Hello Everyone!
We had quite an eventful trip. We have created a Google Folder that you can view and download any photos that you wish. To access the photos, please click on the link below:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1w2bis--h9khegCULNxBc2Etywwvc_kSn?usp=sharing
Best,
6th Grade Team
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Thursday Thoughts (The Alliterations Have Returned...)
Hello Families! Are Eastshore kids lucky? Yes. Here we are with the sun shining and the kids just finished their last snorkel for the week. Most of them are playing a game called Gaga Ball which is, without a doubt, a CIMI favorite. Be sure to ask your child about it.
During the snorkel this morning our study groups chummed for eel. Not many eel were spotted, but there were some happy Garibaldi out there with full stomachs. One of the highlights of the morning, along with spotting a variety of fish and a few crustaceans, was the sighting of a bald eagle flying over camp. How often does anyone see a bald eagle when they are coming out of the ocean after a snorkel?
Soon, lunch will be served and then we are all off to our afternoon programs. Some kids will enjoy the same wonderful labs we spoke of yesterday and others will kayak. There could not be a more perfect day for kayaking. Lucky again.
An annual tradition is our campfire/talent show and that is on our agenda for tonight. We encourage all of the kids to get up and share a talent. Silliness is welcome. Our students will meet Buella, a famous Bison, who shows up every year for Eastshore's talent show. Again, please ask your child about this surprise.
It is difficult to believe that our week is almost over. Our delight is watching your children make so much growth and enjoy spending time outdoors observing nature.
More later...
Warm regards,
The 6th Grade Teachers
During the snorkel this morning our study groups chummed for eel. Not many eel were spotted, but there were some happy Garibaldi out there with full stomachs. One of the highlights of the morning, along with spotting a variety of fish and a few crustaceans, was the sighting of a bald eagle flying over camp. How often does anyone see a bald eagle when they are coming out of the ocean after a snorkel?
Soon, lunch will be served and then we are all off to our afternoon programs. Some kids will enjoy the same wonderful labs we spoke of yesterday and others will kayak. There could not be a more perfect day for kayaking. Lucky again.
An annual tradition is our campfire/talent show and that is on our agenda for tonight. We encourage all of the kids to get up and share a talent. Silliness is welcome. Our students will meet Buella, a famous Bison, who shows up every year for Eastshore's talent show. Again, please ask your child about this surprise.
It is difficult to believe that our week is almost over. Our delight is watching your children make so much growth and enjoy spending time outdoors observing nature.
More later...
Warm regards,
The 6th Grade Teachers
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Wednesday Night and the Alliterations Have Dried Up Due To Cold Water
Good Evening,
We apologize for the lack of creativity in our title, however we had a wonderful night. The students participated in a night snorkel, a hike, or an evening lab. The students on the night snorkel were treated to seeing a school of squid, some lobsters, and a nudibranch. The visibility was extremely clear and the water was warm. Some groups utilized the valuable Golden Unicorn in the water. Ask your son or daughter about this technique to stay warm in the water.
We have a nice sunset hike tomorrow morning up to the shrine. The students will be able to see a skeleton of an old bison and the entire bay. It will be a memorable experience. Tomorrow morning the students have their last snorkel. We will do our fish count and put chum in the water to look for eels.
Tomorrow evening will be our final one here. The students will participate in a campfire and a talent show.
After just finishing the night dive, I am cold and ready for bed!
More to come!
Best,
6th Grade Team
We apologize for the lack of creativity in our title, however we had a wonderful night. The students participated in a night snorkel, a hike, or an evening lab. The students on the night snorkel were treated to seeing a school of squid, some lobsters, and a nudibranch. The visibility was extremely clear and the water was warm. Some groups utilized the valuable Golden Unicorn in the water. Ask your son or daughter about this technique to stay warm in the water.
We have a nice sunset hike tomorrow morning up to the shrine. The students will be able to see a skeleton of an old bison and the entire bay. It will be a memorable experience. Tomorrow morning the students have their last snorkel. We will do our fish count and put chum in the water to look for eels.
Tomorrow evening will be our final one here. The students will participate in a campfire and a talent show.
After just finishing the night dive, I am cold and ready for bed!
More to come!
Best,
6th Grade Team
Waves on a Wonderful Wednesday
Good Afternoon!
We just had the most wonderful snorkel. Besides the usual snorkeling activities the students got to have some free play in the water. The small waves that wash up on shore provided plenty of entertainment for the students. They rode their boogie boards, rolled in the sand, and had a blast. After free play they also had the opportunity to jump off the float deck. The students showed off their best moves: belly flops, cannon balls, front flips. Everyone had a blast.
