Last week of school events

Here's what's in the news for the last week of school!!!!

TOMORROW: Monday morning will be the All-School picture. This is a very casual picture of all of the students. Please do not worry about dressing up your child for the picture.

On Tuesday, Ladybugs that are going into the Superstars class next year will go for a short visit to the Superstars classroom. Superstars that are moving up will visit in the Sharks classroom. All of this will happen between 10 and 10:45am.

Tuesday, from 2:00-3:00, is the Renaissance Faire which will be brought to you by the Explorers and the Navigators. You will see their Renaissance Research papers, their Renaissance display boards, artwork, power points and much much more!! I look forward to seeing you there.

Thursday is Beach Day. A packet went home in yesterday’s Thursday packet. Don’t forget to read the packet and return the permission form.

This is a fun day at the beach that has become an annual trip at the end of each school year. If you can drive and chaperone, that would be terrific. Especially for the Ladybugs-they will go down in the morning with the other students but may return a little earlier.

THANKS A LATTE !!

In the morning between 7:30am and 9:30am, we would like to invite all of the volunteers that helped out so much this year (this means you) to stop in for a latte or tea or mocha. Katherine Overton has arranged for a “Latte Truck” to be here. We can never tell you how much we appreciate your family and all of the help that you have provided throughout the year. We could not do it without you!! So, THANKS A LATTE !

Friday is the last day of school.
It is EARLY RELEASE at NOON.

Also, don’t forget about the PBC Skating Party at Pattison’s West, directly after the early release (12:00 noon) on Friday. Bring your child to the skating rink from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30pm. Have lunch and enjoy the company of many other Seabury families. Teachers will not be there. We will have a meeting after school. So, while your summer has begun, we are still at school working.

Summer at Seabury starts on Monday, June 16th. Check out the brochure or website for more information. There are spots left in many of the classes. Before and after care will be offered all summer. Your child can make new friends or see old ones, even invite a friend to come to camp with them.

Renaissance Faire Update

Hear Ye, Hear Ye:

News Update!!
The Renaissance Faire has been rescheduled for Tuesday, June 10th, from 2:00-3:00. All are invited.

In the past 22 years of teaching, I have rarely, if ever, altered a due date. However, this time I feel I must. The Navigators and Explorers have missed many Social Studies classes due to the music rehearsals, choir and "revised rescheduled" schedules, in-service days and federal holidays. It's been an incredibly busy few weeks. In addition, we have had more than our fair share of technical difficulties with the school printers. Ahh, never a dull moment here in the classroom.

After careful consideration, I feel in all fairness to the classes, I will reschedule the due dates to Tuesday. All Navigator and Explorer students have been working so incredibly hard on their research papers, project boards, Michelangelo reproductions (which they did by lieing on their backs and drawing under their desks on the piece of paper scotch taped to the underside of the desk, their PowerPoint presentations and their pastel Medieval and Renaissance paintings.

Please note that only the research paper and the display board are required from the Navigators. The Explorers have their research paper, display board, Michelangelo reproductions, and their pastel pictures. Many are also doing their PowerPoint presentation. There is a lot of learning going on. I am very impressed with both classes' dedication with these in-class assignments. The days are exhausting but wonderful nonetheless. Each day different students tell me something new that they have learned about their student interest generated research paper topic. I love learning something new each day and my students do too!

I certainly hope you will be able to join us a week from today when we can teleport you back in time to the Middle Ages and then into the Renaissance. It will be a wonderful journey!!

Update on Research Papers

Just a quick update on both the Navigators' and Explorers' research papers:


All students are working diligently on their note cards, putting down the source number (from their list of sources), page number, heading and one fact per card.


Virtually all students have either completed their note taking or are nearly done. Numerous students have completed their note cards and have categorized their notes. They have started working on their rough drafts. I am conferencing with each student on their note cards and their rough drafts.



Please note that there is a revision on the rough draft due date. I would like to see it prior to next Thursday, May 22th.



Final Draft is due on or before May 29th



Project trifold is due on or before June 4th.



The Renaissance Faire is June 5th

Math Time Channel 9

In case your child has ever asked you, "How many seconds have I been alive?" you now will know what the answer is. Just tell them that the answer is in Mrs. Gellert's math class.

Students in my Math class have been busily converting their weight in pounds to ounces, and believe it or not, to tons. (albeit a minuscule portion of a ton).

We are also converting the number of days students have been alive on this planet. Today we learned that one student has been alive 600, 659,000 seconds! We have done the math and these numbers don't lie. (I love math!) We've also figured out the number of years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and, you guessed it, the number of seconds old each student is. (Students had a beginning and ending time for this assignment, or else it would truly be the never ending math problem!)

Do enjoy this math lesson with your child. It has been a springboard to a multitude of mathematical equations and explanations.

Teacher Appreciation Week, May 5th-9th

THANK YOU !!










Thank You
for the incredible showering of love and affection your children bestowed upon me this entire week!! Your generosity was amazing. I want you all to know that I consider it a privilege to teach your child. Thank you all for remembering me in such truly thoughtful ways.

