The philosophy behind our curriculum is based on the needs of the individual child. We use a multi-age developmental model, which means, in the core subjects, our students work at a level that is right for them, one that provides the supports and challenges for them to be successful. Our students work together at various times throughout the day in small groups, learning the necessary social skills of teamwork and problem solving. They also have ample opportunities to work on individual projects and pursue their own interests.

We share a community goal of each of us becoming a Responsible Citizen, a Productive Worker, a Creative Healthy Individual, a Problem Solver and a Self-Directed Lifelong Learner. No one is perfect, and with this in mind, we have regular community discussions on what it means to be all these things, and what we can look for in each other. We ask our students, just as we do as a staff, to reflect on their work and think about ways they can improve what they are doing. Ultimately, we want each student to realize that the most successful students are the students who take on a personal responsibility for their education: students who learn for life.

As a charter school we have a unique population, one that reflects the diversity of San Diego. We welcome and celebrate this. Our families come from all walks of life, but share one thing in common. Our parents have taken the time to seek out an alternative education for their children. Every parent understands the great importance of being involved in his or her child’s education. We encourage you to stay involved. Read with your children, make sure their work is done well and with care, show them you care about their education. We have many opportunities for parents to become involved in the school setting. Whether it is helping out in the classroom, chaperoning study trips, being part of our ‘Breakfast Club’ or helping to raise funds for our program, there is always an area where we can use your strengths.

The Museum School is a unique school, and there may be times when you have a question about our program. This handbook is designed to help answer any questions you may have. If there is something you are not sure about, or you just want to have a chat about your child, please give us a call or drop by the office to schedule a meeting.

We look forward to another great year.

Phil Beaumont, Janet Cumbo, Gingerlily Lowe-Brisby, Alison McDonald

Tamara Strouth Yvonne Rosebraugh Krista Lang Holly Evans Branan Freeman

School Address: 211 Maple Street

Telephone: 619 236-8712

Fax: 619 236-8906

School Hours: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday – Wednesday, Friday

9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Thursday

Office Hours: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Monday – Friday

"6 to 6" Child Care: 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM Monday – Friday

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM Monday – Wednesday, Friday

1:00 PM – 6:00 PM Thursday

Email - Please include your child's name in the subject heading. We receive incredible amounts of spam emails and we don't want to throw away anything important.

Museum School Teacher/Director:

Teachers:

Teaching Assistants:

Holly Evans

Office Manager:

Please understand that, while we would love to have a full time office manager, we do not. Therefore, our office phone might not be picked up after 1:00 p.m. We check the answering machine daily after school so you may leave a message and we will get back to you as promptly as possible. Sometimes messages are lost. If you have not heard from us, please follow up. If you have a question or information for the "6 to 6" Program, please contact Andrea at 619-971-0054

In the event of an ABSOLUTE EMERGENCY DURING SCHOOL HOURS, you may call 619 723-1410. This is Phil's personal cell phone, and he might be teaching, so please call only in case of emergency.

The information on the registration card is our means of contacting you. It is very important that you keep us up-to-date with your correct home phone number, address, and emergency contact. If you have not filled one out, please contact the office so we may get one to you.

1^st Day of 1^st Trimester September 8

Back to School Night September 17

Staff Development Day / Veteran's Day No School November 10 & 11

Thanksgiving Week Minimum Days November 24, 25, 26

No School November 27, 28

1^st Report Card December 12

Last Day 1^st Trimester December 19

1^st Day of 2^nd Trimester January 20

President's Day Weekend No School February 12-16

6^th Grade Camp March 15-19

Last Day 2^nd Trimester March 19

1^st Day of 3^rd Trimester April 19

Memorial Day Weekend No School May 31

July 4^th Weekend No School July 5

Personal Learning Plan Presentations July 12, 13, 14

6^th Grade Graduation and Report Cards July 15

Last Day of School July 16

1^st Presentations (11am - 12:30pm) October 23

2^nd Presentations (11am - 12:30pm) December 4

3^rd Presentations (11am - 12:30pm) February 5

4^th Presentations (11am - 12:30pm) March 11

5^th Presentations (11am - 12:30pm) May 20

6^th Presentations (11am - 12:30pm) June 24

Testing Window - As a school we need to ensure that 95% of our students take the State Standardized Tests. Please do not schedule any trips during this time.

Fitnessgram (5^th Grade only) March 1-19

4^th Grade Writing March 16,17

CAT 6 and California Standards May 27-June 17

Wed, Sept. 10 Tues, Oct. 21 Tues, Dec. 16

Tues, Jan. 27 Wed, March 10 Tues, May 11 Wed, July 7

Friends and Family Fundraiser November 20

Variety Show TBA

Spring Bali Fest TBA

Attendance is a very important factor for success in school. We expect each child to attend school every day. Students who come to class every day learn more, feel more involved in the school community, and achieve greater success. There are experiences that occur in the classroom and on study trips that cannot be made up if missed. As a directly-funded charter school, we depend on your child's consistent attendance. We receive our funding based on our Average Daily Attendance (ADA). Each absence negatively impacts our budget. While the most important factor in regular attendance is your child's education, please understand that the simplest form of fundraising you can do for our school is to ensure that your child is here every day possible. Please avoid planning vacations and day trips during the school term.

If you know in advance that your child will be absent from one to twenty days for any reason (e.g. illness, vacation) your child's absence may be excused if a Contract of Independent Study is completed and signed before the student leaves. It is the parent’s responsibility to contact the office at least three days prior to the absence so that the contract may be prepared and work planned out for the student. The contract must be signed by the parent, student, and homeroom teacher prior to the absence. Students will be expected to complete all work assigned and turn it in to the office within two days after they return to the school. Failure to complete all work results in an unexcused absence, the student does not receive credit for the lost time and the school loses funding for the days missed.

