What a great trip to Golden Gardens we had this week! Thanks to all the parents who joined us to transport and keep kids safe. We saw living examples of many sea creatures we studied earlier in the week. It gave us a taste of the amazing diversity in the ocean. We strengthened our community, with lower elementary, upper elementary, and kindergartners mingling in a relaxed atmosphere.
 
In other areas, children had lessons on adverbs, prepositions, fractions, and measuring perimeter. They discussed literature circle books and chose new ones. Some discussed theme while others debated the morality of the characters (is it ever okay to steal? How about if you're a fox? How about if your family will starve if you don't?) and others discussed figurative language.
 
Next week, the children will prepare food for a dinner at Mary’s Place and sixth graders present their Island Projects Friday, June 2 at 6:00. We recommend bringing your children to experience this upper elementary final project in which they create an entire civilization.
 
Ben, Mary, and Ali

​This week, as the children continued working hard on their projects, they also began seeding plants for a food bank farm. Together, the elementary classes have seeded nearly 9,000 plants. They will finish next week. Lessons continued on fractions, measuring circumference and perimeter, story problems, long multiplication, and long division, among other things. Everyone is working to finish their literature circle books so we can discuss them next week. (Those who are also reading books for Turquesa just started new ones for that group.)