Category Archives: School

7th Grade, Adventure, Christmas, Holiday, Recreation, Travel, Vacation

Christmas in Costa Rica 2012

Leave a comment

December 22, 2012

We finally get a real vacation after years of staycations!  Departing from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), we head off to Costa Rica via Houston, TX.

Vamos a Costa Rica!

Costa Rica
Costa Rica

At George W. Bush International Airport, Houston, TX.

Waiting for a Departing Flight
Waiting To Depart
  • Relaxing
    Relaxing
  • On The Local Bus
    On The Bus
  • Bougainvilleas in the Garden
    Bougainvilleas in the Garden
  • Bougainvilleas
    Bougainvilleas

December 22-23, 2012

Casa de Luz
Afternoon Tea @ Casa de Luz

We’re just hanging out at Casa de Luz visiting with a retired NASA colleague, Brenda.

December 24, 2012 (Monday)

We’re staying at El Cafetal Inn, Santa Eulalia de Atenas.  While waiting for the bus to Atenas, we witnessed a pigeon landing on a power line and getting electrocuted.  

There was a ball of bright white light, a very loud explosion sound and the bird dropping from the the power line pole.  It had it’s tail feathers and parts of its wings totally blown off and couldn’t fly.  People came out of their homes to see what had happened.  The bird was stunned for awhile but then revived enough to try and evade some kids who had come  out to look.  Later, a man from one of the houses came out and caught the bird and went inside his house.  I don’t know what fate befell the bird

Fried Pidgeon
Fried Pidgeon

We went to Atenas and got my data card (dongle) set up.  Amelia bough a pair of boots and we had lunch.  Headed back to El Cafetal to fetch our things and head off to Casa de Luz.  We’ll stay at Casa de Luz for some days and join with Christmas Celebrations there.

Later we went to visit at local family who work and live around Casa de Luz.  It was really nice to see a Christmas Celebration in a village.  Amelia made friends with a girl in the family about her age and she was able to speak in Spanish – I think her Spanish teacher would be very proud of her

December 25, 2012 (Tuesday) – Christmas Day

Hung around Casa de Luz most of the day and enjoyed the company of Albert and his son A.J. from the British Virgin Isles.

December 26, 2012 (Wednesday)

Brunch with the neighbors.  Swimming pool time with my new found friend, Maria S.

Chicas de Hoy
Chicas de Hoy

We’re going swimming at a neighbors pool.

December 27, 2012

AMS is off to Atenas with her friend Maria.  They both wanted to get hamburgers in town.  AMS also will get a SIM card for her phone so she can make calls and send text messages.  They will take the local bus and be on their own]

December 28, 2012

Went to Dona Anna Beach.  Fed wild monkeys living in the trees.  Ate chicharones and a great meal at Cases de Cafe on the way back.  Really tired.

  • Squirrel Monkey At The Beach, Costa Rica
    Cariblanca Monkey
  • Cloud Forest
    Cloud Forest
  • Trees at the Beach
    Trees at the Beach
  • Wild Monkeys
    Wild Monkeys

December 29, 2012

Spending the day in Atenas at an Internet cafe getting caught up on our Internet fix.  Planning the rest of our trip in Costa Rica.

Tomorrow we go to Alajuela and play.  Tonight dinner at Don Yayo’s.

  • Internet Cafe in Atenas
    Internet Cafe in Atenas
  • Chicharones at Don Yayo's
    Chicharones at Don Yayo’s

December 30, 2012

Travelling  by bus from Casa de Luz to Atenas then to Alajuela and spending the rest of the trip there at Club Martino Costa Rica (dropped off at Zoo Ave).  The bus leaves at 1:15 PM from Casa de Luz and goes to Atenas (420 colones).  Then we transfer to another bus departing Atenas at 2:00 PM for Alajuela (640 colones).  From there we’ll be able to go out on day trips in all directions and yet still be close to the airport.

December 31, 2012

Visiting Zoo Ave and checking out the rescued animals and the small canopy tour (zip line).

Poolside
Poolside at Club Martino

Zoo Ave animal rescue and rehabilitation….

