Library Fieldtrip with our Buddies

Our library trip was so much fun! We were able to go on our first walking trip with our 5th grade buddies. They were our partners and made sure we were safe on our way there. At the library, we had the opportunity to read so many books. We are looking forward to going back with our new library cards to check out some books. Of course we were starving by then and headed over to the park to eat our lunches and play in the jungle gym. It was so much fun!

 Nuestro viaje a la biblioteca fue tan divertido! El paseo fue mas especial porque podimos ir con nuestros compañeros de quinto grado. Ellos fueron nuestros guias y se aaseguraron de que estubieramos a salvo en nuestro camino. En la biblioteca, tuvimos la oportunidad de leer muchos libros. Estamos con muchas ganas de regresar con nuestras nuevas tarjetas de la biblioteca para sacar muchos libors. Por supuesto, nos moríamos de hambre para entonces y nos dirigimos al parque a comer nuestros almuerzos y jugar en los columpios. Fue tan divertido!

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.

5th Grade Picnic

It is so sad to realize that our last picnic together has passed.

 

I know you all looked forward to our end of the year picnic as a time to chow down and spend with friends. I am truly glad this was one of our traditions every year.

 

 Well, the day sure started out interesting enough...
First, we could not get the fire started because of the wind. So much for ready to light charcoal. And, secondly, once the flames got going they seemed to have a mind of their own. After that, the day was as smooth as butter. You all played one thing or another. We definitely had enough hamburgers to feed an army and quench their thirst. I am really glad you all had so much fun. I hope you keep these fond memories with you forever, because being a kid is one of the best things in life.

I will truly miss you all...

Ripley's Believe It or Not Field Trip

We have been so fortunate this year to be able to participate in so many field trips--even if we did have to use Metro as our form of transportation more often than not. I had never been to Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum in Hollywood before I was therefore a little hesitant about going to "Hollywood", but everything turned out fantastic! This trip is definitely one of my favorite trips, because I saw just how much fun you all were having. I loved that it was so interactive and kid-friendly. I also loved that you were reading all the captions of the exhibits and marveling at the information. There was so much excitement and I had so many of you wanting me to go "see" something or "do" something. I am so glad that one of our last trips together was being together as a class-I'm truly going to miss you all. Now we have the end of the year 5th grade activities to look forward to--let the countdown begin!

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!  

Physical Fitness & Shakey's to Celebrate!

We have been training hard to get our bodies physically ready for the challenges of the CA Fitness Test! Working on our curl-ups, pushups, stretching, and mile run endurance made us realize just how much our bodies can do with training. You guys and gals have been working really hard. My voice was hoarse of all the cheering we had going on for each other. You truly showed true sportsmanship supporting every one in their endeavor. This best part was, that after all your hard work, you were able to celebrate with all your friends at Shakey's.

Westward Movement & Trip to Autry Museum-Update

This past Friday we were fortunate enough to have a teacher from the Autry Museum come to our classroom to do a presentation. You guys and gals had the opportunity to work in teams to figure out which route you took on "your" way west. You had to use the clues provided to make your choice. You also got the opportunity to touch some artifacts that you may have used on your route. You learned quite a bunch that will be useful for our trip this week and it was a lot of fun!

Thanks to the Autry's Museum All Aboard Bus Program we were able to obtain a free bus to go to the Autry. They have some fabulous artifacts that tell the story of the Westward Expansion and California. Remember to use your free family voucher to go as often as you want with your whole family.

Amazing Fieldtrip

Our trip to the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Villa was truly breath-taking. This was my first time at this museum. The trip there was slow due to the horrendous traffic on the west 10 Freeway. It took us over an hour to get there. Once we were on Highway 1, the Santa Monica Beach scenery engulfed us with its shimmering waves and sea-salt air. When we finally arrived, we were at the base of the mountain and had to travel the route up the hill. The stone road, the gardens, trees, and fountains leading to the top left us all in awe. We entered the grand hallway and immediately set out to see as much as possible. The artwork, artifacts, and statues made of marble and other stones were unbelievably beautiful.We saw the magnificence of Zeus, Herkales/Hercules, and a huge lion attacking a horse. We were truly lucky to have the opportunity to observe such artwork. Thanks to the Getty for sponsoring our buses.

Mrs. Garcia

I am so proud!

I was looking through some of our photos from this past school year, and I came across a photo of our last field trip to the California Science Center with our first grade buddies. I was thinking about how good role models you all were to the little ones. They really look up to you. Things may not have turned out like we planned (we were not able to see the 3D film), but we still had an adventure. Every trip we take always ends up having some wonderful memories. I truly enjoyed our trip with Ms. Flores class. Maybe we can still do reading buddies with them as they begin their 2nd grade journey, and as we begin our 5th grade journey.

I still can't believe that you are all now 5th graders. I found another picture where you guys and gals looked so little as 1st graders...boohoohoo...and now look at you all. Some of you are taller than me I think...hmm. I don't know if I like that. J/K

It is getting closer and closer to the 14th (7 more days). I hope you are all ready to be the greatest mighty tigers there ever has been! Don't you fret. I know you guys and gals already are.  See ya soon!

End of the Year Picnic

Today was absolutely so much fun for my students. We have a yearly tradition, at the end of the year, of going to the park to BBQ. They get to bring their blankets, techie gadgets, and PE equipment. They lounge, play in the jungle gym, run around, chit-chat galore, eat, eat, and eat, while the teachers (Ms. Flores and I) slave over their every whim. I can't deny I enjoy watching them have a blast. After all the hustle and bustle of the school year, it is very heart-warming to know they will remember the special moments spent with their friends.