Dear Tree Swallow Family,

It is Saturday, the 30th of May. The heat of this day brings to mind childhood summers in Nevada. I am sitting in the classroom on this Saturday afternoon in part to escape the heat (my house is near 75) and to prepare for our---get ready for this---last 7 and ½ days together. You need a moment?
Breathe; September is a hop, skip and breakneck sprint away.
Perhaps you thought that teachers countdown to summer like kids count down to Christmas morning or their birthday…. that all teachers salivate at the passing of these final days, anticipating some kind of freedom … Well… not me…
O.k. sometimes, when the alarm is going off even though I am quite sure I just laid my head down because I can barely peel me eyelids open…on that morning, I think “now, how many days till summer?”
Truth is, it seems like it came so quickly. I am going to miss the Tree Swallows. I will miss those bridging Swallows, founding members of this class family that will not be the same with out them. I will miss summering swallows too, even knowing they will return slightly taller and as elders and mentors of new class members. Thank you for a memorable year, friends!

MAY... Already?

Our Wetlands Study begins "sense-sationally Wet and Wild":
Greetings Tree Swallow Families,

     I can hardly believe that there are just three weeks of our school year left.  It truly feels as if just last night I was checking the district website to see if snow had closed us for yet another day.  Here we are... the end of May.

     Well, summer may be beckoning, tempting us with sea-blue skies and frog and cricket lullabies, but we remain immersed and committed to our current project:  Our Local Ecosystem Documentary.  This is a culmination of our exploration of the forest, wetlands and tidal ecosystems/habitats, documenting experience and learning.  The finished product will be used at a place-based educators seminar this summer.  Our documentary will also be available for local classroom use as a resource on local wildlife/phenomena.

     We are so pleased to announce a showing/sharing of the Tree Swallows' ecosystem documentary (yet to be titled) on Wednesday, June 3rd, at 5:20 (give or take).  This is our Learning Celebration (our last of this school yeas (sniff sniff) which runs from 5:00-6:30.  

We hope you will be able to attend this celebratory and informative event.

     

     Whoa!  Wait 'till you hear what we've got coming up for Out and Abouts:

                This Friday we head to a local wetlands, Fernhill.  This is an encore event; our first trip offered so much for us to experience and discover, we knew we would have to go back.  This time we will create eco-houses and the creatures that inhabit them, explore aids to viewing the very small and the very far away life there, and practice patience, kindness and problem-solving

( and enjoy being with each other) through group team-building games.  I know it is little notice, but please let me know if are able to come spend the day with us.

                 Next week, we'll revisit another favorite:  Nana Cardoon, a local organic garden/farm. Our first visit was in the fall, and we learned to press apples, build a compost raised bed and cook bread in a cob oven.  This time, we will visit with our high-school buddies (they also have visited before).  We will harvest herbs, make dough and prepare pizzas (among other activities).  Please let me know if you will be able to come.    You will not regret it, I promise.

                 On June 1, Monday, we head back to the coast.  We will start at the Sea Side Aquarium (tidal "experts" will have one last chance to film) and then we will head to the Seaside beach to play.  Please let us know if you will be able to come with us.  Don't we have the coolest school?

                 

                What's in the works?  We are currently trying to schedule a presentation time for our Merlin Buddies Readers' theater at Jennings McCall.  We hope this can take place on June 8th.   We would like to be able to share out Lorax Musical with the student body of FGCS.  OUr tentative schedule is for next Friday, May 29th.  

               Keep your "owl eyes" and your "deer eyes" open for upcoming news...

Cheers, Rachel