After the free time and float jumping, the students had a wonderful snorkel where they were able to see the famous Amelio- a Garibaldi that can do a flip on command when students scream his name under water.
We are gearing up for our beach BBQ! The students will have burgers, chips, water, veggies, and some Oreos on the beach before their afternoon program.
Though the water is cold, there are smiles all around! The week without technology has been fantastic for our kids. They are enjoying exploring nature and we see them taking risks that they would not normally take. We look forward to this independence transitioning back to Eastshore with us.
More to come later!
P.S. Welcome to Catalina Mrs. Kadam, Ally, Caleb, and Savannah!
Best,
6th Grade Tean
We just had the most wonderful snorkel. Besides the usual snorkeling activities the students got to have some free play in the water. The small waves that wash up on shore provided plenty of entertainment for the students. They rode their boogie boards, rolled in the sand, and had a blast. After free play they also had the opportunity to jump off the float deck. The students showed off their best moves: belly flops, cannon balls, front flips. Everyone had a blast.
After the free time and float jumping, the students had a wonderful snorkel where they were able to see the famous Amelio- a Garibaldi that can do a flip on command when students scream his name under water.
We are gearing up for our beach BBQ! The students will have burgers, chips, water, veggies, and some Oreos on the beach before their afternoon program.
Though the water is cold, there are smiles all around! The week without technology has been fantastic for our kids. They are enjoying exploring nature and we see them taking risks that they would not normally take. We look forward to this independence transitioning back to Eastshore with us.
More to come later!
P.S. Welcome to Catalina Mrs. Kadam, Ally, Caleb, and Savannah!
Best,
6th Grade Tean
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Tuesday's Final Thoughts
Good evening, parents. More adventures followed our daytime activities with one group of kids going on a night snorkel, another enjoying some labs and yet another taking an astronomy night hike. Away from the ambient light if Irvine, hikers saw beautiful starts forming constellations and, on their way down the mountain, had to circumnavigate a sleeping bison. Quite the adventure!
This evening's lab was Creatures of Night which is a longstanding CIMI secret, so you will have to ask your child about what it involves.
Ou night divers are just returning, hot chocolate in hand and ready for a good night's sleep. In fact, all of the kids will sleep well tonight because it has been a very busy day.
Tomorrow morning brings our second dive. The kids will have an easier time getting into their wetsuits, though they did remarkably well today putting them on for the first time. The afternoon will be filled with hands-on science activities led by CIMI's knowledgeable instructors.
Once again, we find ourselves very proud of our Eastshore kids. The CIMI instructors have even commented about how much they enjoy your children's enthusiasm about learning and taking on new experiences.
All are well and, we hope, falling asleep at this moment.
Warm regards,
The 6th Grade Teachers
Tacos on a Terrific Tuesday
What a perfect day. After our last post, it began to sprinkle. We went into the night with slight apprehension for the morning snorkel, but the morning was beautiful.
We began our day with a relaxing homework period. The students wrote letters home and entered memories into their journals. Some students chose to venture down to the beach and watch the sunrise while they completed homework. Heaven.
After our homework period, sausage, pancakes, and eggs filled our bellies! We needed the energy for our introductory snorkel. The weather for our introductory snorkel could not have been better. The sun was shinning down on us as the students struggled to put on their wetsuits and discovered what a happy strap feels like. In our snorkels the students did exceptionally well. Kelp Bass, Opal eye, Garibaldi, and Sea Hares were seen by all. The students did a great job being independent and not asking for help.
The afternoon program was filled with labs for half of the students. They were able to pet rays and sharks, learn about fish, and create a unique piece of artwork from algae. The students will bring their algae back to school where it will be laminated for them. The other half of the students had quite the adventurous period. What started with some rock climbing, ended with a visit from the local bison at camp. Due to the bison's close proximity, rock climbing ended a tad early and the students relocated to play a fun game of camouflage. Ask son/daughter about the game, it is truly one of the most memorable portions of camp.
This evening we have some students going on our first night snorkel! We will hopefully be able to do another update later today. Tonight, we will be dining on tacos for Taco Tuesday.
We began our day with a relaxing homework period. The students wrote letters home and entered memories into their journals. Some students chose to venture down to the beach and watch the sunrise while they completed homework. Heaven.
