:40 and 4:15 p.m. to celebrate our successful collaborative effort for the school year. Thanks a bunch!

If you are interested in the Corbett Arts Program at Springdale, but missed the informational meeting on Tuesday, please drop by to talk to me. You must register on the district website in order to secure a place in CAPS. Registration closes May 17th, so don’t delay! (If there are more students who register than there are spots, there will be a lottery.)

Last call for jogathon pledges. Please send them in now!

Dates to Remember:

Wednesday, May 16th – Celebration of Volunteers – Trillium Room 3:40-4:15
Thursday, May 17th – Registration closes for CAPS
May 21st-May 25th Five Day School Week
Monday, May 28th Memorial Day Holiday – NO SCHOOL
Friday, June 1st Last Day of School – Half day

Week of April 23rd by Susan Handy

Susan Handy — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:39:21 +0000

Time is marching along at a fast and furious pace. It is unbelievable, but there are only a handful of weeks left in the school year. Ms. Czupryk is assuming teaching duties in our room for the next few weeks. I will be assisting and working with individuals and small groups as needed.

We concluded our search for the ten mystery classes somewhere in the world. Though we may be wrong, we think the secret locations are Rabat, Morocco; Maseru, Lesotho; Vientiane, Laos; Montevideo, Uruguay; Sheffield, United Kingdom; Casey Research Station, Antarctica; Singapore; Blantyre, Malawi; Palampur, India; and Shaw Island, Washington, USA. Some groups quickly discovered the identity of their class, while others required extensive research with atlas, books, and computer in order to reach a decision. We’ll find out in two weeks if we are accurate.

In writing, we have split the class into two groups. One group, working with Ms. Czupryk, is developing original individual mystery stories. At this point, those students should have completed the three worksheets in their writing folders and be full of ideas for their stories. The students in the other group are writing papers about their experiences on the Oregon Trail last week. They should have completed the rough draft of their introductory paragraph and at least two paragraphs describing favorite moments of the day. Please check in with your child to see that she/he has reached that point in her/his writing and is ready to move ahead next week. Feel free to talk about the ideas, but don’t help with the actual writing.

Last week, we began our bridge unit. Students are learning about many of the components of bridges, including piers, towers, trusses, roadbeds, arches, cables, and abutments. They should also be able to identify arch bridges, beam bridges, and suspension bridges, as we have seen pictures of many bridges of each kind. We have been amazed at some of the beautiful bridges, both new and old, as well as some of the not so successful bridges, such as the Tacoma Narrows.

On Tuesday, we observed and sketched three of the bridges in the Columbia Gorge. Fortunately, the weather stayed fairly dry and we had a wonderful trip. Thank you to those parents who were able to come along and chaperone. In the afternoon, we watched a video which showed photos of two of those same bridges being built almost a hundred years ago. The highway is a marvelous feat of engineering!

Now we have formed corporations to design and build strong, efficient, gorgeous bridges. Students applied for the job of president, project manager, chief engineer/architect, or general contractor. Groups of four or five began practicing with some of the components today, and will continue next week.

On Monday, we will head down to Portland for a walking tour of many of the bridges across the Willamette River. Students need to wear layers in case of inclement weather and comfortable walking shoes with closed toes. Unless you have already ordered a sack lunch, please send a cold lunch (nothing that needs microwaving!) and beverage with your child. Don’t forget any necessary spoons or forks.

Two students still need to complete and turn in the white release form in order to participate in the trip. Remember, we are being charged $5 per person, so if you can send a donation to cover the cost of your child’s fee, the district would appreciate it. (Chaperones must pay $5 for themselves.) Thank you to those who have already paid. Chaperones, please arrive at school by 8:15, as we will leave at 8:30. We hope to return at 3 p.m.

If you are at all interested in the Corbett Arts Program at Springdale, plan to attend the informational meeting at the MPB at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1st.

Sorry to beg for more money, but please remember to collect pledges for the jogathon and send to school next week. We appreciate it!

Thank you,
Susan Handy

Dates to Remember:

Monday, April 30th Portland Bridges Tour
Tuesday, May 1st CAPS Information Meeting 7 p.m. MPB
Wednesday, May 2nd PTA Meeting 4 p.m. East Commons
May 21st-May 25th Five Day School Week
Monday, May 28th Memorial Day Holiday – NO SCHOOL
Friday, June 1st Last Day of School – Half day

Week of April 16th by Susan Handy

Susan Handy — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:16:30 +0000

Sorry for another late post. With the school year coming to a close, I find myself feeling overwhelmed with work to squeeze in and projects to complete. I think some of the kids are feeling that way too, as several are still behind in math or reading their Battle of the Books books. Please check homework logs this weekend to see what needs to be done. Remember to record reading on the book log and get those completed math lessons back to school on Monday.

