Summer Homework

8^th Grade Summer Homework

The MISSION of Cascade Heights Public Charter School is to inspire the social, emotional, academic, physical, personal, and ethical growth of children and partner with parents who share the same mission to prepare them to be members of a global society.

Students should choose one item to complete each day of the summer vacation. Items range in difficulty and time commitment, but are all designed to maintain skills gained during the school year. Please feel free to email with ideas for alternative activities! There are many more activities listed than the 60 days of vacation, which allows for plenty of flexibility.  Students are welcome to come up with similar ideas that are a better fit, as long as they are in the spirit of this assignment. As students complete an activity, parents must initial and date that box. These pages will be due on the first day of school.

Social/Emotional	Academic	Physical	Personal
Write a letter to someone and mail it.	Go to the library.  Check out and read a nonfiction book.	Ride your bike.	Pick one habit to change and do it for 21 days.
Help your family plan and pack for a picnic.  Help with menu planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation.	Memorize a poem and recite it to your family.	Go skating.	Prepare your homework space.
Read a picture book out loud to someone younger than you.	Visit a museum.	Go swimming.	Clean your room.
Make a point to say hello to strangers for an entire day and observe what happens.	Play a word game like Scrabble or Boggle.	Jump rope for 15 minutes.	Write down one thing you love about yourself every day for a week.
Play a game with a younger person (Candyland, Go Fish, etc.).	Play a money game like Monopoly.	Go for a hike of at least 3 miles.	Create a collage of all your favorite things. Bring it to class on the first day.
Ask a grandparent or other elder to tell about what life was like when they were kids.	Read about some time in history you are interested in.	Pick fresh fruit for at least half an hour.	Spend at least 30 minutes alone, either inside or outside, reflecting on what you want to change in the world.
Help plan and execute a progressive dinner with classmates.	Read a fiction book.	Grow vegetables.	Try something new.
Make something and give it to someone in need of cheering up.	Practice your multiplication facts for 30 minutes.	Mow the lawn.	Make a plan for your future. What high school do you want to go to? What college? What career path will you follow?
Have a barbecue.  Help serve the food.	Keep a diary. Write at least a full page each day.	Make and eat a salad with at least one vegetable you’ve never tried.	Take the multiple intelligences quiz and find out how you learn best. http://www.literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html
Practice your phone etiquette by calling a grandparent or other relative.	Read a newspaper. Highlight Dressups you find.	Participate in an organized sport.	Create a word cloud about yourself. Fill it with words that describe who you are. Feel free to use http://www.wordle.net/
Go and entire day communicating only in person. (No computers or phones)	Listen to a book on tape (cd/mp3).	Have a water fight.	Find a quote that speaks to you. Discuss with someone you love why it speaks to you.
Commit three random acts of kindness.	Play a math game on the web for 30 minutes.	Build something out of wood without power tools.	Keep a diary. Each night reflect on whether you are reaching your goals.
Ride the bus.	Practice keyboarding for 15 minutes a day for at least 10 days.	Walk around your neighborhood with a friend.	Research your family name.
Ride the MAX.	Write a letter to Mrs. Denman and mail it (to the school).	Climb a mountain (or at least a big hill)	Volunteer in your family’s place of worship.
Go to a park.	Help a younger child run a lemonade stand. Create a profit/loss report.	Row a boat/kayak/canoe.	Find a song that has meaning to you. Discuss it with your family.
Invite friends over for a pick up game.	Plan a trip for your family. Figure out whether it is more cost effective to fly or drive.	Go horseback riding.	Play “Would You Rather” or a similar game.
Host a sleep over.	Cook a meal from a cookbook, doubling all quantities.	Climb Beacon Rock.	Write an acrostic poem using your name.
Create a blog about your summer adventures.	Choose a book from the BBC “Top 100” books list and read it. http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top100.shtml.	Spend at least 3 hours in the woods.	Invite someone you’ve had a hard time getting along with over.
Hold mock job interviews with friends and videotape them.	Read a book with more than 100 pages.	Create a new smoothie recipe that uses only fresh ingredients.	Make a list of your goals for the year. Identify what help you will need to successfully complete your goals.
Be self-reliant for an entire day. (Don’t let your parents do anything for you)	Read a magazine from cover to cover while sitting outside under a tree.	Practice throwing a frisbee.	Who’s your hero? Write 2 paragraphs about them. Tell me why they are your hero and why you want to be like them.
Have a conversation with someone over the age of 60.	Watch an entire show on the History channel.	Do 100 pushups every day for two weeks, and be ready to tell me how you felt at the end.	Talk to someone else in this class about becoming a Homework Buddy.  You can call each other when absent, and ask each other for help.
Have a conversation with someone over the age of 70.	Read a biography about someone who was famous in the 20th Century, but is no longer alive.	Learn about one thing doctors say is bad for you.  Stop doing/eating it.	Get a library card from Multnomah County.  Use it.  And the online reserving feature.
Be nicer to your parents.  And your siblings.  Yes, I know it’s hard.  Do it anyway.	Learn about something happening in another part of the world, and then share it with your family.	Stop drinking soda.  And energy drinks.	Turn everything off.  For an entire day.
		Floss your teeth.  Daily.

