La Gazette - June 2010

We are extremely grateful to the numerous parents and friends of FASSV who volunteer their time and talent for the library. Without this support, many of our programs would not be possible. The success of our school-library is directly related to our special volunteers.

A partir du mois d’avril, nous avons travaillé sur le printemps. Nous avons lu l’album La chenille qui fait des trous d’Eric Carle qui raconte la transformation d’une petite chenille en magnifique papillon. Nous avons donc choisi ce thème pour le spectacle des classes maternelles, qui malheureusement s’est déroulé dans la classe en raison du mauvais temps. Nous étions coiffés de petites antennes et nous avons chanté Madame chenille. Puis, nous avons dansé en imitant les papillons butinant de fleur en fleur.
Nous avons eu l’occasion d’observer de vraies chenilles, les vers à soie et de voir leur transformation en papillons.
Nous avons fabriqué des chenilles en pâte à modeler et de beaux papillons multicolores. Nous avons réalisé une frise représentant le cycle de vie du papillon. Pour la collecte de fonds, nous avons même décoré la chaise à bascule sur le thème du printemps et des papillons !

In May, the theme for the preschool class revolved around the life cycle of the butterfly. We studied the caterpillar and how it builds a cocoon around itself and then changes into a butterfly or a moth. Keeping in with this theme, the preschool children designed their own butterfly and also planted seeds for their mother’s day project. The children were quite pleased with the outcome of all of their efforts and had fun in the process while learning about planting and the life cycle of the butterfly.

During this last term of our Pre-K year, we were introduced to the famous American author of children’s books named Theodor Seuss Geisel, better know as Dr. Seuss. Dr. Seuss was also a cartoonist who illustrated many of his own books and often wrote in “trisyllablic meter”, the unique underlying rhythm in his poems which renders the text like a verses of song - very easy to remember (you may have noticed some of us knew certain verses by heart!). Many of us began to recognize the rhyming words, a very important pre-reading skill we will need next year in Kindergarten. We made our own red and white striped hats, just like the cat wore in the book. Thanks to Sam-I-am, we even dared ourselves to try something new for breakfast, scrambled eggs with a little green food coloring – and much to our surprise – they were delicious (believe it or not, you could not even taste the green!). We were deeply engrossed in all of Dr. Seuss’ crazy characters and colorful illustrations, but most of all we loved the imaginative and super-silliness of his stories – which were actually not so silly after some reflection…..all of them had some very important messages for us to learn.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose!”

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!”

”We looked! Then we saw him step in on the mat!
We looked! And we saw him! The Cat in the Hat!”
“This cat should not be here, he should not be about! He should not be here when your mother is out!
“Look at me!
Look at me!
Look at me NOW!
It is fun to have fun
But you have
to know how.

“I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them Sam-I-am. I do not like them here or there, I do not like them anywhere!”
“Would you could in a house, would you could you with a mouse?”
“Would you could you in a boat, would you could you with a goat?”
“Would you could you on a train? Would you could you in the rain?”
“Would you could you in a car? Eat them! Eat them! Here they are!”

Did you ever fly a kite in bed? Did you ever walk with ten cats on your head?
If you never did
You should.
These things are fun.
and Fun is good
From there to here,
from here to there,
funny things are everywhere.

I know up on top you are seeing great sights, but down on the bottom we, too, should have rights!
And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he,
Is King of the Mud. That is all he can see.
And the turtles, of course... all the turtles are free
As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.

- From Horton Hears a Who
Don’t give up. I believe in you all. A person’s a person no matter how small

- From The Sneetches (which we studied for Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday).

“They kept running through until the Plain nor the Star-Bellies knew
whether this one was that one or that one was this one. Or which one was what one or what one was who!
”The Sneetches got really quite smart on that day.
The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches.
And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.”
“That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars and whether they had one, or not, upon thars.”

And finally, perhaps the most relevant quote as we end this wonderful school year that we have shared together…..a quote often attributed to Dr. Seuss (but some say it is just an anonymous proverb):Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.

