Monthly Archives: November 2012

Scholastic Book Fair Dec. 4, 5, 6, 2012

This year’s Scholastic Book Fair will take place during the first week in December, a perfect time to get a head-start on your holiday shopping! In addition to great books, we will be selling posters, bookmarks, activity kits, and the always popular school supplies! During this week, each class will visit the Book Fair during their regularly-scheduled Library time. The Book Fair will also be open before school, at Recess, at Lunch, and after school.

Ms. Lehnert is looking for parent/guardian volunteers to help run the Book Fair. Notices were sent home on Tuesday, November 20th. If you have some time to spare, please let Ms. Lehnert know.

Book Fair Dates and Hours:

Tuesday, December 4th: open 8:30 am until 4:15 pm

Wednesday, December 5th: open 8:30 am until 4:15 pm

Thursday, December 6th: open 8:30 am until 4:30 pm

Nov. 19 – 23, 2012 Read-a-Louds

This week, the Kindergarteners will be reading the companion book to Jeremy Draws A Monster, by Peter McCarty. In The Monster Returns, the monster that Jeremy drew returns to annoy Jeremy with his many demands and rude disposition. But, Jeremy has a surprise for the Monster! How does Jeremy outwit the Monster? Stay tuned to find out!

Nov. 12 – 16, 2012 Read-a-Louds

Bullying…everyone is talking about it. The recent tragic suicide of a Lower Mainland high school student has put the issue back in the news. This week, grades 1 and up will be reading Bad Apple: A Tale of Friendship by Edward Hemingway. Mac, an apple, wakes up after a rain shower to find that he has a new friend, Will. Will is a worm. The two friends are inseparable (literally and figuratively!), until Mac is bullied by his apple friends at the orchard, and is called a “rotten” and “bad” apple because of his worm friend. How does Mac deal with the bullying? Find out this week. This story is an accessible but powerful narrative dealing with friendship and the repercussions of bullying.

Six Men Reader’s Response (War)

This week, Division 2 had the powerful book Six Men by David McKee read to them. Students were asked to write down powerful words from the story, or words that caused a picture to appear in their minds. Students then chose 7 words from their lists and arranged them into a Word-List Poem. A Word-List Poem is simply a collection of words arranged in an order that makes sense and is powerful. The results were impressive! Here are a few of the poems:

Clashing
Peace
Fear
Farmers
Soldiers
River
Watchtower
Fight

War Beginning to End
Guard
Trained
Soldiers
Armies
Killed
Battle
Ended

Rich and Powerful
Peaceful
Power
War
Began
Army
Soldiers
Death

The War
Peace
Rich
Worried
Soldier
Battle
Attack
Killed

Dark Horrible War
Soldiers
Fight
Fear
Army
Battle
Power
Ruled

The Battle of the Guards
Peaceful
Fortunate
Defending
Battle
Guarding
Power
War

The Castle
Build
River
Powerful
Greed
Army
Battle
Mighty

Powerful, Together
World
Peace
Captured
Killed
Battle
Ended
Quiet

Greedy War
Peace
Riches
Soldiers
Greed
Power
Battle
Killed

The Beginning of War
Rich
Worries
Defending
Greed
Killing
Dying
Destroyed

In the Midst of Battle
Plan
Fear
Killed
Power
Capture
Traveled
Peace

The Power
Peace
Fear
Strong
Battle
Enemy
Killed
Unhappy

Nov. 5 – 9, 2012 Read-a-Louds

 

Since Remembrance Day is this coming weekend, we will be reading stories about war and tolerance. The Kindergarteners and Grade 1’s will be reading a wordless picture book called NO! by David McPhail. “Wordless, but speaking volumes, No! dramatizes conflict and its alternatives in a language that’s accessible to everyone, young or old.” (From the book jacket)

Grades 2 and up will be reading Six Men by David McKee. This is a powerful story about a group of men who become greedy and the consequences that occur when one group of people takes over another’s land. The story is accompanied by simplistic black and white drawings that really pack a punch!

Creepy Carrots Reader’s Response

 

This week Division 2 tried a Visualization activity with the book Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds. Ms. Lehnert described the picture on the cover, while students visualized in their minds and drew what Ms. Lehnert described. Students were not shown the picture until after the activity. Ms. Lehnert found it tricky to describe the picture as accurately as possible! Here are a few completed drawings; they turned out quite well!

 

Oct. 29 – Nov. 2, 2012 Read-a-Louds

Happy Halloween!

This week we will be reading Halloween-themed picture books. The Kindergarteners and Grade 1’s will be reading Pumpkin Cat by Anne Mortimer. Cat  learns how to plant and grow pumpkins with Mouse. At the end of the story, Mouse has a surprise for Cat.

Grades 2 and up will be reading Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds. This is a hilarious story about some wild carrots who start to follow Jasper Rabbit around, because he is eating them. Do creepy carrots really exist? Find out this week!