The Final Miles of the Trail

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The Sea Lion blog has some catching up to do! As the school year winds to a close, we've continued to move at a fast pace, making the most of every last learning opportunity.

Last week, we wrapped up our Oregon Trail research presentations. The growth we've seen in the Sea Lions this year has been truly remarkable. Their research writing, speaking, and presentation skills have improved by leaps and bounds, and it was wonderful to watch them share their expertise with one another. We learned about everything from the Donation Land Act to music and food on the Oregon Trail, and every presentation helped deepen our understanding of this important period in American history.

Our Oregon Trail simulation also came to an exciting conclusion this week. Along the way, students practiced teamwork, cooperation, resilience, reading comprehension, problem-solving, and quick thinking. More than anything, the experience brought our classroom community even closer together. As you'll see in the photos, the Sea Lions were completely immersed in the journey. It is an experience they will not soon forget!

For our final field trip of the year, we traveled to the Stauffer-Will Farm Living History Museum, located on the site of the original Aurora Colony, founded in 1855. Students stepped back in time as they sawed wood with a crosscut saw, drilled holes using an auger, made candles, created quilts, baked bread, and explored many other aspects of daily pioneer life. It was the perfect hands-on experience to bring our Oregon Trail learning to life.

We also spent time studying the history of still-life art. After reading nonfiction texts and exploring the role of still-life paintings throughout history, students created their own works of art. They stretched their skills in composition, shading, and observation to produce some truly striking charcoal drawings. We were amazed by both their creativity and their attention to detail.

As the year draws to a close, it has been a joy to reflect on just how much the Sea Lions have learned, accomplished, and experienced together. We are looking forward to making the most of our final days as a herd!

Oregon Trail Trouble and Teamwork

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The Sea Lions are officially out on the Oregon Trail, and let’s just say…things have gotten a little wild! Wagon trains have faced broken legs, rattlesnake bites, prairie fires, burns, and plenty of other disasters along the trail. Thankfully, there has also been some good fortune along the way: choosing the safest trail routes, helping injured wagon train members, and making smart decisions that kept groups moving westward.

The simulation has challenged the Sea Lions to work together as a team while also taking responsibility for their individual work so their wagon trains don’t lose precious time — or valuable points! As you can see from the attached photos, the Sea Lions are having absolutely NO FUN AT ALL. 😉

Next week we continue our journey west…though nobody quite knows what Dr. Disaster Master (the title the Sea Lions have lovingly given Ms. Ellie) has planned next. Stay tuned!

In addition to surviving the Oregon Trail, the Sea Lions also completed a beautiful pioneer-worthy art project for Mother’s Day. In math, we spent time working with rulers, protractors, and angles. Even as we begin sliding toward the end of the school year, the learning — and the fun — are still moving full speed ahead!

From Earth Day Reflections to Oregon Trail Adventures!

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The Sea Lions have been busy thinkers, creators, and explorers over the past couple of weeks!

We began by celebrating Earth Day in a meaningful and creative way. Students wrote beautiful, Earth-focused haiku poems that captured both the wonder of our planet and the importance of caring for it. It was a lovely opportunity to slow down, reflect, and appreciate the natural world.

From there, we shifted into some thoughtful conversations about energy use—past and present. Working in small groups, students imagined what a typical morning might have looked like 200 years ago compared to today. They brought their ideas to life through short skits, and I have to say…they were both clever and hilarious! More importantly, they helped us build a powerful understanding: the way we use energy today is vastly different from life during pioneer times. Together, we created a class list that highlighted just how much has changed.

We then read a non-fiction article about climate change and began thinking about how our choices impact the Earth. The Sea Lions had thoughtful discussions about small, everyday actions we can take to make a positive difference—proof that even young learners can think big when it comes to caring for our world.

This week, we’ve launched into our exciting new unit of study on the Oregon Trail—and what a start it has been! Students have formed wagon trains, taken on new identities, and selected wagon train masters whose job it is to guide their group safely to Oregon. After carefully packing their wagons and beginning their beautifully crafted trail diaries, we officially set out on the first leg of our journey.