Nous avons reçu des vers à soie le lundi 3 mai. Nous avons appris que ce ne sont pas des vers mais des chenilles. Nous les avons vu manger beaucoup de feuilles de mûrier et grandir pendant 1 semaine puis certaines chenilles ont déjà commencé à faire leur cocon. Certains sont jaunes et d’autres blancs. Une semaine plus tard, les dernières chenilles ont aussi fait leur cocon. Chaque chenille a mis 2 semaines pour se transformer en papillon. Le papillon a fait un trou dans le cocon pour sortir. C’est un joli papillon de nuit de couleur blanche. Il a des petits poils sur le corps. Ces papillons ne volent pas et ne mangent pas. Les papas et les mamans « se sont collés » pour faire des œufs. Le lendemain, la maman a pondu ses œufs. Ils sont tout petits et jaunes. On les a vu sortir du corps de la maman. Des mamans ont pondu sur les feuilles et d’autres sur la vitre. On a regardé les chenilles puis les papillons avec des loupes. On a beaucoup aimé. On sait que ces papillons ne vivent pas longtemps et qu’ils vont mourir mais on les a beaucoup aimés et surtout bien respectés.

A l’occasion de la Fête des Pères, les enfants de grande section ont créé un poème qui sera appris et intégré dans une carte travaillée en informatique permettant de réinvestir les connaissances apprises.

Bonne fête mon papa à moi!
Bonne fête mon papa chéri
Bonne fête mon papa guili
Bonne fête mon papa qui rit
Bonne fête mon papa gentil
Bonne fête mon papa courageux
Bonne fête mon papa heureux
Bonne fête mon papa amusant
Bonne fête mon papa intelligent
Bonne fête mon papa joueur
Bonne fête mon papa Coeur
Bonne fête mon papa bisou
Bonne fête mon papa tout doux
Bonne fête mon papa à moi!

‘Cocorico’ Création à la manière du peintre francais ‘Boucheix’, oeuvre collective et notre élevage de vers à soie.

It has been a wonderful and enjoyable year in the Kindergarten class. The students have all grown and matured.

In completing the year, the students prepared for Kermesse. They spent a great deal of time practicing for their performance as well as constructing the props needed for the celebration with the parents. The students worked with papier mache in building their snowmen, and although quite messy, it was a lot of fun.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Ayelet and Caroline for assisting us in organizing the many events during the school year, and all of the parents who have helped whether in class or on field trips. Please know that we have greatly appreciated your help!!

Vendredi 4 juin, avait lieu le vernissage tant attendu des oeuvres de poterie réalisées par les petits artistes de CP. Les élèves et leurs parents ont pu visiter la galerie d’art de Shiva, puis son atelier de création, ainsi que ses fours, dans lesquels elle cuit ses oeuvres ainsi que celles réalisées par les enfants. Shiva a pu aussi nous faire découvrir ses outils, ses peintures et différents matériaux récoltés au fil du temps.
Puis, les petits artistes se sont vus remettre un diplôme pour avoir complété avec succès les huit classes cette année.
De la part de tous les enfants de CP, encore un immense merci au PTA de nous avoir permis de vivre cette belle experience.

Spelling Bee

A Spelling Bee is a competition where contestants, usually children, are asked to spell English words. They are eliminated if they fail to spell a word correctly. The concept is thought to have originated in the United States. Our first grade class has been having a lot of fun engaging in Spelling Bees in class. The winner in our class is usually given a small gift such as a special pencil or sticker.

Nous avons préparé avec Solange des petites pièces de théâtre que nous allons avons joué devant les familles et les autres classes de l’école.
Nous avons d’abord lu tous les textes, puis nous avons pu choisir les rôles que nous voulions jouer. Ensuite nous avons commencé à répéter.
Les pièces de théâtre les plus drôles sont « en voiture » , « les grenouilles », « c’est kiki », « la mauvaise note », « un loup très gourmand », « le gentil petit diable » ; et les plus intéressantes sont « L’anniversaire de sardinette » et « petits musiciens ».
Certains enfants ont trouvé le travail facile, ceux qui ont des rôles plus longs ont trouvé que c’était un peu plus difficile.
Le jour du spectacle, nous n’avons presque pas eu peur devant le public.
Nous nous sommes bien amusés.