Regular attendance is imperative for an optimal educational experience. Valid excuses include: i) illness, ii) doctor's or dentist's appointments, iii) bereavement, iv) participation in religious services, and v) court-ordered appearance. Please call the school to report the absence the morning of the absence by 9:30 a.m. If student absences become excessive, a note will be sent home to inquire whether the school can be of assistance in scheduling carpools or alternative transportation. Chronic absenteeism may result in being dropped from the Museum School.

The instructional day begins every morning at 9:00. Please do your best to get your child to school by 8:50 at the latest so he or she can be ready to participate fully each day, beginning at 9:00. If your child is tardy, please check in with the office manager to sign a tardy slip.

If you need to pick up your child before the end of the school day, please call to notify us. An Early Release form must be signed in the office by the parent before the student leaves the school campus.

Research supports that a fundamental element of a quality education program is parent involvement and participation. Parents are encouraged to visit, participate in classroom activities, attend school functions and help on field trips. We need your help. Whether it be your time, talent, ideas, "elbow grease," supply donations, or money, there are many ways that each family can contribute to the school. We have listed some ideas below and welcome any suggestions that you may have. The parents' participation in our school will broaden our program to benefit each child.

Each family and staff member has a mailbox. Please check your Family Mailbox daily for school and parent communication.

The Museum School has a unique teaching structure for an elementary school in that our students work with multiple teachers each day. We value this approach tremendously as it offers our students many rich teaching styles, and allows our staff to become intimately acquainted with the academic and social needs of all our students. Logistically, this makes it too difficult for us to schedule a week of conferences with all our students and all their teachers. Instead we would like you to know that, with reasonable notice, you may schedule a conference for your child at any time during the school year. There may be times when a staff member may request a conference also. Typically a week's notice is sufficient to plan for a conference.

How to Reach Us Please understand that, while we would love to have a full time office manager, we do not. Therefore, our office phone might not be picked up after 1:00 p.m. We check the answering machine daily after school so you may leave a message and we will get back to you as promptly as possible. Sometimes messages are lost. If you have not heard from us, please follow up.

The most important action you can take for our school is to provide the supports your child needs with schoolwork. Please take the time to make sure your child’s homework is completed with care. Spend time talking about the books your child is reading and the books you are reading. Showing you care about your child’s studies encourages him or her to care more and leads to success.

Each Thursday we will devote three hours to our departments to provide students with the opportunity to make focused visits to museums, the zoo and other venues in the area. We need chaperones that can commit to joining a department from 9:45 am to 1:15 pm, preferably for four weeks in a row. If you are interested and available, please contact the office and let us know your schedule.

The easiest fundraising we can do is to have our students here every day they are healthy. Each absence counts against our Average Daily Attendance by which our funding is calculated. Unfortunately, this is never enough. As we strive to keep our student population low, it puts a strain on our budget. Each year, through the efforts of our staff and parents, we have been able to overcome our revenue shortfalls and provide the rich programs our students deserve. Once again WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Friends and Family Night – Help plan and organize a Museum School fundraising evening where people can enjoy performances from our students while bidding on silent auction items, raffle items and more.

Corporate Fundraising – Create a profile package and contact San Diego companies to request financial support or in kind donations.

After School Music Programs – Help target donations for our music programs.

6th Grade Camp – This year it will cost $282.49 for each sixth-grader to go to Camp Palomar. That’s a total of $4,802.33 for our 17 students. Help us help the sixth-graders get there by doing car washes, sponsorships or anything else.

Book Drives – Help us fill our library. Help with book sales, book clubs, and targeted donations.

Other Ideas – If you have another fundraising idea, let us know. We’ll do what we can to help you help us.

The Site Council is open to all parents. The Museum School Site Council serves as an advisory group to the administration of the school. Meetings are scheduled every six weeks or so (see the school calendar). These meetings are primarily to keep parents informed and provide a forum for discussion and suggestions. Many great ideas stem from parents’ suggestions at these meetings. We welcome and encourage everyone’s participation.

At the Museum School, homework is made up of three parts, which include reasonable practice, parent assessment, and enriching projects.

Reasonable practice consists of daily home reading and math practice. Home reading should be done for 20 minutes or more every evening. Students may choose materials to read, keeping in mind the "read a lot" standard requiring students to read at least 25 books (covering a variety of genres) or more this year. Students have the opportunity to do their math practice at school during "guided practice" and "Homework Headstart," or at home.

We ask that you sign your child’s homework each evening. Before doing so, please look over all work, assisting your son/daughter to identify and correct errors, guiding him/her to complete work according to directions, asking questions to extend your child’s thinking and to make connections, and requiring that work be done neatly and to a high standard.

Enriching projects are assigned over an extended time period to encourage deep study and discovery focusing on particular topics. These projects will be multi-dimensional and will honor students’ individual creative effort as well as the knowledge gained from the study. Personal Learning Plans (PLPs), which will be assigned during the third trimester, are an example of this kind of project. When enriching projects are assigned, information will be sent home to explain the scope and requirements of the projects.

At the Museum School we value the different experiences and needs of our students and their families. We feel that this homework policy provides adequate "reasonable practice" without undue time pressure on our families. However, we also understand and support parents who may wish to supplement the standard homework assignments in whatever areas they feel their child would benefit (e.g. checking out related videos or library books, purchasing a supplemental math workbook or computer program), and can discuss those options with you at your request.

The "6 to 6" program offers a Homework Headstart each afternoon from 5pm to 6pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to make sure all work is done at school so kids can have more free time when they get home. Teachers and parents may sign up a child for this program, or children can enroll themselves. The "6 to 6" staff will have class rosters, and assignments, and will provide a quiet, supervised area to support each child. Even though students may finish their work at school we still require that they bring it home to be checked and signed by you at home.