It didn’t take long before we encountered a few challenges… and already, the Sea Lions are learning that life on the trail requires teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience. If our first stretch is any indication, this adventure is going to be both challenging and incredibly fun.

We can’t wait to see what lies ahead on the trail!

Sea Lions Brave the Elements: A Fort Clatsop Adventure to Remember

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The Sea Lions returned from our overnight field trip tired, happy, and absolutely bursting with stories. What an unforgettable adventure we shared together!

With 24 students and an incredible team of 18 parent volunteers, we set out for a campsite near Fort Clatsop, ready to step into the world of the Corps of Discovery. From the very beginning, it was clear this would be no ordinary trip—our amazing parent community made sure of that. Every meal was thoughtfully prepared, cabins and trailers were set up and ready, and a spirit of generosity and care surrounded us from start to finish.

Our visit to the Fort Clatsop museum gave the Sea Lions a vivid glimpse into what life was like for the Corps during their long winter on the Oregon Coast. As if on cue, the weather joined in our historical reenactment! Snow, hail, rain, and bitterly cold gusts of wind swept through as we explored—conditions strikingly similar to what Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their team once endured. Rather than dampening spirits, the Sea Lions embraced it fully, recognizing just how fitting it felt.

During our ranger-led walk, we explored native plants of the region, and it was a joy to watch the Sea Lions step into the role of experts—sharing their own knowledge and making thoughtful connections with the Park Ranger. These moments of confidence and curiosity were truly special to witness.

Back at camp, we were welcomed into warm, cozy cabins thanks to the incredible work of our parent volunteers. After a snack and some time to thaw out, students settled into journal writing, capturing the day’s experiences while they were still fresh. Soon after, laughter filled the campsite as we played games and performed skits inspired by those journal reflections—creativity and joy were everywhere.

Dinner was a highlight in itself: a delicious taco feast shared together, followed by stories, laughter, and connection. As night fell, we gathered around the campfire for songs led by one of our talented parent volunteers. There was something truly magical about that moment—voices raised together, faces glowing in the firelight, and a deep sense of community that made the entire experience feel so meaningful.

The next morning began with a hearty pancake breakfast before we headed out to Short Sands Beach to meet marine biologists from the North Coast Land Conservancy. Our hike through the old growth forest was nothing short of incredible. We discovered nurse logs, towering snags, fascinating fungi, and vibrant skunk cabbage—each step offering something new to notice and wonder about.

At the beach, the learning continued as students observed seabirds through binoculars and a scope. Watching pelicans dive dramatically into the ocean was a moment that captured everyone’s attention and awe.

Before heading home, we made a special stop at Ms. Ellie’s mom’s house, where we enjoyed lunch in the sunshine—a welcome change from the wild coastal weather! A final walk took us across a swinging bridge and into the forest once more, offering a quiet moment for reflection and gratitude for the time we had shared together.

We returned to school exhausted, full of stories, and deeply connected—not just to the places we visited, but to one another.

A heartfelt thank you to our parent volunteers for making this experience possible. Your care, energy, and generosity created something truly extraordinary for our Sea Lions.

What an adventure. What a community.

Mapping the Past, Creating the Present

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The Sea Lions have launched into an exciting new unit of study! Stepping into the shoes of the Corps of Discovery, they are blazing a trail through a land that was once unknown to Americans—but deeply known, lived on, and loved by Native American communities for generations. Through shared storytelling, mapping, video, and art, students are beginning to understand the incredible courage, bravery, and persistence of the Corps, while also reflecting on the profound and life-changing impact this expedition had on the Native peoples who called this land home.

In math, we’ve been diving into a new favorite game called Grid Conquest. Students are “buying” plots of land and using their understanding of area and perimeter to evaluate their growing holdings. It’s been exciting to see how quickly strategy comes into play—students must think carefully about how to expand their land while also anticipating how others might block their moves. It’s a wonderful blend of math skills, critical thinking, and a little friendly competition!

