We are off to a wonderful start in kindergarten!

It has been a delight to get to know this new group of SELS students. Our crew is starting to take shape as a thoughtful and interested group of young learners.

Expedition News:

Title: Building Community

Guiding Questions:

  • How do we build community?
  • How do we contribute to community?

Case Study #1: Building Our Community

Learning Targets:

  • I can describe the behaviors of a good crew member.
  • I can identify and explain the SIERRA norms.

We are knee-deep in our first Case Study, Building Our Community. We have been exploring the idea of “crew” and what it means to work together and trust each other. On our adventure hike in Martis Valley last week, the kindergartners maneuvered a creek crossing and a blindfold partner walk to foster collaboration and trust. A wonderful day was had by all! Many thanks to our parent drivers: Sarah Biebl, Katie Hickey, Gideon Jostrand, Susan Krick, Jill Penwarden, Caren Schatz, Sara Somervell, Justin Stevens, Mike Trombetta and Loren McCormac…as well as several others who joined us for the adventure (Kathryn Smith, Stephanie Scapini…and who am I forgetting?!). Your enthusiasm and support were gifts to us all!

The focus of these next two weeks is to identify and emulate traits of a good crew member. We have been reading countless fictional stories about friends and searching for text-based  “evidence” of good crew member behavior. It is exciting to witness these youngsters build opinions about characters in the stories and begin to substantiate their beliefs and share them with their crew. This search for fictional crew members will involve a close look at the characters in well-loved nursery rhymes. Be sure to dust off your nursery rhyme collections at home (or run to the library!) and start reading them with your children. You might be hard-pressed to find evidence of “good crew-member behavior” in those old favorites…but we will be investigating!

Case Study #2: On the Job!

Learning Targets:

  • I can compare and contrast the use of tools.
  • I can use the design process to build a project.
  • I can explain the importance of teamwork.

This construction-oriented case study will begin in early October…Stay tuned for exciting changes and developments in the Bell Crew. Parents, please email me if you are tool-savvy and would like to volunteer as an expert at the workbench during Explore Time in October (2:15-3:00pm).

Crew Information:

  • Book orders:  Due Sept. 29th. Please order online if possible. (coming home in Red Folders today)
  • Red Folders: Please return them to school on Friday.
  • Please continue to remind your children about proper hand-washing/cough-covering. Thank you!

Upcoming Dates:

  • 9/29: Book Orders due
  • 10/5: Teacher Work Day–no school for students!
  • 10/9: Family Dance (PTC event)
  • 10/11: Family Photo Shoot (PTC event)
  • 10/22: Fieldwork– Hardware store/Reno
  • 11/12: Fieldwork– Architect’s office/Construction site
  • 12/3: tentative Building Day!