Cinco de Mayo

The History of Cinco de Mayo

The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th Of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. It is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico, and especially in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population. It is not, as many people think, Mexico's Independence Day, which is actually September 16. Setting The StageThe battle at Puebla in 1862 happened at a violent and chaotic time in Mexico's history. Mexico had finally gained independence from Spain in 1821 after a difficult and bloody struggle, and a number of internal political takeovers and wars, including the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Mexican Civil War of 1858, had ruined the national economy.

Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian
During this period of struggle Mexico had accumulated heavy debts to several nations, including Spain, England and France, who were demanding repayment. Similar debt to the U.S. was previously settled after the Mexican-American War. France was eager to expand its empire at that time, and used the debt issue to move forward with goals of establishing its own leadership in Mexico. Realizing France's intent of empire expansion, Spain and England withdrew their support. When Mexico finally stopped making any loan payments, France took action on its own to install Napoleon III's relative, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, as ruler of Mexico.Mexico Confronts The Invasion

Map showing Veracruz, site of the French invasion
France invaded at the gulf coast of Mexico along the state of Veracruz (see map) and began to march toward Mexico City, a distance today of less than 600 miles. Although American President Abraham Lincoln was sympathetic to Mexico's cause, and for which he is honored in Mexico, the U.S. was involved in its own Civil War at the time and was unable to provide any direct assistance.

Gen. Zaragoza
Marching on toward Mexico City, the French army encountered strong resistance near Puebla at the Mexican forts of Loreto and Guadalupe. Lead by Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, a smaller, poorly armed militia estimated at 4,500 men were able to stop and defeat a well outfitted French army of 6,500 soldiers, which stopped the invasion of the country. The victory was a glorious moment for Mexican patriots, which at the time helped to develop a needed sense of national unity, and is the cause for the historical date's celebration. Unfortunately, the victory was short lived. Upon hearing the bad news, Napoleon III had found an excuse to send more troops overseas to try and invade Mexico again, even against the wishes of the French populace. 30,000 more troops and a full year later, the French were eventually able to depose the Mexican army, take over Mexico City and install Maximilian as the ruler of Mexico. Maximilian's rule of Mexico was also short lived, from 1864 to 1867. With the American Civil War now over, the U.S. began to provide more political and military assistance to Mexico to expel the French, after which Maximilian was executed by the Mexicans - his bullet riddled shirt is kept at the museum at Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City. So despite the eventual French invasion of Mexico City, Cinco de Mayo honors the bravery and victory of General Zaragoza's smaller, outnumbered militia at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.Today's CelebrationFor the most part, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo is more of a regional holiday in Mexico, celebrated most vigorously in the state of Puebla. There is some limited recognition of the holiday throughout the country with different levels of enthusiasm, but it's nothing like that found in Puebla. Celebrating Cinco de Mayo has become increasingly popular along the U.S.-Mexico border and in parts of the U.S. that have a high population of people with a Mexican heritage. In these areas the holiday is a celebration of Mexican culture, of food, music, beverage and customs unique to Mexico. Commercial interests in the United States and Mexico have also had a hand in promoting the holiday, with products and services focused on Mexican food, beverages and festivities, with music playing a more visible role as well. Several cities throughout the U.S. hold parades and concerts during the week following up to May 5th, so that Cinco de Mayo has become a bigger holiday north of the border than it is to the south, and being adopted into the holiday calendar of more and more people every year.

[Sources: Encyclopedia Encarta, Encyclopedia Britanica, Prescott's Mexico:1900, HistoryChannel.com, other sources. minor edits April 25, 2007]

Friday is Grandparents and Special Friends Day !

Tomorrow, Friday, May 2nd, is Grandparents/Special Friends Day at Seabury. That means that students are welcome to invite their grandparents or any family friends over 21 to attend a reception at school on Friday afternoon. This year, Grandparents/Special Friends Day is part of Young Authors Month at Seabury, and we'll be sharing our Writer's Workshop pieces. It will be a busy afternoon for we'll have time in our classroom, time to enjoy writing from other classrooms, and then a reception outside or the multi-purpose room if it's raining.

Here's the schedule:

1:30 - 2:00 Grandparents/Special Friends meet with students in their classrooms

2:00 - 2:40 people are free to wander to other rooms and enjoy their writing

2:40 - 3:00 reception outside; Superstars will sing and will make everyone teary-eyed.

I hope everyone can make it!

Testing Week Continues

As long as I live, I will never forget last week. I've christened it: "the week that was". Due to the number of absences, our schedule has changed this week to accommodate the 18 students from the 3rd, 4th and 5th grades who will need make up tests for the ITBS. Hopefully, we will have completed all the make-up tests by tomorrow, at least that's the plan. Our regular schedule will resume on Thursday. Consequently, the Renaissance Faire Social Studies due dates are in need of revision.
This Thursday will be the first Social Studies class in a week and students will receive information on how to take notes on note cards for their research paper. Each student submitted their student interest driven topic sheet to me last Thursday. Information will be going home on Thursday regarding the length (no shorter than 3 pages and no longer than 5). I will accept no smaller than 10 font and no greater than 12 font. Additional specifications regarding format will be addressed in the packet.