We have also had the honor of working with encaustic artist and ELC grandparent Sara Hemmer. Guided by her expertise, students are creating encaustic paintings that represent geographic formations. Rivers, mountains, streams, and oceans are taking shape, and soon these individual pieces will come together to form a collaborative landscape that will hang proudly in our classroom. The Sea Lions are deeply engaged and excited to see their learning come to life through art.

The Sea Lions Sing, Solve, and Create

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The Sea Lions had an exciting week packed with new math games that helped cement concepts like perimeter and area, as well as the value of fractions. It has been wonderful to see the students thinking strategically, collaborating with one another, and building confidence as they practice these skills in playful and engaging ways.

We also continued our pirate-themed grammar adventures! Through games and activities, we focused on parts of speech, types of sentences, and punctuation, including commas, apostrophes, capitalization, and parentheses. The Sea Lions are learning so much—and having such fun in the process. All the while, the songs from our musical keep playing in our heads, helping those grammar concepts stick in a way that only music can!

Musical practice continues to be a highlight of our days. The students are pouring so much creativity and energy into their performances, and we are all very excited for you to see the program we’ve created. Each student has even written a character autobiography for the part they are playing, giving them the chance to think deeply about their role and bring their character to life.

We ended our week with a very special visit from Sea Lion grandparent and encaustic artist, Sara Hemmer. Connecting beautifully with our ongoing study of Oregon geography and geology, Ms. Sara led the class through a lesson on landscape formations and the principles of art. The first step in our project was creating a plaster-formed base, using texture and movement to represent a specific landform. The Sea Lions were fascinated by the process and are beyond excited to continue the project by adding layers of colorful encaustic wax. These stunning pieces will eventually hang in our classroom as a celebration of both art and the landscapes of Oregon.

It was a joyful and creative week together, full of learning, laughter, and a growing sense of pride in the work we are doing as a community.

Parts of Speech & Parts on Stage

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Adverb, pronoun, preposition, adjective, and noun… interjection, verb, conjunction… the Sea Lions are all about grammar these days! And who knew grammar could be so much fun?

This week, the Sea Lions dove into the parts of speech through some pretty fun (and slightly silly!) games and creative writing activities. They stretched themselves as writers, thinking carefully about how to make their sentences more elaborate, expressive, and full of sparkle. It has been such a joy to watch their confidence grow as they experiment with language and discover just how powerful words can be.

Our rehearsals for Grammar Island are coming together beautifully. We are so impressed by how quickly the students have learned their lines and how thoughtfully they are working on their movements and expression. This show is bound to be extraordinary!

We’ve also enjoyed some wonderful Spanish lessons with Ms. Valentina. This week, during Spanish Literacy Centers, students had the opportunity to explore and share Spanish picture books. We were impressed by how many Spanish words we already recognized and understood!

Each new unit of study seems to bring this amazing group of Sea Lions closer together. It is such a gift to watch them collaborate, encourage one another, and grow as learners and friends. We truly can do amazing things when we work together!

From Forest to Shore: A Week to Remember with the Sea Lions

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What an incredible week of learning, adventure, and celebration for our Sea Lions!

We began our week with a walking field trip to Theater in the Grove to see a youth production of Winnie the Pooh. It was such a joy to watch actors our students’ age performing with confidence, humor, and heart. The experience sparked inspiration and planted seeds of excitement as we begin dreaming about our next big project — a Sea Lion musical of our very own!

On Wednesday, we boarded the Pacific vans and set out to explore two of Oregon’s stunning ecoregions. We made our classroom learning come alive as we experienced firsthand the land–sea connection, local watersheds, and the unique beauty of temperate rainforests and coastal shorelines.

At the Ecola Creek Forest Reserve, we wandered beneath towering trees, breathing in the fresh forest air. Later, at Arch Cape, we explored the shoreline with sandy toes and bright smiles. The weather could not have been more perfect. We returned home with wind-tousled hair, pockets full of wonder, and a deeper understanding of the regions we’ve been studying.

We capped off our week with a joyful Valentine celebration — complete with a Glow-in-the-Dark Dance Party and lots of laughter and friendship. It was beautiful to witness the strong bonds that have formed in our Sea Lion community. The kindness, inclusion, and genuine care for one another are truly something special.

