Special Dates:

  1. ★Monday, November 3                    Lower School CLOSED for Parent/Teacher conferences  

  2. ★Tuesday,  November 4                  Lower School CLOSED for Parent/Teacher conferences  

                                                 Presidential Election Day - Take Time to Vote   


  1. ★Sunday, November 16                   COR*NU*CO*PIA  - West Berkeley Arts and Crafts Festival

                                                                  10 - 4pm Upper School Campus  (click for slideshow)


  1. ★Tuesday, November 25                  Grandparents, Godparents, Special Older Friends’ Day                                                              

  2. ★Wednesday, November 26             All-school Thanksgiving Breakfast 8:00 - 9:00 FAD

                                                                   Minimum Day - School Closes at NOON 

                                                                   Day Care closes at 5:00


  1. ★Thursday, November 27               School Closed -  Re-Opens - Monday December 1st

Happy Thanksgiving - have a safe and enjoyable holiday!

Field Trips:

  1. ★Thursday, December 18              Depart 9:45 - Return 1:15.     

                                             

Current themes and supporting websites . . .


In Social Studies, each student is researching a U.S. state. 

For more information on the 50 states, visit:


  1. ✴Explore the States - The Library of Congress

  2. ✴Kids Almanac Online


We are also learning about local, state, and national government as we discuss the upcoming elections.


  1. ✴Stay up to date on the latest election news at Scholastic News Online: Election 2008

  2. ✴Learn all about our government at Ben's Guide to U.S. Government


Next, we will begin learning about Native Americans of the various regions of the U.S. Visit these sites to prepare for our upcoming unit.


  1. ✴Native American Website for Children

  2. ✴Mr. Donn.org - Native Americans for Kids

  3. ✴Native American Housing

  4. ✴Native Californians


In Science we are continuing our study of Simple Machines by exploring the many inventions of Leonardo Da Vinci. 


  1. ✴Revisit The Tech’s Exhibit Leonardo da Vinci: 500 Years into the Future

  2. ✴Learn about Da Vinci’s life, art, and inventions at Boston Museum of Science's Leonardo Home Page

  3. ✴See if you can identify the simple machines around your house! Edheads - Simple Machines Activities

Family Excursions: Lawrence Hall of Science “ENGINEER IT: Think It, Build It, Test It” Exhibit until January 4, 2009 “How I Became a Pirate” October 5 - November 2 2008 http://www.lhs.berkeley.edu/exhibits/engineerit/index.htmlhttp://www.activeartstheatre.org/Pirate_.htmlshapeimage_7_link_0shapeimage_7_link_1

In Reading and Language Arts our next unit in the reading series is “Animals and Their Habitats.” 


  1. ✴Play Animal Habitat Games at BBC Schools - Habitats Game and BBC Nature - Mammals Quiz

  2. ✴Review new grammar concepts with fun G.U.M. Practice games!



In Math, this month will be spent reviewing how to tell time and learning subtraction with regrouping into the thousands.


  1. ✴Use Interactive Math Practice site to review your math facts or

  2. ✴take the Telling Time Online Quiz


Fiction Books about Native Americans

  1. ✴Where the Buffaloes Begin by Olaf Baker

  2. ✴The Desert Is Theirs, Hawk I'm Your Brother, and When Clay Sings by Byrd Baylor

  3. ✴Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles

  4. ✴Coyote Dreams by Susan Nunes


Cal State East Bay (Hayward) theater production of “Peter Pan.” 

We are going with our Third  Grade buddies.

  1. Special Note:

  2. Wednesday, November 26, the second graders will hear, and compare and contrast the Russian folk story of Stone Soup and the Swedish version, Nail Soup.  Each child will be asked to bring in a vegetable to contribute to our own communal soup pot.  Before the noon dismissal, we’ll enjoy a cup of soup, and give thanks for our school community.  Our Third  Grade buddies will be invited to join us in this activity.