In other news, three students made 100 percent on their very difficult spelling tests today. Each received a special treat from Dairy Queen. One received a vanilla milkshake and the other two received an Oreo blizzard. Nearly everyone else in the class missed only one of their challenging spelling words. My hard and fast rule is, "If I can't read it, then it's wrong". It's the incentive program to have their handwriting be legible. My 95% students received a small, delicious treat as well; but not from Dairy Queen. You might be impressed if you knew some of these SAT words that they are learning to use not only by correctly spelling them, but by learning their definitions with the ultimate goal of them using them appropriately in sentences. I am very proud of the class and the hard work they have and continue to put forth.

Today we had the delightful treat of having my friend and author, Ruston Howard, come to the school and teach writing workshops to each class. He has an amazing stage presence and literally had the students eating out of his hands. They learned a lot; but most especially we laughed until our sides hurt. He is an incredibly gifted and talented teacher/author/comedian. I can hardly wait until his novel, Sebastian Reckless and the Forces of Evil makes it to the big screen. I'll keep you posted on all the latest developments.

This Friday is Grandparents/Special Friends Day. It will begin at 1:30 and will end at 3:00. It is also Young Authors' Day. Students are busily putting the final touches on their creations. The school will display their stories, and in my class' case, novellas. The illustrations are amazing, as is the content of their stories. I know all of our special friends will thoroughly enjoy reading them. We are all looking forward to Friday. It will be a wonderful time.

Renaissance Faire...June 5th

Navigators and Explorers parents:

Here is important Social Studies information which I went over with your child last Friday.

Please, mark your calendars for the following dates:

Research Topic is due on Thursday, April 24th

Research Cards Check-up due Thursday, May 1st

Research Cards Check-up due Thursday, May 8th

Rough Draft is due Thursday, May 15th

Final Paper due Thursday, May 22

Project Board due Wednesday, June 4th

Renaissance Faire Thursday, June 5th.

A packet of information will be going home this week in the Thursday packet. Your child will have two copies of it; one to keep at home (in the Thursday packet) and the one to keep in his/her desk at school.

June 5th will be an opportunity to showcase your child's hard work with both the display board and also the research paper. It will be a fun, educational, culminating event.

ITBS TESTING DAY 1

Your child did beautifully on the first day of the ITBS. I appreciate all the parents who made sure that their child got a good night's rest and ate a balanced, nutritious breakfast. A little protein, fruit and complex carbohydrates go a long way to help your child's brain function to the best of its ability.

Due to the all morning testing, we will NOT be having our weekly spelling test tomorrow. Instead we will have it NEXT Tuesday, April 28th. I want to make sure that ALL of my Explorers receive a 100% on it. They will have had 2 whole weeks to practice their spelling words, so I expect great things from them all.

Wordly Wise Lesson #4 is due this Friday. Students have had extra days to work on this both in class and for homework. The due date is THIS Friday, April 25th.

Stay tuned to tomorrow's blog entry where I will post the June 5th Renaissance Faire information regarding your child's research paper and the project board.

ITBS Schedule

What an absolutely phenomenal experience we all had last night at Desserts and Demos. All of the Navigators were there and so were all but 3 of the Explorers. We had chemical experiments which created loud bangs, hands on projects which enabled the students to make nylon and participate in great experiments. Of course, all were excited to see the famous dry ice, magnesium and I believe hydrogen peroxide which created the awesome "Tinkerbell" effect. Unbelievable as it may seem, they even had the periodic table cupcakes along with a guest appearance of Tom Leaher. Thank you to all the parents who drove and stayed with their children during this amazing PLU Chemistry Department's annual Desserts and Demos.

I have had a request from one parent to know each day of next week's content for the ITBS test.


Here is the ITBS schedule:

Testing is from 8:30-11:30 Mon-Fri.

Monday: Vocabulary , Reading Comprehension Part 1, and Spelling

Tuesday: Reading Comprehension Part 2, Capitalization, Punctuation, Usage and Expression

Wednesday: Math Concepts and Estimation, Math
Problem Solving and Data Interpretation, and Science

Thursday: Math Computation, Social St., Maps, Reference

Friday: Word Analysis and Listening skills

Desserts and Demos

Greetings,

I'm hearing very cool things about what the PLU Chemistry Department is planning for tomorrow night! They all sound delicious.

I just wanted to clarify a couple items about Desserts and Demos. It is because this is not an official field trip (not during school hours, no permission slips), that I'll need parents to arrange with each other how the students will be getting home. Mr. G. and I will NOT be returning to Seabury after Desserts and Demos and therefore we can't wait with students to be picked up. I have heard from a few of you regarding who will be able to attend. If your child needs a ride for tomorrow evening, please let me know and I'll try and give you a contact or two.

