Greetings from Mr. Calaski

Hello Parents, Guardians, and Families of F-3.

My name is Jeff Calaski, but the students call me Mr. C. I am co-teaching a social studies unit on colonial Boston with Ms. V in F-3 as part of my teacher internship for the Master in Teaching program at Seattle University. This unit will address the essential question: Why do people want to be free? Students are participating in learning activities that help them answer this question for themselves.

I am using a StoryPath curriculum called "The Struggle for Independence", in which students actually become colonists living in colonial Boston. Students have created characters, homes, and businesses based on content from the unit, and have displayed this work on our class frieze, or mural. Students role-play in character during town meetings and other group activities in order to see the world from the perspective of someone in a different time and place.

Here are some highlights and concepts of the unit:
· Creating an interactive mural of colonial Boston.
· Creating a realistic character.
· Learning about the many perspectives that surround historical events.
· Understanding the tensions between individual rights and the common good.
· Experiencing colonial life and significant events through the eyes of their character.
· Declaring a position as either a Loyalist or Patriot.
· Learning how different cultures helped shape colonial Boston.

I am very excited for your child to be a part of this amazing learning experience.

There will be opportunities for you and your family to support your child’s learning at home. You can read about these opportunities at my learning support page.

Thank you for taking the time to read this information. I look forward to meeting all of you at our open house next Wednesday.

You can learn more about me at my website, www.mrcalaski.wikispaces.com.

Best Regards,
Mr. Calaski

Late January Update from F3

A narrow street in Colonial Boston. Still there today!

First off, make sure you've read Ms. V's letter to parents asking for supplies.

Second, you should know that the kids right now are deeply engrossed in learning about the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1760s and 1770s. Tomorrow F3 will take part in a special assembly just for fifth grade at Maple about the involvement of African and African Americans in the American Revolution. This multi-media presentation will take place at 2:20 tomorrow, 2/1.

Students are also learning all about erosion and deposition in science. Please show your child or talk to your child about any landslides or mudslides you have heard about lately.

As always, make sure your students are getting their daily Xtra Math practice. Eight students have completed Xtra Math!!! Hats off to: Venus, Jaden, Yu Yang, Michael, Vincent, Jennifer, Junjie, and Jessica!

A Tremendous Start to 2010

Moving up with Xtra Math!

January has stared out so well for us in F3! Back in December, we had started using Xtra Math, and now we have had three students complete all four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. I truly believe that the students will be much successful in middle school once they can prove mastery of the basic math facts.

What else is new, teacher candidate Jeff Calaski is now full time in F3. Mr. Calaski will be at Maple everyday from now through to the start of April. He is very enthusiastic, and is looking forward to the next few months with all of the students. Mr. C, as the kids call him, is very much looking forward to leading the students through their learning of Colonial Boston, our next Social Studies unit. He started out as a volunteer in F3 two years ago and is now getting his teaching degree at Seattle University.

Step 1.
Make a new T-chart on a new page in your science journal. Label one side "Sunrise" and the other side "Sunset".

Step 2.
Use the almanac again to find the sunrise, sunset, and day length times for each of the following dates: June 21 and December 21.

This time look up each date for the following places:
Fairbanks, AK
Boston, MA
Miami, FL

Record the sunrise, sunset, and day length times for each date on your T-chart.

Step 3.
Learn about the path of the sun as it travels across Earth's sky.

Step 4.
Click the start button to watch the video animation of the sun.

Draw the path of the winter sun in your science journal.

Next, draw the path of the summer sun.

What happens to your shadow when you stand facing the winter sun? How about the summer sun? Write your reasponse in your journal.



Angle of the Sun

The Astronomy Scavenger Hunt for the Week of January 3, 2010!

Step 1.

Make a T-chart on a new page in your science journal. Label one side "Sunrise" and the other side "Sunset".

Step 2.

Use the almanac to find the sunrise and sunset times for each of the following dates in Seattle, WA: March 21, June 21, September 21, and December 21.

Step 3.

Record the sunrise and sunset times for each date on your T-chart.

Step 4.

What do you notice about the times? Write your observations on the same page.

Our Awesome Week in Pictures!! Thanks F3! Have a Great Break!!

The Week Before Break!! It's A Big One!!

F3!!! It's a pretty great this week! LOTS to look forward to:

Monday: MAP Math Testing at 10:20.... No sweat, you guys have learned so much this school year already, now is just a chance to show it all off! Just think of how much better you've done on each of your post tests every math unit.... You're going to do so well.

Tuesday: Our field trip to the Sheraton! We're going to meet Chef John, see our favorite architect Stacy, and check out all of the gingerbread houses, including the one that we helped on!!

Wednesday: MAP Reading testing at 10:20... Again! No sweat! You've been reading at school and at home everyday at your level. You'll be great.

Thursday: Gingerbread Village in F3!! After lunch we'll get started on our graham cracker houses/creations... WahooooO!

Friday: Nick Licata comes to talk about his book Princess Bianca and the Vandals at 11:00a.

WHAT A GREAT WEEK IN F3!! Stay tuned on the blog for pictures!

-Ms. V

Mr. Parker and His Unit Received Our Care Packages!!!

Here is a thank you note, below:

Marcia R. Ventura,

Thank you so much for taking the time to send my soldiers and me a little bit of home. It is a great feeling to know that we risk our lives for a grateful and deserving nation. I speak for all of the soldiers here that may not receive packages or letters from home, when I say you brightened our day. A touch of home whether it be a book, food, candy, or movie makes this place a easier to bare. During this time of year it is increasingly hard trudge through the day not being able to spend the holidays with our families. Your gifts are very appreciated. My unit is the 101ST Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, KY. We are currently deployed to Afghanistan near the city of Kandahar. The Company that I am in is a MEDEVAC company. Our job is to provided immediate response to saving the lives of wounded casualties on the battlefield via Helicopter transportation. We have been here since March of 2010, and we should be making our way back stateside in late February to March. We all appreciate your kindness and wish you all happy holidays. I would also like to add a special thanks to Nathan, Jaime, Jessica, Shaila, Dylan, and Jennifer For their letters. Thank you.