We competed in our first Battle of the Books yesterday. Though we put up a valiant effort, we were defeated by Ms. Steichen’s class. Everyone needs to keep reading and learn the exact titles and authors of our twelve books.

Two-thirds of our class worked on the second round of state testing this week. (The others had already passed all of their tests.) Quite a few students met the benchmark this time around in reading, math, or science. Most of the rest showed steady improvement. Anyone who has not yet passed will have one more chance in early May. The best way to prepare for the reading test is to read, read, read and then talk about the text with someone. Completing daily lessons, participating in class, and staying caught up will improve scores on the math test. Concentrating, working carefully and thoughtfully, and putting forth your best effort definitely helps!

We had our last visit from the ECO ladies this week. Our students planted native plants in the rain on Thursday. The weather made for easy digging, but we all returned to the classroom a bit on the dirty side. Removing our muddy shoes and boots saved the carpet, but did not improve the air quality in our room. Be sure to check out the improved habitat above the j.v. baseball field at the south end of campus.

Thank you to the parents who volunteered at the jogathon on Tuesday, and to everyone who made pledges. Please collect the promised money and turn it in to school this next week. All proceeds help the PTA fund school projects, such as the Gorge mural in the hall and ukuleles for the music program.

We have some field trips coming up very soon. Many students have not yet turned in permission slips, even though a second one was sent home on Wednesday. Anyone without a completed form turned in on Tuesday will not participate in our first trip and will remain at school.

Tuesday, April 24th, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Trip to view bridges on the Historic Columbia River Highway (Chaperones please arrive by 8:15 a.m.)

Chaperones-Ruth Edwards, Cary Foertsch, Rebecca Gandy, Francy Thompson, Corinna Powers, Seth Tucker

Monday, April 30th, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walking tour of Portland bridges (Chaperones please arrive by 8:15 a.m.)

Chaperones-Ann Chatteron, Ruth Edwards, Sheila Nelsen, Kristi Tucker, Debbie Docherty

Lastly, for any of you interested in our new arts focused program beginning next fall at the Springdale School, please mark your calendar for a May 1st meeting at 7 p.m. at the MPB. Residents will learn more about the Corbett Arts Program at Springdale (CAPS). The lottery for interested families will open on May 1st and close on May 17th.

Dates to Remember:

Tuesday, April 24th Bridges in the Gorge Field Trip
Monday, April 30th Portland Bridges Tour
Tuesday, May 1st CAPS Information Meeting 7 p.m. MPB
Wednesday, May 2nd PTA Meeting 4 p.m. East Commons
May 21st-May 25th Five Day School Week
Monday, May 28th Memorial Day Holiday – NO SCHOOL
Friday, June 1st Last Day of School – Half day

Week of April 9th by Susan Handy

Susan Handy — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:43:37 +0000

Sorry for this week’s post being so late. I was a bit tired on Thursday evening, after traveling thousands of miles on the Oregon Trail that day. Thank you once again to everyone who took part in making the experience so successful!

As you know, the Oregon Trail reenactment was the culminating activity for our Westward Expansion unit. All five of our intermediate classes participated. Please follow the link below for pictures of the action.

Wagon groups were formed of five or six students each. Each group mixed up bread dough on Wednesday morning. Thank you, Erika, for organizing, instructing, leading, and baking! In the afternoon, groups stitched a cover for their wagon and loaded up with some food.

Our class set off from Independence at 12:30 on Thursday afternoon. Almost immediately, each group had to rope their wagon in order to negotiate Windlass Hill. Some groups were more successful than others! Though several wagons met with mishaps, fortunately there were no injuries reported.

At the bottom of the hill, groups enjoyed a respite at Ash Hollow, and were allowed to wash up and refresh themselves. Back on the trail again, groups met some Mormons, who warned them of cholera ahead. Sure enough, our pioneers had to stop and assist in grave digging for some unfortunate emigrants.

More travelers on the trail urged our groups to turn back, due to the difficulties ahead. Our intrepid travelers persevered, and were rewarded for their efforts, as many of them discovered gold!

The hardships were not over. Due to storms and a bridge washing out, the wagons had to ford the North Platte River. Everyone waded the river; luckily with no loss of life.