One other item: the official hours of Desserts and Demos are 7 - 8:30pm. However, last year it went a little later than 8:30; and knowing what I know about chemists, it will probably take a little longer than they say it will again this year. I might plan on 9pm. :-)

Dessert and Demos

The PLU Chemistry Department students and faculty are hosting hands-on chemistry activities and chemical demonstrations on the evening of Wednesday April 16th from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in Rieke Science Center. The event will begin with desserts, including liquid nitrogen ice cream made on the spot, then progress to our Open Laboratory where students will have the opportunity to do several hands-on chemistry activities with faculty and students. This year our Chem Club will also debut some hydrogen and solar energy demonstrations (using model cars, etc.) purchased through a grant from the Puget Sound Section of the ACS. To bring the evening to a close, the faculty have chosen to do several favorite chemical demonstrations. If some of your students (accompanied by you or a parent or guardian) are able to come, I would appreciate a reply with an approximate count of attendees. We are inviting students from just a few local schools, and attendance is limited due to the hands-on activities. Directions to Rieke Science Center can be found at: http://www.chem.plu.edu/directions.html It would be great if you and some of your students could join us. Best wishes, Craig Fryhle Dean of Chemistry

Wonderful news! Both the Navigators and Explorers have been invited to attend the Desserts and Demos again this year. For those of you who attended last year, you know what a blast (figuratively not literally) it was! If you and your Explorer are interested in attending then please let Mr. G. or me know. I want to make certain that parents are aware that this is NOT a field trip and that PARENTS are in charge of getting their child to and from the event. I look forward to seeing you then.

On the classroom front, we have had an exciting time completing our studies of the Middle Ages and on beginning the Renaissance.

As you are no doubt aware, the Renaissance spans a 300 year period from the 1300's to the 1600's. During this time there was the "rebirth" of culture and scientific learning that changed the face of Europe. At the center of the Renaissance was Florence, Italy.

On Friday, the Explorers were treated to my slide show completing our studies of the Middle Ages and we launched into an in-depth coverage of the political structure of the Italian city states of Florence, Rome and Genoa. Students also got to use a bar of soap, Irish Spring so the room smelled minty green, and they started to "carve" a statue from their "marble" slab. The results were quite interesting. Nothing like first hand art appreciation!

In an effort to make learning come alive, today I showed the Explorers a CD entitled, "Leonardo, the Inventor, Take a Look into the Greatest Mind the World has ever Known". Feel free to check it out from your local library. In addition to fascinating interactive information on Leonardo da Vinci, students were also able to "see" some of his inventions in a 3 d display. Also, the CD had an interactive game of answering questions in a Treasure Hunt which proved quite challenging. So when your child tells you this evening that Mrs. Gellert played video games all day in class, trust me when I say I did show them some cool educational interactive ones with very challenging questions.

Mark Your Calendars !

Here's what's happening this month:


On Thursday, April 10th, acclaimed children's author, Brenda Z. Guiberson, will be our "Artist in Residence". She will be presenting an interactive slide show and then will teach an intensive Writer's Workshop for the Navigators and Explorers. Parents are invited to attend if they wish.


Here's a bit of a bio on Ms. Guiberson from her website: http://www.brendazguiberson.com


"Brenda has been writing and illustrating children's books for over 15 years. Though she did not imagine becoming an author as a child, she did relish the idea of studying animals and exploring remote jungles.
Her fascination with science as a student now shines through as young readers explore everything from chattering rainforests to the inside of a cactus to the solitude of a lighthouse. Brenda's books combine the beauty of language and art with valuable lessons important to our connection not only with each other but the world around us."

Scholastic Book Fair: This Thursday-Saturday will be our annual Spring Scholastic Book Fair. If you so desire, you may have your Explorer bring money into school to purchase his/her wish list items. The book fair will be open after school on both Thursday and Friday and then during the day on Saturday.

From April 21-25, Explorers will be taking their standardized ITBS tests. Testing will begin promptly at 8:30 and will end around 11:00 each day. Please make sure that your child has a good night's sleep and has a great, nutritious breakfast each morning. Many thanks in advance.

In the afternoon of April 23rd, we are so pleased to announce that we will be having a Lewis and Clark Living History persona, Garry Bush, who will be presenting his first person program as Toussaint Charbonneau, Sacagawea's husband, from the Lewis and Clark expedition. Mr. Bush, in 2004, completed the National Park Service’s Camp of Instruction at Fort Clatsop and is certified as a First-Person Living History Presenter.

Mr. Bush has presented Toussaint Charbonneau and Jean Baptiste “Pomp” Charbonneau along the Missouri River from Fort Mandan to the Rocky Mtns., across the Lolo Trail, down the Snake and Columbia Rivers to Fort Clatsop. From large theaters and the National Park Service’s Tent of Many Voices, to “one on one” presentations in front of all age groups, the "Charbonneau family” has been well represented along the Lewis & Clark Trail. Acclaimed as one of the best “first person interpreters” in the nation, Garry brings history alive for his audiences.