CW2 Parker, Tyson
UH-60 Blackhawk Pilot
101st Airborne Division
MEDEVAC
"No Mercy DUSTOFF"

Ms. V's class is starting Xtra Math this week!

Time to Reschedule Conferences!!

Ms. V will be in touch with all of the F3 families to make up parent conferences that were cancelled because of the snow.

Look forward to meeting all of you!!!

--Ms. V

Welcome to Parent Teacher Conferences!

Check out pictures of our Veterans Day Assembly and Care Package Project.

Welcome Parents!!! It's good to have you at Parent Teacher Conferences this week. We will be going over your child's work so far in fifth grade. We'll look over their science and math notebooks, listen to a recording of your child read, and take a look at MAP scores, this years upcoming MSP tests, and readiness for middle school.

While your waiting for your conference, please check out this website and the links on the right side of the page. Please make sure that your child goes on Study Island and Everyday Math Online about three or four times this Thanksgiving Break.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Global Reading 2011!!!

The Global Reading books are out, the Global Reading books are out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wahoo!!! Check em out! We'll be getting to know these books VERY well in the next few months....

F-3 Architects to work with KMD Architects for the Seattle Gingerbread Village!

Stacy showing F3 kids some of KMD's designs on the computer.

We're already getting excited here in F3 ever since we went on that fantastic field trip last week to the offices of KMD Architects in downtown Seattle to visit our architect friend Stacy.

KMD takes part in the annual Seattle Gingerbread Village that takes place at the Sheraton Hotel, and this year F3 is making helping KMD make their gingerbread house. Well, guess what, the gingerbread has been made!

Coming up soon, the kids will be researching holidays around the world-- and making their 6 x 6 square to add to the KMD design.

In other news, thanks to the kids for helping me celebrate my birthday on the 18th. That cake ROCKED!

Time to get on the Island... Study Island!

Hey everyone! It's time to get started on Study Island!

Starting this week, six kids will get to go on Study Island each day during our reading block. Make sure you are only working on the Study Island assignments I've given you whether you are at home or at school.

Enjoy some time on the Island every week!

-Ms. V

Get a Camera and Start Taking Photos!!

Parents!

By now your F3-er has come home and interviewed you to I'll be providing camera for your child to take home and take pictures of things that keep them healthy either at home or in their communities! Check my pics out above!

See you tonight at Curriculum Night!!

-Ms. V

Thanks F3 for a GREAT first week!

What a great first week in F3! We got off to a good start last week by playing some fun games in class, getting most of the pretests out of the way and completing a couple of very important art projects. We also celebrated Michael's birthday :)

Check out the quilt above! Each square represents a a kid in F3. Our squares are absolutely the most colorful and full of charm. Good job F3!

So what's coming up this week?! On Tuesday night is a meeting for all fourth and fifth grade parents who are still curious about camp! On Thursday, we get to have our first buddies session with B3! We'll be reading and singing :) On Tuesday, we'll be starting our Micros and Me science unit. Students will be coming home to interview their parents about health care issues in our community and take pictures of health practices at home. I'll be giving students cameras to take home for an evening.

Thanks for filling out all the paperwork for me and for the school last week!

Cheers!
Ms. V.

Welcome to the 2010/2011 School Year in F3!!

Hello! I am Marcia Ventura, and I will be your child’s fifth grade teacher this year. I have taught in the Seattle School District for eleven years, and this is my fourth year at Maple, and I love it here deeply!

Fifth grade is a very exciting year for students. At this moment they are one year from starting middle school, and as such, it is critical that throughout the year, students become academically and socially ready for that transition. Instruction, especially in the areas of reading, writing, and math, will be rigorous to ensure that readiness.

What will students learn this year? In science, they will work with microscopes, learn about erosion and ground water, and even become engineers. In social studies, your child will learn about early US history and the principles this country was founded on. Math starts to get a little tricky for kids, and for that reason, I have a Math Breakfast club that will begin in October for kids that need a little extra help.

Homework will be given Monday through Thursday. Students should be spending about 30 minutes on homework, and and thirty minutes reading a book of their choice. I expect homework to be done completely independently. If your child is asking for help often with the homework, please let me know. All homework given in class will be directly related to what was taught during that school day.

Coming up very soon will be FOURTH and FIFTH GRADE CAMP!!!! Woohoo! Most of the students are already signed up and paid for. If you are not, you'll be receiving a phone call from me very soon :). Camp is very exciting and will be taking place at Camp Seymour in Gig Harbor from September 29, 30 and October 1.. More information about camp can be found in the links on the right side of the screen.

As you know, Maple is an open-concept school, and because of that, students will not only have me as their teacher, but they will also learn from Ms. Wood and Mr. Allen, the two other fifth grade teachers. The three of us have worked hard in preparation for the start of the school year and will continue to work closely together throughout the year.

Check the blog often for updates and pictures throughout the year, and make sure to get all of the paperwork signed by the end of the first week.

Cheers!!

Ms. Ventura

PS: You will also see links on this page to the Maple PTSA because I am the co-president this year with parent Jen Moore-Arterburn. In the packet that comes home on the first day of school, please remember to sign up as a PTSA member for this coming school year!

What a GREAT school year!!!