Another hill faced our hardy pioneers. Once reaching the top, they each recorded their initials on Independence Rock, to prove that they made it that far and to encourage those traveling behind.

Next came the opportunity to add to their supply of food. The woods were teeming with wild animals. Quite a few folks successfully hunted. Some reported that the stew made from their fresh game was delicious.

Many of our pioneers offered spare food to the poor souls that they next encountered on the trail. These folks, by the name of Donner, were starving and planned to take a shortcut to California. Other folks at Fort Hall also tried to convince our parties of the merits of California, but our valiant groups continued on the trail to Oregon.

In the Blue Mountains, our travelers learned of the abundant forest resources and then were offered water and encouragement at the Whitman Mission.

All groups traveled the Barlow Road around Mt. Hood, rather than facing the dangerous rapids of the Columbia River. Most of the pioneers paid a toll to Sam Barlow, but a few were either very persuasive or very pathetic, and passed the tollgate without charge.

Upon arriving in Oregon City, groups were met by a Native American, who shared insights into this wonderful new land. Pioneers then joined a quilting bee, made apple cider, dipped candles, and churned butter to spread on their own freshly baked bread. Then they enjoyed playing marbles, Jacob’s ladder, jacks, and assorted other games. Music and dance completed the experience.

https://picasaweb.google.com/100193003652266897653/OregonTrailApril11122012?authuser=0&feat=directlink

In other news, we will begin our second round of state testing on Monday, April 16th, for those who have not yet met the benchmark in reading, math, or science. Testing begins at 7:55 a.m., so please be on time each day.

Our class participated in the state spelling contest. Jakob Carman was our class winner. He correctly spelled 19 out of 25 extremely difficult words. Congratulations!

On Wednesday, the ladies from the ECO project will visit us once again. We will head outside to the hunting grounds to continue working to improve the native habitat. Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather. Boots are always a good idea!

On Thursday, our class will battle against Ms. Steichen’s class in the first Battle of the Books. Please quiz your child on details of the books he/she has read. Confirm each title and author, as well.

Lastly, remember that our jogathon is on Tuesday, April 17th. We can still use some volunteers to help out. Please report to the gym for duty at 9 a.m. Everyone remember pledge sheets.

Week of April 2nd by Susan Handy

Susan Handy — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:35:55 +0000

I hope that you enjoyed your spring break. My family had a super trip back to Pennsylvania and New York. We visited eight colleges, enjoyed some good weather as well as some snowflakes, and retraced a couple of days of our 2007 bike route. My son has not yet decided on a particular college, but he has gathered lots of information on which to base his decision.

Our class finally finished our Oregon Trail simulation. Sadly, only fifteen of our 31 pioneers survived long enough to reach the Willamette Valley. Three emigrants died of cholera, one during a river crossing, ten pioneers starved to death, and two fell overboard and drowned in the rapids of the Columbia River. It was definitely a perilous journey!

We trust that our reenactment of the Oregon Trail next week will be a bit safer! Thank you to all the folks who have already sent in needed supplies. Remember, wagons and scrap two-by-fours need to be at school today; the rest of the materials can be sent next week.

If you volunteered to help out on the trail, please report to school at noon on Thursday, April 12^th. We have many jobs to be done! Please also remember that sack lunches are needed on Thursday next week and all students should remain at school until 3:35.

PLEASE SEND CANNED FOOD NEXT WEEK IF YOU CAN! We will load up the wagons and later deliver the food to the needy.

The intermediate classes are preparing for the Battle of the Books. Twelve books have been assigned. Students read as many of the texts as they can, and prepare to answer questions. Each student needs to understand what was read and know the title and author. Spoken books on CD are available at the county library for many of the books and are a great idea for those who might have a hard time reading one of the books. We will have weekly battles between classes, culminating in the final battle on May 24^th.

Please notice that the date for our jog-a-thon has changed. We could still use a few more helpers on Tuesday, April 17^th, from 9-9:30. Sponsor sheets were sent home earlier this week. Proceeds will be used for school wide art and music projects. See the letter for further information.

Dates to Remember:

Tuesday, April 10^th – Funky Monkey Program – arrive in classroom at 6:15 p.m.
Thursday, April 12^th – Oregon Trail Extravaganza Volunteers needed!
Tuesday, April 17^th – Jogathon 9-9:30 a.m. Volunteers needed!
Wednesday, May 2^nd – PTA Meeting 4 p.m. East Commons

Week of March 12th by Susan Handy

Susan Handy — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:46:17 +0000

Is anyone ready for spring? We hadn’t caught up from our last two snow days when we were hit with another one! Even though I like the snow, I am definitely ready for sunshine, flowers, and produce from the garden.

