Welcome back!

I would like to welcome back all our Katzie Elementary students!  I'm looking forward to another wonderful year of sharing great books and learning along with you.  I hope you read some great books over the summer!  Use the comments section to tell us all what you read.

Summer Reading Club!

Katzie students were treated to a presentation by Surrey Public Library librarian, Leslee Gowthrop, in the gym this afternoon.  Leslie brought her puppets and told two stories (with great sound effects!!), told us all about the Summer Reading Club and got everyone singing and clapping along to "We will, we will read books!" (Sung to the tune of "We will, we will rock you!). Thank you for sharing your talents with us today, Leslie!

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and students are excited to sign up at a branch of the Surrey Public Library!  Sign up begins June 17th. 

Leslee and her puppet, Mortimer, who couldn't sleep because he was so excited about the Summer Reading Club!

This story featured a cat and a dog and lots of audience participation.   Do you know why dogs chase cats?

Surrey Schools' Picture Book of the Year 2014

This was the favourite among the students at Katzie and is the winner of the Surrey Schools' Picture Book of the Year for 2014.  Students enjoyed reading all ten nominees and we look forward to next year's books.

Students have been anxiously waiting to hear the winner and here it is! Dangerously Ever After is the winning book with 2831 votes!! 

Oceans Day!

June 8th is World Oceans Day.  The City of Surrey is having a special celebration on Sunday and it's free to join in the fun. Parents and children can explore all summer long!  Take a trip to one of our local beaches. Check out the tide chart to see when the tide is lowest and you'll be able to do your own scavenger hunt for crabs, shells, rocks and different kinds of seaweed.  Who knows what you'll find!  Remember to maintain the habitat for any creatures you find.  If you turn over a rock to look for crabs, turn it back when you are finished looking.  If left exposed to the sun, little creatures living on the rocks will die.  And don't take any living creatures home with you.  Their home is the ocean and that's where they need to stay.  Let's all do our part to keep the oceans clean and healthy for the animals that live there.

Check out what Surrey Public Library has on ocean life.
Here's a great site on summer activities for kids to do with their parents.  There are many great book suggestions too!

Welcome Poles for Katzie Elementary

On Friday, May 30, 2014, we were privileged with welcoming the beautiful red cedar logs which will become the Welcome Poles for Katzie Elementary School.  Members of the Katzie First Nation led the poles into the room in the school where the carving will take place. The carver has begun the carving and will complete the poles on site, allowing our students to be witnesses to the creative process.  Here are some pictures from the event.

The poles are Western Redcedar from Chehalis.

The poles are very heavy!  A crane was used to carefully lift them onto the dolly so they could be rolled into the school.

Dean sang and drummed the poles into the room where they will be carved.

Too large to fit through the doorway, the logs had to be carefully turned on their sides to be moved in.

The carver, Rocky LaRock, (on the left), is from Chehalis, where the tree came from.

Our school spirit name is the "Katzie Eagles" and we look forward to having this eagle welcoming us, along with the other pole, every day when we come to school.

For more photos, visit https://www.surreyschools.ca/ProgramsAndServices/ABRG/photo_gallery/Pages/default.aspx

Dinosaurs!

Some of the library classes have begun learning about dinosaurs and I just found a news article about a new dinosaur discovery!  Look at the picture below.  That is the femur, or thigh bone, of the yet to be named dinosaur just discovered in Argentina.  Scientists estimate the dinosaur would have been 40 meters in length and would have weighed 73 tonnes or the equivalent of 14 African elephants!  How much do you know about dinosaurs?  Take this quiz to find out!

MUSEO PALETONTOLÓGICO EGIDIO FERUGLIO VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS

Here is a paleontologist beside the femur of the newly discovered dinosaur.  Do you know what a paleontologist does? 

The Library Learning Commons is covered with dinosaur pictures so pop in and take a look!  You'll be amazed at the creativity of Katzie students!  Here is some dinosaur art for you to enjoy.

To learn more about dinosaurs, check out http://kidsdigdinos.com
If you are on a computer (not an iPad because this site uses Flash), check out http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/scienceforkids/dinosaurs/dinosaurs.htm

Check out the "pocket museum" in the Library Learning Commons.  It has a real dinosaur bone and other fossils on it!

What is your favourite dinosaur?  Tell us in the comments below.

Voting Week!

This week all primary students at Katzie will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite picture book from our Surrey Schools' Picture Book of the Year nominees.  We have read the books over the last few months and it's tough to have to choose a favourite because they are all great books! We'll see how they stack up once all the votes are counted! We are using "Jenga" blocks to vote. Each student is given a block to stack in front of the book they like the best. Then students count up the votes and I record the numbers.  This tally is then counted along with the tallies from all the participating schools in Surrey and only then is the winner determined.  The winning book will be announced in June, so check back!