Sunday, November 24, 2013

  Check it out!

Pictures from the first 60 days of school. . . Partner Reading, Open House, Pajama Day, Halloween, and more!

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Happy Thanksgiving Week!

 


Soup Fest

Thursday, November 27 from 1:00 - 2:15
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 concept.  Please join us on Thursday, November 27th for soup and crackers!

Narrative Night!

 Mark your calendar!  Please plan on attending.  Students have been working hard writing personal narratives to meet Common Core standards.  They are very proud of their masterpieces, and will be sharing their stories aloud on Thursday, December 12 at 6:00. 
The Red Group (1st Grade) will be meeting in the classroom, and the Blue Group (2nd Grade) will be meeting in the library.  Don't miss these great stories written from the hearts of your children.  Snacks and coffee will be available.


Winter Celebration
This year we will be celebrating winter and learning about the winter solstice.  Our Celebration of Winter will be Thursday, December 20th, from 1:30 - 3:20.  We will be creating crafts, singing songs, and munching on scrumptious winter treats.      Please join us for this special celebration!
                                     

Box Tops for Education! 
Classrooms are participating in monthly 
competitions for box tops.   
Please send your box tops in. 
They can be found on these products.

Upcoming events:

No school                        November 28, 29
Picture Retakes            November 5
Narrative Night            December 12, 6:00
PTA Meeting                  December 12, 3:45
Make-it, Take-it            December 17, 18
Winter Break                December 23 - January 3
    

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Parent-Teacher Conferences
We thank you for taking the time to attend conferences this last week.  It was a great opportunity to get acquainted, share goals and successes, and honor the unique strengths of your children.  
We look forward to seeing you again soon!
As always, feel free to contact either Mrs. Perine at 530-4642, perinea@psd401.net or 
Mrs. Angus at 530-4643, angusw@psd401.net with questions or concerns.  
We are always happy to hear from you!  



Our Halloween Party is on Thursday, October 31, 
beginning at 1:30, breaking for recess at 2:15,
and continuing from 2:35 - 3:15
(1:30 - 2:15, recess, 2:35 - 3:15)
We will be making crafts and snacking on scrumptiously festive treats.  Please come and join in the fun!
Picture Day!
Thursday, October 24

Trunk or Treat
Friday, October 25, 5:30 - 7:00 

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Daily 5!

It won’t be long until you hear your child talking about “The Daily Five.” The purpose of this blog is to fill you in on what The Daily Five is all about, so you don’t have to nod your head while wondering what in the world your child is referring to.

 The Daily Five is a way of structuring the reading block so every student is independently engaged in meaningful literacy tasks. These research based tasks are ones that will have the biggest impact on student reading and writing achievement, as well as help foster children who love to read and write.
Students receive explicit whole group instruction and then are given independent practice time to read and write independently while teachers provide focused, intense instruction to individuals and small groups of students.
When it is up and running smoothly, students will be engaged in the Daily Five, which is comprised of:
• Read to Self
• Work on Writing
• Read with a Partner
• Listen to Reading
• Word Work 
There are very  specific behavior expectations that go with each Daily 5 component. We have been spending our first week working intensely on building our reading and writing stamina, learning the  behaviors of the Daily 5 and fostering our classroom community.
Today students worked their "Read to Self" stamina up to 20 minutes!  Tomorrow we will begin "Read with a Partner." The students are very excited and proud of their new skills.

We have also been spending time learning about your child’s strengths and greatest needs as a reader in order to best plan for each student’s instruction.  Students will be spending most of their time actually reading "Just Right Books", which research supports as the number one way to improve reading. We anticipate the motivation and enjoyment of reading will skyrocket when this gift of choosing their own books is accompanied by extended practice and specific reading instruction for each individual child.

Volunteers . . . begin the week of September 30th.  We will send a schedule home in the Go-Home folders next Thursday.  A thank you goes out to all of you who have so generously volunteered to donate your time.

