Thank you for the generous gift cards, all the delicious treats, and homemade treasures! We appreciate your thoughtfulness. We also want to send a thank you to all who helped out with our Class Holiday party. We appreciate all of you who contributed snacks and helped with the crafts and clean-up. A great time was had by all!
We also want to send out a huge thank you for your generous donations to our 5th Annual Adopt a Family from the Forgotten Children Program. Because of your kind generosity the children received all the gifts on their wish lists!
Here is the slide show we presented during the Christmas party.
This picture slideshow generated with Smilebox
And some festive photos from the Christmas party . . .
Just a friendly reminder that our Books & Bites evening event is coming up on Wednesday, December 7th at 6:30. We will all gather in the classroom for light appetizers, desserts and beverages from 6:30 - 7:00. At 7:00 Mrs. Perine's class will move to the library for their presentation and Mrs. Angus' class will begin presentations in the classroom. The students have been working hard and are very excited to share their published books with friends and family. Hope to see you there!
5th Annual Adopt a Family!
Recently we have been reading books and learning about people who are less fortunate all around the world, and in our own country. Again this year, in the spirit of giving, our class will be adopting two families in need from The Forgotten Children's Organization.
Our class Giving Tree is now in the classroom decorated with gift tags listing personal information about each child. If you would like to donate to the families, we invite you to come in and choose a tag from the tree. You can also send a note in with your child, telling whether you would like to donate to a boy or girl. Please wrap your gifts with the gift tag attached, and send them back to school by Friday, December 16th. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Our Christmas Celebration will be Thursday, December 15th, from 1:30 - 3:20. We will be creating crafts, singing songs, and munching on marvelous holiday treats. Please join us for this special holiday celebration!
Help! We Need Cans!
Please send in clean tin cans . . . 6 oz. (tiny), 28 oz. (large), and 32 oz (larger). We will be recycling these at the end of the year for our Manatee Tin Canatees - personal trophies designed especially for each student. Thank you!
This month we are learning about the homeless, less fortunate, and the function of soup kitchens. We will read several books on this topic in order to gain a greater awareness of the needs of other cultures. Check out our Shelfari to see the books we are reading daily in the classroom. We are having a Soup Fest to further our understanding of the concepts. Please join us on the 23rd for soup and crackers!
Books & Bites
Mark your calendar! Please plan on attending our authors' reading of student-created books. Students have been working very hard to complete these personal masterpieces. They are excited to be reading their books on Wednesday, December 7th at 6:30. The Red Group will be meeting in the classroom, and the Blue Group will be meeting in the library. Please come and be entertained by these great stories written from the hearts of your children. Light appetizers, desserts and coffee will be available.
Parent-Teacher Conferences Conferences begin this Thursday, November 17th. This year we are limited to 20 minute intervals for each conference. Please be prompt as many conferences are scheduled back to back. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Whole-Body Listening Larry at School
We have been reading a book about how to be a good listener at school. Listening Larry has taught us how to listen with watching eyes, quiet mouths, still feet, listening ears, still hands, bodies facing the speaker, thinking brains, and caring hearts (empathy). Students helped create a chart that helps remind them to be good listeners with their whole body. You can learn more about the program and the book, here at Social Thinking.com.
Helpful Information to Prevent Lice Unfortunately, a 3rd case of lice has been reported in our classroom. We have taken action by removing all pillows, cushions, stuffies, as well as closing the reading loft until further notice. As a preventative measure, our classroom carpets have been treated with industrial strength lice spray furnished by the district.
Please, please check your child's hair every day. Eggs and lice are hard to detect, but easier to see next to a window with natural light.