Tragedies continue to strike our wagon trains. Several more pioneers have died, this time due to starvation. If only they had hunted for food while they had the chance! Our simulation will finish up next week. Who will survive????

As a culminating activity of our Oregon Trail unit, the intermediate classes will recreate the westward movement on our school campus. We will need lots of volunteers and supplies to make this happen. Please read, complete, and return the Oregon Extravaganza paper that went home today and save the date (April 12^th) on your calendar.

Basically, each class will be divided into wagon groups. We will rely on loans of little red wagons or even green garden wagons. The day before we hit the trail, groups will stitch their wagon covers and fill the wagons with canned food for the trip. (If everyone can send two or three cans, we should have enough to use as weight in the wagons and then donate to the food pantry.)

Wagons leave Independence and make their way around the trail, dealing with many situations along the way. We will also have several stations before departure or after arrival in Oregon City. If you want to see the action, volunteer for duty on April 12^th!

I quite enjoyed reading the final stories last weekend. Many of the students related stories told by their parents. Others created their own unique tales. Keep up the good work!

If you haven’t yet seen your child’s progress report, please ask him/her for it. They were sent home on Wednesday.

Next week, I will not send out a post, as I shall be heading east on Wednesday with my husband and #2 son to take a look at several schools. We will be stopping at six colleges and universities in Pennsylvania and New York. Those are only a few of the dozens on his list! Ms. Czupryk will be teaching in my absence and Mrs. Amy Lewis will be my substitute.

May you all enjoy a wonderful break!

Dates to Remember:

March 23-March 31 – Spring Break
Tuesday, April 10^th – Jogathon 9-9:30 a.m. Volunteers needed!
Tuesday, April 10^th – Funky Monkey Program – arrive at 6:15 p.m.
Thursday, April 12^th – Oregon Trail Extravaganza Volunteers needed!
Wednesday, May 2^nd – PTA Meeting 4 p.m. East Commons

by Susan Handy

Susan Handy — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 01:15:31 +0000

Even with two days off unexpectedly last week, we have managed to get quite a bit of work done lately. Students have begun reading historical fiction books about the westward movement, and many have also chosen informational books as well. We are gathering facts about daily life on the trail, hardships, and landmarks.

Our simulation of the Oregon Trail continues. After traveling for about two months, some wagon trains ran short of food. They had to choose between buying supplies at Fort Laramie for exorbitant prices, attempting a hunting trip, and starving. The tension mounted as we headed into the Rocky Mountains. Each group then met a sickly man, who exposed them all to cholera. Two wagon groups emerged unscathed, but others succumbed to the sickness, and four of our pioneers died. The Shoshone Indians arrived next. Fortunately, none of our wagon trains reacted violently, so they were all able to continue peacefully, even though some groups had to bribe the Indians for safe passage. Others traded for food and are in slightly better shape. What will happen next?

Final copies of stories were due today. (They were actually due last week, but the deadline was extended because of the snow days.) Most students completed the task with time to spare, but others had to hand in unfinished papers or nothing at all, because of ineffective use of class time and choosing not to complete each stage as homework when needed. Since an extra week was allowed, I am not accepting late papers.

Several students continue to struggle with completing reading, writing, cursive, and/or math assignments on time. Any assignment not finished at school needs to be completed as homework. Students are reminded at the end of each period to record homework on their logs, and again reminded to take materials home when we pack up at the end of the day. Ms. Czupryk and I do not check everyone’s pack – we expect students to follow directions and be responsible.

The State of Oregon is sponsoring a reading contest for all students in grades K-5. To enter, they need to read three books from the recommended reading list. The list and further details can be found at http://www.ost.state.or.us/read/. Deadline is March 30, 2012. Fifty winners will receive a $500 Oregon College Savings Plan. It is never too early to start saving for college!

Don’t forget to change your clocks this weekend!

Dates to Remember:

Wednesday, March 15th – Progress Reports
March 23-March 31 – Spring Break
Tuesday, April 10^th – Jogathon 9-9:30 a.m. Volunteers needed!
Tuesday, April 10^th – Funky Monkey Program – arrive at 6:15 p.m.
Wednesday, May 2^nd – PTA Meeting 4 p.m. East Commons