Our principal retired this year and I decided to create a Pop Art Tribute to Tom!

This wall was created by taking a single photograph and converting it to a black line master.  You can do this here:  http://online.rapidresizer.com/photograph-to-pattern.php



After I had the black line master of the photograph, I taught my students about Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe Pop Art.

I enlarged the black line master and students used watercolor paints to creatively paint their interpretation of Principal Tom.  Finally I put all the paintings together to display in the front hall of the school.  This project is an amazing way to honor a member of your community.

Second Grade Amazon Park Project

I was so excited to see this article written about our final Project Based Learning experience in 2nd grade this year.  Thank you Heather for documenting the awesome things our students are doing in the community!  If you are interested in learning more about project based learning feel free to comment below.

Camas Ridge Community School Explores Amazon Park Playground Renovations

Heather Sielicki / 2 days ago

When Donna Van Durzen, a second grade teacher at Camas Ridge Community Elementary, heard about the playground renovations scheduled to take place this summer at Amazon Park, she saw a perfect, project based learning opportunity. She developed an exercise where her second graders could learn about park design, submit designs and have their designs evaluated.
Kids took a walking field trip to the park and learned about the renovations with Katie Blair-Terrazas, Eugene Outdoors, Park Development Volunteer Coordinator. She told them that later this summer they would see construction equipment and workers move in to the site to remove old and well-used play equipment and the decommissioned wading pool. In their place will arrive new playground structures, improved play area drainage and surfacing, new lawns, walks, trees and park furniture. Happily, our friend the dinosaur will remain to continue marking years of fun at this wonderful playground. Overall, the intent with this playground is to make it as universally accessible and inclusive as possible.

Second Grade Math Games

DVD's second graders answered the question, "How can we as mathematicians create fun math games others can learn from while playing?" Our process included 'Exploring' many kinds of math games, 'Designing' by putting our ideas into math journals, 'Creating' games individually or in teams, 'Refining' our games after a few test games with our class, and 'Owning' it when we played our games with students from other classes.