Camping Details from Mr.s Tompkins

Hi Parents,
The 8th Grade Camping trip is right around the corner and I am finalizing details.  I need RSVPs ASAP!!!  As soon as I know the number of people I can complete the food list and split firewood cost.  The cost of the rental was covered by the $ the 8th grade raised at the beginning of the year.  Food, firewood and our own transportation is all that will need to be covered.

Here are the details:  Check in 4pm Sunday June 9th, Check out Tues June 11th @11am.  We will meet at the school parking lot at 3pm on Sunday to go over food purchases and carpool if possible.  The Old Ranch at Silver Falls State Park.  It is a huge old barn with a giant fire pit in the center and a kitchen.  Balcony all the way around inside with bunk beds and indoor bathrooms.  We will split sides for ladies and gents.  For $100 we get bottomless firewood.  Private hike behind barn and huge open grass field in front.

Each 8th grader needs an adult responsible for them.  If you cannot attend you need to find another willing parent.  No siblings please.

One of the reasons this location was picked by the students was proximity.  Please feel free to come and go as needed.  Stay one night, or both. Stay for the day ect.

What to bring:
Sleeping bag and mat, pillow (bunk beds have no padding at all)
Toiletries, including sunscreen and bug spray
Swimsuit- modest ladies please!!!
Good hiking shoes
Flashlight for tag 

Rain jacket

Optional:

glow sticks

Nerf guns and bullets

Games for field and indoors

Indoor crafts (jewery making ect.)

 

Thanks, Mandi

bradymandi@msn.com

503.957.9768 call or text

Hooray, Another Survey!!

Hi, families--as we look at what went well this year, and what we could continue to improve on at CHPCS, we are considering an overhaul of field trips, but we did not want to make a decision without hearing from all of the stakeholders.

Currently--and historically--field trips have almost entirely happened on Field Trip Fridays once a month.  We are considering other ways of formatting our students' learning experiences that might relieve some of the stressors we felt this year.  Please take a moment to connect with Mr. Currey's blog, in order so that you can answer the ONE survey question, to ensure we hear from you what you think about field trips.

Thank you!  We look forward to your feedback.


http://chpcs2nd.blogspot.com/2013/05/one-more-survey.html

End of the Year Events

Following you will find two very important announcements!

The first is about our 8th Grade Graduation.  As advertised in our School Planners, it will be held on Friday, June 7th, at 7:00pm, in the CHPCS Gym.  Following the ceremony will be a potluck dessert celebration in the Cafeteria (or outside, if the weather is favorable).  My expectation is that students dress nicely.  Mrs. Denman is checking each of the dresses worn by students that evening, so please bring it in to her if you plan on wearing one.  The minimum standard should be a school uniform, but many will be getting dressier than that.  Please plan on the event lasting approximately 90 minutes, including cleanup at the end of the evening.

The second bit of vital information is regarding an optional, after-school campout in Silver Falls State Park.  This event will begin on Sunday, June 9th, and end on Tuesday, June 11th.  Mrs. Tompkins has reserved a large cabin that sleeps 75 people, so all adults are very welcome to attend.  Some students are hoping to stay the entire time, and others will only be coming down for parts of this fun experience.  If your student is going to attend, he/she will have to be under the care of a parent, be it either you or another in our group.  As this is an after-school-is-out event, neither Mr. Harvey nor CHPCS will be in charge, nor responsible.