The Explorers will be attending his presentation from 12:30 until 1:30. Parents and grandparents are encouraged to attend if they so choose.Here's a bit of a preview:

Garry has said the following: "I will be bringing over 40 animal furs / 15 of which L&C were the first to document -all to be touched by the kids * -replicas of the trade goods associated with the 1800-1830's (to be handled) * -Soiux buffalo spirit skull 1806 / Full buffalo robe * -Huge 2 yr old grizzly (just the fur) / wolf skin * -The kids will be speaking Plains Indian Sign language by the time they leave. I promise you the kids will be talking about Charbonneau for days after he has left."

It should be a memorable presentation.

Just a quick note that on May 2nd we will have our annual Grandparents Day which this year will also be our Young Authors' Day presentation. There will be more on this later.

I hope this helps you to be able to mark the above dates on your calendar. As I hear about more, I will let you know.








HOMEWORK UPDATE:

Wordly Wise is due this Friday. Students received over an hour of instruction on the Wordly Wise yesterday with individualized instruction on the answers in each section. Additional class time will be allocated on Wednesday and Thursday for the class to complete it. There should not be any need for any last minute jitters to complete this packet on time.
Spelling words were handed out today. The Spelling test will be on Tuesday of next week.

It's All Happening At The ZOO

Tomorrow we will be going to the Woodland Park Zoo for an all school fieldtrip. We will depart Seabury no later than 8:30 and we will return to Seabury around 2:30. Please make sure your Explorer is dressed appropriately for rain (OPI clothing, perhaps?). Your child is to come to school tomorrow with a sack lunch, a disposable drink and a snack. Your Explorer is growing! It will be a fun filled educational day where we will have numerous workshops in the zoo's educational center. I know your child will have much to tell you about the symbiotic connection between animals and their environment, most especially man's impact on it.

The Middle Ages and Sir Cumference

Today in my math class we learned about Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter. It is an exciting way to teach the math concepts of the area and perimeter of a rectange, the area and circumference of a circle and how to use straight lines to measure curves.Ask your child what the story entailed. Here's a brief synopsis: When young Per visits her uncle Sir Cumference and his family, she learns how to play the game, "Inners and Edges." After she finds a clue linking the game to the mysterious castle on the island of Immeter, she must figure out how to find the perimeter and area of a circle to unlock the island's secret.



Mrs. Gellert's Math class homework for tonight: Two problems on the white sheet to find the area of a circle using the equation:
A=(1/2C) x r . I know they will all do extremely well!



In Social Studies today for the Navigators, I went on the web for an educational and informative Medieval game. It was

The Louvre

Here is some exciting news about next Tuesday's field trip

Literally a year ago I heard about the Louvre coming to Seattle and immediately set up a field trip for the school. This is the exclusive west coast exhibit of Roman Art from the Louvre. I have seen a preview of this exhibit and it is magnificent. We are all so fortunate to be going to this Seattle Art exhibit next Tuesday, March 26th. It will be a wonderful time!


Here is a link to the Seattle Art Museum's Louvre exhibit. http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/Exhibit/exhibit.asp


Here's what they had to say about the exhibit we'll be seeing a week from tomorrow.


This extraordinary selection of ancient art from Paris’s famed Musée du Louvre portrays nearly 300 years of imperial Roman life and history. The exhibition includes approximately 180 pieces—many that have never before traveled to the United States—from one of the richest collections of ancient Roman art in the world.
Visitors will meet emperors and members of the imperial court, elite and ordinary citizens, women and children, soldiers, gladiators, foreigners and slaves. Their lives and experiences are richly conveyed through a wide variety of media including monumental marble sculptures and reliefs, paintings and mosaics, bronze statuettes, jewelry, glass and silver implements. These objects demonstrate how the art of Rome shaped ancient life by representing its leaders and deities, defining public and private spaces, acculturating the conquered, and celebrating the dead. The exhibition also illustrates the varied roles that Roman art has played in the post-Classical period, and that it continues to play today.



This is a copy of the form that the office sent electronically to you today. I greatly appreciateyou signing the one from the office and sending back to school with your child post haste. Here is what the office e-mailed out to you today.





Seabury School
Field Trip Permission Slip
Dear Parent(s):

On Tuesday, March 25th, 2008, Explorer, Navigator, Beacon, Shark and Superstar students will be traveling to Seattle via private bus to visit the Seattle Art Museum’s exhibit Roman Art from the Louvre. Students will be leaving at approximately 8:30am to be on time for their 10:00am reservation and will return to Seabury by 2:00pm. The cost for this field trip is $12.00 and has been billed to your Seabury account.

Students should plan to bring a throwaway lunch and disposable beverage. Please have students dress for the weather in layers.

Please note that this is the class activity for the Navigators’, Explorers’, Beacons’, Sharks’ and Superstars’ school day. Students who choose not to attend the field trip should not come to school on Tuesday, March 25th.

Parent chaperones may be needed and will have to drive their cars. Can you help? Please let your child’s teacher know.

Please fill in the bottom portion and return ASAP. Thank you.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yes, my child ___________________________ may attend the field trip to the Seattle Art Museum on Tuesday, March 25th, 2008.