The YOU DECIDE unit!!

What's new in F3? Kids are learning to make strong arguements defending positions on controversial issues in F3. This is part of a unit all fifth graders in the state of Washington do as part of social studies.

We are learning about how laws are interpretted to favor either the individual right or the common good. For example, backpack searches can be controversial. A principal may feel like he or she can alsways search backpacks for any reason-- in order to protect the common good. However, students may feel that they have a right to privacy, and that principals and teachers should respect their individual rights.

All week this week students will be listening to different viewpoints from all the stakeholders in this issue or backpack searches.

Cheers!

Ms. V

Our Nutrition Lesson for Wednesday, April 21!

We'll be watching this short video and having a discussion in class about food marketing.

-Ms. V.

Thanks Tony B!! What an awesome Census Song!

Tony B from KUBE 93 came in today and showed us his brand new Public Service Announcement for the 2010 Census called "Count Me in"! A representative from the Seattle Census Media division came in as well and told us that we were "Seattle's Star Census Class"! Good stuff, F3!

Welcome Back from Spring Break, F3!

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow, F3. Hope everyone had a fun spring break!

This week we'll begin a unit to learn about the three branches of government. On Friday we'll be going to downtown Seattle to visit the three branches of government up close. We'll be visiting City Council member's Bruce Harrell's office. We may also get to see the Mayor's office. In the afternoon we'll get to visit the courthouse. Make sure you come prepared with $3.00 for transit. We'll be leaving right at 9:20 and we'll get back at 3:00.

Great job to everyone who worked on Study Island over the break! Extra recess on Thursday!

We did SO well!!! Rock on F3 Mobile Sunshine!

Today we had a GREAT celebration of our F3 Community! F3 has been so supportive of our Mobile Sunshine Global Reading Team. Today we had a HUGE potluck to celebrate the success that our team had at the Global Reading City Finals. Chicken and pizza and lasagna filled our tummies.

After the meal, we listed to a group speech done by the Sunshines! Thanks team! You represented F3 and Maple so well! We got second place with an incredible score of 145 out of 150. We're so proud of you!!!

-Ms. V

We won the Semi Finals!!! Next Step: City Finals!

That's right! We won the Global Reading Challenge Semi Finals at the Downtown Seattle Public Library yesterday. Team F3 Mobile Sunshine came in strong in first place with another PERFECT score.

Please!!!! Join us for the city finals on Tuesday night, March 23rd at 7pm again at the Central Branch downtown to cheer on Andy, Jasmine, Jennifer, Elyzha, Ella, Joseph and Chris as they represent F3 and Maple!!!

Cheers!
Ms V

We Won Maple's Global Reading Challenge!!!!!!

BIG CHEERS!!! to Ella, Chris, Andy, Jennifer, Jasmine, Joseph, Elyzha AND Victoria, Tyler, Jessica, Justin, Justin, Carmen, and Frezjanique!!!! They all participated in the 2010 Global Reading Challenge at Maple, and Guess what?!?! The F3 Mobile Sunshine team beat out nine other teams comprised of fourth and fifth grade students. These kids together read and became experts on ten books!! GREAT JOB!!!

SO, we (The F3 Mobile Sunshine Team AND the rest of the class) will be going to the downtown Seattle Public Library on March 17!. That's right! In just a couple of weeks! We'll take the school bus to get to the library.

Good Job, F3! Keep up the GREAT work!

We're in charge of the Maple Mock Census!!!

On Friday, February 26, ALL Maple students and staff will be taking the 2010 Maple Mock Census! Before break, F3 kids came up with ten great questions to ask each member of the Maple community. These questions range from: How many brothers and sisters do you have? to What is your favorite subject in school?

We'll spend the next several weeks reviewing the data, making graphs using Excel, and writing reports about their findings.

Here is a sample of the Mock Census form!

Cheers!

Ms V.

2nd Week of February Already!!

Hi everyone! My name is Ms. Fredette. For those who have not met me, I am the co-teacher working with Ms. V in F-3 January- March/April 2010. It has been a wonderful experience so far and I have gained so much knowledge from my students and Ms. V.

I have started two new units in F-3 within the last few weeks; colonial Boston and Census Math. I have tons of great information and activities for students to try at home or during specific times in class. Just take a quick look at the Math and Social Studies links on my home page. The website will also be updated with long term assignments and ongoing events.

Here is a link to my website, created just for F-3. Have fun and happy February!

Megan Fredette

Take the History Survey today, January 25

Today, January 25, we'll all be taking a survey for Seattle Public Schools. The district wants to find out some very important information about what you know about history. Using information the district receives from all over the district, they will be writing a grant in order for historians to come into the schools and talk to kids! How cool would that be?!?!

Click here to take the survey!

Cheers!!!
Ms. V

We went to a Gingerbread Village, and then we BECAME a Gingerbread Village!

We had such an exciting week in F3 the week prior to break! On Tuesday last week, students climbed aboard the #60 bus to the Light Rail, zoomed downtown and checked out the Gingerbread Village at the Sheraton Hotel downtown. It was fantastic! Five creations were made by different architect firms in Seattle.

One of those firms, KMD Architects, won first place in the Village with their take on ""A Charlie Brown Christmas" -- a doghouse for Snoopy. Stacy Smedley, a lead architect on the project, came to our classroom on Wednesday and told us all about how she made Snoopy's Doghouse. Stacy then gave us pointers on how we could make our own creations. She even went around to all the tables and saw all of the gingerbread house blueprints the kids had made.

On Thursday, those blueprints were used to make fantastic houses. Congratulations, F3, for all of your talent and patience! You made some awesome creations on Thursday!!