Charlotte’s Web Dioramas

The second grade class just finished making Charlotte’s Web Dioramas. Students were very creative. They used shoe boxes and filled them with toy and paper animals, rocks, sticks, flowers and greenery to make authentic looking barnyards. The dioramas were all very well done, and they were displayed in the library.

When we arrived, we had a quick look at the gallery called “How Big is the Universe?” In the morning we did a class called “Surviving in Space.” We did some activities, like standing on things to practice balancing. We used robot arms to grab rocks and we used astronaut arms for a different activity. We measured how much liquid could be absorbed by a diaper because in space there are no toilets so astronauts have to wear diapers. One of the other experiments was to measure lung capacity so we had to blow into a measuring device. We also did some exercises and measured our heart rates. We were given strange goggles to trick our eyes and we had to throw koosh balls into a box. The goggles tricked our eyes and we discovered that once we got used to them it was hard to adapt to normal vision.
After that, we went to see the exhibition galleries and we saw all about Neptune and the other planets, and learned what happens when galaxies collide.
We also saw two movies and we went to see the big telescopes.
Thank you to the parents who came to Chabot with us!

Dylan : J’ai bien aimé quand on a fait du sport., des fieldtrips mais surtout j’ai aiméle patin à glace, c’était super.

Anthony : J’ai beaucoup aimé nos maîtresses, les fieldtrips, le sport, la musique, l’art, l’informatique. La bibliothèque, les sciences et les récréations. J’ai aussi aimé mes amis.

Sophie : Mon moment préféré, c’était quand on est allé faire du patin à glace.
En maths on fait des divisions, j’ai aimé ça.
En sport, on a fait du foot, c’était amusant.

Théo : Pendant l’année scolaire, j’ai préféré le jour où on est allé à Chabot parce que j’ai appris plein de choses que je ne connaissais. Pas.

Anaïs : J’ai aimé la patinoire. Avant je ne savais pas patiner et maintenant je sais. J’ai aussi aimé construire mon volcan et le faire exploser devant les classes !
En anglais j’ai bien aimé cuire la soupe et le pain avec Louise ( mais aussi le manger !!! ).

Nicholas : J’ai beaucoup aimé le français et l’anglais. J’adore le conjugaison, la géographie et les sciences. J’ai compris la division. L’histoire était ma matière préférée.

Nathan : Pendant cette année, j’ai bien aimé étudier avec mes maîtresses ( Louise et Anna-Gaëlle ). J’ai aussi bien aimé les fieldtrips là où j’ai appris des choses en sciences et en histoire.

Anastassia : Cette année, j’ai adoré les cours sur les gaulois, les romains et las gallo-romains ! A la maison, j’ai cherché plus d’informations. J’ai aussi aimé tous les fieldtrips, surtout Chabot car c’était passionnant.

Mélanie : Cette année, on a fait plein de choses. Ce que j’ai aimé le plus c’était la semaine internationale et Chabot. Pour la semaine internationale, nous avons travaillé sur l’Europe, j’ai fait la Finlande.

Jules : Ce que j’ai préféré cette année, c’est quand on a fait de la soupe et du pain avec Louise et aussi quand on l’a mangée. Mmmm!!! Elle était super bonne et le pain aussi.

Michel : Cette année ce que j’ai préféré c’est travailler avec Louise et Anna-Gaëlle. Anna-Gaëlle m’a appris la conjugaison et la grammaire, Louise à épeler correctement les mots.

Miles : J’ai aimé quand on est allé à Chabot et à la patinoire. J’ai aussi aimé quand on faisait de l’art, de la géométrie, des sciences (les volcans) et aussi voir toutes les pièces de théâtre.