Friday evening was the perfect culminating celebration. Parents, siblings, and grandparents filled our classroom for a special “tour of Oregon,” guided by our Sea Lion experts. It was incredible to watch the students confidently share the unique characteristics of the ecoregions they researched so thoughtfully. They proudly presented their hot-off-the-press publication — our very own Sea Lion Oregon Road Trip Guide! We hope it inspires a few summer adventures for Sea Lion families near and far.

To end our Tour Oregon night, and celebrate Oregon’s Statehood Birthday — we enjoyed a spectacular Oregon Ecoregion cake, baked and decorated by our very own Sea Lions. It was as beautiful as it was delicious and served as the sweetest possible ending to an extraordinary unit of study.

What a week. What a community. What a joy it is to learn together!

Landscapes, Learning, and Love for Oregon

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The Sea Lions have been working hard as we get ready for our Oregon Birthday Celebration next week! Along with diving into math (can you say measurement, time, and division?), we are plowing through our Literacy Circle novels with gusto—truly savoring the joy of reading really good books alongside friends.

Our Oregon Ecoregions work has extended into research on species in our region that are currently facing some level of threat. The Sea Lions are digging deep to understand each species’ unique habitat needs, food chains, and the challenges they face. At the same time, we have been studying one of the original tribes who have lived in our region since time immemorial. Students researched aspects of their lifeways—shelter, food, art, and culture—and thoughtfully included this learning on their Oregon Ecoregion posters.

As a culminating art piece, we are creating dreamy chalk pastel and starch landscapes that capture the feel of our region. They are turning out beautifully and truly reflect the care and creativity the Sea Lions bring to their work.

And of course, we are soaking up this unseasonably sunny weather with lots of time outside on Pacific’s beautiful campus—learning, laughing, and enjoying one another along the way.

Discovering Our State Through Science, Art, and Story

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The Sea Lions are back together and off to a wonderful start! We’ve launched into an exciting new unit of study focused on the Ecoregions of Oregon, and the classroom is buzzing with curiosity and enthusiasm. The Sea Lions are becoming true experts in the land, plants, animals, climate, and unique challenges of their assigned regions. Along the way, they’ve taken on many roles—nonfiction readers and writers, cartographers, and artists—and they are so proud of the regions they are studying.

In math, we’ve been busy measuring in all kinds of ways. Students are learning how we measure time using analog clocks and calendars, as well as exploring length, temperature, and weight using both standard and metric units. It’s been exciting to see them make connections between math and the real world around them.

Our Book-Art reports (called One-Pagers) have given the Sea Lions a creative way to show what they know about their novels through both writing and art. These projects have truly been a labor of love and have stretched students to use important executive function skills such as planning, focus, memory, and organization.

Above all, we’ve been savoring time together—playing outside in the chilly weather, enjoying one another’s company, and celebrating the friendships that continue to grow and strengthen throughout the year.

A Week Full of Light, Learning, and Sea Lion Magic

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The Sea Lions spent a truly glorious week together! We dove into persuasive writing, crafting letters addressed to parents that tried to convince them why a special gift or an exciting adventure was absolutely deserved. The papers were thoughtfully organized, full of strong reasons, and very convincing—watch out, parents!

In math, we’ve been working extra hard on our Fast Facts, building speed and confidence as we challenge ourselves to get our facts down on paper in under one minute. We’ve also been stretching our thinking with multi-step story problems. Students are learning to pause and visualize themselves in the situation, take notes, and draw pictures to help guide their problem-solving—skills that will serve them well across all areas of learning.

We held an extra-special Art-In on Wednesday, creating beautiful snowy landscapes inspired by the light of the Winter Solstice, which we’ve been learning about during our Friday Popcorn Reading Summit. The day felt even more magical with a visit from Ms. McKenzie (our wonderful music teacher and a Sea Lion parent!), who taught us songs celebrating the importance of light during this season.

The Sea Lions have had such a magical beginning to their school year together, and we can’t wait to see what the new year brings!