Have a GREAT break! Don't forget to log onto Study Island a few times between now and January 3. Cheers F3!

Ms. V.

We did it!! 48 Boxes!!! Great Job F3 :)

Have a great Thanksgiving Break! Read lots, and visit Study Island.

Cheers!
Ms. V

No way! Thanksgving is NEXT WEEK?!?!?! We've gotta get busy!

I am happy to report that all continues to be going very well in F3. The kids are GREAT, and are currently taking quite a leadership role in the school. They have been scouring their homes for pennies; bringing in more pennies for the penny harvest than any other intermediate classroom.

What else? The kids have gone throughout the school to collect goods from Maple kids and their families to donate for our care package project. The big day will be on November 20th when we will putting together care packages for troops currently serving in Afghanistan. Please let me know if you can come in to volunteer that day-- from 10:30am to 12 noon.

What else? F3 has just gotten through their third unit test in Math and with few exceptions, most students did an excellent job. We're moving on to a different curriculum now until January called "Connected Math Project". This math unit returns to learning about number sense, specifically factors and multiples.

I really look forward to meeting with all of you to talk about your child's progress in school. Please let me know if the time I've given you doesn't work. I have some wiggle room and may be able to fit you in to a better time slot.

Cheers!

The Census! Multi-Ethnic Dinner Night! Getting Ready for Veteran's Day!

Things are going mighty well in F3! Today we got to speak with Dr. Robert Groves, Director of the US Census. Dr. Groves was kind enough to talk to us on the phone for fifteen minutes. About a dozen kids asked great questions such as: How are homeless people counted? How are people in the military counted? and, Are translators hired? Dr. Groves wrote about our interview on his blog! The kids were thrilled to do the interview and I am excited to focus on the census throughout the year.

Tonight was the Multi-Ethnic Dinner night at Maple. It was fantastic to see so many F3 parents! Thanks so much for signing up for conferences. I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks.

The next exciting event for F3 is Veterans' Day, and the Veterans' Care Package drive. For the last two years, students in F3 have helped organize the assembly and the care package drive that follows. We'll be asking kids at Maple to bring in items for the drive from November 12 to the 19th. On the 20th, we'll be busy packing up the boxes to send to a base in Afghanistan.

All the best,
-Ms. V

Camp and Cupcakes!

WOW!!! We had such an AMAZING time at camp! YAY! We learned how to canoe, learned about the camp's "Living Machine", played co-operative learning games, had a TON of fun with the fourth graders, and basically got to be super silly for three days straight. Camp will be the source of many stories and lessons for a long time to come.

Mrs. Hunter came for two days and got to spend quality time with the kids. She even got to spend a night in one of the girls' cabins! (I did too.) Here's a big shout out to Ella's dad and Alma's dad for being amongst the fabulous parents that were cabin leaders at camp.

Pictures are coming soon. Parents with pictures, please send them to school on a disc or a jump drive so that I can make a slide show of everyone's pictures.

So... Cupcakes. Wow. Lots of cupcakes this week. We celebrated Tony's birthday on Monday, Justin Z's birthday today, Roussevelt's birthday tomorrow, and Alma's birthday on Saturday. We'll just be calling ourselves the Libras from now on :)

In other news, now that it's post camp we are back at it! Today the kids learned about a cell and actually saw cells in a slice of cork. Later this week, we'll be looking at living micros under the microscope.We're finishing our first writing unit on writing personal narratives. The kids have told some GREAT short stories.

That's all for now! Cheers!

Off to a fantastic start in F3... Next Stop: Camp Seymour Next Week!!!

Hello everyone! Thanks for such a fantastic first week and a half at Maple in F3. So far, so good!

We've already started on a great unit in science called Micros and Me. Kids are doing interviews this weekend with their parents and other community members asking questions about what the major community health issues on Beacon Hill and the Rainier Valley. We'll compile the results of the interviews, as well as the pictures that kids will be taking throughout the week next week. The pictures will be documenting the health issues that exists in our community.

Also, we've gotten started on a read aloud book by Carl Hiassan called Flush. Please ask your child to keep you up to speed on this very exciting and fast pasted story about a 12-year-old boy on a quest for environmental justice.

Students will have their first unit math test on Thursday this week. Please help your child study for the math test. They will get the results on the same day-- so please ask at the end of the day how your child did on their math test.

Lastly... we're off to Camp Seymour in a week and a half!!! Woohooo!!!! Make sure your child has everything they need on the packing list! We're going to have a GREAT time.

Cheers everyone!
Ms. V.

Welcome to Fifth Grade in F3!!!

Hello! I am Marcia Ventura, and I will be your child’s fifth grade teacher this year. I have taught in the Seattle School District for ten years, and this is my third year at Maple, and I love it here deeply!

Fifth grade is a very exciting year for students. At this moment they are one year from starting middle school, and as such, it is critical that throughout the year, students become academically and socially ready for that transition. Instruction, especially in the areas of reading, writing, and math, will be rigorous to ensure that readiness.

What will students learn this year? In science, they will work with microscopes, learn about erosion and ground water, and even become engineers. In social studies, your child will learn about early US history and the principles this country was founded on. Because next year is 2010, we'll be learning a ton about the Census! Math starts to get a little tricky for kids, and for that reason, I have a Math Breakfast club that will begin in October for kids that need a little extra help.

Homework will be given Monday through Thursday. Students should be spending about 45 minutes to an hour per night on homework. I expect homework to be done completely independently. If your child is asking for help often with the homework, please let me know. All homework given in class will be directly related to what was taught during that school day.