_____ I am available to chaperone.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patty's Day! Here's a bit of history marking today's, March 17th's, holiday.

First the Homework for tonight:

Mrs. Gellert's Math class: p. 11, any 5; Leprechaun sudoku. Only 20 minutes. Students had time to work on their homework in class.

If you have a moment, feel free to go on the History Channel's website:

http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=Minisite_Video_Clips&content_type_id=1328&display_order=6&mini_id=1082

to find out more about St. Patrick's Day. It is an marvelous site with not only informative facts, but great videos as well. If you do not have any extra time (and truly, who does?), then here's some St. Patty's Day info for you to peruse:

The First Parade

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for thousands of years.

On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland, but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers to reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.

Over the next thirty-five years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished, prompting the rise of so-called "Irish Aid" societies, like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and the Hibernian Society. Each group would hold annual parades featuring bagpipes (which actually first became popular in the Scottish and British armies) and drums.

No Irish Need Apply
Up until the mid-nineteenth century, most Irish immigrants in America were members of the Protestant middle class. When the Great Potato Famine hit Ireland in 1845, close to a million poor, uneducated, Catholic Irish began to pour into America to escape starvation. Despised for their religious beliefs and funny accents by the American Protestant majority, the immigrants had trouble finding even menial jobs. When Irish Americans in the country's cities took to the streets on St. Patrick's Day to celebrate their heritage, newspapers portrayed them in cartoons as drunk, violent monkeys.

However, the Irish soon began to realize that their great numbers endowed them with a political power that had yet to be exploited. They started to organize, and their voting block, known as the "green machine," became an important swing vote for political hopefuls. Suddenly, annual St. Patrick's Day parades became a show of strength for Irish Americans, as well as a must-attend event for a slew of political candidates. In 1948, President Truman attended New York City 's St. Patrick's Day parade, a proud moment for the many Irish whose ancestors had to fight stereotypes and racial prejudice to find acceptance in America.

Wearing of the Green Goes Global
Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore, and Russia.
In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick's Day has traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use St. Patrick's Day as an opportunity to drive tourism and showcase Ireland to the rest of the world. Last year, close to one million people took part in Ireland 's St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions, and fireworks shows.

Stream Study Update

There have been a few questions generated lately regarding the Dash Point State Park Stream Study. As you know, Mr. G and I took our classes to compile data in the fall of the 2007-2008 school year. The following is information from Mr. G. which I think will shed some light on the subject:

A word about Stream Study:
As we haven’t been going down to the stream for the past couple of months, I wanted to make sure that everyone is up to date on the status of our Stream Study. The purpose of Stream Study has been to do research to determine whether or not it will be feasible to reintroduce salmonids (salmon or trout) to the stream at Dash Point. The Explorer and Navigator classes collected data for about three months on various aspects of the stream, including depth, temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen. This data has been added to the data collected over the past few years and paints a pretty consistent picture. In the classroom, we have also been doing research on the needs of salmonids to compare to our data and determine whether or not our stream has what it will need to accommodate larger fish. We are in the process of writing up these findings to present to the Parks and Rec Commission, who originally requested our involvement. These are some of the things the class has found:
Salmonids need a “staging area” at the mouth of a stream where they will hang out for a couple months before they spawn. This staging area should be a calm pool of water, around 5 feet deep depending on the size of the fish, that has shady areas for the fish to hide from predators. Currently, our stream doesn’t have any place that could act as a staging area.
Salmonids depend upon the seasonal change in water level to cue when they should spawn, or begin other parts of their life cycle. All the data we have collected says that our water level is constant, no matter how much rain the area has been getting. This means that our stream is fed by ground water, and not much run-off. This is a potential problem that would need to be dealt with, because the fish wouldn’t have dramatic changes in water level to trigger different parts of their life cycle.
Once the eggs have hatched, the small fish need to be able to swim downstream to a wetland area where they can grow up, have protection from predators, and get used to the salt water before going out to sea. They should spend quite a long time here. Obviously, our stream doesn’t currently have a wetland area attached to it. What is now the parking lot and beach used to be a wetland that was destroyed.
After contacting the Points Northeast Society, a local historical society specializing in the history of Brown’s Point and Dash Point, we’ve learned that it’s almost certain that there were never salmon in our stream. While there is some anecdotal evidence of other salmonids, we don’t have conclusive proof. According to the historical society, our stream was used as a skid when the area was logged in the late 1800s, causing the runoff of sediment that filled in the wetland and resulted in the beach. The damage caused by the logging may take hundreds of years to be repaired.While some of these findings may be discouraging to those of us who hoped to be able to release fish into the stream at some point, this kind of scientific investigation, data collection and analysis are exactly what the Stream Study is about. I’ll be meeting with the Parks and Rec Commission to talk about our findings and find out in what ways we can support Dash Point in the future. We will present our findings, and eagerly await their suggestions. Introducing fish still may not be out of the question; we’ll just have to see what they say!

I hope that helps answer your questions.