Because the Museum School strives to present our students with opportunities that exceed those available at most traditional schools, our students must also accept a sense of responsibility that in many ways exceeds that which is expected at a traditional school.

We expect each child to do his or her best, both academically and behaviorally. If there’s a problem, we personally speak with the child, discuss the options for making good decisions, set appropriate consequences, and strive to help the student internalize the importance of taking responsibility for his or her own learning and behavior.

As a framework for this, we have both our general student goals (to help all students become self-directed learners, problem solvers, creative and healthy individuals, productive workers, and responsible citizens), and specific "guiding principles" for school behavior (I will do nothing to harm myself or others; I am responsible for my behavior; we are each other’s keepers; I take pride in myself and in my work; I will leave it better than I found it). At the beginning of the school year, and at intervals throughout the year, we discuss these goals and principles with the students, come to a common understanding of what they mean and why they are important, and then help our students to incorporate them into their daily lives.

If a student engages in behavior that is inappropriate or that negatively impacts his or her own learning or the learning of others, their teacher, or any staff person, we will remind the student what behavior is expected. If the inappropriate behavior continues, the student will be asked to write a "Problem We Can Solve" note about the behavior, which they will bring home to you to discuss that evening. They will also be asked to call home, explain the situation, and let you know they will be bringing a note home. We ask that you initial the note and send it back the next day and that you constructively discuss the situation with your child and, if you feel it is appropriate and/or necessary, assign any at-home consequences. The staff will also assign an appropriate in-school consequence.

If you have any questions about the issue, please call us so we can be sure we have a similar understanding of the situation and are all on the same page.

Today I had a problem with Student Goal # _____ and Guiding Principle # ____.

Tonight I’ll discuss this more with my mom, dad, or guardian, so they can also help me think about more positive choices.

My Name Parent Initials Date

I understand that each day is a new day, and when I return note this tomorrow, we’ll all consider the problem resolved. However, if I keep having this same problem, the next step will be a meeting with my teachers and my parents.

The first time a student calls home with a problem, we’ll work with the student to be sure he or she understands why there was a problem, what action can be taken next time to avoid the problem, and then, upon receipt of the initialed note home, we’ll consider the issue resolved.

If the behavior continues, however, the student will be referred to the School Success program. The School Success program will give kids the actual opportunity to exhibit and practice the behaviors and attitudes that are necessary for succeeding in the classroom. The program will take place during the second rotation time on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. During that hour, kids who are referred to the program will participate in a continuum of successive tasks that range from basic skills (listening to directions; following explicit directions to complete various tasks; working on tasks cooperatively with a partner) to more advanced and self-directed skills (discussion with the teacher about behavior and intent, and the perceptions of that behavior by teachers and peers; self-directed work on a challenging problem or task). A student may spend up to three days to complete the program, or may complete it sooner, depending on his or her progress.

The program will be facilitated by Ray and Phil and your support is essential to the program’s effectiveness. As soon as a referral is made, the parents will be contacted, and we’ll begin the program in the next possible session. We’ll report progress to the parents each day via a phone call or a note home. If you have any further questions or concerns about the program, please call us or catch us after school to discuss it.

Because we take regular study trips and the safety of our students is of paramount importance, our discipline policy for safety-related issues on study trips is well-defined, and must be consistent for all students. If a child behaves recklessly and/or ignores adult direction on a study trip, that child will not attend the next study trip as a consequence. A parent will be contacted, the behavior explained, and the parent will be asked to pick up the child just before the class departure time for the next trip.

In the event of a serious problem, in which a student poses a threat to his or her own safety or well-being or the safety or well-being of any other student or staff member at the Museum School (e.g. fighting, dangerous or threatening actions, dangerous misuse of materials), we will call the parent and ask that the child be picked up immediately. We will also schedule a follow-up meeting with the parent and student to assess the situation and agree upon a course of action that will best meet the needs of both the student and the school.

By having clear rules and consequences, helping the children to understand the reasoning behind the rules, and giving them the opportunity to make reasoned choices, we’re confident that we can help all of our students to grow towards making positive choices and taking responsibility for their actions.

The Birthday Book Club is a great way to share your child's birthday with everyone at school and create a lasting memory for you and your child. Rather than bringing in sweets for your child's classmates, we suggest that you and your child select a book to donate to the school or class library. A special inscription will be placed inside the book cover with your child's name and birth date. The book can then be shared with classmates for years to come.

We do lots of walking, running, sitting on the carpet, art, etc. Therefore, our parents and students have found that loose-fitting, comfortable clothing and sneakers or comfortable walking shoes work best for the Museum School.

It is always our intent to resolve concerns in the simplest manner for all. If a parent has a classroom concern, it is expected that he/she will try to resolve the concern with the classroom teacher. If the concern is not resolved, please bring your concern to the director. Every effort will be made to find a fair resolution through a personal conference or a meeting between the parties involved.

For such a small school, it is remarkable how many clothes, backpacks, lunchboxes etc. accumulate in our lost-and-found cupboard. Please label your child's belongings when at all possible. This will help keep our school neater by being able to identify stray items.

From time to time we are covered by the media (newspaper, TV, etc.) at school or on study trips. If you do not wish your child to be involved with the media, please leave a note to that effect with the school office.

The Museum School makes use of learning opportunities throughout the community to enrich our curriculum. Weekly study trips to Balboa Park are carefully planned and there will be a variety of other field trips throughout the year. Each child should have an updated annual permission slip on file in the school office. These permission slips grant permission for your child to attend any study trip the school may engage in throughout the school year.

While we make every effort to ensure a secure and safe environment for all our students and their belongings, there have been in the past, unfortunate and unexplained disappearances of personal items. We ask that you make a careful decision with your child as to whether they should bring items of value to school.

