Davis School for Independent Study

Homeschool Newsletter

Posted on 11/02/2020

 

Newsletter

November 16, 2020

November Paws On Project -  Fall Art

Be sure to look at and add to the Fall Leaf Art Show. Get into the spirit of fall by creating beautiful fall leaf art. Teacher Allison will lead us through the step-by-step process of creating a colorful watercolor and zentangle piece of art. Don’t have watercolor? That’s okay. You can use pens, crayons or any art supply you have around the house. The video will be recorded so that you’ll have access to it all month. You will also be able to pause the video if you need more time. Click the video link or access it through the Homeschool Community on Canvas by clicking on the Paws on Button. Once you are done, add your beautiful artwork to the slideshow. 

Apple Pie or Crisp Making Day - Wednesday, November 18th from 12:10-1:00 Zoom

Come join us in making apple pie or crisp (the best part of apple pie) together zoom style.  Like our pumpkin soup making, we will gather together and make apple creations from our own kitchens.  For those making pie please make the pie crust dough ahead of time. Here are our recipes if you need one and you are also welcome to use your own and as always you can modify what we are using to work best for you. 

Meeting ID: 896 2413 7167     Passcode:  4U@=EO

Book of Thanks – As an annual tradition, we like to create a DSIS Book of Thanks, with each student contributing a page reflecting on what they are thankful for.  During upcoming teacher meetings, Adam, Aaron, Allison, Cathy, Christine Amy and Cathy will be working with students to create a page for our school Book of Thanks. They will then become part of our DSIS library for years to come.  If you prefer, you may complete a Book of Thanks with your child independently. Here is a description of the project to help you with the process. We would like to share your book of Thanks submission to the slideshow by November 16th.  Our hope is to have the book available for all to share at our Poetry Tea.

Poetry Tea Time - Tuesday, November 15th from 12:45-1:45  Zoom

Get out the china cups, or your favorite mugs, brew some tea, make a special treat, find a poem to recite and join us virtually for our monthly Poetry Tea Time.  We will enjoy one another’s company and share poetry with one another.  You are welcome to join, even if you don’t want to share a poem.  You can share a poem that someone else wrote or write one yourself.  We hope to share our Book of Thanks on this day and students are invited to read what they contributed.. All are welcome!  

Meeting ID: 881 6495 5762    Passcode: x+3u5%

Meet Our Local Yolo County Librarian - Tuesday, November 16th from 1:00-2:00  Zoom

We get to know our local librarian Katrina Laws-Ewald and ask her questions. Please prepare a few questions you would like to ask her. You might want to ask her about things that she does, things that she likes, and/or general library questions.  She will also take us on a short virtual tour of the library. Meeting ID: 862 0280 9303    Passcode: #Ladybug

The (Almost) Monthly Press

The (Almost) Monthly Press is a DSIS, homeschool, student newspaper, run by student editors with the support of teacher, Cathy Bucher.  All students are welcomed and encouraged to submit an article to showcase. The current edition can be found here.  You can also access the editions on our homepage in our Community and Workshop Canvas course.  Articles can be submitted by copying and pasting them directly into our (Almost) Monthly Press document.  Here is a link to the current edition and past editions.

The Press for the Critical Mind 

We are super excited to announce our homeschool “Monthly Press”, grown up a bit. A few of our students have started a middle school newspaper for our homeschooling community.  If you have a student in grades 6/7/8 interested in publishing something, please send it to Cathy Bucher, via  google doc (cbucher@djusd.net).  If it is handwritten or art work, please take a photo and email to Cathy as a jpg or png.  This is a truly wonderful way for our students to write/create for an audience and share their efforts.

I-Ready

I-Ready is an assessment tool that the DJUSD district is adopting and it will soon be available online through the school district. It can assess a student and this year it will also be available to offer a curriculum geared directly towards each learner. Teachers will have access in November and work is being done so that K-6 families and students will have access to assessments and curriculum shortly after Thanksgiving. 

Workshops 

Thank you everyone for being a part of workshops.  Our weekly workshop zoom links for Workshops are on the Homeschool Community page in Canvas.  The information is also linked below in a google doc.  Please be sure to contact Amy, Cathy or your DSIS teacher if you have any questions about the workshops. 

• K-1st grade Workshop Plans and Zoom Link Information 

• 2-3rd grade Workshop Plans and Zoom Link Information

• 4-6th grade Workshop Plans and Zoom Link Information

Parent Homeschooling Meetings - first and third Fridays of the month from 1:00-1:55  Zoom

This is an opportunity to meet some parents who are homeschooling like you.  November 6th Principal Kinder will be part of our meeting to get to know families and visit. 

Meeting ID: 286 889 7668    Passcode: %0rHF%

Parent Contact List and Idea Sharing Document 

We have started a contact list for those interested in sharing and getting contact information of other DSIS  homeschool families.  We also have a shared google doc for sharing curriculum ideas and resources.  We would love to have you visit it to both share and get ideas for helpful curriculum resources and ideas. 

Link to Parent Contact information

Parent Idea Share Information 

Thank You,

Aaron Furtek, Adam Donald, Allison Chan, Amy Thomson, Cathy Bucher, Cathy Scarr and Christine Simms