Our preventative tips are: a) spray hair daily with Lice Shield b) keep hair tied back or braided c) put coats and backpacks in the dryer after school every day - on high for 30 minutes to kill lice d) have students put coats inside backpacks when they're at school
If you find eggs or live lice: a) use mayonnaise to coat hair, leaving in for an hour b) rinse with olive oil or vinegar c) use Rid, found at most drug stores - follow directions carefully, repeating for several days, until no sign of eggs or lice are found
We apologize for the situation and inconvenience. In order to control this outbreak, we need to all work together to end this problem. If you have any questions, please call or email us at: Amy Perine 530-4642 or perinea@psd401.net Wanda Angus 530-4643 or angusw@psd401.net
FYI
The Pierce County Library System is hosting a free interactive event withSoundbridge Seattle Symphony Music Discovery Center. The Gig Harbor Point Fosdick Library will offer an Instrument Making Workshop on Saturday, November 12th at 10:30.
This year our students are absolutely fascinated with rocks and minerals. They have been collecting, sharing, and writing about their love of rocks. So, as a class, we are going to revel in the world of Pet Rocks!
This week each student will receive a river rock to design and create their very own pet rock. They will name their rocks, write about their rocks, and take digital pictures to create a Rock Hall of Fame. We will also estimate, weigh, compare and then chart each rock's size and weight. And of course we'll read lots of books and sing lots of songs about rocks.
If you, or anyone you know, has a rock/mineral collection, we invite you to the classroom to share your knowledge.
Our class will be starting the Money Savvy Kids Program soon. The Department of Finance created this program to help "kids get smart about money."
"Designed for children ages six to eleven, Money Savvy Kids @Home is the perfect starting point to teach a child how to get smart about money. Leading the way is the award-winning, interactive Money Savvy Pig piggy bank which helps children explore such topics as the history of money, where does money come from, the importance of earning money and, of course, the four basic money management choices: Save, Spend, Donate and Invest." For more information, go to Money Savvy Kids.
Family Photos
Please send a family photo in with your child before Friday, October 14th. They will keep it at school and use it to create a collage of their favorite things. Thanks!
Upcoming Events:
Tuesday, October 18th - Picture Day!
Friday, October 28th - Fall Festival, 6:00 - 8:30
Monday, October 31st - Manatee Craft Event 1:30 - 2:15
Halloween Parade 2:40 - 3:10
Please do not send your child to school with costumes containing weapons, masks or inappropriate slogans. Thank you.
Please come and join us in welcoming the new school year.
Come to the Manatee classroom for a personalized tour by your child.
Check out the Purdy Library for ipad demonstrations and
Purdy Panther apparel sales.
Sign up for your November Parent-Teacher
conference in the commons.
Pierre the Penguin: News-Worthy Nonfiction
Our class has been reading Pierre the Penguin: A True Story, by Jean Marzollo. It is about Pierre, a 25 years old African penguin, housed at California Science Academy, that was going bald. This left him with an embarrassingly exposed, pale pink behind. Unlike marine mammals, which have a layer of blubber to keep them warm, penguins rely on their waterproof feathers. Without them, Pierre was unwilling to plunge into the academy's penguin tank and ended up shivering on the sidelines while his 19 peers played in the water. So a marine biologist developed a wet suit for him, which allowed him to swim again, and regain his normal activities.
Students are enamored with Pierre and his wesuit success. They have been watching the Science Academy Penguin webcam during feeding time to observe them in their habitat. You can also take a peek at the webcam here. Feeding time is at 10:30 and 3:00 every day, and includes naration, which lasts for about 15 minutes. The class also watched the following news brief video: Pierre the Penguin and his Wetsuit. Below is a photo of Pierre with his wetsuit, prior to the regrowth of his feathers .
Welcome back to the Blue Group (2nd Graders) andwelcome to the Red Group (1st Graders)! We are excited to be back at school!
The first six days of school have been focused on learning classroom procedures and rules. The Golden Rule is our overarching philosophy in the classroom. (Treat others as you want to be treated). You may hear your child talk about the Golden Rule and how important it is in school and life. We have read Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners, by Lauri Keller and Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
Blue Group students are currently partnering with Red Group students to create an ABC book about character and manners and how important they are to Multiage Manatees.