Coming up very soon will be FOURTH and FIFTH GRADE CAMP!!!! Woohoo! Most of the students are already signed up and paid for. If you are not, you'll be receiving a phone call from me very soon :). Camp is very exciting and will be taking place at Camp Seymour in Gig Harbor from September 30, October 1 and 2. More information about camp can be found in the links on the right side of the screen.

As you know, Maple is an open-concept school, and because of that, students will not only have me as their teacher, but they will also learn from Ms. Wood and Ms. Tyler, the two other fifth grade teachers. The three of us have worked hard in preparation for the start of the school year and will continue to work closely together throughout the year.

Check the blog often for updates and pictures throughout the year, and make sure to get all of the paperwork signed by the end of the first week.

Cheers!!

Ms. Ventura

Thanks for a Great Year 2009 F3 Grads!!!

Thanks for a fantastic year, F3, I really enjoyed having such a GREAT class. Have a fun, safe summer and keep in touch! I look forward to hearing about your summer adventures.
Cheers!!
Ms. V

What?! It's June Already?!

Congrats to all students in F3! We've made it to June! It's been a FANTASTIC school year so far, and I wanted to let you know of some highlights coming up.

But first, there seems to be some sort of mystery person out there commenting like mad on the blog. You're cracking me up... but, may I suggest you spend your time with say... Study Island? Just a thought.

Today, a good 1:2 kids in F3 is on a field trip with Ms. Escobar for being fantastic conflict managers. Meanwhile, we'll be continuing our experiments in science. So far, kids have preformed nine experiments with go carts. They have become experts in collecting data, figuring out the mean (average number), and writing conclusions based on that data. Kids have been so amazing in their analysis that it's no surprise that F3 scored 25% higher than the district average on a recent spring math assessment. GREAT job F3!!!!!

Tomorrow is our last day with the go cart experiments. The kids will weep a little, but we do have one more week before our BRIDGES will be finished. That's right! Kids are building bridges out of toothpicks, popsicle sticks and glue. They look AMAZING. Many are modeled after floating bridges in the area as well as famous bridges such as the London Bridge and the San Fransisco Golden Gate Bridge.

Another favorite activity lately has been reading Carl Hiassan's latest book, Scat. It's a real adventurous, dramatic and SUPER funny book. We're really loving it. :)

Thanks for a great June so far! We're having a TON of fun here in F3.

We're Done with the WASL-- Great Job F3!!! Now, Moving on.... :)

Great Job F3 for working SO HARD on the WASL. The scores do not come out until August, but I have a good feeling that kids did an excellent job this year. They took their time, went over their answers, and were thoughtful while taking the test. Way to go!

It's been so long! Sorry about that! What have we been up to? Well, we're just about finished with our Family Life and Sexual Health unit. Students are well versed in friendship skills, knowing about various kinds of families, decision making, the changes they are and will go through during puberty, the reproductive system, pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. I am very proud of this class for being so focused during this unit as well as their great maturity. We will be doing FLASH public service announcements which I will link to on this site in the next couple of weeks.

We are learning about colonial times and what led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Students will be writing an essay due near the end of May about a public issue. They will need to take a stand on that issue and write about how that issue relates to individual rights or the right of the common good.

Lastly, I wanted to write about some events coming up for F3. First, our FLASH puberty night will be on May 7. This is a very important night to come to with your fifth grader. There will be sex educators from the King County here to guide you and your child in how to discuss issues regarding puberty and sexuality. I strongly encourage all parents to come on May 7. Also, on May 15, please join us for the annual Maple BBQ. It is a great time to sit out in the sun and enjoy food with the staff and students.

Thanks for your fantastic support of your children. It's been a pleasure to teach them.

Wastewater Treatment Field Trip on Friday and.... FLASH starts this week!!

Hello F3 Students and Families-- hope your March is going well thus far. F3 kids have been really enjoying themselves lately. We'll be ending our science unit on Land and Water this week. Students have become experts in issues of erosion and deposition and could absolutely tell you the best places and worst places to build a home. Good job F3 for all of your learning!

On Wednesday, we will be starting our unit on Family Life and Sexual Health. We'll be starting our unit with an Introduction and a class lesson on Family, and we will work to come up with a working definition of family. Our classes will take place between 11 and 11:50, and if parents ever have questions or comments about what we are learning about in school, please feel free to call anytime. You are always welcome to look at the curriculum.

On Thursday, we'll take a unit 9 math test on coordinate graphing, area and volume. Remember that math homework should always be done independently, and that I welcome any students to come to Math Breakfast Club on Thursday mornings with questions, concerns and curiosities about the math unit we are currently studying.

Lastly, on Friday, we'll be heading out to the Wastewater Treatment Facility near Discovery Park. This field trip, as well as the one on Friday the 24th to the Cedar River Watershed. These will be fantastic learning experiences for kids and will really bring the science they have been learning to life.

Welcome back from Mid Winter Break!

Sorry, once again, for the delay in renewing the website and posting a new message-- I was taking a fancy to seeing our new President's face each time I logged onto the website. :) Thanks to my Mom and to Kevin for reminding me to update.

Congrats to Alan, Irene, Nina, Marco, Betsabe, Isa, Kaiji and Athena for working on Study Island during the break!!! You guys ROCK. I hope you have also enjoyed the spectacular weather we have had lately!

It'll be so great to see the class next week!! In the next week we'll be preparing ourselves to go to the symphony at Benaroya Hall for the 10:30a show on Friday the 27th. It will be SUCH a treat-- especially for students who have never heard a live performance of a big time orchestra. Prepare to have your socks knocked off!

SCORES will resume on Monday after school this week, and go for six afternoons: the 23rd, 24th and 25th, and then again on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th. We're all bummed that we can't have a longer SCORES session this spring, but due to the lack of funding, we have to settle on only six days. College Kicks will take place later in the Spring.