Hotel Martino, El Garrito

January 1, 2013 – Happy New Years

We rang in the new year with fireworks and sleep.  Went to Canopy San Luis and did a canopy tour (zip line). They had a very long (1,500 meter) Superman zipline.

Canopy Tour
Canopy Tour
  • On The Way
  • Tree Hugging
    Tree Hugging
  • Poolside
    Poolside
  • Superman Zip 1500 m.
    Superman Zip 1500 m.
  • Superman Zipline
    Superman Zipline
  • Zip me
    Zip me
  • Zipline
    Zipline
  • Zipline Costa Rica
    Zipline Costa Rica

January 2, 2013

[Today we take a quick trip into San Jose.] Walked to Barrio San Jose and had lunch at a “typico Tico” restaurant, La Princessa Marina.  Very good, very typical local food.

A Coke at La Princessa
A Coke at La Princessa

Then by taxi to Cuidad San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica for some urban culture.  We visit the Museos del Banco Central, San Jose, Costa Rica.

Pre-columbia Peoples and their Artifacts

Museos del Banco Central
Museos del Banco Central
  • Pre-columbian Display
    Pre-columbian Display
  • Ceramic Artifacts
    Ceramic Artifacts
  • Gold Artifacts
    Gold Artifacts
  • Gold Lobster
    Gold Lobster

Contemporary Art Exhibit – Lola Fernandez

Lola Fernandez
Lola Fernandez
  • Espectadores, 1987
    Espectadores, 1987
  • Lola Fernandez
    Lola Fernandez
  • Untitled
    Untitled
  • Untitled
    Untitled

We return by bus Tico style for $1.20!

January 3, 2013 (Thursday)

We return to Casa de Luz via public bus in preparation for our return trip to the San Francisco tomorrow.

Casa de Luz
Casa de Luz

January 4, 2013 (Friday)

Enjoyed our last hours at Casa de Luz.  Hugs and good-byes.  A drive to the airport and we begin the long return to our home in the US.

Arrived exhausted in SFO around 11:10 PM.  Shuttle ride home and a long sleep.  It’s really cold in Palo Alto!

Garden grown mandarino marmalade from Casa de Luz returns with us to Palo Alto as a souvenir!

7th Grade, Ballet, Christmas

Smuin Ballet – Christmas Program 2012

Leave a comment

December 1, 2012

Smuin Ballet

Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts

The Christmas Ballet: The Bay Area’s hottest holiday ticket returns with NEW choreography from Choreographer in Residence Amy Seiwert, Smuin dancer Jane Rehm and former Smuin dancer Darren Anderson, and more. An ever-changing carousel of mischief and elegance, The Christmas Ballet is a perfect gift for audiences of all ages.

Holiday Program
Holiday Program

Stunning classical ballet, rollicking character numbers, and that Smuin sass combine for a seasonal celebration like no other. From Bach and sacred carols to klezmer, gospel, and Elvis, The Christmas Ballet has something for everyone. Be sure to treat yourself and your loved ones to this Bay Area holiday tradition!

With Robin
With Robin Semmelhack (ne. Cornwell)

7th Grade, Halloween

Halloween 2012 – Synthetic Dreams

1 Comment

October 31, 2012 (Wednesday)

“Synthetic Dreams”

Synthetic Dreams and Apparitions
Ellis

Here I am as a Nexus Replicant reloaded.  It’s 40 years after Rachel and Deckard escape from the city.  Both are dead and I’m an Android, Resilience Class Nexus Replicant, Mod J in the Investigative Security Branch, trying to uncover a mystery.  This takes me to the Off World.

But today, I relish the fun of scaring 6th graders and making them uncomfortable with the simple combinations of clothing and makeup.

 

Ellis
Ellis, At Ease

I also became the unwitting muse for the sequel to the “Blade Runner”.

