Our Super Fun Field Trips

 Wood Magic and  World Forestry Discovery Museum - May 2013 

We went to Wood Magic and The World Forestry Discovery Museum and learned so much about wood that it almost made our heads hurt!

We learned that difference between White Oak and Red Oak.
Ask your 3rd Grader which kind they would kind they would want to build a boat out of?

We learned some types of wood are permeable while other types are impermeable.

We learned that permeable wood lets air through.


We learned that we use every part of a tree!

We saw a really cool portable saw.
We learned that wood is actually in a lot of the food that we eat!


After lunch we were off to the World Forestry Discovery Museum!

There were lots of fun exhibits!

We were able to see all of the different instruments made out of wood . .

. . . some really scary masks.


Everyone had a great time!

Thank you to Ida's Dad, Aaron's Mom and Dad,  Auston's Mom and Ashley's Mom for coming with us!  We couldn't have done it without you today!
Sauvie Island Spring 2013












Urban Walking Tour of Portland 
November 2012



Sauvie Island Center
September 2012 

Your Kid Just Had A Field Day During School Today!

Damian's response when he found out it was  Field Day.
We were able to sneak in our Field Day this morning before the rain hit.  It was actually perfect weather for running around- no one got to overheated. Your Third Grader went through six different stations with their team.  Big Thank You to our wonderful FULL TIME PE Teacher Ms. Schwartzkoph for setting everything up for us.
Renne is a straight shooter.
 Maia doing the ever difficult "javelin" toss.
Cesar getting distance.
Leti putting her right foot forward.

Sandra at the Jump rope station.
Eisel shows us how it's done.
Alexia had the high score of 60 continuous jumps! 
Mallory jumps for joy.
Eva isn't dancing- she's jumping rope.
Francisco really doesn't want to get hit by the rope.
Bowling!
Cesar going for a strike.
Steeplechase Relay
Ema clearing the hurdle.
Tani giving it her all.
Kai in mid air.
Demetrio's "free style" hurdle.
Next, it was time for the frisbee toss.
Melony flings one in.
Kai hits it dead on.  I got hit getting this shot.
KJ demonstrating his "Floating Frisbee Inside a Hula Hoop" trick
We ended with soccer drills. 
 

@SauvieCenter

Sauvie Island Field Trip Today


We learned about the seasons and what happens when.
We went out to the Sauvie Island Center today.  Yes it was wet and cold but we still had a great time and learned a lot from Jennifer and her wonderful teacher interns from PSU.
We matched up seeds.
Dissected Seeds
Learned about Roots.
Planted.
Learned about Herbivores, Carnivores, and Omnivores.
Looked for signs of Producers, Consumers and Decomposers.
Learned about Mustard Greens.
Inspected more roots.
Found out Winter Wheat is sweet!
Ate way too much Swiss Chard.
Checked out the Leeks.
A good time was had by all!  Thanks Sauvie Island Center!

Wordstock was Awesome!!!

Yesterday we had 68 folks go to Wordstock!  We had a great time, thanks again to Wordstock and our Award Winning James John PTA for getting us there and back!

We were able to have a private, super secret meeting with one of our favorite authors Pseudonymous Bosch.
A few of our kids volunteered to help Mr. Bosch with is talk.
We were able to hear Patrick Carman speak.

Pseudonymous is a very secretive man.
We were also able to get some books signed!
Whole families attended!  Some of them in disguise.

Our super cool friends from Green Bean Books were there!
It was a crazy fun time!

Our Last Field Trip of the Year
June 10, 2011
Friday we walked to the Water Pollution Control Lab under the St. Johns Bridge.

 Megan from the Bureau of Environmental Services met us there.
Here are the questions Megan asked us on our Field Trip?
 We were able to peek and watch scientists at work.
 What's with the hairnets?  We had to use them during the our costumed play earlier in the day.  We decided to wear them on the field trip.
 Megan gave us these really cool maps and we had to label all of the different areas.
 Here's Belen pointing out one of the rain spouts.  When it rains, these spouts push water out into the bio swells surrounding the plant.  Ask your 3rd Grader what these spouts are called.
 Megan talked to us about how the Willamette River, how it became polluted, and what is being done to clean it up.
 Outside of the lab, there is a special pond that cleans the water before it returns to the Willamette.
It was a long walk back up the hill to James John.
 Wood Magic at The Forestry Center  May 4, 2011
Bill taught us about all the different stuff we make from different parts of the log.
We went on a field trip to Wood Magic today at The Forestry Center.
As always, we had several great parent helpers show up to help us today!


Scott talked to us about what wood is made up of.



Connie showed us how we can bend wood.

Adriana and Emily showed us how we can bend wood when it has been soaking in hot water.
Jeff taught us about bark beetles & termites and how they help us recycle trees.

Orlando and Cameron are pretty grossed out by the live termites.
Fred showed us how to make wood sandwiches.  Also known as plywood.
James and Victoree glue slabs of work together.
Dr. Fire showed us how we treat wood with chemicals to slow down the burn time.


Are showed us just how strong wood can be.

 We loaded a ton of rocks into a bucket- and the small piece of wood holding it up never broke.













































Alan & Emi showed what trees need and how trees pull water up out of the ground.

 

We learned about permeable and impermeable wood.

 



























We learned that we could blow air through redwood!




