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“Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.”
― Socrates
We have a Parent Meeting next week, February 9th at 10am. Looking forward to re-connecting!
Who are we? Our sprouts are learners who take perspectives, experience empathy and prove time and time again that they can think divergently, or, flexibly.
At our recent field trip to the Star Eco Station, teachers noticed that students took on the perspective of animals and people involved in the relationship to the animals. Perspective taking has surfaced in all of us in different forms throughout the year. We started September with a lens on self-identity and we will continue to challenge our students to step back to examine the big picture of ‘Who am I? Who are we? Where are we?’
We are going to look at South Park through a new lens: Who uses this park? Each time we have visited South Park we experience and notice more details; a new tree, are they the same dogs, less bees…
By slowing down and noticing we wonder
* Does being in a familiar place help you see more?
* How can we be in the familiar and still be inspired to know more?
* How do others (people, animals, trees, etc) use this place? How can we connect with them?
Our Sprouts have initiated studies – and practice critical thinking – in various areas recently…(please share your ideas on how to expand and deepen your sprout’s experience):
- Science: outer space, planes…Sprouts have been thinking about what space really looks like. How each planet is different in size, location and temperature. Why is the planet pluto not a planet anymore? And in making their own outer space universe.
- Math: building of all sorts: cars, boats, a city…Sprouts have been thinking about what makes a city, and how each part is interconnected in order to have a functioning city. How each person in the city plays a different role in the community, and how that role has specific duties and attributes. Students have built: A hospital, barn, airport, skate park, car park, movie theater, restaurant, church/tower, post office, and homes, ramps, highways & bridges.
- Reading/Writing: 100th day celebrations (100th day of school)…Sprouts have been counting with the classroom caterpillar each day of school. Wednesday will be our 100th day of school!
- Environmental Studies: keeping animals safe, protecting the environment…After visiting the Star Eco Station, many gardeners were thinking about how to protect animals. They discussed how smuggling, pollution, and “bad people” harm animals and nature.
- Art: clay, clay, clay and various forms of Batik/Thangka/Tranh lụa
Overheard in Space:
“Comets are rocks that float in space.”
“I’m going to draw a guy in space.”
“You need to draw a helmet on him or he will die.”
“His face will explode!”
“There are a bunch of stars on the moon that’s why you cant see the half. I saw a movie of it. When it’s a whole moon it is just a mess of stars.”
“The sun is a bigger version of star.”
“Pluto is the smallest planet in outer space.”
“Well actually did you know that pluto is not even a planet any more? really it’s not.”
“Oh yeah. But how does a planet not become a planet anymore?”
“I don’t know, I guess it’s a star now?”
“The sun is really hot, so if the planets are close they’re burning lava hot.
This little one that’s so far way, its made of ice. I mean it really is Ice.”
“I’m making a rainbow planet. It’s a feelings planet, everybody needs the feelings planets.”
“I’m making my own planet, it’s as big as Jupiter and has real aliens.”
“You know there is no oxygen in outer space. You can’t even breathe up there, that’s why astronauts have to wear helmets.”
Overheard in the City:
“I’m going to make an airport. That way if people need to go somewhere than can just come here and I’ll fly them.”
“Pretend I’m the mailman, and I have to delivery these packages.”
“This is going to be the hospital. Where’s the ambulance? We need the ambulance so it can bring the hurt people to the hospital.”
“I’m actually going to be the Judge. The judge is the Boss.”
“Well if you’re the boss then you know, you have to help people. Because a Boss is someone who helps people that don’t know what they are doing.”
“I’m a police officer, but the kind that goes on the freeway to make sure everyone is going the right speed and if someone is going too fast I’m going to give them a ticket.”
“Oh no! There is a fire in the school!”
“Hurry, Hurry we need water!”
“Wooooooooohh wooooh ooooh! Firetruck coming through. Make way people! Firetruck emergency on the way!”