For more information on the details of either graduation or the campout, please email Mrs. Tompkins.  She will certainly need quite a bit of help with each event, so please consider helping to set up the gym, organize desserting, or prepare for cleanup on the night of Graduation.  Meals will also have to be purchased and prepared for the camping trip, and car groups will be a great help, too.

Here is her email:  bradymandi@msn.com

Have a great week!

Parent Perception Survey

Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey.  The office is hoping for 100% participation.  They are asking that every parent, step-parent and guardian complete one.  Please, please, please!!!


http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/OR_EFF_PAR_NCSD_CascadeHghts

May Field Trip

Our May Field Trip is right around the corner.  During the morning hours of Friday, May 10th, we will be going roller skating in Oaks Park.  This is part end-of-the-year celebration and part PE lesson, because we will be receiving skating lessons prior to getting out there ourselves!  After that, we will need to travel downtown so that we may experience Chinatown with Teacher Wenny.  Beginning this week, 8th graders will be reading The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck, as well as studying the growth of China over the 10th Century. Downtown, we will be dining in a Chinese food restaurant, where students from our Chinese class will be ordering food for us.  Then we will be traveling over to the Lan Su Chinese Gardens for a guided tour of their beautiful grounds.  This one is not to be missed! 

If you are available to be a driving chaperone, please email me at your earliest convenience.

Random Tidbits of Learning

Here are a few things that I have found related to the learning that has been happening over the last few weeks in the 8th grade.  Please take them for what they are worth, but consider sharing some time with your student over one or more of them!

This is an interesting anti-war comic book created by a Congressman from Georgia.  Students may remember him from a documentary we watched about the importance of music during the Civil Rights Movement called "Songs for a Revolution".
http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixties/HTML_docs/Exhibits/Bond/Bond.html
(It should be noted here that many perspectives on the Vietnam War have been presented in our classroom.  Please do not think that the only narrative in school has been one that is against the US involvement in Vietnam.)

This is another Vietnam-related site that I have not yet had time to look at.  My hope is that it covers the inequity of the War, with regards to race and social class of the draftees during that time.
http://aavw.org/

This is a nice timeline of the events of the Cold War from a website that offers a great deal about history.
http://www.history-timelines.org.uk/events-timelines/03-cold-war-timeline.htm

After speaking about McCarthyism today in class, I would love for students to watch the excellent film entitled "Good Night and Good Luck".  It beautifully presents some of the issues surrounding the fear and extremism of the accusations of the time, has an amazing cast, and an even better soundtrack!!!  If you are looking to have a movie night w/ your student (I don't think that you'll find anything other than a bit of language in it), this may lead to an interesting discussion afterward.  Edward Murrow is one of my favorites, as is this film!!  I'm tempted to show a clip or two in class, but all anyone is welcome to borrow my dvd copy of it.

May Lunch Menu

Please click on the link below to access the Lunch Menu for the month of May!

http://chpcscafe.webnode.com/menus-/may-menu/

Creativity Project

I am very excited to receive the 8th Grade Creativity Projects next Monday, April 8th.  I have been asking students about progress, and am happy to hear about what is being created.  Several students must have found inspiration in the artwork of Carrie Mae Weems that we saw at the Portland Art Museum a few months ago, since there are several photography-based projects.

Please check in to make sure that progress is happening.  Today in class we will speak about the Artist's Statement that will be graded in the first row of the rubric below.  Feel free to email with any questions; this is the first time I've ever assigned something like this, and I am very interested to see how it all turns out.

Caged Bird Creativity Project

due Monday, April 8^th

The goal in reading Maya Angelou's heart-wrenching novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, was two-fold. As a class, we reveled in the abilities of Angelou as a writer. She is incredibly talented, and any time one can be exposed to the work of a Nobel Prize-winning poet and author, one should take advantage of the opportunity. But more specifically, we planned to soak ourselves in her ability to use words to put each of us in the shoes of a nine year-old girl living in rural Arkansas. Many would say that the role of the artist, whether she be a photographer, sculptor, mime, or writer, is to portray emotion, tell a story, or recreate an experience.