The Math homework for tonight for My math class is as follows:

Mrs. Gellert's Math Class: p.9 (1,3,5,7,9,10,11) and page 10 (7,8 and 9)

The Math homework from Mr. G. for tonight is Question #9.

Just a few reminders. On Saturday, March 15th, we will have our annual Seabury Auction. I want to thank again the amazing parent volunteers who helped create the Explorer's auction project. It is a stunning salmon tiled table. If you have not seen it, please check on the school's website. In fact, feel free to take a moment to view the entire Seabury Auction catalog. I look forward to seeing you on Saturday evening.

As I mentioned in yesterday's entry, report cards will be going home in this Thursday's packets. There will not be any school this Friday, March 14th. Friday is a special conference day which is set aside for parents of students whom I have social, emotional, or academic concerns. I have already contacted parents whom I need to conference with. If you have not been contacted, please know that I do not have any concerns about the progress of your child. I would prefer to allocate the time Friday to those families whom I have contacted. If you still desire a conference, please feel free to contact me via my e-mail bgseabury@yahoo.com.

Social Studies homework for the Navigators tonight is to complete their Medieval Knight paper.

My report cards have been completed and were turned in last Thursday morning. With grades and comments, it takes me over 2 hours per report card. Between my Explorers, and the shared math and social studies classes with the Navigators, I have 28 report cards to do this trimester. I love my job and the report cards are a labor of love. It truly is a privilege to teach your children.

Report cards will be going home in the Thursday packets. There will not be any school this Friday, March 14th. Friday is a special conference day which is set aside for parents of students whom I have social, emotional, or academic concerns. I have already contacted parents whom I need to conference with. If you have not been contacted, please know that I do not have any concerns about the progress of your child. I would prefer to allocate the time Friday to those families whom I have contacted.

Last Friday was the day before my birthday. I was absolutely blown away with the outpouring of gifts and flowers (I love flowers) which were so generously bestowed upon me. I want to thank ALL of you, most especially my amazing room parents, for the incredible surprise!! I was so touched by the gift of each student's writing about how much they appreciate me and my teaching and also their awesome photos! This gift truly touched my heart. So thank you, thank you, thank you!!

The homework for tonight for my math group is only 20 minutes on their Continental Math League (CML) sheet. If they complete one problem before 20 minutes, they need only do two out of the 4. If they wish to proceed on, that's fine; but I am only requiring 20 minutes and/or 2 problems.

Camlann Village Fieldtrip

WOW what a day we had stepping back in time to the 1300's. It was cold, but it wasn't raining. The Explorers and the Navigators did an excellent job being not only attentive, but asking numerous questions as well. I greatly appreciate the wonderful, intrepid chaperones who went with us, braved the damp, cold weather and kept a smile on their face. I have just finished asking my students if they enjoyed the field trip today and there was a resounding, "YES!" It was a field trip to remember.

The homework for tonight for both the Navigators and the Explorers is to write a reflection paper of their field trip to Camlann Medieval Village and to draw a picture of their time there.

Field Trip Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 4th

As I know you are all aware from reading my blog, tomorrow is our Field Trip to the Camlann Medieval Village.

The bus WILL leave promptly at 8:30. We MUST leave on time so we will arrive on time. They have a tight schedule so we will be able to see everything of interest and to explore all of the historical reenactments from the Medieval Times. Please DO NOT BE LATE to SCHOOL!!! The bus WILL leave WITHOUT you!! So, please be at school no later than 8:15.

Please re-read the blog entry listed below to go over all the exciting things we will be learning. Lunch is provided as listed below.

I look forward to seeing you then!!

There will not be a spelling test on Tuesday due to the all day field trip. As listed on your child's spelling list of words, the spelling test will be on the following Tuesday, March 11th. Spelling definitions will be due on 3/11 also.

Wordly Wise IS due tomorrow.

Camlann Medieval Village

On Tuesday, March 4th, we will be traveling to Camlann Medieval Village, which is a living history project portraying rural England in the year 1376 during the Middle Ages. Camlann is dedicated to offering the public powerful personal experiences of history, including multiple learning and performing arts opportunities, built upon research of rural communities in 14th century England, to provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between those historical events and western society today.

We will be fortunate to have a two hour class, which will be held in the undercroft of the Bors Hede Inne, describing daily life in the middle ages. We will have presented to us ideas on how history is understood, and why it is important and relevant to the 21st century. We will discuss archeology, architecture, technology, food, customs, fashions, and music. There will be reproductions of tools, cooking and eating equipment, coins, clothing, armor and musical instruments. Many will be demonstrated and all will be discussed. Weather permitting, we will have a tour of the village area grounds.

Lunch will be the "ploughman's" lunch (bread, roast polish sausage, cheese, vegetable, fruit and a spiced juice drink) from the Bors Hede kitchen. Food is served "feast style" on platters, and eaten off a bread trencher, all while a minstrel plays courtly music. I can hardly wait!