Stitches, Stories, and Solstice Wonder

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The Sea Lion classroom has been full of holiday joy this week as students worked to create special, handmade ornaments for their families. We learned backstitch and star stitch embroidery, persevering even when threads got tangled and things felt tricky. It was a wonderful opportunity to practice our 3-Breath Pause and remind ourselves that “we get better at what we practice.”

We also held our very first Friday Popcorn Reading Forum, enjoying some cozy time together as students took turns reading challenging nonfiction texts. As we read, we deepened our understanding of the astronomy of the Winter Solstice, asking thoughtful questions and building new knowledge together.

It’s been a week filled with creativity, patience, curiosity, and community—exactly the kind of learning we love in the Sea Lion classroom.

Block Prints, Chachalu, and Stone Soup: A Week of Art, Culture, and Community

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The Sea Lions wrapped up a remarkable week by completing and printing their block print carvings—an artistic culmination of our learning about the natural world and the First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest. Each student researched the Chinuk Wawa name for the plant or animal that inspired their print, then wrote about its cultural significance for Indigenous tribes. Their finished pieces are absolutely stunning—deeply thoughtful works of art that beautifully reflect their learning, respect, and curiosity throughout this unit of study.

Midweek, we traveled to the Chachalu Museum of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, where we were guided by Ms. Crystal, a tribal member and educator. She shared oral stories, personal history, and teachings that brought the exhibits to life. The Sea Lions explored a replica longhouse—complete with a child’s sleeping bed—and observed dentailum shells, canoes, fishing tools, baskets, carvings, and more. Ms. Crystal explained the meaning behind the symbols found in the artwork, and she was truly impressed by our students’ knowledge, insightful questions, and deep engagement. Our learners were captivated and honored to be welcomed into such an important cultural space.

We ended our week with a joyful Friday Summit and Stone Soup celebration. The Sea Lions spent the morning helping the preschoolers chop vegetables and cheese for the shared meal, practicing patience, care, and collaboration. Then they led the entire Friday Summit with pride and confidence before returning to the classroom to enjoy our Stone Soup together—served with love by our wonderful ELC parent volunteers. During our closing gratitude meditation, we reflected on how lucky we are to be part of a community that learns together, honors each other, and shares in traditions of generosity.

It was a week full of meaning, creativity, culture, connection—and the Sea Lions shone in every moment.

Studying History, Honoring Service, and Celebrating Creativity

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The Sea Lions did so much this week, it’s hard to fit it all into one blog entry! On Saturday, families drove north to Washington to visit the Lelooska Tribal Museum. We toured the museum and were amazed by the incredible number of artifacts collected from tribes across the Pacific Northwest. Then we moved into the longhouse to take part in the Living History performance—an experience for all the senses! Students were captivated by the rhythmic drumming, the vibrant regalia, and the extraordinary hand-carved masks that seemed to come to life before our eyes. It was truly a night like no other!

On Monday, we honored Veterans Day by reading a nonfiction article about the United States flag and the meaning behind its symbols. We were fortunate to be visited by Sea Lion dad and U.S. Marine veteran Mr. Frank, who shared photos and stories from his time in the military. His reflections reminded us of the importance of understanding people who seem different from us and of always seeking peace first.

Back in the classroom, we’ve been loving our new Fast Facts practice! Sea Lions are showing big improvements in multiplication fact fluency as they race against the clock to solve as many problems as possible in one minute. The energy and excitement around math have been contagious!

We are also hard at work on our Native American research papers, learning how to comprehend more challenging texts, synthesize information, and organize our ideas into well-structured teaching documents. Students are excited to share what they’ve learned with one another and to celebrate the incredible diversity and knowledge of Pacific Northwest tribes.

Finally, we began carving our block print art this week. Students thoughtfully considered positive and negative space and other elements of design as they created artwork inspired by the First Foods and Lifeways of First Peoples. With care and precision, they used carving tools to transfer their designs onto linoleum blocks. We can’t wait to start the printing process next week and see their visions come to life in ink!