This Creativity Project allows students to do just that. Over the next three weeks, each student will create a piece of art that epitomizes an experience. No two lives are alike, and even when individuals are witness to a single event, they each walk away with something different. In hopes that we will learn a little bit more about each other, this assignment is for every 8^th grader to tell a bit of his/her story.

Any type of art form is acceptable, and can be turned in by any method possible. Be sure to get approval from Mr. Harvey prior to getting started, and be prepared to give an Progress Update on Monday, April 1^st.

	1	2	3	4
Artist thinking and reflection	Little to no student opinion has been added. The belief is not clearly articulated to the reader.	Insufficient or incomplete reflection results in only partial explanation of artist experience.	A complete explanation of the artist's experience has been given.	The artist has gone above and beyond to articulate the relevance of the belief, and its importance
Presence of theme in art	Very hard to determine by looking at the art what the artist intended to show.	After reading the artist's purpose, it is possible to imagine what the artist intended to show.	Without the use of the artist's purpose, it is clear what the artist was intending to portray.
Attention to Detail	The piece of art created was hastily crafted, is messy, or unfinished	Some aspects of the art piece seem unpolished or hastily crafted.	The piece of art created is thoughtful, well-crafted, and it is clear that time has been taken that has resulted in quality work.
Creativity	Little to no thought went into creating an original piece of artwork.	Some aspects of the piece are original, but some have been stolen from other artists.	An original piece of artwork has been created by the artist.

BOB Booklist Posting

From a student:

Hello everybody, I'm not sure how well Mr. Harvey spread around the BOB list (I apologize if it's already on the blog my parental controls seem to think that the class blog is some creeper site or something)  so I'm sending it to all our class who's e-mails I have. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot, Kon- Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl, Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein, Watership Down by Richard Adams, I, Robot by Isaac Asimov, Waiting for the Rain by Sheila Gordon, The Shakespeare stealer by Gary Blackwood, Wintering by William Durbin, The trolley to yesterday by John Ballairs, The Fighting Ground by Aviu, Tales of Ancient Egypt by Roger Lancelyn Green, A dolphin named Bob by Christine Herman Merrill, Danny the Champion of the world by Roald Dahl, Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, Rosa Parks: My story by: GUESS WHO, Miles' song by Alice McGill, The Canada Geese Quilt by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock, Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald, and finally, String, Straightedge, and shadow by Julia Diggins.

Education Takes Flight Breakfast!

Dear Falcon Families,

It’s that time of year again!  Cascade Heights is preparing for its annual Education Takes Flight Breakfast fundraiser.  This day provides an opportunity for Cascade Heights to share with other people its work and mission; as well as for the Cascade Heights’ families to connect with each other, celebrate milestones, and recognize those who have supported us along the way. We hope you’ll be joining us this year!

Different than previous years, the breakfast will take place at our own school on May 3, 2013; we would like to confirm between 175 - 200 guests, who will enjoy a breakfast from the culinary center at North Clackamas School District’s Sabin-Schellenberg Center. To reach this goal and make this year’s Education Takes Flight a success, we need volunteers.

Would you please consider helping Cascade Heights as a Table Captain and invite 9 friends, grandparents and other family members, co-workers and/or community leaders to our school fundraiser? As a Table Captain you can also help us fill your table by calling the people who have attended one of our events such as the Night of the Notables, the science fair, or the Soar With Us Tour.

If you are available to join our volunteer team this year, please e-mail me at Delia_Palomeque@comcast.net or call me at 503-502-6395 by March 8, 2013. Table Captains will receive training and assistance; however we need to assemble this group soon in order to maximize our efforts.

If you do not want to commit to being a Table Captain, but you have a potential guest in mind, we will be happy to help out by inviting them to join us for you. Please forward any potential Breakfast guest names and contact info to Charo Herndon; by email charoherndon@comcast.net, or phone 503-849-2383. Let’s fill every seat together!

Thank you so much in advance for your continued support to Cascade Heights during its annual Education Takes Flight fundraiser.

Sincerely,

Delia Palomeque & Charo Herndon

CHPCS - 6^th and 8^th grade parents

Battle of the Books!!