I'm seeing some big improvements with many of the kids coming to Math Breakfast Club. Remember, the club is on Thursday mornings from 8:30 to 9am. During that time I can work closely with kids that are struggling with the math unit we are currently working on.

Check out the March F3 calendar as we have more field trips coming up. More about those in the next posting. In the meantime, click on the composers' names to the right to learn information about each one. Also, as it turns out we have lots more seats than we need for the concert. Parents, please call if you can come on the 27th!

Cheers!

Ms. V

Barack Obama will be Inaugurated on January 20th-- and F3 is going to watch it live!!!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

View Obama's Inaugural Address!

Here we are making FANTASTIC Gingerbread houses :)

Hello everyone and welcome back! This week will be a short four day week starting off with some MAJOR EXCITEMENT! President-elect Barack Obama will become President Obama at 9:00 am. The teachers in F Pod have set up the room so that all fifth graders will get to watch the inauguration tomorrow morning!

We'll be studying some famous inaugural speeches this week-- and each student will get the chance to discover for themselves the history behind each inaugural speech. At the same time, we'll continue to answer questions that we have about Martin Luther King, Jr., the man whose birthday we are celebrating today.

In science, the class will be continuing to do tests on their stream tables modeling the connections between land and water. Kids already know the terms water cycle, erosion, and deposition. If there are any parents who do work in the field (Seattle City Light, Puget Sound Energy, construction, etc), please let me know.

I hope that everyone is working on Study Island when they get the chance! There is time to work on the reading portion during center time, but there is also a math assignment this week that I would like for students to work on at home.

Cheers!!! -Ms. V.

Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a safe a fun break!

Okay, LOTS to catch up on. The last time I saw my awesome fifth graders was the Tuesday before break. We had one fake snow day and two real ones to finish off 2008 before the winter break. That was a bit of a bummer because we had a lot planned for those last few days in F Pod, but we'll get around to the Gingerbread houses soon enough... stay tuned.

This week we'll have a bit of a review on our fractions unit before taking the test on Wednesday. We will start our next science unit after listening to the public service announcements that all of our kids created at the end of 2008. Our next science unit is called Land and Water. We'll be modeling different landforms and learning how the flow of water affects those land forms.

The first Global Reading Challenge contest will be coming up in late February. That gives us less then two months to really focus on those ten books, and build teams in the classroom that work well together, so that they do well in the first round. Check out the Reading Challenge link to check out those ten books.

Speaking of reading, I am looking forward to our next read aloud, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, a work of historical fiction based in a small town in Texas in the late 1960's. Don't worry kids... we will finish Surviving the Applewhites-- probably by Tuesday.

My New Years' resolution (well, one of them anyway), is to blog at least once a week. :) Hold me to it kids! See you tomorrow!!

It's December!!

Here we are packing up the care packages for the troops on November 26th!

Thanks to all the kids in F3 for working so hard to get some really nice packages together for the troops last Wednesday. I am sure that they will be appreciated. All in all, F3 put about 27 care packages together for a platoon of soldiers currently serving in Afghanistan.

It's December already! Whew! We have three weeks to go before winter break, and there's so much to cover. We'll be starting a unit on the explorers who came to the New World that became the United States.

Also, students will be concluding their research reports on micros by beginning to work on their poster section of the Public Service Announcement they will be creating.

Today is World AIDS day, and students will be listening to a story about a teenager born with HIV who is now in high school.

A Short but Fun Week Ahead in F3

These are pictures from PFC Chris Todd, a member of the Army unit in Afghanistan that will be receiving our care packages.

We'll be having a great week ahead in F3 concentrating on three main things: One, we'll be packing up care packages on Wednesday afternoon for an Army unit in Mizan, Afghanistan. There are fifty soldiers in the platoon we'll be sending out packages to-- so that means that each F3 student will be responsible for sending two packages.

Next, we'll be starting a new unit in math on fractions. This should be a welcome change for some in F3 who struggled a bit with division. As I mentioned to many parents during conferences, kids are ALWAYS welcome to come to F3 on Thursday mornings to get extra help in math.

Also this week, students will continue their work on the Micros project! Students are studying everything from omega 3s to hand washing to organic foods! They are learning so much! I am particularly looking forward to their Public Service Announcements they will start writing after Thanksgiving Break. Speaking of Thanksgiving, I'll be in Boston with my Aunt Lorraine, my Mom and Dad. I hope everyone enjoys their time with family this coming weekend.

Cheers!!

SO SORRY FOR THE LONG DELAY! Veteran's Day Project and Conferences coming up!

Hello! I'm so sorry for the long delay! The rest of October went swimmingly well in F3, and we've started November off and running with a great start! As all of you are aware, kids became some fantastic political junkies and followed the closing days of the election with a close eye. We made great big VOTE signs and paraded around Beacon Hill with them on November 4th and encouraged all resident of Beacon Hill to get out and VOTE.

As you can imagine, the kids were pretty excited by the results of this historic election! We will continue our studies of current events throughout the year, especially leading up to inauguration day on January 20, 2009.

What else have we been up to in F3? In science kids have been doing experiments using petri dishes full of agar to grow bacteria, yeast and mold. Starting today, students will chose topics of study to complete the unit in Micros and Me. One student may study asthma, one may study a certain kind of diet, etcetera. At the end of their study, students will do a public service announcement.

Parent Conferences are coming up. Please ensure that you are on time for your conference as each one only lasts for 20 minutes. If you need to change your time, please give me a call.

That's all for now! Sorry again for the delay. Enjoy the pictures of Election Day!!