The Museum School has a comprehensive School Safety Plan that is annually updated, submitted to the San Diego City School District Police Services, and kept on file in the school office. The plan covers a variety of procedures to be carried out in the unlikely event of emergencies. The school's staff is regularly trained in these procedures, and students receive information and opportunities to practice safety measures throughout the school year.

The Museum School carries out regularly scheduled evacuation drills to test the readiness of all involved in case of emergency (fire, earthquake, explosion, lockdown). Emergency information is posted at the exit of each classroom. The emergency assembly area is located at the St. Paul's Park on the northwest corner of 3^rd Avenue and Maple Street (directly across the street from the front entrance to the school). In the event of a real emergency, students will be kept at the emergency assembly area until the emergency has been declared terminated or have been picked up by an authorized party. Parents must check in with a staff member before taking their child.

Nobody likes to be sick. If your child is not well, has a fever or a potentially contagious condition, please have him or her stay home and get well. The Museum School does not have a nurse on staff, and therefore we are very limited in the care we can provide for a child who is not feeling well. If a child comes to the office with a complaint, we will contact you to apprise you of the situation, and in some cases request that you come to pick up your child.

Neither the district nor the Museum School provides medical or dental insurance for students injured on school premises or while participating in school district activities. A variety of student accident insurance plans are available for purchase. Applications for these are available in the school office.

Any student who is required to take, during the regular school day, medication prescribed by a physician may be assisted by a designated staff member if the school receives a written statement from the physician with the name of the medication, method of administration, dosage to be given, and times of administration; and a written statement from the parent or guardian indicating their desire that the school district assist the student as indicated on the physician's statement. Forms for requesting assistance with medication are in the office.

All of the Museum School's computers have access to the Internet through the San Diego City Schools technology services. The district has a stringent safeguard program to protect our students from inappropriate content. The Museum School staff works closely in training our students as to the appropriate use of the Internet. Before using the Internet, parents and students should read the following "Network Use Guidelines." All parents and students must also sign a Student & Parent/Guardian Network Responsibility Contract.

This Language Arts group will be structured on a rotation basis; the first portion of class time will be spent as a whole group. Within this time the students will have a mini-spelling and grammar lesson and from there move on to a whole-class writing assignment that will be modeled and broken down into steps. After the whole-group lessons, students will move into smaller groups throughout the room where they will rotate through various stations. My goal with this Language Arts group is to build a strong foundation of reading and writing skills.

Writing assignments will include:

• Writing effective topic sentences;
• Single paragraphs with topic sentences and supporting details; and
• Short stories / three-paragraph essays;

Within each of these categories will be a variety of assignments with an overall theme of emotions and human relations. We will begin with writing effective topic sentences. Once this skill is mastered, we will continue on to paragraphs, short stories and essays.

Reading Groups: Groups of five or six children will meet with me to work in a guided reading group where they will practice reading with fluency while developing their word recognition, literary response, and comprehension skills.

Independent work (will change daily):

• Reading comprehension activities
• Journal writing
• Grammar activity worksheets

This year we will be studying novels set in the 20^th century. This will not only provide us with interesting literature study, but will also enable us to explore the historical time period when the books are set. During the first term this year, your child will spend seven to eight weeks studying the book Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis (winner of the Newberry Medal and Coretta Scott King Award). We will be studying the Great Depression, which is the historical context for this novel. After the winter break we will read a novel set during World War II.

Students will be expected to complete their reading outside of class and will be provided with a copy of the book to bring with them each day. Assignments will be approximately three chapters per week, and I will send home a schedule outlining due dates for chapters to be read.

Our class activities will include daily journal entries, discussion groups, mini-lessons, and writing assignments. Journals help students to look beneath the surface and develop connections to the story and characters. Each day, students will write about a question related to the story sharing their observations, predictions, and connections. I will respond to each student’s journal on a weekly basis. Discussion groups will provide an opportunity for students to share their observations, questions, and interpretations. When sharing, students often come to a deeper understanding than they may have reached on their own, as each reader brings a unique point of view. Mini-lessons will include reading strategies, literary devices, and grammar and sentence structure in the context of the story and journal responses.

This quarter (and continuing in the spring) the children will be working in our "Writer's Workshop" developing themselves as observers and critical thinkers, using the writing process. It should be an exciting process for them, and one that I hope they will continue after our rotation is over.

Students will be introduced to some wonderful writers and their work. We will celebrate and analyze mentor pieces for craft, style, and content, as well as the "rules" of grammar and style. Parents can help their young writers at home as well by making sure students are reading rich pieces of work every evening. Spend time talking to your children about their ideas, thoughts, and observations. Share your family stories orally. Tell them about when you were a child, and memories of when they were younger. These experiences will enrich their writer’s minds and give them more fodder to produce good work.

Students have also been given a "writer's notebook" to record their thoughts and ideas on a regular basis. These notebooks must be brought to class EVERY DAY. Please make sure your child has a special place for this book so he or she won't forget it the next morning.

When you have a relaxed moment I encourage you to sit down with your writers and ask them to share pieces from their notebook with you. These will not be final published pieces. They are only drafts and the children may decide not to publish a good majority of the work. However, this sharing will give you a better sense of how your children are developing as writers and what kinds of things they are working on. You may help them further by discussing the pieces, offering insights, helping with remembering, etc. Later in the year, as students begin to choose pieces that they wish to publish, you may also help in encouraging your writers to add detail, revise their work, and later help them edit their pieces. After our weeks together in the "Writer's Workshop," they will be assigned to continue working in their writer's notebook on their own as they move on to their next language arts rotation. These entries and notebooks should be full of good material they can draw on when we meet again in the Winter/Spring quarter. Happy writing!