Zoé : J’ai aimé faire les divisions. J’ai aussi aimé les récréations et jouer au soccer. J’ai aimé aller à la bibliothèque et aussi les maths.

Emilie : J’ai aimé quand on est allé à la patinoire et aussi quand on est allé à Chabot avec les Cm1 et les Cm2. Aussi j’ai aimé les maîtresses.

Léa : Les fieldtrips c’est ce que j’ai préféré. J’ai aimé aller à Chabot et Marine Science Institute.

Gustavo : J’ai aimé faire les smileys, apprendre la chanson Vive les vacances, les cadeaux de fête des mamans. J’ai aimé faire les mots croisés et apprendre des mots grecs comme poly.

Elise : J’ai aimé quand on est allé à Hidden villa et quand on est allé à Chabot. J’ai aimé apprendre sur les montagnes et les planètes.

On May 17, 2010, FASSV’s 4th graders headed off to the motherlode: gold country! The location for our greenhorns was Coloma Outdoor Discovery School, or CODS, right on the south fork of the American River. Anastasia, Catherine, and 4 brave parent chaperones set off with our 4th graders. We climbed into our stagecoach bright and early and headed off to find riches! The students had studied westward expansion earlier in the year, leading up to the discovery of gold almost exactly at CODS: Sutter’s Mill. The discovery of gold by James Marshall created a frenzy, as the students learned, and many miners flocked to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. However, as our sourdoughs learned in class and at CODS, most miners did not strike it rich by finding gold.
The students arrived on Monday and lived the gold rush. They cooked cornbread over a fire after bartering for overpriced ingredients and supplies needed for its’ preparation. As they learned, this was what the miners had to do for just about everything needed for day to day living. Our brave 4th graders also built a shelter that had to be rainproof . This was a group-centered activity and truly utilized all of the cooperative learning skills practiced in class throughout the course of the school year. That evening, the student enjoyed a hoedown with the period music of Slim Pickins’, CODS’ own old-time bluegrass band. Afterwards, it was off to campfire and then the bunkhouses for some well-deserved sleep.

In the morning , the students headed out to explore James Marshall Gold Discovery State Park and proceeded to hike the Monroe Ridge. This was Anastasia’s favorite part of Coloma (she loves hiking and being outdoors in general). The hike was beautiful and also a valid learning experience. The children learned how the Native Americans who once lived in what is now the state park used various plants growing along the trail. The 4th graders also learned about the importance of staying away from poison oak!
That evening, everyone was enlightened by Miwok speaker and history keeper Kimberly Starhawk. This amazing speaker shared Miwok lore and important vignettes about making wise choices in a challenging world.

The next morning, the students participated in closing activities with a naturalist and dipped their gold pouches in the river; finally christened as “sourdoughs.” They were no longer greenhorns; instead wise and educated sourdoughs who would vow to preserve the planet for themselves and future generations. Coloma is such a valuable learning experience for all and an important FASSV tradition for this reason. The California Social Studies program truly comes to life at CODS!

Anastasia and Catherine would like to thank our parent chaperones for giving their time to attend Coloma with us. Thank you Tania Hauradou, Carina Verbeke, Fred Stemmelin, and Guillaume Vives.

The 4th graders also completed California State Historic Park projects, as a way to finish the year by focusing on preserved places of historic significance in our state. The 4th graders have had an amazing year and will soon be 5th graders: FASSV’s class of 2011.

We would like to congratulate the class of 2010 and thank all of our parents, FASSV teachers and administration for a memorable year. A wonderful summer to all!

Mon premier est un rongeur qui vit dans les égouts.
Je m’allonge sur mon deuxième chaque soir.
Mon troisième et mon cinquième sont des adjectifs possessifs au féminin singulier.
Mon quatrième est une boisson faite à base de feuilles.
Mon sixième est un parasite qui se fixe dans la peau des animaux.
Mon tout est une épreuve en plusieurs manches, pleine d’actions et de rebondissements, réalisée en plusieurs manches dans notre classe.

