botanical gardens and Georgia O'Keeffe

Flowers in the style of Georgia O'Keefe

Thank you to all our moms who made our mother's day tea so much fun.   Your sweet first graders did such a wonderful job introducing each of you, reading a bit about you, and performing their line from our class poem.   I've put the entire poem at the bottom of this post.

We will be celebrating all our great dads on June 20th from 9-9:45.

During art,  we continue to be inspired by flowers as we learn new art techniques.

A flower at the Botanical Gardens

On Monday we learned all about Georgia O'Keefe and how she wanted everyone to see the beauty of flowers so she blew them up to giant sizes.   We did the same and used chalk to color them in.  (These did not go home in your art books...we will be sending one more set of artwork home at the end of June)



Here are a few more shots of our field trip to the Botanical Gardens at the UW.  

Our class is getting ready for our next science-related trip.... we are going to the Edmonds Beach to explore beach life on May 19th.    In preparation for this trip, a beach ranger came and talked to the class today.

Have a wonderful week.

Here's our poem:

Happiness is a Mom Who...

Helps me learn   (Ben)

Takes really good care of me    (Caroline)

Helps me read    (Jack)

Loves me    (Ruby)

Goes to the garden and plants with me      (Colin)

Helps me read     (Adam)

Helps me when I get sick    (Maya N.)

Reads the spelling list to me   (Neven)

Takes me to learn math   (Lucas)

Hugs me    (Sonya)

Takes me to fun places     (Eli)

Helps me learn how much things cost    (Liam)

Teaches me how to play games    (Nic)

Snuggles up with me    (Maya B.)

Teaches me how to roller skate   (Elizabeth)

Helps me do math   (Rebecca)

Looks fun and looks like a lamb    (Devyn)

Is very sweet to me   (Paris)

Who gives me hugs   (Parker)

Loves me   (Dylan)

Happy May

Happy Monday!  Today Mr. Blomquist stopped in for 30 minutes and led our good-morning circle and read our Scholastic News with us.   It was a fun way to start the day.

Then we learned all about Claude Monet and his beautiful garden.   We painted pictures just like his Japanese Bridge painting.   We think we might see similar beautiful scenes on our field trip to the UW Botanical Gardens this Thursday. 

We will be leaving on the bus from Sandburg at 9:15 am.  The program is from 10-11:30 and if weather permits, we will stay for lunch.

Reminders:  Students need a snack and a sack lunch and dress according to the weather.

Chaperones needing directions will find them at the end of this post.

Mother's Day Tea and Art Show:   Monday, May 9th from 2:45-3:30.  We are looking forward to celebrating our moms!

Our class blogger:

Look at how our plants are blooming!

A sample of our monthly calendar:

Directions to Graham Visitors Center:

 The Graham Visitors Center is located on the north end of the Arboretum.


1. Start out going SOUTH on 84TH AVE NE toward NE 128TH ST. 0.3 mi
 2. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto NE 123RD ST.NE 123RD ST is just past NE 125TH PL 0.3 mi
 3. NE 123RD ST becomes NE 122ND PL. 0.2 mi
 4. Turn LEFT onto JUANITA DR NE. 2.1 mi
5. JUANITA DR NE becomes NE 116TH ST. 1.4 mi
 6. Merge onto I-405 S toward RENTON. If you reach 124TH AVE NE you've gone about 0.2 miles too far 4.7 mi
7. Merge onto WA-520 W via EXIT 14 toward SEATTLE. 5.6 mi
8. Take the LAKE WASHINGTON BLVD exit. 0.5 mi
9. Turn LEFT onto LAKE WASHINGTON BLVD E. 0.08 mi
10. Turn LEFT onto E FOSTER ISLAND RD. 0.2 mi

 11. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto ARBORETUM DR E.ARBORETUM DR E is just past AZALEA WAY0.2 mi
12. 2300 ARBORETUM DR E is on the LEFT.

2300 Arboretum Dr E
 Seattle, WA 98112-2300

Weekly Update

Hi Parents,
Today we started our day learning about the art of Mary Cassatt.  She was famous for painting pictures of families (especially mothers with their children).  

Inspired by Mary, we drew our own portraits of our mothers next to us.   I bet you moms will recognize yourselves in these adorable portraits.  I think they did a lovely job and they look so sweet.

In science we are learning all about plants and we are growing our own.  It is exciting to come to school in the morning and see how much they grew. 

Remember that our field trip to the Botanical Gardens is on Thursday, May 5th.

We had a terrific assembly today called Rosie the Riveter.   It was a musical about how women worked in factories making planes during WWII.    The students really enjoyed it.

Have a wonderful evening.   I will be in teaching for Mrs. Morissey tomorrow morning.  

Monday Update

We are reading and learning all about pumpkins, scarecrows, and all the other fun things associated with autumn.  Check out these amazing 'up close' scarecrows your first graders made today



Conferences:  Thank you for turning in your goal-setting conference forms.   You will be notified of your conference time once we've had a chance to look over everyone's form

Book Orders UPDATE:
Books orders due online by Oct. 18th

Web address: scholastic.com/bookclubs

Class Activation Code: HFJBB

On the parent page, register by clicking click the “Don’t have a user name or password?” link. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me. 

Reflections:  This is the last week for your child to create something for the Reflections contest.   Items are due to the office by Friday the 15th.

Field Trip:   Our first field trip is coming up soon!   All chaperones and students pay $8.00 (cost includes a pumppkin).

Chaperones will follow the bus and may carpool with others.  

Have your child dress for the weather and for the possibility of wet, muddy fields.