A majority of the students are taught using the Excel Math program (Ansmar Publishers). We believe this program provides a strong foundation in the core mathematics skills. Students, who are ready, may join the upper-grade math group which uses a state-adopted textbook called California Middle School Mathematics (McDougal Littel). While the Excel program does a good job in the younger grades, the 6^th grade curriculum is more adequately covered in the textbook. Students will typically have math homework each night (except weekends). We ask that you look it over, and make sure your child has done a careful job, and sign the paper so the teacher knows you are aware of your child’s progress.

As part of the Museum School's regular curriculum, all students engage, for six hours per week, in project-based departments. Each student is a member of a multi-aged team that works together for 30 weeks out of the school year. The team rotates through six different departments, working in each department for a consecutive five-week period. Each year, to match the needs of the students, and to most efficiently make use of resources available, the departments may change focus. For the 2002/2003 school year the departments were focused on video, cooking, body science, newspaper writing, technological problem solving and community service. In previous years students have also participated in a cultural arts department, a travel department, an architecture department, and an earth science department. For the coming year, as we have recently located close to the many museums in Balboa Park, our departments will evolve to interface with several of the museums. An overriding theme for the departments will be Evolution and Change Over Time. We will have an Aerospace Department, an Ecology Department, Biological Evolution Department, Photo/Autobiography Department, Community Service Department, and a Cooking/Botany Department. Where appropriate, each department will look at the changes that have occurred over time within the subject. For instance, the Aerospace Department will look at the history of flight from its beginnings to the present day.

The department teams work with a facilitator/teacher in constructing a goal for themselves. The team works on developing the goal, conducting research and exploratory activities to synthesize what they have discovered. The five-week period ends with a culminating activity in which the team presents what they have learned in their course of study in the form of speeches, photo-essays, videos, skits or feasts to the entire school community. We invite you to attend Department Presentations. Please see the Calendar section for dates and times.

This department will focus on studying ecosystems, biomes, animal adaptations and evolution. Students will be learning about the following:

• Biomes
• Ecology
• Ecosystems
• Evolution/ Adaptations
• Food Chain

In class we will begin learning the fundamentals of ecology. Each week we will study in detail a different type of biome including: rainforest, desert, polar, and savannah. Thursdays will be spent at the San Diego Zoo where we will observe various animals in their habitat, make predictions, record our observations, make sketches and write about what we see. Presentations will be focused on one specific topic or biome, so that by the end of the year all topics will be covered.

This department will blend history and science to show the evolution of human flight. Students will be learning about the following:

• Early attempts at flight including hot air balloons and gliders;
• The Wright brothers and the beginning of motorized flight;
• The four forces of flight: lift, thrust, drag and gravity;
• Newton’s laws of motion;
• Bernoulli’s principle;
• Jet planes and engines; and
• Space flight and rocketry

In class we will be doing hands-on demonstrations and experiments to make predictions and illustrate the concepts we are studying. We will be making two to three visits to the Aerospace Museum in Balboa Park on Thursdays. One of our trips will include a docent-led tour to get an overview of the museum. Our other trips will involve using museum exhibits to explore the different eras in aerospace history and observe life-size models of different aircraft and equipment.

We will spend the last week of department preparing for an in-depth presentation of one topic we have studied. By the end of the year, each group will present on all of the concepts covered in Aerospace Department.

The cooking department will allow the students to work hands-on in a home-style kitchen. The focus shifts for each rotation using regional foods from around the world. As well as cultural and historical research, the curriculum will involve nutrition, food safety, and kitchen safety.

Students will find recipes from various sources and work to prepare ample amounts of chosen dishes for their own team to sample during the first four weeks of their rotation. In the fifth week, they will work with parents and a facilitator to prepare a feast for the entire school. This is accompanied by speech presentations that provide the audience with safety tips, recipes or background on the foods they are about to enjoy. This department will also provide students with an overview course of botanical study, incorporating the wide array of plant life located in Balboa Park.

The community service department focuses on service learning and gets the children involved in activities to benefit the community. The students have created art projects with toddlers from St. Vincent De Paul’s Shelter, engaged in art activities with senior citizens at St. Paul’s Manor, and organized a canned food drive. In "The Empty Bowl’s" project last year, students made two or three clay bowls while learning about issues of hunger and starvation in the world. They then graciously donated these bowls to be used for a fundraising dinner, which raised $2,000 for UNICEF. This project allowed the students to contribute to their community, share their talents and energy with others in the neighborhood, and raise awareness of important issues. The results, while difficult to measure, are obvious to see. This year the students will continue service learning working with the same agencies and making use of the park's proximity

Evolution means change over time. In this department we will study biological evolution with a particular emphasis on our human journey. Humans have evolved on this planet for more than four million years. Changes over time in the genes, the environment, and cultural developments have shaped human bodies and behavior. This department will incorporate reading, writing, math, art, and social science into the scientific framework of activities. We will visit the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Man in our search for understanding what makes us human.

Evolutionary Theory: What does "theory" mean in science?

Who was Charles Darwin?

How do we know evolution happens?

How does evolution really work?

Did humans evolve?

Why does evolution matter now?

Why is evolution controversial?

Through this department, students will gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the extraordinary impact the evolutionary process has had on our understanding of the world around us, where we came from, and where we are going.

Photography is all around us, and its uses are many. In this department students will look at photographs from the last century through the present with care to look at details and photographers intentions. After looking through the eyes of other photographers, students will be asked to respond in writing with their personal opinions on various subjects such as; family, friendships, ambitions, and hobbies. Students will learn the basic elements of photography through the hands on use of digital cameras with manual functions. As the students become more comfortable with the cameras, they will be assigned to take shots to match their writing. The finished product will be a photo-autobiographical essay.

Each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, our students have the opportunity to attend six different classes (two per day). They include:

Music (Voice and Choir, Guitar, Gamelan) – Each student will receive instruction in each of these areas throughout the year.

Reading Clubs – Working in small groups with classroom teachers, students will focus on quality literature, engaging in group discussions and individual reflections.