After our homework period, sausage, pancakes, and eggs filled our bellies! We needed the energy for our introductory snorkel. The weather for our introductory snorkel could not have been better. The sun was shinning down on us as the students struggled to put on their wetsuits and discovered what a happy strap feels like. In our snorkels the students did exceptionally well. Kelp Bass, Opal eye, Garibaldi, and Sea Hares were seen by all. The students did a great job being independent and not asking for help.
The afternoon program was filled with labs for half of the students. They were able to pet rays and sharks, learn about fish, and create a unique piece of artwork from algae. The students will bring their algae back to school where it will be laminated for them. The other half of the students had quite the adventurous period. What started with some rock climbing, ended with a visit from the local bison at camp. Due to the bison's close proximity, rock climbing ended a tad early and the students relocated to play a fun game of camouflage. Ask son/daughter about the game, it is truly one of the most memorable portions of camp.
This evening we have some students going on our first night snorkel! We will hopefully be able to do another update later today. Tonight, we will be dining on tacos for Taco Tuesday.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Mindful Moments on a Marvelous Monday
Good Evening Families!
Well, we had quite a smooth trip from Newport to Avalon. The swells were big, which provided for some great entertainment watching kids try to walk around while the ship glided over the waves. Thankfully, no student got sick during our boat ride.
After we arrived in Avalon the students had their lunches and became oriented to camp. Again, they did a wonderful job of getting settled in their dorm rooms. Our first program was split between a kayak and a hike in the mountains. Groups 1-4 braved the waters and went out into the ocean on kayaks. Though the weather was chilly, many students learned the legends of Catalina Island and completed the various challenges on their kayaks: stand up, switch spots with a partner, or jump into the water. The kids who hiked saw many different native wild flowers, a beautiful waterfall, and a friendly bison!
Our first meal at CIMI was delicious. We had spaghetti, garlic bread, great salads, and even a cookie for desert. The students were able to go to the CIMI store and purchase their new swag before our night program.
For the evening program, half of the students went on the Creatures of the Night adventure. They go through a maze (pitch black inside) and they learn what deep ocean creatures do to adapt to their surroundings when there is no light. It is truly a highlight of the trip. If you want to be in the know, ask your child about long division. The other half of our students went to the Marine Mammal Hall to learn about different marine mammals and see their skeletons. They played many different games and had the opportunity to release the energy they had left.
As we write this, all the kids are in bed safely sleeping. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow. Our first snorkel will be in the morning, followed closely by some rock wall climbing and a night dive. Some groups will have the opportunity to do their first lab tomorrow, including the favorite, Shark Lab.
That is all for now. We apologize for the late update, but the first day of camp is hectic and memorable, to say the least.
Best regards,
The 6th Grade Teachers
P.S. Most of the dorm rooms have some floor showing through the masses of luggage, clothes, and body odor. On the first day, that is a win.
Well, we had quite a smooth trip from Newport to Avalon. The swells were big, which provided for some great entertainment watching kids try to walk around while the ship glided over the waves. Thankfully, no student got sick during our boat ride.
After we arrived in Avalon the students had their lunches and became oriented to camp. Again, they did a wonderful job of getting settled in their dorm rooms. Our first program was split between a kayak and a hike in the mountains. Groups 1-4 braved the waters and went out into the ocean on kayaks. Though the weather was chilly, many students learned the legends of Catalina Island and completed the various challenges on their kayaks: stand up, switch spots with a partner, or jump into the water. The kids who hiked saw many different native wild flowers, a beautiful waterfall, and a friendly bison!
Our first meal at CIMI was delicious. We had spaghetti, garlic bread, great salads, and even a cookie for desert. The students were able to go to the CIMI store and purchase their new swag before our night program.
For the evening program, half of the students went on the Creatures of the Night adventure. They go through a maze (pitch black inside) and they learn what deep ocean creatures do to adapt to their surroundings when there is no light. It is truly a highlight of the trip. If you want to be in the know, ask your child about long division. The other half of our students went to the Marine Mammal Hall to learn about different marine mammals and see their skeletons. They played many different games and had the opportunity to release the energy they had left.
As we write this, all the kids are in bed safely sleeping. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow. Our first snorkel will be in the morning, followed closely by some rock wall climbing and a night dive. Some groups will have the opportunity to do their first lab tomorrow, including the favorite, Shark Lab.
That is all for now. We apologize for the late update, but the first day of camp is hectic and memorable, to say the least.
Best regards,
The 6th Grade Teachers
P.S. Most of the dorm rooms have some floor showing through the masses of luggage, clothes, and body odor. On the first day, that is a win.
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