Un grand bravo à la classe de CM1 qui a obtenu le diplôme d’or pour le Rallye Mathématiques Amérique du Nord 2010.

The 5th grade students had a very enjoyable school year. They did a variety of projects and went on many different fieldtrips. Their favorite fieldtrip was Quebec. They really enjoyed themselves and will always remember this trip.
Other than the trip to Quebec, I asked the students what was their favorite thing that they did in 5th grade. This is what they had to say:

Le voyage au Québec est vraiment la meilleure sortie que l’on fait à la FASSV. C’est surtout super parce qu’il n’y a pas de parents. On s’amuse dès le départ à l’aéroport. Au camp les jeux sont amusants et les moniteurs sont très gentils et rigolos. Pendant le séjour, les maitresses sont très différentes, elles sont plus des amies ou même parfois des mamans. Les visites des musées sont très intéressantes et trop courtes. Pendant le séjour, on apprend beaucoup de choses sur l’histoire du Canada et du Québec. Les veillées autour du feu de camp étaient cools, surtout les guimauves grillées et le jeu du loup garou. Nettoyer les tables de la cantine n’était pas un problème au camp, pas besoin de demander un volontaire, le jeu de « Freeze » était notre jeu préféré. Un tel voyage permet de renforcer nos liens d’amitié juste avant notre départ pour le collège. Nous avons tous été déçus le jour du retour, nous aurions aimé rester une semaine de plus. Nous n’oublierons jamais ce voyage extraordinaire. Merci la FASSV. CM2 class of 2010.

It is with gratitude and great pleasure that I have accepted to join the FASSV board of trustees. I’ve been a fan of the school for many years, I feel fortunate to be given the opportunity to now participate in its management and long-term plans.
I was born and raised in France. After I graduated from college with a MS in Electrical Engineering, I moved to California with my husband Christophe and worked for twelve years in the semi-conductor industry, holding various positions in Sales & Marketing. In 1999, I decided to take a break from work to spend more time with my children Olivia and Benjamin, now 16 and 14. I haven’t returned to the work force since then, but have extensively volunteered instead, primarily at the schools my children attended.
My children graduated from FASSV in 2004 & 2006. They truly enjoyed their time at school and made friends they are still in contact with. Most importantly, they received a bilingual education that prepared them well for public high-school and helped them broaden their horizons.
In the past ten years, I have volunteered at FASSV, ISTP (the other French-American school), and my local public high-school. I’ve helped with hot lunch organization, PTA treasury and academic tutoring. I have also served as PTA president and have worked on long-term school plans. My exposure to multiple schools has helped me define and value the qualities and uniqueness of FASSV.
I am looking forward to joining the FASSV community once again. I intend on drawing from my professional business background, my experience as a school volunteer and my understanding of both French and American culture to positively contribute to the future of FASSV.

This year, we have worked on a recycled paper project on the school level. Each student made his/her own sheet of recycled paper. It starts with the pulp made of small pieces of newspaper mixed with warm water. It gives a grey paste called pulp. Then each student spread some pulp on a small wire grid and expelled the water by pressing with absorbant cloth. They finished with a rolling pin, to remove the maximum quantity of water. Then the paper sheets are let to dry (1 day). In each class, at least 4 or five parent volunteers came to set up the material, help the little hands to squeeze the water from the cloth and clean up. I thank them very much. I could not have done it alone in 50 minutes!!
Each student then decorated his/her paper on the theme of this year’s science project: sustainable development. The 5th graders presented our needs and our sources of energy. The 4th graders offered strategies to save our water. The 3rd, 2nd, 1st graders and K presented what they do personally or would like to do to save our planet. The students enjoyed this project very much and saw first hand what recycling means. I was very proud of their enthusiasm and ideas to save our planet and we expect to continue working on having a greener school.
Josie