In Reading and Writing:
Students have been thinking about ways to celebrate 100 days of learning. Some ideas our friends have shared:
-Inviting Family to visit
-Bringing food: Sandwiches, muffins, cupcakes, raspberries, cake, cuties
-Bringing balloons & party decorations.
-Selling books we’ve made
-Making presents for family & friends
-Having a pillow fight
Overheard on our Field Trip:
“We need to clean the ocean, and stop bad people from dirtying the ocean. We also need to stop the bad guys from tossing little things to make animals sick.”
“It makes me sad that the smugglers try stuff birds in a tube to hide them, because then the poor little birds will get hurt.”
“Remember the guide said that a mailman called the animal protection because he heard a noise in his truck, and he looked through all the boxes, and he found a box with lots of baby crocodiles. Poor crocodiles they had to be all squished and stuff.”
“We need to do hard work and keep the water animals safe and even the ground animals safe. We need to work as a team.”
“Some smugglers kill the animals and then they like make stuff with the animals. Like they can make a coat or like a crocodile purse. I would NOT want a crocodile purse!”
Overheard in Math Project:
There was a new math game introduced called “Rolling to 100.” Gardeners practiced summing up both dice and moving their dice forward or backwards depending on where they landed. Students helped one another and were excited for one another when someone reached the 100th square.
“I love math, this is so much fun.”
“That’s five, because 3 plus 2 is 5. I already know that.”
“I’m so excited, (begins dancing) look this is my happy dance (begins laughing)!
“You have to start from where your elephant is, and then you start counting from the next square.”
Your feedback and questions are encouraged:
CLASSROOM/CURRICULUM/PARK DAY – Michelle Goldbach-Johnson
CLASSROOM – Yvette Fenton/310-383-1624
CURRICULUM – Lena Garcia Kaufman
SCHOOL BUSINESS – Trish Valdez
Please CHECK out Our Flickr Stream! |
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Tending the Garden
Park Day – Back to South Park next week! Please check in with Michelle if you have any questions and pack light.
Monthly Parent Meeting – We have plans to meet on Saturday February 9th at 10am. We will meet at TKG unless otherwise announced.
Documentary/Filming – Abrahm and the camera will be around this week. Please contact Trish if you have any questions.
Parent Info Night #3 is on February 21st. Please tell a friend!
February Field Trip is scheduled for Friday Feb 15. Please contact Renee with any questions. |
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The 5 Guiding Principals at TKG
- CONSTRUCTIVISM, as teachers and parents, we provide the trellis on which students will expand their existing knowledge
- WHOLE CHILD, cognitive, physical and social/emotional are inseparable
- BRAIN FUNCTION & DEVELOPMENT, students are sensory learners, we will honor each student’s unique developmental map
- CAPACITY BUILDING, supporting the development of creative thinkers who are encouraged to solve problems
- CO-OPERATIVE LEARNING, small groups, low ratios, mixed ages and generations
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Parent/Teacher Corner
Teaching Focus – How to talk To Your Child About Space:
If planets were recipe ingredients…
Peppercorn: Mercury (the smallest planet…closest to the sun)
Cherry tomatoes: Venus and Earth
Blueberry: Mars
Watermelon: Jupiter (the biggest planet in the system)
Large grapefruit: Saturn (second biggest planet)
Apple: Uranus
Orange: Neptune
Make up a mnemonics to remember the order of the planets: “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos” (the order is MVEMJSUN)
Teacher Focus – Awaken Your Inner Child: Do you remember how wonderfully carefree you were as a child? Children are typically honest, innocent, and sources of steady outpourings of love. They are naturally curious and ask questions; they’re mystified by objects and experiences we have long since chosen to take for granted. I certainly miss that outlook on life and every once in a while, letting a childlike mentality take control is exactly the springboard I need to help me feel refreshed. READ MORE…
For your Toolbox – Intervene without Blame or Shame: Children only act harshly toward other children when they are overtaken by emotional tension. When children feel connected and secure, and are being treated with respect and warmth, they feel safe, feel seen, and can think, learn and act generously toward other children. READ MORE… |
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PT SCHEDULE, WEEK OF FEB 4…
Monday – TS
Tuesday – RD
Wednesday – TV
Thursday – LS/ME
Friday – BW
Please contact Trish if you have any concerns about this week’s schedule.