What a remarkable week of learning, creativity, and connection for the Sea Lions!

Flags, Artifacts, and Leadership!

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Since Ms. Ellie was on vacation last week, this blog is a smattering of all the exciting activities we’ve done over the past two weeks — and wow, have we been busy!

We dove deep into our study of the nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon, learning about their histories, cultures, and symbols. We paid special attention to each tribal flag and discussed why flags are important to a community. In small groups, we researched the meaning behind each flag’s symbols and shared our findings with our classmates. The Sea Lions impressed everyone with their curiosity and thoughtful insights!

We were also visited by Ms. Nikol from Pacific University’s Indigenous Student Alliance, who brought an incredible collection of artifacts and belongings. We had the chance to see and touch items like a real buffalo hide, musical instruments, porcupine quills, feathers, weaving, and more. Ms. Nikol was amazed by our prior knowledge and the deep respect our students showed for these cultural treasures.

Halloween brought a little spooky fun! We celebrated with scary cupcakes and a Halloween Escape Room that challenged our teamwork and problem-solving skills. It was thrilling to see how well everyone collaborated to solve the puzzles and uncover the hidden message!

This week, we took a field trip to the Oregon Historical Society in Portland. Although we couldn’t take photos inside the main exhibit, we saw fascinating displays of Oregon Tribal belongings — including baskets, cedar canoes, beaded clothing, beaver pelts, and fishing tools. Seeing these historical items up close helped us connect our classroom learning to the real artifacts of Oregon’s First Peoples.

We wrapped up our week by leading the Friday Summit gathering for the whole school. The Sea Lions have grown into such confident leaders — guiding over 100 students and teachers with ease, energy, and joy. What a powerful way to end our week of learning and leadership!

A Week of Art, Exploration, and Community

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The Sea Lions had an incredible week filled with creativity, adventure, and community spirit!

In art, we glazed our clay pencil cups and can hardly wait to see how they turn out once they emerge from the kiln. The colors, textures, and designs are sure to shine! We also explored the art and life of Vincent Van Gogh, learning about his expressive brushstrokes, bold colors, and the way he used art to capture emotion. Inspired by his work, we created our own layered acrylic self-portraits, each one as unique and beautiful as the artist who painted it.

Our first field trip of the year took us to Chehalem Ridge Nature Park, where we learned about the Seasonal Rounds and Lifeways of the Atfalati-Kalapuya people. We discovered the significance of First Foods like Wapato and Camas, and learned about how the Oregon White Oak and controlled fires were used to encourage new growth across the land. ELC parent Ms. Cassie shared her expertise in foraging, teaching us about native plants that can be used as food and medicine. Our long, glorious hike led us through forests and meadows, and we even caught a breathtaking view of the Cascade Range!

Back in the classroom, the Sea Lions became cartographers, creating detailed maps complete with compass roses and keys. We practiced using the cardinal directions and began plotting Oregon’s mountain ranges, keeping in mind the different types of mountains—volcanic, folded, and fault-block—that we’ve been studying.

We ended the week with the ELC Fun Run, a beloved tradition that celebrates effort, joy, and teamwork. It was heartwarming to watch our Sea Lion leaders cheering for the younger classes, and then for one another as they ran their hearts out. What a wonderful reminder of the strong and caring community we’re building together!

Teamwork, Mountains, and Math Vibes!

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The Sea Lions had another action-packed week full of teamwork, creativity, and discovery!

In PE, we played a relay hoop game that challenged us to work together, strategize, stay honest, and show resiliency as we tried to make it across the field while staying inside a single hula hoop. It was a rollicking good time with lots of laughter and cheering!

On Friday, we kicked off our first Struggly Math Activities—hands-on, multi-step problem-solving challenges that require teamwork and perseverance. Our classroom was alive with math vibes as students puzzled their way through tricky challenges and celebrated each “aha!” moment.

In art, we worked on our Self-Portraits, using measurement and guidelines to explore how the features on our faces line up in similar ways. The Sea Lions are pretty impressed with the results so far—and so are we!