Birthday Party Invitations:
Please do not send invitations for parties to school with your child to hand out.  It is a very sensitive issue, as it hurts the feelings of students whom are not invited.  With such a large class, it is inevitable that some students will be left out.  Please also remind your child if they go to a birthday party, not to speak about it at school in mixed crowds. . . it's a matter of respect.  Look for the Class Directory in the Go-Home Folders next week, with addresses, phone numbers, and emails with which you can mail invitations. Thank you kindly for understanding. :)
  
Reminder: Open House is on Thursday, September 26, 
                           from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  Hope to see you there!

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Welcome Back to School Manatee Families!


Our first three days of the new year were filled with fun!  We had a school-wide assembly and learned about the new school-wide rules:  
Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible! 
 
We learned about comprehension, and how it helps us understand what we read.  Ask your child to show you the "signal" for comprehension.   We can also tell you what a "Just Right" book is.

We read two very funny Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems:  I am Going and Can I Play, Too?  These books are excellent for beginning readers and very well-loved by all ages.
Check out the Elephant and Piggie Dance . . . we LOVE this fun brain break!
We also read Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons, by James Dean.  

We have a fabulous addition to our classroom this year!

We are fortunate to have a student teacher, Hayley Lawrence, from Washington State University.  Hayley will be doing her Practicum in our classroom for the month of September.  She will return in January to perform student teaching through May.  Hayley is very enthusiastic and eager to work with the Manatee students.  It has been a joy to have her in class.  

##Thank you to those of you who have completed and returned the Student Information form.  It is very helpful information for us to further understand your child.

Our specialist schedule is as follows: Red = 1st Grade
                                                        Blue = 2nd Grade
Monday - Science/Science
Tuesday - Science/Art
Wednesday - Art/Music
Thursday - Music/P.E.
Friday - P.E./Science    Library 1:30 - 2:15

Important Dates:

Sept. 11            PTA Meeting, 7:00
Sept. 26            Open House, 6:00 - 7:00
Oct. 14 - 17       Conferences 
 


  

Saturday, July 27, 2013

How Can Parents Best Support Learning?


Dr. Judy Willis explains the best way for parents to support learning at home.

How To Talk to Your Child: The Best Strategies for Communication

 
This is a long video, but very valuable.  
Powerful questions at 16:00 and 24:00.  
Interesting observations,
crucial statements and important advice.
This confirms the statements above,
from Dr. Judy Willis.
 

Thursday, July 4, 2013

30 Fun Ways to Get Your Kids off the Couch

Check out these ideas
from Family Fun
from the
"Get Outside and Play Gallery"
My favorite game is Hose Head!


Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Manatee Beach BBQ

(Click above to view)

Thank You!

 
We thank you for your kind
generosity in contributing to our
End-of-Year bouquets
and monetary gifts.
You are loved.

Monday, July 1, 2013

World Record, Summer Activities, and New Apps

New World Record set in Seattle:
Book Domino Chain
2,131 Books

 Education.com
Watch the video! 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

                      **Summer Activities**


Here are some great local sites that include innovative ways to keep kids actively learning and playing during the next 10 weeks of summer.  Enjoy!
 

                                              (Outdoor Adventures, Summer Fun, and Deal of the Day!)
 
 
                         
                  (Everything from Berry Picking to Educational Activities)

                     
                             (WOW!  The Family Fun Calendar has hundreds of exciting events!)

**Don't forget to read and write every day!
We will keep RAZ Kids and XtraMath
on the blog for the Blue Group until the end of August.
  
New Learning Apps for your tablet:
*WordzUp!
*Math Bumpies
*DigitZ
*Playful Minds:Math
*Freefall Money - Coin Math for Kids
*Barefoot World Atlas  
 


Sunday, May 19, 2013

Its Been a Fun Year!
54 Special Little People,
Learning Together,
Playing Together,
Growing Together
Friday Night at the Movies!
*Epic (2D)
Friday, May 24, 3:30
(The movie based on The Leaf Men,
by William Joyce)
We will read the book this week.  Manatees are invited to join us at 
the Galaxy Theater in Uptown on Friday.   
Click on the link to watch the trailer.

