Science Homework in 4th-8th Class

There are some difficult questions on our science homework! The answers are contained in the handouts, but some of the words didnt' seem to fit well.

Here are the answers to some of the tricky ones:

6. Recharge
9. Sublimination
10. Hydrologic

Good luck! Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Luncheon

Our Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon will be November 24th at 11:15!

Be sure to bring your item to class by 9AM on the 24th, so we can enjoy a full meal of turkey, potatoes, and the fixin's!

Questions? Please call Shawnna or Dana M!

Christmas Vacation Schedule

Christmas Vacation--

Last day of class for this year will be December 15th. We will celebrate with a Christmas Luncheon, and dismiss are regular time.

Classes will resume January 5th, 2009.

School on Columbus Day

Yes! There are classes today on Columbus Day.
Hope to see you there!

4H & Extension Services Presentation

4H & Extension Services Presentation
October 27th 1:00PM
It will be about 20 minutes and we encourage you to make time to be there. They will review programs available to us! Please attend. Child care will be provided for those few minutes for you to attend.

Come listen to a few minutes that might give

you and our child years of enrichment.

Homework for Sept 22nd, 2008

Due to copier issues at school--there were not many hand outs. The following things were assigned in class:

History & Science for 4th-12th grade--Life Cycle of a tree--review what they drew and be familiar with it. Worksheets from this past week will be passed out in class this coming week.

Sign Language for 4th-12th grade--Learn the following signs:
1. Like
2. What
3. Why
4. Have
5. Where
6. Animal
7. Name
8. My
9. Is
10. Live
11. I
12. Your

Along with that are 6 sentences to learn:

1. Hi, my name is __________.
2. What is your name?
3. Where do you live?
4. Do you like _________?
5. Do you have animals?
6. I have _______________.

Creative Writing Homework:

Use the graphic organzier we created in class to organize your idea on the the topic: "If I Could Have Any Superpower in the World, I Would Have...." When you have planned out your ideas, write an essay on the subject in a five paragraph format like we practiced in class. DUE Monday Sept 29th.

If you have specific questions--please feel free to e-mail us with the links to the left, or contact us by phone. Thanks!

Homework for Sept 15th, 2008

History & Science 4th-12th grades--
History--Handouts in class on Civil War review-- 2 worksheets with crossword puzzles were assigned, time given in class, some students completed both in class, many still had one handout on Frederick Douglass to complete.
Science--Handout on Forestry--1 page with 5 "thoughts" on Forestry to complete (time given in class to complete) and a fun word scramble on Forest Neighborhoods that was passed out at the end of class that is due next week.

Writing 4th-12th grades--Write one well-developed paragraph describing the personality of someone you know. Be sure to have a clear topic sentence and at least three details and examples to support it. Use the story web (given in class) to organize your ideas before you begin. You may want to look at our example from class to help you. Please turn in both the web and the paragraph to Dana G next week.

Sign Language 4-12th grades--homework for sign is to practice fingerspelling their spelling list from home. If they don't have a spelling list, they can choose 15-20 words to practice spelling. For those who don't know the manual alphabet, they are to work on memorizing it

SAFEWAY ESCRIP PROGRAM

Put those SAFEWAY receipts to work!

Anytime you have escrip on your receipt--you can do one of two things....
1.) go to https://secure.backtoschools.escrip.com/school.jsp?mode=noid and put the code in yourself. Our School ID is 5000018514 and our name is Brownsville Homeschool Association.
2.) turn in your receipt to Shawnna in school, or email the code to bsrichards@centurytel.net

Thanks for your support!! These funds help defray our out of pocket costs of teachers for school supplies, books, and incidentals in class.

Free Swimming Lessons

Sweet Home High School Pool is offering free swimming lessons. They are accepting beginners to intermediate and swimmers of all ages that can be in the water with an instructor alone.

The session begins September 8^th-September 19^th 9:20-10:00 or 10:40-11:20 Mon-Fri

If you can not make each day, please come the days you are able.

These lessons are free of charge. Please contact Sweet Home Pool to sign up and let them know how many days you can attend. This is a great opportunity for! Spread the word! 367-7169

Back To School Meeting Tuesday, August 19th

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 19th, at 12:30PM. We will be meeting at Pioneer Park in Brownsville (Behind City Hall)*** at the new play structure at the back of the park. This will allow for the kids to play, and the adults to go over needed items for the school year.

We will cover:

Schedule and class breakdown for the year
Curriculum for the 1st part of the year
Supplies needed for students
Register your children for classes
Answer questions regarding our classes
Fill out district transfers if necessary

***Directions to Pioneer Park

Coming from Hwy 228--Turn North on Main Street from Hwy 228 (you can only turn one way--there is a gas station on one corner and Dairy Mart on the other). Continue across the bridge and turn left just after City Hall and the Fire Station. This road will lead you right to the park. Follow the road around to the back of the park, where the new play structure is. If you get lost, please call 541-619-5834 (Shawnna's Cell Phone)

Civil War Field Trip 05-16-08

OK, it was hot, but it was fun!!