Our Literacy Circles are off to a great start, with students managing their own small groups and leading thoughtful discussions about their books. It’s wonderful to see such independence and collaboration at work.

We also began our brand-new unit of study with a geology and geography lesson from Mr. Mark. We learned about tectonic plates and the incredible forces that form mountains. We explored three types of mountains found in Oregon—volcanic, folded, and fault-block—and began connecting our learning to Oregon’s history from time immemorial.

To top it all off, we had a special PE session with Coach Jamshid Khajavi, who recently starred in an acclaimed film about taking a group of elementary students to the National Ultimate Frisbee Championships. He taught us how to play Ultimate Frisbee, and we had a blast learning this exciting new sport. We can’t wait to play again soon!

What a wonderful week of learning, teamwork, and joy in the Sea Lion classroom!

Tuning In and Teaming Up!

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The Sea Lions’ study of the brain and the limbic system took them on an exciting journey into the sense of hearing this week. Graduate students from Pacific’s School of Audiology visited our classroom to teach us all about ear anatomy and how our sense of hearing helps us function in the world. They set up fantastic learning stations where students explored topics like hearing and balance, hearing loss, ear anatomy, and ways to protect our ears from harmful levels of sound. Alongside this, the Sea Lions have been practicing listening meditations, training their brains to filter out background noise and focus on the sounds that matter most in their daily lives at school.

In addition, the Sea Lions enjoyed their very first PE class of the year! It was a joyful time filled with collaborative games that strengthened their sense of community. The students worked beautifully together, showing teamwork and kindness, and the small-group activities were both successful and full of fun.

It was a week full of curiosity, teamwork, and joy. From tuning in to the power of our sense of hearing to teaming up in games that celebrate community, the Sea Lions are off to a wonderful start. We can’t wait to see where our learning adventures take us next!

A Week of Brains and Eyes

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The Sea Lions got up close and personal with the brain this week thanks to a hands-on lecture and exploration with Ms. Leisl—an ELC parent and biology professor. Students had the incredible opportunity to examine brain models and three preserved specimens: a sheep’s brain, a cat’s brain, and the extra-large brain of a human. Professor Leisl guided us through the fascinating world of neuroscience, explaining how mindfulness and breath can help calm the amygdala and strengthen the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that helps us make thoughtful decisions.

Later in the week, we explored the practice of Mindful Seeing—training our eyes to notice tiny details in the world around us. Students practiced focusing carefully and learned how our prefrontal cortex helps our bodies respond calmly to visual challenges and threats.

Our learning adventure continued with a field trip to Pacific University’s Optometry Clinic. Dr. Mari, Dr. Mathew, and Dr. Aaron gave us a wonderful tour of the clinic and labs. We marveled at glass cases filled with optometry artifacts and eye doctor tools that were more than 100 years old. Upstairs, we stepped into the learning lab, where optometry students train to become eye doctors. One highlight was examining Dr. Mathew’s eyeball up close through a special microscope—such a memorable moment!

We also visited a classroom where we learned more about how the eye responds to light and how doctors test the health of our vision. Our tour ended in the Optical Sports Lab, where students put their eyes to the test with sports-related activities that challenged hand-eye coordination and focus.

It’s been an exciting week of discoveries for the Sea Lions. We’re learning so much about how our brains and eyes work—and having a blast along the way!

Freakishly Fun Friday (And More!)

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The Sea Lions had another busy week of learning, creating, and caring for one another. During our first full week together, we reviewed key math concepts to build a strong foundation before diving into our math workbooks. We also puzzled our way through Number Corner, exploring multiplication strategies and even experimenting with the Ancient Egyptian number system. It’s been such fun to share ideas and solve problems as a team!

These Sea Lions are also proving to be true readers. Each morning, they love gathering in our cozy reading corner to enjoy a good book side by side. In science, we continued our study of the brain with lively skits, learning about the Reticular Activating System and how it helps us filter out distractions so we can really focus on the task at hand.

We wrapped up the week with a Freakishly Fun Friday project—designing and building clay slab pencil cups. Watching their creations take shape was truly exciting, and we can’t wait to put them to use!