Saturday, May 11, 2013


The Last 26 Days of School

Events, Activities and Fun  . . . Oh, My!

End of Year Celebration~

We can't believe the year has flown by . . . we only have 26 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 17th 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!

............................................................................................................................................

Digital Nonfiction Animal Report Night
Thursday, June 6th, 6:30

Manatee Students have chosen to research a wild native Northwest animal.  Each student chose an animal featured at Northwest Trek, so when the class goes on our fieldtrip, students will be able to see their researched animal up-close and personal! The students will report on animal habitat, eating habits, physical attributes, and life cycle.  Each student will create a Prezi presentation of their report.  On Thursday, June 6th at 6:30, we will host an evening event for students to share their Prezi reports with families.

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 Monday, May 28, and continue to work on them every day until June 6th, from 1:30 to 2:15. Please let us know if you are able to volunteer, even if it is for one day. Thank you in advance for your support.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
Field Trip
 
 
Hooray, Hooray! 
We're going on a field   trip!  We are
going to NW Trek on
Tuesday, June 11th. 
Students will enjoy seeing the animals on which they are researching and reporting.  There will be more information following, so keep an eye out for documentation in the Thursday Go-Home Folder this coming week. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
~End of Year Beach BBQ~

Come and celebrate the end of the school year with a Manatee Class Barbeque at Olman Point beach on Saturday, June 15th at 4:00.  There is a super-low tide at 5 o'clock, so the children will be able to explore marine life upclose and personal.  At dusk we'll enjoy the sunset, make a campfire on the beach, and eat smores.


Olympic Mountains and Case Inlet from the beach
The location is on Case Inlet, with a 1/4 mile long sand spit, and view of the Olympic Mountains. It's a fun place to make memories. Bring the whole family!
Directions begin at Purdy Elementary School, so make adjustments for your needs. When you turn onto 189th Ave, continue down the hill until you see the beach, then drive through the gate and park.

We will be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers. We need two or three volunteers to help with setting up and 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! See you there!
_________________________________________________________________
 
Plants and Science
 
Students have been learning about how plants grow from seeds, and what plants 
need to survive.  We have planted  radishes, lettuce, and carrots.  We hope to have a "home-grown" salad on the last day of school. 
We read the text, Tops and Bottoms, by Janet Stevens, and
  learned about which part of the plant (vegetables) we eat.  Carrots, beets, and radishes are taproots, and potatoes are tubers that grow under the ground.  Some vegetables we eat are actually the stem of the plant, like celery and asparagus.  Corn and peas are actually the seed portion of the plant.  Watermelon, pumpkins, tomatoes, and green peppers are considered fruit. 
 
 
We Have a Green House at Purdy!
The PTA purchased the kit. Fred Angus, along with a crew of realtors from Keller Williams assembled it in the Lupine Courtyard (behind the library).  They also built raised garden beds to accommodate additional planting. 
George Flanigan built the lovely cedar shelves to improve capacity in the green house. 
We are very fortunate to have such a generous community of volunteers.
This week we will be transplanting our radishes into the raised beds, and placing other plants in the green house.  Come in and see our garden grow!
 
Check it out:
Before
After
Inside
*********************************************



We wish you a wonderful celebration of motherhood and love!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Thank you for the fabulous gifts and lunches during Teacher Appreciation Week!
We loved every day!
The students' writing was touching,
the lunches were out-of-this-world,
and the fruit bowl was delicious.
The gift cards will come in handy.
Thank you for your generous time and effort.
We appreciate your thoughtful and giving hearts!
..........................................................................................................................................

Upcoming Events:

Math Rocks Night          May 16, 6:00 - 8:00
Grandparents' Day        May 21, 12:30 - 2:15
Scholastic Book Fair    June 3 - 7
Field Day                       June 12
PTA Meeting                 June 13, 7:00


Sunday, April 7, 2013


Spring Has Sprung!
Check out the many different live cams.

Click on  Assorted Animal Cams

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Happy Dr. Seuss Day!
We loved our Green Eggs and Ham
and our Crazy Hats!