Movement – Students will engage in a variety of movement activities including yoga/stretching, calisthenics, dance, jogging, and organized games.

Computer Lab – Students will work on word processing skills, typing, and vocabulary, and have time to focus on homework activities if necessary.

Art – Students will enjoy a wide range of art classes involving many types of media.

Spanish – Students will enjoy an interactive, beginning Spanish course.

This is the current schedule for the Fall. Please note it may be subject to change without notice.

The Museum School's report card is based on a developmental continuum that is intended to show growth over four years of work at the Museum School. It is unique to the Museum School and was developed by our staff with the help of students and parents. The first page of the report card is a cover sheet summarizing the rest of the report card and provides citizenship and effort grades from rotations and departments. The second page provides parents and students with an overview of the behaviors that the staff sees in regards to our community goal of being a Responsible Citizen, a Productive Worker, a Healthy Creative Individual, a Problem Solver and a Self-Directed Learner. The behaviors that are observed will be highlighted in color. The third and fourth pages contain the continuums for reading, writing and math. Each section is based on California Standards for each grade level as a means of providing a reference point. Keep in mind that the report card is designed to show growth over four years and that no one student learns at the same speed. Your child may have strengths in certain areas, weaknesses in others. This report card is designed to reflect these areas and provide us all with a strong diagnostic tool to focus our teaching and learning. A sample report card is included on the following page.

As mentioned in the Parent Involvement Section, our conferences will be held on an as-needed, as-requested basis. If you feel that you would like a conference with your child’s teachers, please call to schedule one.

ARI - Analytical Reading Inventory The ARI is a teacher administered reading assessment that is given one-on-one and designed to diagnose student reading skills and strategies as well as to inform classroom instruction. Students are assessed with the ARI at least twice a year at the Museum School.

The Museum School uses the Excel Math program for grades three through five. This program provides a weekly test which we administer every Friday. Your child's graded test will be sent home the following week. We encourage you to look over these with your child to determine with him or her on what areas he or she may need to focus on during the next week’s assignments. An average score for the reporting period will be included in your child's report card. The sixth-grade group will be using the California Middle School Mathematics book and will follow a different schedule for testing.

For the last five to six weeks of the school year, students will take the skills they have learned throughout the year and apply them to creating a well-researched project based on a subject of their own choosing. The project will consist of a written research report, a creative project based on their research and a final presentation to the whole school community. The project will be graded based on a common rubric and be reflected in the final report card of the year.

I will:

Developmental Reading Continuum

2002: The Three Pigs by David Wiesner (Clarion/Houghton Mifflin)

2001: So You Want to Be President? Illustrated by David Small; Text by Judith St. George (Philomel Books)

2000: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback (Viking)

1999: Snowflake Bentley Illustrated by Mary Azarian; Text by Jacqueline Briggs Martin (Houghton)

1998: Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky (Dutton)

1997: Golem by David Wisniewski (Clarion)

1996: Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann (Putnam)

1995: Smoky Night, Illustrated by David Diaz; Text: Eve Bunting (Harcourt)

1994: Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say; Text: edited by Walter Lorraine (Houghton)

1993: Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully (Putnam)

1992: Tuesday by David Wiesner (Clarion Books)

1991: Black and White by David Macaulay (Houghton)

1990: Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young (Philomel)

1989: Song and Dance Man, Illustrated by Stephen Gammell; Text: Karen Ackerman (Knopf)

1988: Owl Moon, Illustrated by John Schoenherr; Text: Jane Yolen (Philomel)

1987: Hey, Al, Illustrated by Richard Egielski; Text: Arthur Yorinks (Farrar)

1986: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg (Houghton)

1985: Saint George and the Dragon, Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman; Text: retold by Margaret Hodges (Little, Brown)

1984: The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot by Alice & Martin Provensen (Viking)

1983: Shadow, translated and Illustrated by Marcia Brown; original Text in French: Blaise Cendrars (Scribner)

1982: Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg (Houghton)

1981: Fables by Arnold Lobel (Harper)

1980: Ox-Cart Man, Illustrated by Barbara Cooney; Text: Donald Hall (Viking)

1979: The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble (Bradbury)

1978: Noah's Ark by Peter Spier (Doubleday)

1977: Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions, Illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon; Text: Margaret Musgrove (Dial)

1976: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, Illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon; Text: retold by Verna Aardema (Dial)

1975: Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott (Viking)

1974: Duffy and the Devil, Illustrated by Margot Zemach; retold by Harve Zemach (Farrar)

1973: The Funny Little Woman, Illustrated by Blair Lent; Text: retold by Arlene Mosel (Dutton)

1972: One Fine Day, retold and Illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian (Macmillan)

1971: A Story A Story, retold and Illustrated by Gail E. Haley (Atheneum)

1970: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig (Windmill Books)

1969: The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship, Illustrated by Uri Shulevitz; Text: retold by Arthur Ransome (Farrar)

1968: Drummer Hoff, Illustrated by Ed Emberley; Text: adapted by Barbara Emberley (Prentice-Hall)

1967: Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness (Holt)

1966: Always Room for One More, Illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian; Text: Sorche Nic Leodhas, pseud. [Leclair Alger] (Holt)

1965: May I Bring a Friend? Illustrated by Beni Montresor; Text: Beatrice Schenk de Regniers (Atheneum)

1964: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (Harper)

1963: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (Viking)

1962: Once a Mouse, retold and Illustrated by Marcia Brown (Scribner)

1961: Baboushka and the Three Kings, Illustrated by Nicolas Sidjakov; Text: Ruth Robbins (Parnassus)

1960: Nine Days to Christmas, Illustrated by Marie Hall Ets; Text: Marie Hall Ets and Aurora Labastida (Viking)

