Summer Reading Resources

Summer Fun!
Looking for summer reading resources?  Here are a few family-friendly links! Let us know which links are helpful and fun for your readers.  

Reading Websites:

http://www.worthingtonlibraries.org

http://www.yahooligans.com  click on school bell, then Language Arts. 
This site includes reading lists and reviews, online stories, poetry, word games and cool sites for kids.

http://www.poetry4kids.com  poetry books and how to write and poetry

http://raz-kids.com  online leveled books and reading quizzes   

http://www.bookadventure.org
on-line reading incentive program to motivate elementary students to read longer, more frequently and with greater comprehension

http://www.readinga-z.com/samples/preview.html

http://www.ed.gov/inits/americareads   Read *Write* Now! Basic Kit developed by reading experts to build language and literacy skills from birth through grade six, includes fun reading and writing activities.  As an added incentive, readers who reach their reading and writing goals over summer can be rewarded with a free pizza from Pizza Hut. or call toll-free 1-877-4ED-PUBS.

http://www.randomhouse.com   Magic Tree House activities, book lists
http://www.eduplace.com/dictionary  Fake-Out? The Definition Guessing Game   This site offers word study and word play that will encourage dictionary use.  Students choose a word and try to determine the correct definition.  They can even offer suggested definitions for mystery words!

http://www.vocabulary.com  This site contains various puzzles and games children can play to build vocabulary skills.  It offers immediate feedback once students submit their answers.

http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/RTE.html  Aaron Shepard graciously allows visitors to print out his Reader’s Theater scripts which come from a variety of genres and reading levels.  He also suggests props and staging.  This is a great activity for the whole family to participate in!

http://www.fablevision.com/place/index.html  “Cyber-books” come alive online.  Each story explores themes like developing creativity and being true to yourself. 

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/   Time for Kids

http://www.sikids.com  Sports Illustrated for Kids games, quizzes and up to-the minute news stories.

OAA's are finished!

The children did a wonderful job with Ohio Achievement Assessments! The district will send you your child's results when they come in. Thank you to all the parents who donated snacks. We had so many that we will be using some as we work in the habitat over the next few weeks.
Since all the testing is finished we will go back to our weekly homework notebook as usual. If your child still needs to master their fact tests be sure to check the progress book site to keep up with which set of facts they are currently working on.
Progressbook: https://parentaccess.mecdc.org/general/homepage.aspx?DistrictID=95  
You can also download a copy of the fact inventories at that site. Let's work really hard to get these facts mastered before the end of school. Only 6 weeks to go!
Mrs. M

Happy Spring!

Enjoy the next week of vacation!  If you are traveling, gather memories and pictures.  If you are staying home, explore your yard or a nearby park.  We wish you good weather, happy adventures and safe travels. See you after break!

Mrs. S and Mrs. M.

(PS: Don't forget-if you read, keep a log of your book time.  Every 5 entries earns you lunch out in the Habitat with Mrs. S)

Discovery Channel Series: Life

We hope that you get a chance to watch this amazing series.  Check out the Discovery Channel website to see special scenes and to get more information about the creation of the series.  This promises to be an exciting event!

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/life-creating-the-life-series.html

The Excitement Continues!

Week One of Web Building is coming to a close and all I can say is...WOW!!!!  The IMA kids created a welcome page, an "All About Me Page," and added a blog for daily writing.  The children are beginning to store finished writing projects on their website too.  Many children added a book log, documenting their reading for the entire year. 

Our next writing project is a literary essay, which will take the form of a book review.  We will study other reviews, develop our own check-list for a quality book review, and select a favorite book to share with an audience. 

Interesting observation:  The children are working so intently as they write and create that you can quietyly hear their brain cells humming and their creativity singing!  Feel free to visit our classrooms during writing workshop and check out our new websites.

Exciting News!!!! A new digital writing tool!

Today was a big day for the IMA kids-we started our own websites!  Using the templates from  IWeb, students created their own websites, crafting a welcome page and an "all about me" page.  Students also learned to use I-Photo and Google Maps.  The websites are part of the school's intranet and cannot be viewed outside of our school's network and our classroom community.  Each child's site is monitored by me and is password protected. 

Students intend to publish finished writing projects, poetry, and research.  They will also keep track of their reading life on their websites. Students will still use the wiki for drafting, revising, and editing written projects.  Each child's website will become a digital portfolio for many projects.  IWeb provides students with many creative options, so we look forward to sharing our work with you in the near future. 

If you would like to learn more about IWeb, Apple has a great website:

http://www.apple.com/ilife/iweb/



Let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Fantastic New Science Resource!

If you are looking for a site with:

• many different options for reading
• research tools
• problem solving opportunities
• and fun science adventures

then I have the site for you!  Visit this scholastic site:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/explorations/

and explore.  I spent some time exploring the many Charles Darwin resources.  

Check out one of the Galapagos treasures:  The Marine Iguana....so very handsome!

Let me know about your explorations.  Please post your discoveries here on the blog.

Mrs. S