Thank you to all the parents who helped us celebrate the fun day!

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Mrs. Angus thanks you for the beautiful
birthday flowers!
Each stem of flowers
added to the lovely bouquet.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

It's Coming, It's Coming!

Get Ready!  It's Coming! 
It's Dr. Seuss Day (Read Across America) . . . Friday, March 1st!
The Manatees are celebrating the big day with a Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast.
It's also going to be CRAZY HAT DAY in honor of Dr. Seuss. 
Please help your child create or find a wild and crazy hat for Friday.
Our own Purdy Panther (Panther in the Hat) will visit our classroom,
and we will have a READ-IN all morning. 
What a fun day!

We love our Purdy Panther!


Don't forget!
Readers Theater is on Thursday, February 28, 10:00 a.m.
in the classroom.  We're all very excited to share our
fluent reading with our families!  Hope to see you there!




Monday, February 18, 2013

Valentine's Day Party

Valentine's Day Party
 (CLICK for SLIDESHOW)
 
We love our "Love Bugs!"
Thank you to our parent volunteers
for the treats and your generous time!

 
Classroom Castle Update
 
We have been very busy painting our castle, both inside and out.
Students voted to choose the name for our castle . . . "Manatee Mansion."
Soon we will be reading in the castle. Come in and see it for yourself during
Readers Theater on February 28th at 10:00.
 
Students adding finishing touches to our
"Manatee Mansion" castle - painting "bricks" on the outside walls.


ASPCA Donations
Thank you for your donations to ASPCA!  
The Manatees donated a total of $323.00!
WOW!


Friday Free Time
February 15 

Wrapping up paper for the castle vines
 
Drawing dragons for the castle flags
 
Preparing to make castle Lego models
 
Making Valentines!
 
Heart cards for the family . . . so thoughtful!
 
Looking at How-to Draw books
to prepare for drawing puppies
 

The 7 Habits of Happy Kids
The Manatees have been learning about the 7 Habits! 
Our counselor, Mrs. Lantz, has been meeting with us
every Wednesday to teach us about each habit. 
So far, we have learned Habit 1 through 5.  
Ask us to show you the "body actions" we use
to remember each habit,
and how they help us be the best we can be! 
To learn more about the 7 Habits, click here.

This is the book we have been reading.


Here are the 7 Habits:
Be Proactive classroom poster

Habit 1 — Be Proactive

You're in Charge
I am a responsible person. I take initiative. I choose my actions, attitudes, and moods. I do not blame others for my wrong actions. I do the right thing without being asked, even when no one is looking.
Begin with the end in mind classroom poster

Habit 2 — Begin with the End in Mind

Have a Plan
I plan ahead and set goals. I do things that have meaning and make a difference. I am an important part of my classroom and contribute to my school’s mission and vision. I look for ways to be a good citizen.
Put first things first classroom poster

Habit 3 — Put First Things First

Work First, Then Play
I spend my time on things that are most important. This means I say no to things I know I should not do. I set priorities, make a schedule, and follow my plan. I am disciplined and organized.
Think win-win classroom poster

Habit 4 — Think Win-Win

Everyone Can Win
I balance courage for getting what I want with consideration for what others want. I make deposits in others’ Emotional Bank Accounts. When conflicts arise, I look for third alternatives.
Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood classroom poster

Habit 5 — Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

Listen Before You Talk
I listen to other people’s ideas and feelings. I try to see things from their viewpoints. I listen to others without interrupting. I am confident in voicing my ideas. I look people in the eyes when talking.
Synergize classroom poster

Habit 6 — Synergize

Together Is Better
I value other people’s strengths and learn from them. I get along well with others, even people who are different than me. I work well in groups. I seek out other people’s ideas to solve problems because I know that by teaming with others we can create better solutions than anyone of us can alone. I am humble.
Sharpen the Saw classroom poster

Habit 7 — Sharpen The Saw

Balance Feels Best
I take care of my body by eating right, exercising and getting sleep. I spend time with family and friends. I learn in lots of ways and lots of places, not just at school. I find meaningful ways to help others.