Finishing off May in Style in F3

Welcome Back Paul! Hope everyone enjoys the pictures above.

F3 is keeping quite busy at Maple these days. Following the three day weekend, students will work hard to get more and more donors for our May 30 blood drive. If you haven't already signed up, there are PLENTY of more spaces available for you to do so. Talk to your kids-- they will talk your ears off about all the compelling reasons there are to donate. Not the least of which: give blood, get a cookie.

This week students will also start working on their next public service announcements. This time the PSAs will be focused on the Micros and Me science unit kids have been working on with assistance from Ph.D. candidates and grad students at the University of Washington. All of the kids will have a choice of what to do their PSA on. I am looking forward to hearing some great slogans.

Thanks to all the parents who took time to make FABULOUS food for our potluck for Paul this last Friday. It was a very emotional, fun and fantastic homecoming. The kids and I are VERY excited that he is home safe and sound.

Make sure you put the following upcoming events on your calendar: May 30th Blood Drive, June 13th fifth grade picnic, June 16th baseball game at Safeco Field, and June 17th graduation. Good times ahead!

Paul is visiting on Friday!!!!

That's right. Our friend Paul Craddick who has been serving in Iraq is now back safe and sound in Seattle and will be visiting us on Friday at 12:30. To celebrate, the kids have decided to have a potluck. Please bring in a main dish, side dish, dessert or drinks for Friday at 12:30. And please join us parents and families-- it will be a great opportunity for you to meet Paul!!

What else is going on in F3? We are sponsoring a blood drive on May 30 here at Maple on the stage. As you have most likely already heard from your child, donors must be over 16, so we are counting on you to come to Maple and donate! It is a simple process, hurts a bit, but leaves you with the incredible feeling that you have just saved a life. We're hoping to get 25 committed donors by the 28th. So far we have 10.

In class, kids are very busy in science learning how to use microscopes and learning about cellular biology. As a group we are being studied by graduate students at the University of Washington. Over the last two years, they have redeveloped the Microworlds unit to Micros and Me, and the kids are learning about micro-organisms and how they help and hurt us in everyday life. The kids seem to not even notice anymore they are being videotaped. :) Only the students who have filled out the consent forms are on camera.

In social studies, students are continuing to learn all about Colonial Boston. In fact, they will be experiencing the Boston Tea Party first hand! More on all of the social studies later-- there will be a special note from Mr. McClelland.

Cheers!

A Terrible Loss for Maple

As many of you have heard from your children by now, Maple suffered a terrible loss on Thursday. A fourth grade student, Zakariya, died suddenly on Thursday night in the hospital. The exact cause of death is not known as of yet. The students spent the morning today mourning for Zakariya and talking about their feelings about death and dying. We had a good discussion which we will continue on Wednesday. Students have expressed a desire to remember Zakariya by bringing in some traditions from home such as candle burning, releasing balloons into the sky, and bringing in fruit. We had a moment of silence today in class. If you have any questions or concerns about the Zakariya, or about the class mourning his loss, please don't hesitate to call.

We have two field trips to the Cedar River Watershed this week. One on Tuesday and the other on Thursday. Students will spend one day working in the Learning Center and the other day walking in the Watershed. This should be a fantastic experience for the kids. The Cedar River Watershed is the source of Seattle's drinking water and only fifth graders, their parents, and their teachers, are able to enter the Watershed.

Also this week, students have received their tickets for the baseball game-- Mariners v. Marlins-- on June 16. About half of the students and F3 families are going. Turns out that it's pretty easy to still get tickets in that section, so if you still want to go, please let me know this week, and send money in-- the cost is $7 a seat. This will be the night before graduation-- so no worries-- there won't be any homework :)

All the very best to all of you.