Replicant
Replicant

Off To School
Off To School

Ellis, Replicant
Ellis Departing

Cruel Shoes
Cruel Shoes

Pris
Pris Reloaded

Off to School
Off to Scare

At The Hair Salon
At The Hair Salon

Replicant at Jordan
Replicant at Jordan
7th Grade, OSA, OSA 2012-2013, School

OSA Spring Transfer 2012-2013

4 Comments

Oakland School for the Arts

Registration Day
Registration Day

http://www.oakarts.org/school-dance

“JOY, PASSION, ENERGY, SWEAT, TEARS, HEART, SOUL, EXCELLENCE, WORK, WORK, MORE WORK.  For, here, at OSA’s School of Dance, we spell dance W-O-R-K. The School of Dance is and will always be the hardest of all the Art Schools.  Students in the School of Dance take pride in being the hardest working students in the school.  The hard work and energy that they put into all their classes every day brings them a sense of confidence, joy, and, above all, fulfillment. The physical and mental demands and acuity that are required and expected out of every student are incredibly intense.  All students of the School of Dance must fully embrace and strive for the high standards that are set for them in their art, in their academics, and, hopefully, in their lives.”  OSA, Dance Program Overview

Audition
Dance Audition

  • Deadline: Oct 19, 2012
  • Outline Due: September 2, 2012
  • Draft Due: September 16, 2012
  • Oct 18, 2012: Essay Final Draft Complete
  • Oct 18, 2012: Submitted Online Application
  • Oct 30, 2012 @ 2:00 PM : Audition
  • Nov 2, 2012 : Notification – she has qualified to enter the program, but the academic program is full, specifically a science class.  They are trying to get a waiver so she can start on Jan 28, 2013
  • Nov 8, 2012: Accepted into the School of Dance
  • Nov 14, 2012: Registration, A Warm Welcome by Students
  • Jan 28, 2013: Classes start

Continue reading OSA Spring Transfer 2012-2013 →

7th Grade, School

Seventh Grade

2 Comments

August 16, 2012 (Thursday)

Here it is at last!  Awesome teachers, more responsibility, more things to carry, more things to learn.

Seventh Grade
Seventh Grade

So beautiful!

First Day
First Day of School

My classes this semester are: Spanish, Physical Education, Pre-Algebra, Social Studies and English.

August 29, 2012 (Wednesday) – Back To School Night

[Meeting teachers and learning about her school schedules and the things they’ll learn.  So much to look forward to.  They’ll have a much heavier homework load and will need to be responsible for their assignments, study and projects.  All of her teachers are excellent but I was particularly happy to see one her teachers from 6th grade teaching them English.  Her math teacher is superb!  I’m very excited to have richer and deeper conversations about these subjects – I will try to supplement the course material with documentaries, movies, literature, music, National Geographic magazine articles, visits to the museum and other events.  She’s starting to piece together the music, religion, science, inventions, food, customs, history, events, wars, and breakthroughs of particular periods of our civilization.  The main point is that all these dimensions inform and interact with each other going down through the ages.]

Period  Class
1 Spanish 1A
2 Science
3 Pre-Algebra
4 P.E.
5 Social Studies
6 English 7
7 Choir
8 Advisory 7

 

Daily Class Schedule

Daily Class Schedule
Daily Class Schedule

 

7th Grade, Bicycles, Biking, Recreation, School

2012 Trek District S

1 Comment

My new ride.  It’s a 2012 Trek District S (52 cm), the replacement for the Trek Soho S that got stolen.  Like the Soho, it’s a single gear bicycle and that means it’ll be really light and easy to carry on and off the train.

My Trek District S
My Trek District S

Another View
Another View

Details
Details

More Details
More Details

We picked it on August 24, 2012.  Rode with Maya R. around downtown Palo Alto.

Continue reading 2012 Trek District S →

7th Grade, School, Summer 2012

Summer School 2012

Leave a comment

June 18 – July 13, 2012

LEARNING STRATEGIES IN ENGLISH, MATH, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES

This course is designed to give students, grades 6-8, strategies in note-taking, outlining, highlighting, vocabulary enrichment, listening skills, test taking skills and organizational skills. These skills will be useful to students throughout their academic curriculum classes.

MATH POWER-UP

This course is only open to students entering 7th grade Pre-Algebra who need a review of the 6th Grade Mathematics Standards. Emphasis is placed on reviewing and reinforcing the basic skills needed for success in future math courses. Students will “firm up” their understanding and knowledge of mathematical concepts and procedures and apply these in solving real world problems. Teaching methodologies include direct instruction, small-group and cooperative learning. Manipulatives and technology are used to illustrate mathematical concepts.