Multi-Ethnic Dinner night, Ms. V Gets an Award, and Choice and Consenquences Assembly

Phew! Lots going on this week. Let's start by talking about Multi-Ethnic Dinner night. This will be on Thursday night-- on the 23rd. It's a fantastic time to mingle with other parents, catch a first glimpse of the classroom, and-- sign up for a parent conference in November. Personally, I'm looking forward to all the fantastic food that will grace F Pod that evening. :)

On Tuesday, I will be receiving an award from the American Legion for the work that the fifth grade class did last year in regards to their pen pal, Cpl. Paul Craddick, who was serving at Camp Ramadi in Iraq last year during the surge in troop levels there. The award will be presented in Ballard at the VFW on Tuesday at noon. I wish I could take the kids!

We had a marvelous time at the Momix dance performance at the UW's Meany Hall on Friday the 17th. the kids were amazed with the Multi-media performance, and I thoroughly enjoyed taking them.

Lastly, by now all students have taken pictures in their community regarding health issues. We'll be printing out those pictures this week and the students will get to discuss the issues they found with their colleagues. Also this week, our unit two math test will be on Tuesday. Congrats to the Math Breakfast Club who came early on Thursday morning and worked on their math skills.

That's all for now! Don't forget to sign your Choice and Consequences permission slip form so that your child can go to this worthwhile assembly :)

Taking Pictures in the Community and Finishing off the week in Style!

This week will be a VERY fun week here in F3. Kids will be finishing up on their camp brochures and taking on their community photography this week. Students will be sent home with a digital camera and they will be asked to take pictures of places in their community that remind them of community health issues. Students will only have one day after school to take pictures.

Also this week is our Momix field trip at the University of Washington. Students will need to bring a sack lunch to eat at school when they return on Friday after watching an amazing dance performance. Also on Friday, Ms. V will bring in some cupcakes to celebrate her birthday with the kids :) You are welcome to bring in cupcakes or any snack for the kids to share on their birthday this school year. :)

What else? Kids are truly becoming experts on the election. Students now know what the electoral college is and which states are the key battleground states for November's election.

Next Thursday will be our Multi Ethnic Dinner. I am hoping all of you can make it. This will be the first opportunity for you to choose a date for parent conferences. If you can't make it for that evening-- feel free to give me a call that next day.

Take care and have a GREAT week ahead.

Community Health, the Math Breakfast Club, and Politics this Week

Some examples of community health public service announcements

On Monday (Yes, tomorrow!), all of the community health interviews should be done and answers should be written up. It would be awesome if in addition to the interviews, students also brought in pictures of the people they interviewed.

At some point this week, students will get a digital camera to take home for a night. With this camera, students will get to take pictures of places around the school and their own community that make them think of important community health issues. Later on in the month, students will get the camera for another night-- at that point they will take pictures of things around their house that keep them healthy or remedies they take when they get sick. All of this work will culminate in a PSA (public service announcement) produced by each student on a health issue of their choosing.

In math, students are focusing on estimation, and various ways to add, subtract, and multiply two and three digit numbers. As you already know, your child should be coming home with math homework Monday through Thursday evenings. It is critical that they do their math homework independently as it is nearly identical work to what they already learned in class. If they need extra help with the homework, that is good information for me to know, and you can let me know by calling or sending me an e mail.

Help has arrived for students who may be struggling :) It is called the math breakfast club. I started this club last year in early January for students who were struggling with math. Due to the huge success of last year's club, I am starting earlier this year. I will send out invitations this week to students who I think will benefit from some extra help. The only catch is that you will need to bring your child to school on Thursday mornings at 8:20. It's called a breakfast club because last year students took turns bringing in breakfast treats for the other students. If your child does not receive an invitation and you think they may need some extra help with math, please contact me.

As the election is a mere 30 days away at this point, students will begin to learn about the process of electing someone to the highest office. Your child will become an expert on the electoral college, and be able to name their state and federal representatives. Do not be surprised if they stay up late on election night to watch the results come in :)

That's all for now! Cheers!
-Ms. V

We Had a Phenomenal Time at Camp!!!!

Thanks to all the parents and kids that made Camp Seymour 2008 a HUGE success! More pictures will be arriving on this slide show this week as I get pictures back from all the parents who came.

We had so much fun!! The kids went boating, rock climbing, and took classes in marine science and orienteering. Due to huge parent support, kids had a fun and safe time in their cabins at night. The food was fantastic, and kids learned all about food waste and the importance of clearing their plates :).

This week students will be working on a writing activity about camp. They will be working together to produce a brochure that will give information to next years' campers about Camp Seymour.

Also this week, students will have a big homework assignment: they have to interview someone in the community who knows about environmental, physical, or emotional health problems in the community. Yes, this could be a parent! These interviews need to be done by Monday, October 6th.

Rest well this weekend! See you on Monday!

Sorry for the delay... we're going to camp this week!!!

Hello again!! The school year has been a good one so far for the kids in F3.

We started to have centers for literacy time. During this time, the students are reflecting on our read aloud book, A Girl, In Parts, learning about grammar usage, reading about the presidential candidates, buddy reading a short fiction story together, or reading a book of their choosing on their own.

In science, we started a unit called Micros and Me. Maple School has had a partnership with the UW Department of Education Graduate program, and through this partnership, a unit that would have otherwise been just about cells is now also about health issues in our community. After we get back from Camp Seymour, kids will be interviewing members of their community about health issues that affect us on Beacon Hill. Parents, if you yourselves, or if you know of anyone who is a health care provider, please contact me.

We'll be leaving for camp on Wednesday morning. Please make sure your child beings a sack lunch for Wednesday. All other meals will be provided. If you'd like to send a message to your child while they are at camp, please visit the Camp Seymour website. They will be happy to print out any messages you send.

