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Part of Team NG
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A Sunrise with the Nature Growers
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A sunrise- It peaks through bouldering mountains, lights up the wild seas, and makes a tiny droplet of morning mist the star of the show on a carefully woven spider web. The beams of light peak through the cumulus family of white clouds, shining its orange, yellows, and golds to waken the tulips and poppies on a piece of land called Spanish Flat somewhere along the California Lost Coast. I trekked through 52 miles of undeveloped coast, crossing knee high streams, inching my way through black sand pebble beaches only to get our dinner stolen by an unidentified four pawed creature. We missed our chance to go through the marked path blocked off to us by the high tide,I had one thought constantly running through my head: How much I longed to share this with my Nature Growers, by the end of my adventure over spring break I had come to the realization that this class was my sunrise.
Over the course of the school year I have had the opportunity to spend countless hours with these small humans. Through his Origami creations, Benjamin has taught me how to challenge myself and take risks. Why build a paper crane when you can make a water strider, right? Mia’s creativity in Maker Space has inspired me to reduce my environmental footprint. Lana’s contagious energy has encouraged me to be soft and accepting. Zara has a way with words and a commitment to justice that has allowed me to stand up for what I believe in while keeping in consideration that other people may have different views. Zach’s inclusion and acceptance of everyone with Dog Patrol encourages me to share my ideas with a variety of audiences. Tillie’s athleticism and drive inspires me to be persistent and dedicated in my own passions. Sophia’s originality encourages me to be myself without hesitation. Lucas’ willingness to take a leadership role has allowed me to be open to helping others around me by helping students complete projects. Sadie’s flexibility has taught me to keep my options open. Katelyn’s curiosity and ability to find multiple answers and solutions has reminded me that there is more than one way to reach the end of the trail. Jaiden, she gives me a snuggly hug every day allowing me to be grateful. Finally, Maiya, reminds me of a giraffe…not because it’s our solutionary project, but because it is the land animal with the biggest heart. She and the rest of the class light up my world.
Witnessing the strength, love, passion, justice, and dedication to persevere has brightened my life. We started off subtracting numbers now we are reducing fractions. From learning the different components of a sentence to writing a fictional story inspired by their imagination. These people have strengthened my passion for teaching and given me the chance to love and be loved. The journey has had its challenges, but the tide has gone back down allowing progress to be made.
The Nature Grower classroom has brought light into my heart. They are my drop of water on a spider’s quilt. Their hugs, smiles, and tears are my golds, yellows, and oranges. Every student represents a bloom, their creations a pebble on my sandy beaches. My sunrise is filled with treasures, lessons, and growth. My experience with this class has made me a kinder person and for that I am eternally grateful.
With Gratitude,
Leticia
COMMUNICATION STREAMS
Yvette Fenton, Lead Teacher, Nature Growers
Leticia Barahona, Co-Teacher, Nature Growers
Lena Garcia, Head of Education – Teacher Mentor
Trish Valdez, School Business Manager
Monica Evangelist, Board President
Facebook (private group), Community Forum
Shutterfly Info Site: photos, contact information, announcements
OFFICIAL CALENDAR: subscribe and never miss an event
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- Father’s Day Hug, Fri 9 June @ drop off. Dads and Dad energy givers! Take an extra few minutes to hug your sprout this day. We’ll have light refreshments and festivity.
- Portfolio Shares, Sat 10 Jun.Thank you for signing up. We are looking forward to sharing with you.There is childcare! Contact your teacher with any questions.
- Friendship Books. Remember gathering signatures in your yearbook? This year, TKG is offering photobooks for students to sign books, make connections and add to our end of year traditions! All students will receive one and a $10 donation is requested to cover the cost of the books and printing. Make your donation now. Thank you to Nichole Cortese and Cynthia LaCharite for their leadership and support.
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PTs This Week
- TUE:Kang, Assadi, Lee
- WED: Cater, Dokmanovich
- THR: Williams, Ceci, Minor, Rossfeld
- FRI: Beadle, Wilkoff, Sclafani, Wardwell, Lee, Williams, LaCour
- Riviera Nails Fundraiser, 7 Jun all day. Get your summer color and support TKG. That’s shiny.
- TKG Tours. Continuing this week! Thanks for helping us welcome our extended community.
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- TKG Shop. We finally have t-shirts!!! Beginning next week, we’ll have official TKG t-shirts available for $10 each. Pre-order yours now -(beta mode) sizes range from childrens XS to adult XL.
- Passion Party Fundraiser, Sun 11 Jun, 2-4. Tickets are still available to this cool crafty afternoon. Contact Lacey by Thursday Jun 8th.
- Summer Meet Ups. Are you available to “host” a TKG gathering this summer? It can be as simple as a park meet up or an excursion out somewhere! Send Trish your date and general plan and she’ll coordinate with you to make it available to the community. Rock climbing night? Pool party? Popsicles at the park? Yes!
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| TKG Focus: ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. They are Nature Growers, after all! Here’s a quick tipsheet on tracking this Summer. See you on the trails! Do you know what else tracking is good for? A deeper connection to nature, awareness of your surroundings (develops your “street smarts” and intuition)…studies show that people who connect with nature are bound to protect it. |
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How to Track Animals: A Primer on Identifying Footprints
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Brett & Kate McKay/TAoM
The other day while hiking some muddy trails with my family, my son pointed to a set of tracks and asked me what animal had made them. “That’s easy,” I said, “those are the tracks of a whitetail deer.” “What about those?” he asked, pointing to another set of footprints. “Those are, um, hmmm, well, I’m not sure what they are,” I confessed. I realized I needed to brush up on my knowledge of animal tracks.
Learning how to track and identify the footprints of animals is an ancient and largely forgotten art — one that’s not only important for hunters, but also enhances any outdoorsman’s experience in the wild. It’s fascinating to know what creatures are sharing the woods with you, and trying to track them down by following their trail is a lot of fun. Learning how to read tracks allows you to pick up on the little dramas enacted by wildlife that usually go unnoticed by the human eye. It’s thus a skill that both deepens your understanding of nature and heightens your all-important powers of observation. |
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