After Lunch we visited the 
World Forestry Discovery Museum






































   






April 14, 2011

                                                 

We had a great trip out to Sauvie Island today.  It was wet, but still beautiful and we learned a lot.


A few of our great parents show up for our trip.  Daniel, Maleke's Dad, showed up to help.
Jennifer taught us how to slow down and see all of the life going on around us.
Ask your third graders what animals pollinate.
There Will Be Mud   especially in the brussel sprout patch.
Look up and see . . . . .
. . .  all of the amazing geese flying over head!
Getting back to our Roots.
Chris had a "slight wardrobe malfunction".
Elias showing pointing out the "business end of the Wasp".  Ask your third grader all the differences that they learned between Bees and Wasps.
Belen is trying to find the parts of the flower.
Chris is wondering if he is actually holding part of a flower- or something else.
Hunter can think of many uses for the magnifying glass.
Ask your Third Grader if they can tell you the parts of a flower.
Seasonal Wheel of Fortune.
We tried to guess which seeds went with which label.
We (carefully) flipped the jars over to find out if we guessed right.
I think I see some sleepy seeds in your eyes.
Julio's reading glasses finally came in.
Some of the kids thought they could warm up by magnifying the Sun's rays onto their hands.
It didn't work, so they decided to examine seeds instead.
We went out and planted our seeds.
We were able choose some sprouts to take home.
Now we all have a green thumb. . . . .
 . . .and some of us have a green mouth (from eating brussel sprouts)
More pictures to come . . . .
 Oregon Historical Society Museum 
February 23, 2011

Hunter & Trinity reading on Tri Met.

Jesus, Cameron & Destiny in the back row. . . .
 . . . . along with Julio, Jesus & Sarah
We were on the 4, and it took 4 - ever, so Elias made good use of the time. . . .
 . . . .as did Thea & Deondre.
When we got to OHS we learned about early Native American Basket Weaving . . .
Mary, our wonderful Docent, helped us.
No, Gabby isn't getting sick- just checking out a basket.
At the same time, the other half of our class was imagining what it would be like to be a Native American 200 years ago.
We checked out some really cool woven hats, that some tribes still wear.
Here is Victoree designing her own basket.
Emily
Nani
Diego
Elias
Maleke, Gabby and Taylor all working hard.
Destiny
Julio
Brenda & Trinity
Adriana B.
Deondre & Jesus
Cameron
Hunter
James
Adriana B.
Jesus
Mary teaching us about the USS Oregon.
Later we went through the Early Oregon Exhibit
Learning about the tools that pioneers brought on the Oregon Trail.
Lunch!
Very cold day for a picnic.  If only the kids could dress for the weather as well as Mr. Fairbanks.
Action lunch scene.
Elias, Cameron and Destiny enjoying a small sun break.
In front of the very cool OHS building with the 3D Pioneer Mural.
Stopped by a Benson Bubbler fountain in the Park Blocks.



Sleeping on the 17 all the way home.
PORTLAND ART MUSEUM DECEMBER 1, 2010
TriMet(ing) downtown.  All smiles so far.
Hunter & Gabby acting like adult commuters.
So are Malekester & Elias
Camera shy kids on Portland Street Car
Jesus & Julio were a few of the lucky ones who found seats
Adriana, Emlyn and (action shot) Brenda
Emily and her dad Pedro
Victoree and her mom Kimberlee
Hoofing it to Portland Art Museum from the Street Car
Getting ready to go in.  Luckily we were able to get all seven of our parents in and Mr. Fairbanks in for free with our class.  I think our adult / kid ratio  was 1/3!
No Cameras allowed in Portland Art Museum.  I secretly took this one of  Greg (our Docent)  who was consistently amazed by our thoughtful questions and insightful comments of the pieces.  We started out in the Native American Art section and then went on to look at portrait paintings from the last 300 years.
It was Ms. Johnson's idea to eat lunch at PSU (her old stomping grounds).  Luckily the weather held.
Sara and her mom Jeanette snuck away for a Starbucks. Mmmmmmmm!
Trying to get home was when the fun REALLY started.  Missed the 17 Bus so we decided to hop the MAX Yellow Line. As you can tell, Maleke is really happy about this choice.  It should be called "Try Met" as in just "try" getting back to school on one bus.
The girls enjoyed looking at all the bridges as we crossed the river.
Action shot of Julio and James - Taylor's dad John sitting behind them.
Me Adriana & Emlyn.  Nani and Thea's Dad Adam behind us.
Ok, so this is Hunter & Nani, but notice Adam posing as an "Amber Alert" behind them.  Yikes.
After a 90 minute Portland Art Museum Tour, PSU lunch, two long bus rides, Portland Street Car and MAX  craziness, everyone was  wiped out.
URBAN CITY TOUR October 6, 2010
No, really- we're having a great time!
Emilyn (and the rest of us) were really happy to have her mom join us.
". . . . and then I looked up from my bike and their was A MAILBOX coming at me fast !!!"
A few of our awesome parent volunteers.
BFF'S!!!
Didn't you just take our picture?
"How did Portland get the nickname Stumptown?"
At Skidmore Fountain
Dang Yo!  It's a super bright morning!
I know! I know!
Sarah's Mom & Mr. Fairbanks joined us as well.
What River splits Portland in half?