Your child will be quite sleepy on Friday afternoon. If you are able to PLEASE pick your child up on Friday at 2pm. They will have stories for you all weekend long. :)

That's all for now! Cheers!

Ms. V

Welcome to Fifth Grade in F3!

Hello! I am Marcia Ventura, and I will be your child’s fifth grade teacher this year. I have taught in the Seattle School District for nine years, and this is my second year at Maple, and I love it here deeply. In the 2006/2007 school year I took a very invigorating travel leave from Seattle Public Schools in order to take a three-month bike trip throughout the deep south of the US. I have enjoyed using what I learned during my time on the road with my students-- especially during social studies.

Fifth grade is a very exciting year for students. At this moment they are one year from starting middle school, and as such, it is critical that throughout the year, students become academically and socially ready for that transition. Instruction, especially in the areas of reading, writing, and math, will be rigorous to ensure that readiness.

Homework will be given Monday through Thursday. Students should be spending about 45 minutes to an hour per night on homework. I expect homework to be done completely independently. If your child is asking for help often with the homework, please let me know. All homework given in class will be directly related to what was tauight during that school day.

What will students learn this year? In science, they will work with microscopes, learn about erosion and ground water, and even become engineers. In social studies, your child will learn about early US history and the principles this country was founded on. We will also be studying the evolution of the civil rights era of the 1950s and 1960s and the affects that it continues to have in the world today. For the next two months we will be following the presidential campaigns very closely.

Coming up very soon will be FIFTH GRADE CAMP!!!! Woohoo! Most of the students are already signed up and paid for. If you are not, you'll be receiving a phone call from me very soon :). Fifth grade camp is very exciting and will be taking place at Camp Seymour in Gig Harbor from September24-26. More information about camp can be found in the links on the right side of the screen.

As you know, Maple is an open-concept school, and because of that, students will not only have me as their teacher, but they will also learn from Ms. Felber and Mr. Gonzales, the two other fifth grade teachers. The three of us have worked hard in preparation for the start of the school year and will continue to work closely together throughout the year.

We made it! Great job F3!

Good job F3 students! You made it to the end of the year. Students worked so hard this year in math, science and social studies to learn so much! I am very proud of them.

We just completed a science research project that culminated in another public service announcement! These PSAs should hopefully be available on the website at some point tin the next few weeks. Students' PSAs ranged in topic from asthma to Chinese herbal medicine. Students completed their research on the Internet using the bookmarking tool "delicious". They also made posters having to do with their PSAs.

The class is also quite proud of our student teacher, Mr. Jesse McClelland, who showed incredible commitment and determination to be the best teacher he can be. Mr. McClelland will be moving up to Bellingham for at least a year before hopefully returning to Seattle to teach here in Seattle Public Schools. I am very proud of his progress.

Tonight's F3's night out at the ballgame. Our class can bring nothing but good luck to the struggling Seattle Mariners. Tomorrow at 10:30 is graduation. We will have a reception at 11:30, and then all parents are welcome and encouraged to take their children home for an early afternoon. Hats off to the grads!!

I'll miss you F3. Take care, work hard in middle school, have a lot of fun this summer, keep in touch by e mail. and come back and visit Maple often.

Love

Ms. V.

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.

Sorry-- Long Time, no Postings-- Lots to catch up on!

Welcome Home, Paul!

I apologize for not writing earlier, Time to catch up!

Since the last time I wrote, kids have been working very hard on the WASL. They are coming to school focused and ready to do their very best on the tests. Some are surprised that the science tests are taking them less time to complete then they thought. They are doing a great job at going back and looking over their work. Good job fifth graders!!!

What else is new in F3? Well, in the afternoons, students have been learning all about what life was like in Colonial Boston. Students have taken on new names in the afternoons, been assigned jobs of their own, and family members to work with. Please ask your child about what they have learned about Colonial Boston over dinner each night-- you'll learn that they are learning more and more everyday. Students will be learning about the years 1765 all the way to the American Revolution in social studies.

Next week, students will be starting our Microworlds unit. As part of our service learning project, we will be having a Blood Drive here at the school on May 30th. We are hoping that you can be convinced by your child to come and donate blood on that day here at Maple! More details to come.

The best news of all is saved here for last: Paul is now stateside! He's back in the states, right now at Camp Lejune in North Carolina. He'll be back in Seattle in a couple of weeks and we will have a welcome back celebration for him here in F3. The kids are really looking forward to seeing him, especially after getting their very own letters from him in the mail last week!

Update! We were in the American Legion Newsletter!

Welcome Back from Spring Break!

Bring your slippers for the WASL!!

Hope everyone had a fantastic break. I enjoyed a relaxing week right here on Beacon Hill, and I'm jazzed to see all my kids this week.

Coming up this week we will be working hard to prepare the classroom and ourselves for the WASL.Testing will take place Tuesday through Friday for two weeks beginning next week on April 15. The schedule for the testing can be found on the class calendar.

Please make sure that you come to school rested and ready for taking the WASL. It will involve a lot of patience and endurance. That means that I want you to make sure that after school you are playing outside and getting lots of exercise, at night you are having a good hearty dinner, and in the morning you are eating breakfast. There will be snacks and a break everyday, but you need to make sure that you are taking care of your body the rest of the day so that you do not get overwhelmed.

Thanks to all the kids who raised money for the walk a thon. Our class raised over $200 for next year's fifth graders to go to camp! Good job!!

Starting this week in the afternoons, Mr. McClelland will be beginning a unit on Colonial America. This unit will last for several weeks and involve all subject areas.

Cheers!!