We started our morning out with beautiful sunshine, temperatures at 8:30 were in the 70's, but by lunchtime, we were well on our way to 80 degrees!! Some were smart enough to use sunscreen, others of us (I'm not mentioning any names!) were not!

The stations were set up to change every 25 minutes, and the kids learned about sharp shooters, medical attention, calvary, infantry, how to stand at attention, how to handle your rifle, how to march, and how the bugle was so important. We learned about the photographers of that era, and those with Dana & Shawnna's group sure did understand why we have no "action" shots--it took 15 minutes to prepare and take just 1 picture! Now we understand why no one ever smiled...you were told NOT to, as the exposure time was five seconds! Who can not move in that amount of time? The weird thing...Shawnna was on the left side of Dana....these images were always flipped. So, Jesse James was not left handed!



We also learned a very interesting fact--Gettysburg was never a site that was supposed to be for battle. Everyone was heading there for shoes!!! The regiments literally bumped into one another. (I wonder if anyone ever got their shoes?)

The battle at the end was small, but the kids sure got the idea. We can only imagine what the full battle this weekend will be like. I'm sure that many of us will be heading back! It was amazing to watch the different parts of the battle.

*****You may click on the slide show, and go to the Web Album, and save any pictures you would like. Simply right mouse click and hit "save picture as". The resolution from the camera was not changed.

Last Day of Class Luncheon

Monday, May 19, which is our last day of school, we will be having a luncheon and ice cream sundae party. This will happen during the lunch period, so no lunches will be required. Each family has been asked to bring something, so if you did not get your item, please e-mail Shawnna at bsrichards@centurytel.net to get your item. Since this is a joint effort, lunch will not happen (or will be lacking) if you forget your item. If it is not perishable, you may bring it on Monday the 12th. Thanks!!

Cascadia Caves Field Trip 05-07-08

The day started off misty and cool as we gathered at the Forest Service to wait for everyone to show up. By the time we reached Cascadia Park it was clearing off, and although we were bundled up, we were all warm enough after some shared coats!!

Clad in rain gear and mud boots we started down the path, anxious to hear what Mr Farque had to tell us about the Indians that lived in this area.

Along the path we learned about the plants that we could eat, and what we shouldn't, we saw the Indian Fishing platforms, their Camas beds and the old prairies that are almost grown over. It was a very informative walk, and very beautiful.

As we neared the caves the path got much smaller, and more brushy, along with more muddy. We are all thankful it had not rained much over the last few days, as we could imagine how much more mucky it could have been. We crossed small creeks, and trudged along, until we arrived, first at a small cave, which the kids had a blast checking out, and then finally the actual Indian Cave which is more of an overhang than a cave.

Mr Farque talked to us a bit about where to find the drawings, and then passed out "maps" to show us the three areas in which to find the petroglyhs. We found many, but many also had to be shown to us. We also found some that weren't on the maps, but could have been just our own vision or interpretation. Needless to say, everyone had a great time searching the wall, learning what was there, and learning about the area. We took a break for lunch, sat and looked around, and enjoyed being outdoors. The sun even broke out.

After lunch, we listened to Mr Farque tell us more about the area, and share with us the beliefs and meanings of the wall. We learned about the Bear Clan, and even saw the FISH. Just remember, its not always about the bear!

We had a great walk back, and we watched as kids grazed all the way out of the forest. What a fun day, and I certainly have to say that I think it was one of our greatest field trips ever!!

Thanks Mr. Farque...we're up for another walk through the forest!

Around School

Here is a bit of what happened around school today--Smokey isn't typical, but Science, Creative Writing and Sign Language all happen weekly.

In Science we were working with Acids & Bases. We learned what types of things in our home were acids & bases, and what types of things we can use to make an acid become neutral, or even a base! Ask your kids about buffered and non buffered aspirin! See if they remember which is easier on your tummy and why. For those that are interested in the Chemistry lesson web page for what we learned today...follow the link section on the lower left of this web page.

The Creative writing class with Dana G had a paper due today on "How to Prepare a Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich" Did you know if someone doesn't know how to do something, every detail is important? Ask those kids that had this assignment!! What fun Dana G....thanks for such a vivid (and yummy) lesson!

Creative Writing class with Miss Kelly had their rough draft for their 5 page research paper due today. There were lots of kids that were sort of relieved to have this finished. It's been a tough project for some of them. Kelly has been very patient, and has given guidance to our kids.

Sign language with Dana M and the high school class. They are becoming quite conversational!! Dana is great with these kids, and all grade levels enjoy what they are doing with her.

Thanks to Tracey O'Hara who is our behind the scenes parent. She was gracious enough to take all the pictures today, run for batteries when we had dead ones, and helped with the science lesson today. Thanks again Tracey...we appreciate you!

We hope you will check back often.

Smokey Visits Brownsville Homeschool Group

Miss Lupe and Smokey the Bear visited the K-3rd grade class today. It was great fun! We learned about safety, got to meet and hug Smokey, and got a great gift bag to bring home.

The 4th-7th graders caught a peek of Smokey in the hall, and science went out the window...so we went to take a sneaky look at Smokey--because you really don't want him to see you if you're in 4th-7th grade!!!