Thank you to those of you that have turned in the Student Information and Parent Volunteer Sign-Up forms. We appreciate your prompt attention to these valuable forms that help us get organized at the beginning of the year. We will be posting our volunteer schedule and class directory very soon.
WATER BOTTLES!
Feel free to send water bottles in with your child to use at school. We ask that the bottles be "easy-snap" closures to prevent spills. The convenience of water bottles gives your child more opporunity to hydrate and avoid the long lines at our two water fountains.
Our specialist schedule is in place, and ready to begin on Tuesday, September 13th.
(We will also send a hard copy of this schedule home on Thursday for your convenience.)
Monday - Art/Science Our library day is Tuesday 1:35 - 2:15.
Tuesday - Music/Art
Wednesday -P.E./Music
Thursday - Science/P.E.
Friday - Science/Science
Blue = Blue Group (2nd Grade) Mrs. Perine Red= Red Group (1st Grade) Mrs. Angus
Daily Schedule
9:00 Writing Prompt/Math Review
9:30 Big Group Carpet
945 Literacy Block (Daily 5)
11:10 Lunch
11:30 Recess
12:00 Read Aloud/Handwriting
12:50 Specialist
1:30 Writing
2:15 Recess
2:35 Math
3:15 Get Ready to Go Home
Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. PerineA@psd401.net or 530-4642
AngusW@psd401.net or 530-4643
Friday, June 24, 2011
Summer Activities
Here are some great sites that include inovative ways to keep kids actively learning and playing during the 12 weeks of summer.
The Manatees have been reading the well-loved classic, Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. The book was published in 1938, and continues to be a favorite of many. The movie Mr. Popper's Penguins is coming to Galaxy Theater in Gig Harbor on Friday, June 17th. We would like to invite the Manatee class to join us for the movie. The show time has not yet been announced, but we want to make sure you mark your calendar. The movie will be a different version of the story, but penguin-ese will sound the same - "Ork!"
Hope you can join us for the show. We'll keep you posted, and provide you with a link to purchase tickets on Fandango. As we are going on opening night, we have not screened this movie for appropriateness. The rating is PG.
End of Year Celebration! We can't believe the year has flown by . . . we only have 16 more days left to spend together. It has been a fantastic year with many fond memories and events. Please help us commemorate our memories at the Manatee End of Year Celebration on Monday, June 20th from 1:30 to 3:15 in the classroom. We will be presenting a slide show and honoring students with awards. It's a fun way to end the year. Hope to see you there!
End of Year/Summer Solstice Beach BBQ
The last day of school is onTuesday, June 21st, which is also the Summer Solstice. We invite you to our End of Year/Summer Solstice Beach BBQ on Olman Point on the last day of school and the first day of summer! The fun will begin at 5:00.We had so much fun with the evening event last year, we decided to make it a tradition. This time also allows additional working parents to attend. We'll eat, play, enjoy the sunset, and have a bonfire on the beach. Bring the smores and Jiffy Pop! The beach will be our playground!! The location is on Case Inlet, with a 1/4 mile long sandspit, and view of the Olympic Mountains. It's a fun place to make memories. Bring the whole family!
Click here for Directions. These begin at Purdy Elementary School, so make adjustments for your needs. When you turn onto 88th Ave, continue down the hill until you see the beach, then drive through the gate and park. Cell # for help with directions: Fred Angus 225-5667
We will be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers. We need two or three volunteers to help with cooking. Please bring a potluck dish. You should also bring water shoes for your children, as the beach is rocky and at low tide there are barnacles. If the weather is nice, they may need bathing suits or shorts. Bring a change of dry clothes for them to change into after their chilly salt-water experience. You may also want to bring beach chairs, a blanket, towels, buckets for collecting treasures, and sunscreen. Oh, and don’t forget the camera! If you are available to help set up, please call or email Wanda.