DON'T Forget!! All students are to be dressed appropriately for inclement weather. It may be cold and wet on Tuesday morning. If so, please wear a rain coat and appropriate shoes. We will be learning in a living history "classroom" which will mean that there will be plenty of walking outside! Mr. G. and I will supply the snacks and bottled water. So, please don't worry about your child starving on the way to and from Camlann Medieval Village. If you would like to pack a snack for your child, that is fine, as long as it is in a disposable bag and the water is in a plastic disposable bottle.

Students may bring a book to read on the bus or a notebook to draw in; but, NO game boys or electronic gear of any kind ! Thank you for understanding.

What a Night!

Tonight's Science Fair was nothing short of spectacular! I am always so impressed with the caliber of scientific knowledge and experimentation that our Seabury students demonstrate. It was a fantastic exhibit of intelligence and ingenuity. It was a great job by everyone!

I want to especially thank all of the many parents and grandparents who came tonight. I have NEVER seen so many in my classroom on a Science Fair night. WOW! It was a wonderful time for us all. Thank you all for coming!

IMPORTANT NEWS FOR MONDAY!!!

Monday, March 3rd, is National Read-In Day. The entire school will be participating in wearing pajamas (and robes), bringing their favorite book(s) and sleeping bag (and pillow) to school. We will have designated times on Monday to participate in the National Read-In. In addition, we will also have many of our regularly scheduled classes. One special part of the day will be filled with a read-in with my class and the Superstars. We will be "Buddy-reading" with the Superstars! It will be a wonderful time and we are all looking forward to Monday. Please note that students MUST bring a pair of regular shoes to school for recess. (A jacket also if there is inclement weather). Other than that, students know what to do on Pajama Day. Please note that it is NOT mandatory that students come to school in their pajamas and robe; but all said that they were very excited about doing so on Monday!

Please make sure that you have turned in your child's permission slip for our Field Trip on Tuesday, March 4th. In conjunction with our studies of the Middle Ages, we will be traveling to Carnation via school bus and will be whisked back into time at Camlann, the Medieval Village. It will be a rare treat.
When I planned this field trip back in July, I was fortunate enough to get this date for the Explorers and Navigators. (They fill up fast!) I am very excited about this field trip on Tuesday, and I know your Explorer is too.

SCIENCE FAIR TOMORROW

The Science Fair is tomorrow! I am very proud of all of the Explorers for the exemplary job they have done on their science experiments.
WAY TO GO!
During the day, each class will have a time when their projects will be set up so they can demonstrate them for other classes. The schedule is below:10- 10:45 Superstars10:45 – 11:30 Beacons12:30 – 1:15 Sharks1:15 – 2:00 Navigators2 – 2:45 Explorers.

We encourage you to come and see the amazing projects our students have been working on. Feel free to drop in during the day when students are hosting other students in their classrooms. Or you are welcome to join us in the evening when all students in attendance will be demonstrating their projects to parents, family and friends. The evening Science Fair is from 7:00-8:00. I look forward to seeing you there.

As you know, this Thursday is Seabury’s annual science fair. Students will be setting up their projects in the morning, and each class will have the opportunity to see the displays in the other rooms at various times throughout the day.

We encourage you to come and see the amazing projects our students have been working on. Feel free to drop in during the day when students are hosting other students in their classrooms. Or you are welcome to join us in the evening when all students in attendance will be demonstrating their projects to parents, family and friends.

During the day, each class will have a time when their projects will be set up so they can demonstrate them for other classes. The schedule is below:

10- 10:45 Superstars
10:45 – 11:30 Beacons
12:30 – 1:15 Sharks
1:15 – 2:00 Navigators
2 – 2:45 Explorers

The evening science fair for parents and friends is Thursday night from 7 - 8 p.m.

We look forward to seeing all the great projects our kids have been working on!

Tomorrow evening, Wednesday, February 27th, at 7:00 in the multi-purpose room, there will be a “Followup Task Force Report to Parents” meeting. I would like to encourage you to attend for members of the Board of Trustees and Mrs. Wollum will be there to share additional information about the middle school development process, to talk about plans for the future of Seabury, and to answer your questions. Child care will be provided for those who make advance reservations by calling or e-mailing Joslyn in the office.

HOMEWORK

Homework for tonight, February 25th involves students completing their SCIENCE FAIR projects. Students are to bring their Science Fair projects in on Wednesday. The actual Science Fair will be on Thursday. During the day students will travel from room to room to view the projects.
Thursday evening at 7:00 parents and friends are invited to view all of the projects. Students are to "man their stations" during this time. The program ends at 8:00.

Due Tomorrow:
Spelling test tomorrow. Also Spelling definitions and Wordly Wise Lesson 18 are due.

Math for my math class: Please remember to bring in the Dynomath magazine and to complete ONLY #12 on the Medieval Math for tomorrow.


This Wednesday evening:

You are encouraged to attend the “Followup Task Force Report to Parents” meeting this Wednesday night, February 27th, at 7 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. Members of the Board of Trustees and I will be there to share additional information about the middle school developmentprocess, to talk about plans for the future of Seabury, and to answer your questions. Child care will be provided for those who make advance reservations by calling or e-mailing Joslyn in the office.