- MINIMUM DAY: Feb. 5
- PTC Meeting: SELS Office: Feb. 12, 2 pm
- Valentine's Day: Buddy Meeting: Feb. 14
- Family Dance: Feb. 14
- NO SCHOOL: Ski-Skate Week: Feb. 17 - Feb. 21
- Community Meeting: PTC Coffee Cart: Worster Crew: Feb. 28
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Celebration of Learning was a festive event! The kindergartners took great pride in touring their families around the room and highlighting evidence of their learning. Bell Crew students read aloud nursery rhymes, explained the “design process,” demonstrated their engineering prowess with ramp challenges, tested their families on the difference between a
growth
mindset and a
fixed
mindset, and "museum walked” through their ABC art gallery. Students had an opportunity to present the draft version of their newly published book, ABC— A Maker’s Alphabet. It was a magical night for all!
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The Telfer Crew had a successful Celebration of Learning. They led family members through a tour of their fall expedition, and now the I Love the Mountains expedition is a wrap! Students have started their new expedition, Sound and Light Engineers. They have been exploring sound through a variety of sound stations, reading books, and even watching a Magic School Bus on how sound is made. Students have answered the question, "how are sound and vibration connected?" and gave answers like "sound is vibration, sound waves can go through things, if you stop the vibration then you stop the sound." The Crew answered the question, "How do we communicate with sound?" They gave answers like, "drums, train whistles, phones, chimes, bells, clapping, and sirens." Telfer Crew started their exploration of light with a trip to the sound lab at the Discovery Museum in Reno. Students will work on the questions, "What happens when you put objects in a beam of light?" and "Do we need light to see?" Telfer Crew will be creating and performing a shadow puppet play at the end of their expedition to tie their learning together. Stay tuned for dates and times!
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The MinBorg Crew impressed parents and teachers alike with their tableau performances at Celebration of Learning. A tableau is a frozen scene from a story, and in this case, it was the story of building the Transcontinental Railroad. From Abraham Lincoln and the Big Four to inanimate objects like the Pacific Railroad Act and the Golden Spike, students represented their tableau characters proudly as they brought the story to life with carefully written scripts. Well done, MinBorg Crew!
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During the month of January, the Welch Crew was busy preparing for Celebration of Learning and wrapping up their fall Expedition but also took some time to start their spring fieldwork. Taking advantage of TART's free ride service here in Truckee, Welch Crew is learning how to navigate public transportation and took the bus to the new California Highway Patrol building for a tour with Sergeant Strecker. Students learned about the many ways their Highway Patrol officers keep all Californians safe on the roadways and how they train for their jobs. Chipper made an appearance with the students, and the crew was able to sit inside the Highway Patrol vehicles. Thank you, California Highway Patrol and Sgt. Strecker for the fun afternoon.
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January found the Akers Crew creating and replicating their very own mining town, Whiskey Flats, right in their classroom. The students recreated what they thought an 1850’s Gold Rush mining town would require such as an assay office, post office, tinsmith shop, local bakery, saloon, pharmacy as well as crafting stations to teach others about what games gold rush kids played, demonstrations of the different mining techniques of the gold rush and how prospectors packed wagons for their journey to the goldfields. It was a great way to close their Gold Rush Expedition. Thank you to all the families that came to visit the town during Celebration of Learning!
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The Brisbin Crew had a fabulous time constructing an old mining camp based on the California Gold Rush for Celebration of Learning. Students hosted the entire school and Sels community for Celebration of Learning and led them through various stations depicting a mining town of the Gold Rush of 1849. Along with designing and building their own mining station, students wrote informational and persuasive pieces to define their knowledge of various mining practices and the people who “mined the miners.” Students also drew technical drawings of different mining types that minors used during that time.
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The Worster Crew celebrated learning during their fall expedition "Legends and Legacies" by holding the Ancient World Summit. Students came dressed in character from one of four ancient civilizations. Students presented arguments that their civilization would have the most impact on modern-day mathematics, philosophy, literature, science, and technology, art and architecture, or politics. In the end, the crew put a tremendous amount of time and effort into crafting and memorizing their speeches and walked away celebrating their own hard work and perseverance.
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The Santos Crew worked hard this month on their adventure games. They took their families along on the adventure of an explorer from the 15th and 16th centuries. As part of their "Who Am I?" expedition they composed a creed in the form of a knights code and practiced calligraphy as a way to present them. Students have also been practicing their leadership skills by leading each other in team-building activities and discussions on current events.
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Snow caves, speed-dating with books, slam-poetry performance prep, and social justice graffiti art occupied their last few weeks! McMains Crew looks forward to raising their voices for social justice Thursday night, January 30th, at Philosophy Restaurant from 6:00 to 7:30. Please join them!
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Please donate to the wonderful fieldwork program you see in this newsletter. This is only possible with your continued support.
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Sierra Expeditionary Learning School
Phone: (530) 582-3701
Fax: (530) 582-3703
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