Nonfiction Animal Powerpoint Night
Students have been working hard on their nonfiction animal Powerpoints. They will be presenting their Powerpoints on Wednesday, June 8th at 6:30. Each student chose an animal featured at Northwest Trek to research, so when we go on our fieldtrip on Thursday, June 9th, students will be able to see their researched animal up-close and personal!
We Need Your Help! Students will also be making life-size animals out of butcher paper to match the likeness of their research animal. Students will need help measuring, cutting, and designing their animals. We need as many adults as possible to help students with this task. We will be starting the project on Thursday, June 2nd, and continue to work on them every day from 2:30 to 3:10. Please let us know if you are able to volunteer, even if it is for one day. Thank you in advance for your support.
F.R.O.G. (Frog Research Olympic Game) Project Don't forget - the frog habitats (dioramas) are due on Friday, June 10th.
Upcoming Dates:
Nonfiction Animal Powerpoint Night June 8th 6:30 NW Trek Field Trip June 9th 9:00 - 3:00 Field Day June 14th All Day End of Year Celebration June 20th 1:30 - 3:30 Last Day of School End of Year Beach BBQ June 21st 5:00 +
Purdy Science teacher, Becky Pifer will be working with the Manatees and other second grade classes on a scientific research assignment called the Frog Research Olympic Games (F.R.O.G.) Project. * Students will select a frog species to research. * Students will create an origami frog to represent their chosen frog. * They will decorate another origami frog to imitate the designs and coloration of their frog, to place in their habitat. * They will research, design and create an ecosystem for their frog, using a rubric and shoe box. Students will receive a fact card for their chosen frog species to give them information needed for the project.
The project will culminate with origami frogs competing against each other in Olympic Frog Jumping. Manatee students will be asked to complete research project as part of their homework.
In an effort to support students in their scientific frog research, we are featuring some safe, child-friendly websites for enrichment opportunities.
We want to thank you for the most wonderful week of Teacher Appreciation! Your kindness touched our hearts every day as children brought in thoughtfully written cards, flowers, fruit, and other special treats. We felt very pampered and loved this week. :) The delicious gourmet themed lunches were out of this world! Thank you to Britt Mayer, who spearheaded the entire week, those of you who came in to volunteer their time, and also those of you who contributed from home with generous time and effort. We are truly blessed to have you all in our lives. We love you! Also thank you to our dedicated room mom, Tonya Danosky, who created memory scrapbooks, filled with student photos and heartfelt writing . . . memories to treasure. We can never truly thank you all enough. Imagine our hugs wrapped around you. :)
Happy Mother's Day!
To all you supermoms:
We hope your day is filled with love.
Yesterday the Question of the Day was "What Do You Love Most About Your Mom?" The choices were: 1) her laugh, 2)her smile, 3) her courage, 4)her kindness. Results: KINDNESS 95%
As you know, the Manatee classroom and the Monkey classroom challenged each other to bring in the most Turn Your TV Off coupons. Well, the winner is . . . we tied! Seriously! We are very proud of all the Manatee students who turned their TV off for the cause. Thank you to all the family members who supported our endeaver. Both classes will celebrate their accomplishment together with an ice cream party, on Monday, May 2nd. In addition, Mrs. Rivera has offered an additional reward of popsicles and an extra recess during the next week. Way to go, Manatees and Monkeys!
Thank you for the beautiful birthday calla lilies!
We love them!
We appreciate your thought and generosity. The gift cards to our favorite restaurants and retailers will come in handy! And the students loved those birthday cupcakes. :) You're the best! We love you!
~POETRY NIGHT~
Our 4th Annual Poetry Night is coming up! Mark your calendar for Wednesday, April 20th, at 6:30. Join us to celebrate our talented poets, as they read their personal collections of creative poems.
