End of the Year for 5th Grade

Our final week together was so much fun! There were so many activities planned out for all of you. The fifth grade teachers really strove to make these last days for you as memorable as possible. The first on the list was Corona Del Mar. It is a beautiful beach in Newport Beach with amazing tide pools. There was even a cave. We were able to see crabs scurrying about, clams glued to rocks, different porous rock formations and steep cliffs. Being so close to the harbor allowed us to be spectators of amazing boats sailing by. You definitely had an amazing time in the cool waters. All the slashing and running through the sands created much laughter in the air. I am so happy you all had so much fun!

Corona Del Mar   

Shakey's Pizza

Shakey's Pizza is always a favorite. There was so much food and you all had so much fun hanging out with each other.

Teachers vs. Students--Kickball Game

You all gave the teachers a run for their money. The game was so close, but the teachers made a miracle run at the end and won the game. I am very proud of the good sportsmanship you all showed. The game was exciting and it brought all of us together.

                         28 to 26
                                     What a match!
Movie Day
Movie day was full of movies, nachos, and hot dogs. The only part I did not like was that I had to spend the day packing. :(

Culmination
Culmination was a very special day for me. After so many years together, you were all ready to culminate. I could not be prouder of you all and all the progress and learning that took place. Not only did we learn so much, you made friendships that will last a lifetime. As you head on out on your next journey, I wish you all the absolute best! Remember that as you all become great professionals, it is important to give back to your communities. Above you, don't forget to invite me to your graduation...I will be there!

Fun Friday-Autograph Day--Last Day of School
Fun Friday needs no explanation. It was a day filled with fun activities.


Knott's Berry Farm

This was a very memorable field trip. You were all so excited to be there. I know for many of you it was the first time in an amusement park, and I am so glad I got to share that experience with you. We were able to get on so many rides, take lots of pictures, and eat lots of food. It will definitely always be ne of my favorite trips.

Radio Disney was in the House!

We were definitely privileged to have Radio Disney at our school for a very special assembly--"Healthy Happens Here!" There was dancing, singing, moving, and games. It just goes to show that getting your groove on can be fun and healthy!

This summer is an excellent opportunity to continue the good habits of keeping active. Enjoy a ride bike, go swimming, take a dance class, go walking, skateboarding, play a sport, or anything else you can think of. Let us know everything you do this summer on the Kid Blog. It will be a great way to stay connected with your friends.

Reaching for the Stars Million Word Campaign

It is so rewarding to have so many students qualify as top readers. I know we only select one student as TOP reader to receive the medal, but I want you to KNOW that you are all TOP readers. Some of you love books so much that you stay in to read, read after school, and tell me about what you are reading for fun! As you know, I LOVE reading. It has been my vehicle to higher education, adventures, mysteries, knowledge, romance, and so much more. Books were truly my "bestest" friends growing up. There is nowhere you can't travel or things you can't learn when you immerse yourself in a good book.

As you go on your way to new and marvelous things, remember to take a book along with you.. 

-Dr. Seuss

Science Fair Fun!

We have been doing so many science investigations, experiments, exploring, and LEARNING! As you already know, I LOVE Science! Science is an area where questions rule. The best part is that once you have one answer, you may have compiled many more. It is a subject that can be approached from many roads, that can also lead you to many other roads. There is so much exploring, learning, and and doing. I love that it is so hands-on. Some of the topics we have been able to learn about are Space, The Body Systems, Atoms/Periodic Table, Mixtures & Solutions, Air/Wind, and much more. The amount of science this year was so much, but at the same time I wish we had more time to do even more. This year, we decided to have a Science Fair as a culmination and as part of our Open House. Most of you did an extraordinary job with your experiments as well as with the presentation of that information. I hope that by having so many examples of great work, you were able to get ideas for future projects. Once again, congratulations on your hard work!

International Day Extravaganza!

Our last International Day performance finally arrived, and I could not be prouder of all of YOU! It was unbelievable. I am sure your parents loved it. There is so much you have accomplished this year and this was a great way to celebrate. Representing a bit of American cultural, reminded me of the beauty of our diversity and the unlimited ideas we all have to offer. Always give it your all, strive for your personal success, and reach for the stars...