Thanks US Forest Service for your visit to our school!

(Please note, if you would like any of these pictures, you may click on the slide show, and go to the album where they are stored, and save as you wish!)

Calapooia Indian Petroglyph Field Trip

Please Note--this field trip is now full. If you would like put on the waiting list in case someone cancels, please let us know. If you are signed up and can not attend, please let us know so that others that are interested may join us. Thanks!!
Join us on Wednesday May 7th as we hike through Cascadia State park with Tony Farque of the US Forest Service. We will meet at the Forest Service parking lot in Sweet Home and carpool from there.

Mr Farque will explain the area, as well as the lives of the Calapooia Indians and the drawings (petroglyph's) that they left behind. Bring a sack lunch, and wear your mud or hiking boots. You might like to bring a change of clothes to leave in the car in case you get muddy. We will hike rain or shine. Please dress in layers, and plan to have fun. If you plan to attend, please reply to this e-mail, or sign up on the board Monday. We need to have a count to him within the next two weeks. This proves to be a fun and informative trip for us.

If you would like more information on this...please see the article from the Sweet Home Newspaper "The New Era" at http://www.sweethomenews.com/news/results.cfm?story_no=7481

We hope you can join us!

Civil War Re-Enactment

Mark your calendars and join us on May 16^th for a battle re-enactment at CHEADLE LAKE Park in Lebanon. The cost is $2.00 per person, and is well worth the fee. They provide this day at low cost for students (and chaperones), and we only need to help them cover the cost of their gun powders. (Admission for the weekend to the general public is 6.00 for adults and 4.00 for children)

Take advantage of this opportunity and sign up in the hallway outside of the K-3 class. We need to have a count to them by the end of April. All are welcome to come. We will arrive in the morning, have lunch there (brown bag), and spend the day learning all we can from this group. It’s a big event!

Schedule –

Stations will be from 9am to 1:30pm in 25 minute intervals. The stations include:

Artillery

Medical** Children 4th grade & under should not attend due to content

Infantry

Cavalry

Civilian Life

Period Dance

Period Fashion

Music

War Reporting

Military music

At 1:30, there will be a battle that will last approximately 30 minutes. Events will be complete around 2:00 PM.

Things to know:

You will need to dress accordingly for the weather. This may include mud boots, hats, gloves...this is Oregon, dress for the day!

You will need to pack and bring your lunch. Drink, food, and napkin. We will have hand wipes or sanitizer there for the kids to clean up before lunch.

The event is in a field, and there are not many tables for lunch...so, a small garbage bag enclosed in your lunch bag, is a great place to sit if it is wet!

The cannon are loud. If you need ear protection, please bring it.

Some important notes from the re-enactment coordinator:

1) Our number one complaint from the re-enactors doing the presentations last year was unruly or disinterested kids at the sessions which made it almost impossible to proceed. You are expected to either stay in groups or your kids must have supervision, (yours, not ours). I have instructed all presenters to simply stop their presentation if kids get out of hand or are disruptive. Keep in mind all of these presenters are volunteers who gave up a day of work, spent money on gas and materials and deserve due respect for their efforts. You are expending money and time as well and have a great opportunity to put 1863 in the hands of these kids, so please take advantage of it. Ask them to leave their cell phones on the bus or at home.

2) I strongly recommend you NOT take children from about 4^th grade age down to the medical presentation. (this applies only to the medical presentation)

3) Please tell your students that everything in the camps and on the field is private property and not to touch unless the owner allows it. Some of the items you’ll see are not reproductions but actually from the mid to early 1800’s and invaluable. Also, at no point should a student handle a weapon or climb on, lean on or touch a cannon.

Each student will receive a coupon that allows them in free with a paid adult to any one of our 4 events this year, including coming back to this one Saturday or Sunday for a full reenactment.

Calapooia Indian Presentation

Mr Tony Farque, archaeologist of the Forest Service joined us on Monday morning the 7th of April to enlighten us on the Indian tribe that lived here in our area, The Kalapuya Indians (also known as the Calapooya or Calapooia). We all learned a lot from him, and the kids loved his table of items he let them explore.

Mr Farque is going to take us on a field trip up to Cascadia Park to see the petroglyph's and explain some of the history of our area to us. Plan to join us. The possible dates are April 23rd, or May 6th. We are waiting for confirmation. Check back as we will post the date once confirmed. It will be an all day venture, which proves to be fun. Pack a lunch, put on your mud boots, and join us for a fun, learning experience.

Smokey The Bear

Smokey the Bear will be joining us at school on April 21st for the younger classes. Be sure to come & learn about Smokey & visit with him!

SPRING BREAK

NO SCHOOL MARCH 24th
Spring Break

Enjoy your time off! See you on the 31st!

Scholastic Book Orders

Scholastic Book Order Forms were sent home with the newsletter on Monday, March 3rd. Please review these, and if interested, send the forms back with payment to "Scholastic Book Club" by March 17th. If you need additional forms, please come to the K-3rd grade class and we'll be happy to get you another set!