We need snacks! Please send in healthy snacks for our hungry manatees, as our cupboard is running low. Thank you!
National Turn Your TV Off Weekis coming up in two weeks: April 18 - 22. The Manatee class will be participating in our annual challenge to keep our TV and video games turned off all week. A coupon book will be coming home in the Wednesday Go-Home Envelope. Thre is a coupon for each day of the week, along with a packet of information. Every day your child does not watch TV, please send the corresponding coupon (signed by you) to school. We will create a graph to observe our progress over the week.
Our class will be competing with other classes for a reward.
Please continue to send in recycled cans for the end of the year "Manatee Tin Canatee Trophies." We need 32 oz. and 6 oz. cans. Thanks for your help. :)
The Manatees have democratically voted to change our Valentine’s Day activities this year. We will have a party with treats and a craft, but will not exchange cards and candy. Instead, students have chosen to donate any money they would have spent on Valentine’s cards or candy to purchase a goat through Heifer International, a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to relieving global hunger and poverty.
We are trying to raise $120 to buy a goat to help families in need. Students are learning about goats and the ways a gift of livestock benefits families and communities by alleviating hunger and poverty. Thank you for your support in helping our students understand the meaning of philanthropy, a word we have introduced in class.
We have read the book Beatrice's Goat, by Page McBrier, the fictional account of how a goat impacts an impoverished girl's life in Uganda. We will also read Give a Goat, by by Jan West Schrock, the true story of how a 5th Grade class worked together to make a difference by raising money to send a goat to a needy family through Heifer International.
Readers Theater!
Our second annual Readers Theater presentation will be on Thursday, February 17th at 10:00. This year our presentation includes an Author Study of Helen Lester and her collection of character development books. Titles include Tacky the Penguin, Hooway for Wodney Wat, Me First, A Porcupine Named Fluffy, and It Wasn't My Fault. Readers Theater helps students improve reading fluency, speaking, projection and expression. Please join us to celebrate our readers' presentations.
Snacks, Please! Our snack cupboard is getting bare. Please help us feed the Manatees by sending in any type of crackers, cookies, or other healthy snacks. Thank you!
Hope you had the opportunity to enjoy this Wednesday with your children home from school amid the snow-covered wonderland.
Pennies for Peace
We collected $72.00 (7,200 pennies) for our Pennies for Peace drive in 2010. The students have voted to continue collecting until we have $100.00 to send to Pakistan to build more schools for Balti children in the village of Korphe. Please continue sending in pennies to help us reach our new goal. Thanks!
Science Unit
We will begin our Foss Science Kit, Balance and Motion unit next week. Students will be learning from inquiry how things balance and move with hands-on activities over the next 8 weeks.
Help! We Need Cans! Please send in clean tin cans . . . 6 oz. (tiny), 28 oz. (large), and 32 oz (larger). We will be recycling these at the end of the year for our Manatee Tin Canatees - personal trophies designed especially for each student. Thank you!
Ice Cream Party! Tomorrow (Thursday) we will be having an Ice Cream Party to celebrate our chain link touching the floor. The chain link is our party chain which receives new links when our class receives compliments from other adults. This is our second party this year, so our kids have been very successful in achieving compliments based on good behavior! Yay, Manatees!
COURAGE Our school-wide character development theme for January is courage. Students are learning how important it is to have the courage to stand up for themselves and others. We have been reading books, singing songs, and sharing experiences of our new-found courage.
Seeking Math Volunteers The Blue Group (2nd Grade) will be starting to use a new computerized math program called Accelerated Math. We will be working with this program every Thursday. This program creates math assignments tailored to each student's current level. By differentiating, each student's individual needs are addressed.
Additional adult help is needed on Thursday afternoons from 2:30 - 3:10 to help students with Accelerated Math packets, scanning, and scan card bubbling. Please contact Mrs. Angus if you are available on Thursday aftnernoons and are willing to commit your time. We appreciate your help. :)