Battle of the Books, BOB, is a reading incentive program for students in grades 3-8. Students read books and come together as a class to demonstrate their abilities and test their knowledge of the books they have read. This year marks the 4th year for Cascade Heights and we are very excited to see who will win.  The official book list will be revealed at Family Reading Night on March 7th, 2013.

Family Reading Night

You are invited to join the CHPCS community for a free night of literacy fun! Each classroom teacher will be reading a fabulous book and leading a fun project for child and adult pair to enjoy. Sessions will be filled on a first come, first served basis, so get your slip in soon. This night is NOT just for primary students. Middle school students are encouraged to attend. Please remember that every student needs an adult to work with them. The main objective of the night is to provide a fun literacy night for families to enjoy together. Each session is 30 minutes beginning at 6:30 p.m..  Don’t forget to stay for cake in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday at the end of session 2 AND to get the Battle of the Book list.

Free Parent Support Classes!

News Release from: North Clackamas School District
NORTH CLACKAMAS OFFERS FREE CLASSES TO SUPPORT PARENTS
Posted: February 11th, 2013 8:49 AM

Parents are their child's first teachers, playing a vital role in a student's school success.  To maximize their impact on children's learning and character development, North Clackamas Schools is offering a number of free classes for parents in partnership with Metropolitan Family Service and Northwest Family Services.

Parents from Oak Grove and Milwaukie to Clackamas and Happy Valley are invited to attend any of these upcoming sessions.

Ready Set Go, a free kindergarten readiness program for preschoolers and their parents, is offered Tuesdays at Wichita Center, 6031 SE King Road in Milwaukie on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  For more information, call Maria at 503-353-5663.

G.E.D. (General Education Degree) Preparation Classes in Spanish
This on-going class is offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. at Lot Whitcomb Elementary, located at 7400 SE Thompson Road.  To register for the class, offered through Clackamas Community College, contact Ally Meyer at allisonm@metfamily.org or call 503-353-5672.

English Language Class
This class will help you learn English and practice English conversation skills. The drop-in class is offered Tuesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. at Linwood Elementary (11909 SE Linwood Ave.) through March 12.  Free childcare is provided.  For information, call Susan Hamann at susanh@metfamily.org or call 503-353-5463.

Open computer lab for families
This drop-in program offers free computer access for families on Mondays through Thursdays from 1 to 2 p.m.  in the community room at Oak Grove Elementary, located at 2150 SE Torbank Road.  For information, call Kati at 503-501-8582.

Parent Power: presented by Northwest Family Services
Ardenwald Elementary:  6 to 8 p.m. in March 5, 12, 19 & April 2 (Tuesdays) -- English
Riverside Elementary:  6 to 8 p.m. in March 5, 12, 19, April 2 (Tuesdays) -- English & Spanish

This free parent workshop for families with kids age 4 to 13 will help you:
-- Motivate your child to be responsible
-- Gain control through choices
-- Enjoy your role as a parent
-- Model good communication skills
Free childcare is provided.  To register, visit: www.lastingrelationships.org or call 503-546-6377.  See sample podcasts at http://www.nclack.k12.or.us/Page/18006

Science Project Links

Here is a reminder of what is included in the science research paper and how the engineering project differs from the research project:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/18L0vpRw6BLLKvK-PXHqyWcSeS0AdCgiB3Gwijf3OIdE/edit

Go here for a sample science research paper:  http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_sample_final_report.pdf

Calling all Drivers!

Good Afternoon, all you wonderful chaperones!

As you know, this Friday is Student-Led Conference Day, but NEXT Friday is our Field Trip Friday!!  The 8th Grade is lucky enough to go to the Oregon Culinary Institute for a lesson on manners, etiquette, and the civilized consumption of food.  (And since we are a sensory-immersion school, it only makes sense to try out our skills by eating a multiple-course lunch!)

We will be getting dressed up and heading downtown, so I wanted to comment on what the dress code expectations will be for that day.  I am hoping that we can get a bit gussied; I imagine nice pairs of pants, perhaps some dresses, and maybe even some nice shoes.  I would ask that we shy away from denim, and instead opt for outfits that have collars, creases, and cuffs.