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The Seeds (Core Standards)
We are creating intention around these standards:
MATH
Number and Operations in Base Ten
K.NBT Work with numbers 11–19 to gain foundations for place value.
1. Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into ten ones and some further ones, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record each composition or decomposition by a drawing or equation (e.g., 18= 10 + 8); understand that these numbers are composed of ten ones and one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, or nine.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of concepts time (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening, today,yesterday, tomorrow, week, year) and tools that measure time (e.g., clock, calendar). (CAStandard MG 1.2)
1. Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to.
Work with addition and subtraction equations.
7. Understand the meaning of the equal sign, and determine if equations involving addition and
subtraction are true or false. For example, which of the following equations are true and which are
false? 6 = 6, 7 = 8 – 1, 5 + 2 = 2 + 5, 4 + 1 = 5 + 2.
READING
Grade 1, 2. Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
Grade 2, 2. Identify the main topic of a multi paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.
Kinder, 3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words both in isolation and in text.
a. Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sound for each consonant.
WRITING
Grade 2 Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
Grade 1: b. Use end punctuation for sentences.
SPEAKING AND LISTENING STANDARDS
CCLS Grade 1 4.a Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or a phrase.
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
a. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).
ARTS: Music
Listen to, Analyze, and Describe Music
1.2 Identify and describe basic elements in music (e.g., high/low, fast/slow, loud/soft, beat).
Derive Meaning
4.1 Create movements that correspond to specific music.
SCIENCE
Earth Sciences
3. Weather can be observed, measured, and described. As a basis for understanding this concept: a. Students know how to use simple tools (e.g., thermometer, wind vane) to measure weather conditions and record changes from day to day and across the seasons. b. Students know that the weather changes from day to day but that trends in temperature or of rain (or snow) tend to be predictable during a season.
c. Students know the sun warms the land, air, and water.
Physical Sciences
1. Materials come in different forms (states), including solids, liquids, and gases. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know solids, liquids, and gases have different properties.
b. Students know the properties of substances can change when the substances are mixed, cooled, or heated.
HISTORY
Grade 1: 4.Describe how location, weather, and physical environment affect the way people live, including the effects on their food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and recreation |
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WORKSHOP AROUND TOWN:
“What About Me? Listening Time for Parents Heals Old Hurts”
SUNDAY FEB 10 1-5 pm Suggested Love Donation $50 pp. Contact: Kathy Gordon, mkgstar@sbcglobal.net, 310-338-0875 |
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From the TKG Office:
- Parent Information Nights: Please invite your friends to our next General Info Night on February 21st. Registration is available, here. We will be touring an interested family on Friday and a potential teacher on Tuesday.
- Saturday ClassTime/Change!, Mark your calendars for March 16th (no longer on the 9th), 9 to noon. We will welcome prospective students to a classroom day.
- Tuition, is past due!
- February Board Meeting, scheduled for Monday February 11th at 7pm. Guests are welcome between 7 and 8.
Thank you Families! Admin Questions, please email t.valdez@knowinggarden.org.
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“People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.”
― George Bernard Shaw
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Resource Of The Week
Teachers Embrace ‘Deep Learning,’ Translating Lessons Into Practical Skills
PBS Newshour
“Now a different approach to teaching that’s catching on in some schools.
It’s less focused on testing, per se, and more on making sure that students are picking up skills they can apply in the real world.
Special correspondent John Tulenko from our colleagues at the Learning Matters team has the story…WATCH NOW |
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