Balloon Skewer

This investigation has been one of my favorites due to all the learning and the excitement/nerves of popping balloons. I know you all had so much fun as evidenced through your laughter and eagerness in your voices. It is great to see that even though we think one thing, through learning we can change our minds about understandings we have and revise them as we learn and experience new things.

Learning is Power--Power is Learning

Our college journey begins...

We were very fortunate to be able to visit some of our own awesome and prestigious universities located right in our neck of the woods. The buildings are beautiful. The amount of clubs you can be part of are endless. The amount of activities available to you are countless. Not to mention the experience of attending college period! There was so much that was shared by our tour guides. The one thing I remember most from all three, is that college is for YOU and you can one day be there if you never give up and strive to do your best. I know you can all make that happen.

What I find so amazing is that there are so many colleges and universities to choose from--you do not need to pick one of these, but you can. Your options are limitless. I know I say this sooooo much, "Doing your best provides you with so many options." I want you to have lots of options. I want you all to achieve your dreams and to never settle for less. In order for that to happen, you must continue to work hard, get help when needed, and learn about what you love. I plan to attend many college graduations. By the way, remember to always give back to your communities and schools.  

To Infinity and Beyond!

I loved this trip! I loved everything about it. Not only was it very informative, educational, fun... it was "so hands on" just to quote my brilliant Jocelyn.

 Captain F. Garcia

The Columbia Memorial Space Center is truly one of my newest and favorite kid places. Just like you, I had never been there, and you never truly can assess a place from the internet site alone. Therefore, as soon as I entered, I felt like a kid in a candy shop. In this case, a teacher/learner in learning heaven. There were so many things to do, see, explore, and learn from. I hope you have the opportunity to go again with your family members.

Here is a recap of our fabulous trip!

Placita Olvera Trip

What a trip!
Once upon a time...room 18 decided that we would go downtown to Olvera Street to immerse ourselves in the scenery, music, food, and overall atmosphere. Being the mighty 5th graders that we are, we decided that it would be a walking trip. According to Google Maps, the distance is 1.4 miles one way. Were we crazy?! That is a total of 2.8 miles round trip, and that does not include the walking we did there.

Walking there was not bad at all. The downhill route made it smooth and easy. Of course our excitement added to the ease. Once there, we were fortunate enough to visit the oldest church in the City of Angels and the Chinese American Museum. The Chinese American Museum had many beautiful artifacts and interesting information on the early life of Chinese immigrants and their contributions to the City of Angels.

From there, we were all quite famished, and it was time to chow down on our (or mine) favorite taquitos de guacamole. Yum! Yum! After munching down on our food, it was time to head on out to do some shopping. The confetti eggs were truly a big hit with many of you! It was now time to head on over to the main plaza to watch the Aztec dancers do their traditional dances. I enjoyed the musician on the panpipes. It is very soothing music.

After a little more shopping of sugar (Icee's and ice cream), it was time to head on back. Whoa! Now the trip back was not as smooth or easy as the way there.  Some of you were complaining, but most of you were true troopers and made it back. I do not know about you, but my feet were killing me later that day.

I had lots of fun and am looking forward to our trip to California State University later this week. Let the walking begin!  

Water Planet

I love this unit! There are so many things to learn, lots of academic language, and many investigations. Here is a list of some tasks we have done so far and I will continue to update as we go along:

1. Sorting & classifying the planets by their composition

2. Putting the planets in order (inner-terrestrial planets & outer--gas giants)

3. Planet experts-reading informational text, making a learning poster & presenting to the class

4. Planet Foldable--placing the planets in order and writing important facts about each one

5. Gravity & Isaac Newton-Took a look at one of Newton's laws of motion---objects travel in a straight line and at constant speed UNTIL something exerts gravity (push/pull) on it

6. Pendulum & Galileo Galilei--learned about his solar system observations with the telescope and how reaffirmed Copernicus' observations that the Sun is the center of our solar system and that earth (and the other planets) orbits the sun.

Remember to review your notes often so that they become permanent in your schema. :)

It was great to SUM-UP our learning with a trip to the CA Science Center to see the Shuttle Endeavour up close. I was speechless and in awe at its size and exterior. It was great minds working together that were able to accomplish such feats.

Hard work, patience, perseverance, and imagination can lead you anywhere.