Since we'll be looking good finding ourselves downtown, I thought that we would also take in some of the other finer things life has to offer.  I have scheduled a reservation for a self-guided tour at the Portland Art Museum for the morning block of time, so please have your student arrive in fancy duds first thing in the morning.  School will begin at 8:00am, as usual, and will end at 3:30pm.  We will simply remain dressed up all day, even after returning to school after lunch.  (For that reason, please do not send your student in uncomfortable shoes.  It will make for a very uncomfortable day of being on his/her feet.)

IN ORDER FOR THIS PLAN TO BE CARRIED OUT, WE WILL NEED A FEW PARENT DRIVERS.  I am paying for our students' lunches with our Field Trip Fund, but my hope is that parents might pay their own way at the Oregon Culinary Institute.  Last year, our meals were $7 each. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO DRIVE US ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH, PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  (IN PAST YEARS, WE HAVE HAD PLENTY OF PARENT VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS ONE, SO WE WILL ACCEPT DRIVERS ON A FIRST COME/FIRST SERVED BASIS.)

Thanks so much!

Caged Bird

In the month of February, our class will read excerpts from the third text in our Core Knowledge sequence, entitled I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou.  It is a heartbreakingly beautiful depiction of her experience growing up in the American South during a period of extreme racism.  Angelou poetically highlights race relations, notions of identity and literacy, as well as sexism in American society.  But because she approaches these topics head on, some of the content found in the book contains very adult themes.  For this reason, students will not read the entirety of the novel.

I consider this to be a special opportunity for our eighth graders.  In her book, Angelou paints a very specific and clear picture of a perspective and experience quite different from most of our own.  It is this very reason that Core Knowledge has included it in its curriculum, and why it is the introduction to our unit on the Civil Rights Movement.  We will be reading selected chapters that highlight the strengths of both the content and style, and will not include the more "difficult" chapters in our studies. 

I will certainly be approaching these subjects with respect and maturity, which I will also expect out of our students. 

Please feel free, as always, to contact me with any questions you may have.

A Note from the Room Parent Coordinator!

Hello 8th graders and Families,

Next Thurs Jan 17th at 3:45 in our classroom is our first meeting to get started with our graduation plans and t-shirt decisions.  I know a lot of 8th graders are interested in being a part of this process so this time works best for them.  If you would like to help and CANNOT be at the meeting please let me know.  If you have suggestions or ideas send them to me prior and I will share them with everyone. 

Thank you to everybody who pitched in for Mr. Harvey's holiday gift.  We were able to give him a $85 gift card to Freddy's!  Don't worry to those who didn't there will be other opportunities in the future.

If you 8th grader want to attend mttg and you are unable please let me know, I can be their school "adult" and help with carpool.

Happy New Year,
Mandi

Spelling Bee!

Scripps Spelling Bee 2013!  CHPCS will be participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee again this year!  Classroom bees are the week of January 28-31 and the all-school bee will be on February 4.  Students in grades 1-8 will participate.  What to do now?

• Help your Falcon study the list of 100 words brought home; these are the words the in-class bees will start with.
• Visit www.spellingbee.com or stop by Mr. C's classroom for more study tools, hints, a look at the official rules, etc.

How do you spell excellence? C-H-P-C-S!

FACTS Class Postponed

I just received word a few minutes ago that FACTS class, scheduled for this coming Saturday, has been postponed until a later, undetermined date.  (If you did not hear about FACTS class from your student, pick that bone with your student! We wrote about it in our Planners in December.)  I will keep you posted on the date chosen as an alternate when I hear about it.  Thanks for your cooperation!

Field Trip Friday!!

Calling all Volunteers!!

This coming Friday, the 11th of January, marks our first field trip of 2013!!  Please consider joining us, if possible, as we take a trip on the Bonneville Dam!  (I know what you're thinking, but this time it'll be different!)

This Friday's excursion will kick off our unit on Electricity and Magnetism.  I have heard grumbles and rumbles of repeated trips to the Dam from some veteran Cascade families, but I can assure you that the content we'll be exposed to is much different than on past trips.  We will be traveling to the Washington side of the Dam, where we will be able to tour the floor of the hydroelectric power plant.  It is a fascinating (and loud) experience that is worth the trip on the bus!!

We will also be enjoying a short hike very close to the power plant, on the Fort Cascades Trail.  If you join us, please plan for a bit of mud and a bit (or more) of rain.