The Campfire Chronicles

reported by Miss Camp

September 28, 2001

SCOUT OF THE WEEK!

Congratulations to our first Scout of the Week:

Nick

Nick was the first to complete a scout merit badge. On Tuesday, he completed his merit badge for D.E.A.R. Time! That means he knows what it looks like (reading, being respectful of the books, keeping the library neat, sitting in areas that are not off-limits) and what it sounds like (quiet) during our time to Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.). He demonstrated his D.E.A.R. Time expertise ten times in order to earn this merit badge.

Nick also completed his first HALLWAY merit badge. He has demonstrated ten times that he knows what it looks like (face forward, arms at side) and sounds like (quiet) to walk in the hallway

In addition, Nick follows the rules of our class:

  1. Be Safe.
  2. Be Kind.
  3. Be Productive.

Congratulations Nick!

MORE MERIT BADGES AWARDED!

D.E.A.R. Time Merit Badge:
Tuesday
Nick
Wednesday
Nikki
Adam
Thursday
Melanie
Brianna

Friday
Colin
Michael
Jenna
Ryan St.
Chelsea
Brennan

HALLWAY Merit Badge:
Adam
Nick
Tabatha
Ryan Sch. 		Lenny
Jessica
Dustin

MISS CAMP'S CLASS WINS THE RAINBOW FISH AWARD!
Who? Miss Camp's Class
What? Rainbow Fish Award
When? On Tuesday
Where? At Gym
Why? The Rainbow Fish
award is given to any class that earns four stars in gym. A star is earned when the whole class demonstrates their ability to

  • be safe
  • follow directions
  • have teamwork.

As a winner of this award, Miss Camp's class was recognized on Wednesday's morning announcements broadcast over the school speakers. WOW!!!

Library Investigations

Where in the world are the largest and smallest libraries?

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

Have trouble remembering your math facts? If you know your doubles (2+2, 3+3, 4+4, 5+5, 6+6, 7+7, 8+8, 9+9, 10+10) and your sums to ten (10+0, 9+1, 8+2, 7+3, 6+4, 5+5, 4+6, 3+7, 2+8, 1+9, 0+10), you can solve just about any math fact! All you have to do is compare the unknown math fact to the one you know! Sound tricky? Here's how it works:

If you can't remember 9 + 7 ,
                just think of 9 + 9 = 18.
7 is just 2 less than 9, so the answer is just 2 less than 18. It's 16! We call that trick "doubles - 2."

Try it with 40 + 38. See if you can do it in your head! That's what we call MENTAL MATH!

THE 5 W's: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY

The 5 W's are important to all great detectives, reporters, and scientists.

  • Have a mystery to solve? The 5 W's will help.
  • Have a story that doesn't make sense? The 5 W's will help.
  • Have a story to write? The 5 W's will help.
  • Need to sum up the story in just one or two sentences? The 5 W's will help.

This week we used the 5 W's to help us sum up stories in just one or two sentences. We call it a summary statement. We also call it "looking at the big picture" rather than at the little details. We practiced on four stories:
  • Orcas Around Me
  • How My Family Lives in America (from Reading book)
  • Grandfather's Journey (from Social Studies book)
  • Your Dad Was Just Like You (from Reading book)

Orcas Around Me
(by Debra Page)

Who? Taiga, family
What? Fishing
When? Summer
Where? Alaska
Summary: Taiga spends his summer fishing with his family in Alaska.
New Words: Anchor, Scow, Veered, Kelp
Miss Camp shared a true story from Alaska about making sweet pickles from kelp. Miss Camp also brought in her neoprene boots that people in Juneau, Alaska refer to as "Juneau Tennies" because they're worn as commonly as tennis shoes!
How My Family Lives in America (by Susan Kuklin)

Who? April, family
What? Chinese Americans, Chinese School
When? Saturdays
Where? America
Why? To learn Chinese
Summary: April is a Chinese American girl who tells about what it is like to go to Chinese school on Saturdays to learn Chinese.
     
    
     
    
Your Dad Was Just Like You (by Dolores Johnson)

Who? Grandpa, Peter, Dad
What? Peter goes to grandpa after breaking Dad's purple trophy. Grandpa tells story about how dad got trophy when he was kid.
When? Past, Present
Where? Park, House
Why? Dad is upset, Peter needs advice
Summary: Peter goes to his grandpa for advice because his dad is upset with him for breaking his purple trophy. His grandpa tells him a story about when his dad was a kid and got the trophy.
Grandfather's Journey (by Allen Say)

Who? Grandfather, Grandson
What? Grandson tells story of Grandpa's life in America and Japan, and then his own life in both places after Grandpa dies.
When? Past, Present
Where? Japan, California
Why? Better understanding of how Grandpa felt in life (desire to see the world, homesickness)

Summary: A grandson tells the story of his grandpa's life in California and Japan, and then his own life. They like both places and so always feel homesick for the other place.

This story was complicated because so many things happened over such a long period of time. To help us out, we made a TIMELINE of the grandfather's life and the grandson's life.
HOMEWORK FOR PARENTS!
We have begun our Student-Parent-Teacher Journals! Here's how it works:

STEP 1:Every Friday, the students who stay in Miss Camp's class all day write letters to their moms or dads in their journals.

STEP 2:Over the weekend, the mom or dad writes back to the student in the journal.

STEP 3:During the week, Miss Camp writes a note to the parent in the journal, and then gives it back to the student to begin again on Friday.

Click on Snoopy Typing to go back to the Directory of Campfire Chronicles! Click on the Beagle Scout to go back to Camp Linus!