Friday May 22nd, 2009
WELCOME TO GRADE 6 /7
The 2008-09 school year for 5th and 6th Grade was one of exploration around and beyond our local community. We traveled to the Redwoods of the Northern California Coast in early October. On the way to the redwoods, we explored the world of the Oregon Caves National Monument. While there, we took a jetboat excursion on the Lower Klamath River, from the mouth at the Pacific Ocean to about 25 miles upstream through a roadless area of ranching and redwood forests. We also visited the Yurok village at Patrick’s Point State Park. We learned about redwood trees, as well as visited a Native American exhibit of artifacts from around the United States at a local museum.
In front of a Californina Redwood
For our spring field trip, we went to the State Capitol Building, touring through the legislative galleries, climbed the more than 100 stairs to the feet of the gold-covered man. While in the Salem area, we went to the Oregon Garden where we had wetland classes. We learned that the city of Silverton recyles its water through a pond system at the Oregon Garden. We also learned plant adaptations and examined aquatic organisms, including tadpoles of bullfrogs. We capped our Spring Field trip by sleeping with the sharks at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Along with viewing sharks, mantas, salmon and other fish during bedtime, we had a scavenger hunt for different species throughout the many aquariums. The students attended a night class at 9 p.m. and reviewed the concept of plankton organisms. I was told our Sage students were the best behaved that our aquarium guides have ever had.
Spending the night at the Oregon Coast Aquarium
The Fifth & Sixth Grade also participated in a college-connection program with OIT once again this year. We toured the auto mechanics school, including metal works and structural testing area.
We look forward to next year, 2009-20010, when we will visit an observatory west of Bend, Oregon, the Warms Springs Native American Museum and, if all goes as planned, a wood-burning electrical energy-producing plant on the Warm Springs Reservation. Our class will also focus on solar-powered go-carts, and will be assisted by OIT in the construction of them.