1959: Chanticleer and the Fox, Illustrated by Barbara Cooney; Text: adapted from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales by Barbara Cooney (Crowell)

1958: Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey (Viking)

1957: A Tree Is Nice, Illustrated by Marc Simont; Text: Janice Udry (Harper)

1956: Frog Went A-Courtin', Illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky; Text: retold by John Langstaff) (Harcourt)

1955: Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper, Illustrated by Marcia Brown; Text: translated from Charles Perrault by Marcia Brown (Scribner)

1954: Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans (Viking)

1953: The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward (Houghton)

1952: Finders Keepers, Illustrated by Nicolas, pseud. (Nicholas Mordvinoff); Text: Will, pseud. [William Lipkind] (Harcourt)

1951: The Egg Tree by Katherine Milhous (Scribner)

1950: Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi (Scribner)

1949: The Big Snow by Berta & Elmer Hader (Macmillan)

1948: White Snow, Bright Snow, Illustrated by Roger Duvoisin; Text: Alvin Tresselt (Lothrop)

1947: The Little Island, Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard; Text: Golden MacDonald, pseud. [Margaret Wise Brown] (Doubleday)

1946: The Rooster Crows by Maude & Miska Petersham (Macmillan)

1945: Prayer for a Child, Illustrated by Elizabeth Orton Jones; Text: Rachel Field (Macmillan)

1944: Many Moons, Illustrated by Louis Slobodkin; Text: James Thurber (Harcourt)

1943: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (Houghton)

1942: Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (Viking)

1941: They Were Strong and Good, by Robert Lawson (Viking)

1940: Abraham Lincoln by Ingri & Edgar Parin d'Aulaire (Doubleday)

1939: Mei Li by Thomas Handforth (Doubleday)

1938: Animals of the Bible, A Picture Book, Illustrated by Dorothy P. Lathrop; Text: selected by Helen Dean Fish (Lippincott)

2002: A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park(Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin) 

2001: A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck (Dial) 

2000: Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis (Delacorte) 

1999: Holes by Louis Sachar (Frances Foster) 

1998: Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (Scholastic) 

1997: The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg (Jean Karl/Atheneum)

1996: The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman (Clarion)

1995: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (HarperCollins)

1994: The Giver by Lois Lowry (Houghton)

1993: Missing May by Cynthia Rylant (Jackson/Orchard)

1992: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Atheneum)

1991: Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli (Little, Brown)

1990: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (Houghton)

1989: Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman (Harper)

1988: Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman (Clarion)

1987: The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman (Greenwillow)

1986: Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (Harper)

1985: The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (Greenwillow)

1984: Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary (Morrow)

1983: Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt (Atheneum)

1982: A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers by Nancy Willard (Harcourt)

1981: Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson (Crowell)

1980: A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-1832 by Joan W. Blos (Scribner)

1979: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (Dutton)

1978: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (Crowell)

1977: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (Dial)

1976: The Grey King by Susan Cooper (McElderry/Atheneum)

1975: M. C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton (Macmillan)

1974: The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox (Bradbury)

1973: Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George (Harper)

1972: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien (Atheneum)

1971: Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars (Viking)

1970: Sounder by William H. Armstrong (Harper)

1969: The High King by Lloyd Alexander (Holt)

1968: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (Atheneum)

1967: Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt (Follett)

1966: I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino (Farrar)

1965: Shadow of a Bull by Maia Wojciechowska (Atheneum)

1964: It's Like This, Cat by Emily Neville (Harper)

1963: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (Farrar)

1962: The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare (Houghton)

1961: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell (Houghton)

1960: Onion John by Joseph Krumgold (Crowell)

1959: The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Houghton)

1958: Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith (Crowell)

1957: Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson (Harcourt)

1956: Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham (Houghton)

1955: The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong (Harper)

1954: ...And Now Miguel by Joseph Krumgold (Crowell)

1953: Secret of the Andes by Ann Nolan Clark (Viking)

1952: Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes (Harcourt)

1951: Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates (Dutton)

1950: The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli (Doubleday)

1949: King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry (Rand McNally)

1948: The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène du Bois (Viking)

1947: Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (Viking)

1946: Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski (Lippincott)

1945: Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson (Viking)

1944: Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (Houghton)

1943: Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray (Viking)

1942: The Matchlock Gun by Walter Edmonds (Dodd)

1941: Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry (Macmillan)

1940: Daniel Boone by James Daugherty (Viking)

1939: Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright (Rinehart)

1938: The White Stag by Kate Seredy (Viking)

1937: Roller Skates by Ruth Sawyer (Viking)

1936: Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink (Macmillan)

1935: Dobry by Monica Shannon (Viking)

1933: Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze by Elizabeth Lewis (Winston)

1932: Waterless Mountain by Laura Adams Armer (Longmans)

1931: The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth (Macmillan)

1930: Hitty, Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field (Macmillan)

1929: The Trumpeter of Krakow by Eric P. Kelly (Macmillan)

1928: Gay Neck, the Story of a Pigeon by Dhan Gopal Mukerji (Dutton)

1927: Smoky, the Cowhorse by Will James (Scribner)

1926: Shen of the Sea by Arthur Bowie Chrisman (Dutton)

1925: Tales from Silver Lands by Charles Finger (Doubleday)

1924: The Dark Frigate by Charles Hawes (Little, Brown)

1923: The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting (Lippincott)

1922: The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem van Loon (Liveright)

San Diego Public Library

700+ Great Sites: Amazing, Spectacular, Mysterious, Colorful Web Sites for Kids and the Adults Who Care About Them. Built and maintained by members of the American Library Association who work with children and with the web every day, this site links to great sites not only for children and young adults but also for parents, caregivers, home schooling families, educators, storytellers and librarians.

