adventurer news

​Dear Adventurer Families,
 
It was great to see some of you at the DVIA Adult Mixer last night. Many thanks to those of you who were part of the FAN group who put it all together!
 
Reminder: You can always find previous Adventurer emails on our website: dviaadventurers.weebly.com.
 
Workshop Updates:

• Last Friday
  • In Flowering Plants, we explored ecosystems through images, text and discussion. We focused on how they support different types of plant and animal life.
    • We are also curious about why only some of our strawberry plants seem to be getting munched on by an unwanted, unknown visitor.
    • Our Morning Glories are sprouting!
  • In Crazy 8’s, we built catapults and launched jumbo marshmallows. I’ve attached the instructions for building the catapults, in case you would like to continue this work at home (kids took their catapults home). It also includes directions for making a rubber band slingshot, which we did not have enough time to make in class. Argh! Their website is temporarily down, so I can’t download the instructions for you. Email me if you are interested and I will try the download again later.
• Monday (yesterday)
  • In Mirrors and Windows, we explored the ideas of memories and perspectives.
    • Students drew/wrote about a favorite memory, focusing on emotions and sensory details and shared them at our table.
    • We watched a clip from Inside Out about memories and discussed it.
    • They spent time outside, building with the Imagination Playground blocks (the big blue ones).
    • Students then drew/wrote about our memory of that building experience. We discussed the difference between a memory and a summary of what happened. Students shared their memories with a partner and in our group discussion, the emphasis was on how even though we were all part of a shared experience, our perspectives and memories were all different.
  • In Imagination Unlimited
    • We watched a BrainPop video on imagination and discussed what imagination is.
    • We watched and discussed BrainPop videos on the brain and neurons.
    • We used paper, tape, markers, yarn, ribbon and string to turn our room into a giant brain.

Butacas – a maker workshop
Sara Ochoa (mom of Seth and Samara) will be leading a series of workshops in which students will design and build their own butaca (easy chair). She is generously sharing this family tradition (she remembers doing this with her grandfather as a child) with us. It connects nicely with the Found in Translation exhibit currently at LACMA through April 1st.

• Students will assemble a wooden frame, design a decorative pattern, weave the seat and put it all together into a functional chair. They will take their butacas home after the last workshop.
• 4 Mondays
  April 9th - 30th
  11am-noon
  in the DVIA Makerspace
• Please RSVP: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d44ada729a13-butacas

 
Reminders and Details:
DVIA's Second Annual Science Fair – Sat., March 17, 1-3pm

• Follow this link for more information and to sign up. 
• This is a great opportunity. We hope many of you will participate.
• I’ve attached notes from the Science Fair discussion some of you attended last week. If you have any questions or want some help, let me know.
• At the Science Fair, kids will display tri-fold posters of their science project but will not do a verbal sharing with visitors.
• Kids will also have an opportunity to display their work on-campus. More info to come.

Field Trip to the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro on March 22nd at 11am.
The Adventurers and Innovators are invited to join me and visit the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro on March 22nd. www.marinemammalcare.org

• Some info from their site...
  Groups are invited to come to the Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles to learn about seals, sea lions, and marine environment.  Participants can see recovering patients and learn how human interactions affect our ocean life. Students will also observe animal care, feeding procedures, and learn about rehabilitation procedures we use to return the animals back to their ocean environment.
• Tours include an age appropriate classroom presentation and viewing of seals and sea lion patients currently in our hospital.  Due to safety considerations, a tour is limited to the classroom and viewing the animals from outside the perimeter fence.  It does not entail a behind-the-scenes look at the facility. Tours last approximately 1 hour. If you are interested in being a chaperone, please let me know. For those dropping off, this could be a good opportunity to connect and collaborate!
• Please plan to arrive by 10:45. Driving and parking instructions will be sent to everyone who signs up. They request a donation of $40 or the equivalent in donations from their wish list from our group, to support the education program and the animals. If you would like to contribute (this is not at all required...I will be making a group donation), you may bring your donation to MMCC.

 
LACMA Evening for Educators: City and Cosmos: Arts of Teotihuacan – Tues., Apr. 10 at 5pm. These adult evenings are great events focused on building educators’ skill sets and content knowledge. The $15 ticket includes a catered dinner (served outdoors, so wear layers). Let me know if I’ll see you there! http://www.lacma.org/evenings-for-educators