If you are interested in getting involved, or know someone who might be, please let us know. The positions run for two years and will start in September! Email ptc@truckeecharterschool.org to learn more.

The Bell Crew just wrapped up their mini winter expedition on The Strength of a Bear. Students learned about the physical features of a bear and how those features help a bear survive. They even compared the black bear’s teeth (on loan from The American Bear Center in Ely, MN) with those of Hugo, our crew canine!

The kindergartners also studied key text features of non-fiction writing (labels, captions, headings, etc.) and created scientific posters to demonstrate their learning. The McMains Crew (8th grade) participated in a “jigsaw” activity with the kindergartners and helped the younger students present their learning to the rest of the group. Our study ended with a "science talk" (student-led discussion protocol) in which students shared the information they had learned about black bears. They practiced active listening skills such as “I dis/agree….because…”

All in all, the expedition was an exciting deep dive into the characteristics of this large mammal who shares our local mountains and forests— the American Black Bear.

Second-grade students have put their science and engineering skills to the test as they examined the science behind various winter sports through a variety of STEAM activities.

Students made pipe-cleaner and Life Saver models to demonstrate how speed skaters use their center of gravity. Another favorite experiment taught us how bobsledders position their bodies in a bobsled for aerodynamics. Students built bobsled tracks out of toilet paper tubes and sent their Gummy Bear bobsledders down the course in a straw sled. These students are designing and redesigning fun and engaging models in small groups.

This month, in a collaboration with Excellence in Education, the Welch Crew began working with local artist Mary Kenny to help students create beautiful artwork. Each Friday, Mary joins the Welch Crew and teaches a specific art concept with the students. This month our crew studied Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama who is best known for her artwork that uses dots. Students used watercolors to learn wet-on-wet techniques and chalk to add shading to their mushroom illustrations. The Welch Crew is excited to keep adding beautiful artwork to their creative portfolios under Mary's guidance.

The Akers Crew has been immersed in water! We learned that water can be found in three phases. The student wrote an informative paper on the phases of water, then dove into the water cycle and made connections with phases, precipitation, condensation, and evaporation. We conducted several water labs, including creating a water cycle in a bag.

We have been on a narrative writing spree as students complete their writer’s workshop books. They create their own story using a plot diagram graphic organizer, type up their story, engage in peer edits and rewrites, then sew their pages and illustrate the final copy. The highlight is when they share their written story to the crew during author’s chair.

We have enjoyed the beautiful weather and being outside. The kids have fun playing soccer, tag, and building pyramids as a team.

The Brisbin Crew has been digging into their academics in all aspects! We are on a roll, catching up with the time we lost over distance learning; they are definitely in their stride! We have many fieldwork dates in the books, from rock climbing, field studies with different experts learning how water shapes land, and a final multi-day expedition to the east side of the Sierra.

Currently, students are preparing to write a non-fiction narrative that follows a drop of water through the water cycle, resulting in a hard bound book on the four spheres. We welcome spring and the beginning of fieldwork season!

The Santos Crew has been hard at work in all areas of study. We've been unraveling the mystery of DNA by building models of the double helix structure and the viruses that hijack human cells to replicate. We also solved a simulated crime scene by figuring out how genetics inform our blood type, and bred a whole colony of aliens to see how genetics are passed down.

The crew is working on leadership skills by running their own morning meetings. Students had to identify areas we wanted to grow in as a crew, and then design activities that would build the crew up with these intentions. This translates very well to our math work when we work in teams to solve real-world problems. Let's build these skills and grow together!

The month of March found McMains Crew slip-sliding the cross-country ski trails in Tahoe City, led by Nick from SWEP. He delivered educational tidbits along the way about Native Americans, snow science, and fire awareness. It was just the adventure and laughter we needed!

Eighth-grade math class entered the world of 3D geometry, setting individual learning goals and engaging in weekly projects and puzzles, including a Goose Chase and a volume inquiry project, “Does Shape Matter?”

In English/Language Arts, the focus was on poetry and speech-writing. We ran a Poet vs. Poet March Madness bracket, pitting famous poets' pieces against each other, analyzing them for poetic devices, and “wagering” on the outcomes. Ask your child who won the title. Our reading focus was on social justice issues depicted in the books we chose at the library. Students then researched a real demonstration or protest related to that issue and wrote a speech about it.

And finally, our expedition case study, Speak! The Voices of Immigrants, was explored through documentary films on historical immigrant groups’ experiences coming through Angel Island and Ellis Island. Ms. Masur brought her expertise, teaching a rich unit on the Japanese internment, students packed suitcases, researched an immigrant, and demonstrated learning through the development of a poem for two voices, comparing a historical and a current-day immigrant’s experiences with the immigration process, assimilation, and U.S. laws. All of this will enrich our first April fieldwork experience in San Francisco when we explore Japantown, Chinatown, Little Italy, and tour the Angel Island Immigration Station!