The Children's Literature Web Guide: An outstanding collection of children's literature resources that includes: Movies and Television Based on Children's Books, Best Books Lists, Information about Authors and their Books, Children's Booksellers, Online Children's Stories, Books and Reviews Online among others. One of its nicer features is its listing of award-winning books and resources for parents, teachers, storytellers, writers and illustrators.

De Grummond Children's Literature Collection: One of the top research collections in the field of children's literature, this site is home to the Jack and the Beanstalk and Jack the Giant-Killer Project (1997), the Cinderella Project (1995), and the Little Red Riding Hood Project (1995). Provides an index to the manuscript collection which includes papers of such authors as Barbara Cooney, Madeleine L'Engle, and Phillis Reynolds Naylor.

Digital Librarian: A Librarian's Choice of the Best of the Web--Children's Literature Provides links to over 500 children's literature and children's resources sites on the Internet.

An indexed guide to help in solving math problems.

Links to hundreds of sites from specific problems to the history of math and mathematicians.

Affiliated with the television network, this site has everything from the centennial of flight to virtual frog dissections.

A Science Fair Project Resource Guide: An excellent resource from Internet Public Library that links kids and their parents to all sorts of exceptional resources for their projects.

Children learn as much out of school as they do in school. They learn things at home and in their community. Children learn a great deal from their parents, and parents are important partners in the learning experience. Parental interest, common sense, and a few basic skills can help make school a successful learning experience for children. Parental interest sends a strong message to children – that education is important, and that learning can be fun and worth the effort.

Homework is assigned by teachers for many reasons: it can give students extra practice time, apply information learned, and help them expand their knowledge beyond what learned in class. Assignments are also a good way for children to learn to work independently. Homework assignments can also help students work on bigger projects, learn about other resources, like encyclopedias and the web, and visit libraries.

A checklist for helping your child with homework:

• Try to set aside a special, quiet place with good lighting for homework.
• Keep basic supplies like paper, pencils, pens, markers, rulers, etc. in a box in the homework area.
• Try to have a regular time each day to do homework.
• Help your child use organizational tools, like school planners, calendars, and folders.
• When children are assigned larger projects that require a few days or weeks to complete, help them to schedule their time and break the assignment into manageable pieces.

Questions to ask your child:

What is today's homework/assignment?

Is the task clear?

Do you understand what you have to do? If not, suggest calling a classmate

When is the work due?

If it is a major project: would it help to make a time line in your planner?

Other ways to help:

• Be positive, supportive. And encouraging. Remember to look for areas of improvement.
• Remember that it is your child's homework, not yours.
• Let your child know that you have confidence in him/her. Remind him/her of past successes, perhaps in sports, music or other difficult homework assignments.
• Show interest and praise him/her when he/she has done something well.
• Try to make criticisms or suggestions in a helpful way.
• Get to know the teacher early in the year, and find out about homework policies and expectations.
• Call the teacher if there are homework problems or issues you can't resolve. Do it earlier, rather that later before it becomes a major issue.

If the final letter after the vowel is f, l, or s, it is usually doubled. (Examples: pass, bell, and staff)

Two-Vowels Together: When two vowels are next to each other, the first vowel is usually long (says it's name) and the second vowel is silent. (Examples: meat, read, rain, pie, and toad)

"Vowel - Consonant - e" Rule: When a short word, or the last syllable of a longer word, ends in a vowel - consonant - e pattern, the first vowel is usually long (says its name) and the e is silent. (Examples: make, cake, kite, vote, and cute)

Y as a long i: The letter y makes the long sound of i, when it comes at the end of a short word that has no other vowel. (Examples: cry, fly, and my)

Y as a long e: When y or ey end a word in an unaccented syllable, then the y says the long sound of e. (Examples: lovely, key, and honey)

I before E: You will usually write i before e, except after c, or when they make the long a sound, like in neighbor or weigh. (Examples: receipt, believe, achieve, and reign)

OI or OY: Use oi within a word and oy at the end of a word. (Examples: boy, boil, toy, toil, and avoid)

OU or OW: Use ou within a word, and ow at the end of a word, Unless l, n, or d. (Examples: house, found, about, cow, how, sow, crown, and frown)

(Exceptions to the rule: loud and shroud)

Double Consonants: When spelling the consonant sounds for b, d, g, m, n, or p, in the middle of a two-syllable word, where the consonant sound follows a short vowel, double the consonant. (Examples: crabby, daddy, mommy, funnel, and happy)

The /ch/ sound: At the beginning of a word, use ch; at the end of a word, use tch; and when the /ch/ sound is followed by ure or ion use t. (Examples: choose, champ, watch, catch, picture, and rapture)

Things we use every day:

Pencils

Paper towels

Cap erasers

Stop sign for walks

Glue (bottles or sticks)

Scotch tape

Pushpins

Copy paper (white or colors)

Paper clips

Post-it notes (all sizes)

Scissors

Sunscreen

Potting soil

Paper Towels

Pens (red, black, green, and blue)

Markers

White board markers

Colored Pencils

Crayons

Weekly Produce

Kleenex

Rice

Hand sanitizer

Pasta

Healthy Snacks

Sponges

Simple Green

Windex

Vinegar

Bleach

Band-Aids

Disinfectant

Bottle water

Plastic forks, spoons

Paper plates, cups (no Styrofoam;)

5 x 8 white index cards

Notebook paper (college ruled)

Mead Composition books

Rulers

Scissors

Inexpensive calculators

Yardsticks

Ice packs

Handi-wipes

Neosporin

Benedryl

Kid’s Motrin

Kid’s Tylenol

Peroxide

Q-tips

Cotton balls

Baggies

Arrowhead water cooler

Sofa

Bar Stools

Gently used books for kids

Playground balls

Jump ropes

Hula Hoops

Bean Bags

Construction Paper

Volunteer Help

Vacuum Cleaner

Poster Boards

Mini glue gun sticks

Donation for cell phone & service

Slide Projector